Akinomaki 41,735 Posted September 13 (edited) Yusho portrait presentation - last in pre-yokozuna style for Onosato, first (and maybe last) ever for Kotoshoho NSK sumochannel000 o ooo o o o o o o o oo o o o o no rival o o Edited September 13 by Akinomaki 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Akinomaki 41,735 Posted September 13 On 29/08/2025 at 14:53, Kintamayama said: The Kokugikan Museum will feature the 73rd Yokozuna Terunofuji, starting from Day 1, September 14th. The special exhibition will introduce his journey from his debut as a rikishi to his promotion to Ozeki, his repeated absences and comeback through unyielding efforts, and his rise to Yokozuna status. Valuable materials will also be on display, including the three-piece decorative kesho-mawashi used in the Yokozuna dohyo-iri ceremonies, dyed kimonos, and championship plaques. on the 12th o o o Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kintamayama 47,175 Posted September 14 The three Assas who were promoted together to Juryo won today, so that's a good start. My crystal ball says Asanoyama will retire by the end of the year. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Athenayama 1,195 Posted September 14 41 minutes ago, Kintamayama said: My crystal ball says Asanoyama will retire by the end of the year. As Mr. Spock would say "That sounds illogical". All this hard work to retire as soon as he reaches back Makuuchi ? Unless very serious new injury what would be the reason? However I have to bow to your experience. We'll find out soon enough Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tigerboy1966 1,625 Posted September 14 27 minutes ago, Athenayama said: 1 hour ago, Kintamayama said: My crystal ball says Asanoyama will retire by the end of the year. As Mr. Spock would say "That sounds illogical". All this hard work to retire as soon as he reaches back Makuuchi ? Unless very serious new injury what would be the reason? However I have to bow to your experience. We'll find out soon enough Kinta has a mountain of crystal balls. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Athenayama 1,195 Posted September 14 4 minutes ago, Tigerboy1966 said: Kinta has a mountain of crystal balls. Not only crystal.... 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Benihana 1,971 Posted September 14 Shonnanoumi: So what ya doin' this afternoon? Tobizaru: https://youtu.be/PGNiXGX2nLU?si=_h9vgMq1_ggPPuKf&t=61 And Oshoma learned a valuable lesson today 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RabidJohn 2,054 Posted September 14 3 hours ago, Kintamayama said: My crystal ball says Asanoyama will retire by the end of the year. Hmm. I know better than to disagree. Has he got a kabu? --- Speaking of predictions, Hiro Morita foolishly/vindictively predicted a Takayasu yusho in the NHK preview, so today's result came as no surprise. Is Tobizaru a freestyle skateboarder on the side? He's got the 360s down great. It was surprising to see no mono-ii for the Hoshoryu vs Tamawashi bout, though I believe they'd have invoked dead body and given it to the yokozuna anyway. Both Hakuoho and Onosato moved like juggernauts today, making Wakatakakage look like he forgot to show up and suggesting Aonishiki needs a lot more time in Ajigawa's Chamber of Wiliness. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tochinofuji 405 Posted September 14 4 hours ago, RabidJohn said: ... Both Hakuoho and Onosato moved like juggernauts today, making Wakatakakage look like he forgot to show up and suggesting Aonishiki needs a lot more time in Ajigawa's Chamber of Wiliness. I was definitely disappointed with Wakatakakage's loss this morning, but he often drops an early bout or two. That said, it feels like it's been a while since we've seen THAT version of Hakuoho, so that was quite something! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Leoben 168 Posted September 14 (edited) 1 hour ago, Tochinofuji said: I was definitely disappointed with Wakatakakage's loss this morning, but he often drops an early bout or two. That said, it feels like it's been a while since we've seen THAT version of Hakuoho, so that was quite something! Does it look like he's lost weight? I watched the match a couple times and I think he looks he's less W I D E than in recent tournaments. May just be my imagination though. Either way, great first showing. He may have broken through a plateau. Edited September 14 by Leoben Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tochinofuji 405 Posted September 14 3 hours ago, Leoben said: Does it look like he's lost weight? I watched the match a couple times and I think he looks he's less W I D E than in recent tournaments. May just be my imagination though. Either way, great first showing. He may have broken through a plateau. The Kyokai has Hakuoho listed at 157kg, which would be down a couple kilos. Didn't see any info for him in the latest "Weights" thread, but might be. That said he seems to general be between 156 and 162, so not a massive shift any which way. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yarimotsu 637 Posted September 15 Excellent first day of sumo, lots of bouts I could highlight. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dingo 1,476 Posted September 15 Great to finally watch some sumo again! Ura seemed to do a funny little victory parade around the dohyo after beating Oshoma. He was obviously quite happy with himself there. After his opening day defeat Kotoshoho looked quite disappointed, as if he expected his winning streak from last basho to continue. Looks like a hard reality check awaits him... A tough opening match for Wakatakakage, Hakuoho is full of purpose and when he gets that train going it's hard to stop. The way Wakatakakage was pushed back is not a good omen for his ozeki challenge. Hoshoryu got really lucky. He almost slipped in the beginning and only a millisecond separated him from touching the dohyo first. But as they say, luck favours the strong so maybe it's a good sign for the yokozuna. Onosato also had a tough opener but faced Aonishiki with strong, calm sumo. If he continues like that and doesn't let his pulling instinct come out then God things will happen. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tigerboy1966 1,625 Posted September 15 Anyone know what's going on with what looks like a huge bruised area on Aonishiki's upper left back? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shantan123 23 Posted September 15 16 minutes ago, Tigerboy1966 said: Anyone know what's going on with what looks like a huge bruised area on Aonishiki's upper left back? I believe it's a birth mark. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tigerboy1966 1,625 Posted September 15 5 minutes ago, shantan123 said: 22 minutes ago, Tigerboy1966 said: Anyone know what's going on with what looks like a huge bruised area on Aonishiki's upper left back? I believe it's a birth mark. Thanks. I can't believe I hadn't noticed that before. I was thinking he was injured! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gospodin 267 Posted September 15 Looks like congenital (local) hypertrichosis. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Octofuji 425 Posted September 15 I thought Aonishiki was a bit hard done by the first time. Uchimuso seems like kubinage, due to its nature the aggressor may end up touching the clay first. I think there is a rule that allows for this. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RabidJohn 2,054 Posted September 15 I know it vies for being the commonest kimarite, but a double belt grip yori-kiri performed by Ura feels exceedingly rare. He looked uncommonly chuffed with it, too. Mind you, he always looks like he's living his best life, win or lose. I'm chuckling as I write this, thinking of Hakuoho at exactly the opposite end of the losing-hinkaku scale. I can just imagine Isegahama shaking his head wryly. Higher up the order Wakatakakage showed up today, which is encouraging; Aonishiki got his first shiroboshi after a couple of goes; Onosato ensured no kinboshi for Tamawashi this time, and how he just absorbed that vicious nodowa was awesome; and Hoshoryu very successfully worked on improving his dreadful h2h with Takayasu. It all gave me a feeling of regular service having resumed. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gospodin 267 Posted September 15 49 minutes ago, Octofuji said: I thought Aonishiki was a bit hard done by the first time. Uchimuso seems like kubinage, due to its nature the aggressor may end up touching the clay first. I think there is a rule that allows for this. This is the first time I saw a rikishi touching down with his head bowing over his stretched feet. Reminds me how agile they are. If I would try that... 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Fat Cyclist 39 Posted September 15 It was fun watching the blasts from the past today as that day was my first visit to the kogukikan and I vividly remember that Hakuho loss and the resulting purple rain 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Oshirokita 198 Posted September 15 Aonishiki really impressed me in today's bout(s). I know he has been turning heads for some time but I am prepared to jump on the Aonishiki bandwagon now! His low grappling stance and ability to unbalance his foes is remarkable. Shishi, on the other hand, seems to have forgotten the basics which served him so well to get through Juryo. On Day 1, he seemed unable to keep more than one foot in contact with the clay and today was a slight improvement but he was out of balance throughout and only won because his opponent was forced out of the ring before balance became an issue. The contrast between these two rikishi really demonstrates the stability of Aonishiki's stance and his superior body awareness. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dingo 1,476 Posted September 15 Yesterday Tomokaze did good forward moving sumo and earned his win, yet today he inexplicably decides to pull against Shishi who's not exactly the strongest makuuchi. Unsurprisingly Tomokaze easily lost, though I feel he could've done much better if he just tried a bit. Well if Tomokaze's pulling was hard to explain then Shonannoumi's little backwards jump against Asakoryu is a total mystery. Shonannoumi is twice as big yet somehow decides not to go chest to chest with a lightweight opponent whom he should push out easily. Incredibly weird decision. Shodai actually displayed some good ring sense, something which seemed to be missing for a long time. Considering his opponent was Daieisho I'd call it an excellent win, even though Daieisho is just returning after injury. Unusually orthodox sumo by Ura in a belt battle against Midorifuji, but he still managed to get the win. I also chuckled at RabidJohn's description of Ura, which I think is spot on. Takanosho did everything right yet that final push didn't materialise as Onokatsu's last ditch tawara maneuvers moved him out of Takanosho's way. Unfortunately he didn't recover in time as Onokatsu successfully capitalised on his opponent's overextending and loss of balance. Kusano is quickly finding out the top of makuuchi is something else compared to the bottom. He still has time to turn it around, but it won't be easy. Wonderful bouts between Aonishiki and Atamifuji! Aonishiki's tendency to go low was almost his downfall, even if he was the one initiating the technique. He improvised well in the torinaoshi too, to make good use of Atamifuji's pull. Hakuoho vs Kotozakura was a perfect example of the difference between rushing in blindly and calmly observing your opponent. Sure Hakuoho won yesterday with a similar approach but he has to take into account that Kotozakura is a le to absorb a great amount of force which gives him an extra moment to react. Tamawashi got a perfect nodowa in against Onosato but once his hand slipped off, there was no follow up and Onosato had a small moment to recover. Excellent attack but also excellent reaction. Hoshoryu did well against his nemesis Takayasu, waiting until he got into a good position to send Takayasu out. Doesn't look like Hiro's pre basho prediction is coming true... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
warusawa 23 Posted September 15 27 minutes ago, Oshirokita said: Aonishiki really impressed me in today's bout(s). I know he has been turning heads for some time but I am prepared to jump on the Aonishiki bandwagon now! His low grappling stance and ability to unbalance his foes is remarkable. Shishi, on the other hand, seems to have forgotten the basics which served him so well to get through Juryo. On Day 1, he seemed unable to keep more than one foot in contact with the clay and today was a slight improvement but he was out of balance throughout and only won because his opponent was forced out of the ring before balance became an issue. The contrast between these two rikishi really demonstrates the stability of Aonishiki's stance and his superior body awareness. I was wondering what was so awkward about Shishi sumo and your post clarified it for me. His footwork is atrocious. Compare it to Aonishiki footwork (I know, smaller man), which is brilliant. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dingo 1,476 Posted September 15 To me it seems there's more between those two than just footwork. Shishi's sumo seems floppy and uncoordinated, he just throws himself at the opponent and hopes for the best. Aonishiki on the other hand does very deliberate, thoughtful moves, he has his own style and clearly aims to execute it carefully. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
