Action on Dohyo

[Senpai]

What a great bout between them ... haven't seen yet that someone had to fight twice after confusing judges in first round where looks like Tochiazuma touched the ground first. But the second was as intresting as first. What a fight! And nice pillow shower! :-P

Any toughts?

(Sign of approval)

With that loss Asa gave others one more chance to fight back even tough I think he won't lose both of hes last bouts.

Kaio showed once again a strong mind and quick movement pushing Chiyotaikai out.

Tamanoshima and Kaiho are also 10-3 before last bouts having a theoretical chance against Asa.

And Hakuho kept alive a chance to get KK after winning today in even match with Dejima.

..............

Looks like we have a much to watch in next day too. Nothing isn't settled just yet.

Edited March 25, 2005 by Senpai

[ilovesumo]

What a great bout between them ... haven't seen yet that someone had to fight twice after confusing judges in first round where looks like Tochiazuma touched the ground first. But the second was as intresting as first. What a fight!

Any toughts?

(Sign of approval)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just seconds to slow with my topic :-P

[Kashunowaka]

Two great bouts! Did anyone see what happened at the end of the first bout? I also thought Asashoryu had won it, but Tochiazuma apparently twisted his body in some weird way to avoid touching first.

[Senpai]

Two great bouts! Did anyone see what happened at the end of the first bout? I also thought Asashoryu had won it, but Tochiazuma apparently twisted his body in some weird way to avoid touching first.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

One possibility is that Asa somehow touched dohyo with his hand when falling to the ground. Because either way he should have much more space to fall than Tochi???

[ilovesumo]

Two great bouts! Did anyone see what happened at the end of the first bout? I also thought Asashoryu had won it, but Tochiazuma apparently twisted his body in some weird way to avoid touching first.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

One possibility is that Asa somehow touched dohyo with his hand when falling to the ground. Because either way he should have much more space to fall than Tochi???

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Or the Japanese heart wanted Tochiazuma to have a new chance with more adrenalin inside-his drug.

[Coo-cook]

Dammit. Zensho dream is gone.

:'-(

What a great bout. Tochiazuma proved himself again....and it seems their rivalry would go on for sometime to come.

[Kaikitsune Makoto]

Tochiazuma dominated Shoryu in the rematch with really awesome Azuma-sumo. Such speed he showed that even Shoryu had problems responding to. Looked like perfect Azuma sumo after the initial tussle.

Hope KaioU can use his left arm tomorrow. Shoryu knows not to give his left arm to KaioU like Roho did so KaioU really needs some functionality in the left side too unless he can get the right uwate at the tachi-ai and work with that. Maybe a nice kotenage after tachi-ai :-P

[Tagada]

Tochiazuma won 8 times against Asashoryu and lost 7 times. He has a 6-4 record since Asashoryu is Yokozuna : it is really impressive ! Kaio has a 9-9 record against Asashoryu and can become tomorrow the second active rikishi to have a positive record against Asashoryu on a significative number of bouts.

[Mark Buckton]

Asashoryu's elbow touched as Tochiazuma's forearm appeared to go on the same level as the dohyo - but off it.

Annoying manners by the fans in clapping during the mono-ii though. Still, guess they were happy with their chance to throw the zabuton.

[kotooshu_bulgaria]

Geez, there goes the rensho streak cutting bout and I could not see it because I could not connect to the live stream today. :'-(

Any chance of us getting some makuuchi action from today's bouts on Banzuke.com? :-P

Edit: Oops, the movies are already there! :-P At least the last five of them...

Edited March 25, 2005 by kotooshu_bulgaria

[AsaMoe]

In the last two weeks i had much to work and did not follow the bouts, but yesterday i discovered, that the basho is almost over.

I am mistaken and of course, i love it.

Also thanks for banzuke.com (Sign of approval)

[Kashunowaka]

Also thanks for banzuke.com  (Sign of approval)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes indeed! The slow motion replay seems to confirm that a rematch was the right thing here.

[Tadanisakari]

Annoying manners by the fans in clapping during the mono-ii though. Still, guess they were happy with their chance to throw the zabuton.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I didn't interpret it as a rude gesture. Call me naive, but I thought it was a sign of appreciation of that tremendous first bout and a kind of request to the shimpan to grant a torinaoshi. And what a torinaoshi the fans at Osaka got. Great night of sumo!

JUST when I was beginning to think Tochiazuma may not be truly worthy of the rank of Ozeki, he turns around and notches another win against the Blue Dragon. Does anyone else in the entire banzuke have a winning lifetime record against him?

[sumofan]

Kaio showed once again a strong mind and quick movement pushing Chiyotaikai out.

Kaio can probably toss Chiyotaikai out the dohyo even if he were to lose a leg and both of his arms.

Just some psychological advantage i think.

Chiyo know that he has lost the n last bouts, so i think he doesn't believe in victory anymore.

