Aki 2025 discussions (results)

[Hankegami 598]

Well, I guess I can post my Day 11 comments also.

Shishi (7-4) is putting up quite the decent tournament while lumbering around ad staying unimpressive. He's now one win away from KK with four days to go.

Meisei (3-8) lost again today and is on a virtual 6(1) losing strike (actually 4+2, interrupted by his Day 9 win against Nishikigi - basically a freebie). He's in serious danger of demotion if he doesn't start to win soon. I got anther look at him after his absence from Hoshoryu's dohyo-iri for two days straight, and I 'm starting to get why he likely waived his role there. He doesn't look well.

Takanosho (9-2) is putting up a very nice basho. He's still on the run - technically - and looking good in general.

Now, let me write down a Fujinokawa (4-7) appreciation post. I admit I never followed him much. He's not winning big and threatened no record on his way up. But boy, he's a total fighter! He's really putting all his best in his fights. I'm starting having Ura vibes from him - no matter winning or losing, he provides a lot of fun. Not to mention he's very young still (20 y.o.).

Best bout of the day was perhaps Hakuoho vs. Oho. The Reiwa Monster is clearly not at his best but he's not the kind of guy who surrenders easily. More so props to Oho for winning the bout.

Now, now, now... Atamifuji. Lost to osteology wing patient Abi like nothing. I have a soft stop for Atamin (we share the same birthday, albeit several years apart), but that's not the level he promised us on his way up. Sure, he's not losing as bad as Gonoyama (0-11), but the latter is definitively nursing an injury and is otherwise a reliable joi adjacent level wrestler.

Now, let's talk about san'yaku. Shodai (9-2) had the gall to show up to create trouble to Aonishiki (8-3). I mean, well-executed plan, Shottie, but you're made to be hated sometimes. The Committee put Shodai back on lower Makuuchi for tomorrow - facing Ryuden. No extra joi pairings for the moment (perhaps later on?). I guess they assumed Aonishiki would've won. I am bummed for Aonishiki though. Now he can drop just another one if he wants to force a S2 slot for himself in Kyushu. The good thing is that he only has to face Hoshoryu of the big boys (scheduled for tomorrow), the bad thing is that he must go 3-1 from tomorrow onward. Sure, he's Aonishiki, but it's still quite the dance on the rope to perform.

Paradoxically, the chance for a regular Sekiwake spot to open up anyway has gotten more likely with today. Wakatakakage (5-6) sunk his remaining Ozeki hopes with his latest loss today, and also must go 3-1 to get his KK. Including his scheduled matches against Kotozakura, Onosato, and Hoshoryu - unless the Committee scraps them altogether. Well, played, WakaBro3. Kirishima (5-6) is in a similar situation, although he doesn't look just as hapless. He lost with dignity against Hoshoryu today, and he will finish his Y/O duty tomorrow by getting run over by facing Onosato. That's 1 most likely loss, to be followed by 3 more feasible bouts in the last three days.

About the Y/O, they all won today. Kotozakura (8-3) is definitively doing good this basho. He already got his KK and can think about fattening up his final score from now on. He earned this also. Wakamotoharu is not pushover, and yet he managed to damage control him until he had the chance to reverse the situation. Hoshoryu (11-0) still on the lead. Kirishima brought him to a potentially dangerous belt fight, but he once again emerged as the better belt master. Onosato (10-1) remains sole runner-up after some actual scare against Takayasu. Papabear (3-8) did not want his MK at all, and seriously tried to out-Onosato the man himself. Too bad he didn't have the stamina to end him off, so he ended up Onosato'd like everyone else.

So... The arasoi. Four days to go, 11-4 the lowest possible bar for the Yusho. However, I just cannot see Hoshoryu to collapse this much. It looks more and more by the day that the Cup is going to be a Yokozuna issue between him and Onosato. I only wonder whether the Committee will force 9-2 Takanosho and Shodai into the fray, or will leave them be with the Yok getting their Yok feed.

[RabidJohn 2,072]

I saw some damn fine sumo today.

Hakuoho looked butsugari-level knackered after his eventual loss to Oho. I've much admiration for Oho sticking that one out, but I wish he could turn up like that every day. He's got it all, but he can't bring it consistently.

