ReiseReise Posted September 3, 2020 Author Share Posted September 3, 2020 On 8/30/2020 at 11:24 PM, Death From Above said: Ura is back up to Makushita 5. He's close to that salaried return. He's also only a rank below Naya at Makushita 4, who at 20 is one of the biggest prospects out there right now. So there's definitely a couple people I want to keep an eye on. I still have an Ura-background on my Phone, for three years or so. I really hope he snatches a Juryo promotion. Naya's ranking progress has slowed down, but he is really young an upper Makushita is no joke, especially with only seven matches each Basho. Mistakes can be very crucial. I have to admit I wasn't to convinced by his first few performances I saw, but I haven't seen Taihos grandson in a while. A severely underranked Ichinojo might very well be an outside Pick to take the Yusho, but he wasn't as convincing as Terunofuji in Juryo. It really depends on his health (back especially). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DangerMark Posted September 3, 2020 Share Posted September 3, 2020 Abi still has a three Basho suspension, so hes going to be looking a demotion all the way down to Makushita before he gets back to it. I thought the Association took some flack for the Tokushoryu win, (even though he was doing a number on the hot guys in the basho,) so I wonder if Ichinojo does get on a roll, he'll have to fight a few more higher ranked guys; if there are many higher ranked guys left, with Hakuho out and Kakuryu banged up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Death From Above Posted September 3, 2020 Share Posted September 3, 2020 I like Ichinojo a lot but having watched all of juryo last basho, Meisei going on a big run is far more likely. I don't really see either guy being the third low ranker to go 14-1 in a calendar year, but Meisei really did wrestle well in July and I wouldn't be surprised at all if he hits 10 wins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReiseReise Posted September 11, 2020 Author Share Posted September 11, 2020 Both Hakuho and Kakuryu will be out for Aki. Kakuryu will be on the chopping block for the next Basho, per his own Oyakata. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John E. Dynamite Posted September 14, 2020 Share Posted September 14, 2020 Takakeisho blasting Terunofuji felt good. Everybody who's supposed to look good did. And damn, how about Endo? My pick to win this is Shodai. Three out of his last four basho w/ 11+ wins (average 10.75), three Kanto-sho, two jun-yusho. Feel like he's really putting it together these days. If nothing else, 11 or 12 puts him at Ozeki. He's the guy with the most to win here, discounting a possible major Takayasu comeback. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReiseReise Posted September 14, 2020 Author Share Posted September 14, 2020 It's really early, but Asanoyama seems troubled. Two losses early on definetly seem a big hole to climb out of. It's going to be interesting to see where this will go. Basho is wide open, no clear favourites. 12 or 13 may be enough to take the cup tbh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReiseReise Posted September 19, 2020 Author Share Posted September 19, 2020 Ura scored his fourth win today and depending on other results, this could be enough to get back to Sekitori level. This makes me extremely happy. There is a group of six Rikishi with a 5-1 record leading the Yusho arasoi. Most impressive so far (to me) are Shodai and Takakeisho. The six are followed by eight Rikishi with two losses (Mitakeumi, Terunofuji and Takayasu among those). Thrilling competition so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReiseReise Posted September 23, 2020 Author Share Posted September 23, 2020 On 9/14/2020 at 7:33 PM, ReiseReise said: It's really early, but Asanoyama seems troubled. Two losses early on definetly seem a big hole to climb out of. It's going to be interesting to see where this will go. Basho is wide open, no clear favourites. 12 or 13 may be enough to take the cup tbh. Asanoyama kind of climbed out of the hole. Also, my prediction of 13 wins being enough became true on day 8, when the lead was shared at 6-2 by numerous Rikishi. Lead at 9-2: Takakeisho, Shodai, Wakatakakage and Tobizaru In pursuit at 8-3: Asanoyama, Terunofuji and Onosho. On paper, Terunofuji has the easiest schedule, having faced upper rankers during the first week. Wakatakakage and Tobizaru will meet in another "play-in" match, I'm sure the winner will get tested against Terunofuji. Scheduling will lead to Asanoyama getting a shot at Takakeisho and Shodai, but the lower ranked co-leaders need to get at least one L for him to factor in the Yusho race. Farther down the Banzuke, Board Favs like Enho and Kotoshogiku are struggling. Kotoshogiku seems finished, suffering a knee injury. He Re-entered after going kyujo, but he is obviously a one-legged-man in an asskicking contest. Enho seems overmatched most of the time, but his wins are spectacular, especially the one against Ichinojo. Final four days are going to