Mitakeumi in 2016

[Jejima]

Hi all,

This is (probably) the last annual poll from me for this year.

Mitakeumi is the latest exciting new kid on the block.

Since his debut in March 2015, he has never gone Make-koshi!

For November 2015, he was ranked at M11W, and ended up with an 8-7 record.

Will his KK streak continue?

How far can he rise up the banzuke?

Will he defeat any of the sanyaku?

Please put your predictions in the comments below.

Edited November 30, 2015 by Jejima

[krindel]

Well, last basho he came back from 5-7 to save the KK, but I am afraid he might not manage to replicate the feat next basho from a bit higher up the banzuke and end up with a small MK instead. Still, I think he can bounce back up and reach the jo'i, so lets say M3 high rank and a win over M1.

[Unkonoyama]

My gut says Mitakeumi will get a small MK in January, then will follow that up with small KKs the rest of 2016 as he establishes himself and gains some strength. I didn't quite put him in the joi because I think he needs to get better fighting on the mawashi. Hopefully he continues to improve and has a bright 2016.

[Gurowake]

Before this basho I would have said he'd make sanyaku easily if you compared his record to Ichinojo's. But he didn't have nearly as good of a debut, so I don't think he'll get there quite this next year. I still think he's good enough to get a couple small KKs before getting into the joi where he will get the first MK.

[Usagi]

March 16, ME 2, Sekiwake

He is not the next big thing. He will establish in Makuuchi, maybe reach sanyaku once in a while but won't be the big japanese hope to arise.

[ScreechingOwl]

Mitakeumi looked a bit underwhelming in Kyushu. The mid ranks are likely to be not so easy next basho, so I'll go with first MK in Hatsu 2016. His highest rank will be M3 and the highest rank of an aite he defeats will be M2.

[WAKATAKE]

I think next basho he'll more of a wakeup call. He definitely under performed in his debut comparable to how well he did in his two basho in the juryo. But that just goes to show that the level of competition between Makuuchi and Juryo is so much different. But I think he'll improve over time and will climb the banzuke after getting more experience, and I think he'll make it as high as M2 as of Hatsu 2017. He won't get any signature ozeki or yokozuna wins but I do think he will beat a sekiwake.

[Tenshinhan]

first MK: Haru 16

highest rank: M5

he will defeat a Komusubi

I think he will get Kachikoshi next tournament (no big rank difference compared to last basho, nearly the same opponents + gained makuuchi experience).

In March it will be more difficult for him assumed he is ranked a bit higher then.

[chishafuwaku]

May 16

M2

Sekiwake (Goeido :-P )

chishafuwaku

[hamcornheinz]

I don't think he won once on the belt last basho

[Jejima]

He will probably get another small KK for the next two bashos, before reaching M4E (his highest rank) in May, when he'll suffer his first MK. He won't defeat anyone higher than M3, sadly.

[Tsubame]

Hatsu, S, Y

[Nantonoyama]

First mk in may

Best rank : M1

Best ranked defeated : S

[Finngall]

He'll get to the j'oi and learn some hard lessons at that level, but he'll pick off one of the faux-zeki when he's there.

March, M2e, Ozeki

[kuroimori]

January 2016

M2

Komusubi

[Jejima]

Most of us think that Mitakeumi will end up MK in January.... Nobody thinks that he will get bast May without his first KK.

Most of us think that he will make it at least to the joi-jin during this coming year.

Three of us think that he will defeat a Yokozuna in 2016! Quite a number of us think that he will defeat some kind of sanyaku this year.

[Jejima]

Okay, let's reflect on Mitakeumi....

His record for the year was as follows:-

Jan: M10W 5-8-2
Mar: M13W 10-5
May: M8W 11-4
Jul: M1E 5-10
Sep: M5W 10-5
Nov: K1E 6-9

So, he got his first (injury assisted) MK in January - as predicted by most of us (hamcornheinz, krindel, Unkonoyama, Ryoshishokunin, WAKATAKE, Ayagawa, Kotononami, Bettega, Mordyefuji, Senkoho, Tsubame and kuroimori)

As he ended up MK in November, his highest rank for the year (including January 2017) was Komusubi.  Only Senkoho got this correct.

In Jan, he defeated M7W Tamawashi.
In Mar, he defeated M6E Myogiryu.
In May, he defeated M4W Tochinoshin.
In Jul, he defeated O2W Terunofuji.
In Sep, he defeated O1W Terunofuji.
In Nov, he defeated O2E Kotoshogiku.

So the highest rank (on three occasions) that he managed to defeat was 'Ozeki'.  hamcornheinz, Mordyefuji and Finngall all guessed this correctly.

There is not much in the comments above to help decide the winner, but getting 2-out-of-3 correct (including the sole bulls-eye for number 2), and a close call for number 3 (Sekiwake), I am awarding Senkoho the yusho for this poll.  

hamcornheinz can claim the jun-yusho ,  as he got slightly closer to the correct answer for #2 than Mordyefuji.