New Bulgarian rikishi in Tagonoura beya

[Kintamayama]

Aoiyama took the yusho, even though he injured his right elbow in the middle of the tournament. "I injured my elbow and went to the hospital, but I knew I would not pull out under any circumstances!", he said. He did his yusho interview through an interpreter. "It's a sport that makes my heart dance. I will make the utmost effort to become a sekitori!", he declared.

[Kotoviki]

Today he got the Jonokuchi Yusho & had to fight in Jonidan against Ikedo who was also fighting for the Jonidan Yusho with 6-0. I was a bit worried but he easily took care of the situation!

[salle]

Today he got the Jonokuchi Yusho & had to fight in Jonidan against Ikedo who was also fighting for the Jonidan Yusho with 6-0. I was a bit worried but he easily took care of the situation!

I have to admit it's very first time I am trying to follow lowest divisions and there are lot of things I don't know about them.

I don't get the idea about scheduling bout between yusho contenders from two different divisions, but I assume it's due to my ignorance.

[Asashosakari]

Making the wild assumption that there's interest in this factlet beyond Doitsuyama and me - thanks to his jonokuchi yusho the crack DB staff at the Kyokai finally got around to releasing his shikona given name online: he's officially Aoiyama Kiyohito 碧山 聖人 あおいやま きよひと.

(Now, if somebody could also fill us in with Shoma's full name and the Nagoya maezumo results, it would still be highly appreciated. I promise we'll stop begging once you do!)

[Jonosuke]

(Now, if somebody could also fill us in with Shoma's full name and the Nagoya maezumo results, it would still be highly appreciated. I promise we'll stop begging once you do!)

I know I usually do that but I didn't get sumo magazine after the basho. I think Jonosuke gets it delivered so he might have them.

Here I scanned the page for you but I have no idea how clear it would come through. Anyway I kept it around half a meg so it may be but I sure won't be able to keep posted here for long before going over my allotment.

Anyway let's see how it goes.

[Orion]

I don't get the idea about scheduling bout between yusho contenders from two different divisions, but I assume it's due to my ignorance.

He completely outrclassed everybody in the very small lowest division, and for his final bout he was brought up to meet an opponent in the second division. He would not have been brought up too far, but in fact the man in contention for the second division yusho was low down on that list and therefore made an excellent match-up.

Orion

[Doitsuyama]

(Now, if somebody could also fill us in with Shoma's full name and the Nagoya maezumo results, it would still be highly appreciated. I promise we'll stop begging once you do!)

I know I usually do that but I didn't get sumo magazine after the basho. I think Jonosuke gets it delivered so he might have them.

Here I scanned the page for you but I have no idea how clear it would come through. Anyway I kept it around half a meg so it may be but I sure won't be able to keep posted here for long before going over my allotment.

Anyway let's see how it goes.

Thanks a lot. I added all the stuff to Sumo Reference so you can free your allotment for the soon-coming Aki edition. (Neener, neener...)

[Naganoyama]

Making the wild assumption that there's interest in this factlet beyond Doitsuyama and me - thanks to his jonokuchi yusho the crack DB staff at the Kyokai finally got around to releasing his shikona given name online: he's officially Aoiyama Kiyohito 碧山 聖人 あおいやま きよひと.

...

There certainly is.

[Asashosakari]

I don't get the idea about scheduling bout between yusho contenders from two different divisions, but I assume it's due to my ignorance.

He completely outrclassed everybody in the very small lowest division, and for his final bout he was brought up to meet an opponent in the second division. He would not have been brought up too far, but in fact the man in contention for the second division yusho was low down on that list and therefore made an excellent match-up.

To add to what Orion wrote: It becomes easier to understand if you consider it as winning the yusho of jonokuchi, not the yusho in jonokuchi. The banzuke is a very fluid thing in the lower divisions, and for practical purposes the divisional boundaries are almost meaningless when it comes to scheduling the bouts. You simply (almost) always face an opponent that has the same record you do, and that means when your record is very good or very bad, there are very few other rikishi who have the same record and you can get very large rank differences between two opponents.

In practical terms, the problem is that the jonokuchi division is simply too small to accommodate a full 7-bout knockout tournament (you'd need 2^7 = 128 for a perfect schedule, e.g. about the size of makushita), so at 6-0 - and sometimes even already at 5-0 - there's just one rikishi left standing, and to provide him a proper challenge they may grab opponent(s) from low jonidan at that point.

[shumitto]

The banzuke is a very fluid thing in the lower divisions, and for practical purposes the divisional boundaries are almost meaningless when it comes to scheduling the bouts.

And that makes for some interesting scenarios when, for instance, the Sandanme Champion- specially if ranked at 1#- has faced 4 Makushita opponents in his "regular" 7 bouts... eg. Sokokurai in 2007

[barentain]

According to November 2009 Banzuke, Aoiyama is 25e in Jonidan.

We wanna see another Bulgarian oozeki ASAP. Gambare! (Showing respect...)

Edited November 2, 2009 by barentain

[Afrozuna]

Just read this thread from scratch, nice to finally see a rikishi who has the potential to produce a Miyabiyama like rise through the Banzuke. I'm sure we will all be watching closely to see when he will start hitting the brickwall so we can assess the potential of making an assault on the Sanyaku ranks.

