Preparations of the masses- Nagoya 2023

[Kintamayama 44,350]

Daieishou is training very hard, aiming for that Ozeki promotion. About 20 bouts every day. Today, it was 24 bouts at home against the likes of Endou (healthy?) and Tobizaru. He has been dominating his heyamates with his oshi-tsuki but has also shown some belt work. Even when driven back to the edge; he has seen his opponents well and dealt with them accordingly. He has visited Sadogatake beya for degeiko as well. Having 22 wins in his last two bashos, he needs 11 wins to be promoted but Wakamotoharu and Houshouryuu (21 wins) are close to the required numbers as well. "When i entered sumo I didn't dream of becoming Ozeki. But coming this far, I feel I really want to make it. I want to go about it as usual, but I feel my fighting spirit is stronger than usual. If i can show that during the basho.. I know i need 11 wins but I'll be dealing with it on a daily basis and will try to win the bout at hand," he said.

Edited June 13, 2023 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 44,350]

Tsurugishou -now that's a name we never had in these parts - is coming off an excellent basho and should be ranked pretty high for Nagoya - trained against Daieishou and others, eight bouts. He had six straight wins from day 7 at Maegashira 15 last basho, finally ending with a 9-6 record. On the last three days, he  faced Sekiwakes Wakamotoharu, Houshouryuu and ex-Ozeki Asanoyama, losing to all three, missing out on his second ever double digit win basho in Makuuchi. "I lost to my opponents on the last three days, but they are not rivals I can't beat. If I execute my sumo well and gambarize, I feel I can beat them. My goal is to be able to face the Sekiwakes again next basho.." he said. If he does well next basho, he is bound to face them in the second half. He'll need to be careful with his lower back and left knee old injuries while attempting to achieve his goal, adds the reporter.

*Does anybody remember Tsurugishou saying some weird stuff a few years back? I seem to remember him saying he has some cunning new tactics up his sleeve and warned his opponents to look out, and then proceeded to lose a lot. Did that happen? Or was it Baldrick?

 

 

Edited June 13, 2023 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 44,350]

Tobizaru, same training session as the two above, faced the likes of Endou and Daieishou for 10 bouts, no results given. "The preparations are as usual.." he said. Last November  he declared he will be transforming from a monkey to a gorilla. "I want to add more power and become a gorilla!" he declared. It's been 8 months now, so how is it going? "Not at all.." he muttered, adding that he is upping the numbers of basic foundational moves in training. Last basho, he got a kachikoshi from Maegashira 3 which is no mean feat. "I can win when I do good sumo, so I want to do attacking sumo for all 15 days,"   promised not yet King Kong.

Tobizaru vs. Endou

Edited June 13, 2023 by Kintamayama

[Kaito 275]

1 hour ago, Kintamayama said:

*Does anybody remember Tsurugishou saying some weird stuff a few years back? I seem to remember him saying he has some cunning new tactics up his sleeve and warned his opponents to look out, and then proceeded to lose a lot. Did that happen? Or was it Baldrick?

 

 

I do remember that and he also said his goal that basho was the yusho. I want to say he looked good that tournament though. I'm guessing March '21 when he went 9-6.

Ah, and here it is. 

"Tsurugishou is back in Makuuchi after a year of absence, to the surprise of some. " My dream is to get a big yusho. I'm planning on going undefeated! I want two straight Makuuchi yushos for Oitekaze beya," he declared. He had a good first Makuuchi basho back in September 2019, going 10-5 and getting the kanto-sho, but tore his left k nee ACL last March and subsequently dropped to Juryo. "I still have pain and some loss of balance, so this time I will do forward-moving sumo. I have been checking out the competition and more than getting into my favorite stance, I'd like to take them out of their comfort zone and put them at a disadvantage. I like to use my right hand grip, but if I get my opponents' right elbow out of the way I'll go for the left hand grip. I'm studying what my opponents don't like and i want to do bad things to them.. I want to be the 'heel' (bad boy) of the sumo world, like Baikinman! He is alive and well. I want my opponents to hate facing me! " he added. He says he has ten different types of tachiai "I want my opponent to wonder what kind of tachiai he will be facing today. Usually, everyone has the same kind of tachiai- the right hand gripper comes out with his right, the left hand gripper comes out with his left, the oshi sumo guy comes out charging. Everybody knows that. Me? I'm aiming to keep my opponents guessing. That will prevent them from coming at me with all their might. I want you all to write about this. Reading this will cause them further confusion.." he summed.

Finally, something fun to translate. New fan here of Abiko."

[Kintamayama 44,350]

4 hours ago, Kaito said:

I do remember that and he also said his goal that basho was the yusho. I want to say he looked good that tournament though. I'm guessing March '21 when he went 9-6/etc..

 

Thanks for this-good to know I wasn't imagining things..

[Reonito 1,335]

10 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

Tsurugishou -now that's a name we never had in these parts - is coming off an excellent basho and should be ranked pretty high for Nagoya - trained against Daieishou and others, eight bouts. He had six straight wins from day 7 at Maegashira 15 last basho, finally ending with a 9-6 record. On the last three days, he  faced Sekiwakes Wakamotoharu, Houshouryuu and ex-Ozeki Asanoyama, losing to all three, missing out on his second ever double digit win basho in Makuuchi. "I lost to my opponents on the last three days, but they are not rivals I can't beat. If I execute my sumo well and gambarize, I feel I can beat them. My goal is to be able to face the Sekiwakes again next basho.." he said. If he does well next basho, he is bound to face them in the second half.

Hmm, he's not going to be ranked all that high. He'd need to be in the yusho race late again to face the sekiwake.

[Koorifuu 886]

Bit of a shame his result wasn't as good as it once looked like it could've been, shunted against the top guys with a few days to go. Victim of his own early success there...

It's one of those situations where people will be under the illusion that he won more than he did, due to the circumstances, but the banzuke will bring everyone back to earth.

Edited June 13, 2023 by Koorifuu

[Bunbukuchagama 688]

2 hours ago, Reonito said:

he's not going to be ranked all that high

Around M12. 

[Kintamayama 44,350]

12 hours ago, Reonito said:

Hmm, he's not going to be ranked all that high. He'd need to be in the yusho race late again to face the sekiwake.

Indeed. Let's hope he has a good basho and gets to fulfill his dreams.

[Kintamayama 44,350]

Another name we don't see much here- 36 years old Mongolian veteran Juryo Azumaryuu (1.92, 162 kilos) showed some of his stuff today at home, beating Makushita and under rikishi in all 11 bouts. "Compared to the beginning of June, I'm in much better shape," he said. He will be aiming for his first kachikoshi in  three bashos this time around. He just had his first Makuuchi kachikoshi in January and even reached Maegashira 10, but these last two bashos he was makekoshi. "I injured my knee and my shoulder and have pains all over the place and couldn't train well," he added. Last basho he was 2-13 at Juryo 2 and that will surely drop him close to Makushita. "I did well to get those two wins," he comforted himself.  Still, he's been doing close to 20 training bouts a day, a lot even compared to how many he used to do when he was younger.  Lately, his counterparts Kakuryuu, Kagamiou and Kyokushuuhou all retired, but he intends to soldier on. "I want to go on for as long as I can," he summed.

 

"Look out, it's Godzilla!!"

Edited June 22, 2023 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 44,350]

Daieishou is seriously aiming for Ozeki. After two back to back double digit wins he's getting close. "It used to be a dream, but now it's within reach.. I really want to be promoted, from the bottom of my heart and I think that if I can really give it my all I can do it. Thinking about it? I don't think it'd possible without thinking about it.. I'm going to be 30 years old this year. I won't be doing sumo much longer so I need to be strong mentally and bring myself to be able to use 100% of my power.  Before this, I used to lose a lot at the edge of the dohyo. I felt in my heart that if I saved my power I couldn't win but now I am able to make the necessary adjustments," he said. He needs 11 wins to make the "required" 33 wins over three straight bashos. "I want to win 11, but making that the target is wrong. I want to go with the feeling that I can win them all.  All my joi opponents will be taken seriously! " he summed.

[Kintamayama 44,350]

Ozeki contender number two Wakamotoharu answered the press as well today. He needs 12 wins for the magic number 33. "Yes, I'm aware of it. I was languishing in Makushita just a few years ago. It's like a dream for me just being Sekiwake..  I'm trying not to think of promotion, and I'm trying to keep that state of mind. I used to watch KaioU and Chiyotaikai when I was a kid. I feel that compared to them I have a long way to go.. Going up a rank in itself means nothing. I need to steadily improve my skills to feel worthy of the rank. Yusho? Objectively, it seems so far away, and if I think about it, it's impossible.. When my brother (Wakatakakage)  won the yusho it was like a dream and when Abi did it we drank some good sake. But me?  Doesn't seem real.. At this level, the effort is tremendous. Every single basho, it feels like I'm running as fast as I can to keep up," he said.

Edited June 27, 2023 by Kintamayama

[junsan 170]

Two very different states of mind from Daiesho and Wakamotoharu. Can't wait to see who makes it.

[Kintamayama 44,350]

Ozeki contender number three Houshouryuu also answered the press today. He needs 12 wins for the 33. "I'm not thinking of it too much. I want to go about it as usual. Before I entered sumo, I thought the Ozeki rank was awesome. I was wondering if I could go so far. I really want to latch on this..All I can do is what I have been doing until now," he said. In the beginning of June he visited Mongolia for the first time in four and a half years and returned relaxed. "I was able to relax and gaze at the stars, something I don't do in Tokyo. I was able to rest and become calm. I met my uncle there and we had long talks, but the contents are secret," he said, laughing.

Edited June 27, 2023 by Kintamayama

[Benevolance 2,478]

11 wins seems like almost a given for Daeishou, and 12 wins seems like outside chance for Wakamotoharu and Houshouryuu, which I suspect is the key difference in their mental preparation. The latter two, I expect, are probably wistfully hoping they get 12, yet would be just happy with 11 to secure better odds in September. 

[Seiyashi 4,071]

Somehow I feel Wakamotoharu has a better chance of making it than Hōshōryū or Daieishō, paradoxically because he doesn't seem to be chasing it earnestly. 

[Kintamayama 44,350]

Houshouryuu. Houshouryuu??

[dingo 1,160]

6 hours ago, Seiyashi said:

Somehow I feel Wakamotoharu has a better chance of making it than Hōshōryū or Daieishō, paradoxically because he doesn't seem to be chasing it earnestly. 

I wouldn't discount Hoshoryuu. It seems to me that the Mongolian top wrestlers generally are better in the mental game and preparedness than most Japanese contenders. That might be an advantage to Hoshoryuu.

[RabidJohn 1,663]

8 hours ago, Seiyashi said:

Somehow I feel Wakamotoharu has a better chance of making it than Hōshōryū or Daieishō, paradoxically because he doesn't seem to be chasing it earnestly. 

I really like Wakamotoharu, but he appears to be suffering from imposter syndrome. It's not necessarily going to hinder his progress, but it's not a positive mindset, either.

[Octofuji 327]

10 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

Houshouryuu. Houshouryuu??

That's some transformation, he must be about 150kg now. More than his uncle maybe.

[Tochinofuji 372]

3 hours ago, Octofuji said:

That's some transformation, he must be about 150kg now. More than his uncle maybe.

Pictured with the uncle from the article (though not sure when the photo was taken):

https://www.nikkansports.com/m/battle/sumo/photonews/photonews_nsInc_202306270001154-4.html

[Kamitsuumi 384]

On 03/06/2023 at 06:57, Akinomaki said:

 new hairstyle - looks like a new suit as well

o o oo

o

proper tie fixing

o

o

address

o

at the party

o o o

 

final bout at the intai-zumo: Kirishima-Terunofuji

o

Asashoryu with his nephew, who only was in the intai-zumo performance

  o o

It was at Kakuryu's danpatsu-shiki. That flower (with his name written on it) Asashoryu is wearing seems to be exclusive to those.

[Kintamayama 44,350]

Kotonowaka welcomed Kirishima and others who came to train. He was 8-5 and was asked about keeping up with his three rivals who are vying for an Ozeki promotion this basho. "I'm not keeping up with them, I'll be going with the feeling that I need to overtake them.. If I don't go with that feeling, I won't be able to move upwards where I need to go.." he said.

[Kintamayama 44,350]

32 year old veteran Nishikigi is at his highest rank of Maegashira 1 E, very close to sanyaku. He was at the same training session at Sadogatake beya yesterday and had 13 bouts against Kirishima and others. "I really want to get promoted  (to sanyaku).. First thing- kachikoshi. I hope my body survives this heat. As I become an old man, it gets increasingly difficult to shake off the fatigue.." he jested.

Edited June 29, 2023 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 44,350]

Yesterday, everybody went to Arashio beya for keiko. Abi was there.  He faced Houshouryuu, Wakamotoharu and others for 10 bouts. He is back in sanyaku. "I've been winning some bouts by accident. I need to do stronger sumo. I am inspired by Wakamotoharu's progression (they are good friends). If he gets promoted I will really be happy," he said.

And Wakamotoharu?  Bad day at the keiko-ba. His sharp tachiai was nowhere to be seen, as he went 5-13. It was raining heavily in the morning and he was suffering from back pains. "This kind of weather brings about the pain.. I tried to endure it, but I didn't do so well.. I can only gambarize. There is still time so I will be making the necessary adjustments," he said quietly.

Houshouryuu was 16-7 at said keiko session. "I think it was a good session.." he said. He beat Wakamotoharu 7-3 and also did well against Abi and Meisei and needs 12 wins for an Ozeki promotion. "I'm able to do better and better with every passing day," he summed.

Meisei was there as well. 11-8, winning six straight at some point. He faced Houshouryuu, Wakamotoharu, Abi and others. "I think I was moving well. I'm glad to have been able to train against those ranked above me. I am aiming for a proper kachikoshi," he said. Reminder-he beat Terunofuji on day 9 last basho, and then proceeded to lose six straight bouts.