Kotozakura once again did calm ozeki sumo against the dangerously talented Wakamotoharu. Good to see some recovery after a distinctly mediocre year so far.

I'm very grateful to Hoshoryu and Kirishima for the classic yotsu with a pinch of Mongolian style. Excellent performance from the yokozuna.

The Onosato-Takayasu match looked like a bit of a scare for the yokozuna until I watched the slo-mo. Sure, Takayasu had him going backwards from the tachi-ai, but Onosato very accurately deflected the follow-up blows until he'd regained equilibrium and then became his usual unstoppable self. 

Seems to me both yokozuna are trying to develop that purely reactive style of sumo; i.e. mounting the dohyo with no plan other than to deal with whatever situation presents itself. 

[Kintamayama 47,337]

Asahakuryuu got called in to the judging department for that dame-oshi against Mita. His momentum was so great that he ended up sending Mita flying outside the dohyo. Because this appeared to be a dame oshi, he was called in by the judging department after the match. However, it was clear that he had no ill intentions, as he offered his hand to his fallen opponent. The department merely offered encouragement, saying, "Keep up the good work." By the end of the day, Asakouryuu, was tied for the Juryo lead. Following his yusho in Makushita last tournament, a second consecutive yusho at each rank seems a real possibility. Even so, he spoke calmly, saying, "I'm glad I won. I'll just do my best again tomorrow without worrying about the yusho race," he summed.
 

Edited September 24 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 47,337]

So why did Ura run to make it to the dohyo-iri? On the 21st, the eighth day of Aki basho, NHK's broadcast of the sumo tournament featured a scene rarely shown. The rikishi were at the back of the western hanamichi, just before Houshouryuu's Yokozuna dohyo-iri. Ura, the tsuyuharai, ran up to where Kimura Shounosuke,  Yokozuna Houshouryuu, and Tachimochi Hiradoumi were waiting. Ura was not late. As Houshouryuu greeted him with a smile, there was a reason why he had to rush over. Before the makuuchi bouts, the makuuchi rikishi enter the dohyo for their dohyo-iri, followed by the Yokozuna dohyo iri. On odd-numbered days such as the first and third days, the dohyo-iris are performed in the following order: East makuuchi, West makuuchi, East Yokozuna, West Yokozuna. On the eighth day, which is an even-numbered day, the order is West makuuchi, East makuuchi, West Yokozuna, East Yokozuna. On the eighth day, Ura's bout was scheduled in the East, so he took part in the East's makuuchi dohyo-iri and then walked down the hanamichi. Immediately afterwards, as the West's Yokozuna dohyo-iri was about to begin. He had to move quickly from the East to the West. The distance from East to West is about 50 meters. He was wearing a kesho mawashi  which made it difficult for him to move, so he ran holding up the mawashi in front of him with both hands.  Fans began to refer to this as the "Cinderella run," as it resembles Cinderella, who attended the ball and ran while lifting the hem of her dress just before midnight before the magic spell wore off. This is a actually common sight at a Yokozuna dohyo-iri, but after it was caught on NHK, it became a hot topic among fans, especially on social media. It was his usual giddiness that caused people to think he was late..

Edited September 24 by Kintamayama

[Asashosakari 20,287]

Ichiyamamoto looked to be in a similar hurry today to get from the West side dohyo-iri to Onosato's.

[BigKahunaMan 18]

Who else should we have gotten a "Cinderella run" from, but the man with the pink mawashi? 

[Yamanashi 4,085]

19 hours ago, Seseragi said:

Seems like a reoccuring theme is he falls to Maegashira 8 or below and does very well. He then jumps up to the joi and gets rinsed by sanyaku early which puts him on the back foot for the rest of the basho and falls again. 

 ... as he joins the hundreds of Rubber Band Rikishi, oscillating around their natural rank.

[Kotoroiwa 70]

I simply had to. (Not the original one.)

 

[Seseragi 16]

3 hours ago, Yamanashi said:

 ... as he joins the hundreds of Rubber Band Rikishi, oscillating around their natural rank.

Ehh you got me there. I guess he's the guy I've noticed it the most with in the relatively short time I've been watching (Nov 2024).

[Reonito 1,789]

The first 9 makuuchi bouts today had the west side winning. Takanosho ruined the streak by beating Ryuden.

