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Senshuraku Comments (Mike Wesemann reporting)
Including the events from Friday, this has been one of the most bizarre weekends of sumo I've ever witnessed, and the reason I think it's been so random is because the actual sumo content in the ring is not what's driving the headlines. On Friday we had that disastrous mono-ii that lasted over six minutes only to have the judges hand down a decision so biased that even the Japanese fans were uncomfortable. A major headline the next morning was all the angry calls the Sumo Association offices received after the decision, and then I even saw where fans were upset and calling media outlets, and why not? They're as complicit in the whole charade as anyone.

The headline on Saturday was of course Asanoyama's yusho, but that had nothing to do with the sumo either. Goeido just let the Toyama native win, and then that henka from Tochinoshin and stop drop and roll by Kakuryu was just a way to finish up business so there'd be no distractions whatsoever as the sumo world prepared for the biggest event it will ever experience in the Reiwa Era until a Japanese rikishi legitimately takes a yusho, and said event was the visit from President Donald Trump today.

The sumo today was just a formality because everyone was anticipating the visit from the Donald, and so let's start today's report with the five bouts that played out in front of the US President.

Up first was M8 Asanoyama vs. Komusubi Mitakeumi, and this was the exact kind of bout I expected yesterday between Goeido and the M8. I did not think Goeido would just roll over yesterday, and so I thought he'd be able to expose a nervous youngster like Asanoyama on a huge stage, but I don't think the Association wanted any distractions today, and the more I thought about things over the weekend, I'm pretty sure they didn't want President Trump handing over that trophy to a foreigner. Just sayin'.

The two actually struck well at the tachi-ai, but Mitakeumi used some nice shoves into Asanoyama's upper torso to stand the M8 upright, and that allowed Mitakeumi to force the bout to migi-yotsu. From there, Mitakeumi didn't even need an outer grip to just body Asanoyama back quickly towards the edge, and in the process, Asanoyama attempted a weak left tsuki as a counter attempt, but he was so weak in the knees here that Mitakeumi just dominated this bout.

It's pretty ironic to see the yusho winner get his ass kicked on senshuraku by Mitakeumi of all rikishi, but it's just another example of how Asanoyama did not earn this championship with his sumo. In fact, did Asanoyama ever establish definable sumo this basho? It was kinda like when Kotoeko was on the leaderboard. I mean, he was there as was Asanoyama, but nobody knew why because neither Asanoyama nor Kotoeko made any impression with their sumo.

Prior to this basho, if you asked me who I thought was the better rikishi between these two, my answer would have been Asanoyama, and I think technically he still is, but this dude was so out of his element in all phases of the day that it was no surprise to see Mitakeumi rough him up like this. Once again, I don't think the Association wanted anything to disrupt the day, and I also think they desperately wanted President Trump to hand that trophy over to a Japanese rikishi in the first basho this Era, and so that's why we got the Saturday we did. Regardless of my opinions here, Asanoyama was lackluster today in falling to 12-3. As for Mitakeumi, he moves to a quiet 9-6 which will send him to Sekiwake for Nagoya, and I'm interested to see the rematch between these two there.

Up next was Komusubi Aoiyama taking on M5 Ryuden, and the only reason I mention this bout is because Ryuden picked up a deserved Ginosho this basho. Now, rikishi had to do a lot more back in the day to earn the Ginosho, but I really like Ryuden's sumo, and I thought he was so much better this tournament than Asanoyama. Unfortunately, we would not get a straight up bout today for Ryuden to test his skills. The tachi-ai was decent from both parties, but Aoiyama was not looking to set up an oshi attack with his legs, and that's actually common these days, but when he's not looking to win moving forward, he's always looking to set up a pull. That didn't come either, so with the Happy Bulgar just standing there, Ryuden swiped him to the side with a mediocre left. Aoiyama easily recovered and continued to use his arms to keep Ryuden at bay, but he wasn't trying to win this one. Once again, Ryuden went for a pull that could have been exploited, but Aoiyama was not looking to take advantage, and so he ultimately let Ryuden get the weak inside position and mammoth left outer grip. When a guy has the outer grip on you, you've got to neutralize it as much as possible by lifting up on it from the inside, but Aoiyama just uselessly grabbed the front of Ryuden's belt with his right instead resulting in an easy, uncontested uwate-nage from Ryuden.

After the bout they panned in from an angle that showed Ryuden stand up after receiving his kensho money and Donald Trump sitting with his arms folded, and I was actually able to read the President's thoughts:



Ryuden moves to 10-5 with the victory, and I'm okay with his receiving the Ginosho this basho despite this obvious yaocho. As for Aoiyama, he knows his place as he quietly dips to 6-9.

At this point, the six contestants for the day's final three bouts entered the ring and did their "kore yori sanyaku" ceremony three by three, and this provided NHK an opportunity to pan in close to Sanbe Announcer and Kitanofuji in the booth, and Sanbe asked Kitanofuji his thoughts on the basho. When he isn't trying to cover for yaocho during slow motion replays, Kitanofuji never minces words, and he promptly replied, "Yokunakatta," or it wasn't good at all. He went on to give the expected explanation of, "Neither the Yokozuna nor Ozeki did their parts," but beyond that, this was a terrible basho that needed severe yaocho and President Trump's visit to make it successful in terms of ratings.

In the bout for the sweet arrows jabbed in between kensho envelopes, M5 Myogiryu moved left against Sekiwake Ichinojo, and I can't blame Myogiryu for not wanting to go chest to chest with the Mongolith, but Myogiryu's lateral movement was slow allowing Ichinojo to catch him with a right kachi-age, and as Myogiryu tried to recover, Ichinojo just backed up and easily pulled his foe down hataki-komi style. I've always liked Myogiryu over his career, but having him as a combatant in the final three bouts of senshuraku underscores the low quality of this basho overall. Ichinojo moves to 5-10 with the victory while Myogiryu falls to 6-9.

In the bout between two Ozeki, the theme of "let's avoid any controversy today at all costs" was present against as Tochinoshin charged into Takayasu with a defensive right kachi-age allowing Takayasu to dictate the flow of the bout, and it ended up in migi-yotsu in the center of the ring with Takayasu maintaining a left outer grip. Tochinoshin could have easily grabbed a left outer of his own, but his intention today was not to win. After a brief tussle in the center of the ring, the two rikishi traded places, and Tochinoshin used that lateral flow to go for a dumb pull with the left arm instead of grabbing the outer grip. As Tochinoshin does often when throwing bouts, he faked that pull and just dragged Takayasu square into his own body. Tochinoshin easily hopped off the dohyo landing on his two feet below while Takayasu belly flopped and slid down into the front row. This was a sign of who was in charge, and when rikishi throw bouts, they're usually in control of their landing. Regardless. off all that, this was an obvious thrown bout in favor of Takayasu whose gifted his 9-6 record. As for Tochinoshin, he was already safely in with 10 wins Saturday evening, so the loss today had no bearing on anything.

The final bout of the day featured Yokozuna Kakuryu welcoming Ozeki Goeido, and Kakuryu has gone beyond the call of duty this basho by giving up four bouts, so I was pretty sure he was gonna get his in the final bout of the tournament. Goeido's aligned his feet at the tachi-ai and was in reactive mode while Kakuryu came with a light hari-zashi slapping with the right hand before getting that right arm to the inside of the defenseless Ozeki. From there, the Kak grabbed an easy right outer grip, and there was a brief struggle as the Yokozuna worked Goeido over to the edge and out with little trouble. Kakuryu moves to 11-4 with the win and the useless banter about his not living up to his Yokozuna duties is just par for the course. As for Goeido, he falls to 9-6, the same record as Takayasu. Moving forward, watch for Tochinoshin to make sure he lowers the bar so he never outdoes his fellow Japanese Ozeki.

In other puff bouts of interest, M12 Shimanoumi was up for a Kantosho if he beat M6 Takarafuji, and Takarafuji did nothing to win this one coming out lethargic and keeping his arms wide eventually giving Shimanoumi moro-zashi, and once obtained, Shimanoumi easily scored the force out win with no resistance whatsoever from Takarafuji. With the win, Shimanoumi moves to 10-5 and picks up the Kantosho, and while he did exhibit fighting spirit this basho, this bout was obviously thrown. Takarafuji falls to 8-7, but who cares?

The bout following that featured M4 Abi vs. M3 Tamawashi also had Kantosho implications on the line, and guess who won? After both rikishi traded tsuppari at the tachi-ai, Tamawashi caught Abi with a lethal right tsuki up and under Abi's left arm, and Tamawashi totally had Abi dead to rights as he moved him completely upright and off balance, and as Abi flailed in desperation, Tamawashi waited for an ounce of contact and then just dove out of the ring giving Abi the improbable win. Oh, and another Kantosho for a Japanese rikishi!!

Regarding the complete list of Sansho, Asanoyama was awarded a Kantosho and Shukunsho. You know the Apocalypse is upon us when the sole requirement for a Shukunsho is beating Goeido in a fixed bout. Ryuden picked up the Ginosho as previously mentioned, and Shimanoumi and Abi also picked up Kantosho. Trust me, it is not coincidence that the yusho and all sansho awards were swept by Japanese rikishi in the first ever Reiwa tournament.

Let's end with M11 Shohozan vs. M14 Enho in a bout that featured two 7-7 rikishi coming in. In a wild back and forth affair not even worth describing, Enho just couldn't overcome Shohozan's power as both rikishi went back and forth covering every centimeter of the dohyo before Shohozan finally caught an exhausted Enho by the side of the belt and dragged him down. On Day 1 I mentioned that Enho was a positive addition to the division, and I still mean that as long as his fights are straight up. At 7-8, he'll get one more chance in Nagoya.

Finally, the climax of the broadcast was Donald Trump's trophy presentation to the yusho winner, Asanoyama. The Sumo Association actually had this custom set of wooden stairs built for the President to climb up onto the dohyo, and the stairs were just as steep as the actual dohyo itself. Anyway, it wasn't a coincidence that the most powerful man in the world was joined by none other than Don Sato, the most powerful man in the underworld, in presenting the Presidents Cup to Asanoyama. Now that's the moment from this basho that I'll never forget.

Day 14 Comments (Gary Jones reporting)
Hello to all. Nothing inflames the passion of international sumo fans quite like a foot. True it was a nice, meaty foot, one to admire even. I was going to write my intro based on those 5 little piggies and a dirt blackened heel but after seeing so many others in the throes of losing their sense of rationality, I have decided to not risk myself and withdraw from the precipice. When you stare down into the abyss, the abyss takes up-skirt shots of you and puts them on the internet. I doubt they make a tin foil hat to fit my massive head anyway. And now for something completely different.

Between basho Hakuho applied for Japanese citizenship, which will automatically mean renouncing his Mongolian citizenship. This is no small thing. Mongolia is as hardcore over ethnic identity as Japan is. Hakuho (as his father was before him) is a national freaking hero and can do whatever he likes, as long as he is Mongolian. If he shoved his rear in the face of the Mongolian Prime Minister and loudly expelled a blast of methane, he would get away with it. As long as he is Mongolian.

Of course the reason for this change is that he needs to be a Japanese citizen, at least on paper, if he is to remain in sumo following his retirement. As super awesome Dai-Yokozuna number one he would expect the courtesy of keeping his name rather than needing to buy any stock. Hakuho clearly thinks about the future as he already has four recruits of his own with him in Miyagino Beya including Enho and Ishiura. They would be expected to leave with him if he set up Hakuho Beya. Although come to think of it, Miyagino has lost his place once already. And he only got it back then because of the bout fixing that doesn't happen, so who knows?

Even the lowliest oyakata is above the highest rikishi and Hakuho doesn't do lowliest. It may be that the ambitious one has his eyes fixed on the biggest prize of all. No foreigner has ever managed to sit in the sumo big chair, or even to give the seat a quick sniff. Akebono asked if there was a chance he could ever become the big Kahuna and he was flat out told no. So he left. But then he's not Hakuho, is he?

However the future turns out, the big man is planning his exit strategy now and I for one will need to adapt to Hak-less sumo. After watching since 1985 or 86 I truly don't know if I will bother. Like Tochinoshin in the bathroom yesterday, there will be tears and much wailing. Perhaps this basho might help, it's what sumo is going to look like real soon.

Takagenji took the Juryo Yusho without any real challenge. Harvye is going to enjoy running this 22 year old through his rookie metric-o-meter, should be a keeper. He's capable of turning on the nasty as well. Ask his tsuke-bito.

Toyonoshima (J1) 7-6 vs Ishiura (M16) 5-8
There still was lots of flex in the ancient ones' legs as he pushed Ishiura out oshi-dashi. Ishiura has been terrible this tournament including this 6 bout losing streak he's on. That eighth win was crucial for Toyonoshima, he is now sure to return, yet again, to the division he made his home so long ago.

Shimanoumi (M12) 8-5 vs Enho (M14) 7-6
When Enho loses he shows so much anguish on his face it's funny. I don't know how he's been able to get away with his post bout histrionics. In the past it was expected that rikishi show noble acceptance of defeat, not flop like a dead fish on the sand and pull faces. Such as he did today when Shimanoumi spun him down tsuki-otoshi. Enho is not just small, he's a bit weird. He'd make an excellent sumo fan.

Trivia time, despite being told by Hakuho to put some weight on, Enho has not grown at all, in any direction. This is perhaps the easiest discipline in sumo to master. I can do it quite well just sprawling on the couch, and I'm not a professional. He says he doesn't like hot food. Hot food! And has a phobia thing about steam coming off any meal. This guy just gets better and better.

Shohozan (M11) 6-7 vs Terutsuyoshi (M15) 6-7
The dark one was in no mood to mess about today and threw and swung (thwung?) Terutsuyoshi around and over with his special “death to lightweights” kote-nage. A one move for one win economy of effort as Shohozan goes into tomorrow 7-7 versus Enho. A winner take all, highlight match for Mike, that one.

The old 90's 'roid monkey himself, former Ozeki Kirishima is in the booth. Perhaps he can explain the matching bee stings on Tochinoshin's shoulders?

Daishoho (M16) 8-5 vs Tochiohzan (M11) 6-7
Daishoho got there a tiny bit quicker and used his bonus bulk to drive Tochi to the straw. Once his foe dug in, Daishoho threw him down uwate-nage. A classic sumo path to victory. Was this a small scale changing of the guard? Reliable veteran Tochiohzan now has a make-koshi down at M11, unthinkable in his prime.

Kagayaki (M10) 3-10 vs Sadanoumi (M13) 7-6
It looks like Kagayaki has cheered up a bit, today's oshi-taoshi mowing over (and jumping on top of) poor Sad-man will keep him safe in the division for July. Can he do any other type of sumo I wonder? Place your bets on whether he ends up as the next Mitoizumi.

Nishikigi (M9) 5-8 vs Yago (M12) 5-8
Two big strong guys doing slow, explosive free sumo. Nishikigi had an arm lock and wasn't letting go. Yago had a belt hold and they squeezed and squeezed. Eventually Yago bumped out his new beau for the yori-kiri win. It was like watching Galapagos giant tortoises breed themselves slowly to extinction.

Chiyoshoma (M17) 4-9 vs Tomokaze (M9) 6-7
As soon as his energetic bouncing around came to an end Chiyoshoma realized he was about to get into a rather mundane bout of migi-yotsu. That won't do at all, thought the Mongolian jester and went for the crowd pleasing kubi-nage head throw instead. Tomokaze leaned his 400 pound on him for the yori-kiri win. The crowd seemed to like it.

Meisei (M7) 9-4 vs Abi (M4) 8-5
The authoritative voice of sumo, the operatic Onomatsu, slurred his way through another mono-ii. Just what he needed. Meisei had an incredible seven bout win streak coming into today and he flew at Abi pushing his boy out as he crashed to the sand. Right in front of poor old Onomatsu, who flinched as Abi's ass came out towards him. Does that assist in getting a good look at the feet? Abi kept his foot on the tawara (again) and picked up the clear cut win. Confidence is restored, everybody is happy again. Yep, no doubt about it.

Chiyotairyu (M3) 4-9 vs Tokushoryu (M14) 3-10
Chiyotairyu disposed of the Juryo pretender the way he should do. He moved in close and let his belly do the talking. It said oshi-dashi.

Kotoeko (M15) 8-5 vs Tamawashi (M3) 9-4
Tamawashi had an easy day today but he still had his arms wide and low as he closed into Kotoeko, chest first, allowing a moment of migi-yotsu. But hey, it's only Kotoeko, so Tama bullied him out yori-kiri anyway. That's 10 wins already and Tamawashi is in pole position to take a Sanyaku berth next time round.

Endo (M2) 5-8 vs Onosho (M10) 7-6
President Trump arrives at the airport just as Endo gets his patented right mae-mitsu grip. He pulls himself in close with it and big pusher Onosho is neutralized for the yori-kiri Endo ending. The yellow mawashi'd one now has “definable” sumo which is another way of saying predictable sumo. Onosho lost when, after briefly blocking Endo's right arm, which he knew was the danger, he put his hand to the throat to push. Perhaps next time they meet Onosho will push behind his other hand and just keep blocking the damn thing.

Chiyomaru (M13) 7-6 vs Daieisho (M2) 5-8
With 3 wins in a row, followed by 6 defeats, followed by another 4 wins, Chiyomaru has been streaky bacon at Natsu. With Daieisho playing the mythical game of shove piggy shove for the oshi-dashi win today, Chiyomaru has begun another cycle with a 2 bout losing streak. It's tremendously exciting to see if Porky can maintain his poetic approach to sumo, all the way to make-koshi tomorrow.

Hokutofuji (M1) 5-8 vs Yoshikaze (M6) 4-9
Cute pug faced Yoshikaze stood in front off a pure pusher thruster and paid the price. Why do this when even the blind old lady at the back was yelling at him to move sideways?

Myogiryu (M5) 5-8 vs Kotoshogiku (M1) 5-8
Both men got their thang going straight away. Kotoshogiku closed in and belly bounced forwards as Myogiryu wormed his second arm inside for moro-zashi. As they neared the edge the M5 put a leg back to the straw and jolted Koto's momentum away. Credit Koto with getting an arm to the inside, but he was done when the bout came to a standstill. Myogiryu smacked him in the ear with a kubi-nage throw at the edge.

On sumo's biggest day of the Reiwa Era, the M5 man with make-koshi gets Ichinojo in the third to last bout of the day. That's impressive talent being put on display, as sumo showcases it's wares to the world.

Aoiyama (K) 6-7 vs Okinoumi (M4) 4-9
Head down and run him out sumo from Okinoumi. He just had to wait until Aoiyama pulled. He didn't have to wait long. Oshi-dashi win for Okinoumi and a make-koshi for big Danny. If Aoiyama wants a chance to remain in the Sanyaku for the next merry-go-round he needs to beat Ryuden on day 15, not easy.

Takarafuji (M6) 8-5 vs Mitakeumi (K) 7-6
A standard yori-kiri win for Mitakeumi as he picks up the record chasing fifteenth kachi-koshi in Sanyaku. The bout was a whole bunch of nothing though.

Ichinojo (S) 4-6-3 vs Ryuden (M5) 8-5
The man mountain went for a quick, painless hataki-komi at the start as he pushed Ryuden's head down to the level of his knees. That Ryuden survived without even losing his balance shows how good his stance was today. The bout went to migi-yotsu, Ryuden is seriously good at this game. Ichinojo drove to the edge but when his opponent dug in, he didn't commit to the last heave over the tawara. Perhaps he's back to wrestling with pain again.

After that failed, a freed-up Ryuden rotated around the mountain and Ichi turned his hips to the side. Now in a defensive posture Ichinojo became passive and leaned in, letting his weight do the work. Ryuden must have a lower back made of twisted steel cable because he stayed there and began to work his yotsu voodoo. He left Ichi with only a very shallow inner right and eventually raised up and pressured out Ichinojo for the yori-kiri white star. If he was just a bit more consistent, I would like this guy for big things. Sometimes he grapples like a grud-damned Mongolian.

Shodai (M7) 8-5 vs Takayasu (O) 8-5
To a most satisfying chorus of “anything you can do, I can do better”, Shodai denied the magical inner left that will surely one day win a Yusho (and he will win a Yusho, they all do) and dared to stuff his own left betwixt hairy torso and limb. As soon as the bear cub latched on to the outer right, Shodai hopped backward and dragged him down by hiki-otoshi.

Which Tochinoshin will Takayasu get the pleasure of tomorrow, hungover and happy Levan or a still pissed off Gorgo the destroyer?

Goeido (O) 9-4 vs Asanoyama (M8) 11-2
At this point of the basho Goeido still had a chance of being in a massive play-off carnival for day 15. A win for the Ozeki may well have seen him avoid the Yokozuna altogether as they would have matched Asanoyama against Kakuryu, if the Yusho was still on the line. Sadly for Goeido it was not to be. He'll face the Yokozuna across the dohyo after all.

The 33 year old Sakaigawa man still has good speed at the tachi-ai, and he shot out to play migi-yotsu with the younger Asanoyama. A man I consider to be already as skilled and much better built for that particular game than Goeido. The Ozeki soon found himself backed to the straw. He got a second grip and turned the tables on his foe. Who levered him around and turned them straight back. This time Asanoyama had enough juice leftover to pick up a yori-kiri finish, a twelfth win and, in just a few minutes time, a hiramaku Yusho. All sumo fans rejoiced.

As the lights go out on the show, they pick Mitakeumi to dance with the Yusho winner. Which puts him five bouts back from the musubi-no-ichiban. Perhaps some time to get his hair done and be ready for the photo-op.

Tochinoshin (S) 9-4 vs Kakuryu (Y) 10-3
Simply put both men need to win. Tochinoshin needs one more win from two remaining bouts to regain the Ozeki rank and the Yokozuna needs to win to stay in the Yusho race against Asanoyama. Ready? Good.

Tochinoshin henka'd the cack out of the Kak. It was a beauty, he left just enough shoulder in the center line to keep his victim (who wasn't really looking) interested and then sailed the rest of his beefiness far, far away. I will say this for him, the Yokozuna tumbles well. Georgia boy might have been feeling a tinsy winsy bit aggrieved after yesterday. This was his reply. He'll be Ozeki once more. For a while.

And what of the sole participating Yokozuna? Nothing. Nothing at all. Officially falling to hataki-komi, Kakuryu has now lost 3 out of his last 4 bouts for yet another weak finish. And the special guest won't get to see the Yusho decided in front of him, not that he ever gave a Jean-Claude Camille Francois Van Varenberg about sumo anyway.

Your special guest for day 15 is Mike Wesemann, who will be sharing the joy of sumo with the world. That's all folks, Sayonara.

Day 13 Comments (Mike Wesemann reporting)
From time to time when tournaments become unwatchable, Kane and I will send each other pictures from yesteryear where someone from Sumotalk created a meme and then photo shopped a picture supporting it. It was usually done to make fun of Japanese rikishi, but perhaps the best meme of all--not to mention clairvoyant--was the one where Kane photo shopped Harumafuji working at a fast food drive thru and coming out of the delivery window to slap a customer silly.

Another meme we created five or six years ago dubbed the three Japanese Ozeki at the time (Kisenosato, Goeido, and Kotoshogiku) as The Three Amigos, and we borrowed the following plot line from the movie to describe how yaocho helped the three Ozeki fulfill the expectations of the fans:

"Three silent film stars are mistaken for real heroes by the suffering people of (Japan) a small Mexican village. They must find a way to live up to their reputation and stop a marauding bandit (the foreign rikishi)."



While only one of those rikishi is still ranked at Ozeki, that general meme still exists today in that Japanese heroes are being manufactured in order to balance out the obvious technical domination by the foreign rikishi, and yaocho is the means by which this is achieved. The purpose of this is to keep the Japanese fans interested in the sport, but the Association crossed a line today that had the majority of Japanese fans booing the decision. In all my years of watching sumo, I've never seen Japanese spectators collective jeer as they did today, but an obvious biased decision today may have confirmed to most fans what they already suspected but didn't want to admit.

