Nagoya 2024 discussion (results)

[Akinomaki]

Osanai likely has no permanent damage, the 2nd grave injury for Takasago-beya this basho, again brought to hospital, again after some time - 20 minutes after the torikumi, Asanoyama had to wait much longer. Osanai has injured his neck before, very likely there is some neural compression, indicated by diminished grip strength. According to Wakamatsu-oyakata, with full consciousness and able to move his limbs. o

Paramedics at the dohyo now accompanied by a conspicuous increase in injuries. The lighter ones happen as well like always:

Oshoma had dislocated his left middle finger on day 4, won on day 5: "It hurts, but it's okay" o - but he lost again today

Edited July 19, 2024 by Akinomaki

[Jakusotsu]

The yokozuna leading alone by two wins - it feels too long ago to be a familiar sight.

[Akinomaki]

The basho so far went like I expected, but I didn't think it would be this extreme, in respect to the severity of the injuries. If my prediction of Terunofuji going all the way turns out good, I might even consider to play hoshitori again.

[RabidJohn]

59 minutes ago, Jakusotsu said:

The yokozuna leading alone by two wins - it feels too long ago to be a familiar sight.

It does, but with no noobs tearing it up feels a little unremarkable compared to recent basho.

I'm enjoying the sumo, but there's no absolutely riveting narrative.

---

If I were Ura I think I might be feeling a little hard done by today...

Kotozakura does a pretty good immovable object at the tawara, but I'd rather he didn't find himself there so often.

Couple of perfect scores in today's unofficial shimpan-flattening contest!

[Tigerboy1966]

2 hours ago, Akinomaki said:

full consciousness and able to move his limbs

That's good news. It looked to me as though he briefly stood up then stumbled and fell down again. But seeing him wheeled out was scary.

[dingo]

Wakatakakage wasn't careful enough and stumbled out with Kagayaki's help. A momentary loss of focus and a clever sidestep cost Wakatakakage the bout and took him a notch down in the win count. I don't think Wakatakakage was seriously considering a yusho chance, so this loss might not matter too much to him.

Endo finally got his second win in six days after Bushozan was too unwieldy to even try a pulldown. A breath of relief for Endo, but a lot of work remains ahead if he wants to stay in makuuchi. 

Hokutofuji got somewhat desperate after not managing to push out Nishikifuji over the tawara. A last ditch haphazard kotenage did the trick this time, but more worrying is Hokutofuji's inability to finish off a lighter rikishi. Now where have I seen this before... oh right, Toyonoshima and Toyohibiki spring to mind. 

On the other hand back from kyujo Chiyoshoma didn't have any difficulties finishing off Takarafuji. Seems to be a difficult basho for the veteran contingent, with the exception of Tamawashi. Is it the heat that's affecting them? 

It was funny to see Midorifuji first ripping off Nishikigi's sagari and then going for the main course. Though probably not so funny from Nishikigi's perspective who doesn't really look even remotely close to winning a bout. 

Wow, was this Shodai AA? Oshoma who's been very solid this basho suddenly meets someone his size and is promptly sent out. Very unexpected but that's Shodai for you. 

Ryuden played cat and mouse with Oho until the latter started getting tired, lost a bit of focus, didn't follow his body with his legs and was ripe for a pulldown. Good patience by Ryuden, more deciseiveness needed by Oho. The fourth win was close for Oho yet a step too far. 

Wow, Mitakeumi showed a glimpse of his old self with a solid yorikiri win over heavyweight Atamifuji. This used to me Mitakeumi's chief weapon, can he find it again?

Onosato is day by day remembering what he did last basho. He still looks a bit suspect to sideways movements, but the power is back. 

Expert sumo by Daieisho, pushing strongly yet carefully enough to avoid Abi's sidestep. Excellent finish too, Daieisho looks like he intends to reclaim his sekiwake spot from Abi. 

Hiradoumi sent Kirishima out twice, first during the initial matta for practice and later during the real bout to reinforce the first result. Kirishima is in real peril as he can only afford to lose two more bouts and he has quite a few difficult opponents ahead. 

Ura was a split second away from upsetting Hoshoryu but this time his chaotic all out pushing cost him the win. Second time around Hoshoryu was much better prepared and didn't have any trouble with Ura at all. Great bouts and as a bonus the face of ex-Takamisakari checking out his glasses that Ura knocked off falling on top of him was hilariously priceless :D

Kotozakura the current master of resisting flesh bullets such as Gonoyama had another skilled dohyo edge win. Not exactly confidence inducing but a win is a win. 

Takakeisho again unable to finish off his opponent even though he pushed Wakamotoharu up to the tawara. At the moment it looks like the ozeki corps will need urgent reinforcement soon. Can Onosato step up? 