be exciting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Death From Above Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 It's been a fun tournament. The lack of a dominant Yokozuna has left it pretty wide open. Gotta admit you could have given me a lot of guesses before I'd have come to Onosho putting up 10+ wins after that 2-13 debacle last tournament. Tobizaru is a breath of fresh air, fun wrestler. The day 15 matches aren't out yet but I think it's pretty obvious what the two big matches will look like regardless of how day 14 goes. Today we get Asanoyama/Shodai and Tobizaru/Takakeisho. Day 15 is gonna be Shodai/Tobizaru and the ozeki match with Asanoyama/Takakeisho. Playoffs? A Shodai yusho and ozeki promotion? Who knows. Fun tournament though. The group I watch juryo division with have been all in on Akiseyama, the ugliest sonofabitch in sport, winning. But Chiyonokuni has just been way too good. Has a legit shot at 14-1 now. Might go right from juryo 11 to top division if he does it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReiseReise Posted September 25, 2020 Author Share Posted September 25, 2020 (edited) Akiseyama is the kind of guy who you like to see succeed, if only because he seems to overachieve all the time. Dude has been in Juryo for 30+ Basho but looks to have the worst of all Sekitori. I think you're spot on with the day 15 matches. They have been doing this in the last few tournaments without Yokozunae. Edited September 25, 2020 by ReiseReise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReiseReise Posted September 27, 2020 Author Share Posted September 27, 2020 Well deserved Yusho for Shodai, what a dramatic bout between him and Tobizaru. Takakeisho blasts Asanoyama off the dohyo for the Jun-Yusho. It will be interesting if the governing bodies reward Shodai with a promotion to Ozeki or if they wait another tournament. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John E. Dynamite Posted September 27, 2020 Share Posted September 27, 2020 Confirmation of Shodai's promotion was more or less immediate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReiseReise Posted September 30, 2020 Author Share Posted September 30, 2020 (edited) Confirmed today. Shodai leapfrogs Mitakeumi to the Ozeki rank. Ura is back in Juryo, which means the great Yokozuna Taihos grandson Naya (no shikona yet) stays in Makushita for now. Edited September 30, 2020 by ReiseReise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Death From Above Posted October 2, 2020 Share Posted October 2, 2020 Shodai as an ozeki and Ura back in Juryo is honestly all I could have asked for. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReiseReise Posted October 26, 2020 Author Share Posted October 26, 2020 (edited) The major story of Ozeki Shodai broke right after the Basho, now we got the whole banzuke. Takanosho leaps into Sekiwake, congratulations to him. Two former Ozeki, Terunofuji and Takayasu, are back in sanyaku at Komusubi. Kagayaki at a career high Maegashira 3 East. Kotoshogiku's, Shohozan's and Ikioi's careers are winding down, all of them down in Juryo. Naya at Makushita #1 West will hope to take that final step to make it out of Juryo. Makuuchi rankings taken from sumoforum Hakuho Y Kakuryu Takakeisho O Asanoyama Shodai O --- Junior sanyaku Mitakeumi S Takanosho Terunofuji K Takayasu Maegashira Kiribayama M1 Wakatakakage Onosho M2 Daieisho Kagayaki M3 Okinoumi Hokutofuji M4 Tobizaru Myogiryu M5 Kotoshoho Takarafuji M6 Tamawashi Tochinoshin M7 Endo Aoiyama M8 Terutsuyoshi Tokushoryu M9 Kotoeko Ryuden M10 Meisei Sadanoumi M11 Enho Yutakayama M12 Kaisei Hoshoryu M13 Ichinojo Chiyonokuni M14 Kotonowaka Chiyotairyu M15 Kotoyuki Chiyoshoma M16 Akua Shimanoumi M17 --- Edited October 26, 2020 by ReiseReise Added banzuke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DangerMark Posted October 26, 2020 Share Posted October 26, 2020 Since Mitakeiumi's Emperor's Cup win in September 2018, three people have leapfrogged him to become Ozeki; while he's still a Sekiwake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lamp, broken circa 1988 Posted November 6, 2020 Share Posted November 6, 2020 Kakuryu (back injury) and Hakuho (knee surgery recovery) are both out for November. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReiseReise Posted November 8, 2020 Author Share Posted November 8, 2020 Yeah, another wide open Basho. Not sure if it hinders or helps the change of guard... Ura is back with a pink mawashi, it was so good to see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReiseReise Posted November 14, 2020 Author Share Posted November 14, 2020 (edited) I apologize for not being able to post as frequently as is the norm... Some Juryo, haven't seen all of Makuuchi yet: Kotoshogiku rides off into the sunset. It was about time, and he will be remembered for his great career making Ozeki and breaking the 10-year-Japanese-born Yusho drought. Farewell, giku-zeki! Shohozan at 1-6 and Ikioi at -2-5 (with five consecutive Ls) after seven days could be the next in line. Ura is not breezing