That decision had nothing to do with the bottom dwellers, so let's start there and work our way up.

M16 Ishiura tried to duck under J2 Wakatakakage (yes, this guy!!) at the tachi-ai, but Wakatakakage-gonna-get-me-some-karaage worked both arms underneath Ishiura's shoulders and just wrenched him upright and back near the straw. With no footwork to enable lateral movement, Ishiura went for a desperation ushiro-motare at the edge, but the J2 had all the momentum and bodied Ishiura to the ground before the move could take full effect. Ishiura suffers make-koshi with the defeat at 5-8 while Wakatakakage moves to 6-7.

M14 Tokushoryu was way too high at the tachi-ai for his own good allowing M13 Sadanoumi to easily get the left arm inside. What's more, the smaller Sadanoumi attacked upwards from the better angle, and so despite Tokushoryu's getting his own left arm inside, Sadanoumi was able to latch onto a right frontal belt grip, and once he had that, he executed an immediate force-out charge. Tokushoryu's belt came loose in the process causing that outer grip to be weakened, but it still allowed Sadanoumi to contain his opponent in tight, and that was all the momentum he needed to force Tokushoryu straight back and across with little argument. Great stuff here from Sadanoumi who moves to 7-6 while Tokushoryu is too slow for the division at 3-10.

Wasn't M15 Kotoeko hanging around the leaderboard just a few days ago? That was obviously a farce, and it showed today as he came with a late, reactive tachi-ai against M12 Shimanoumi just lamely putting his left arm forward as if to say, "Don't hurt me." Shimanoumi brushed that off easily and showed Eko some hurt me by getting the right arm firmly inside of Kotoeko's weak left, and once he did, you could see that Kotoeko did not want to go full on chest to chest. And I can't blame him either due to the difference in size between the two, so Kotoeko tried to keep his backside as far away from his opponent as possible. The problem was that Shimanoumi's inside position was just too good and he kept Kotoeko roped in with the left arm wrapped around Kotoeko's right, and so Umi was able to wrench Eko over to the side where he was finally able to grab that left outer grip. Once obtained, Shimanoumi just lifted Kotoeko across the straw leading with that left outer. Dayum, three bouts in and good sumo from the winners in all three. Shimanoumi clinches kachi-koshi with the win at 8-5 while Kotoeko falls to the same mark.

M16 Daishoho led with both forearms against M11 Shohozan, but he was tentative and obviously thinking pull as he shaded backwards without really being forced back by Shohozan. Shohozan played along firing token shoves with no de-ashi, and about three seconds in Daishoho went for this tiny swipe at the side of Darth Hozan's left cheek area, and Shohozan just complied by putting both palms to the dirt. Shohozan knew he was going down and didn't even come close to having any other part of his body touch the dirt, and you could just tell from the start that there was no force being exerted from either party. I mean with Daishoho upright and in pull mode from the start, Shohozan coulda sent him into the second row, but money was obviously involved here as Daishoho coincidentally picks up kachi-koshi at 8-5 with the gift. As for Shohozan, he falls to 6-7 in voluntary defeat, but at M11, there's still room to make plenty of deals.

M17 Chiyoshoma kept his arms wide and up around M10 Onosho's shoulders at the tachi-ai, and his footwork was intentionally sloppy as well. Onosho didn't exactly come out of the gate say like Chiyotairyu when he really means it, and so it took him a second to get revved up, but when he started driving forward, Chiyoshoma just went into complete pull mode without moving laterally resulting in a free trip into the first row. As Chiyoshoma was pulling, he made the intentional mistake of staying square with his opponent guaranteeing an Onosho victory, and a tell tale sign of yaocho is when the loser stays square with his foe when executing a pull or a kote-nage or even an uwate-nage. The foreign rikishi are really good at it if you pay proper attention. Anyway, Chiyoshoma falls to 4-9 with the loss, but what does he care as Onosho moves to 7-6.

M10 Kagayaki and M12 Yago bounced off of each other at the tachi-ai before Yago quickly shaded left going for a stupid pull. Kagayaki read the move with ease and just bulldozed Yago back and across in maybe two seconds. Kagayaki ekes forward to 2-10 with the win while Yago has become a joke in the division falling to 5-8.

M15 Terutsuyoshi executed the ugliest tachi-ai I think I've ever seen hopping to his right and ducking down low Enho style in an attempt to grab the back of Nishikigi's left leg, but Nishikigi wisely moved to his right as well latching onto Terutsuyoshi's left arm from the outside in kote-nage fashion just wrenching the smaller rikishi over the edge. Before Terutsuyoshi could square back around, Nishikigi greeted him with a final shove to the torso that sent him hopping down to the arena floor. This was poor planning by Terutsuyoshi who falls to 6-7 while Nishikigi gladly takes what was given to him here moving to 5-8.

M14 Enho looked to finally pick up kachi-koshi against Ozeki killer M7 Meisei, and for whatever reason, Meisei was backed way up behind his own starting line. The result as he charged forward was Enho's easily getting the right arm to the inside, and it also looked as if Enho had the path to moro-zashi, but before Enho could get established, Meisei quickly pivoted left grabbing Enho in kote fashion while setting up a throw. Enho rode that momentum with that right inside going for a simultaneous scoop throw at the edge resulting in a nage-no-uchi-ai, which is exactly what should happen in a straight up sumo bout. This one was close, and they actually called a mono-ii, but Meisei's throw had the greater force causing Enho's left forearm to touch down a split second before Meisei touched down.

Enho came up limp after the fall favoring his right hamstring, and replays showed that he attempted to wrap that right leg around Meisei's left during the throw. I'm not sure how that would negatively affect one's hammy, but Enho was obviously in pain as he limped back to his side. As strange as it sounds, he's lucky that they didn't call a do-over because he's legitimately hurt. As the dust settled from this one, Meisei found himself at 9-4 while Enho fell to 7-6.

Before we move on, I can't help but notice the parallels between Enho and Ura. Both rikishi need help to win in the division, and both rikishi are too easily injured when forced to fight straight up. I guess they have that height and weight rule in there for a reason. Enho's body just can't stand up to the pressure exerted from his contemporaries in the division, and today was a perfect example.

M13 Chiyomaru was upright and hesitant at the tachi-ai, but that's acceptable when fighting M6 Yoshikaze. Credit Yoshikaze for actually trying to get to the inside, but Maru rebuffed him well with defensive shoves as he really looked to set up a pull. Yoshikaze knew it, and so he tried to get to the inside and make Chiyomaru pay, but he just couldn't work around that shelf gut, and Chiyomaru was able to pivot left and catch Monster Drink with a beautiful tsuki to his right side that send Yoshikaze over to the edge. Before he cold recover, Chiyomaru strong-armed him back and across for good moving Chiyomaru to 7-6 with the defensive-minded win. Yoshikaze falls to 4-9, and normally I'd ask myself how in the hell is this guy ranked at M6, but I know the answer.

M11 Tochiohzan had the path to moro-zashi against M6 Takarafuji at the tachi-ai, but as he is wont to do of late, Tochiohzan opted to go for a pull, so he backed up to his left trying to catch Fuji off guard. It didn't work, but as the two squared back up, Tochiohzan found himself in moro-zashi again, and so Takarafuji tried to shake that off threatening a left kote-nage before thinking about a maki-kae, but Tochiohzan wasn't pressing in chest to chest obviously uncomfortable with his moro-zashi. Takarafuji clued in at this point as the two traded barbs back and forth with Takarafuji looking to get anything to the inside while Tochiohzan was still look for a pull. Incredibly, Oh found himself with moro-zashi one more time, but he panicked bringing his left arm outside in an attempt to evade, but the instant Takarafuji got that right inside, he sent Tochiohzan packing. You can really tell that Tochiohzan is in decline when he no longer favors moro-zashi, and he falls to 6-7 in defeat. Takarafuji is happy with is kachi-koshi at 8-5 and credit him for staying persistent here.

M5 Myogiryu was proactive at the tachi-ai striking M9 Tomokaze well, but then as he advanced forward a step, Myogiryu completely aligned his feet, which is the most vulnerable position a rikishi can put himself into. Tomokaze showed why by easily stepping to his right and pulling Myogiryu down in the process. My fat gut tells me that this bout was arranged, but who knows? Tomokaze moves to 6-7 with the win while Myogiryu is a harmless 5-8.

M4 Okinoumi reached forward with the left at the tachi-ai against M3 Chiyotairyu, but before he could get anything established, Chiyotairyu just blasted him back once, twice, three times a lady. I thought that Okinoumi was mukiryoku here, but he's been mukiryoku for a couple of years now, so who knows that his intentions are? Anyway, the result is both dudes ending the day at 4-9.

M3 Tamawashi refused M1 Kotoshogiku's yotsu intentions by using his tsuppari to keep the Geeku upright and spinning his wheels, and before the bout really got started, Tamawashi slipped to his right and executed a pull that toppled the former Ozeki down on his right side. Like shooting fish in a barrel for Tamawashi who moves to 9-4 while Kotoshogiku's make-koshi becomes official at 5-8.

M1 Hokutofuji was proactive with a tsuppari attack against M2 Daieisho, and this was a bit strange for Hokutofuji because he usually likes to fight laterally. With Daieisho offering token defensive shoves of his own, Hokutofuji caught him with a light love tap to the left shoulder, and Daieisho just complied putting both palms to the dirt while keeping his body from plopping forward. Easy yaocho call here as both rikishi end the day at 5-8.

Asanoyama is getting his 15 minutes of fame this basho, but M5 Ryuden's sumo has been far more impressive. Today against Komusubi Mitakeumi, Ryuden came with a right kachi-age at the tachi-ai while applying better pressure on the other side using a nice left tsuki up and under Mitakeumi's right side, and this move forced the Komusubi into pull mode a second and a half in. Mitakeumi jumped left trying to catch Ryuden off guard, but the M5 was right on top of Mitakeumi's shenanigans easily shoving the compromised Komusubi out in about three seconds. Ryuden picks up kachi-koshi at 8-5 with the dominating win while Mitakeumi quietly falls to 7-6. It still makes me snort laugh when I think about Mitakeumi's "yusho" last year in Nagoya. As if.

M4 Abi came with his usual high tsuppari against Komusubi Aoiyama, and Aoiyama took full advantage firing a few shoves of his own up and under Abi. Abi knew he couldn't go on like this and so he moved right only to fall prey to a nice pull attempt from Aoiyama. Abi didn't hit the dirt straightway, and as he struggled to keep his footing, Aoiyama went for the kill. The Happy Bulgar doesn't necessarily redefine the term speed, and so Abi was able to dart left in a last gasp effort to pull Aoiyama forward, but Aoiyama's ham shoves sent Abi back before Abi's pull sent Aoiyama to the dirt. This was a busy bout as Aoiyama moves to 6-7 while Abi falls to 8-5.

Prior to the basho, M8 Asanoyama had as much name recognition as Toyama-ken, but he all of a sudden finds himself in the thick of the yusho race here at the Natsu basho. Persistent yaocho will do that, though, and as long as the Sumo Association and the media have a Japanese rikishi to milk through the end of the basho, they'll take it. The dude was matched up with Ozeki Tochinoshin today in a bout with obvious yaocho..I mean..yusho implications.

Tochinoshin is a rikishi with a very defined style where he tries to get an arm to the inside followed up by an outer grip, and then he uses his brute strength to bully his opponent back and across. There are maybe five rikishi in the entire division who can legitimately beat Tochinoshin in a straight up bout, but Asanoyama is not one of them. Doesn't matter though when politics are in play, and that was the case today as Tochinoshin willingly gave Asanoyama an opening here. The Ozeki actually had his left arm at the front of Asanoyama's belt at the tachi-ai, but he brought that arm up into pull mode for no explicable reason. I say "explicable" because if you watch Asanoyama's feet at the tachi-ai, he puts his left foot forward and keeps his right foot back in an effort to brace himself for the onslaught that should have come. Said onslaught was not Tochinoshin's intention,  but there was no forward motion or pressure whatsoever coming from Asanoyama either, so there was no reason for Tochinoshin to escape.  But escape he did backing up needlessly and shading to his right completely exposing himself to an oshi-dashi as he dragged Asanoyama into his own body. The problem was that Asanoyama wasn't of a mind to move forward, and so his feet couldn't keep up resulting in Tochinoshin's dragging him down near the edge as he tip-toed the tawara.

But wait, there's more!! After what looked like a decisive win for Tochinoshin despite his giving Asanoyama a path to victory, a mono-ii was called and they went to the tape to determine whether or not the Ozeki's right heel touched out just beyond the straw before he pulled Asanoyama down. The review was the longest I've ever seen in my nearly 30 years of watching sumo, and they showed replays from various angles, and it was conclusive that Tochinoshin did not step out. Ironically, it reminded me of Asanoyama's win over Sadanoumi a few days earlier where the SadaMight was so mukiryoku in the bout, Asanoyama's forward momentum nearly caused him to step out before Sadanoumi hit the dirt.

An NHK camera did find a couple of marks in the dirt near where Tochinoshin purported to have stepped out, but the marks were too far away from the straw. I mean, I'm pretty sure that Tochinoshin doesn't wear size 20 clown shoes. Furthermore, Asanoyama crashed to the dirt at the same spot where Tochinoshin's heel came close to touching out, so it was basically a contaminated crime scene...which is why you go to the video replay in the first place. As mentioned previously, there were enough angles shown to conclude that Tochinoshin did not touch the sand. It was more conclusive to me than the Asanoyama - Sadanoumi bout, in fact, but here came our friend, Onomatsu-oyakata, ready to give us the explanation.

And the verdict was...Tochinoshin's heel DID step out even though video evidence showed otherwise. The crowd was shocked, and while there was a smattering of applause, I was surprised at all of the jeers coming from the crowd. Once again, in all my time of watching sumo, I've never heard that many people unhappy with a result regardless of what the circumstances were, and the Japanese are the most polite spectators I've ever seen. It was clear in the arena that this was a purely subjective call that benefited the Japanese rikishi, and maybe 5% of the fans approved. In fact, I'll bet more Japanese fans were aware coming in that Tochinoshin needed one more win to regain is Ozeki rank than they were of Asanoyama's yusho chances.

I took some video of the most conclusive replay, the judges in conference motioning that the heel touched out, and then Onomatsu's explanation with the crowd's reaction. Just listen after Onomatsu tells the crowd they're going to reverse the decision. It was anything but positive.



Watching all of this unfold, it made me laugh similarly to how my dad used to laugh at pro wrestling events when he'd take me and my brother who both thought it was all real. Anyway, it was a controversial call for sure so much so that later in the evening, Onomatsu-oyakata issued a statement that they showed on NHK News 9, and he essentially said, "In this case, we allowed the judge's (shinpan) decision to override the video evidence."

What?!!  Can you imagine how different the UEFA Championships this year would have turned out if they would have overridden some of the VAR offsides calls??  I mean, you even had Asanoyama's stable master in the booth doing color today, and he was saying over and over, "He didn't step out. No, he doesn't step out." On one hand, I'm completely incredulous as I watch this stuff play out, but on the other hand, it doesn't make me upset because I have no fan interest left in this theater.

The end result is Asanoyama's miraculously moving to 11-2 while Tochinoshin falls to 9-4. Before we move on, I point out frequently how elite foreign rikishi often give their opponents openings in bouts. In many cases, the Japanese rikishi are too hapless to take advantage, and that was the case here today, but luckily the Association felt as if they had enough justification to keep this farce alive. It's fine by me, but that negative reaction from the crowd was not good, and that's the first time I've ever seen the head judge release a statement afterwards attempting to justify a decision. They blew this one for the wrong reasons, and even the Japanese fans knew it.

Moving right along, Sekiwake Ichinojo used a right kachi-age at the tachi-ai against M2 Endo while quickly grabbing a left outer grip, and before Endoh could get settled, Ichinojo moved right executing an easy kote-nage throw that sent Endoh to the dirt in a crumpled maize heap. Not much to further discuss here as Ichinojo moves to 4-9 while Endo suffers make-koshi at 5-8.

In the faux-zeki ranks, M7 Shodai literally just stood there at the tachi-ai against Goeido, who came with a limp kachi-age using the right forearm. In the meantime, Shodai accidentally got his right arm to the inside, and in a normal bout, that'd be the cue to pull his gal in snug, especially against a vertically challenged guy like Goeido, but Shodai just continued to stand there. Goeido thought about going for a pull, but Shodai wasn't coming forward, and so Shodai just ended the funny business by backing up to his left for no reason and faking a pull. This was actually similar to the Tochinoshin-Asanoyama bout where a guy went for a useless pull for no reason. The difference here was that Shodai didn't have any sort of grip on Goeido, and so as the faux-zeki fired a right tsuki that sorta connected into Shodai's torso, Shodai just made sure to hop beyond the straw before Goeido stepped over. Another laughable fake bout here as Goeido is gifted his 9-4 record while Shodai falls to 8-5 (how did Shodai manage kachi-koshi??).

At this point, I was almost afraid to watch the final bout where Yokozuna Kakuryu was paired against faux-zeki Takayasu, but since they pay me the big bucks, let's get right to it. Kakuryu reached for a left front grip at the tachi-ai, and there was no pressure from Takayasu that would have denied it if the Yokozuna really wanted it. He didn't and so the two engaged in a defensive tsuppari fest where Takayasu was on his heels as Kakuryu inched his way forward. In the process, Kakuryu caught Takayasu with a beautiful right jab to the neck that knocked the Ozeki completely upright with his feet aligned, and at this point, Kakuryu had the choice to rush in for moro-zashi as Takayasu's arms were high and wide. Come to think about it, he also could have finished off his oshi charge, but the Yokozuna refrained, however, and just kept standing there waiting for Takayasu to react. The Ozeki finally offered a quick slap to Kakuryu's face with the right that barely connected before moving left and swiping in pull fashion at Kakuryu's right shoulder, but he wasn't in a position to pull with any force. Didn't matter as Kakuryu just rushed forward at the edge and kind of paused with his back to the action as if to wait for that final blow. It didn't come straightway as Takayasu's momentum was moving towards the center of the ring and not in the Yokozuna's direction, and so Kakuryu turned around spread eagle balanced on his left leg when Takayasu finally squared up and connected with a shove to the chest that sent the Yokozuna back for good.

The best way to describe Takayasu's sumo here was desperate and haphazard, but Kakuryu refused to take advantage of anything for obvious political reasons. I mean, just look at that pic at left.  How many sumo bouts contain a scene with one guy cart wheeling out and his opponent cart wheeling in the opposite direction?  The end result is Takayasu's ill-gained kachi-koshi at 8-5 wile Kakuryu voluntarily falls one back of Asanoyama now at 10-3.

They didn't have enough time to even show a replay of this one, but NHK did flash the leaderboard right before they had to sign off, and it liooks like this:

11-2:  Asanoyama
10-3:  Kakuryu

Now, the natural course of the novice reader's thoughts would be, "Mike's saying they're setting up the yusho for Asanoyama." I'm not saying that at all. He's still got a bit of work to do in order to yusho, and he still needs Kakuryu to hold back. What I did say about Asanoyama on Day 1 was that his bout was fixed. I did say on Day 4 that his bout was fixed, and I did say on Day 11 that his bout was fixed. I gave him credit for beating Yoshikaze on Day 7, but before Asanoyama was on anyone's radar this basho, I was already pointing out how bouts were fixed in his favor.

And that's not to say that sometime prior to the basho, it was written on a white board in the Kokugikan bck offices somewhere, "Let's have Asanoyama yusho this basho." That phrase was also never uttered under anyone's breath. The fact of the matter is that the Takasago-beya was buying the majority of his bouts this basho for whatever reason, and with no other Japanese rikishi threatening the leaderboard after week 1, politics took over and rikishi are letting up for him. It really is as simple as that.

Just think back to the end of Day 7 when Kakuryu and Tochinoshin were running away with this thing. What was everyone's feeling? Takakeisho was gone, and the other Ozeki looked horrible, and there was little hope of anything. The fact of the matter is that the Sumo Association cannot afford a throw-away basho, and by that I mean a basho where you have foreign rikishi just running away with the thing with no Japanese rikishi on the leaderboard. Foreigners will still be allowed to yusho with regularity, but there has to be parity between the Japanese rikishi and the foreigners. There just has to be or the fans will stop coming. As a result, foreign rikishi have lowered the bar in their sumo, and they're dropping strategic bouts to keep the fans interested.

In terms of the yusho, it actually could be decided as early as tomorrow. Asanoyama at 11-2 is paired against Goeido while Kakuryu at 10-3 is paired against Tochinoshin. If Asanoyama wins and Kakuryu loses, the only thing to look forward to on senshuraku will be the Donald's visit. Actually, regardless of what happens in the yusho race, the Donald's visit will trump..er..uh..upstage anything else that's going on, and it was brilliant of the Sumo Association to plead with the President to attend the sumos.

Getting back to the sumo, assuming a straight up match between Asanoyama and Goeido, Goeido is the favorite. On any given day, Asanoyama is absolutely the better rikishi, but there are a few things in play here for Day 14. First, Asanoyama has earned very few of his wins this basho. It's mostly been handed to him, so he is not on a roll and his sumo has not been hot. It's very difficult to go from a situation like that to a high-pressured bout that involves a complete enigma like Goeido. Second, Asanoyama's mental toughness has never been tested. Just think back to the 2012 Natsu basho where Kyokutenho picked up the yusho. That was really the first basho where all of the elite foreign rikishi agreed to just step aside in hopes that a Japanese rikishi would yusho. Tochiohzan made it as far as a playoff against Kyokutenho, but he totally choked in that bout. And that's not even mentioning how bad Kisenosato choked by failing to make the playoff altogether, but there's no sense beating that dead horse again.

The point is that physically, Asanoyama is not fighting at yusho caliber. Mentally, the dude has never been here before, and it's quite a tall task to be able to defeat guys on this stage this late in the tournament. I'm almost 100% positive that Goeido will not go mukiryoku in their bout tomorrow, and so I tout Goeido as the favorite in a straight up bout.

As for Kakuryu and Tochinoshin, it's easy to say, "Oh, Kakuryu can step aside giving Asanoyama the yusho (assuming Asa beats Goeido), and he can also give Tochinoshin his 10th victory in the process restoring his Ozeki status." It's very irresponsible to think like that, and there's a reason why I never predict yaocho. I call it nearly every time I see it happen, but in my mind it's very tough to predict yaocho.

Straight up, Tochinoshin can defeat Kakuryu maybe once out of every 10 bouts, so the Yokozuna is the heavy, heavy favorite. It doesn't mean that Kakuryu won't step aside, but I'm with Harvye in that Kakuryu is still the favorite here to take the yusho. As I often say, nothing in sumo surprises me anymore, and this basho is a perfect example, so let's just see how it all plays out.

Gary should have a humdinger of a call tomorrow.

Day 12 Comments (Gary Jones reporting)
Hello to all. The big big news today is the return of Ichinojo. Big in poundage added to the roster but perhaps not in terms of success. He maxes out at 6 wins so a Sanyaku rank in Nagoya is a reach. Following the tradition at Natsu he gets Aoiyama for his first test. After that, he does throw a pretty big wrench into the final three days match-ups.

Before he went home for a snooze the highest ranked rikishi he faced was fellow Sekiwake Tochinoshin. In the eastern slot of Sekiwake, Ichinojo is next in line to face the top three of Kakuryu, Goeido and Takayasu. The only problem is Tochinoshin hasn't fought any of them yet either. Something's got to give. And it's likely to mean we are the losers as some of the biggest matches remaining cannot now take place.

