Muhomatsu 224 Posted May 10, 2023 The East Coast Tour of Konishiki's Sumo and Sushi event has been scheduled and tickets are out for early access at https://www.sumoandsushi.com/. The tour will visit Miami (June 9-11), DC (June 16-18), and NY (June 23-25). You can get a ticket to get into the dohyo with one of the wrestlers. I got the tickets already for the DC event. If anyone else is going, we can meet in person there. Help me decide who to challenge!!! It will be 男と男の真剣勝負.... ok - maybe I am ahead of myself. Former Aononami? http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Rikishi.aspx?r=6031 Chiyonoshin? http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Rikishi.aspx?r=1270 Kirinowaka? http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Rikishi.aspx?r=929 Daikiho? http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Rikishi.aspx?r=11989 Tooyama? http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Rikishi.aspx?r=879 3 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kaitetsu 277 Posted May 10, 2023 If it was me, I would choose Daikiho, just because it would be really cool to be in the dohyo with a former maegashira that was trained by Hakuho. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sumojoann 1,256 Posted May 11, 2023 I would definitely choose Aononami. He was the shortest (171cm), lightest (69kg!!!!), competed in only 18 basho and had the shortest career (just under 3 years, highest division Jonidan). Maybe with him I would have a fighting chance. I would avoid Tooyama. Even though he's the oldest (46), he's also the tallest and heaviest. After reading about Daikiho's terrible injuries that ended a promising career, I couldn't bring myself to fight him. Just prior to retiring, his doctors recommended that he no longer do sumo, even after surgeries, due to his condition. He has OPLL (ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament). (Daikiho is the only ex-rikishi out of the five that I took a closer look at beyond the stats. The others may very well have had their own issues to deal with prior to retiring). I realize that these 5 ex-rikishi probably don't weigh as much as they did when active. And now that they are in their 30s and 40s, they could be facing new health challenges. I hope they have chosen to participate for more than just a paycheck. I worry about that. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yamanashi 3,735 Posted May 11, 2023 11 hours ago, sumojoann said: I hope they have chosen to participate for more than just a paycheck. I worry about that. I know what you're saying, but why would they take part in this other than for a paycheck? They're not getting back into Ozumo; their pedigrees as ex-rikishii is why they are getting that paycheck vs. someone else. There is a calculated risk that they will have some bar bouncer try to take them out, but management is unlikely to let that happen. Besides, imagine how hard it must have been to find that many ex-rikishi to come and make three stops in U.S. cities. It's not like they can ring up an old heya-mate who's living in New Rochelle. These men will likely be the first and only actual Sumo wrestlers the audience has ever seen. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Akinomaki 39,887 Posted May 12, 2023 On 11/05/2023 at 05:51, Kaitetsu said: If it was me, I would choose Daikiho, just because it would be really cool to be in the dohyo with a former maegashira that was trained by Hakuho. Daikiho is still active in Miyagino-beya as coach - I don't think he's available 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sumojoann 1,256 Posted May 12, 2023 5 hours ago, Yamanashi said: I know what you're saying, but why would they take part in this other than for a paycheck? They're not getting back into Ozumo; their pedigrees as ex-rikishii is why they are getting that paycheck vs. someone else. There is a calculated risk that they will have some bar bouncer try to take them out, but management is unlikely to let that happen. Besides, imagine how hard it must have been to find that many ex-rikishi to come and make three stops in U.S. cities. It's not like they can ring up an old heya-mate who's living in New Rochelle. These men will likely be the first and only actual Sumo wrestlers the audience has ever seen. I hope they get at least some enjoyment out of it, a feeling of pride and pleasure even though they are past their heyday (heya-days --- sorry!! lol). Obviously, they are not going to do it for free, but I worry that one or more of these ex-rikishi perhaps shouldn't be doing it at all due to health reasons. I also worry that there might be some element of desperation due to personal financial problems. I hope that's not the case. I hope that