YDC convenes- after Nagoya 2025

[Kintamayama 47,377]

The YDC has been causing a stir with comments it has made regarding both Yokozuna. Yesterday, the council held a regular meeting at the  Kokugikan, where it harshly criticized Yokozunae Oonosato and Houshouryuu, who both missed out on the yusho, calling it "very unfortunate." Regarding Oonosato, who showed overwhelming strength but also handed out four kinboshi, they said, "He showed his bad habit (of pulling)." Regarding Houshouryuu, who withdrew midway through the tournament due to a cracked bone in his left big toe, they said, "Unfortunately, he was forced to withdraw due to injury. This is also extremely unfortunate." Social media was buzzing with comments, such as, "Before placing the blame solely on the Yokozuna, the Kyokai itself has issues to consider," "The YDC also bears some of the responsibility for the fact that the Yokozuna they unanimously recommended is not performing as expected," "It was you guys who recommended him," and "You can't force an Ozeki who isn't up to it to be a Yokozuna." Opinions have been raised such as "It's unfair to promote someone and then criticize them harshly for poor performances like giving up a kinboshi or going kyujo" and "The standards for promotion to Yokozuna have become quite lenient."

[Bunbukuchagama 988]

26 minutes ago, Kintamayama said:

it harshly criticized Yokozunae Oonosato and Houshouryuu, who both missed out on the yusho, calling it "very unfortunate."

Yeah, they both failed exactly the same way. 

[Kaninoyama 1,882]

Didn't someone post a graph somewhere recently showing that Onosato's performance was right about par for newly minted Yokozuna? 

About Hoshoryu, I will refrain from commenting. 

Edited July 29 by Kaninoyama

[Akinomaki 41,857]

The expectations for Onosato, also here on the forum, were that he performs like Hakuho at his peak right away. In that respect, also his result is pitiful, like Musashigawa thinks.

[Jakusotsu 6,403]

Presumably the main problem with Onosato's performance is how his losses looked like. Once he vanquishes his inner Kakuryu, he'll be fine.

[Akinomaki 41,857]

14 minutes ago, Akinomaki said:

The expectations for Onosato, also here on the forum, were that he performs like Hakuho at his peak right away. In that respect, also his result is pitiful, like Musashigawa thinks.

I can't cross-quote with the mobile phone

21 minutes ago, Akinomaki said:

Musashigawa is sumo analyst for Daily Sports now, first just mentioned with his comments, now a full column by him, though maybe still interviewed and written by a reporter.

The results of the yokozuna are pitiful. Onosato running away and Hoshoryu beaten by speed https://www.daily.co.jp/general/2025/07/29/0019283680.shtml?pg=2 

[Bunbukuchagama 988]

23 minutes ago, Jakusotsu said:

Presumably the main problem with Onosato's performance is how his losses looked like.

So, it would have been fine if he just rushed forward out of the dohyo 4 times? 

[lackmaker 458]

Yep. Forward moving sumo is what's expected.

[RabidJohn 2,074]

2 hours ago, Akinomaki said:

The expectations for Onosato, also here on the forum, were that he performs like Hakuho at his peak right away.

There's folk hereabouts, me included, that believe he may be the next 20+ yusho dai-yokozuna. That's just going on his age and rate at which he's been winning already (in a makunouchi that didn't include Aonishiki and Kusano...).

But that's a long way from expecting him to perform like Hakuho. Are the Japanese really so deluded?

2 hours ago, Jakusotsu said:

Presumably the main problem with Onosato's performance is how his losses looked like. Once he vanquishes his inner Kakuryu, he'll be fine.

Yes, there's the ineffectual, panicky attempt at hatakikomi kind of pulling that looks awful coming from a yokozuna, and there's the kind of pulling Aonishiki does that leaves (former) ozeki on their knees and looks great coming from any rikishi.

---

The YDC is just doing what they're supposed to do. It is unfortunate that all Onosato's losses were to maegashira and showed his "bad habit", and regardless of the circumstances that earned him his rope, it is unfortunate that Hoshoryu pulled out.

I wonder how much more they may have said had it been Aonishiki or Kusano lifting the Cup rather than probable flash in the pan Kotoshoho.

[Akinomaki 41,857]

2 hours ago, RabidJohn said:

But that's a long way from expecting him to perform like Hakuho. Are the Japanese really so deluded?

Mainly the foreign fans.

My predictions is, just above 10 yusho, not getting to 20, because the new talents will take the yusho away from him and also Hoshoryu gets a few. He has to go on prudently like so far for that, efficient training and avoiding injury, else he may not even reach 10.

Edit: He had enough grave injuries during amateur times, his body is not as resilient to them as e.g. Hoshoryu, one like that could turn his career into a copy of Kisenosato's

Edited July 29 by Akinomaki

[Churaumi 753]

Has Hoshoryu really been all that resilient lately? He's pulled out of 2/3 of his basho as a yokozuna and 2/9 of his ozeki basho, although those were much nearer the end of the basho than his recent withdrawals. If anyone is looking like Kisenosato it's Hoshoryu.

[Ryoshishokunin 335]

Unfortunately, "unfortunate" is a word with many meanings, and this is even more true in japanese....

[Kintamayama 47,377]

29 minutes ago, Ryoshishokunin said:

Unfortunately, "unfortunate" is a word with many meanings, and this is even more true in japanese....

Correct. But the gist is very clear here. "Zannen" is a very polite way of saying "you really screwed up, and that is really regrettable, now isn't it..." Nothing ambiguous here.

[Koorifuu 1,121]

Since when do they care about what people say on the internet?

[Churaumi 753]

I'd be shocked if the YDC even knows we exist...