Terunofuji is ahead of everyone by two wins, but the big question is will his body hold out? And will anyone else be able to stay within reach of the yusho? 

[Yarimotsu]

2 hours ago, dingo said:

Wakatakakage wasn't careful enough and stumbled out with Kagayaki's help. A momentary loss of focus and a clever sidestep cost Wakatakakage the bout and took him a notch down in the win count. I don't think Wakatakakage was seriously considering a yusho chance, so this loss might not matter too much to him.

Wakatakakage seems to be in a state of recovery where he will have to be exceptionally diligent in keeping his opponents squarely in front, lest they put his weight over the injured knee. It does look like that'll be a permanent weakness going forward. 

2 hours ago, dingo said:

Takakeisho again unable to finish off his opponent even though he pushed Wakamotoharu up to the tawara

A marked improvement - he couldn't generate any thrust so far this basho with the left arm, this time it was almost enough to send wakamotoharu over the bales. Still, ozeki retention looks to be a step too far.

 

2 hours ago, dingo said:

Hiradoumi sent Kirishima out twice, first during the initial matta for practice and later during the real bout

I don't remember Hiradoumi as someone who matta's often. Seemed like he was testing Kirishima's reactive flinch and got the result he hoped for. Dodging the immediate slapdown attempt and making an effort to push afterwards was all that was needed to win. Kirishima needs to eliminate that nervous twitch.

[Tigerboy1966]

9 hours ago, RabidJohn said:

I'm enjoying the sumo, but there's no absolutely riveting narrative.

You are very hard to please mate,

The greatest wrestler of his generation is putting his body on the line in what may be his last chance to achieve a 10th yusho and the mythical, elusive title of dai-yokozuna. And he's winning!

What more do you want? Tigers coming out of trap-doors?

[Adz_517]

I think all the wrestlers who’ve won Yusho these last few years owe it to Terus injuries- I honestly think in an alternate reality where his knees are undamaged he would clamp and bulldoze pretty much anyone who faced him in the ring. 

Edited July 20, 2024 by Adz_517

[Asashosakari]

An alternate reality where this particular fighting style isn't a core reason for his knee issues to begin with...

[Tigerboy1966]

6 hours ago, Asashosakari said:

An alternate reality where this particular fighting style isn't a core reason for his knee issues to begin with...

Or indeed one in which wrestlers who have sustained a serious injury don't feel obliged to complete a tournament because they are in contention for the yusho. Teru in September 2015; Kisenosato in March 2017; Takerufuji in March this year.

Edited July 20, 2024 by Tigerboy1966
sense

[Leoben]

Shonannoumi with a really cool counter to a henka.

[RabidJohn]

14 hours ago, Tigerboy1966 said:

You are very hard to please mate,

The greatest wrestler of his generation is putting his body on the line in what may be his last chance to achieve a 10th yusho and the mythical, elusive title of dai-yokozuna. And he's winning!

What more do you want? Tigers coming out of trap-doors?

Hey, there's a basho going on, therefore I am pleased - very easily as it turns out!

I'm enjoying this business-as-usual, yokozuna-2-wins-clear-on-day-7, thus-far-unremarkable tournament.

I may hope for ozeki staying closer in the yusho race, Kirishima getting his rank back, and Asanoyama to recover soon, but them's the breaks. I'll take it as it comes.

I'll be happy for Terunofuji if he gets no.10 - but I'd have been a whole lot happier if he and Isegahama-san hadn't been so bloody stupid about getting his knees fixed back in 2015...

[hakutorizakura]

That nod by Ura at the end. Well fought!!

[Tigerboy1966]

I know it's a bit early for banzuke predictions (who am I kidding?) but I can see a couple of hard luck stories looming into view like a pair of ugly goats. Daieisho and Hiradoumi are cracking along nicely at komusubi and look set fair for their KKs but there is unlikely to be any room at the sekiwake inn... which in turn means no vacancies at the komusubi b&b... and gosh this lemon vodka is awfully nice....

[Benevolance]

The Ura vs Terunofuji match up is my favorite bout of the tournament so far. 

[Sumo Spiffy]

35 minutes ago, Benevolance said:

The Ura vs Terunofuji match up is my favorite bout of the tournament so far. 

Best fight of the basho and it's not close. There have been other matches with shorter bursts of action (e.g. Midori v. Churanoumi last night) but Pinky/Kaiju was a genuine epic.

[dingo]

Did Endo mistakenly think there was a matta? His very hesitant tachiai left the door wide open for Nishikigi, but even such a golden opportunity was wasted. Not sure Nishikigi will get a better chance to earn even a single win.