And what are the big big match-ups that we are being treated to today? Well the Yokozuna takes on a M5 still seeking kachi-koshi, Goeido is challenged by a M6 trying for kachi-koshi whilst Takayasu, the unlucky guy, will be rigorously tested by a M4 aiming for kachi-koshi. To reclaim the hallowed Ozeki rank Tochinoshin must face the wrath of a M7 guy who, you guessed it, is still without kachi-koshi. Epic. The biggest (as in best) bout made is probably to be found buried in the middle of the pack. Today we see the 10-1 Asanoyama get his first true test in Tamawashi. A real sweet treat.

In Juryo, Toyonoshima picked up his seventh win today by driving out big Gagamaru. Just one miserly win from the last three days will see him promoted back to Makuuchi from the J1e slot.

Tokushoryu (M14) 3-8 vs Takagenji (J2) 10-1
Takanohana's second prodigy is cruising into the Juryo Yusho with a two win cushion. His debut in Makuuchi is assured. He started the day with decent thrusts to open up his foe and slipped into moro-zashi for the yori-kiri finish. It took a little effort but not too much. The 22 year old had previously lost to Tokushoryu 7 times out of 7 tries, another milestone passed.

Shimanoumi (M12) 6-5 vs Chiyoshoma (M17) 4-7
With only two Juryo guys likely to demand promotion for Nagoya there is going to be a lot of forgiveness for poor performances in the scrubs but Chiyoshoma is in the hot seat. He was lucky to escape two months ago but as last man in Makuuchi, he needed to win 4 straight for the finish. Not gonna happen now. As he was pulling Shimanoumi down, he was stepping out backwards for the oshi-taoshi defeat. Next.

Terutsuyoshi (M15) 5-6 vs Yago (M12) 5-6
Yago tried to get his hidari-yotsu going. He tried to oshi-dashi his way to victory, even tried to take it with hataki-komi. But mostly he tried to keep the pesky little shrimp away from him. Which he utterly failed to do because he didn't commit to anything. Yori-kiri for the 5 foot 7 inch victor.

Enho has entered the building.

Shohozan (M11) 6-5 vs Sadanoumi (M13) 5-6
Perhaps the most spectacular bout of this basho so far, out of many, many other possible contenders of course. Sadanoumi got a left arm in and hurled himself full force at the 35 year old. Shohozan grabbed a kote-nage lock on the arm as he was blasted back and flung his foe around and into the air as they both crashed out. And the winner was... the sumo fans. A bit of effort goes a long way to keep the crowds happy and they did that with a wild one from the scrubs. Joyous Sadanoumi takes a yori-taoshi sixth win.

Kagayaki (M10) 2-9 vs Daishoho (M16) 6-5
Daishoho smashed his boy right to the edge as soon as he was allowed. Kaga dug in and there they stayed for a while, a frozen fleshy embrace. Eventually Daishoho realised there is no game in Kagayaki this tournament and just surged all over again, this time he got his yori-kiri seventh win. With so few rikishi at the top of Juryo doing well, Kagayaki will probably survive in this division for one more ride no matter what, and it shows.

Enho (M14) 7-4 vs Onosho (M10) 5-6
Ever see the first Terminator movie? To establish who the bad guy was they had Arnie run over a child's toy in his car. Onosho got the role of the villain today, dressed in black leather and sunglasses. Enho was cast as the toy truck, he didn't get the Sarah Conner part he wanted, they said he was too feminine. A one sided crushi-taoshi blow-out and no kachi-koshi for Enho. He gets drawn against Meisei for day 13.

Chiyomaru (M13) 5-6 vs Tomokaze (M9) 5-6
Big green Chiyomaru must be glad the invasive treatment he received at the grabby hands of the sumo lightweights is over. What he needs is a nice fat one that agrees to stand in front of him so he can just push him back for the oshi-dashi win. Cue Tomokaze.

Shodai (M7) 7-4 vs Tochiohzan (M11) 6-5
It seemed a bit early in the day for these two but then when they fought, being the warm up act for Ishiura v Yoshikaze is about right. Shodai got his kachi-koshi by keeping his feet under him and threatening right and lefts inside as Tochi responded with a pair of pull-and-step-back combo's that put his own heels to the tawara for a fancy twirling oshi-dashi.

Ishiura (M16) 5-6 vs Yoshikaze (M6) 3-8
Early in the bout Yoshikaze showed his hataki-komi intentions. You would think that might make Ishiura think twice before putting his head down right in front of Yoshi but nope. The first one was a one armed kitty cat pawing at the head but the second was a double barreled heave, “get down!”.

Even with the lack of opponents at the top of the banzuke Yoshikaze has only fought 1 rank higher than his own, Ishiura is a full 10 ranks lower and tomorrow Yoshi gets M13 Chiyomaru. Despite the easy ride this was only his fourth win. Father time has caught the 37 year old.

Myogiryu (M5) 4-7 vs Nishikigi (M9) 4-7
From Yokozuna to M9 in 24 hours. Against an immobile opponent, Myogiryu felt like his old self and took a classic Myogiryu moro-zashi and drove hard for the yori-taoshi score.

Okinoumi (M4) 3-8 vs Kotoeko (M15) 8-3
From two ranks off the bottom Kotoeko has yet to be eliminated from the leading pack. And I use that term very loosely. In a strange way the 3 win Okinoumi can be considered his best opponent by far. Which says a lot about this basho.

Kotoeko must think he's a lot more than his stats because he deliberately took the bout to hidari-yotsu with a yotsu specialist 5 inches (13 cm) and 60 pounds (27 kg) bigger. As soon as Okinoumi's long arms began to grope for the outside hold, Kotoeko realized he was in trouble. He tried to escape with a desperate ami-uchi attempt but he doomed himself from the start. Okinoumi claimed his rightful yori-taoshi fourth win.

Asanoyama (M8) 10-1 vs Tamawashi (M3) 7-4
It's the big one! A titanic clash of oshi versus yotsu. In the blue corner, weighing in at 355 pounds, the former world heavyweight champion, Tama (the head-splitter) Washi. In the, err, pink corner at six feet two hailing from Takasago Beya, Asano (loin-lunge) Yamaaaa. Your referee is wearing a rose petal, ankle length gown with matching accessories. Ding ding.

Asanoyama put both hands down and waited. He shouldn't give this guy a head start. Tamawashi came out a shade better at the tachi-ai. Asanoyama absorbed well but had to move his head out to the side. A Hokutofuji style right nodowa, left tsuki combo rocked Asanoyama's head back and his feet followed. Tama was now in full attack mode. He slammed into Asa, chest first with arms out wide, it looked reckless but it maintained momentum and was the setup for a powerful double thrust that sent the wanna be champ flying off the dohyo. Tamawashi had so much behind the oshi-dashi he followed right behind. That is how you get a kachi-koshi, as Harvye would say.

Hokutofuji (M1) 4-7 vs Endo (M2) 4-7
Former golden child (Endo) kept too low for his friend to grab him by the throat and kept trying to get the frontal belt grip. Hokutofuji didn't like the man's hands down there and kept turning and reversing instead of lining up and driving forward. He was playing Endo's game. Which lead to moro-zashi for the vanquisher of both Tochinoshin and Goeido. Endo played to his strength today and yori-kiri'ed his way to a fifth win heroically fighting off make-koshi. His next opponent is Ichinojo. Oh balls!

Chiyotairyu (M3) 3-8 vs Kotoshogiku (M1) 4-7
Koto always beats Chiyo. Big and round and full as he is, Chiyotairyu must fear this guy. Kotoshogiku blasted into him at the tachi-ai fast and low. Big Chiyo didn't do likewise. He took it. With his heels at the tawara and chest to chest with the old blue blaster, Chiyotairyu chose his own way out collapsing to tsuki-otoshi. He was happy to get it over with.

The pioneer of Japanese Yusho has nothing going on in his career but at least he owns hisself a cannonball. He has a streak of 13 straight wins over the Kokonoe man.

Daieisho (M2) 5-6 vs Mitakeumi (K) 6-5
He may be still without a kachi-koshi but Daieisho has been fun to watch. He's dragged some effort out of the top ranks with his genki approach to sumo. Mitakeumi had to get mobile today. He did a tight rotation around a storming Daieisho first trying to pull him down then switching to a left tsuki to leave the M2 with his back to the edge. The oshi-dashi win came from some good hustle by the Komusubi. He now has 7 wins and 3 days still to go.

Ichinojo (S) 2-6-3 vs Aoiyama (K) 5-6
These two looked like bookends with their navy blue mawashi and ample physiques. The easiest way to tell them apart is Aoiyama takes a larger cup size. He also takes the early inside right and manages to clear Ichi's inside right before trying to burrow his other arm into moro-zashi. That's going to need a lot of room. Ichinojo's turn. The Mongolith nearly rips Aoiyama off his feet with a left uwate throw that only he can deliver. Wheee! Aoiyama rides space mountain but keeps his footing, the cheeky Bulgarian puts his left arm in and gets his beloved moro-zashi, safe at last.

Big D need only power forward for the win. Heaving and straining, he makes his power move, only he doesn't move. No-one is better friends with gravity than Ichinojo. He didn't budge. Aoiyama may have looked over to the Gyoji at this point and screamed “help me!” I'm not sure. Ichinojo waited patiently until his boy made another try and twisted his hip away, breaking the grip and stuffed his own hand inside. It was now a very different game. With a massive amount of weight bearing down on him, Aoiyama kept shifting his hips and legs to find a comfortable stance but there isn't one from this position. Ichi rumbled him out yori-kiri with a cute little dip at the tawara.

I was wrong (so what's new?) in thinking the Tamawashi bout was going to be the best of the day. This was.

Meisei (M7) 7-4 vs Tochinoshin (S) 9-2
Shock tactics. Speedy Abi used 'em yesterday and they worked for speedy Meisei today. Tochinoshin didn't get set on his feet, he was not quite ready for the battle. Meisei hit hard from low rising up, getting the inside left and threatening the right mae-mitsu. The best Tochi could do was try to drag Meisei down as he was being knocked backwards into defeat. Shocking.

Prior to today the highest rank Meisei had been asked to deal with was M5. He was expected to be easy pickings for Tochinoshin. Had they met a week ago he probably would have been. But the Georgian took his foot off the go pedal when he had that walkover win. It killed his momentum. I'm sure it will cause squawking for non Japanese fans but he ain't unbeatable. There's a difference between shocking and disappointing.

Tochinoshin may be the physically strongest guy pound for pound in sumo but he isn't close to being the fastest, he doesn't excel at pushing sumo or pulling sumo nor is he evasive. He is as close to a one trick pony as the venerable Kotoshogiku. When he wins it's with yori something or uwate-nage, that's his style and he has been denied it a couple of times, no biggie. The guy only has 11 double digit wins in Makuuchi since his debut 11 years ago. He was not going to go zensho at Natsu, so here it is. A handful of defeats.

Asanoyama tomorrow.

Abi (M4) 7-4 vs Takayasu (O) 7-4
The young Abi is getting a bit more sneaky in his sumo. He did his usual morote start and let Takayasu prepare to blast his way through for the awesome show of Ozeki power. As soon as Takasago's finest stiffened up (stop it) in Abi's hands (no really, stop it) Abi did to Takayasu, what Goeido did to him and manfully leapt away for the hiki-otoshi-kachi-koshi-toshi.

Goeido (O) 7-4 vs Takarafuji (M6) 7-4
Another of the marquee match-ups the committee of desiccated corpses has provided for our enjoyment is a winner takes kachi-koshi battle for Goeido versus a M6 man. On day 12. He wins.

Out of the Sanyaku ranks Goeido has fdought only the 2 Komusubi. Tomorrow he gets fed a M7 man (Shodai) as the basho comes to it's last few exciting days.

Ryuden (M5) 7-4 vs Kakuryu (Y) 9-2
Kakuryu had a good day at the office. He came out low and put his head under the tall Ryuden's chin and took an outside right. Then he rolled a lazy left inside as the M5 (it's day 12!) bravely moved forwards. Kak swung him around 180 degrees and, as Ryuden was already on the edge, applied a little nudge to tip him over for the snori-kiri. Kakuryu is not going to fight all of the top guys either. Unless they want to make it a 17 day basho (please, mercy!) he gets 7-5 Takayasu for day 13 after that who knows what they'll do? Just don't let these guys organize your Bar Mitzvah. Or your bris.

An 8-4 record should not get you on a leader-board so it's Kakuryu and Asanoyama with 10-2 followed by Tochinoshin with 9-3.

Mike has the thirteenth day. And my pity.

Day 11 Comments (Mike Wesemann reporting)
Yesterday as I was taking my afternoon nap (i.e. laying on the couch and watching the Day 10 broadcast), I woke up in a fog prior to the Kakuryu - Abi matchup wondering why they had placed big red tarps over sections in the upper bowl at the Ryogoku Kokugikan. It then hit me that those weren't red tarps; they were large sections of empty seats in the arena. It's been a long time since we've seen empty seats like that in Tokyo, and it's a direct result of not having a manufactured Japanese rikishi playing a key role this basho. When Kisenosato retired in January, I stated that his popularity would have a residual effect for a few basho, but I think it's safe to say that it's wearing off fast.



Takakeisho is of course the latest manufactured home-grown rikishi, so with his early withdrawal in week 1 and official withdrawal after that Aoiyama disaster, there is nobody left for the fans to glom onto. You can totally see the Association scrambling this basho, but sadly all they have left now is the prospect of the top foreign rikishi losing and little-known Asanoyama. They're going to work it through the end of the tournament in an effort to manufacture the headlines, but let's face it, everybody knows it's all fake.

I guess on that positive note, we'll get right to the Day 11 action starting with M13 Chiyomaru vs. M15 Kotoeko. Kotoeko came with one of the worst tachi-ai I've ever seen where he kinda shaded right going for a quick swipe down with both hands before Chiyomaru was even into his grill. And as fat as Maru is, it didn't take him long to take advantage catching Eko with a nasty left elbow to the jaw as Kotoeko continued to flow to his right, and with Kotoeko's momentum completely shot at this point, Chiyomaru just kept driving his legs and chasing Kotoeko against the edge with some nice shoves before reversing gears at the end and pulling his foe down.

I guess I forgot to mention the leaderboard coming in, but Kotoeko was actually on it coming into the day with just two real bouts to his name...I mean...two losses. This marked loss number three sending him to 8-3 and back off the leaderboard because we all know that Tochinoshin and Kakuryu aren't going to orchestrate convenient losses any time soon. As for Chiyomaru, it was nice to see him take advantage of a lost opponent as he ups his record to 5-6.

M16 Daishoho and M12 Yago went toe to toe from the tachi-ai with mild shove attacks where neither rikishi really used his legs. In Yago's case it was because he can't, and in Daishoho's case it was because he was playing nice. Daishoho looked to take command early sending Yago back near the straw, but you could just see that he wasn't committed to the oshi charge, and so he let Yago recover and move back to the center of the ring. With no pressure coming from Yago despite the continued shoves being fired from both opponents, Daishoho was able to methodically force his foe back near the edge again, and for the second time in about eight seconds, he never went for the kill. After letting Yago recover yet again, Daishoho voluntarily backed up swinging his left arm sideways as if going for the grip or a swipe or something, but that was just an excuse to back up to the edge where Yago eventually finished him off with no counter sumo or lateral movement coming from Daishoho. Totally fixed bout here as Yago moves to 5-6 while Daishoho still has room to breath at 6-5.

M15 Terutsuyoshi took a page out of Kotoeko's bad tachi-ai book today hopping right and ducking low against M11 Tochiohzan. Fortunately for Terutsuyoshi, Tochiohzan wasn't looking to kick his opponent's ass, and so TuTuTsuyoshi just rammed his head into Tochiohzan's gut and tackled him out of the dohyo as if they were playing American football. Tochiohzan made no effort whatsoever to take advantage of Terutsuyoshi's tachi-ai or counter once he was down low and executing his tackle despite an obvious opening for a left kote-nage, and this was just another ugly bout with a mukiryoku rikishi. Terutsuyoshi moves to 5-6 with the uncontested win while Tochiohzan casually falls to 6-5.

Let's briefly talk about one of the claims Itai made nearly two decades ago regarding bout fixing in sumo and that was the going price for a fixed bout with no future obligations. Itai said that in order to buy a bout straight up, the going rate was a million yen or roughly 10 grr in US dollars. A few years later when they booted that Russian dude, Wakanoho, out of the sport because he tested positive for weed, Wakanoho also claimed that he was paid 10 grr to throw his Day 1 bout against Kotooshu when that former Ozeki bought..er..uh..achieved his only career yusho in May 2008.

Okay, I know that Itai and Wakanoho aren't credible because they actually fought in the division and were caught up in all of this whereas most foreign fans actually watch the bouts from a distance on YouTube, but just humor me and run with that figger of $10K as the cost to have your opponent throw his bout to you with no strings attached down the road.

You have our next two opponents in M10 Kagayaki and M17 Chiyoshoma who are some of the better tactical rikishi in the division, and how do I know this? Because I can see it in the ring when they actually decide to win. Well, both of these guys are in danger of falling to Juryo next tournament, but big woop. These two are probably the most prolific rank and filers who sell bouts for cash, so if they can make $60 to $70 grand per basho by selling bouts, who cares if they fall to Juryo for two months and take a pay cut that equals less than the cost of selling a single bout?

Well, the two capitalists met up today in what you knew would be a straight up contest, and Kagayaki kept his right arm in tight cutting Chiyoshoma off from the belt before firing a few tsuppari his way to drive Chiyoshoma back a step or two. Chiyoshoma was too quick, however, grabbing Kagayaki's extended right arm by the wrist and tugging him off balance as Shoma moved left, and now with Kagayaki compromised, Chiyoshoma was able to shove his opponent upright and set up the moro-zashi position. Kagayaki pinched in tight from the outside with both arms, but the Mongolian had him too upright to set up a left kote-nage, and after a brief test of wills at the straw, Chiyoshoma forced Kagayaki across. Chiyoshoma moves to 4-7 with the nice win while Kagayaki falls to 2-9.

I don't doubt that Chiyoshoma could run the table if he wanted to, so let's just analyze the content of his sumo here on out and see what he does. At the lowest rung of the ladder, one more loss will send him to Juryo next basho, but if the price is right...  As for Kagayaki, he needs three more wins for sure to stay in the division, and I think he can easily get them if that's what he wants to do.

And that takes us to M14 Enho who in my opinion has purchased at least five of his seven wins so far. And so once again...using the $10K figger you can see just how costly it would be to purchase an outright kachi-koshi. Well, left to his own devices, the small soldier as the media likes to dub him struggles mightily...just as Ura did before when his bouts weren't arranged. Today against M9 Tomokaze, Enho didn't even go for his usual ashi-tori because he knew his opponent would be defending against it, and the result was a completely lost Enho at the tachi-ai who moved forward tentatively with hands extended ready to react to his opponent. Tomokaze didn't charge forward hard either guarding from a henka, and when it didn't come, he went for an early slapdown before just executing a methodic charge that nearly knocked Enho down onto his fanny a few seconds in only to knock him down on his fanny beyond the straw for reals after a few more shoves with nice de-ashi to boot. Enho falls now to 7-4 with the loss, and isn't it interesting how the magic is there one day and gone the next? I mean, I want to see this guy do well in the division, but it has to be done the right way. As for Tomokaze, he moves to 5-6 with the easy win.

M14 Tokushoryu was proactive at the tachi-ai against M9 Nishikigi trading shoves with the beast across the starting lines before he went for a meaningless pull backing up to his right. The pull was mediocre, however, and Nishikigi barely stumbled forward, so when Tokushoryu looked to regroup and charge after that pull attempt, Nishikigi simply moved left and executed a medium kote-nage that sent Tokushoryu across the straw using his own momentum largely against him. Nishikigi moves to 4-7 with the win while Tokushoryu falls to 3-8.

And that bring us to M8 Asanoyama who entered the day with just one loss meaning he stood alongside Kakuryu and Tochinoshin on the fake leaderboard. His opponent was M13 Sadanoumi who redefined the term mukiryoku in this migi-yotsu bout where neither guy went for an outer grip because Sadanoumi just backed straight up and out. The finish here was awkward, which is characteristic of a thrown bout. In the end, Sadanoumi was knocked back on his arse beyond the straw, but there was such little pressure coming from Sadanoumi, that Asanoyama nearly ran himself out of the dohyo before Sadanoumi touched out. In real time, this was a dominant two-second win for Asanoyama, but you could have put a bubble in between their chests and it wouldn't have popped there was that little pressure involved.

They called a mono-ii to question whether or not Asanoyama's left toe touched out before Sadanoumi's left foot scraped the sand, but replays clearly showed that Asanoyama stayed on top of the rope with his foot. Onomatsu-oyakata sure had trouble giving the explanation, however, declaring that Sadanoumi touched out first while also declaring him the victor. Thankfully he had the highest technology available to him in the form of a flip phone, and so someone upstairs corrected him and they eventually sorted it out giving the win to Asanoyama. There's no doubt that Sadanoumi just deferred here because Asanoyama is the only Japanese guy still in the yusho race. He moves to 10-1 with the gift and really puts the pressure on Tochinoshin and Kakuryu to perform (who am I trying to fool?). As for Sadanoumi, he falls to 5-6, and who knows if he's going to be compensated here or if he just took one for team sumo.

M16 Ishiura and M7 Meisei looked to hook up in hidari-yotsu from the tachi-ai, but Ishiura did not want to go chest to chest, and so he shaded right going for a pull that had little effect. Well, I guess the effect was that there was enough of a momentum shift to where Meisei just rushed forward and knocked Ishiura into the first row with some well-placed shoves to the neck. Hey, at least the bout was real as Meisei moves to 7-4 while Ishiura falls to 5-6.

In a curious bout, M7 Shodai and M11 Shohozan both kept their arms low at the tachi-ai as they bumped into each over and over again bringing their arms up at the end of each bump as if to offer a final shove. Shohozan was the better bumper, and he could have easily finished Shodai off here, but it wasn't in the cards, and so he went for a weak pull of Shodai's right arm, which was really a ruse to just back up and give the momentum to Shodai. The problem was that Shodai had zero momentum the entire time, and so Shohozan bumped him back against the straw and actually had two shoves aimed at Shodai's teets that would have easily finished him off, but Shohozan totally relented and let Shodai back into it. The outcome was decided at that point, and so when Shodai finally went for a useless love tap at the side of Shohozan's left shoulder, Shohozan just put a knee down and caught himself easily with both palms. What a horrible finish, and what an easy yaocho call here as Shodai moves to 7-4 while Shohozan falls to 6-5.

M12 Shimanoumi and M6 Yoshikaze struck well at the tachi-ai, and Shimanoumi actually made the mistake of keeping his right arm too wide, but Yoshikaze refrained from the yotsu contest instead opting to back away to his left and go for a weak pull. It worked inasmuch as Shimanoumi was easily able to take advantage and secure moro-zashi while Yoshikaze held on with a meager left outer grip. Yoshikaze still wanted no part of a yotsu contest, and so he tried to slip right, but Shimanoumi was there to fire some beefy paws into his neck keeping Yoshikaze so upright that a final volley of shoves sent him across the straw and down oshi-taoshi style. Shimanoumi moves to 6-5 with the nice win while Yoshikaze is hapless at 3-8.

M6 Takarafuji looked to get his left arm to the inside against M10 Onosho, but Onosho rebuffed him well with his shove attack that actually knocked Takarafuji back to the edge in just a few seconds. The problem was that Onosho's shoves were not commanding, and so while Takarafuji was focusing on the left from the start, he easily escaped to his right at the edge grabbing Onosho's belt with a right outer and using Onosho's momentum complete against him to easily escort him outta the dohyo. Afterwards, Onosho had that look of "What just hit me?" because he thought he was in full control. What hit him was a wily old veteran who could run rings around these manufactured youngsters if they allowed him to. The end result is Takarafuji's moving to 7-4 while Onomatsu's bumbling that mono-ii call in the Asanoyama bout musta sent some bad karma Onosho's way as he falls to 5-6.

