Katooshu 3,416 Posted May 15 (edited) The warrior calls it a day as a rikishi; now Oyama oyakata We never got the Daiki Nakamura vs Daiki Nakamura showdown https://x.com/sumokyokai/status/1922869806404882699 Edited May 15 by Katooshu 4 8 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sahaven111 188 Posted May 15 (edited) It's been a long time coming, unfortunately... Edited May 15 by sahaven111 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jakusotsu 6,188 Posted May 15 1 minute ago, sahaven111 said: It's been a long time coming, unfortunately... Not as long as for Shimanoumi... 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sahaven111 188 Posted May 15 1 hour ago, Jakusotsu said: Not as long as for Shimanoumi... Did he retire as well? Or is this another Shimanoumi joke. Because if it's the latter, i'll have you know he will never retire. He's all set in Juryo until he's 65. Zenpai be damned. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kotogouryuu 137 Posted May 15 He had such potential, but it is a cruel sport. I remember being excited when he turned up in makuuchi with never having had a losing record. He continued that momentum, but never really managed to get a grip on sanyaku. Then the knees went. Oh well, time to get on the bandwagon of another promising newcomer, and go through this again... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Akinomaki 41,183 Posted May 15 Immediate intai press conference today with shisho Hakkaku - planned retirement oo o ooo oo oo o o ooo o 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MrGrumpyGills 143 Posted May 15 Sad to see yet another veteran go, but it was unavoidable. I hope he'll be able to rest and heal up well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hakutorizakura 673 Posted May 15 Otsukaresamadeshita. He got a fighting spirit prize from me every basho 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RabidJohn 1,944 Posted May 15 He entertained me well and I wish him well, but I'm on post-Aminishiki-era hair watch again. 7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yamanashi 3,988 Posted May 15 3 hours ago, RabidJohn said: He entertained me well and I wish him well, but I'm on post-Aminishiki-era hair watch again. If he's going to invite ~100 people to make a cut at his retirement ceremony, he has to retire now! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Katooshu 3,416 Posted May 15 (edited) His physical apperance perfectly resembled his style of sumo: gnarled, powerful, no frills. He turned pro the basho I started following, and along with Ura was the first I followed from debut to makuuchi. Although I enjoyed his career generally, my favourite part was his role in the brief 4 yokozuna period, where he scored kinboshi 4 tournaments in a row. He also beat our last two yokozuna, though before they were promoted, and won numerous bouts vs ozeki when in his prime Although he never really stabilized in sanyaku, losing his balance a bit too easily, he did have a stretch from 2017-2021 where he was ranked M3 or higher for the large majority of tournaments. Rarely did he give anything other than 100 percent, and his series of matches with Mitakeumi (old college rival) and Takakeisho (Hokutofuji beat him 11 times) were especially entertaining. Edited May 15 by Katooshu 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tigerboy1966 1,539 Posted May 15 You know you are becoming a proper sumo fan when... the men you remember as the next big things start shuffling off the stage. Takakeisho, Onosho, Hokutofuji... MItakeumi. 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yubinhaad 11,856 Posted May 15 He already looks younger and healthier, somehow. Although not as young as this... I think I intended to post this shot from their amazumo days when they were all ranked in sanyaku together, but they never quite managed it. Three at once happened a couple of times, I think. 3 9 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dingo 1,388 Posted May 15 In addition to his hard work and powerful sumo I also took a liking to Hokutofuji because of his resemblance to an old favourite, Kaio. Glad to see he's staying in sumo. Hope he can heal up and have along and healthy life. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jakusotsu 6,188 Posted May 15 4 hours ago, Tigerboy1966 said: You know you are becoming a proper sumo fan when... the men you remember as the next big things start shuffling off the stage. Takakeisho, Onosho, Hokutofuji... MItakeumi. So I turned proper 15 years ago when Chiyotaikai retired... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
I am the Yokozuna 204 Posted May 16 Wish him all good in his coaching career. Always fighting with great vigor. Once can never fault that. Kinta always considered him for the next ozeki and he was basically on a right track before Corona but Hokuto never could get the timing right. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Akinomaki 41,183 Posted May 16 (edited) NikkanSP premium with an article about the intai press conference had a few other pics o o memorable bout: vs. Hakuho Hatsu 2018, his first kinboshi from Hakuho o o vs Mitakeumi: Aki 2019, Haru 2021 o o last Kyushu day 8 - final basho in makuuchi (on the dohyo) o His panel and nobori in the lobby of the city hall of his hometown Tokorozawa o with class mates from sumo school o graduating: Mitakeumi, Hokutofuji, Tobizaru / Omoto, Ura, Hirotsukasa o Edited May 16 by Akinomaki Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jakusotsu 6,188 Posted May 16 51 minutes ago, Akinomaki said: o Ok, now I finally get Kintamayama's reference. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dingo 1,388 Posted May 16 9 hours ago, Akinomaki said: o The legendary sumo school graduation photo with Tobizaru practicing for a kesho mawashi Who's the next to retire, Mitakeumi? Endo seems to be holding on, Ura and Tobizaru still usually hang around in the joi or close to it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
just_some_guy 294 Posted May 16 He was chaos incarnate on the dohyo. I will also remember him for his 15-basho streak of alternating kachikoshi/makekoshi. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jakusotsu 6,188 Posted May 16 3 hours ago, just_some_guy said: He was chaos incarnate on the dohyo. Right. The phrase "all over the place" would have to be invented for him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fashiritētā 195 Posted May 16 He had the most powerful makikochi in sumo :) 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jabbamaru 169 Posted May 18 farewell, hokutosan. Always fun. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Akinomaki 41,183 Posted May 26 Intai press conference 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
