Nagoya Basho 2021

[Eikokurai 3,437]

Ooh, a komatasukui from Terutsuyoshi. Second one this year by a sekitori.

[specialweek 2 136]

8 minutes ago, Ichimawashi said:

Abi is considerably behind on the process of stiffening his sagari for sekitorihood, and has a different colour mawashi so cannot use the previous one.  Is there a shortage of the paste they use or something?  Or maybe they could have painted the old one black?

Painted? 

[Seiyashi 4,074]

19 minutes ago, Eikokurai said:

Ooh, a komatasukui from Terutsuyoshi. Second one this year by a sekitori.

Beautifully converted from an attempted kirikaeshi too.

19 minutes ago, specialweek 2 said:

28 minutes ago, Ichimawashi said:

Abi is considerably behind on the process of stiffening his sagari for sekitorihood, and has a different colour mawashi so cannot use the previous one.  Is there a shortage of the paste they use or something?  Or maybe they could have painted the old one black?

Painted? 

His sagari look like they haven't even been processed at all - usually they're rolled up and stiffened with seaweed glue, but his are just thick fabric hanging straight down flopping around as if he were in makushita. They should have thought of using a proper set, but that said, I don't think you'd risk painting silk black, especially not if you wanted it to go back to red at some point.

Could it be that Shikoroyama has suspended tsukebito privileges and he's had to do it himself, and can't be arsed to?

EDIT: although that said, look at Hokutofuji's; their top half isn't that much better....

Edited July 15, 2021 by Seiyashi

[Seiyashi 4,074]

Tobizaru really getting outclassed for a second basho in a row in the joi. That kitchen sink approach works against lower opposition but not against the top ranks.

[Eikokurai 3,437]

Intriguing battle between Takayasu and Kiribayama. I missed the first half as the stream froze for more than a minute but I still managed to see about two mins of 'action'. Usually with sumo when the stream goes you miss the whole thing.

Edited July 15, 2021 by Eikokurai

[Seiyashi 4,074]

7 minutes ago, Eikokurai said:

Intriguing battle between Takayasu and Kiribayama. I missed the first half as the stream froze for more than a minute but I still managed to see about two mins of 'action'. Usually with sumo when the stream goes you miss the whole thing.

Kiribayama is quietly impressing even more. I might be wrong, but it seems like after Takayasu, he's the next most likely in the top division to engage in long bouts (I might compile the stats from Misahiro's thread if I had the time). If only he had a bit more consistency he would be a joi mainstay for sure; he's good both with throws and forward moving sumo.

EDIT: A quick look does confirm that Kiribayama has had at least 3 30s+ bouts this basho alone.

Edited July 15, 2021 by Seiyashi

[Seiyashi 4,074]

Interesting technique from Shodai - the sukuinage fakeout into makikae. And for a very short time at the start of the bout it looked like Shodai was fighting a mirror image of himself, so similar was Okinoumi's style to his then.

[Eikokurai 3,437]

Terunofuji secures himself a minimum of a 12-3 jun-yusho and officially eliminates both of the 9-3 'chasers' from the yusho race. Hakuho does likewise. 

Edited July 15, 2021 by Eikokurai

[Kaninoyama 1,731]

Kiribayama is beginning to look like a potential future Ozeki. 

Edited July 15, 2021 by Kaninoyama

[Seiyashi 4,074]

6 minutes ago, Eikokurai said:

Terunofuji secures himself a minimum of a 12-3 jun-yusho and officially eliminates both of the 9-3 'chasers' from the yusho race. Hakuho does likewise. 

I think it's the combined effect of Terunofuji and Hakuho winning, putting them at minimum 13-2 due to their pretty much guaranteed musubi no ichiban on senshuraku, that eliminates the chasers. If either one of them had lost, then proceeded to inflict defeat on the other in their bout, the 3 loss group would still have been in it mathematically. Neither of them winning unilaterally suffices to achieve that result, but both of them together did.

Edited July 15, 2021 by Seiyashi

[Eikokurai 3,437]

1 hour ago, Seiyashi said:

I think it's the combined effect of Terunofuji and Hakuho winning, putting them at minimum 13-2 due to their pretty much guaranteed musubi no ichiban on senshuraku, that eliminates the chasers. If either one of them had lost, then proceeded to inflict defeat on the other in their bout, the 3 loss group would still have been in it mathematically. Neither of them winning unilaterally suffices to achieve that result, but both of them together did.

Yes, that’s true. I hadn’t considered the possibility the one who lost today (if either did) could be the one to win their H2H. Still, they both won so I was right by accident. Haha.

[RabidJohn 1,742]

The longer that bout went on between Takayasu and Kiribayama, the more I thought it would favour the former... I love being proved wrong! Kiribayama has real potential, no doubt, but he's already been hampered by injury at least once, so I'm not letting my expectations get carried away.

How can a middling hiramaku like Hidenoumi be Hoshoryu's kryptonite? 

I believe Terunofuji secured his rope today. Y - Y - sole JY satisfies the requirement for a good result IMO. Might not be the prettiest run, but I don't see him losing three in a row from here. Each win now simply solidifies his claim to the tsuna. He doesn't need the yusho, though I'll be happy if he gets it.

That said, I'm rooting for the GOAT's 45th yusho now. 

[ryafuji 811]

3 hours ago, Seiyashi said:

Tobizaru really getting outclassed for a second basho in a row in the joi. That kitchen sink approach works against lower opposition but not against the top ranks.

