Aki Basho 2021 - Discussion Thread (Spoilers!)

[Taliesin 39]

Honestly, very disappointing Houshouryuu performance today. Just because he is injured, you think you can easily beat oshi-sumo expert Ozeki at his own game? Some patience, and this bout would be takeable. Kiribayama continues to impress, we have Terunofuji 4-0 vs Kiribayama 4-0 tomorrow.

[Akinomaki 32,190]

57 minutes ago, Taliesin said:

Kiribayama continues to impress, we have Terunofuji 4-0 vs Kiribayama 4-0 tomorrow.

Kiribayama learned from yesterday that a long bout suits him well, and he saw on day 2 that Ichinojo was beatable that way - the Ichinojo who was an expert in winning long bouts, leaning on the others till they were exhausted - now the others outlast him

[Seiyashi 2,738]

3 minutes ago, Akinomaki said:

Kiribayama learned from yesterday that a long bout suits him well, and he saw on day 2 that Ichinojo was beatable that way - the Ichinojo who was an expert in winning long bouts, leaning on the others till they were exhausted - now the others outlast him

Not just yesterday. IIRC mikawa's data from the last basho showed that Kiribayama was second only to Takayasu for bout length. 

[RabidJohn 1,140]

Yeah, Kiribayama beating long-bout specialists at their own game is marvellous.

Sup with Takayasu this time? I don't recall seeing anyone with taping across their belly like that before...

@since_94 When was the last time we had a dominant ozeki?
This year! His name is Terunofuji and he was so dominant they promoted him to yokozuna after just 2 basho.
Did you blink or something?

I am very impressed by how Terunofuji is fulfilling his new role. His measured seri-agari is actually very nice, which I didn't expect, and he looks like he belongs in the musubi-no-ichiban every day.

[Amamaniac 1,935]

4 hours ago, Kaninoyama said:

2023 Ozeki:

Hoshoryu

Kiribayama

I'm going to go out on a limb and say 2022 Ozeki...

[Katooshu 2,019]

Hoshoryu needs to win again so we can get back  to the day 1 next yokozuna talk....screw just being next ozeki!

Edited September 15, 2021 by Katooshu

[ryafuji 719]

9 hours ago, WAKATAKE said:

Sorry, Goeido only ranks 3rd on the all time list

Yeah will be a long time before anyone beats the OBSC's finest, Kaio and Chiyotaikai. 

[Kaninoyama 1,127]

6 hours ago, Amamaniac said:

I'm going to go out on a limb and say 2022 Ozeki...

Well, that they'll still be Ozeki in 2023 will speak to their better staying power than the current crop. 

[Benevolance 2,183]

9 hours ago, Tigerboy1966 said:

Since returning to makunouchi Terunofuji has now gone 7-0 against Hokutofuji, and has used 7 different kimarite.

Fortunately, Terunofuji has got another 75 more kimarite to choose from before he is forced to start losing to Hokutofuji. 

[Kintamayama 38,761]

My Golden Crystal Ball tells me Ichiyamamoto and Takanoshou will be kyujo from tomorrow. THIS IS NOT OFFICIAL -  just my ball talking.

[Thorbjarn 187]

I fear you are right, but hope you are wrong. Meisei vs Kotonowaka today was my favourite bout of the Basho so far! 

[Amamaniac 1,935]

Today, Ukranian giant(?), Shishi went up against his Russian rival, Roga.  It is frustrating to see Shishi so fixed on fighting from a low stance (incl. getting his head under that of his opponent).  No doubt it is something that his stable master has ingrained in him, but it makes his sumo rather one sided, and makes him vulnerable!  Roga had little difficulty in asserting Russia's dominance...  Shishi has a lot to learn if he hopes to ever reach the Sekitori ranks.

Edited September 15, 2021 by Amamaniac

[neonbelly 226]

I hope Hoshoryu can get some wins to go along with his admirable efforts. I'd hate to see him get a Hokotofuji-esque makekoshi.

I think we need to get real about the fact that Takayasu has simply found his level, which is ups and downs at komusubi and sekiwake. No more injury-this, if-only-he-still-had-Kisenosato-that. Even if he somehow made Ozeki he'd never hold it.

Ichinojo yusho, he's just conserving himself right now.

[Kaninoyama 1,127]

1 hour ago, neonbelly said:

I hope Hoshoryu can get some wins to go along with his admirable efforts. I'd hate to see him get a Hokotofuji-esque makekoshi.

I think we need to get real about the fact that Takayasu has simply found his level, which is ups and downs at komusubi and sekiwake. No more injury-this, if-only-he-still-had-Kisenosato-that. Even if he somehow made Ozeki he'd never hold it.

