Aki 2022 discussion (results)

[Eikokurai 3,437]

He's kyujo.

[Fashiritētā 171]

Great decision by Teru.

[Jakusotsu 5,871]

Great utchari by Kawazoe!

[Tigerboy1966 1,413]

31 minutes ago, Jakusotsu said:

Great utchari by Kawazoe!

It was a "wow, did you see that!" moment. He's done well to rebound from gatting drawn against Asanoyama on his debut. Kawazoe is a very baby-faced 23 year old... Kawaii-zoe?

[Seiyashi 4,072]

It's a mark of how bleargh makuuchi is that my must follow rikishi this basho are two in makushita and one in jūryō. 

[Kaninoyama 1,711]

Another big win for Takayasu. We've been here before but he might never have a better chance to earn his first yusho. 

[Eikokurai 3,437]

29 minutes ago, Kaninoyama said:

Another big win for Takayasu. We've been here before but he might never have a better chance to earn his first yusho. 

Never AGAIN. He’s had better once or twice before! Anyway, I don’t mind if he wins because I’ve run out of space on my meme.

Edited September 20, 2022 by Eikokurai

[Kaninoyama 1,711]

Unless Mitakeumi can flip a Kadoban-Shodai-like switch, his days as an Ozeki are numbered. 

[Eikokurai 3,437]

1 minute ago, Kaninoyama said:

Unless Mitakeumi can flip a Kadoban-Shodai-like switch, his days as an Ozeki are numbered. 

Remember when we thought Tochinoshin was rubbish? Mitakeumi could be about to be even worse.

[Benihana 1,913]

30 minutes ago, Kaninoyama said:

Another big win for Takayasu. We've been here before but he might never have a better chance to earn his first yusho. 

My money is on Tamawashi.

[Akinomaki 40,037]

3rd day all y/o lost - one by fusenpai though

Edited September 20, 2022 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 40,037]

The bright side: we have again a sanyaku 2 wins behind the leaders. Wakatakakage on track to restart his ozeki run.

[Octofuji 348]

3 hours ago, Tigerboy1966 said:

It was a "wow, did you see that!" moment. He's done well to rebound from gatting drawn against Asanoyama on his debut. Kawazoe is a very baby-faced 23 year old... Kawaii-zoe?

Wow indeed! Amazing strength/flexibility to be able to twist his back to the left like that, while at the same time bearing Kotoyusho's weight and keeping his legs rooted.

[Akinomaki 40,037]

Terunofuji plans to have his yokozuna promotion party after the basho - he'll not be in the mood to celebrate, if he can do it at all while kyujo and in rehabilitation.

Also Shodai has his ozeki promotion party in October - at least he'll still be ozeki then. Mitakeumi better pull that Shodai switch or prepare for a 10 wins performance next.

Has there ever been an ozeki promotion party after a drop from ozeki?

[Hankegami 439]

Day 10 gone, and also today our heroic Y/O recipients managed to offer us a four-losses strike (although one was a fusen). Third time this basho, and unfortunately the last since Terunofuji went kyujo. But we are still confident on the Three Little Pigs (soon to be cut down to two).

Hokutofuji got finally some company on the top! With his loss to Takayasu, and Tamawashi win over Mitakeumi, Hokutofuji and Tamawashi are both front-runners with 9-1. They will face each other tomorrow (precedents 9-7 for the Old Fox). Both are in a good shape, so their match will be most likely quite a battle.

Behind them, Papayasu fully grabbed his opportunity to become runner-up (for the moment). He will get an unexpectedly low-key match against Myogiryu tomorrow, actually a not-so-easy foe since Myogiryu is leading 14-10 on their precedents. I was expecting him to rank up vs. M1-2 guys but that's also true that at M4w he's an in-out pairing for the joy. He shares his second spot with Nishikifuji, who keeps doing good after having won the Juryo yusho in May and posted a remarkable 10-5 in July. He will face Chiyoshoma tomorrow (records 1-1).