Would sure be nice to have an African rikishi though, but of course chances of that are nil. (Whistling...)

[salle]

Would sure be nice to have an African rikishi though, but of course chances of that are nil. (Whistling...)

<off-topic>

Why are chances nil for African rikishi?

</off-topic>

[Chisaiyama]

Oh, and while I am at it, here's another nice older rule discussion, posted from John Szczepanski to the Mailing List in 1999:

Controversial New Sumo Rule

[Translated from Thursday's Sankei Sports paper]

The Rules Committee of the Nihon Sumo Kyokai (Japan Sumo Association) met yesterday to propose a new rule which is hoped will enliven the sport and attract new fans. In exhibitions to be held this August, the Kyokai will introduce special four-man sumo bouts, in which four, not two, rikishi will

take to the dohyo and commence fighting. Only the last remaining rikishi will be credited with a victory. It is expected that the new rule will be

implemented in the jonidan and makushita divisions in May 2000, that that four-man sumo will debut in juryo and makunouchi by January 2001. Precise rules governing four-man bouts have not been formalized, but a document is now being prepared for release later in April.

Rules Committee chairman, Ryosuke Hata, told reporters at the press conference, "This new rule will answer many people's criticism of the sport - that it is too slow and too stuck in its ways. We will now show sumo to be vibrant and action-packed." When asked if this decision would weaken sumo's credibility in order to increase ticket sales, Hata replied vehemently, "The Kyokai is in touch with the interests of its fans. Fans wanted Chiyotaikai to become ozeki, and it was done. Fans wanted a sansho prize for Miyabiyama, and that was arranged, too. It is natural for a sport to change to meet the interest of its fans. Ticket sales simply relate to the level of that fan interest. The Kyokai is not concerned about credibility."

Kokonoe oyakata, former yokozuna Chiyonofuji, was contacted immediately after the announcement of the ruling. "This is ridiculous," he told reporters. "It will create total confusion, and will lead to more injuries." However, in a written statement later sent to newspapers, he stated, "We should not rush to judgment about the new rule, but wait and see how it is implemented and how it is perceived by fans. The Sumo Kyokai

has the full support of the Kokonoe-beya."

Interesting stuff indeed but probably you should have included the header information from the Mailing List Archive

To: sumo@brooks.statgen.ncsu.edu

Subject: [sumo News] New Rules Announced

From: John Szczepanski <johnski@gol.com>

Date: Thu, 01 Apr 1999 08:30:30 +0900

It would appear to be perhaps someone's attempt at "April Fools Day" humor. I remembered seeing this article in the archive before and then realizing what the date on the post was.

Edited November 3, 2009 by Chisaiyama

[Kintamayama]

It was a joke? I remember translating it.

[Afrozuna]

Looks like our Bulgarian meteorite can't be stopped. This could be one of the most exciting prospects in a long time. Haven't been this excited since Harumafuji's "ozekitori" run. All the best to the youngster

[Afrozuna]

Aoiyama Kiyohito

2009.05 Mz 189 cm 150 kg

2009.07 Mz 3-0

2009.09 Jk30w 7-0 Y Yusho

Aoiyama Kosuke

2009.11 Jd25e 4-0

undefeated since his debut, does anyone know what the record is for consecutive wins since debut

[Washuyama]

does anyone know what the record is for consecutive wins since debut

Not sure if it's the record, but there's this guy with 3 mae-zumo wins plus his first 26 bouts, but I heard he paid for some of them. (I am not worthy...)

Edited November 23, 2009 by Washuyama

[ryafuji]

does anyone know what the record is for consecutive wins since debut

Not sure if it's the record, but there's this guy with 3 mae-zumo wins plus his first 26 bouts, but I heard he paid for some of them. (I am not worthy...)

I believe 26 is the record, which Tochiazuma also achieved.

[Orion]

does anyone know what the record is for consecutive wins since debut

Not sure if it's the record, but there's this guy with 3 mae-zumo wins plus his first 26 bouts, but I heard he paid for some of them. ;-)

I thought he was the one who sold them....

[Washuyama]

does anyone know what the record is for consecutive wins since debut

Not sure if it's the record, but there's this guy with 3 mae-zumo wins plus his first 26 bouts, but I heard he paid for some of them. ;-)

I thought he was the one who sold them....

That was later on. I figured he had to start somewhere...

[yamaneko]

Too early so far as he hasnt faced that much competition since his debut. Things might be different had he entered together with one of the bigger recruiting classes.

Although if he does get zensho again this basho, it doesnt guarantee stardom, but sure will be quite impressive

[Asashosakari]

Too early so far as he hasnt faced that much competition since his debut.

Yep. The list of those who have started 11-0 in the last ~15 years, while including some very big names, has quite a share of guys who didn't turn into stars as well.

[kaiguma]

I believe 26 is the record, which Tochiazuma also achieved.

Sorry it's OT, but why did Tochiazuma sit out his first 3 matches?

[madorosumaru]

Azuma injured his knee during pre-basho keiko.