Ichinojo yusho, he's just conserving himself right now.

Takayasu did make Ozeki (and wasn't able to hold on to it). 

Edited September 16, 2021 by Kaninoyama

[neonbelly 226]

3 minutes ago, Kaninoyama said:

Takayasu did make Ozeki (and wasn't able to hold on to it). 

I should have been more specific in saying he won't get back to what he was. Incidentally 2.5 years with the Ozeki rank is nothing to sneeze at.

[Kaninoyama 1,127]

2 minutes ago, neonbelly said:

I should have been more specific in saying he won't get back to what he was. Incidentally 2.5 years with the Ozeki rank is nothing to sneeze at.

I thought you probably knew that but wanted to mention it just in case.

To be sure, most who fall from Ozeki never again ascend back to it, and Takayasu looks closer to intai than regaining his former rank at the moment. 

[Yamanashi 2,581]

4 minutes ago, neonbelly said:

I should have been more specific in saying he won't get back to what he was. Incidentally 2.5 years with the Ozeki rank is nothing to sneeze at.

 ... and if not for that disastrous 2-basho stint at the end of 2019, he'd still be an Ozeki.

[neonbelly 226]

Just now, Kaninoyama said:

I thought you probably knew that but wanted to mention it just in case.

To be sure, most who fall from Ozeki never again ascend back to it, and Takayasu looks closer to intai than regaining his former rank at the moment. 

At least we're past that awkward and overlong phase where he said he wouldn't marry his girlfriend until winning a yusho. Nothing but respect for our Mr and Mrs Takayasu.

[Gurowake 3,098]

It looks like the banzuke committee's decision not to demote Chiyonokuni for Mitoryu has been justified (so far) with the former at 4-0 and the latter at 1-3.

[Gurowake 3,098]

19 hours ago, Shinobi Steve said:

You forgot to add that Shodai will continue to flip flop between kadoban and not kadoban with every basho. We'll constantly be on the edge of our seats as to whether there will be an Ozeki at all with each new kadoban effort.

Hey, he got a KK the last *two* basho.  He's improving, though he's still likely going to be Goeido part 2.

Edited September 16, 2021 by Gurowake

[neonbelly 226]

19 hours ago, Taliesin said:

Honestly, very disappointing Houshouryuu performance today. Just because he is injured, you think you can easily beat oshi-sumo expert Ozeki at his own game? Some patience, and this bout would be takeable. Kiribayama continues to impress, we have Terunofuji 4-0 vs Kiribayama 4-0 tomorrow.

To be an oshi-sumo expert is to be an expert at keeping opponents off the belt. It's a reasonable strategy on Hoshoryu's part to avoid trying to grab while giving Takakeisho free shots, and cut to the chase.

[Seiyashi 2,738]

8 minutes ago, neonbelly said:

19 hours ago, Taliesin said:

Honestly, very disappointing Houshouryuu performance today. Just because he is injured, you think you can easily beat oshi-sumo expert Ozeki at his own game? Some patience, and this bout would be takeable. Kiribayama continues to impress, we have Terunofuji 4-0 vs Kiribayama 4-0 tomorrow.

To be an oshi-sumo expert is to be an expert at keeping opponents off the belt. It's a reasonable strategy on Hoshoryu's part to avoid trying to grab while giving Takakeisho free shots, and cut to the chase.

The start of the bout was fine, I thought. He got a bit sloppy trying to finish Takakeisho and lost there, but he actually had Takakeisho on the defensive for most of the bout even using oshi techniques.

Besides, it's not as if Takakeisho hadn't already lost to a fellow Mongolian grappling specialist using oshi techniques...

[Kintamayama 38,761]

9 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

My Golden Crystal Ball tells me Ichiyamamoto and Takanoshou will be kyujo from tomorrow. THIS IS NOT OFFICIAL -  just my ball talking.

Sorry, i meant to post this on the "ridiculous predictions " thread..

[Gernobono 384]

9 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

My Golden Crystal Ball tells me Ichiyamamoto and Takanoshou will be kyujo from tomorrow. THIS IS NOT OFFICIAL -  just my ball talking.

takanosho won't be fighting today.....thanx fot the early warning

[Kintamayama 38,761]

1 minute ago, Gernobono said:

takanosho won't be fighting today.....thanx fot the early warning

My guess is he was going kyujo but they heard Hokutofuji was too, so they asked him to delay his kyujo for a day so as not to have a double kyujo which can upset the universal balance. Takanoshou will be kyujo on day 6. Well, maybe..