M3 Chiyotairyu and M3 Tamawashi struck well at the tachi-ai, but Chiyotairyu was showing his opponent the palms of his hands instead of placing them firmly against Tamawashi's chest, and so the Mongolian was able to take charge with his tsuppari attack. During the melee, Chiyotairyu managed a quick swipe down where he came away with the shallow left inside belt grip that was more towards the front of The Mawashi's mawashi, but The Mawashi (following me so far?) used a quick right kote-nage to shake Chiyotairyu off and then pummeled him back to the edge and down with shoves to the neck. Chiyotairyu grabbed a desperate left outer grip before his demise, but this dude's gotta trust in his brand of sumo. He didn't from the start, and the result was a fairly easy win for Tamawashi who moves to 7-4 while Chiyotairyu suffers make-koshi at 3-8.

Sometimes I wonder what goes through M4 Okinoumi's mind because he was stellar today against a formidable rank and filer in M2 Daieisho. Okinoumi shaded a bit to his left at the tachi-ai avoiding Daieisho's initial thrusts and getting the left arm inside in the process, and from there Okinoumi immediately sucked his foe in chest to chest forcing the battle to the belt. Daieisho squirmed laterally trying to keep Okinoumi from that right outer grip, but the taller Okinoumi kept up the pressure using a left scoop throw motion to try and throw Daieisho's left hips closer to a right outer grip. The move didn't work, however, and Daieisho would not go easy setting up for a right counter tsuki-otoshi that actually worked, but Okinoumi was able to trip Daieisho up with a right hand to the back of his foe's thigh (fresh!!) as he bodied Daieisho off balance to the dirt yori-taoshi style.

Okinoumi's right hand clearly hit the dirt first as the two rikishi fell, but nobody wanted to go through another mono-ii explanation from Onomatsu, so they just let this one slide. I loved this bout, and I expect the same level of determination that these two exhibited in every single Makuuchi bout. When I don't see it, I'm going to point it out as Okinoumi limps to 3-8 wile Daieisho falls to 5-6.

M1 Hokutofuji came with his bad tachi-ai of putting the right arm up high near his opponent's neck and left arm in tsuki fashion has he shades in that direction, and M1 Kotoshogiku totally exploited it today forcing the left arm to the inside and then following Hokutofuji has he shaded left catching him in tight chest to chest with Hokutofuji's back to the edge. Kotoshogiku wasted no time in forcing the upright Hokutofuji back and across before Hokutofuji even had second thoughts of going for a real counter move. I kid, I kid. This was a solid win and very good sumo for Kotoshogiku who moves to 4-7 while Hokutofuji knows his place as he falls to the same 4-7.

In the sanyaku ranks, M2 Endoh latched onto a right frontal belt grip of Komusubi Mitakeumi from the tachi-ai, and as Mitakeumi plowed forward with no position to speak of, Endoh just went with it keeping that frontal belt grip and then halting Mitakeumi's momentum at the edge with the firm left to the inside. Endoh brilliantly lifted Mitakeumi upright by the front of the belt and then escorted the Komusubi back across the dohyo to the other side of the ring. Mitakeumi went for a desperate right kubi-nage, but Endoh continued to lift up at Mitakeumi's right inner thigh while continuing to apply the force-out pressure with the left, and all Mitakeumi could do was hop back across the straw completely outclassed by Endoh. Endoh's sumo was so impressive today as he moves to 4-7, but you do need to keep in mind who his opponent was. Mitakeumi falls to 6-5 with the loss.

It's a shame that we have to go from such a fine display of sumo to a blatant display of politics in the ring, but sumo is trying to survive here. Ozeki Tochinoshin displayed the same tachi-ai today against M4 Abi that he did against Endoh at the end of week 1. In other words, he didn't do anything or try to grab anything, and so as Abi came with his usual high tsuppari attack, Tochinoshin just kept his arms in no man's land at the front of his body. As he is wont to do, Abi quickly went for a weak pull backing up to his left, and Tochinoshin just went with it stumbling forward to the edge where he just waited for that final love tap to his rear. Abi's pull and then final tap of the Ozeki's butt were so light that this was mostly a case of Tochinoshin's crowd diving into the mosh pit below. Surprise, surprise, a key foreigner in the yusho race is defeated yet again as Tochinoshin graciously falls to 9-2 while Abi benefits from the politics of the situation at 7-4.

Ozeki Goeido looked to get moro-zashi against M5 Ryuden getting the right arm firmly to the inside, but he wasn't able to shore anything up on the other side, and so the two dudes traded places in the ring coming away now in hidari-yotsu. Adding insult to injury for the faux-zeki, Ryuden used his length to grab the right outer grip while Goeido totally gave up any position (inside or outside) with his right arm. From this position, Ryuden simply moved a bit sideways and dragged Goeido down easily with that right grip to the belt. Goeido was so light and weak throughout here it was quite astonishing. The end result is Goeido's falling to 7-4 while Ryuden marches to the same mark.

Komusubi Aoiyama and Ozeki Takayasu both looked to shove from the tachi-ai briefly until Aoiyama went for a quick pull backing up and moving right. It wasn't set up properly, however, and so Takayasu easily survived. The problem was that Takayasu's shove attack had no power behind it, and so Aoiyama continued to shade right around the edge of the ring fishing for pulls of the Ozeki. After about five seconds of this nonsense, Aoiyama came to the realization that Takayasu was applying zero pressure, and so from one edge of the dohyo, he initiated a nice oshi attack methodically driving Takayasu back across the entire dohyo before dumping him into the first row with a final right shove to Takayasu's left side. You watch bouts like this, and it's so obvious to everyone who the manufactured rikishi are. Takayasu falls to 7-4 in defeat while Aoiyama is in a good chance now to kachi-koshi at 5-6.

After Tochinoshin's act a few bouts earlier, you could just sense that something was going to happen with Yokozuna Kakuryu as well against the washed-up M5 Myogiryu. Myogiryu actually put both hands high at the tachi-ai as if to pull, and that's pure suicide against a Yokozuna...who is trying to win. Problem was that Kakuryu was not trying to win here. He shoved Myogiryu to the side lightly and then with Myogiryu up against the straw, for no logical reason whatsoever, Kakuryu draped his right arm up and over the back of Myogiryu's head, and so Myogiryu just drove the compromised Yokozuna across the entire dohyo and out. Of course, Kakuryu didn't even bother moving laterally or countering, and this was such a lazy yaocho, but the end result is what's important. Everyone's intelligence is insulted here as Kakuryu falls to 9-2 while Myogiryu picks up a giant brick of kensho money as he moves to 4-7.

All I can do is just shake my head in disbelief that people actually believe this, but it should be no surprise to anyone. And hey, don't look now but a Japanese rikishi is in sole possession of the lead!!

If Gary does care to touch on the leaderboard tomorrow, here's how it shapes up heading into Day 12:

10-1: Asanoyama
9-2: Kakuryu, Tochinoshin
8-3: Kotoeko

Day 10 Comments (Harvye Hodja reporting)
You know what? Kakuryu is going to win this tournament, and Tochinoshin is going to get re-promoted to ozeki. Asanoyama is going to come in second and provide the imaginative-hope element over the last weekend. Yessir, you read it here.

M13 Chiyomaru (3-6) vs. M16 Daishoho (6-3)
Boom! Went the ball-shaped munchkin on the left, Chiyomaru, rolling forward in his green glory, whappity, pappity, slappity, bappity. Ham hocks to tits, fists to neck. Daishoho the happy Mongolian stood there and took it, eat your porridge: how can you get any porridge if you don't eat your meat? And that is how they spelled a spellbinding thrust-out oshi-dashi linear win for Big Butter Tub, Chiyomaru.

M16 Ishiura (4-5) vs. M13 Sadanoumi (5-4)
Heads a-clonkity, then Ishiura whipped out to the side like a guy who just spotted a fifty-dollar bill blowing through the park. Off to grab it. Whoops! What he grabbed was about 100 yards of Sadanoumi's arm. Surprise! That was worth way more than fifty bucks. Whirling, twirling, retreating, dervishing, Ishiura had this one under tyrannical control, and it was only a moment before he whipped Sadanoumi down and out like yesterday's moldy pork chop, kote-nage. This looked really goodsy good.

M12 Shimanoumi (4-5) vs. M15 Terutsuyoshi (4-5)
Low, low, low, it was the low charge by Shining Barrel (Terutsuyoshi). Head to chest. And push! And kick! They were going back and forth a bit, then settled in for some fistfuls of satin. Then came that big kick by Shining. Whap! Unfortunately for Shining Boy, Shimanoumi's leg is built like a column of roman stone: a bit pitted, ready to last a thousand years. That leg was going nowhere, and Island Sea (Shimanoumi) took the gap in concentration from Shine to surge forward and deposit Shining in the sad yellow jello of a loss, yori-kiri.

M17 Chiyoshoma (3-6) vs. M12 Yago (3-6)
They snarled at each other a bit, contemptuous lips curled, like mangy coyotes on the prairie, as they got ready for this one. I detected a whiff of mutual disrespect. Loser (Chiyoshoma) tried to henka, then kicked, then shoved hard on Yago's big pink cheeks, then slapped angrily. Bitter fisticuffs! But then Loser burrowed his head into Yago's chest like a crying child: "I'm sorry mommy, yes I did steal the cookies and it's all my fault! Boo hoo hoo!" Chiyoshoma stayed in this regretful sad remorse for a few moments, cradled by the gentle Yago, before Yago said, "wait a minute--you're not my child!" and bulldozed Loser out, yori-kiri.

M14 Enho (7-2) vs. M11 Tochiohzan (5-4)
Seeing Enho, I am reminded of a Syd Barrett classic. Sing along with me now: "birdy hop, he do, he hop along." My yard is full of cardinals, blue jays, and robins this lovely evening, but they have nothing on winsome cuteness next to Enho! In the match, Endo hopped (he do), and he slapped (he do), and he wiggled in under Tochiohzan's leaning chest, searching for a worm in the grass (don't think about that too much). Then he shot out of there like a greased superball stepped on by a steel-toed boot and splashed to the clay, hataki-komi. Wha' happun?? In the replay-from-the-sky (vertical camera), you could see Tochiohzan grabbed Enho-Birdy by the ass strap and slung him away. Fact is, Enho is so small Tochiohzan, well balanced, had any number of options for crushing, crumpling, or crumbling this wee, fine-boned tweety nestling under him. Slinging him out of there was the one he chose.

M10 Kagayaki (2-7) vs. M14 Tokushoryu (2-7)
Oooh, who took the Special Sauce (Tokushoryu)? Who purloined the bbq and soy glory from my table? Why, it was Special Sauce himself! He jerked his globular-bottle-body to the side at the tachi-ai, and when Kagayaki went to pick him up to pour him out, why, he wasn't there. A most saucy and effective henka for Giant Sauce. After that it was easy for Saucy to ooze back onto 'Yaki and push him out, oshi-dashi. Fried Mosquito (Ka-ga-yaki), best served with Special Sauce.

M15 Kotoeko (7-2) vs. M10 Onosho (5-4)
Kotoeko looks like he could play a minor feudal lord in a samurai movie. He would be the tough but reasonable neighbor samurai. Seems like a possible enemy at first, but becomes a friend of the good guy soon on. A supporting role. Dignified, sensible. Not interesting enough to get a lot of screen time, but a favorite of people who watch the movie a dozen times. Onosho looks like an indulged kid begging for his fifth go-gurt of the morning, all pouty lips and rippling flab. Onosho went for Kotoeko hard, thinking he could dispose of this minor daimyo right quick, but Kotoeko said, "whoa, whoa, enough with the rough stuff!," gave a mighty tug, shaded quickly out of there, and watched Onosho splat to the sand, hiki-otoshi. Afterwards, oddly, Lord Steady-On (Kotoeko) raised both hands in the air as if to say, "hey, I didn't do it." Nope. Nothing's his fault. Too sensible to get in trouble like that.

M7 Shodai (6-3) vs. M8 Asanoyama (8-1)
Asanoyama is having a manful tournament. What happens if you pour beer (Asanoyama) all over Vanilla Softcream (Shodai)? The softcfeam fizzles and melts. Asanoyama was a splashy, hard-assed beer, a beer with rocks in it, thrusting into Shodai's wubbly-wabbly neck, busting him in the chest, knocking him Down! Back! And Out! Yori-kiri win for Asanoyama. I dunno, lookin' pretty good here folks for ye olde Morning Mountain (Asanoyama).

M11 Shohozan (6-3) vs. M7 Meisei (5-4)
After mutually annoying each other (and me) for a long time by refusing to put their fists down, feinting at the ground like two guys kneading phantom mochi, these two jokers sprang into action. Sproing! Oh, it was a wild one. It lasted a long time, and they never stopped whacking at each other, round and round, up and down. Here, there, everydamnwhere. They did get tired: after Shohozan survived a 360 degree spin in the middle of the ring (now twirl your girl, dosie do!), the pace slackened little by little, their movements grew sluggish. The end was kind of inevitable: the guy who ran out of energy first fell down, because he couldn't control his own wicked hijinx any more and his body got away from him. It happened to be Shohozan who did this flopping, so credit to Meisei for having more bubble in his frizzle. Tsuki-otoshi win for Meisei.

M6 Takarafuji (5-4) vs. M9 Tomokaze (4-5)
So I read somewhere that ol' Friendly Wind (Tomokaze) has never had a losing tournament since his debut in sumo. Really? He doesn't seem that exciting to me. Nice big body, well contained, but... Friendly Wind?!? I barely notice him most of the time. I looked it up though, and sure enough, your intrepid reporter is here to report what you could have easily discovered on the innernet yourself (or maybe just knew anyway without my telling you), yup, eleven straight winning records for Tomokaze coming in to this one. Say, that's pretty good, isn't it? Thusly prepped, I awaited his destruction of Bert the Bus Driver (Takarafuji). As it happened, Friendly Wind was smart and sharp on the tachi-ai (and maybe cheating, raising his fists way before Bert got his down) and easily got to Bert first. Stood him up and drove him straight back and out oshi-dashi. Right? I didn't even question it. Took the black crows a long time to start questioning it too, but question it they did. After a long discussion the judges confirmed what was obvious on the instant replay: Tomokaze flopped to the clay a split second before Bert's foot came down outside the straw. Bert wasn't even trying to not step out: he'd totally given up and put his foot lamely right down. But he won, hiki-otoshi. That's how fast Tomokaze's flop was. Oh well, or something.

M9 Nishikigi (3-6) vs. M6 Yoshikaze (2-7)
Nishikigi pushed and Yoshikaze pulled, and that of course looked bad for Yoshikaze. H'wev'r, fortunately for Yoshikaze, Nishikigi had his arms in the "C-3PO Position" (once upon a time also know as the "Kisenosato Position"): wide open. Lo! Yoshikaze had moro-zashi all of the sudden and drove Brocade (Nishikigi) across the naked land and out, yori-kiri.

M5 Myogiryu (3-6) vs. M3 Tamawashi (5-4)
As they mushed into each other their upper bodies sprouting upwards like growing plants in those time-lapse films they used to show you in science class when you were a kid, the sound they might have made was slllrrp-bloooort! After that lovely coming together Tamawashi sheared Myogiryu's lawn, clipped his leaves: one whack to the neck, one bang to the shoulder, and Myogiryu was pruned, tsuki-otoshi. Oh, the succulent juices! If they were flowers, Tamawashi was a Venus Fly Trap and Myogiryu was surely a daisy.

M1 Hokutofuji (3-6) vs. M3 Chiyotairyu (3-6)
Oh, you dummy, Chiyotairyu! You dumb, dumb dummy! Whang!: Chiyotairyu smashed Hokutoriki up and back like you knew he was gonna do, as he should, as he must, as he can. But then he pulled. Aaaarrrrgggghhh! I'm sure it is very tempting, with the other guy all discombobulaboozeled like that, to think it will be even easier to pull him down than finish thrusting him out. Oops! Wro-ong! Hokutofuji followed like smoke from a campfire that gusts at you when you're trying to drink your beer, and Chiyotairyu choked and coughed, oshi-dashi win for Hokutofuji.

M2 Daieisho (4-5) vs. M1 Kotoshogiku (3-6)
Now Little Red Firecracker (Daieisho) had the right idea: hit 'im! And whap 'im! An' do it fast! An' don' stop! Push 'im! An' choke 'im! Now, like Chiyotairyu, he was also going to pull in the end. But Chiyotairyu didn't wait for the end: he tried his pull pretty near the center of the ring, and didn't have enough real estate. Daieisho waited until a) he had Kotoshogiku on the straw, and b) he had damn near asphyxiated him with a nice friendly choke. Consequently, when Daieisho hiki-otoshi'ed out of there, Kotoshogiku done fell down. Yup!

K Aoiyama (3-6) vs. M2 Endo (3-6)
Now there is a firefly in my backyard. Just wanted you to know that. Firefly kind of reminds me of Endo. Yellow, small, kind of neat. Evanescent. Aoiyama kind of reminds me of an old cement truck. None of those in my backyard. Though Aoiyama is welcome to come over any time. We'll watch the fireflies and eat some blueberry yoghurt pudding. As nature intended it, Cement Truck slapped Firefly in the head and smushed him into the ground, hataki-komi. It really was that fast and definitive. Oh, humanity, you are so cruel.

K Mitakeumi (6-3) vs. S Tochinoshin (8-1)
If a grizzly bear found a bright red salmon in his lair, he would eat it. Especially if it was fat and round like Mitakeumi. Tochinoshin the bear grabbed this salmon as it leaped up the rapids towards him. He grabbed it by the front of the dusky red mawashi on one side, and overhand on the other side. That was plenty of hooks for just one salmon, even a big fat one like this. Tochinogrizzlyshin then carried Mitakesalmonumi back across the straw and devoured him, yori-kiri. If you haven't had salmon in Japan, I suggest you try it; it is very good. There is often a gelatinous grey oddness adhering to the firm pink park of the meat, but you can always peel that off.

M5 Ryuden (6-3) vs. O Takayasu (6-3)
These guys are pretty evenly matched, and their records show it--the ranks are the misleading part--but I thought it behooved Ryuden to lose in this situation (those darn ranks, you see), and that is what he did. It was a heaving chest-to-chest battle, Takayasu working with an inside left belt grip, Ryuden working with body. Which was probably the difference right there. Ryuden tried a couple of times but just couldn't extend his seeking-digits far enough to get that nice grip of cloth he wanted. A serious looking couple of dudes, these, in their dour black mawashis. After a few moments Takayasu finished Ryuden off, yori-kiri, and resumed pedaling the bicycle of career toward Meaninglessnville, where he will eat a savory Dutch pancake with cheese.

O Goeido (6-3) vs. M4 Okinoumi (2-7)
Floppy flappy hands and twirling arms: that is how Okinoumi started the match off. A bit of sign language for Cthulu, blind idiot god. Okinoumi said raaaar! He grabbed Goeido about the body and worked on feeding him to Jubilex, trashpile god of many eyeballs. Okinoumi looked a little stammery, however. A little nervous-footed. A little here and there. While he was working on it, Goeido was working on some secret code, too, a little body grab of his own. Some pulling and tugging got mixed in with all the weakly aggression going on, and the momentum-gods got confused and the house of Okinoumi's spirit began to crumble. Goeido put a fat hand on Okinoumi's sleek side and knocked him the rest of the way over, fed him to dogs, tsuki-otoshi. Oh, to be the creams. Oh! To be the creams.

M4 Abi (6-3) vs. Y Kakuryu (8-1)
I kind of like Abi. I kind of admire him. You kind of know what he is going to do. He's going to stick those long arms in your face and maul you around, that's what he's going to do. This was a pretty fun one because Abi had the temerity to do it to the Yokozuna and do it hard. Stuck those long pins out and grabbed Kakuryu by the wattles and squeezed and shook. Kakuryu's head was bent well back, looking much like a frog in the too-friendly hands of an eager and ultimately mean kid. So that all looked good for Abi. What looked good for Kakuryu was the static position. For all the dominance of Abi's hold and the helpless, throttled, toxic-gas-victim-look on Kakuryu's blotted face, he wasn't moving back. The other part of Abi's game--running about the ring and disorienting everybody (often including himself)--was not going on. Meanwhile, you noticed it less because it wasn't so sustained as Abi's air-elimination of Kakuryu's larynx, but Kakuryu had the presence of mind to be giving Abi's neck and head a few little bapping shoves of his own. So how did this play out? You can sense it coming, can't you? The Yokozuna was going to win. Yes he was. Having established equilibrium, even while getting his windpipe crushed, he knew he had the position, room, and kinetic dynamics to back up and win. So that is what he did. He moved left and back and chopped at the back and neck, and suddenly Abi went falling down, hataki-komi. Yokozuna ain't gonna git dun like thet. Jist ain't!

Mike plays his acoustic guitar and sings tremulous love songs about fleeting beauty and tender surrender for you tomorrow.

Day 9 Comments (Gary Jones reporting)
Hello to all. On day 5 I did a mock special report on Ikioi. I'm not a reporter and there was nothing special about it. But I did mention that to add to Ikioi's injury troubles, he had picked up an infection in his left leg. Which no doubt helps with the limping after his many defeats. I didn't point the finger of shame at Isenoumi Beya on day 5 as it was just possible Ikioi picked it up elsewhere. Although how much degeiko (training in another stable) is Ikioi likely to do in his current state? It now transpires that another under-performing rikishi has picked up a cellulitis infection, and as luck would have it, it's also in his left leg. That man is Nishikigi. Who just happens to be the other sekitori of Isenoumi Beya.

Coincidence? Nope. It means that the finger swings round to point directly at Isenoumi Beya as the breeding ground of doom. Shame. Shame. The twin headed hydra of strep and staph infections are the bane of grappling mats and dojos around the world and once identified, patient zero (icky Ikioi) should have been quarantined in a diving bell at the bottom of the Marianas Trench. Not allowed to attend practice and certainly not to lurk around the changing rooms and showers of a hon basho. Best we take him out back with a shotgun. Isenoumi Beya is run by the former Kitakachidoki, a most unremarkable mid level Maegashira competitor from the 90's. He is the man responsible for Ikioi's continued presence. Shame. Shame. And now it would seem Nishikigi's as well. How popular is Isenoumi Beya is going to be for degeiko this year?

Toyonoshima (J1) 6-2 vs. Enho (M14) 6-2
Enho just henka'd the crud out of old man Toyo. He's one of the few fast enough to get a double henka performed before he steps out backwards for the hataki-komi call. And the crowd approved with a big round of applause for the low to no impact sumo. As long as it's performed by someone pretty.

Does Enho's new, refreshing style of sumo now include getting a fistful of the vertical part of the mawashi, yanking it hard into the butt crack and have nobody say a darned thing about it? Chiyomaru still has a startled look on his face.

Chiyoshoma (M17) 3-5 vs. Sadanoumi (M13) 4-4
Happy-man took an early hidari-yotsu on Chiyoshoma and went straight for the easy force out win. Chiyo-no-sho is flirting with demotion to Juryo, can we expect a turn around soon or is this truly all he's got?

Chiyomaru (M13) 3-5 vs. Terutsuyoshi (M15) 3-5
Well the little guys have got the big bellied one all figured out. Terutsuyoshi briefly took moro-zashi on a really slow moving green lump before he spun out of it to attack low. Very low. He hooked a foot from behind, tripping poor massive Chiyomaru flat on his face.

A big man would just have pushed him out, but then we wouldn't get to see this inaugural okuri-gake. One of the new techniques added to the list in 2000 and entirely unused in Makuuchi since then, until today. You do get a different flavor of gum with these little ones.

