ViscountessNivlac

I was pulling for a three-way playoff but I'm happy to see Kotozakura hold rank. I can't imagine he'll manage against Aonishiki tomorrow, and if Onosato hurt himself today then I can't see him beating Hoshoryu. Considering how quickly Aonishiki disposed of the yokozuna today...

I'm beginning to get genuinely quite annoyed at Takayasu's existence. Maybe he can go 0-15 this time and hang on to komusubi because it's easier than promoting anybody.

There was less of that than I expected in London. I don't think he uttered the words 'yokozuna-grand champion' once.

I was in the Royal Albert Hall for the last two days. Up in the nosebleeds on Saturday (I still had a pretty good view) and then in the stalls on the southwest corner of the dohyo on Sunday (which was a phenomonal view). I have to concede that the inaugural two tsuridashis on Wednesday shattered some illusions I had regarding what I was going to see, but once I was there in-person it didn't matter. That was probably one of the greatest weekends of my life so far. Onosato's speech was a personal highlight. I had no idea what was coming when the 'Yokozuna Onosato will now address the audience' announcement was made, but I thought whatever it was was going to be spectacular and it was. I wonder if they'll have Hoshoryu read some French in Paris - or will it just be the Y1E at the time rather than a rotation?

It's not like Onosato chose not to have to fight but I think it's fair enough in light of that. Hosh still has to beat Onosato twice.

Terunofuji is the world's most injured man so, probably most of them.

And he is, at the very least, finishing the basho.

When it's a mandatory retirement age the intent and the calculus is slightly different, though. People living too long is the reason you set it low.

Considering just winning the difference would make somebody the eighth winningest rikishi of all time, probably, yeah?

Well, Onosato feels fairly inevitable.

Onosato is much older - here are Hakuho's first nine tournaments after turning 23:

Superstition, in my sumo? Never.

Back when John Gunning started teasing it in 2021 I had delusions of sitting ringside every day because nobody would want to go...

I got reasonably okay seats for the weekend - but it cost more than my sister seeing Taylor Swift twice.

I'm still waiting to see if London goes ahead before allowing my dreams to be crushed...