Agreed. He has to find a new game plan if he's ever going to reach sanyaku. 

[Getayukata 119]

14 minutes ago, RabidJohn said:

The longer that bout went on between Takayasu and Kiribayama, the more I thought it would favour the former... I love being proved wrong! Kiribayama has real potential, no doubt, but he's already been hampered by injury at least once, so I'm not letting my expectations get carried away.

How can a middling hiramaku like Hidenoumi be Hoshoryu's kryptonite? 

I believe Terunofuji secured his rope today. Y - Y - sole JY satisfies the requirement for a good result IMO. Might not be the prettiest run, but I don't see him losing three in a row from here. Each win now simply solidifies his claim to the tsuna. He doesn't need the yusho, though I'll be happy if he gets it.

That said, I'm rooting for the GOAT's 45th yusho now. 

I too, am hoping to see Hakuho win the basho. Surely now he's done enough to silence all the negative comments from the YDC etc.

[Akōgyokuseki 228]

Akua, proving once again why he is great value for money...

[Morty 1,486]

1 hour ago, RabidJohn said:

 

That said, I'm rooting for the GOAT's 45th yusho now. 

Me too.

[Hakuryuho 334]

Even though it feels quite redundant being in awe of the skills of Hakuho and mentioning it here, but today Mitakeumi wasn't able to move Hakuho at all, not even a single millimeter.
Hakuho basically toyed with him, waiting for him to make a move and just countering it with ease. 

The GOAT just always finds a way to impress, even though the bar is already that high.

[dada78641 884]

I have to say I loved that match between Hokutofuji and Ichinojo. Very strong and impressive sumo against a massive opponent. Hokutofuji is really becoming better and more solid at that.

[RabidJohn 1,742]

Hokutofuji is a great joi mainstay, and he often looks good even when he loses. I've noticed his increasing tendency to go for a belt grip just lately - with a measure of success, too - which I always appreciate. Seems to me his biggest issue is the awful banzuke luck that's kept him out of sanyaku.

[Dapeng 233]

6 hours ago, Eikokurai said:

Yes, that’s true. I hadn’t considered the possibility the one who lost today (if either did) could be the one to win their H2H. Still, they both won so I was right by accident. Haha.

For Kotonowaka to yusho, he has to win all the remaining 3 bouts as precondition. Necessary conditions are both Teru and Haku withdraw from day-13, or both loss on day-13 and then withdraw, or one of them loss and withdraw by day-13 and the other loss all remaining 3 bouts. Then Kotonowaka can yusho by winning the play-off (or by default). 

I think the chance is less than 1 in ten thousands.

Same for Tamawashi.

Edited July 15, 2021 by Dapeng

[Amamaniac 2,079]

4 hours ago, Morty said:

5 hours ago, RabidJohn said:

 

That said, I'm rooting for the GOAT's 45th yusho now. 

Me too.

This tournament is one of the most lopsided tournaments that I can remember.  Terunofuji and Hakuho have double-handedly made almost everyone else in the Top Division seem irrelevant.  Both men are aiming for greatness.  

Terunofuji has his sights set on Yokozuna promotion, and has done plenty this year to get to that position. For him, this is the final step to add his name to a rarified list of sumo Grand Champions.  To let this opportunity slip away, would be a huge set back.  Certainly, the odds are good that promotion will be his even if he doesn't take home the Emperor's Cup in Nagoya.  But getting promoted to Yokozuna after failing to win the Top Division championship would be bitter sweet.  

Hakuho, on the other hand, is in position to break Chiyonofuji's record of oldest Yokozuna to win a Top Division championship, not to mention boost his career championship total to 45 ... by zensho yusho no less!    Having won 12 straight thus far in the tournament, he can probably taste victory, and definitely won't want to let this opportunity slip by for him.

Sumo fans are probably divided over which outcome they'd prefer to see.  I'd say that the narrative favours Hakuho, since a Hakuho yusho will probably not preclude Terunofuji getting his tsuna.  Furthermore, there have been more than 70 Yokozuna promotions in oozumo history, ... but only one GOAT!

[Amamaniac 2,079]

Abi secured his kachikoshi and Juryo status yesterday, despite injury.  But rather than withdraw from the tournament to let his injury heal, he has stayed in probably because despite his three losses, he is still in the hunt for the Juryo championship.  Winning today means that he remains in the hunt and will most likely be back again tomorrow. 

Edited July 16, 2021 by Amamaniac

[Swami 245]

I hope Terunofuji can win the yusho to seal his promotion.  His bout with Takayasu is potentially the most crucial, given their head-to-head record. 

Swami

[Dapeng 233]

25 minutes ago, Swami said:

I hope Terunofuji can win the yusho to seal his promotion.  His bout with Takayasu is potentially the most crucial, given their head-to-head record. 

Swami

I think Hakuho is aiming for zensho yusho. If he lose today or tomorrow, he will lose again on senshuraku. 

[hakutorizakura 611]

Well this basho since the few first days has been looking like 2 yokozuna fighting for the yusho, no ozeki around, a gambarizing new kid at the bottom, and everyone random rikishi in between. (Yeah Shodai is around and now winning but not ozeki-winning. Plus some honorable mentions like Hoshoryu, and Ichinojo who seems to be in a great hurry to return to sanyaku he keeps jumping the gun lol). Feels somewhat familiar.