Ishiura (M16) 3-5 vs. Yago (M12) 3-5
Poor massive Yago tried to keep the chunky mouse away from the inside with a few thrusts, but it's not his game. When Ishiura got in amongst the folds of flesh, Yago reached over the top with his right, put his left leg out and got into position for a fat juicy uwate-nage. Ishiura isn't fat and juicy though and slammed the brakes on, getting so low his shoulders were level with Yago's mawashi. Defense switched to instant attack and Yago's right leg flew upwards, tipping big boy over shitate-nage. In a balancing contest at the edge Ishiura wins every time.

Shimanoumi (M12) 4-4 vs. Daishoho (M16) 5-3
Daishoho came out high with his chest exposed but it left space to roll his right arm inside. Shake and shimmy put his head down and tried to force him out. Nope, no grip equals no control. Shimmy tried again and again Daishoho rolled his pesky right arm inside. The rookie was still trying to get his head-down-go-forward basics to work when Daishoho bumped him upright with that same inside right and Shimanoumi's stance just crumbled. Shimanoumi was driven across the dohyo easy as crumbley pie, oshi-dashi.

I keep having to remind myself that Shimanoumi is coming off winning the Juryo Yusho twice in a row. It's an impressive feat that few achieve but boy, he's lacking any spark this basho. He's in his Makuuchi debut, who doesn't want to shine then? Mr. Dull it would seem.

Kotoeko (M15) 6-2 vs. Tochiohzan (M11) 5-3
A trial of strength broke out between these two and it was the veteran Tochiohzan that blinked first, going for the pull that led to his oshi-dashi defeat. Kotoeko is still very small by sumo standards but he is putting some muscle on.

Shohozan (M11) 5-3 vs. Tokushoryu (M14) 2-6
Leading with his left arm inside hooking the shoulder, and his other clamping the opponents left arm it looked as though Shohozan was about to drive hard for the tawara. He did, in a way, he went straight backwards. As poor massive gullible Tokushoryu made a dash forward for victory. It's a trap!

As soon as Toku took the bait and rumbled forward Shohozan abandoned all pretense of hidari-yotsu and brought both arms together on the right to double clamp Tokushoryu's left arm. Kote-nage delivered by a veteran. Did Tokushoryu really think Sho was going to go chest to chest with him?

Tomokaze (M9) 4-4 vs. Meisei (M7) 4-4
Yet another bout where the big heavy double bass is played like a violin. Meisei stood his ground for a moment, which just encouraged Tomokaze to come get him. As soon as the big man rumbled forward sneaky Meisei disengaged, moved round to the side and grabbed an arm with both hands (it's deja vu all over again). Tomokaze survived but as he turned to face his foe he already had his heels on the tawara. Easy oshi-dashi finish for Meisei. Why heave and struggle to get the big dude to the edge when he's willing to move towards it himself, all full of hope?

Shodai (M7) 5-3 vs. Kagayaki (M10) 2-6
Even before the bout started Kagayaki was moving slowly, a miserable look on his face. When it did begin I thought it was the slow motion replay. I've never seen a 24 year old perform a tachi-ai so slowly. Shodai only had to press forward for Kagayaki's feet to slide back uncontrollably. When Shodai released the trapdoor, down the boy went for a bellyful of sand.

Onosho (M10) 4-4 vs. Yoshikaze (M6) 2-6
After two tense matta from a hair-trigger Onosho we got the bout we expected. He blasted forward, Yoshikaze tried to hang in there. When he was in his prime Yoshikaze would turn in the tightest of circles. Today he stumbled around 360 degrees and sagged to one knee. And then down to his ass. When he got up his cheeks were surprisingly sand free. Which is about the most positive thing to be said, so we'll leave it at that.

Takarafuji (M6) 4-4 vs. Nishikigi (M9) 3-5
Asahifuji's best boy got hidari-yotsu and slowly, Takarafuji doesn't do anything quickly, maneuvered Nishikigi to the edge. Taking as much time as it takes Enho to grow a beard, Takarafuji scored the yori-kiri win.

Asanoyama (M8) 7-1 vs. Ryuden (M5) 6-2
Ryuden can't get his feet in gear this basho. He was all over the place defending himself as Asanoyama applied some pressure looking to get an inside right, an hataki-komi and finally a yori-kiri win.

It hasn't taken Asanoyama long to get his kachi-koshi and if they need him, he's now available to meet Goeido to decide the Yusho. Or which one of them stays on the leaderboard. Or if Goeido gets make-koshi. Whichever.

Tamawashi (M3) 4-4 vs. Daieisho (M2) 4-4
With M2 being his highest rank so far, the 25 year old Daieisho is one of the precious few who has over performed this basho. He's given as good as he's got from the Sanyaku brigade. This might have encouraged him to put his head in there at the tachi-ai with the Mongolian headbutting champion.

Clunk. A deep resonating clunk at just the right pitch. Daieisho was jolted into reverse, with a worried grimace on his face, his footwork forgotten. So that's how hard this guy hits in hon-basho. Perhaps Daieisho will try plan B next time. A straight line oshi-dashi and some respect goes to Tamawashi.

Endo (M2) 3-5 vs. Chiyotairyu (M3) 2-6
The cannonball blasted away today. Chiyotairyu was tense before the start, all standing up and down, one matta in the bag. Endo was breathing in deep as he stared down the barrel, he tried to stay in the bout with his patented right mae-mitsu but Chiyo was not to be denied today. A fine explosion of pent up kinetic energy. A text book tsuki-dashi as he puts Endo in the expensive seats.

Both these guys defeated Goeido, just sayin'.

Hokutofuji (M1) 3-5 vs. Mitakeumi (K) 5-3
Hokutofuji got his hand onto Mitakeumi's neck to start but without any arm extension it didn't do any good. Mitakeumi stepped in close with quick baby steps as he likes to do and Hoku gave ground all the way to the oshi-dashi win for Mitakeumi.

Mitakeumi just barely managed to remain at Komusubi when he got his seventh win on the last day of the Haru tournament. That's now an incredible 14 consecutive basho spent in the Sanyaku, which puts him joint second on the all time record list. It might add a little extra motivation to his campaign for 8 wins and by that I don't just mean for Mitakeumi. He could certainly use a good boost across the full run of a tournament. The first three days of a basho Mitakeumi is usually the Sanyaku Superman. This is a guy that when rested and fresh, likes to get a good start.

Nakabi, the central eighth day, on the other hand is his bucketful of kryptonite. He's a one man losing machine on day 8 and then slowly grinds out a few ugly wins down the stretch to hang in there. And yesterday the Nakabi jinx struck yet again. Things were going well for Mitakeumi, he was in a manly tussle with Goeido when the Gyoji double teamed him off the top rope.

Aoiyama (K) 2-6 vs. Kotoshogiku (M1) 3-5
A much needed third win for Aoiyama as he got his hands on Kotoshogiku first. Even though Aoiyama had stopped the charge of the one trick ex-Ozeki, he still moved back before surging forward for the tsuki-dashi win. Slow moving and arms out wide, old Koto didn't offer much today.

The man mountain Aoiyama has followed a flawed tactic all tournament. He isn't charging across the shikiri-sen to impose his bulk. This lets his opponent in as close as they wish. Then, in order to get some space for his long arms to get working, he moves back, either his feet or his shoulders. It still wouldn't be such a terrible decision if it were not for one thing. His arms are incredibly heavy and so he's slower than most of the division. They just claim whatever space he vacates, moving forward and imposing themselves on him instead. Under pressure, he repeats the same error whilst singing “Give me just a little more time and my wins will surely grow”. His opponents don't listen to old seventies music.

Goeido (O) 5-3 vs. Abi (M4) 6-2
Abi put both hands down early and let the Ozeki say when. “Now” said Goeido as he instantly went into reverse and sprang away, letting the 25 year old get a good, close look at the sand. A hiki-otoshi victory and a lingering smell of hinkaku for Goeido.

Takakeisho (O) 3-3-2 vs. Tochinoshin (S) 7-1
The double withdrawing (it's a catholic thing) of Takakeisho has done Tochinoshin's “Ozeki or bust” campaign a world of good. A nice day off to recover with an ice cold margarita before the final run at the best of the best, or what's left of them. He would probably only have faced Ryuden anyway but, hey why bother? He may get Abi and Myogiryu thrown his way before he even tackles the top three. He only needs two wins to reclaim the big O. Tomorrow he gets Mitakeumi.

Myogiryu (M5) 3-5 vs Takayasu (O) 5-3
The left hand inside position for Takayasu has been promoted as the next big thing in sumo. A yusho winning, tsuna taking, Naruto-Tagonoura special weapon. Sound familiar? Well, he needs to keep working on it because beaten up, 3 win Myogiryu gave him all he could handle today. Despite Takayasu successfully getting that lethal inner left.

Takayasu does have good stamina for a big bear and he needed it here. He had to wait for the M5 man to tire before he could make any truly effective offensive move, a short drive to yori-kiri. It was a decent, hard fought bout, perhaps the best of the day (true, that's not saying all that much). But the Ozeki never committed to over powering a man ranked 14 slots below him. All basho he has been sneaking through the side window instead of smashing the back door in. Not very big bear like.

Okinoumi (M4) 2-6 vs Kakuryu (Y) 7-1
Like Tochinoshin, Kakuryu also had a day off. A quick yori-kiri sweep of the dohyo so that no opponent remained inside. Okinoumi was on the dohyo to bow and walk off longer than to actually compete. It can't get any easier for Kakuryu, unless Abi turns up in roller skates tomorrow.

The man who has reliably tried the hardest but has the least to give this time round is, to my eyes, Okinoumi. He looks like he's covering for a fundamental problem like twisted up guts or a broken heart. Each day is the same, square up and lean in. That's it. A complete reliance on his bodyweight. His 2 winning days made him look even worse. Lacking any offensive firepower he hung around until the other guy maneuvered into defeat.

Let Okinoumi be the mascot of the Natsu 2019. With a pleasant demeanor that says all is well but beneath the bright yellow Pikachu skin a weak constitution leading us in a lackluster dance. Harvye tomorrow so that should have just put a smile on your face.

Harvye is back tomorrow.

Day 8 Comments (Harvye Hodja reporting)
What is the official story? It is Takakeisho's return. However, Mike is right about this: it feels as if there is little drama in how this turns out, because he will be either gifted enough wins to protect his eight or he will be unable to do anything and have to withdraw again after a few days. Readers of this site will know that our money is squarely on the former, and there is plenty of past evidence to back that up: absurd post-injury performances over the past years by Kisenosato and Mitakeumi in particular have thrown any caution or credibility in this area to the winds. So, look for Takakeisho to be eased towards a tender little kachi-koshi.

Hope to god I'm wrong about that, but you heard it here second!

And: is this a new phenomenon? Probably not. In my maiden days one of my favorite moments was also one of the most famous in the modern era: in May of 2001 Yokozuna Takanohana was seriously injured on Day 14--an injury that would go on to end his career--but beat Musashimaru in a playoff to save what had looked like an inevitable yusho from an ignominious defeat. It felt awesome: what a performance, what guts, what an amazing way to beat the odds! Now? Well, I have my doubts.

Let's go in a different order today.

LAST FIVE BOUTS

M2 Endo (2-5) vs. S Tochinoshin (7-0)
Sometimes a little perspective helps. My wife, who isn't really into sumo and isn't following the storylines, came and sat down whilst this one was starting. She immediately noticed Tochinoshin's genki attitude: "wow, he's really into it today," she said. Yes. You can feel it: Tochinoshin wants that re-promotion, and is going for it. She also said, "by god, look at those muscles on his shoulders!" Yes. I love Tochinoshin, and his strength, ability, and commitment are obvious. This man? This man is a wrestler. Unfortunately, the match was a disaster for him (my wife's reaction: "aaaaawwww! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!). They crashed together at the tachi-ai, and Tochinoshin was just getting ready to get in position, working to get his arms inside, when Endo stepped lightly to the side while pulling on Tochinoshin's body. Tochinoshin's legs went out from under him and he went down on one knee and two hands in the center of the ring, uwate-dashi-nage. I will let my wife finish the call: "well, that was boring, wasn't it?"

O Takakeisho (3-4) vs. K Aoiyama (1-6)
Yay! We are going to do right!! We are not going to just have things easy and dumb! What do I mean by this? Aoiyama leapt away and back and pulled Takakeisho down by the head. Quite a limber henka for the big man, and a hataki-komi win. Now we have some drama after all: to what extent will the other wrestlers give in to Takakeisho? Can he survive this? Or will his first Ozeki tournament end with an ignominious make-koshi? In professional sports, it is all about winning, and this is what you want to do: take advantage of a guy when he is down. Do we see teams or players go easy on weakened opponents in other sports because they feel bad for them? No. They go in for the kill. Here too we should expect the other wrestlers to make Takakeisho earn it, not give him a free ride. You might say, "yeah, but in that case Aoiyama should have gone after him straight up, tested his knee." Maybe. But I thought the henka was perfect: "can you follow me on that knee?" Nope; Takakeisho couldn't.

For those keeping score at home, my expectations so far today were crap: I thought Tochinoshin would continue to win. He lost. I thought Takakeisho would be given a win. He lost. I got out my crystal ball and reality got out a belt-sander and said, "you can't see shi-it."

M4 Okinoumi (2-5) vs. O Takayasu (4-3)
Arms and pits: this was a chest-to-chest battle, though not on the belt: body grab, pit grip, lift-and-push. As this edged towards stalemate they did try to inch their fingers onto belts, but they generally kept their hips back, and nobody ever got a grip. Several times Takayasu did a good job of bringing his right arm back to squeeze off Okinoumi's hand when it was getting close. Having maintained control on that side, the final move was a frontal force out charge from Takayasu: once Okinoumi gave up with his hand on that side and was wiggling towards something different, Takayasu surged into the gap and won, yori-kiri.

O Goeido (4-3) vs. K Mitakeumi (5-2)
Mitakeumi got Goeido on his hip and was driving him quickly backwards when we almost got the much coveted gyoji-knockdown: little fellow in his kimono got in the way of the retreating Goeido and they bumped a bit. Unfortunately for the gyoji this also looked like the moment that turned the match: right then Mitakeumi changed his tactic, abandoning his hip-first, loping charge, choosing to square up. I don't think this was the gyoji's fault--Goeido wasn't going out, because Mitakeumi didn't have much of a grip on anything and Goeido was too mobile, and Mitakeumi knew it so he had to change tactics--but it looked bad for the ref and I'm sure he got scolded afterwards. Anyhoo, the guy who did have a belt grip was Goeido, and once they were square ((and the gyoji was cleared well out) it was "thank you very much" from Goeido as he drove Mitakeumi straight out, yori-kiri.

M3 Tamawashi (3-4) vs. Y Kakuryu (7-0)
By the shores of Lake Kucherla! You never know what you're going to get in these Mongolian vs. Mongolian matches, but I have a fundamental distrust of them: they rarely look good, and often look fake. You tend to get one of two things: a particularly weak performance by one of the guys or, worse, a long, drawn-out bout of show-sumo as they try to exaggerate some drama for us but instead are giving us what is clearly a load of shullbit. That is too bad, because these are best wrestlers, and you might think and would certainly wish that their bouts against each other would be a time for them to shuck the responsibilities and pressures and do what they're out there to do: be the best. Fight. But then again, why would we expect that? Inside their subsidiary sumo world the favors and obligations are probably even stronger than when they are facing outwards. Then, their first duty becomes to each other. Anyhoo, this was a wild one, with lots of punching and shoving, but mostly from Tamawashi. He showed us his best, aggressively taking on his foe with a barrage of attacking hands, while Kakuryu showed us not much, responding and hanging on rather than establishing anything of his own. The result was a linear, emphatic oshi-dashi force out for a suddenly on-fire Tamawashi. Kakuryu strolled down to the lake and salved his wounds in the cerulean blue waters.

No zensho will be had this time around.

FIRST SIXTEEN PAIRS

M17 Chiyoshoma (3-4) vs. M3 Daiamami (2-5)
Loser (Chiyoshoma) backed up and fell down. Toppled over backwards as if someone had punched him. I guess they did butt heads at the tachi-ai, and Loser had pulled badly so he was in a good position to fall over backwards too, but it still looked sloppy to me. Well, what should I expect? This is Loser! Oshi-taoshi win for Big Sweety (Daiamami).

M15 Terutsuyoshi (3-4) vs. M16 Daishoho (4-3)
It looked like Daishoho had a horrible tachi-ai here, standing up straight and moving forward tentatively, but that was because Terutsuyoshi's tachi-ai was even worse: he didn't move forward at all, so there was nothing for Daishoho to knock up against. As a result Little Shining Boy (Terutsuyoshi) was burrowed in at Daishoho's belly. Daishoho didn't mind: he had a hold of Shining Boy's arms, and he used those to upend Shining Boy, corkscrewing him to the ground kata-sukashi like a guy flipping over a dead fish with a stick at the seashore.

M14 Tokushoryu (2-5) vs. M15 Kotoeko (5-2)
My favorite sauce is Texas Pete, but my second favorite sauce is Special Sauce (Tokushoryu). Unfortunately, while he may be good as sauce, he is not very good at sumo. He looked to have this one in control, pushing and shoving and bearing down on the smaller Kotoeko, but Kotoeko is no dummy and twisted out of there. Special Sauce fell down tsuki-otoshi. He's no Texas Pete, that Tokushoryu. Ride ‘em, fluffy pants.

M13 Chiyomaru (3-4) vs. M14 Enho (5-2)
Ole! Ole! Enho avoided Chiyomaru's charge two or three times, once at the tachi-ai (henka), and a couple of times after that, meanwhile waving his arms about like a mime telling traffic to slow down, hoping Chiyomaru might fall into a pull. This wasn't having any effect. Fortunately for him Chiyomaru wasn't trying to win, standing his full height and waving his own arms around as if he was bothered by flies. If I were facing Endo, I'd get low to cut off Enho's main attack, then grab him to neutralize him: pick him up, sling him down, crush him out. Whatever; shouldn't be too hard. Chiyomaru didn't do any of that, and a grateful Enho ducked in, picked Chiyomaru's knee up, and hopped Chiyomaru out of the dohyo, ashi-tori. Enho, Enho, Prince of the Faerie Dandelion Dancers.

M12 Shimanoumi (3-4) vs. M16 Ishiura (3-4)
Shimanoumi handled Ishiura the way Chiyomaru should have handled Enho: chaaaaaaarrrrrrggggge! Stayed low and tight and moved relentlessly forward. Within a second Ishiura was flying bodily off the clay mound, oshi-dashi. Over at CBS, Jeff Probst yelled, "that is how you DO IT!"

M11 Shohozan (4-3) vs. M12 Yago (3-4)
Yago's pretty big, but Darth Hozan is pretty tough. ‘Hozan fore-arm-barred Yago off the tachi-ai and drove him straight back, all the way to the rim. Couldn't quite get him out on the first try, but with Yago performing horribly (keeping his distance, giving little tentative arm's-length shoves and trying to pull. With his size advantage, he should have been aggressing, advancing, and trying to crush), Shohozan went back at it and oshi-dashi'ed him out. Back in the tunnel, Darth Hozan said, "all too easy. Perhaps you are not as strong as the Emperor thought."

M13 Sadanoumi (3-4) vs. M11 Tochiozan (5-2)
A couple of veterans whose chances at glory are behind them. They get two lines only: they grappled and shoved up high for a while and Sadanoumi pushed Tochiozan out with his chest, yori-kiri.

M7 Shodai (4-3) vs. M9 Tomokaze (4-3)
Shodai kept it tight and pushed at Tomokaze's chest. This worked fine because Tomokaze bailed and tried a head pull; Shodai responded by charging, ending it in his own favor, oshi-dashi.

M10 Onosho (4-3) vs. M7 Meisei (3-4)
Meisei was way back off the lines, undoubtedly preparing to absorb a potent Onosho attack. However, Onosho neither moved forward nor tried hard to win: when Meisei advanced on him it looked like he could have knocked Meisei over to the side. But he didn't finish, and Meisei pulled a mirror image move, going all the way through: hooked Onosho's arm up high and knocked Onosho over his leg down low, dumping Onosho convincingly to the dirt kote-nage.

M6 Takarafuji (4-3) vs. M8 Asanoyama (6-1)
Asanoyama used a good, hard right-forearm-bar to keep Bert (Takarafuji) off of him at the tachi-ai, then put that right arm in and under the pit on Bert's body and kept on pushing and attacking all over everywhere else. Pretty soon Morning Mountain (Asanoyama) had thrust Bert emphatically out, tsuki-dashi.

M10 Kagayaki (1-6) vs. M6 Yoshikaze (2-5)
Kagayaki often has terrible first weeks and good second weeks. Into which week would today fall? He edged into his good week. Using his size, he neutralized Yoshikaze's left-inside belt-grip with a long outside left of his own, then used that grip to bully Yoshikaze bodily out, yori-kiri. It was just Yoshikaze, but Kagayaki will take it as a turning of the tide. Look for him to finish about 7-8.

M5 Myogiryu (2-5) vs. M8 Kaisei (3-4)
Kaisei out with injury, Myogiryu freebie win. (Sorry, I was listening to the Brewers-Braves game on the radio while writing so I have no idea the length or nature of Kaisei's injury. I'm sure it is minor and he'll be fine. However, I can report that Keston Hiura hit his first major league homerun. Yay Japanese-Americans!)

M9 Nishikigi (3-4) vs. M5 Ryuden (5-2)
I just don't think Nishikigi is very good: these two locked heads and arms and Ryuden summarily won the power battle, pushing Nishikigi out, yori-kiri.

M3 Chiyotairyu (2-5) vs. M2 Daieisho (3-4)
Big power on the left, little power on the right. Little power won: Chiyotairyu's tachi-ai blast was underwhelming, and Daieisho got after it in response, pushing manfully and consistently while Chiyotairyu stood there and took it. Tsuki-dashi.

M1 Hokutofuji (3-4) vs. M4 Abi (5-2)
After a couple of false start this push-battle was lost with a pull. Arms up high for both guys, shoving and circling. Hokutofuji sinned first, and was damned immediately to hell: he pulled at Abi's head. Abi moved his feet and body forward smartly enough to avoid falling down and soon completed the oshi-dashi push-out victory of poor defiled Hokutofuji, who went straight off to confession with his oyakata.

S Ichinojo (2-5) vs. M1 Kotoshogiku (2-5)
Another fu-sen-sho (win without fighting), this time in Kotoshogiku's favor, as Ichinojo withdrew with another injury unknown to me but no doubt minor and fleeting. (Meanwhile, Keston Hiura got another hit. Yay!)

INAUGURAL LEADERBOARD

It is Kakuryu, Tochinoshin, and Asanoyama with seven wins apiece, followed by a group of anonymous Latin American meat-packing glitterati (Abi, Ryuden, Enho, and Kotoeko) with 6.

Tomorrow Gary takes all the overgrown infants away somewhere, and builds them a home, a little place of their own.

Day 7 Comments (Mike Wesemann reporting)
In scanning the headlines prior to Day 6, I read where one media outlet lamented the fact that this basho is losing its marquee rikishi. The media put all its hype eggs in the Takakeisho basket pre-basho; Hakuho was gone before the tourney even started; the remaining Ozeki are off to terrible starts (i.e. rikishi aren't throwing as many bouts for them); and nobody cares about the foreigner dudes who are eventually going to anchor the yusho race in Kakuryu and Tochinoshin. You also go back to the Takakeisho - Mitakeumi matchup and think about how costly that loss was in terms of transferring the hype to Mitakeumi. At two losses after six days for Mitakeumi with some of the foreign heavyweights still undefeated, you can't really start pimping the Komusubi until some of the aforementioned foreigners elect to start dropping bouts. As we head into the middle weekend, really the only guy left for the media to get a stiffie over was Enho, but his debut has been a farce if I've ever seen one.

As a result, it was no surprise when I read the Japan funny papers on Saturday morning (Japan time) and saw the announcement that Takakeisho would make his return starting Day 8. Really, as long as the dude can stand on two feet and climb up to the dohyo, they can and will orchestrate wins for him. Until some of the foreigners decide to lose, this basho ain't got nothin', and so welcome back Takakeisho.

