Asashoryu vs. Baruto

[sildan]

Today's big bout will be Asashoryu vs. Baruto, quite an interesting matchup. Asashoryu has already had quite a good basho, and given his loss yesterday, I think it's unlikely the Yokozuna will lose again today. That said, you have to give Baruto some chances, since he beat the Yokozuna 4 out of 5 times at the soken, and _no one_ does that. Yet another reason for Asashoryu to want revenge. However you slice it, we should have a good bout today, especially if Baruto has a good tachi-ai. What are everyone else's thoughts?

[Shimpu]

I think there is no chance for yotsu bout. Asashoryu knows how strong Baruto is and he will go with blitz oshi attack. He will effectively push him out. Baruto tachi-ai is still slow and too high - he is unable to explode and utilise his all mass like Kokkai does. Baruto can win this bout only in static-yotsu clash and not without tough effort but as for me it will not happen.

Edited September 15, 2006 by Shimpu

[Jesinofuji]

Asashoryu wont lose two in a row. Not even to Baruto. Baruto knows what he has to do to win against most rikishi, but Asashoryu has enough tricks up his sleeve to surprise Bart.

[Daigaiguma]

Look for good movement from Asashoryu today. He will probably use tsuppari and shift. Baruto is susceptible to shifts and I think the yokozuna will take advantage of that. If Baruto does manage to get a mawashi grib, the yokozuna will not be at a major disadvantage because he more than makes up for in technical skill, experience, and patience what he gives up to the Creature in size and pure strength. Baruto may well beat Asashoryu, but I don't think it will be today.

[Jakusotsu]

Baruto is susceptible to shifts

You mean like Tochiazuma today? (Blushing...)

[marujama]

IMHO the chances are 50-50, Bart has done two very good bouts in two last days. Hopefully his luck lasts! (Blushing...)

[Shimpu]

IMHO the chances are 50-50, Bart has done two very good bouts in two last days. Hopefully his luck lasts! (Blushing...)

Very optimistic prediction. I would say 80-20 (Asa-Bruto). At least.

[Guest Ganryu]

I'd also say about 80-20 Asa. And as someone else said, look for Asa's explosive and low tachi-ai, an area where Baruto still isn't ready for Sanyaku prime time.

[aderechelsea]

School's open kids .....

[Daigaiguma]

And it was all Asa. He came out of the blocks with a devastating tachiai and it was all over. Baruto couldn't get his balance back after being rocked back like that and basically collapsed under the weight of Asa's subsequent deashi.

(as a side note, maybe a fierce tachiai is the key to beating Baruto - it worked for both Chiyotaikai and now Asa).

[Araiguma_Rascal]

No suprise here. The yokozuna remains by far the most explosive rikishi when he is serious.

He is so hard to beat because he does not give his opponent any time or chance to do his own sumo.

[Otokonoyama]

No suprise here. The yokozuna remains by far the most explosive rikishi when he is serious.

He is so hard to beat because he does not give his opponent any time or chance to do his own sumo.

All else being roughly equal, speed & explosiveness will prove the deciding factor...

[sumofan]

No suprise here. The yokozuna remains by far the most explosive rikishi when he is serious.

He is so hard to beat because he does not give his opponent any time or chance to do his own sumo.

All else being roughly equal, speed & explosiveness will prove the deciding factor...

All else being roughly equal, any factor can be the deciding factor.

[maxim]

I haven't seen the match yet, but it was an expected win for Asashoryu. Baruto is very vulnerable to explosive attacks because he bends backwards.

[Gernobono]

All else being roughly equal, speed & explosiveness will prove the deciding factor...

interesting statement...what makes you think baruto is equal to asashoryu in all (!) aspects but maybe speed and explosiveness.....i might not have seen enough of baruto, but the bouts i have seen were mostly won because of his power and big frame.....barutos has not earned any technical merits im my view

and today's result should not be reduced to just asashoryu being quicker after the tachiai....he simply overwhelmed baruto and the estonian just hat no chance at all.....

[maxim]

Of course Baruto is not equal to Asashoryu in all aspects. He's bigger and probably more powerful, but not more explosive, doesn't have better technique, doesn't have the speed, and certainly doesn't have the stability of Asashoryu.

[ilovesumo]

Bart was nervous like...

so the most difficult thing is done now, so he can relax a bit.

[maxim]

Bart was nervous like...

so the most difficult thing is done now, so he can relax a bit.

I don't think he can relax since his tomorrow's match is against Hakuho and his last match against Hakuho was pretty one-sided.

[Otokonoyama]

All else being roughly equal, speed & explosiveness will prove the deciding factor...

interesting statement...what makes you think baruto is equal to asashoryu in all (!) aspects but maybe speed and explosiveness.....i might not have seen enough of baruto, but the bouts i have seen were mostly won because of his power and big frame.....barutos has not earned any technical merits im my view

and today's result should not be reduced to just asashoryu being quicker after the tachiai....he simply overwhelmed baruto and the estonian just hat no chance at all.....

As a general statement, it helps explain Asashoryu's continued dominance over the competition. There are a lot of physically strong rikishi, there are a lot of techincally skilled rikishi, and often the Yokuzana is equalled on the dohyo in these respects when facing someone. Where he is rarely matched is in speed. He takes the superior position and takes the win. Few take a dominant position faster, and exploit it better.

In his own words (with an ookini to Mado-san):

Bart Sez

Baruto: I screwed up the tachiai. The yokozuna was so darn quick. I wanted to try something, but . . .

Edited September 17, 2006 by Otokonoyama

[Hananotaka]

I've long thought that Asashouryuu is not the fastest, not the strongest, and not the most technically skilled. But, he has a generous helping of all of that, speed, strength, and skill, and he combines those with two things that put him above the rest of the competition: innovation and a huge psychological advantage. I can't count the number of times I've seen rikishi set up good positions against Asa, or even get him on the ropes, only to get spooked and let their whole position crumble. Takanohana's greatness was that he physically kept his opponents from doing their own sumo (or, he beat them even if they did). Asa's greatness, IMO, is that he psychologically keeps opponents from doing his own sumo. He just takes them out of their game.

Yesterday was a great example. Just squatting down before the tachiai, Asa's entire manner was "I'm going to kick your ass, newbie." And Baruto's entire manner was, "He's going to kick my ass." Baruto didn't lose the match at the tachiai. He lost it at the shikiri.

[Otokonoyama]

I've long thought that Asashouryuu is not the fastest, not the strongest, and not the most technically skilled. But, he has a generous helping of all of that, speed, strength, and skill, and he combines those with two things that put him above the rest of the competition: innovation and a huge psychological advantage. I can't count the number of times I've seen rikishi set up good positions against Asa, or even get him on the ropes, only to get spooked and let their whole position crumble. Takanohana's greatness was that he physically kept his opponents from doing their own sumo (or, he beat them even if they did). Asa's greatness, IMO, is that he psychologically keeps opponents from doing his own sumo. He just takes them out of their game.

Yesterday was a great example. Just squatting down before the tachiai, Asa's entire manner was "I'm going to kick your ass, newbie." And Baruto's entire manner was, "He's going to kick my ass." Baruto didn't lose the match at the tachiai. He lost it at the shikiri.

Asa has amazing "flow"...he shifts from position to position, technique to technique better than anyone else out there on the dohyo today. A key element of that is speed. No-one gets to the transition faster (In love...)