[Kintamayama 47,377]

33 minutes ago, Koorifuu said:

Since when do they care about what people say on the internet?

They don't but if the fans' grumblings are widespread and make it to headlines in the real press as it seems is the case at the moment, that is not good publicity and not good image-wise. I'm pretty sure somebody will care soon.

[Gospodin 271]

Hoshoryu´s oyakata should tell him to ignore the YDC for the time being and focus on having his big toe fully healed, otherwise his career could be very short. If  such an injury worsens and becomes chronic, it is like having your thumb amputated (for any sports practitioner).

[Katooshu 3,485]

10 hours ago, Akinomaki said:

Mainly the foreign fans.

My predictions is, just above 10 yusho, not getting to 20, because the new talents will take the yusho away from him and also Hoshoryu gets a few. He has to go on prudently like so far for that, efficient training and avoiding injury, else he may not even reach 10.

Edit: He had enough grave injuries during amateur times, his body is not as resilient to them as e.g. Hoshoryu, one like that could turn his career into a copy of Kisenosato's

What were his grave injuries? I followed him from middle school till now, and all he missed in that period that I know of was two college tournaments. Have never seen him on the dohyo in pain either.

If anything, I'd say his injury history points toward him being fairly durable.

Edited July 29 by Katooshu

[Katooshu 3,485]

Onosato has been getting better. Before it was 1 yusho at a time, followed by a 9-6.

Now he's done back to back yusho, followed by an 11-4 - in a yokozuna debut tournament that is often a drop for the newcomer at the rank.

Anytime people say he's been figured out, which is every time he doesn't win the cup, he yushos a tournament or two later.

Edited July 29 by Katooshu

[Akinomaki 41,857]

16 minutes ago, Katooshu said:

What were his grave injuries? I followed him from middle school till now, and all he missed in that period that I know of was two college tournaments. Have never seen him on the dohyo in pain either.

Indeed, in my memory the injury was more severe than it was, but it was only this:

On 05/12/2022 at 20:41, Akinomaki said:

Nakamura's injury this year. He injured his right elbow in March and had surgery, then spent about 3 months to recover.

[Kishinoyama 625]

The YDC = blah blah blah when it comes to Onosato. His 11-4 is perfectly acceptable for a new Yokozuna. Yes, I know about the 4 kinboshi. 

Hoshoryu is the one that concerns me. I was happy for him but I was also surprised that he was promoted. Injuries are the one thing that can stop a promising career or set it back. I don’t know how he can be careful since his sumo style is on the wild side. That makes him interesting but leads to the possibility of more injuries. 

[Bunbukuchagama 988]

1 hour ago, Akinomaki said:

Indeed, in my memory the injury was more severe than it was, but it was only this:

Is there any indication of his elbow still bothering him in any way?

If Onosato is injury-prone, Takerufuji and Hakuoho are already dead. 

[Bunbukuchagama 988]

1 minute ago, Kishinoyama said:

Hoshoryu is the one that concerns me. I was happy for him but I was also surprised that he was promoted. Injuries are the one thing that can stop a promising career or set it back. I don’t know how he can be careful since his sumo style is on the wild side. That makes him interesting but leads to the possibility of more injuries. 

His promotion was a mistake. Ozumo establishment panicked when they faced a possibility of not having a Yokozuna for ceremonial purposes for the first time in God knows how many years - and convinced themselves that he would be good enough to not make them look foolish. 

[Reonito 1,792]

24 minutes ago, Bunbukuchagama said:

His promotion was a mistake. Ozumo establishment panicked when they faced a possibility of not having a Yokozuna for ceremonial purposes for the first time in God knows how many years - and convinced themselves that he would be good enough to not make them look foolish. 

There are clear promotion criteria, which he met as they laid them out. Did they have the discretion to say, sorry buddy, we said a yusho will do it, but a 12-3 playoff isn't good enough? Sure. But had he won it 13-2 in regulation, in which case it would have been really hard to make the case against promotion, it wouldn't have been any more of an assurance that he wouldn't get hurt (see Kisenosato, promoted after years of highly consistent performances). The yokozuna promotion criteria don't really extend to "we are confident he'll finish every tournament and yusho often" and it would be hard to do this in any meaningful way. BTW, this is Kakuryu's first 8 basho as Yokozuna, after 14-1 D 14-1 Y:

2014.05	Y2e		9-6
2014.07	Y2e		11-4
2014.09	Y1w		11-4
2014.11	Y1w		12-3 J	Jun-Yusho (5th)
2015.01	Y1w		10-5
2015.03	Y2e		0-1-14
2015.05	Y2e		0-0-15
2015.07	Y2e		12-3 J	Jun-Yusho (6th)

[Bunbukuchagama 988]

46 minutes ago, Reonito said:

There are clear promotion criteria, which he met as they laid them out. Did they have the discretion to say, sorry buddy, we said a yusho will do it, but a 12-3 playoff isn't good enough?

1. They didn't have to say "any yusho will do" after his 13-2JY. Nothing forced them to do it.

2. His promotion ended up being the cheapest one since Futahaguro. And Futahaguro was bound to become a better Yokozuna, he was young and healthy. On the other hand, Hoshoryu had a ginboshi rate of 2.9/basho or close to that and was already at his peak; I don't know why so many people thought he was going to magically improve once he gets the rope.

Regarding his injuries: I bet a non-Yokozuna version of current Hoshoryu wouldn't go kyujo twice in 3 basho. Yes, he is hurt (and so is basically any other veteran rikishi), but he does it because it saves his (and Kyokai's) face when a Yokozuna-worthy record becomes impossible.

Edited July 30 by Bunbukuchagama