Due to a women's gymnastics meet that NHK was obligated to televise, I missed the opening few minutes of the Makuuchi broadcast, so I can't comment on the spin or the mood of the announcers and oyakata in general. As a result, let's get right to the Day 7 action.

M16 Ishiura henka'd to his left against M17 Chiyoshoma attempting a wild kote-nage, but he wasn't even close, and so Shoma was able to square back up getting the left arm inside. Chiyoshoma had the path to the right outer grip as well, but he refrained from grabbing it signaling his intentions. With Ishiura ducked down maintaining a left inside grip, the two grappled a bit in the center of the ring before Ishiura went for a weak twist of the belt, and Chiyoshoma just took the knee leaving both rikishi at 3-4.

Up next was M14 Enho, who hasn't had an opponent really try and beat him since Day 1. Today against M15 Terutsuyoshi, I can see the Enho camp working. It just feels as if he's on a roll, and so when paired against probably the worst guy in the division, I'm sure they felt as if they didn't need to buy this one. Oops.

Terutsuyoshi came out hard from the tachi-ai firing thrusts into the top of Enho's shoulders before easily getting his left arm to the inside while grabbing the right outer grip. Terutsuyoshi was in complete command at this point, and so he positioned himself to Enho's left side as the rookie hunkered down. Enho was in reactive mode at this point, but there was nothing he could do as Terutsuyoshi began spinning him around with the right outer grip while pushing into the side of his head with the right hand. As Enho protested near the edge, Terutsuyoshi kicked at the back of Enho's left leg tripping him over and onto his back right at the ring's edge. I mean, start to finish, Terutsuyoshi dominated this one, and it puts Enho's abilities into better perspective. To his credit, I think Enho managed to roll in as much dirt as I've ever seen a rikishi do, and even my dog perked up from her nap and said, "How did he manage THAT?" Enho falls to 5-2 with the loss while Terutsuyoshi moves to 3-4.

M14 Tokushoryu and M16 Daishoho looked to hook up in migi-yotsu from the tachi-ai, but Tokushoryu completely aligned his feet across the starting line leaving him vulnerable, and so Daishoho pivoted right and easily pulled the Sauce off balance and down for the easy hataki-komi win. This was a good example of why you don't align your feet in sumo when your opponent is trying to beat you as Tokushoryu falls to 2-5 while Daishoho moves to 4-3.

M15 Kotoeko and M13 Sadanoumi hooked up in migi-yotsu where Sadanoumi's footwork was wrong from the start. The Sadamight is the better belt fighter by far, but he moped around until Kotoeko grabbed a right outer grip. Instead of these guys going chest to chest as you'd normally expect, Sadanoumi just backed up towards the edge and let Kotoeko push him out. I mean, usually the dude with the outer grip uses that to set something up, but Sadanoumi just backed out of it, stayed square, and gave Kotoeko the gift. Course, I'm sure the Eko camp had to pay for it as he moves to 5-2 while Sadanoumi falls to 3-4.

M11 Shohozan was content to let M13 Chiyomaru fire mediocre tsuppari his way, and so Maru did just that, but his legs weren't into it, and so all he was doing was tiring himself out with Shohozan just standing there watching it all. After about 10 seconds, the two hooked up in hidari-yotsu, which favors Shohozan, and after a few more second of grappling, Shohozan got the right arm inside getting moro-zashi. He couldn't really work his way around Chiyomaru's shelf gut, however, and so the two literally stood in the center of the ring for about 1 minute and 20 seconds before Chiyomaru tried to pivot laterally and set up a kote-nage, but he wasn't fast enough and Shohozan used the momentum shift to rush Chiyomaru back and across yori-kiri style. Sorta entertaining at the end as Shohozan moves to 4-3 while Chiyomaru falls to 3-4.

I enjoyed M10 Onosho's sumo yesterday against Asanoyama, and it was the best sumo I've seen from him in a very long time, so today against M12 Yago, he really had a walk in the park as long as the bout was straight up. It was as Onosho moved forward well again using some nice shoves taking advantage of Yago's sloppy footwork, and after a failed pull attempt from Yago, Onosho rushed in and pushed his foe over with a left to the side. The shove wasn't great, but Yago never was grounded to the dohyo as he plopped to the dirt in the center of the ring. Onosho moves to 4-3 with the win while Yago falls to 3-4.

One of the better Japanese rikishi on the banzuke is M10 Kagayaki, but he gets so swept up in bout fixing that he's always a non-factor. I can't say that I blame him, though. If you're not touted as one of the chosen, why not hoard cash and just go through the motions? That's what he did today against M12 Shimanoumi agreeing to a hidari-yotsu bout without firing a single shove and then just standing upright as he let Shimanoumi do his bidding. Shimanoumi wasn't exactly kicking ass and taking names, however, and Kagayaki had the left outer grip if he wanted it. He didn't, but he did go for a decent scoop throw with the left that would have worked had he followed through, but once again he refrained. With Shimanoumi still doing nothing and not even able to set up a proper yotsu fight, Kagayaki shifted left going for a pull/swipe that never came, and so finally Shimanoumi was able to push him back and across. Afterwards as they watched the replays, even the NHK announcer and Kitanofuji where like, "Why did Kagayaki immediately go for the inside position?" It's definitely not his style, but he threw today's bout for cash money no doubt. At 1-6 ranked at M10, he easily controls his own destiny in terms of staying in the division while Shimanoumi is gifted his 3-4 record.

In a boring bout, M11 Tochiohzan had the path to the right inside, but M9 Tomokaze pushed in at Oh's right side with the left presumably cutting the move off. There wasn't much action at all in this one with both guys just standing around, and so Oh went for a weak pull with the left that sent Tomokaze just flopping forward and down. A nessen (fiercely contested bout) this wasn't as Tochiohzan likely buys the win moving to 5-2. Tomokaze is content at 4-3.

M9 Nishikigi is sorta like Kagayaki in that he's a decent rikishi, but he spends most of his time hoarding cash. Today against M7 Shodai, he went all out, and despite Shodai's securing moro-zashi from the tachi-ai, it was too light and elbow deep, and so as Shodai drove Nishikigi back, the latter easily had enough room to pivot out right and fell Shodai with a kote-nage easy as you please. Nishikigi moves to 3-4 with the win while Shodai falls to 4-3.

The news surrounding M8 Asanoyama is that he's given up drinking this basho. I'm not sure if he hopped off the wagon after getting his doors blown off by Onosho yesterday, but he came back well today against M6 Yoshikaze. And who wouldn't? After easily getting the right arm to the inside and pressing the action from the tachi-ai, Asanoyama took advantage of a dumb pull attempt by Yoshikaze to just force him back to the straw and then push him across. Asanoyama actually unhooked the back of Yoshikaze's mawashi in the process, but thankfully Monster Drink's fizz was contained within the folds of his belt. Asanoyama is sitting pretty (and sober) at 6-1 while Yoshikaze falls to 2-5.

M8 Kaisei came with a right kachi-age against M5 Ryuden, but the Brasilian wasn't looking to latch on and take this one to the belt, so it was pretty clear what his intentions were early. For Ryuden's part, he just got the hell outta there backing up and mawari-komu'ing to his left, but Kaisei stayed square and had the easy path to moro-zashi. He refused to grab it, however, and just plowed forward using no arms in the process. As Ryuden continued to skirt left around the edge of the ring, Kaisei could have easily shoved him out, but he put his right arm into Ryuden's gut and then just dove left putting that left hand down early before Ryuden exited the dohyo. This one was obvious yaocho as Kaisei falls to 3-4 while Ryuden moves to 5-2. Kaisei came up lame at the end similar to what a rikishi does when he's dislocated his elbow or shoulder, and that's what you get for letting up in the ring.

In another fake bout, M5 Myogiryu struck M7 Meisei at the tachi-ai and then just stood straight up with his arms high and wide. He did go for a meager slap, but this was all Myogiryu just backing up and out of the ring as Meisei looked to keep up. They ruled it oshi-dashi, but Meisei was trying to keep his balance here. Regardless, this was a terrible bout of sumo as Myogiryu falls to 2-5 while Meisei ekes forward to 3-4.

M4 Okinoumi kept his arms in tight at the tachi-ai to keep M6 Takarafuji away from the inside, and so Takarafuji responded with a left tsuki to Oki's right side causing the two to trade places in the dohyo. From there, the two hooked up in hidari-yotsu, but for whatever reason they didn't want to go chest to chest and battle for outer grips. With both dudes standing in the ring like bumps on a log, Okinoumi finally went for as weak a tsuki-otoshi as you please, but Takarafuji read the move and just dove to the dirt. I don't know if money exchanged hands here or if Okinoumi was calling in a favor, but this was an obvious fixed bout where both guys were entirely half-assed. Okinoumi moves to 2-5 while Takarafuji falls to 4-3.

M4 Abi caught M2 Endoh straight in the neck with a moro-te-zuki tachi-ai, and he kept up the pressure driving with his legs. As Endoh was knocked back, he looked to move laterally or set up a pull, but Abi was right there using his length to catch Endoh again in the neck, and Abi had all the momentum easily pushing Endoh back and across once, twice, three times a lady. This was some of the best sumo I've seen from Abi who moves to 5-2 while Endoh is the inverse at 2-5.

The Komusubi battled today in Aoiyama and Mitakeumi. I guess "battle" isn't the correct word as Aoiyama was mukiryoku throughout. He got maybe half a foot over the starting line but then immediately backed up threatening pulls that were never followed through on. Despite the openings, Mitakeumi was having a tough time bullying Aoiyama around, so Aoiyama started mawari-komu'ing around the ring for no reason. He continued to set up pulls but never execute them, and when Mitakeumi when for a dumb swipe of his own, Aoiyama moved forward a step or two, but instead of riding that momentum and sending Mitakeumi out tsuki-dashi style, he backed up yet again, and the third time was a charm as Mitakeumi finally put us out of our misery and pushed Aoiyama out. What a joke of a bout as Aoiyama falls to 1-6 while Mitakeumi moves to 5-2.

Sekiwake Tochinoshin easily handled M1 Kotoshogiku bumping hard at the tachi-ai and getting the right arm inside, but credit Kotoshogiku for throwing his weight around as well. Course, the Geeku can only do that for about a second, and after taking the Geeku's best shot, Tochinoshin muscled his way into a left outer grip, and from there the force-out was swift and decisive. Kotoshogiku wasn't completely hapless here at the tachi-ai as he falls to 2-5, but Tochinoshin easily moved his record to 7-0.

M1 Hokutofuji came with his usual tachi-ai where he goes for the right paw to the neck and the left tsuki to the side against Sekiwake Ichinojo, but the move didn't budge the Mongolith who had the clear path to moro-zashi. He refrained from taking it, however, and did nothing with his right arm, and that allowed Hokutofuji to catch the Slug with a nice shove to move him back a step, and Ichinojo's respond was to throw a gentle shove to the side of Hokutofuji's head all the while backing up and stepping out of the ring of his own volition. It should be noted that Hokutofuji's charge after the tachi-ai was straight forward and commendable, but Ichinojo was completely mukiryoku starting with his refusal not only to grab moro-zashi at the tachi-ai but refusing any arm to the inside. Ichinojo falls to 2-5 with the loss while Hokutofuji is gifted the win at 3-4.

In the faux-zeki ranks, Goeido's tachi-ai was horrible as he hopped forward completely aligning his feet, but M3 Tamawashi was not looking to win. He failed to fire a single tsuppari, and he had the C3PO arms going from the start, and so after Goeido recovered from his lousy tachi-ai, he reached forward with the left grabbing a left belt grip, and and soon as he did, Tamawashi used his right to grab a kote grip, and instead of positioning himself properly to throw, he just dragged Goeido into his body as he backed out of the ring. Easy yaocho call here as Goeido limps forward to and undeserved 4-3 while Tamawashi whistles Dixie at 3-4.

M2 Daieisho was completely flat footed at the tachi-ai stretchign his arms forward into Ozeki Takayasu's torso, but without moving his legs it was a useless start. It was also the signal that he wasn't trying to win the bout. As bad as Daieisho's tachi-ai was, Takayasu's was even worse as his feet were so aligned he couldn't do anything with his shove attack. Finally, Daieisho moved forward with a left paw to the neck, and with Takayasu doing nothing, Daieisho anticpated a right tuski that never came, but he still just moved to the right and forward allowing Takayasu to finally catch up and push into Daieisho's side sending him out of the ring. Like Goeido, Takayasu is also gifted an ugly win moving him to 4-3 while Daieisho willingly falls to 3-4.

In the day's final bout, M3 Chiyotairyu did nothing at the tachi-ai allowing Yokozuna Kakuryu to actually slap Chiyotairyu's left butt cheek before grabbing the right outer grip, and he easily got the right inside against Chiyotairyu as well, and with Chiyotairyu doing absolutely nothing, Kakuryu drove him straight back and across in seconds flat. Chiyotairyu gives up against elite rikishi all the time as he falls to 2-5 while Kakuryu is still perfect at 7-0.

It seems as if we have a decent day of sumo followed by a horrible day of sumo, and today was the latter for sure, but I can see the Association working. With two foreigners running away with this thing and Takakeisho coming back already with four losses, they're doing anything to try and keep the Japanese fans interested.

We'll see what kind of day Harvye draws tomorrow.

Day 6 Comments (Harvye Hodja reporting)
I say down below that Tochinoshin has been the most compelling wrestler so far, and I won't back off that. He just has the best story to go with great sumo so far. Before I typed it I did consider Kakuryu: his sumo has been great this basho too--at least as good as Tochinoshin's. So why not say he is the most compelling wrestler so far? Because he's The Invisible Yokozuna. No charisma, no storyline, no rooting interest. He's just there. I feel bad for the guy, but am I a Kakuryu fan? No. Are you a Kakuryu fan? I bet not. Does anyone ever write, "Kakuryu is my favorite," or "I'm rooting hard for Kakuryu?" No. Why? He just doesn't have those pheromones. Brad Pitt was born pretty, and I was born to use a picture of a withered elderly German barfly as my avatar. Kakuryu was born to be very good at sumo in the most uncompelling way possible. I don't even want to use the word "boring" for him. It's almost like he isn't there at all. "Oh, him? Oh. Okay."

Let's spend some time with everybody else, then see how we like Kakuryu in the end.

M16 Daishoho (2-3) vs. M15 Kotoeko (4-1)
Kotoeko had his eye on fatty's belt, oh he wanted it, and he spun the big lubber around and snuck in and got that belt, inside on the right. But Daishoho was too big, too lubbery, and calmly laid himself on top of Kotoeko and reached over and got his own grip, outside left. After that there was some stalemate and some wiggling; Kotoeko tried to find a way to make hay out of his mincemeat pie. But when he wiggled too much Daishoho knew he was off balance and jerked him to the ground, uwate-dashi-nage.

M14 Tokushoryu (2-3) vs. M17 Chiyoshoma (2-3)
Special Sauce on your left, Loser on your right. Let's just call Chiyoshoma Loser. His sumo is so inconsistent and sends so many bad signals I'm going to go ahead and let that out of my keyboard: Loser. I thought about calling him "Loser City," because that's what actually came into my mind, but that's too complicated, too me. Just call him Loser. Unfortunately Special Sauce opened his arms wide like a buzzard swooping down for a dead rat, and the rat sprang up and bit him on the tit. Well, not really: but Loser got inside on him, that's what. Special Sauce was upright, out of control, and in danger throughout, but he somehow managed to drag Loser with him as he trundled towards the edge, and there also managed to throw Loser--I will give Sauce credit for getting one arm back inside and making do with what he had. But Loser was throwing him too, and there they were, heads down, leg up, nage-no-uch-ai, your classic who-will-hit-first finish at the straw. They were ugly in getting there, but a quality nage-no-uchi-ai is always a good thing. As it happens, Saucy put his arm down before either body hit--kinda weak, that--making a sukui-nage winner out of Loser.

M13 Chiyomaru (3-2) vs. M16 Ishiura (1-4)
Now here was some fun. A bowling ball against a pea. Bowling ball Chiyomaru pushed at early June pea Ishiura's neck, while Ishiura went under and in for the waist and belt. Which worked just fine: from there Ishiura was able to forklift up and bodily drive Chiyomaru out in a vivid display of oomph, yori-kiri. Nice job, Stone Ass.

M15 Terutsuyoshi (2-3) vs. M13 Sadanoumi (2-3)
Shining Strong Boy vs. The Sad Man. When you have to henka the sad man, you're in trouble. It is puzzling to me about henkas: a lot of guys go only half way, and that just doesn't work. Their opponent doesn't fall down and catches them, and the guy who henka'ed is the one who is compromised and not ready to fight. If you're going to henka, get all the way out of there. Since Shining Fellow didn't, Sadanoumi wrapped him up but gud and removed him straight away from the clay, yori-kiri. Sad Man looked happy.

M14 Enho (4-1) vs. M12 Yago (3-2)
They were hyping little-Hobbit Pippin-Enho on the broadcast today, but I didn't know what they were saying because I had the sound off (who needs it? We can make up our own minds). However, teensy Enho has been a lot of fun. Injury cheated us out of Ura, and so we're getting this elfin prince Enho as compensation. Slow motion tachi-ai: I think Yago didn't want to get cheated. Then a slow motion first few moments, including one of those bits of separation where Yago was waiting for Enho to do something: better safe than sorry, the big man was thinking. But Yago ended up sorry. Enho burrowed in, got a deep left on the belt and a right frontal grip, and stuck his head onto Yago's belly. This lasted for a while, and featured a good kick from Enho that almost knocked Yago off balance. When it didn't, Enho regrouped and spun quickly: this unbalanced Yago plenty, and when Enho drove forward, pressing his head into that belly, Yago promptly went down on his butt, uwate-hineri. You know what? This was awesome. I'm skeptical of little guys, remembering many disasters past (remember Takanoyama?), but Enho was smart, aggressive, fearless, and effective.

M12 Shimanoumi (2-3) vs. M11 Tochiohzan (3-2)
I have always felt that getting low is about the most important thing you can do. Just get down in there and you have one advantage. However, it is also nice to be a veteran. In this one Island Sea (Shimanoumi) was low throughout, and things were looking good for him. However, Tochiohzan stuck with it, sized Island Boy up, and at the right moment gave a rip-smart tug on the head that left Shimanoumi and his low-low technique down on the ground, hataki-komi.

M9 Nishikigi (1-4) vs. M11 Shohozan (3-2)
It would be easy for me to say, ha! See! Nishikigi is terrible, and can't handle the high ranks! Except he handled them okay for a couple of tournaments. But a lot of guys do. Then they either get figured out, or run out of money. Nishikigi looks figured out right now. There was a nice false start in this one where Darth Hozan bopped Nishikigi on the head pretty good. Well, Sith are like that. Darth Hoz said he was sorry but everybody knew he was bitter about life. Anyhoo, when they went for reals Darth H went really hard at Nishikigi, battering the low and inside position, punching, getting after it. Nishikigi did pretty well to resist all this but in the end all the flying hardware torn off the walls of the Bespin air shaft wore Nishikigi down and he found Darth Hozan had snuck inside with both dark arms and had him in moro-zashi. "I am your oyakata," Darth breathed hoarsely in Nishikigi's bloody ear. "Noooooooo!" screamed Nishikigi, and gave a heroic wrench to Darth Hozan's body as Darth knocked him over, and they both fell down the Bespin shaft. It was too close to call, and the Emperor's Royal Guards, wearing black today, had to confer. Do over. Yaay! Agree. On the third try Darth Hozan said, "okay I'm sick of this" and just chopped Nishikigi in half with a light saber. Okay, not really. Darth got low and inside, but this time he was the tired one, and Nishikigi slid him all the across the Death Star floor. Darth tried to escape and almost pulled it off, but Nishikigi tapped him on the belly one more time and Darth died, oshi-dashi. So, did you ever wonder why Vader had a heart attack just from having a little fight with Luke and getting zapped by a split second of lightning from an upside-down-Emperor? Vader is probably only like 40 years old at that point. Max 50. Probably 45. Anyway, we're having fun now!!

M10 Kagayaki (1-4) vs. M9 Tomokaze (3-2)
Whew, after that we need a short one: Tomokaze stepped to the side after initial contact and whacked Kagayaki down by the shoulder and head, hataki-komi. Better?

M10 Onosho (2-3) vs. M8 Asanoyama (5-0)
Dust off the leaderboard, it's Asanoyama! No wait, it's Onosho: pushing, thrusting, throttling, moving, dominating, winning! Onosho by oshi-dashi, inching his opponent brutally back little by little until there was nowhere to go but out. Onosho always looks capable of doing something like this, then almost never does. Well, today he did.

M8 Kaisei (2-3) vs. M6 Yoshikaze (2-3)
I'm fascinated by how Kaisei's belly button is turning into a crack, crater, black hole: his belly is expanding around it because it isn't coming along, hanging back, sucking the excess belly flesh into its vortex. Yoshikaze got down and in on him, inspecting that belly button for lint, or hairballs, but Kaisei stood him up by main strength: just pulled him straight like a string. Speaking of pulling, Yoshikaze tried to pull Kaisei down, and it almost worked. But in a fascinating moment, Kaisei reached out instinctively with his arms and shoved at Yoshikaze, half in defense: "geroff me!" His body was back and he didn't look like he should be able to get any strength into that reactive push. But lo! Yoshikaze was shot-putted several feet across the packed dirt, over the straw, and all the way out, oshi-dashi. Man. Yoshikaze has got nothing left.

M5 Myogiryu (1-4) vs. M7 Shodai (4-1)
Pushing here, shoving there. Back and forth. Arms a-gaggle. I don't like this kind of sumo, and it is hard to describe. A mess. A push-brawl. They threw in a couple of head pulls each to give me something else to say. In the end Myogiryu was the one with the right push at the right time, getting the oshi-dashi win. Stuff like this just feels kind of random.

M7 Meisei (2-3) vs. M5 Ryuden (3-2)
The Mighty Flea vs. The Unassuming Dragon. Flea was going for low-inside body pushes, but Ryuden got onto his belt inside on the left. That was going to be bad for Meisei because Ryuden is better on the belt. Meisei resisted pretty well, though; very well in fact: their belt hook-up went on for quite some time, and it went into the third nage-no-uchi-ai I've gotten to cover in my last two days. These are great: both guys hanging over the edge, heads going down, who will go down first? The last two times, the loser lamely put his arm down. I say lamely, but wouldn't you? The temptation has to be nearly irresistible. That's why I want to give Meisei massive credit: he did the opposite, tucking his arm up to give himself the maximum chance, make sure some other part of his body hit first. He still lost--Ryuden's work here was beautiful, and he managed not only to tip Meisei's body down first but to pull himself out of it and miraculously not fall, getting an excellent uwate-nage win--but I love it that Meisei sold out to try to get the win. Pulling your arm back when it is the last thing between your forehead and the dirt? That's fighting spirit.

M6 Takarafuji (3-2) vs. M4 Abi (4-1)
You remember Bert from Sesame Street? I read an interview where his creator said at first he was worried about Bert because he was boring. There was nothing special about him. So he decided to make the boringness Bert's special characteristic. Paper clip collection, etc.: Bert was defined by being boring. Takarafuji, you are hereby known as "Bert of Sumo." Bert stood around in this one, getting whacked in the fact by Abi, head bent back, beaten this way and that. And Bert won because, boringly, at a certain point he still hadn't lost and Abi was out of control and had got his back to the straw right at the edge. So Bert pushed him out, oshi-dashi. Yay, Bert!

M2 Endo (1-4) vs. M4 Okinoumi (1-4)
With their gold and black belts, between the two of them these guys kind of looked like the Pittsburgh Pirates. Endo wormed his way smoothly into inside/outside belt holds while Okinoumi held only body. This was good-looking stuff: chest to chest, low and tight, struggleful and wickedly dynamic. Endo won it by jerking Okinoumi even further in, uwate-dashi-nage, while quick-hopping his own body out of the way. I like Endo best when he loses, but I often like him when he wins, too. If everybody were his size, he'd probably be great.

K Aoiyama (1-4) vs. M1 Hokutofuji (1-4)
I'm down with what Gary said: Hokutofuji is always going to give you a stubborn fight. He's a working man's rikishi. Aoiyama tried his old "back up and pull down" routine, which looks unutterably lame but often works. Not this time: Hokutofuji moved fast enough and pushed upward enough to keep Aoiyama off of him and send him out backwards, oshi-dashi It's a loud 2-4 thus far for Hokutof.

M1 Kotoshogiku (2-3) vs. K Mitakeumi (3-2)
You know, I love to make fun of my round faves like Chiyomaru and Tokushoryu. They look so ungainly, waddling about all stiff and packed with lard. It's like, "do you seriously think you're going to rise up the banzuke when you look like a pudding combined with a duck?" As lower Maegashira guys they're fun, but they have no chance of mixing it up effectively with the limber, stronger guys who populate the top half. And yet you know what? Mitakeumi looks exactly like them these days. And the more bulbous he gets, the worse he does. If I were a stablemaster, I wouldn't be telling my guys to put on more weight. I'd be trying to build more bodies shaped like Hakuho, Ryuden, Takarafuji, Okinoumi. In the match Mitakeumi smashed bodily into Kotoshogiku and tried to drive him out with sheer bulk. Kotoshogiku was lively and tried to belly shove and drive in return, and a couple of years ago this would have worked. However, Mitakeumi was low and steady, and he's younger and better and won it by yori-kiri force-out in the end. Hmmm. Yeah, Mitakeumi is pretty round, but his fat is pretty compact. He has that flat, smooth frontal shape Tochiazuma had. Could go either way. He's still looking too fat to me.

Match of the Day: S Ichinojo (2-3) vs. O Tochinoshin (5-0)
Ichinojo is a different case: he's so tall, and carries his weight so evenly, if I was his oyakata, unlike with some of these other guys, I'd say "just keep piling it on, buddy." He could probably stand to get a lot bigger, and probably will. But look at Tochinoshin--another good example of a guy whose body is a slightly fattened up version of a boxer, a football lineman, a first baseman: there's not a lot of pointless flab there, leaving him free to use those powerful legs and arms and not have to get around his own belly or be burdened by his own weight. Yeah, he's plenty fat by normal-person standards. But on the dohyo he's cut in comparison, and he has parlayed that into a great career. I'd keep my guys at this sort of weight distribution. As for the match, this was a good one, people. They both got long, deep belt grips, they kept their cans back, and they leaned on each other hard. The test of strength was on. Ichinojo wasn't going to just give this one away. There were lots of force-out tries that didn't quite make it, lots of restabilization, and lots more leaning on each other. In the long run I figured this favored Ichinojo--"wait them out and weight them down" is a longstanding technique of his--but Tochinoshin was having better force-out tries. In the end, it was Ichinojo who ran out of gas: Tochinoshin's last force-out charge was last not because it was anything better than the others, but because it was last: Ichinojo couldn't hold the fort anymore. Lovely yori-kiri win for the tournament's most compelling wrestler, Tochinoshin.

M3 Tamawashi (2-3) vs. O Takayasu (3-2)
Tamawashi dominated throughout, but it took him awhile to finish it: give Takayasu credit for not crumbling immediately under the barrage of neck shoves and body blows delivered by The Mongolian Hammer. I guess that's the measure of an Ozeki these days: in a straight up match with an elite Mongolian, you're good enough not to get beat right away. In the end Tamawashi did finish Takayasu brutally off, spinning him around 360 at the edge with unrelenting and indiscriminate body and arm pressure for the okuri-dashi win, but Takayasu made Tamawashi work for it. If only every match up were like this, I'd be happy to sing the praises of guys like Takayasu. But I've got to sing for Tamawashi--you've just got to. Because he is.

O Goeido (3-2) vs. M3 Chiyotairyu (1-4)
When Endo fights, I pray for him to get blasted to kingdom come. When Chiyotairyu fights, I pray for him to blast his opponent to kingdom come. They're the polar opposites in the fundamental-available-power spectrum in the upper half of the upper division. Goeido seemed like a great candidate to get obliterated by Chiyotairyu's explosive tachi-ai bang. Lo! It almost happened. Chiyotairyu knocked Goeido upright alright--but not very far back. No matter. Seeing that Goeido was hanging on for dear life--and wouldn't you?--Chiyotairyu went for a masterful retreat, pull, and fade, and Goeido went down easily, hiki-otoshi. I've said it before: pulls don't have to be bad if they're well earned and done right. This was one of those.

M2 Daieisho (3-2) vs. Y Kakuryu (5-0)
And here we are, at the end. And oh, we do like Kakuryu fine, I suppose. That's about the best I can say. He is there. We respect him. A basho continues. Kakuryu flirted with danger in this one. First, he played Daieisho's game, getting into a flurried-arm battle. Second, he went for the pull, moving sharply and swiftly backwards. It worked just fine--Daieisho went down like 200 year old bricks with lots of moss in the cracks--but Kakuryu had both feet on the straw by the time the bricks hit the hataki-komi turf. It was kind of a Hakuho-like moment for Kakuryu: "here, let's see if I can win even if I basically fight like crap and give the other guy his best shot." And? Yes, he can. The Invisible Yokozuna can win like that too.

Tomorrow Mike says everything is really, really great!

Day 5 Comments (Gary Jones reporting)
Hello to all. Before we get to all the top division thrills here's a Special Bonus Ikioi Report. Before the big show started, the walking dead that is Ikioi had his “bout” today. Daiamami escorted him straight out as smoothly and respectfully as possible to put Ikioi at 0-5. It would seem that Ikioi is now only concerned with protecting his ironman reputation of 85 basho with no withdrawals. That's going all the way back to his debut in Jonokuchi in 2005.

In that same 2005 basho there was only one Yokozuna (Asa-something, long forgotten about) and, as now, three Ozeki in Kaio, Tochiazuma and Chiyotaikai (all 3 would be wearing the Tsuna if time-warped to today).

It's Ikioi's legacy, he ain't getting a yusho but this he can cling to, but it's only pride. He has nothing to offer unless he can heal. Isenoumi Oyakata isn't ordering him to sit down either. On paper the consecutive appearances are clocking up but these bouts are not actually competitive at all and he will only freefall further down the banzuke. He now has a nasty infection in his leg, one fairly common in martial arts if a skin scrape is combined with poor floor cleaning duties. He could have picked it up at any heya he visited. It isn't helping.

While we're in Juryo, Toyonoshima has been much too genki for the second division to contain him. Cue your best Arnold imitation, he'll be back!

Ishiura (M16) 1-3 vs. Kotoeko (M15) 3-1
It must be the season for falling on your head. Ishiura was a bit nervous about doing it so the always helpful Kotoeko assisted with a kote-nage that gently smashed his skull into the clay. The not so huge Kotoeko is loving being the bigger guy for a change and he's bullying the scrubs with 4 wins already.

Terutsuyoshi (M15) 2-2 vs. Kyokushuho (J3) 3-1
I jest about it being the season for hitting their heads but it does seem to be a season for small guys to come through. Men so small that, before a rule change that benefited a young Toyonoshima, they would have been rejected as too undersized for sumo.

Terutsuyoshi won't let being undersized get in HIS way. Oh, he's lost.

Chiyoshoma (M17) 2-2 vs. Enho (M14) 3-1
Having received a letter of complaint I wish to withdraw all the comments I made about Enho on day 2. I fully accept that they were hurtful and cruel. It was not my intention to make anyone cry or to shut themselves in their bedroom and declare themselves Hiki-komori. I apologize.

Today Enho destroyed the uncultured Chiyoshoma utilizing his overwhelming oshi-dashi sumo. Thank you.

P.S. Enho San, your mother has excellent penmanship.

Daishoho (M16) 1-3 vs. Sadanoumi (M13) 2-2
Boom! 400 pounds of Daishoho just decided to knock the air out of Sadanoumi's lungs sending him staggering back over the edge. They called it oshi-dashi but it was all tachi-ai baby. Let's hope this a revival of the long forgotten smash mouth sumo. What day does he face Terutsuyoshi?

Tokushoryu (M14) 2-2 vs. Yago (M12) 2-2
Old school hidari-yotsu from two of the roundest rikishi in the scrubs. Yago fully intended this position and he got the better of it straight away, jostling hard for the force-out victory.

Chiyomaru (M13) 3-1 vs. Tochiohzan (M11) 2-2
Big Maru didn't want any of what Tochi was offering today, he even bailed on the matta. Then he pulled the slowest half henka possible and began avoiding coming to grips. I'll have moro-zashi then, said Tochiohzan and grunted him out yori-kiri. Wow, don't put too much effort into it Chiyomaru, save some for tomorrow.

Shimanoumi (M12) 1-3 vs. Onosho (M10) 2-2
Our ignored debutante this basho is the double Juryo Yusho winning Shimanoumi. He is the unlucky guy who got the shaft from the banzuke reshuffle. He won 13 times in the Juryo top position taking the yusho, but was totally overlooked and given only M12. The last guy who did the same thing was the Egyptian drag racer himself Osunaarashi, and he was boosted all the way up to M7, a full 9 slots higher. Perhaps the committee had less confidence in Shimanoumi to handle things any higher. So far it looks like they knew exactly what they were doing.

Pushed to the tawara, turned to the side and stepping out. That was the winning position for Shimanoumi today. Onosho couldn't keep his feet long enough to pick up the win that he made. They scrambled for something to call it (other than weak) and out of the hat came hataki-komi.

Shohozan (M11) 3-1 vs. Tomokaze (M9) 2-2
A nice head clash to start and a face slap to finish as Tomokaze dropped his man to the sand. There's no kimari-te for right cross over the shoulder so let's just use our old friend hataki-komi.

He was barely noticed last March but Tomokaze took full advantage of all the roadkill at the lower end of Makuuchi to go on a 4 win streak at the end. None of them had a winning record or put up much resistance. But still, it's another career high reached at M9 for the young guy. He's still climbing, good on him.

Kagayaki (M10) 1-3 vs. Asanoyama (M8) 4-0
As Kagayaki falls victim to a crisis of confidence, Asanoyama rises up on the strength of those low set, wide hips. He now has a pair of nage (throwing) techniques to go with his 3 yori-kiri wins. Them's child bearing hips.

Nishikigi (M9) 1-3 vs. Meisei (M7) 1-3
If standing up and getting knocked back over the tawara is your thing, then Nishikigi is the guy for you. Even his bow looked devoid of enthusiasm. Harvye called Meisei a young Myogiryu, a guy who excels at speedy moro-zashi, well today he took an easy moro-zashi along the way to yori-kiri, he could just as easily have taken a nap and then won.

Shodai (M7) 3-1 vs. Yoshikaze (M6) 2-2
Lots of effort from Yoshi today. He knew he needed to, Shodai is not an overly “generous” man. Yoshikaze hit hard and pushed, moved, pulled, survived, came back to the center and drove for the tawara. Then supple Shodai turned him and beat him, yori-kiri. It's good to see Yoshikaze still has the energy in him, he'll make a fine addition to the Juryo ranks.

Why take the hard road to victory when you can just wait for the right time to strike? From the book of Shodai.

Takarafuji (M6) 2-2 vs. Kaisei (M8) 2-2
After surviving the initial charge, patient Takarafuji wormed his way into hidari-yotsu and waited for big Brazil to gas out. 37 seconds later he did. Yori-kiri.

Kaisei's legs are buckling under his own weight when he tries to put the brakes on. Despite his injuries making things difficult, he has only two assertive options. Either strengthen the legs by training around the injury or reduce the enormous load on them. Right now he seems to be hoping for a third, more passive option, just waiting around to heal.

Myogiryu (M5) 1-3 vs. Abi (M4) 3-1
Abi came out with his trade-mark moro-te-zuki and stopped Myogiryu in his tracks. For once he got his legs behind all the thrusting and blasted away, oshi-dashi. I hate to say it but it was only against Myogiryu so doesn't count as improved sumo just yet. Former speedster Myogiryu is looking like an early candidate for the M11 rank this basho. The only guy he has overwhelmed is poor punchbag Okinoumi.

Okinoumi (M4) 0-4 vs. Ryuden (M5) 3-1
A sumo horror show. Ryuden has put in some of the hardest fought, most enjoyable yotsu battles since his arrival in Makuuchi. Well not today. Ever wrestled a child and hoped he would do something to win, but he doesn't, he just hangs on? That. Beyond terrible. Ryuden must have heard the Mongolian national anthem and took a knee. The only guy without a white star in the entire division gets his first win. Oh joy.

Endo (M2) 1-3 vs. Kotoshogiku (M1) 1-3
If ever Endo was going to henka, today should have been that day. Instead he took a Koto full of Giku straight on and was blasted out in the traditional 2 seconds flat. Oshi-dashi with no frills.

Hokutofuji (M1) 1-3 vs. Tochinoshin (S) 4-0
Spirited resistance from Hokutofuji, that's what you get. He hasn't realised he's not the next big thing and gives his all more often than almost anyone else. Tochinoshin overwhelmed him in a bruising display of power, grinding him backwards despite not yet having a belt hold. As his opponent dug in at the tawara, Tochinoshin took a nice fat, inner right grip. And Hokutofuji still resisted, expending strength whilst fighting a losing cause. An inevitable yori-kiri followed.

Win or lose Hokutofuji has given his best effort against the top ranks and for that I salute him. But with one win out of five days, it's mostly lose.

Ichinojo (S) 2-2 vs. Mitakeumi (K) 2-2
The most frustrating man to support in Makuuchi, Ichinojo has alternated between terrible and just about passable. It's clear Natsu is another basho to be grateful for the wins he manages to accumulate and not to expect too much. He isn't moving well even when he wins and that's a dead give away that he's not going to be mighty in May.

I think there was a pre-basho report that a herniated disc in his back had squished out again (it's a technical medical term), it was only one report and he looked good in training so I moved on. But here he is getting heaved backwards by Mitakeumi. The Komusubi's sturdy arms inside, hands on the chest and pushing upwards. Plain vanilla oshi-dashi for Mitakeumi, just against an extra big scoop of it today.

Goeido (O) 3-1 vs. Daieisho (M2) 2-2
There was an air of tension before this one. Perhaps Japanese hopes were transferring to Goeido for the Yusho. Daieisho looked tight and a little pissy (it's a technical sumo term) as he prepared to disappoint the gray-haired faithful. And disappoint them he did as he kicked Ozeki ass.

Daieisho levered into Goeido so much that all the yusho winning Ozeki had to do was step aside to watch the M2 fall on his face. But he was trying to go forward and couldn't move the 25 year old an inch. Daieisho only paused to deny the inside left and then he pounced. Goeido faltered backwards completely compromised and unable to answer the good looking but standard issue thrusts coming his way. A fine tsuki-dashi, along with your villain of the day award, goes to Daieisho.

Takakeisho (O) 3-1 vs. Tamawashi (M3) 1-3
Yes today's big news is that Takakeisho is sitting on a cushion watching the basho on TV like the rest of us. A reported knee, MCL (Medial Collateral Ligament ) injury. Doctors have given him 3 weeks to heal up so I'll wildly guess it's not too serious, either a strain or a very small tear. It's a common enough injury in sports but you know where else it's really common? Chickens.

Not your tough as nails old farmyard bird but the super fast growing, intensively fed indoor chicks the world is scoffing down. They grow so fast the joints cannot take their own weight and the lower leg splays out to the side. The ligament on the outside of the knee is under no load. This would lead to joint imbalance if they live to maturity, which is why I try to eat as many as possible, it's the only decent thing to do. But the inner one, the MCL, is stretched. Kinda puts all the sumo media talk about his parents force-feeding their little chick in a new perspective.

His Oyakata didn't actually say he wouldn't come back this basho, only that he will take the time needed to heal. As Mike warned, it's happened before, it can happen again.

Chiyotairyu (M3) 1-3 vs. Takayasu (O) 2-2
Finally Takayasu has found a winning formula, when the big scary man comes for you, run. Give up all ground, turn away and go up on one leg. And just hope really hard that your single offensive move wins it for you. You know, the basics of sumo. Hataki-komi victory and a hint of embarrassment for Takayasu.

Aoiyama (K) 1-3 vs. Kakuryu (Y) 4-0
Rinse and repeat sumo from Kakuryu on day 5 and what a good thing that is! He stood right in front of Aoiyama and his legs absorbed him like a sponge, not so easy to do against this guy. Aoiyama worked hard to get his arms extended and he rocked his opponents head back but all the while his feet were betraying him, driven back step by step. Kakuryu is doing so much forward moving at Natsu I'm almost hoping for a “gotchya peach” henka. He's earning it so might as well cash-in.

Kakuryu is really, really difficult to beat for the first 10 days of a basho. But once he's got his Yokozuna-koshi he often breathes out and plays softly with the other big boys, turning winning streaks into loses. The default position is simple. He's the Yokozuna, it's his yusho to lose. The trouble with Kakuryu is, we won't know for sure if he truly means business until day 12 or 13.

The action promises to be fast and furious on day 6 as they always fight harder for Harvye Hodja.

Day 4 Comments (Mike Wesemann reporting)
I mentioned on Day 1 how I was seeing pre-basho reports touting Takakeisho as adding a Kotonishiki-like element to his sumo. This Kotonishiki element was fighting to secure moro-zashi and then defeating opponents by yori-kiri. NHK even showed clips of a pre-basho keiko session where Takakeisho was getting moro-zashi and emphatically driving opponents out of the ring. I kind of rolled my eyes when I saw the story because it was like my suddenly declaring that I was changing my sprinting style to resemble Usain Bolt and expecting similar results, but then the NHK guys in the booth on Day 1 brought it up yet again. It used to be that I would post pre-basho keiko news on the website, but once I started seeing yaocho pop up in keiko (of all places) and skewed banzuke, I figured that it was no longer worth my time dealing with news articles that weren't really news.

My modus operandi now is to identify the narratives being spun by all the media outlets and then illustrate them using evidence seen in the ring to back them up, and so an obvious narrative surrounding Takakeisho prior to the basho was this new Kotonishiki business. Through the first three days, the Kotonishiki-like sumo was nowhere to be found, but it got its debut today against Mitakeumi in a fake bout whose result was Takakeisho's coming up with a knee injury. They say in sumo that rikishi get injured in the ring when someone lets up, and that was definitely the case here, but in Takakeisho's case, it goes beyond that. A rikishi is who he is, and you either have the ability to fight in certain ways or you don't. To see Takakeisho fake a yotsu effort like this and then come up injured shouldn't be a surprise to anyone.

Reports at the end of Day 4 regarding Takakeisho's condition were all over the place. The faux-zeki himself said he was just fine and would fight tomorrow, but other sources are saying they think it's more serious. Multiple outlets have reported that Takakeisho will be examined at a hospital tomorrow morning, and then the stable will determine whether or not he'll continue to compete.

I don't care how serious the injury is. Remember a few basho ago when Mitakeumi injured his knee seriously causing him to sit out four days only to come back in miraculous fashion on Day 11 to defeat Hakuho, Tochiohzan, and Ichinojo in succession? Once Mitakeumi had kachi-koshi after the gift from Ichinojo, he got his ass kicked the last two days of the tournament literally just walking back and out before he could get injured further. The point is...it doesn't matter whether Takakeisho is seriously injured or not. When yaocho is in play, anything can and will happen.

I suppose I shouldn't get too ahead of myself, so let's turn our focus now to the Day 4 bouts.

M17 Chiyoshoma and M15 Terutsuyoshi hooked up in hidari-yotsu from the tachi-ai, and I should say at this point that Terutsuyoshi has to buy the majority of his bouts in this division. The best thing the dude has going for him is chucking a huge handful of salt prior to his bout, and the reason he does it is because he can't wow the spectators with legit Makuuchi sumo. Anyway, long and short of this one is that Terutsuyoshi didn't pony up the cash, and so Chiyoshoma just pulled him down with ease a few seconds in leaving both rikishi at 2-2.

M17 Kotoeko welcomed Wakatakakage from Juryo today as the two hooked up in migi-yotsu, and the Juryo rikishi (sorry, not gonna type that name again if I don't have to) actually won the tachi-ai moving Kotoeko back a few steps and forcing him to go for a defensive pull, and while the pull wasn't great, it halted Wakatakakage's momentum just enough to where Kotoeko was able to slip to his right and hoist the Juryo rikishi over and down with a decent scoop throw. Ring experience in the division won out here has Kotoeko moves to 3-1 while Wakatakakage makes me crave karaage.

M16 Ishiura henka'd wildly to his left against M14 Tokushoryu, and since the special sauce doesn't ooze too quickly out of his stance, Tokushoryu easily squared back up with his opponent. Ishiura used a left paw up and under Tokushoryu's right pit to try and move him off balance, but it was not to be as Tokushoryu answered with a nice pull that sent Ishiura over and off balance so much so that he could not recover resulting in a nice oshi-victory for the Sauce. Tokushoryu moves to 2-2 with the win while Ishiura falls to 1-3.

The first two days, M14 Enho tested orthodox sumo in the division winning by yaocho on Day 1 before getting beat soundly on Day 2. Since then, he's resorted to gimmick sumo, and while I necessarily don't care to see it, I can't say that I blame him. Today against M16 Daishoho, Enho ducked up and under getting the left arm deep to the inside while trying to set up a komata-sukui with the right hand. It wasn't working well, but Daishoho was not looking to win this one. He sorta used a right arm around Enho's left in the kote grip, but the throw never came, and then when Enho did attempt a mediocre inner belt throw, Daishoho just played along and hopped over and down onto his gut. Sorry folks. Enho wasn't foolin' anyone here. The bout was bought and paid for as the Vienna Choir Boy sings to a 3-1 tune while Daishoho will eat well tonight despite his 1-3 record.

M13 Sadanoumi and M12 Shimanoumi hooked up in migi-yotsu where Sadanoumi used his experience to grab the early left outer grip, and once obtained, he kept Shimanoumi in tight as he forced him back and out in just a few seconds. Shimanoumi was quite mukiryoku with his right inside position, and then I thought he had an opening for a counter scoop throw with that same right arm, but it never came, so intentional or not, Sadanoumi picks up the win today over a mukiryoku opponent moving to 2-2 in the process. Shimanoumi falls to an unimpressive 1-3.

M13 Chiyomaru bruised M12 Yago backwards from the tachi-ai with his methodical thrust attack, and Maru literally had Yago on the brink, but instead of using nice de-ashi to continue his charge, he just backed up for no reason letting Yago back into the bout. With Chiyomaru now choosing to play defense, Yago finally responded with a weak pull attempt that barely connected, but Chiyomaru played along just flopping forward and down giving Yago the ill-gotten win. I think I gave Yago way too much credit in his debut basho. This guy is a total fraud as he's gifted his 2-2 mark while Chiyomaru willingly takes his first loss at 3-1.

M10 Kagayaki was half-hearted from the tachi-ai with a mild tsuppari attack that allowed M11 Tochiohzan work his way to the inside leading with a deep right arm and then eventually the left arm up and under Kagayaki's right armpit. Kagayaki made no effort to counter in this one, and as Tochiohzan forced him back that last step, he was completely upright showing no resistance whatsoever towards Tochiohzan. Kagayaki has become quite a talented rikishi, but he's more interested in selling bouts than his is trying to rise up the banzuke. He falls to 1-3 while Tochiohzan is a bland 2-2.

