Day 9 results and day 10 pairings

[Doitsuyama]

Hakuho may have felt a bit uneasy as he watched Baruto, Kotooshu and Harumafuji going down in upsets, but he showed his usual steady sumo to roll Tokusegawa over with an uwatenage, avoiding one of the possibly biggest upsets in surely a very long time (my rating systems gave Hakuho a 680 point advantage which was more than 100 points more as in his loss to Shotenro in Aki 2009, his fourth and so far last conceded kinboshi). The yokozuna of course is the sole makuuchi yusho leader now as Kotooshu suffered another loss to Aminishiki, trailing the wily veteran 14-10 in head-to-head now. Kaio is breathing some new life into his campaign to stay ozeki with the last ditch okuridashi over Baruto, and is 5-4, needing three more wins.

Toyonoshima improved to 9-0 in juryo, beating co-gambler Okinoumi. His juryo yusho lead increased to two wins now thanks to Miyabiyama losing in a makuuchi visit to Tamawashi. Goeido is the only other rikishi at 7-2 as he gave Shotenro his third loss while Asofuji lost to Tamaasuka. Shin-juryo Nakanokuni avoided make-koshi with a win over fellow juryo beginner Tochinowaka. Mongolian shin-juryo Shironoryu beat lucky promotee Ryuho, stopping his loss streak at three, and Takarafuji beat Sagatsukasa to prolong his win streak to four wins.

Day 9

Juryo

J12e   Nakanokuni (2-7)	kirikaeshi	 J13e   Tochinowaka (4-5)
J11w   Shironoryu (6-3)	hikiotoshi	 J14e   Ryuho (5-4)
J12w   Takarafuji (5-4)	hikiotoshi	 J10w   Sagatsukasa (3-6)
J6w	Tamanoshima (5-4)   tsukiotoshi	J8w	Sadanofuji (5-4)
J9w	Hoshikaze (5-4)	 yorikiri	   J5w	Sadanoumi (3-6)
J4w	Tamaasuka (5-4)	 okuritaoshi	J10e   Asofuji (6-3)
J7w	Sakaizawa (6-3)	 hikiotoshi	 J4e	Kaisei (3-6)
J3w	Toyohibiki (4-5)	hatakikomi	 J9e	Tokushinho (1-8)
J3e	Hochiyama (2-7)	 oshitaoshi	 J7e	Jumonji (3-6)
J2w	Wakatenro (4-5)	 tsukiotoshi	J6e	Wakakoyu (4-5)
J1w	Toyonoshima (9-0)   oshidashi	  J8e	Okinoumi (6-3)
J1e	Goeido (7-2)		hatakikomi	 J5e	Shotenro (6-3)

Makuuchi

M17e   Toyozakura (4-5)	yorikiri	   M16w   Tosanoumi (1-8)
M14w   Tamawashi (6-3)	 hikiotoshi	 J2e	Miyabiyama (7-2)
M15e   Gagamaru (5-4)	  oshitaoshi	 M13e   Kasugao (3-6)
M12w   Takekaze (7-2)	  hatakikomi	 M15w   Kakizoe (3-6)
M11e   Kotokasuga (5-4)	hatakikomi	 M16e   Kyokunankai (3-6)
M14e   Tochinonada (6-3)   yorikiri	   M10w   Shimotori (4-5)
M10e   Hokutoriki (3-6)	oshidashi	  M13w   Sokokurai (4-5)
M7w	Tosayutaka (5-4)	oshidashi	  M12e   Koryu (2-7)
M7e	Kitataiki (5-4)	 oshidashi	  M11w   Yoshikaze (7-2)
M6w	Asasekiryu (5-4)	yorikiri	   M9e	Kimurayama (6-3)
M8e	Kokkai (7-2)		okuritaoshi	M5w	Hakuba (5-4)

M9w	Bushuyama (3-6)	 yorikiri	   M5e	Takamisakari (2-7)
M6e	Mokonami (3-6)	  shitatenage	M3w	Kyokutenho (2-7)
M3e	Kotoshogiku (6-3)   yorikiri	   M2w	Tochinoshin (5-4)
M2e	Homasho (3-6)	   oshidashi	  K1w	Kakuryu (5-4)
K1e	Kisenosato (3-6)	oshidashi	  M1e	Tokitenku (1-8)
S1e	Aran (3-6)		  oshidashi	  M1w	Wakanosato (0-9)
O2w	Kaio (5-4)		  okuridashi	 O2e	Baruto (7-2)
M4w	Aminishiki (6-3)	uwatenage	  O1w	Kotooshu (8-1)
S1w	Tochiozan (7-2)	 oshitaoshi	 O1e	Harumafuji (5-4)
Y1e	Hakuho (9-0)		uwatenage	  M4e	Tokusegawa (3-6)

Day 10

Juryo

J14e   Ryuho (5-4)						J12w   Takarafuji (5-4)
J13e   Tochinowaka (4-5)				  J11w   Shironoryu (6-3)
J10w   Sagatsukasa (3-6)				  J9w	Hoshikaze (5-4)
J7e	Jumonji (3-6)					  J8w	Sadanofuji (5-4)
J6e	Wakakoyu (4-5)					 J6w	Tamanoshima (5-4)
J12e   Nakanokuni (2-7)				   J5w	Sadanoumi (3-6)
J4e	Kaisei (3-6)					   J4w	Tamaasuka (5-4)
J3e	Hochiyama (2-7)					J9e	Tokushinho (1-8)
J7w	Sakaizawa (6-3)					J3w	Toyohibiki (4-5)
J2e	Miyabiyama (7-2)				   J10e   Asofuji (6-3)
J1e	Goeido (7-2)					   J8e	Okinoumi (6-3)
J5e	Shotenro (6-3)					 J1w	Toyonoshima (9-0)

Makuuchi

M16e   Kyokunankai (3-6)				  M17e   Toyozakura (4-5)
M15e   Gagamaru (5-4)					 J2w	Wakatenro (4-5)
M15w   Kakizoe (3-6)					  M14w   Tamawashi (6-3)
M11e   Kotokasuga (5-4)				   M13w   Sokokurai (4-5)
M14e   Tochinonada (6-3)				  M11w   Yoshikaze (7-2)
M10e   Hokutoriki (3-6)				   M13e   Kasugao (3-6)
M16w   Tosanoumi (1-8)					M10w   Shimotori (4-5)
M12e   Koryu (2-7)						M9w	Bushuyama (3-6)
M7e	Kitataiki (5-4)					M12w   Takekaze (7-2)
M6e	Mokonami (3-6)					 M9e	Kimurayama (6-3)
M8e	Kokkai (7-2)					   M6w	Asasekiryu (5-4)

M7w	Tosayutaka (5-4)				   M5w	Hakuba (5-4)
M3e	Kotoshogiku (6-3)				  M5e	Takamisakari (2-7)
M4w	Aminishiki (6-3)				   M2w	Tochinoshin (5-4)
M1e	Tokitenku (1-8)					M1w	Wakanosato (0-9)
K1e	Kisenosato (3-6)				   K1w	Kakuryu (5-4)
S1e	Aran (3-6)						 M2e	Homasho (3-6)
O1e	Harumafuji (5-4)				   M4e	Tokusegawa (3-6)
O2e	Baruto (7-2)					   M3w	Kyokutenho (2-7)
O2w	Kaio (5-4)						 O1w	Kotooshu (8-1)
Y1e	Hakuho (9-0)					   S1w	Tochiozan (7-2)

[Sanvean]

I must say I am surprised by Tochiozan's performance this basho - it's his sekiwake debut after all and he's already 7-2. I wonder if it's more about him becoming a more mature rikishi, or is it that up to this point he simply met rivals who are not really in shape this basho (maybe except Kakuryu).

[Jakusotsu]

I wonder if it's more about him becoming a more mature rikishi, or is it that up to this point he simply met rivals who are not really in shape this basho (maybe except Kakuryu).

Judging by what I've seen this basho, he developed a more controlled style of tachi-ai. No more highspeed bull's rush into oblivion, but rather cautious yet effective application of power sumo instead.

If he keeps on developing that way, he may well become a sanyaku regular.

[Asashosakari]

Judging by what I've seen this basho, he developed a more controlled style of tachi-ai. No more highspeed bull's rush into oblivion, but rather cautious yet effective application of power sumo instead.

If he keeps on developing that way, he may well become a sanyaku regular.

Or even more. He did come in with rather a lot of fanfare - recall that he managed to go all the way to the meatgrinder without a single career makekoshi, and that he was openly heralded as the Next Japanese Hope during his 11-4 makuuchi debut three years ago.

[Kaikitsune Makoto]

I must say I am surprised by Tochiozan's performance this basho - it's his sekiwake debut after all and he's already 7-2. I wonder if it's more about him becoming a more mature rikishi, or is it that up to this point he simply met rivals who are not really in shape this basho (maybe except Kakuryu).

His sumo style is based on power and since his power level is going up little by little, his sumo gets stronger too. He has skillful technique but quite simple too. Reports from keiko indicate he is strong enough now to also do well in basic yotsu against strong foes, something that was not the case when his power level was less. Maturity sure but most important is the step by step power increase.

As he goes forward mostly, the comments by some of his keiko opponents that "he has gotten stronger" is easily understood as that strength is felt immediately by the opponents. Not really surprising he is doing this well.

[Hakuyobaku]

The basho would be much more interesting if Toyonoshima was ranked 1 full rank higher than he is now. ...... yes.

Edited September 21, 2010 by Hakuyobaku