After them come the 7-3 yusho hopefuls. Takakeisho dropped a fourth loss today, so the only san'yaku here is Wakatakakage. Not bad, considering he started 0-3. Tomorrow we will get a very technical bout between him and Hoshoryu. Precedents are 6-3, making Wakatakakage the favorite. Fellow joy member Tobizaru keeps surprising and remains part of the three losses guys. Tomorrow he will host Ura for a likely pyrotechnic match (3-1 for Tobi). With them are Chiyoshoma and Oho, probably both hoping at least a bit to pull a Tokushoryu.

Both Hokutofuji and Tamawashi are going on outstandingly, but with five days yet to go many things can still happen. Even Tamawashi, who has already done most of the joy, has yet to face Kiribayama, Tobizaru and Kotonowaka. Hokutofuji has basically yet to pass the whole joy, and much the same can be said for Takayasu. A lot will depend on Wakatakakage. He already defeated Tamawashi, and will likely be used as gatekeeper for both Takayasu and Hokutofuji in the coming days. Surprisingly, much of the same could be asked from 7-3 M1e Tobizaru, who has yet to face all the three main front-runners. Tomorrow he will get M3w Ura, which might suggest he will host M3e Tamawashi on Day 12.

[Akinomaki 40,037]

18 hours ago, Akinomaki said:

A query of simply 3 kadoban in a row shows a few more

http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Query.aspx?show_form=0&columns=7&n_basho=6&form1_rank=O&form1_wins=0-7&form1_year=1969-2022&form2_rank=O&form2_wins=8-15&form3_rank=O&form3_wins=0-7&form4_rank=O&form4_wins=8-15&form5_rank=O&form5_wins=0-7&form6_rank=O

Musoyama didn't clear the last kadoban of the 3 in a row that started with the 2nd makekoshi - all ozeki who had 3 kadoban in a row cleared them, the 4th could kill them (4=shi, death - the unlucky number in Japan)

Kaio had a 4 kadoban streak as well and 3 in one year

These are of course not all cases of kadoban streaks - the koushou system allowed for a kyujo basho in between. Tochiazuma also has a kadoban streak of 3

http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Query.aspx?show_form=0&columns=7&n_basho=7&form1_rank=O&form1_wins=0-7&form1_year=1969-2022&form2_rank=O&form2_wins=8-15&form3_rank=O&form3_wins=0-7&form4_rank=O&form4_wins=0-7&form5_rank=O&form5_wins=8-15&form6_rank=O&form6_wins=0-7

After Kaio, Musoyama and Terunofuji, Shodai is the (unlucky) 4th to have 3 kadoban basho in 1 year

Edited September 20, 2022 by Akinomaki

[dingo 1,212]

I find it unfair to give Mitakeumi a drubbing when an injury is preventing him from performing. I'm sure he feels like crap as well, going from the high of ozeki promotion to losing the rank in just a year. It's another very unfortunate case of injury cutting short a good career. 

[Seiyashi 4,072]

Valiant attempt by Takakeishō but he was all in the wrong position and place for the desperation kotenage. That said, Hōshōryū won the bout only because Takakeishō lost it, IMO, and it wasn't anything technically brilliant on his part.

Another pretty bleh day, when the highlight is Hokutofuji and Takayasu slapping the shit out of each other (and even then not really going great guns at it like Takakeishō and Kotonowaka the other day).

[Bakayokozuna 52]

That leg grab by Hoshoryu was smart ! I do wonder if his hand didnt touch at the same time as takakeisho's back tho. Well, its too late now

Tobizaru one win away from KK now, i didnt expect that before the basho

 

[Hakuryuho 334]

13 hours ago, hakutorizakura said:

Terunofuji once scored 2-13 as an ozeki.. hope Shodai is not aiming for that record (Hey, but I might eventually become a yokozuna too then! ).

How dare you think Shodai will be 2-13 after this basho... He'll be entering uncharted territory and go 1-14 like the record setter he is!

[Eikokurai 3,437]

1 hour ago, dingo said:

I find it unfair to give Mitakeumi a drubbing when an injury is preventing him from performing. I'm sure he feels like crap as well, going from the high of ozeki promotion to losing the rank in just a year. It's another very unfortunate case of injury cutting short a good career. 