through competition, but he's at a solid 4-3 score now. Step by step. Some of the bumps he took looked horrifying, but he got up and did well so far. Naya at Makushita 1 West is 4-0 after his four matches and should be looking at a debute at salaried level in January. Especially with Kotoshogiku's intai. Makuuchi: Poor Enho, 0-7 en route to his fourth makekoshi in a row. Everyone seems to have the little guy figured out... Terunofuji and Takakeisho are crushing it at the moment at 7-0, looking really great for most of their respective bouts. Can they stay with spotless records? Asanoyama and Shodai both kyujo after decent enough starts, which is unfortunate. Ozeki really seems cursed atm... Edited November 14, 2020 by ReiseReise Added thoughts on Makuuchi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReiseReise Posted November 21, 2020 Author Share Posted November 21, 2020 Takakeisho and Terunofuji meet tomorrow to decide the Yusho. Takakeisho is the sole leader with 13 wins, Terunofuji one win behind. Takanosho, shin Sekiwake, secured kachi koshi today. As did Kotoshoho, the young hope, who is at his career high Maegashira 5 rank. Terunofuji is guaranteed to be Sekiwake in January, with Mitakeumi going makekoshi today after being 6-2 after 8 days. Enho will be relegated to Juryo, he is at 2-12, which is a shame. There is another small Rikishi coming up in Midorifuji, though, who is at 10-4 in the promotion zone. Ura has secured kachi koshi with a 9-5 score. He will climb into higher Juryo ranks. Taiho's grandson Naya will be a sekitori in 2021, going 6-1 from Makushita #1 West. Oh, and watch out for Hakuho's 2 m, 160 kg Student Hokuseiho, who is 21-0 since his career start. Of the three Rikishi, two he has tied are well known around here: Enho and Kototenzan (John Tenta, who retired after his 21 wins). The record is held by Jokoryu, who went 27-0 until he lost in upper Makushita. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReiseReise Posted November 22, 2020 Author Share Posted November 22, 2020 Maximum drama alert, as Terunofuji first beat Takakeisho spectacularly in regulation to force a playoff, only for the Ozeki to turn around and pulverize Terunofuji's offense in the ketteisen, shoving the Mongolian off the dohyo. An exciting tournament ends a whacky 2020. Takakeisho will be on a run for the tsuna in January. Since he is coming of a Jun Yusho - Yusho, maybe another runner up finish can help his case already? It will be fun to see. I'm 100% certain they won't promote him now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DangerMark Posted November 22, 2020 Share Posted November 22, 2020 They can't really promote him now, but I imagine they'd be more inclined to be generous with him next time around if either Hakuho or Kakuryu retire, similar to what we saw with Asanoyama's Ozeki promotion. Two kadoban Ozeki and the other looking to leave the rank the other way; things could get a little fluid. Sad face, all of my favourites have been somewhere between indifferent and bad this basho. Everyone's favourite surly hairy bastard got his Kachi Koshi, but he's going to be leapfrogged by Terunofuji for the Sekiwake spot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John E. Dynamite Posted November 23, 2020 Share Posted November 23, 2020 (edited) I take solace in the fact that the Two Best Guys wound up doing high-drama sumo in a badly depleted field. Kakuryu has competed in 27 matches out of a possible 105 in the last 7 tournaments. Hakuho has competed in 43 during the same time frame, and that includes the an entire cancelled March tournament that I assume they used to heal up. I will only expect either man to be in a tournament once I see them step foot inside the dohyo. Hakuho's next tournament might be his last. Kakuryu might have already had his. There are very decent odds that by the end of January, one or both Yokozuna are retired, Takakeisho is Yokozuna, and one or both of the other Ozeki are demoted. My big, positive takeaway is that Hokutofuji started trying out some oshi-zumo stuff and he looked like a killer. But he always floats around M1 so I'm used to him looking like a killer during the second week. We'll see. Edited November 23, 2020 by John E. Dynamite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReiseReise Posted November 23, 2020 Author Share Posted November 23, 2020 Apparently, Isegahama oyakata was very quick to put the kibosh on any hopes for a soft promotion, only a Yusho will put Takakeisho into the Yokozuna rank, and not a "low level yusho" (I don't know what that means, 12-3? 13-2 when no Yokozuna are around?). It would be fitting, seeing how Takakeisho needed extra miles to get Ozeki. Go for it, little bowling ball! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Death From Above Posted December 10, 2020 Share Posted December 10, 2020 Kakuryu officially acquired Japanese citizenship, which was the only hurdle to him becoming a stablehead in retirement. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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