Basho Talk - Natsu Basho 2016 +++ Spoiler Alert! +++

[Asashosakari]

It seems that Yoshikaze after getting beaten up by Hakuho last basho wants to avoid to return to a rank where he'll meet him again.

This basho he was just outside the immediate danger zone to be his opponent and by many early losses was safe from becoming a choice to get paired against him.

You do realize that the scheduling of Hakuho's maegashira opponents was all finished by Day 5?

[Asashosakari]

D'oh, Day 14 yusho after all that. Not a good look for Kise's would-be extended tsuna run.

[luispereira]

it was fun...and seems we have a new ozeki on the making..goeido .. and congrats for Mitakeumi for the second double digit basho

[WAKATAKE]

D'oh, Day 14 yusho after all that. Not a good look for Kise's would-be extended tsuna run.

Especially if he loses tomorrow.

And overall, the sansho picture may not be looking great either. I mean, who do you give a sansho to that's stood out this basho? Kaisei? Tochinoshin? Mitakeumi? Endo? Or could we really have that mythical first basho with no sansho winners? My guess though is that somebody will have impressed enough this basho to at least warrant a sansho without having to win tomorrow.

[Akinomaki]

It seems that Yoshikaze after getting beaten up by Hakuho last basho wants to avoid to return to a rank where he'll meet him again.

This basho he was just outside the immediate danger zone to be his opponent and by many early losses was safe from becoming a choice to get paired against him.

You do realize that the scheduling of Hakuho's maegashira opponents was all finished by Day 5?

The regular - but e.g. Terunofuji could have gone kyujo.

[Asashosakari]

The regular - but e.g. Terunofuji could have gone kyujo.

But Yoshikaze was losing when the risk of being picked was low, and he was winning when the risk was higher. Exactly the opposite of what you were suggesting.

[Akinomaki]

The regular - but e.g. Terunofuji could have gone kyujo.

But Yoshikaze was losing when the risk of being picked was low, and he was winning when the risk was higher. Exactly the opposite of what you were suggesting.

While being all a nonsense idea in the first place, I still like to defend such nonsense when I start it:

Yoshikaze saw that Terunofuji would not go kyujo after all and thought it would be now safe to win a few, as long as there was no danger of kachi-koshi.

[Dapeng]

D'oh, Day 14 yusho after all that. Not a good look for Kise's would-be extended tsuna run.

Believe me Kise will win tomorrow...

[Adil]

Another yusho for the great one (no, not Jackie Gleason). One thing I don't understand, though: Why did Harumafuji stop fighting when he was in the middle of the ring and apparently not in danger? He backed off for the last few steps himself. Reminds me of a similar loss by Asashoryu against Hakuho when he appeared to step back and out. Am not stirring the pot; just curious.

[Dapeng]

It seems that Yoshikaze after getting beaten up by Hakuho last basho wants to avoid to return to a rank where he'll meet him again.

This basho he was just outside the immediate danger zone to be his opponent and by many early losses was safe from becoming a choice to get paired against him.

The great Taiho once said: (as yokozuna) when you are facing your first-time opponent, try to drive terror into his mind. Hakuho is doing more than that... Edited May 21, 2016 by Dapeng

[hamcornheinz]

Another yusho for the great one (no, not Jackie Gleason). One thing I don't understand, though: Why did Harumafuji stop fighting when he was in the middle of the ring and apparently not in danger? He backed off for the last few steps himself. Reminds me of a similar loss by Asashoryu against Hakuho when he appeared to step back and out. Am not stirring the pot; just curious.

he was off balance already.

[Randomitsuki]

Another yusho for the great one (no, not Jackie Gleason). One thing I don't understand, though: Why did Harumafuji stop fighting when he was in the middle of the ring and apparently not in danger? He backed off for the last few steps himself. Reminds me of a similar loss by Asashoryu against Hakuho when he appeared to step back and out. Am not stirring the pot; just curious.

If you watch the bout more closely, you will see that Hakuho executed a rather nasty kick against Harumafuji's lower leg. From that moment on, Harumafuji was hopping through the dohyo as a one-legged man. Edited May 21, 2016 by Randomitsuki

[hamcornheinz]

someone give Kakuryu a technique prize. Seriously, what was that.

[Adil]

Another yusho for the great one (no, not Jackie Gleason). One thing I don't understand, though: Why did Harumafuji stop fighting when he was in the middle of the ring and apparently not in danger? He backed off for the last few steps himself. Reminds me of a similar loss by Asashoryu against Hakuho when he appeared to step back and out. Am not stirring the pot; just curious.

If you watch the bout more closely, you will see that Hakuho executed a rather nasty kick against Harumafuji's lower leg. From that moment on, Harumafuji was hopping through the dohyo as a one-legged man.

Thanks for the response, Randomitsuki. I saw the kick. It came at 4:31 in Moti's digest, and Harumafuji recovers from it by 4:34. I was actually curious about Harumafuji's movement at 4:35. He appears to straighten up and just lets Hakuho walk him out without offering any resistance. By then, though, Hakuho had morozashi and perhaps Harumafuji felt there was no point in putting up any resistance any longer.

[hamcornheinz]

Another yusho for the great one (no, not Jackie Gleason). One thing I don't understand, though: Why did Harumafuji stop fighting when he was in the middle of the ring and apparently not in danger? He backed off for the last few steps himself. Reminds me of a similar loss by Asashoryu against Hakuho when he appeared to step back and out. Am not stirring the pot; just curious.

If you watch the bout more closely, you will see that Hakuho executed a rather nasty kick against Harumafuji's lower leg. From that moment on, Harumafuji was hopping through the dohyo as a one-legged man.

Thanks for the response, Randomitsuki. I saw the kick. It came at 4:31 in Moti's digest, and Harumafuji recovers from it by 4:34. I was actually curious about Harumafuji's movement at 4:35. He appears to straighten up and just lets Hakuho walk him out without offering any resistance. By then, though, Hakuho had morozashi and perhaps Harumafuji felt there was no point in putting up any resistance any longer.

The man was straightened out.

[Adil]

someone give Kakuryu a technique prize. Seriously, what was that.

A sotogake attempt followed by yorikiri helped by his unbelievable grip on the mawashi with his right hand. He also tried that sotogake attempt on Baruto in their very last match when Baruto dug in at the tawara.

[hamcornheinz]

someone give Kakuryu a technique prize. Seriously, what was that.

A sotogake attempt followed by yorikiri helped by his unbelievable grip on the mawashi with his right hand. He also tried that sotogake attempt on Baruto in their very last match when Baruto dug in at the tawara.

rhetorical but thanks. Today felt like a dream day of sumo. The only thing that could have made it better? If Hakuho had a clean mawashi...

[WAKATAKE]

Now we will see tomorrow if:

- Hakuho will get zensho #12

- Hakuho will get consecutive win #29

- Hakuho will get makuuchi win #893

- Hakuho will get Yokozuna win #699

- Hakuho can get the full 61 kensho in the musubi no ichiban

[Tsubame]

Another yusho for the great one (no, not Jackie Gleason). One thing I don't understand, though: Why did Harumafuji stop fighting when he was in the middle of the ring and apparently not in danger? He backed off for the last few steps himself. Reminds me of a similar loss by Asashoryu against Hakuho when he appeared to step back and out. Am not stirring the pot; just curious.

If you watch the bout more closely, you will see that Hakuho executed a rather nasty kick against Harumafuji's lower leg. From that moment on, Harumafuji was hopping through the dohyo as a one-legged man.

Thanks for the response, Randomitsuki. I saw the kick. It came at 4:31 in Moti's digest, and Harumafuji recovers from it by 4:34. I was actually curious about Harumafuji's movement at 4:35. He appears to straighten up and just lets Hakuho walk him out without offering any resistance. By then, though, Hakuho had morozashi and perhaps Harumafuji felt there was no point in putting up any resistance any longer.

As you can see in the slowmo Harumafuji was pushed back and then tried to get a grip on Hakuho's mawashi with his left hand. He failed twice and thus could not counter Hakuho's push and with his center of mass above Hakuho's, he quickly realized that this match against Hakuho was over.

[shimodahito]

can we give terunofuji a prize for never quitting? it's true fighting spirit to continue, even when you don't have to continue. but some may think his fighting spirit was foolish spirit....

This could be a poll -- Terunofuji: Fighting Spirit? or Foolish Spirit?

[Jakusotsu]

can we give terunofuji a prize for never quitting? it's true fighting spirit to continue, even when you don't have to continue. but some may think his fighting spirit was foolish spirit....

This could be a poll -- Terunofuji: Fighting Spirit? or Foolish Spirit?

At least he will go into the history books for having achieved the most consecutive losses at Ozeki.

[orandashoho]

Great match Kotoyuki - Kaisei... I am impressed with both, this Kaisei A++ looks definitely at home in Sanyaku, and Kotoyuki is showing that he is no easy pushover any more. Ever since that jungyo in his home prefecture he has been improving... impressive.

[rzombie1988]

Thoughts:

- Hak with the cheap kick for the win and an extra shove for good measure.

- The Great Choke Artist of Ibaraki strikes again, having almost the same basho as he did last time.

- Kaisei looked the best he's ever looked today but let's not get ahead of ourselves here, he's still fighting off the MK.

- Tochinoshin back in sanyaku next basho?

- Yay for Gaga going back to Juryo and Ich getting an MK. Neither deserved KK's and both have holes in their game a mile wide.

Edited May 21, 2016 by rzombie1988

[Yubinhaad]

At least he will go into the history books for having achieved the most consecutive losses at Ozeki.

Indeed, Terunofuji's 12-bout losing streak is the longest by an Ozeki in the modern era, surpassing the 0-11 result of Nayoroiwa in 1947 Aki. In the 15-bout era, it seems the record was held by Yutakayama, who racked up 10 consecutive losses in 1968 Aki, the final basho of his career. (Shionoumi also had 12 losses in 1951 Haru, but that included a three-day kyujo.)

Although usually willing to talk to the press pack, Terunofuji apparently stonewalled them after losing today and left the shitaku-beya without uttering a word.

[lackmaker]

Great match Kotoyuki - Kaisei... I am impressed with both, this Kaisei A++ looks definitely at home in Sanyaku, and Kotoyuki is showing that he is no easy pushover any more. Ever since that jungyo in his home prefecture he has been improving... impressive.

Guessing they could both stay in sanyaku even with another loss for Kaisei as there is little pressure from the lower ranks.