He was able to sit out half of last basho so he’s had more time to rest than most of the guys though, and they were kind enough to write that tournament off for him and give him a second chance to escape demotion. Understandable that in these circumstances he’d draw a little more criticism than usual.

[Hankegami 439]

1 hour ago, dingo said:

I find it unfair to give Mitakeumi a drubbing when an injury is preventing him from performing. I'm sure he feels like crap as well, going from the high of ozeki promotion to losing the rank in just a year. It's another very unfortunate case of injury cutting short a good career. 

11 minutes ago, Eikokurai said:

He was able to sit out half of last basho so he’s had more time to rest than most of the guys though, and they were kind enough to write that tournament off for him and give him a second chance to escape demotion. Understandable that in these circumstances he’d draw a little more criticism than usual.

I'd say that's also part of sumo "that's nothing to worry about, really" culture. Mitakeumi told reporters multiple times he was fine and all, only to give bad performances both in July and now. Everyone found out about his bad shape directly while the tournament was on air.

Anyway, I believe his shoulder has more or less healed now (he can raise his right arm at will), so his problem is pretty much not enough training. With a bit of luck he will be back in shape by November so that a 10-5 would be within his possibilities (I mean, before his injury Mitakeumi went 11-4, 13-2Y, 11-4).

 

Edited September 20, 2022 by Hankegami

[Octofuji 348]

1 hour ago, Bakayokozuna said:

That leg grab by Hoshoryu was smart ! I do wonder if his hand didnt touch at the same time as takakeisho's back tho. Well, its too late now

 

Yes that was a lovely move and a good win for Hoshoryu. Takakeisho has been tarred with the same brush as the rest of the Y/O, yet he's looked fairly good at times this basho, and if Hoshoryu hadn't managed to pull off that move the Ozeki would be 7-3 with an outside chance of the yusho.

[Seiyashi 4,072]

20 minutes ago, Octofuji said:

1 hour ago, Bakayokozuna said:

That leg grab by Hoshoryu was smart ! I do wonder if his hand didnt touch at the same time as takakeisho's back tho. Well, its too late now

 

Yes that was a lovely move and a good win for Hoshoryu. Takakeisho has been tarred with the same brush as the rest of the Y/O, yet he's looked fairly good at times this basho, and if Hoshoryu hadn't managed to pull off that move the Ozeki would be 7-3 with an outside chance of the yusho.

 

In the extreme slow motion replay from Natto's digest, Takakeishō had actually already started falling backwards before Hōshōryū's hands got anywhere near his leg. The "leg pick" made the outcome much clearer but was immaterial; as long as Hōshōryū had fallen on top of Takakeishō, it would still have been a -taoshi type win for Hōshōryū.

The culprit really was Takakeishō's right leg, in the wrong position for him to pivot and throw Hōshōryū. Their combined momentum put Takakeishō's centre of gravity behind him, which is why he started falling in the first place. If he had stepped back with the right leg and then executed the throw, Hōshōryū would be flying through thin air and Takakeishō would have his centre of gravity in front of him and under control.

Props to him for trying the throw, but that debacle shows exactly why he doesn't dare to do it more often - he just doesn't have the right instincts. Not yet, at least.

Edited September 20, 2022 by Seiyashi

[Hankegami 439]

20 minutes ago, Seiyashi said:

Props to him for trying the throw, but that debacle shows exactly why he doesn't dare to do it more often - he just doesn't have the right instincts. Not yet, at least.

More than having not the instincts, I'd say he never trained on technical sumo since he became the walking ball we know. I once watched a footage of junior high school Takakeisho (back then just Sato Takanobu) winning his bout with a throw. It was illuminating.

Anyway, I noticed he's increasingly trying to get back long-forgotten technical moves to his repertoire too. I'm not sure how to read that. For sure, he's using them because his oshi-zumo is clearly insufficient (and perhaps because he's trying to avoid injuries by limiting his most extreme oshi rams) but is that part of a strategy, or he's just running out of ideas? I'd like to think the former ('Keisho really needs to be a more all-round wrestlers if he wants that damn rope he dreams of every night), but he has always been adamant in using pure oshi techniques so it could really be just desperation.

Edited September 20, 2022 by Hankegami