Giant brawl between Midorifuji and Churanoumi, both immensely spirited and unwilling to give the other an inch, at least figuratively. I was holding out for a Midorifuji katasukashi but in the end it was his opponent who managed to pull off something similar, though not quite as elegant.

Shodai is on a roll! I bet even he's surprised to find himself at 5-2 at this point in the basho. He seems to have some energy in his his bouts that wasn't there for a while. Now watch me jinx him into a makekoshi (though I hope that won't happen!)

Wonderful reverse by Shonannoumi, responding perfectly to Oshoma's unexpected henka. I do wonder if Oshoma felt clever for a moment expecting an easy win before getting countered and slammed down. If he tried to stop his losing streak with that move then he failed thoroughly. On the other hand it's great to see someone who's alert to henka for a change, not just blindly rushing forward.

Wakamotoharu actually very impressively outsprinted Gonoyama at the tachiai and almost beat him in his own pushing sumo. After a few weaker days a good day of sumo for Wakamotoharu. After reaching the joi Gonoyama hasn't been able to make the next step, but he's young-ish and still has time to figure out how to progress. 

Atamifuji presented a serious test for Onosato, who didn't have a good tachiai and let Atamifuji get inside and to a lower position. However clever shifting allowed Onosato to get his hands in and push Atamifuji out. Serious effort by both rikishi, and impressive show of strength from Onosato to push Atamifuji out from a disadvantageous position. 

Takakeisho vs Hiradoumi reminded me of Tigerboy1966's stories of the shrew vs Bob the cat. Except this time the shrew won fair and square. Takakeisho is not at ozeki level anymore, perhaps hasn't been for a while but has always managed to masquerade his way around it. But this time it feels it's close to the end. 

Kirishima however kept his ozeki return hope alive. Not a pretty pulldown but noone is grading his sumo style, so a win is a win. 

I think Ura earned lots of respect from Terunofuji with this bout. They both know he almost managed to defeat the yokozuna, yet was respectful in  defeat. Terunofuji marches on.

[Kintamayama]

On 19/07/2024 at 08:05, Akinomaki said:

 

Edit: looks like the end of career for Osanai, if not worse

Back today and easily won, throwing Kainoshima unnecessarily into the bleachers. But did not push.

Edited July 21, 2024 by Kintamayama

[Tigerboy1966]

On 19/07/2024 at 09:25, Akinomaki said:

Osanai likely has no permanent damage

Certainly doesn't look like it. Back with a win today!

EDIT: Kintamayama beat me to it by one minute!

Edited July 21, 2024 by Tigerboy1966
more

[Kintamayama]

Enhou wins by kirikaeshi and is 3-1. In the digest.

[Katooshu]

Aonishiki is so fast to capitalize on mistakes. 

[Akinomaki]

Miyagi is quite entertaining in his bouts, yesterday he won again - the lower div. Nakamura guys all are either very good, 4 with 3-1, or an absolute catastrophe, 2 with 0-4, the sekitori are about even. After a bad start, it looks good for the new heya.

Nobody outside of Konosuke bouts seems to care about being close to the dohyo with the hands - maybe the NSK wants to distinguish themselves from amazumo now, where a new both hands down rule was implemented.

Edited July 21, 2024 by Akinomaki

[dingo]

Endo seems more comfortable at this point fighting against juryo opposition. Could be because he feels some kind of makuuchi veteran pride or just because juryo level is weaker than him. If they feed him more juryo opponents he might even get to kachikoshi.

Shodai starting his not the next ozeki run. You heard it here first! After this statement I fully expect him to go makekoshi...

Oho doing a great job, getting a favourable inside grip and escorting Oshoma out fairly easily. If he can get a bit more consistency, he'd be a sanyaku candidate.

I was just thinking that Atamifuji hasn't been particularly successful this basho, and then he goes and beats Wakamotoharu with some solid yotsu sumo. Kachikoshi is not impossible yet, though he still has to face a few tough opponents including the yokozuna.

Abi beating Gonoyama on the mawashi? I thought once Gonoyama got the mawashi grip Abi was done for but that last second escape was pretty shocking.

Wow, Takakeisho was about the last rikishi who I expected to beat Kirishima, but it happened! Takakeisho did just about his best sumo of this basho, getting a great tachiai slam which blasted Kirishima back, managing to follow through with the pushes well on target and for the first time not stopping at the tawara. That was vintage Takakeisho, but did Kirishima underestimate him and expect an easy win?

Shonannoumi had a fairly bad tachiai against Terunofuji ending up too high, otherwise the bout might've been more competitive. I think at least one rikishi is going to beat Terunofuji to make the yusho run more interesting, but who will it be?

[Edwardoho]

Shonannoumi didn't appear to put much effort in. Did it look like that because he got his positioning wrong from the start and therefore Teruno could easily control the bout?