Next Yokozuna to retire?

[Daanish Khan]

Harumafuji 

Kakuryu 

Kisenosato 

Hakuho

Edited July 21, 2017 by Daanish Khan

[WAKATAKE]

At this point, with the way he's been performing lately, I would have to say Kakuryu. Hakuho isn't going anywhere for a long time, and while some people may think that Harumafuji isn't doing too great, he's actually been holding his own for a while now and remains somewhat not too seriously injured for the moment. While Kise has had to withdraw for two consecutive basho, he's in a honeymoon state which will probably last until the end of the year.

[Gurowake]

There should be an option for "The next Yokozuna to retire has not been promoted yet", unlikely as it may be.

[Churaumi]

The YDC seems pretty clear how they feel about Kakuryu. It's not looking like he's going to be able to go kyujo again. Well, he can go kyujo, he probably won't return...

[Burajirotono]

Oooooouuuummm.....

Oooouuuuuuuummmmmm....

My crystal ball(s) says; Kisenosaaaa toooooo.....

[PawnSums]

Kakuryu, he's the worst in my opinion out of the four. like WAKATAKE said, Kisenosato is probably not going to do that good for the rest of the year.

[robnplunder]

I picked Harumafuji.  He relies on quickness and age & injuries are gonna hold him back more than they do others.

Then, I think it's 50-50 on who's next.  Hakuho has nothing left to prove, i.e, no motivation to continue other than $$$ (or yyy).   Kak is the weakest, and is having injury issues.  Kisenotsato also has injury issues, or starting to.   And he finally got the yusho, two of them, and that may have dulled his motivation a bit.   My 2 cents.

Edited August 5, 2017 by robnplunder

[Stein]

I picked Harumafuji, although i really hope that he can clinch another yusho before retirement, maybe even go double digits, that would be awesome, but unlikely.

I would be very disappointed if Kakuryu retires without at least 4 or 5 makuuchi bashos, its the least he can try after being granted the title. Unless he want to be another Futahaguro, or in the better case, an Onokuni...

[MumboJumbo]

Kakuryu seems like he is doing the worst right now, so I will go with him. I'd like to see him rest up and have some healthy tournaments before he goes.

11 hours ago, Stein said:

 

I would be very disappointed if Kakuryu retires without at least 4 or 5 makuuchi bashos, its the least he can try after being granted the title. Unless he want to be another Futahaguro, or in the better case, an Onokuni...

Kakuryu already has three yushos to his name and he hasn't been expelled from sumo, so I have no idea why you are comparing him to Futahaguro.

Edited August 7, 2017 by MumboJumbo

[RabidJohn]

On 06/08/2017 at 19:46, Stein said:

I would be very disappointed if Kakuryu retires without at least 4 or 5 makuuchi bashos, its the least he can try after being granted the title. Unless he want to be another Futahaguro, or in the better case, an Onokuni...

Actually, Kisenosato is closest to Onokuni atm, with a yusho as ozeki and another as yokozuna. If Kisenosato's injuries turn out to be terminal for his active career - and we don't yet know they're not... well I just hope he doesn't complete the comparison by posting a MK!

Even if Kakuryu or Kisenosato never win another yusho, they aren't the first yokozuna whose peak performance was actually as an ozeki to get the promotion (Harumafuji is another). Neither will have anything to be ashamed of, either, as they both made it to the top.

For every dai-yokozuna there's going to be a fairly mediocre one to normalise the statistical distribution of talent - but they are all yokozuna!

Edited August 9, 2017 by RabidJohn

[Stein]

18 hours ago, RabidJohn said:

Actually, Kisenosato is closest to Onokuni atm, with a yusho as ozeki and another as yokozuna. If Kisenosato's injuries turn out to be terminal for his active career - and we don't yet know they're not... well I just hope he doesn't complete the comparison by posting a MK!

Even if Kakuryu or Kisenosato never win another yusho, they aren't the first yokozuna whose peak performance was actually as an ozeki to get the promotion (Harumafuji is another). Neither will have anything to be ashamed of, either, as they both made it to the top.

For every dai-yokozuna there's going to be a fairly mediocre one to normalise the statistical distribution of talent - but they are all yokozuna!

Yet harumafuji has won 8 yushos...so i dont think that his better shape was as an ozeki...

I really hope that you are wrong with your prediction about Kisenosato s injuries :/

Cheers

[Stein]

On 7/8/2017 at 08:41, MumboJumbo said:

Kakuryu seems like he is doing the worst right now, so I will go with him. I'd like to see him rest up and have some healthy tournaments before he goes.

Kakuryu already has three yushos to his name and he hasn't been expelled from sumo, so I have no idea why you are comparing him to Futahaguro.

Because i dont think that anyone would ve thought that he would only with that many when he got promoted, in that case, many strong ozeki would have been promoted to yokozuna, yet they were not.

I am a big fan of Kak, so i hope that he can pull it through and win a couple more, i dont want him to be another Onokuni (Even when i really like Onokuni, but he was not a strong yokozuna)

[RabidJohn]

4 hours ago, Stein said:

Yet harumafuji has won 8 yushos...so i dont think that his better shape was as an ozeki...

I really hope that you are wrong with your prediction about Kisenosato s injuries :/

Harumafuji was promoted after two back to back zensho-yusho. While he has had one more zensho since he became yokozuna, he hasn't come close to back to back yusho, so I think it's very fair to say that double zensho when he was still ozeki was his peak.

It wasn't a prediction about Kisenosato - just pointing out the facts. After staying remarkably healthy and fit for so long, two serious injuries (in terms of preventing him competing) in three basho is not a good sign.

[Stein]

1 minute ago, RabidJohn said:

Harumafuji was promoted after two back to back zensho-yusho. While he has had one more zensho since he became yokozuna, he hasn't come close to back to back yusho, so I think it's very fair to say that double zensho when he was still ozeki was his peak.

It wasn't a prediction about Kisenosato - just pointing out the facts. After staying remarkably healthy and fit for so long, two serious injuries (in terms of preventing him competing) in three basho is not a good sign.

I see your point, i just hope that it doesnt force him into retirement this early in his yokozuna career.

As for Kakuryu, just like i said, i hope that he can get at least another win. He was definetly superior to the ozekis of his era (terunofuji, kotosogiku, goeido...) But definetly inferior to the others yokozuna (arguably in the same league as Kisenosato)

[Mufuu]

On ‎8‎/‎2‎/‎2017 at 13:56, Burajirotono said:

My crystal ball(s) says; Kisenosaaaa toooooo.....

Well, if his joining the jungyo is an indication that he intends to train and (attempt to) compete at Aki, your ball(s) may be on to something.

As dramatic and compelling as Osaka may have been, I'm honestly beginning to tire of this one-armed tsuna narrative.

[Stein]

18 hours ago, Mufuu said:

Well, if his joining the jungyo is an indication that he intends to train and (attempt to) compete at Aki, your ball(s) may be on to something.

As dramatic and compelling as Osaka may have been, I'm honestly beginning to tire of this one-armed tsuna narrative.

Well, to be honest, he is certainly trying to get back in shape.

But miracles rarely happen, and if he cant get even double digits any longer with those bad injuries (Something that was very unusual in his career until his yokozuna promotion) then he should likely retire.

Sad but true.

[Stein]

By the way, does anyone know what the current situation of the Giku is?

I mean, is he going to retire or continue as a maegashira?

[RabidJohn]

56 minutes ago, Stein said:

... Giku... is he going to retire or continue as a maegashira?

It looks like he's going to try and collect a kinboshi or two on his way down. I'm fairly sure he'd have announced his intai when he went MK if he didn't intend to continue.