[Tagada]

JUST when I was beginning to think Tochiazuma may not be truly worthy of the rank of Ozeki, he turns around and notches another win against the Blue Dragon.  Does anyone else in the entire banzuke have a winning lifetime record against him?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Among the active rikishis with a significative number of bouts against Asashoryu (at least 3 bouts), Tochiazuma is the onliest with a winning record (8-7). Kaio has a 9-9 record but it will evolve tomorrow.

[sekihiryu]

Annoying manners by the fans in clapping during the mono-ii though. Still, guess they were happy with their chance to throw the zabuton.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well I was there with Jejima and Rannohana (Bench sumo Ozeki) and I just got home. The crowd was very very VERY much pro Azuma, after the mono ii was called for a chant started of "Tochiazuma" so it wasnt so much clapping but chanting - in unison.

The crowd went absolutely nuts when Azuma won, they were waiting with such fervour and anticipation to see Asa lose they could hardly contain themselves, the cushion throwing went on for minutes raining down on the rikishi doing the bowl twirling. I have never seen such boisterous zabuton action.

If Takamisakari had beaten Shoryu their would have been a riot, I kid you not!

[Ryukaze]

Unbeleivable.....Azuma has truly become a rival for him, he always seems to be able to take his sumo to "the next level" against Shoryu, he was so much quicker today........and whats more that breaks his streak of 27! (In a state of confusion...) ! I hope I didnt jinx my boy!...... (Depressed...)

Edited March 25, 2005 by Ryukaze

[sekihiryu]

I hope I didnt jinx my boy!.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ironically its me who jinxes him, he has lost more than win when I have watched him in person. He is 2 from 6 when I watch him live!

Want Asashouryu to lose? just send me to the arena!

(In a state of confusion...)

[Araiguma_Rascal]

Tochiazuma was very good today. If he is that good though, he ought to have a better record than he does. Maybe he can take this as a confidence boost and also a wake up call. If he got up for every bout the same way (pretend in his mind that every opponent is Asashoryu) he should win much more. Beating the Yokozuna is not enough, he needs to challenge him for the yusho as well. Before every match (against others) he should say to himself: "today Asashoryu is going to win, therefore I must win this too. Make every bout a must-win in his mind.

[Naganoyama]

Tochiazuma was very good today. If he is that good though, he ought to have a better record than he does. Maybe he can take this as a confidence boost and also a wake up call. If he got up for every bout the same way (pretend in his mind that every opponent is Asashoryu) he should win much more. Beating the Yokozuna is not enough, he needs to challenge him for the yusho as well. Before every match (against others) he should say to himself: "today Asashoryu is going to win, therefore I must win this too. Make every bout a must-win in his mind.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think he is one of the most talented guys around. His main problems are keeping fit (I mean uninjured) and keeping confident. If he had the mental toughness of Asashoryu, we would really have a rivalry to savour.

[Tenkashoryu]

Oh boy, Asa is gonna make minced meat out of Azuma next basho. I bet till next basho Asa will look at Azuma's photo with ferocity every morning when he wakes up. (In a state of confusion...) ;-)

[AsaMoe]

Beating the Yokozuna is not enough, he needs to challenge him for the yusho as well.

I think, Tochiazuma had to recover from the henka at the beginning of the basho and then, he is not in his top form at the moment. Just wait a year and hope he does not get injured, then you have your rival.

Kaio can probably toss Chiyotaikai out the dohyo even if he were to lose a leg and both of his arms.

I think it is a bit more then psycho. Chiyotaikai is an oshidashi-type and will be pushed out by any sanyaku, if he does not get his style.

Then a question from me:

Is there any rule about the mawashi. I saw, that Asashoryus mawashi was very loose, making it dificult for Tochiazuma to thros Asashoryu.

[kotooshu_bulgaria]

Oh boy, Asa is gonna make minced meat out of Azuma next basho. I bet till next basho Asa will look at Azuma's photo with ferocity every morning when he wakes up.  ;-) (Showing respect...)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I wouldn't count on the yokozuna making minced meat out of Tochi next time, for the ozeki isn't afraid of Asashoryu, unlike most other sekitori. (Nodding yes...)

And bye-bye to the myth of the yokozuna's unbeatability! :-P

Noone is unbeatable, and the yokozuna will get beaten yet again if his opponents go all out against him without any fear like Tochiazuma did. (Sign of approval)

The yokozuna is just so successfull at intimidating his foes, but definitely not infallible. (In a state of confusion...)

[Coo-cook]

Then a question from me:  Is there any rule about the mawashi. I saw, that Asashoryus mawashi was very loose, making it dificult for Tochiazuma to thros Asashoryu.

Are you sure?

It doesn't look that loose to me. I think you have seen real loose mawashi (from this forum) before, I hope.

[madorosumaru]

Then a question from me:

Is there any rule about the mawashi. I saw, that Asashoryus mawashi was very loose, making it dificult for Tochiazuma to thros Asashoryu.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Regardless of whether Asashoryu's mawashi was "loose" or not, how tight the mawashi is wound is part of sumo tactics just as how much water is hosed onto the infield of a baseball park or how rigidly a homecourt basket is attached to the backboard.

Tamanoshima: My opponent used the