Daikiho is not involved in this, as Akinomaki stated. When I read about his serious health problems and the fact that his doctors recommended he no longer do sumo, that's what triggered my concern. Hopefully, all the ex-rikishi are given medical check-ups to ensure they can safely participate. I realize that it would be difficult to find that many ex-rikishi to sign up and travel around the US, and that triggered more concern that the organizers might accept some whose health is iffy. As important as the paycheck is, it is my hope that the paycheck is not the only reason these ex-rikishi have signed up. In addition to the feeling of pride and pleasure I initially mentioned, I hope they still have some fighting spirit left and a willingness to properly gambarize. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Muhomatsu 224 Posted May 15, 2023 The "meet the wrestlers" section includes Daikiho - former Maegashira 16, 5'11'' and 308 pounds - Seven years in pro sumo. That all points to the same ex-rikishi with the health problems. I am not certain how rigorous the sumo-and-sushi tour is. I am certain that there are different levels of training to fight even a Jonidan wrestler than to fight an old Muhomatsu. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hakuhonofan 334 Posted May 31, 2023 I just found out about this. I might try attending the Miami one. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hakuhonofan 334 Posted June 11, 2023 I went to the 9.30pm one last night. It was pretty entertaining. Konishiki and the wrestlers did a good job keeping the audiences entertained. It started with the introduction of the ex-rikishi, and a little bit if their background, and yes, ex Daikiho was there. There were also ex Aononami, ex Chiyonoshin, ex Kirinowaka, ex Tououyama, and ex Somayama. Then they show audiences what legal and illegal moves in sumo, some common kimarites, before they started the bout between themselves. After a few rounds, ex Chiyonoshin won. After that, it was the match between some brave audiences and ex rikishi, which were very funny to watch. All in all, an entertaining night for casual imparting of basic sumo knowledge to the mostly younger population. 4 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Muhomatsu 224 Posted June 17, 2023 OK - so I had a chance to enter the ring. I went up against ex-Chiyonoshin (Sanctuary's Enya). As I am going up on the dohyo, I am looking at all those ex-rikishi and thinking that "only an idiot would climb into the ring with them". But that checked out. My lord - one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Everyone else just was bowing. I insisted to do a proper chiri-chozu. I did my best niramiai and caused him to matta. At the tachi-ai, I pulled a neko-damashi. I drove him back initially, I am sure he was just playing with me. I found I could no longer budge him when I got him close to the edge. I was so excited that my neko-damashi seemed to work, that i had not realized I had given him a morozashi grip. So I am standing there, cannot move him, and realize I am toast. I look him in the eye and said "ah!!! morzashi kirai!". His eyes went wide, he smiled, his body loosened, and I yanked hard with my right hand outside. We are now spinning across the dohyo. He yells out to the other wrestlers, laughing "morozashi kirai-te"!. And at the end of the spin, I have him close to the edge again on the other side of the dohyo. I look down and see the tawara - and I think - "crossing that is death, don't you dare go over that line" - and I refocus my body against his, re-center myself, lower my body and yoru-yoru-yoru - and he goes over! In my mind, it lasted a lot longer than it probably did in real life. It was just incredible. I am so grateful for the experience. 7 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndyMartin 7 Posted June 17, 2023 (edited) I see that a lot of folks are of similar mind as I: I also would have chosen Daikiho. But while he was there and "competed" with the others in the tournament, he was not a choice for those of us who went up on the dohyo. I still had my keys in my pocket, and was wearing my glasses, because I am an idiot and didn't think to give that stuff to my wife. So he held them for me while I quickly tried to think of someone else to go up against. I was thinking Somayama since he had won their tournament but the crowd was shouting for Big Poppa, so I went with Big Poppa...and promptly got my butt kicked. It was a lot of fun. Muhomatsu pointed out that he beat Asashoryu for the Jonokuchi yusho, which is pretty darn cool, even if Asashoryu got his revenge in Sandanme. Edited June 17, 2023 by AndyMartin Misspelling 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites