Natsu 2025 discussion (results)

[Benihana 1,972]

Aonishiki doing monkey business better than the flying monkey...

What was Takerufuji thinking? Look at Hoshoryu's face when he accepts the kensho. NOT happy 

Edited May 18 by Benihana

[RabidJohn 2,070]

Gyoji bowling is relatively common, but Takerufuji didn't actually make contact with Shonosuke.

It's not often you see the ref take a dive...

Edited May 18 by RabidJohn

[Leoben 174]

Something that has impressed me about Aonishiki is how fast thinks and makes decisions. Both in yesterday's match and today he saw openings to pull, pounced on them instantly, and when it didn't work he transitioned back to his normal attack seamlessly.

Edited May 18 by Leoben

[junsan 204]

There's no fun watching Onosato's sumo. He just...wins.

[junsan 204]

On 17/05/2025 at 12:10, shantan123 said:

what makes you think those 3 are "far far better calibre guys"? I wont argue about them being better, but far far better? I disagree. Aonishiki is younger than all of them and has not hit a plateau not to mention Aonishiki has beat both Takerefuji and hakuoho and it was pretty easy for him. I can definitely understand disagreeing with his ceiling, but to say that there's absolutely nothing in Aonishiki that shows he's the real deal means you don't know what your seeing. Clearly he has much to improve but he also is the least experienced wrestler in the top division (and the youngest)

I think I was pretty harsh in saying that. Maybe it was just the the posts with this sudden gushing adulation for him. But I've honestly not seen any kind of spark in his sumo which I have seen in spades in the other three. Time will tell.

Edited May 18 by junsan

[Tigerboy1966 1,634]

1 hour ago, junsan said:

There's no fun watching Onosato's sumo. He just...wins.

Or to put it another way... his opponents just lose. To be fair to the lad, his win today was achieved by moving forward and executing some basic sumo techniques. I think he's pretty good, and has enormous potential, but I don't think that I am the only one here to find his seemingly irresistible ascent to yokozuna a bit... well... troubling.

[WAKATAKE 2,759]

1 hour ago, junsan said:

There's no fun watching Onosato's sumo. He just...wins.

I'm sure people were thinking the same thing about Hakuho when he kept...winning yusho

[RabidJohn 2,070]

19 minutes ago, Tigerboy1966 said:

Or to put it another way... his opponents just lose. To be fair to the lad, his win today was achieved by moving forward and executing some basic sumo techniques. I think he's pretty good, and has enormous potential, but I don't think that I am the only one here to find his seemingly irresistible ascent to yokozuna a bit... well... troubling.

Onosato is doing pretty much what I expected him to do this year, which was lose the tendency to go 9-6 after a yusho and make an undeniable case for promotion to yokozuna.

I don't find the fact that he's currently well on course to do exactly that at all troubling; quite the contrary. I find it reassuring that we're likely to get a somewhat dominant yokozuna who can take the pressure off Hoshoryu.

[MrGrumpyGills 171]

1 hour ago, WAKATAKE said:

I'm sure people were thinking the same thing about Hakuho when he kept...winning yusho

I admit I did think that and I was always rooting for the other guys
With Hakuho it was mostly a question of if it was going to be a zensho yusho for him or a yusho with 1-2 losses. It was so much more exciting for me if others won and tbh I've been enjoying the time period after his intai.

[Yamanashi 4,078]

15 minutes ago, Tigerboy1966 said:

Or to put it another way... his opponents just lose. To be fair to the lad, his win today was achieved by moving forward and executing some basic sumo techniques. I think he's pretty good, and has enormous potential, but I don't think that I am the only one here to find his seemingly irresistible ascent to yokozuna a bit... well... troubling.

I think that guys that win a lot end up at Yokozuna -- that's it.  He seems to have impressive upper body strength, and when he gets those arms outside of your body, you're going to get shoveled out.

If he were a regular talent, he'd be making it to Sanyaku and then his opponents would "figure him out" and he'd joint the dozens of boy wonders who topped out at Komosubi.  So, the trick is to figure him out.  One thing I notice is that he gets beaten by -nage throws more than average: Hoshoryu has beaten him with kubinage, shitatenage (3) and tottori.  Perhaps not meeting him head-on (not necessarily henka) and get some leverage for a throw.

I know, it sounds facile, but in every sport the solution to an "unbeatable" opponent is to find weaknesses.  Of course, if he gets to slap the opponent silly at the tachiai like you-know-who, maybe ten years from now we'll have a new GOAT.

[Kishinoyama 625]

2 hours ago, WAKATAKE said:

I'm sure people were thinking the same thing about Hakuho when he kept...winning yusho

They weren’t just thinking it. When Hakuho was consistently winning, many comments were made here on the forum about boring tournaments. Every time that he would lose a match, you could visit the discussion thread and read the comments of utter joy. 

[Kotogouryuu 143]

4 hours ago, junsan said:

There's no fun watching Onosato's sumo. He just...wins.

Oh I do enjoy it. I love me some power sumo.

[Yubinhaad 11,968]

A rare lower division jikan-mae on Day 8, as Daishoheki and Sawayaka started early - to the surprise of yobidashi Kumajiro who was still sweeping the edge! 

(Video here, I got the blacklisted error when I tried to post with it embedded)

[Koorifuu 1,120]

20 minutes ago, Yubinhaad said:

A rare lower division jikan-mae on Day 8, as Daishoheki and Sawayaka started early - to the surprise of yobidashi Kumajiro who was still sweeping the edge! 

(Video here, I got the blacklisted error when I tried to post with it embedded)

Much respect to Kazenosuke, too. Didn't let it rattle him.

[Godango 1,092]

5 hours ago, RabidJohn said:

Onosato is doing pretty much what I expected him to do this year, which was lose the tendency to go 9-6 after a yusho and make an undeniable case for promotion to yokozuna.

I don't find the fact that he's currently well on course to do exactly that at all troubling; quite the contrary. I find it reassuring that we're likely to get a somewhat dominant yokozuna who can take the pressure off Hoshoryu.

Couldn't agree more. I've enjoyed this 'anyone can win, who will rise?' era, but I'm more than ready for the return of a dominant force — especially one that still has a few credible challengers who can push them and spark great rivalries. We might be looking at a Hakuho–Harumafuji 2.0 scenario with Onosato and Hoshoryu, and I am absolutely here for it. Not to mention the other standout rikishi with huge potential that have already been discussed.

[warusawa 23]

I don't understand those who were bored by watching the GOAT Hakuho. Bored by watching greatness. SMH.

[MrGrumpyGills 171]

31 minutes ago, warusawa said:

I don't understand those who were bored by watching the GOAT Hakuho. Bored by watching greatness. SMH.

I can only speak for myself of course, but I wasn't bored by watching greatness; I enjoy it more when the winner isn't predictable from the get-go (even better if it's an underdog).
I'm always going to feel like that no matter who the dominant rikishi will be. Different strokes for different folks

[Bunbukuchagama 976]

8 hours ago, junsan said:

There's no fun watching Onosato's sumo. He just...wins.

You probably hated Hakuho's era with a passion. 

[Morty 1,518]

1 hour ago, warusawa said:

I don't understand those who were bored by watching the GOAT Hakuho. Bored by watching greatness. SMH.

I was never bored for it but because he was so good, I always went for his opponent, especially if it was Kisenosato or Kotoshogiku. It was a genuine surprise when Hak lost, even to the Ozeki, and that was the joy of watching him, knowing he would almost always win, and being able to cheer when he lost. To be clear, I didn't dislike him and it was a privilege to watch him do sumo, I just liked rooting for the underdog more.

[Kaninoyama 1,880]

I find Onosato's sumo refreshing, not boring. Finally, after well over a decade, a dominant Japanese rikishi.

And if he rolls on and takes the yusho and becomes Yokozuna, sumo will be in a better place with two young Yokozuna and many young up-and-coming challengers. 

A full reset of the post-Hakuho era. 

Edited May 19 by Kaninoyama

[Reonito 1,783]

16 hours ago, Hankegami said:

His little bro WTK also dispatched Oho and keeps cruising 7-1. Too bad he has yet to face Onosato despite his Komusubi rank (he already got Hosk and KZK, oddly enough).

He's Kw, so he faces the Y/O/S on odd-numbered days in the first week, with Takayasu doing the even-numbered days. Since they rotate who has the intra-sanyaku bout, he got Hosh on day 1, then Onosato got Takayasu, then WTK got KZK, etc. I haven't been following the torikumi as closely since I retired from GKA, but they'll probably get matched up day 10, unless the schedulers decide to delay it to keep up the suspense.

[Reonito 1,783]

9 hours ago, Tigerboy1966 said:

Or to put it another way... his opponents just lose. To be fair to the lad, his win today was achieved by moving forward and executing some basic sumo techniques. I think he's pretty good, and has enormous potential, but I don't think that I am the only one here to find his seemingly irresistible ascent to yokozuna a bit... well... troubling.

I really don't find this line of thinking either persuasive or constructive. Given the zero-sum nature of the banzuke, not to mention the kensho, his opponents have every incentive to try their best to beat him. Like, what could the powers that be possibly promise them? That they're not succeeding doesn't change this.

Edited May 19 by Reonito

[Reonito 1,783]

Tohakuryu’s defeat by Miyanokaze was a thing of beauty. Tohakuryu got in a few slaps, which really riled up his opponent. The look Miyanokaze gave him after he tossed him off the dohyo was priceless.

[Sumo Spiffy 666]

1 hour ago, Reonito said:

He's Kw, so he faces the Y/O/S on odd-numbered days in the first week, with Takayasu doing the even-numbered days. Since they rotate who has the intra-sanyaku bout, he got Hosh on day 1, then Onosato got Takayasu, then WTK got KZK, etc. I haven't been following the torikumi as closely since I retired from GKA, but they'll probably get matched up day 10, unless the schedulers decide to delay it to keep up the suspense.

They haven't been as intent on keeping the top four round robin for the final three days, so day ten may be correct. If they want that round robin, though (and since all four are doing well, it would make sense), it looks like they would need to push Onosato/Waka Prime to day twelve.

[Igordemorais 79]

Christ on a cracker barrel, Onosato is going to make Yokozuna isnt he?

Has anyone ever even seen anything like it?

Is it possible that we got another Hakuho so soon after the GOAT?