[Oshirokita 198]

I must say there were some fantastic matches in the final half of Makuuchi today. Very entertaining and technically interesting.

Returning to Shishi, I have to give him props for finding ways to win despite atrocious footwork. I think he must have a left leg injury? In most matches this basho, he seems very reluctant to put weight on his left leg and sacrifices a stable footing.

[Benihana 1,972]

Where is Shodai B when you need him?

[Fashiritētā 214]

Shodai A only shows up to thwart us.

[Asashosakari 20,287]

The other makuuchi guy with "Sho" and "Dai" in his shikona was sacrificed two months ago to make this return to form possible. 

[Tetsuoka 9]

11 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

Asahakuryuu got called in to the judging department for that dame-oshi against Mita. His momentum was so great that he ended up sending Mita flying outside the dohyo. Because this appeared to be a dame oshi, he was called in by the judging department after the match. However, it was clear that he had no ill intentions, as he offered his hand to his fallen opponent. The department merely offered encouragement, saying, "Keep up the good work." By the end of the day, Asakouryuu, was tied for the Juryo lead. Following his yusho in Makushita last tournament, a second consecutive yusho at each rank seems a real possibility. Even so, he spoke calmly, saying, "I'm glad I won. I'll just do my best again tomorrow without worrying about the yusho race," he summed.
 

That Hakuyozan apparently never gets called for the same reason is one of the biggest mysteries of the universe.

[Fashiritētā 214]

43 minutes ago, Tetsuoka said:

That Hakuyozan apparently never gets called for the same reason is one of the biggest mysteries of the universe.

Being an elevator rickishi in Juryo is his punishment.

[Reonito 1,789]

2 hours ago, Fashiritētā said:

Being an elevator rickishi in Juryo is his punishment.

"elevator" flatters him—he's nearing the record for most juryo basho without promotion

[Bunbukuchagama 978]

3 hours ago, Tetsuoka said:

That Hakuyozan apparently never gets called for the same reason is one of the biggest mysteries of the universe.

Hakuyozan is considered hopeless.

[Koorifuu 1,121]

Been playing catch-up the whole basho and avoided this thread so I wouldn't get spoilt...

...but Kyokukaiyu has been a let down. Hope his near inevitable second time is the charm.

[Tsuchinoninjin 1,291]

Holy smokes aoinishiki!!!! What a match to flip on right after getting into the hotel room…

[RussReimroc 30]

and so the zensho hopes are dashed. but dang, if that wasn't a convincing win. Aonishiki did a great job!

[Akinomaki 41,849]

And now we have the nobody that might win the yusho: Takanosho alone in 3rd place, Aonishiki tomorrow and only the possibility to get paired with one yokozuna.

[Jakusotsu 6,401]

12 minutes ago, Akinomaki said:

And now we have the nobody that might win the yusho: Takanosho alone in 3rd place, Aonishiki tomorrow and only the possibility to get paired with one yokozuna.

10-5 for him.

[Akinomaki 41,849]

Looks like Kirishima will be kind enough to make room for Aonishiki, should he fail to get the 11 wins. After his kachikoshi, 12th in a row since debut, start in maezumo, but faster to 100 wins than Onosato, Hakkaku named him a splendid ozeki candidate, hinting at the possibility to reach the rank after Kyushu. o

[RabidJohn 2,072]

40 minutes ago, Akinomaki said:

... Hakkaku named him a splendid ozeki candidate, hinting at the possibility to reach the rank after Kyushu.

That's a bit more than a hint, isn't it? It looks to me like confirmation that, provided he gets the necessary numbers, they won't make Aonishiki do two basho at sekiwake.

It's starting to look like he won't need to force a sekiwake slot for Kyushu, but it's well within his ability to put up the numbers anyway. His match today with Hoshoryu was just great. While it ended in a nominal upset, it wasn't at all disappointing, and no shade on the yokozuna for losing that one.

What is it about Onosato that makes Kirishima lose the plot? I know he's not that bad, but his experience seems to desert him. 8-0 h2h now...

Kotozakura's loss to Takanosho was disappointing. It felt foot off the gas now KK. Takanosho may be an elevator rikishi, but he snags a jun-yusho every couple of years. Thing is, he's not due another until next year.

Btw, has anyone else noticed that we're well into the last third of the basho and Mitakeumi still has some stamina?