M10 Onosho's tsuppari attack against M11 Shohozan had far more bark than bite, so despite nudging Shohozan back a few steps from the tachi-ai, Onosho didn't have finishing power. Near the edge, he went for a dumb pull that allowed Shohozan to turn the tables by quickly slipping left and threatening moro-zashi. The two ended up in hidari-yotsu, but Onosho isn't a belt guy, and so instead of going chest to chest, Shohozan just spun to his right lifting and throwing as he went with the outer grip and sending Onosho down with some oomph uwate-nage style. This was more a display of Onosho's weaknesses than it was chikara-zumo from Shohozan, but credit the veteran for the nice win as he moves to 3-1. Onosho falls to 2-2 and will need serious yaocho help if he wants to rise back up the banzuke.

M9 Tomokaze shaded to his left at the tachi-ai against M8 Kaisei who tried to establish his right arm to the inside while Tomokaze moved laterally with his left arm pushing into Kaiser's right side. Kaisei could have easily demanded that deep inside position with the right, but he just went along for the ride as Tomokaze went for an ugly pull near the edge, and as he did, Kaisei nudged him with the left shoulder sending him across the straw before Kaisei crashed down. This was close, but it was such an ugly bout, it was hard to tell who touched down first. Replays showed that Tomokaze stepped out first giving Kaisei the win, but Kaisei was just going through the motions here as both rikishi end the day at 2-2.

M9 Nishikigi was completely defenseless today against M8 Asanoyama allowing Asa to get the right inside and left outer grip, and so it was no surprise to watch Asanoyama force his opponent back and out yori-kiri style with no resistance whatsoever. Read into this one what you want as Asanoyama moves to 4-0 while Nishikigi ho hums his way to 1-3.

M6 Takarafuji and M7 Meisei looked to hook up in hidari-yotsu from the tachi-ai, but neither rikishi wanted to commit and go chest to chest, which makes no sense for Takarafuji. A few seconds in, Takarafuji had Meisei's right arm pointing straight up, but he was just going through the motions here and not making Meisei pay, and so Meisei was able to skirt left across Takarafuji's body and give a weak tug at Takarafuji's right forearm from the inside that of course sent Fuji flopping down and out. They ruled it tottari, but that's the strangest tottari I've ever seen.

You know a good way to tell yaocho? Go onto the Sumo Association's website and find those illustrations that they do of each kimari-te, and then compare the illustration with the actual point of victory in the bout. In the illustration below, the winner should be facing towards the outside of the ring along with his opponent...which is coincidentally the same direction of the red arrow that reads direction of momentum. In this bout, Meisei was moving laterally during the "throw" going away from his opponent and turned inwards 90 degrees. Next, you have that red arrow (and the black lines at the rikishis' backs) that points the direction of the momentum for a natural tottari. In this bout today, the direction of momentum would have produced an arrow pointing straight up at 12 o'clock due to Meisei's lateral momentum moving away from his opponent, not down towards 8 o'clock where it should be.  Finally, a proper tottari drives the loser's head and shoulder into the dirt.  Today, Takarafuji flew forward with both hands free to break his dive.



These little oddities that contradict how they literally draw it up are tell-tale signs of yaocho and the unorthodox sumo we see today in general. Okay, enough of that as Meisei buys..er..uh..picks up his first win at 1-3 while Takarafuji falls to 2-2.

In the ugliest tachi-ai of the day (which says a lot), M5 Myogiryu just hopped forward perfectly aligning his feet across the starting lines, but M6 Yoshikaze wasn't moving forward, so he couldn't take advantage. After an awkward second or two with no contact at the tachi-ai, Myogiryu went for a fairy pull voluntarily backing himself up to the edge. Yoshikaze pursued, but he was in no rhythm whatsoever, and so the two ended up in hidari-yotsu where Myogiryu mistakenly grabbed the right outer grip. He repented quickly and just let the grip go as Yoshikaze ducked down, slowly worked his left arm inside, and then lifted Myogiryu upright before escorting him out yori-kiri style. Myogiryu was completely along for the ride in this one and did everything possible to lose the bout starting with the horrible tachi-ai, letting go of the outer grip, and then providing no resistance as Yoshikaze worked him out. Yet another fixed bout as Yoshikaze moves to 2-2 while Myogiryu falls to 1-3.

M7 Shodai kinda sorta got moro-zashi against M5 Ryuden who played the part of human cyborg of relations keeping his arms wide and out of the way as Shodai lamely used a moro-zashi grip where both limbs were about forearm deep to the inside. Still, with Ryuden just standing there upright, Shodai was easily able to force him back and out with no resistance. I honestly don't know how anyone could watch Ryuden from start to finish in this bout and deduct that he was at least trying to win. He simply wasn't falling to 3-1 while Shodai moves to the same mark, and before we move on, that moro-zashi "win" from Shodai was about as un-Kotonishiki-like as it gets.

M4 Abi used his high tsuppari with good effect keeping M2 Daieisho upright, but as Abi is wont to do, instead of using solid de-ashi to drive forward, he eases his way backwards looking for a cheap pull. Daieisho went with the flow of the bout moving forward, but he never could connect on a solid punch, and near the edge, Abi just leaped to his left going for a wild pull, and as he did, his left hand barely connected with the back of Daieisho's belt drawing the uwate-nage technique. Once again, go look for the illustration of an uwate-nage throw, and this didn't look anything like it. Who knows if this bout was fixed or not, but I do know that the sumo was ugly. Abi moves to 3-1 with the win while Daieisho falls to 2-2.

The ugliness continued as both Komusubi Aoiyama and M3 Chiyotairyu were half-assed at the tachi-ai with neither guy using his legs to drive forward. The result was a weak tsuppari-ai where Aoiyama leaned forward as Chiyotairyu moved to his left firing a lame left swipe at Aoiyama's extended arm that didn't really connect, but it didn't need to as the Happy Bulgar just dove forward and down giving Chiyotairyu the cheap win. This bout was entirely in slow motion until Aoiyama's dive at the end as both rikishi end the day at 1-3.

M4 Okinoumi managed to get his right arm inside and his left arm close to the inside at the tachi-ai, but Sekiwake Ichinojo just pinched in tight from the outside with both of his hams. As he did so, the Mongolith just barreled forward first with an awkward hop, and when it was clear that Okinoumi wasn't going to defend himself, Ichinojo just kept on going until Okinoumi was forced back and across. Once again, this was yet another bout that wasn't contested. I don't think that the bout was arranged beforehand, but it looked to me as if Okinoumi totally gave up half a second in. It just amazes me that people will pay money to watch this stuff as Ichinojo waltzes to 2-2 while Okinoumi comes up 0-4.

Sekiwake Tochinoshin's quest for reinstatement to Ozeki is a minor storyline in the media this basho, and M3 Tamawashi didn't do much to halt that quest. Tamawashi actually won the tachi-ai using his tsuppari to keep Tochinoshin up high and away from the belt, but after driving the Sekiwake back two steps, Tamawashi just let up in his thrust attack and allowed Tochinoshin to get to the inside. Shin got the right arm inside first, and the natural move for Tamawashi would have been to counter with his own right arm to the inside, and while the opening was there, he took that arm and brought it outside giving Tochinoshin moro-zashi. From that point, Tochinoshin plodded forward, but he had the entire dohyo to cover, so as Tamawashi was being driven back, he went for an got a maki-kae with that right arm, and it should have totally set up a counter scoop throw, but it never came as Tamawashi's intention was not to beat his opponent. With Tamawashi's right arm now to the inside, Tochinoshin focused on the left outer grip forcing the listless Tamawashi over and out. Near the edge, Tamawashi (1-3) actually had the chance to counter again with a left tsuki-otoshi, but he refrained kindly giving Tochinoshin a 4-0 start.

In the faux-zeki ranks, Komusubi Mitakeumi reached for the front of Takakeisho's belt with the left, but he backed up while doing so denying himself the grip and giving Takakeisho a window from the start. It took Takakeisho a bit to get going, however, as he spun his wheels for a bit at the tachi-ai, but he eventually seized on his opponent's retreat and managed to move forward. Mitakeumi kept his arms out wide gifting Takakeisho moro-zashi, but Takakeisho was clearly not comfortable with the position. Instead of driving his opponent straight back and out as Kotonishiki would do, for example, he just moved Mitakeumi from side to side. Mitakeumi kinda threatened a kubi-nage grip during this melee at one point, and then he also held onto a right outer grip, but for the most part he just kept his arms and elbows high and wide leaning into his opponent and never once attempting a counter move despite maintaining a decent outer grip. In the end Takakeisho did nudge the Komusubi across the straw where Mitakeumi was all to happy to step out early, but Takakeisho immediately came up limp favoring his right knee afterwards. He had trouble walking back to his side of the dohyo, and then he needed assistance getting down, so we'll see what the verdict is tomorrow.

As I mentioned in my intro, like God...with yaocho, all things are possible, so the extent of Takakeisho's injury doesn't really matter unless he tore his ACL. Takakeisho moves to 3-1 with the gift, and this was his first victory over Mitakeumi in the division. As for Mitakeumi, he graciously falls to 2-2 and should be rewarded for giving this one away.

Up next, Ozeki Takayasu looked to solve Takakeisho's nemesis yesterday in M1 Hokutofuji, but being dubbed an "Ozeki Killer" is apparently not in the cards for the M1. He dutifully kept his arms high and wide throughout allowing Takayasu to defeat him in linear fashion with a series of tsuppari that took longer than they should have. A good tsuppari guy--a true Ozeki for example--would have finished Hokutofuji off in about two seconds, but Takayasu made it look harder than it needed to be because all Hokutofuji did was back up and offer a few weak sideways slaps from the outside in. Takayasu is gifted his second win against as many losses while Hokutofuji falls to 1-3.

Goeido and M1 Kotoshogiku hooked up in hidari-yotsu after a bad tachi-ai, and instead of going for the right outer grip, Kotoshogiku just kept his arm up high on that side signaling to Goeido to make a move. Said move was a weak turn/twist leading with the right outside grip, and the Geeku's reaction was to just put his right knee down before crumpling to the dirt fully. I mean, they ruled it uwate-nage, but there wasn't much of a throw here. Goeido just kind of twisted at the belt and then had to keep up as Kotoshogiku dutifully went into a roll. Words to describe this bout would not include "hakuryoku" or "chikara" as Goeido moves to 3-1 while Kotoshogiku is the inverse at 1-3.

In the day's final bout, Yokozuna Kakuryu exhibited an effective tachi-ai actually charging into M2 Endoh and knocking him on his heels with a straight-forward oshi attack. As Endoh was being driven back, he moved left in an effort to throw the Yokozuna off course, but Kakuryu was still in complete control throwing an offensive pull Endoh's way and sending him across the dohyo with his back to the inside of the ring. Endoh spun 360 degrees moving back to his left, but the Yokozuna was right there to finish off his bidness oshi-dashi style. Kakuryu moves to 4-0 with the win while Endoh falls to 1-3, but at least the two provided a spirited contest to end the festivities.

Speaking of spirited contests, as I go back down the list of matchups today looking for bouts where both parties tried their hardest to win, this is the list I came up with:

Kakuryu - Endoh
Abi-Daieisho
Shohozan-Onosho
Tokushoryu-Ishiura
Kotoeko-Wakatakakage (Mmm...karaage)

I'm not stating that the other 16 bouts were fixed (although most of them were); I'm just stating that we didn't get full, honest effort from both parties in 16 of 21 bouts.

We won't have that problem here tomorrow with Gary at the helm.

Day 3 Comments (Harvye Hodja reporting)
I must join Mike and Gary and complete the trifecta of reminders: the most significant story of this basho is Hakuho's absence. He's absent a lot, but this being the first tournament of the new era, the symbolism is thick. With Kisenosato and Harumafuji gone, Tochinoshin knocked out of the Ozeki rank, and Ichinojo opening with a loss, the basho opened up feeling oddly empty. Hakuho can fill up the dramatic space, give Takakeisho somebody to beat: a counterpoint to the inevitable Japanese-hopes stories always hanging around. Kakuryu has the charisma of a flounder, and does not.

Then there is Hakuho's "misbehavior." I often write on the last day of the tournament, but I don't hang around to read the news stories after: I write what I saw, send it off to Mike, and get on with the rest of my Sunday. So yeah, I noticed Hakuho's little clapping game with the audience. My feeling was that it was a little awkward, a little odd. I wasn't sure it was a good idea--it did seem contrived, self-centered, and a little stiff. But I didn't think much of it--I completely ignored it in my report.

And two months later I return to sumo to read that this caused a firestorm of criticism. Hoo boy. It ain't easy being a foreign Yokozuna. I would put zero credence on the Hakuho injury story, and if I had to choose between that and the clapping, I'd say he was sitting out as a mute, de facto apology for the clapping. But I don't think it is either of those things: it is just time for him to sit out again, to give others a chance. He does this a lot.

So, Reiwa opens with a sigh, and we wonder how long we can remain cheerful about all this. Good matches often cheer me up. Let's see if we can find some.

M16 Daishoho (1-1) vs. J2 Takagenji (2-0)
Daishoho, coming off a boring 7-8 upper division debut in March, has yet to show me anything of interest this basho either. I liked his tachi-ai here, scooping up with his arms and getting a little bit of momentum on his side, but he did no follow up, pushing ineffectually at Takagenji around the shoulder. Takagenji said, "okay, well, fine, thank you" and got a nice left inside belt grip, while Daishoho got nothing. They then stood there for a while before Takagenji took a grip on the other side as gravy and forced Daishoho inexorably over the edge, yori-kiri. As Jeff Probst likes to shout on the U.S. TV program Survivor, "that is how you DO IT!"

M17 Chiyoshoma (1-1) vs. M15 Kotoeko (1-1)
Really stupid sumo here by Chiyoshoma, which he parlayed into a loss. He slapped Kotoeko in the face and then went for a lazy, falling-down attempt to lurch in and get Kotoeko by the belt. When it half worked, driving Kotoeko back, Chiyoshoma stopped in his tracks, let Kotoeko escape, slapped at him without getting in close, arms sloppily wide, and let Kotoeko come back in and grab Chiyoshoma fully around the body on both sides. When Kotoeko threw Chiyoshoma down by sukui-nage it almost seemed like Chiyoshoma was trying to drive his own body firmly into the ground before Kotoeko went down too. There is no more frustrating wrestler to watch than Chiyoshoma.

M15 Terutsuyoshi (1-1) vs. M16 Ishiura (1-1)
Shining Strong Boy vs. Stone Inlet. I used to call Ishiura Stone Ass, but like many of my kanji readings, that was simply phonetic and wrong. Oh, he knows what he's doing in picking that name. But he didn't know what he was doing in this bout, unless maybe he wanted to lose on purpose (could it be?!?), backing up with his hands on Teru's shoulders, not trying to pull, then getting slapped way, way too easily to the ground by Terutsuyoshi, hataki-komi. Sometimes this stuff just looks ridiculous.

M14 Enho (1-1) vs. M13 Sadanoumi (1-1)
Now that Gary successfully told all the good Enho jokes (please see yesterday's report), I have nothing to say. No wait! I have my patented, ultra-simple rookie analysis tool, "height/weight/age"! Enho, as is instantly and jarringly obvious, is tiny. He ain't even in triple digits: 99 kilos. At 168 centimeters, he's about 12 short of "meh." And at 24, he is not especially young for an upper division debut. So, yes, I will enjoy watching his Hobbit sumo, but I predict a career of nothin'. A natural comparison is Endo, a guy who I have said time and again is just too small and underpowered for the division. Guess what? Endo is 67 kilograms heavier and 16 centimeters taller than Enho. This is amazing: Enho makes even Endo look like a sprawling giant. Let the novelty sumo commence! That is exactly what we got: Enho ducked in low, grabbed Sadanoumi by his injured knee, picked that leg up, and steered Sadanoumi out via ashi-tori (leg-pull, or more literally, "leg take"). In other words, as Mike pointed out that the announcers opined on day one, Enho won because he is short.

M13 Chiyomaru (2-0) vs. M14 Tokushoryu (1-1)
I luuuv Chiyomaru's green belt. I also luv it that he is even fatter than before. He was always fun, now he is even MORE fun. And welcome back Special Sauce (Tokushoryu)! His special talent today was to make Chiyomaru look even fatter: Special Sauce is himself a round, silly, fun giant, but he looked relatively small next to Chiyomaru, leading me to think, "by god, if he even makes Special Sauce look mundane, Chiyomaru is truly magnificently round!" You have to take pleasure in this kind of thing, and I truly do. Anyway, as befits their physiques, they both looked exhausted from the beginning, standing up straightish and pushing at each other with widdle arms, having difficulty getting those arms around their own bulk. The idea that they could reach past two whole bellies and grab a belt seems a science fiction fantasy. Eventually Tokushoryu gave up at the end after a bit of all this desultory shoving; he let Chiyomaru push him out. They assigned the tsuki-dashi thrust out technique to this, which is sad because tsuki-dashi should be a whuppin', not a butter-sliding sigh.

M12 Yago (1-1) vs. M11 Tochiohzan (0-2)
Another give up. A couple of shoves at each other, then Tochiohzan got a shallow-looking dual-inside position, his fave (except for the "shallow" part). Once Tochiohzan got Yago near the edge, Yago stepped out on his own to finish it off, "oshi-dashi." Next!

M11 Shohozan (2-0) vs. M12 Shimanoumi (0-2)
Our second rookie, Shimanoumi, has a name that sounds like it means "Island Sea." This is the kind of thing a romantically inclined Junior High School student might name himself: Sea of Islands. Ah! I feel all fresh and drowsy! Romantic island sea… except that the characters in his name actually mean something like "sea of willful friction." Okay, that would be very cool. Except that this spelling of "Shima" is also a place name, and he's from that place. So, back to boring. Anyhoo, let's do height/weight/age. He is 178 cm (shortish), 157 kilograms (heavy enough), and 29 years old. Sigh. I respect the grind, but 29 is old, old, old for a rookie. Ganbatte, man. Shohozan slapped him in the face, then punched him in the jaw. However, Island Sea did a nice job of ignoring this, and got in close on Shohozan's body and drove him back some, helped by a Shohozan pull. To finish things off, Shohozan fell down at Shimanoumi's feet on a uwate-dashi-nage tug by Shimanoumi. Uwate-dashi-nage is basically a backwards moving pull on the belt. It sure didn't look like much; why would a veteran like Darth Hozan go down on a little thing like that? Oh, crap.

M10 Onosho (2-0) vs. M9 Tomokaze (1-1)
Come on, Onosho! Drive him all to hell with a massive, sustained push! We've been waiting for this guy to resume doing that for about a year now… and we will continue to wait. Oh, he pushed. But he didn't push hard, and Tomokaze stepped lightly to the side, la, got on Onosho's flank, and pushed Onosho out in turn, oshi-dashi.

M9 Nishikigi (1-1) vs. M10 Kagayaki (0-2)
Poor Kagayaki. Off to another terrible-first-week-then-recover-too-late-with-an-okay-second-week tournament? His fighting spirit always seems a little dull and blunt. He looks confused and down all the time: "why am I not better?" Nishikigi fought badly, backing up without trying any pulls, neglecting to close his hands on any grips or even try to get any. Eventually Nishikigi just collapsed, tsuki-otoshi. And I was in a mood to be all positive today… silly me!

M8 Asanoyama (2-0) vs. M7 Meisei (0-2)
Meisei has become pretty fun to watch: a young Myogiryu or a burgeoning Daieisho, small but with moxy. Asanoyama I also mostly like, but I agree with Gary that his new fatness is looking a tad soft and doughy. I'm beginning to tire of watching him spin his wheels and never develop a style, too. He is becoming just a guy. A future Takarafuji, passive and boring? Go Meisei! Meisei hit Asanoyama hard at the tachi-ai, but Asanoyama was just too big for him, leaning on Meisei, battering him, and staying close, personal, and violent. It made for a nice yori-kiri win for Asanoyama.

M7 Shodai (2-0) vs. M8 Kaisei (0-2)
When I saw these two names I thought, oh, are we into the second half already? We weren't. They're both just under-ranked a bit. So far Shodai is playing this well, while Kaisei has been a drunken lumberjack, easy to push over into the snowdrift outside the log cabin. But Kaisei was sobered up today: bumped with force at the tachi-ai, grabbed Shodai to keep him in position in front of his giant belly, then drove him out like he was that rolling temple-tunnel-boulder at the beginning of Raiders of the Lost Arc. Oshi-dashi. More flapjacks for the Kaiesei the Gentle Lumberjack!

M6 Yoshikaze (1-1) vs. M5 Ryuden (2-0)
Yoshikaze has looked really bad for several tournaments, and given how lively and dangerous he used to be it is kind of painful to watch. He's an underdog in almost every match now. He had nothing in this one--absolutely nothing. They bonked heads at the tachi-ai, then Ryuden stayed low, and Yoshikaze pulled once at Ryuden's head and walked out backwards, oshi-dashi. I am ready for Yoshikaze to retire, or enter that phase where he is mostly in Juryo and reappears on occasion to get creamed.

M5 Myogiryu (1-1) vs. M6 Takarafuji (1-1)
This was a simple thing, and probably not too real: Takarafuji stepped to the side and Myogiryu stumbled. Takarafuji got behind Little Myog' and pushed him out, okuri-dashi. I don't think an experienced guy like Myogiryu falls prey to a little move like that this easily.

M3 Chiyotairyu (0-2) vs. M4 Abi (1-1)
Contrasting styles: pure explosive power against wild sproingy here-and-there. I figured advantage Abi, because the best approach to Chiyotairyu's attack is to avoid it. It didn't go down like that, though: instead, Abi used his speed for a lightning-quick tachi-ai, getting in Chiyotairyu's face before Big Bomb had the chance to move forward even the tiniest bit. This took away Chiyotairyu's signature munitions-detonation attack, and left him easy push-out fodder, oshi-dashi. I am afraid I am duty bound to report that Chiyotairyu's tachi-ai looked unnaturally slow. Let's move on.

K Aoiyama (1-1) vs. M2 Daieisho (1-1)
There has been this interesting thing lately of second-tier foreign guys Tochinoshin and Tamawashi picking up well earned late-career consolation yusho: "you've been great, sorry we couldn't let you be better--this is the best we can do for you." Naturally the speculation has been "who's next?", with Aoiyama and Kaisei the most likely speculative candidates (Ichinojo is a different category--his future is still in front of him). It won't happen; Aoiyama and Kaisei aren't second tier foreigners--they are third tier. Who is the hardest hitter in the division? Maybe Tamawashi. Who is the strongest guy in the division? Maybe Tochinoshin. Tamawashi can awe with his fists, and Tochinoshin with his grips. Aoiyama and Kaisei have nothing comparable; they're just impressively big. Daieisho came out centered, low, and forceful, and pushed Aoiyama out in one second flat, oshi-dashi. No, I do not foresee Aoiyama winning any yusho.

M4 Okinoumi (0-2) vs. S Tochinoshin (2-0)
There are really three big stories this basho: Hakuho's withdrawal, Takakeisho's first tournament at Ozeki, and Tochinoshin's return to Ozeki if he wins ten. The first two days he looked absolutely great, so I'm excited to see whether he'll push for fifteen days or not--I sure hope so. He didn't mess around in this one. As Mike has told us for years, Okinoumi has the skills and body to be one of the best Japanese rikishi when he goes for it, and he too went hard. It was all belts, right from the snap-crackle-pop tachi-ai. Tochinoshin had a shallow left inside and a loose-belt right outside. Yoshikaze also had inside/outside grips, and as they strained and struggled it looked like it could go either way for these two big, strong, veteran guys. However, it was Tochinoshin who slung Okinoumi around at the edge, putting his opponent's back to the tawara, and won the final struggle to inch him over the last few threads of straw, yori-kiri. I used to assign "match of the day" to one bout each day I reported on, and this would have been the easy winner thus far today.

S Ichinojo (1-1) vs. M3 Tamawashi (0-2)
Speaking of second tier foreigners, here were the other two of them. It wasn't much of a thing, though. Tamawashi played torpedo, getting low and driving hard, straight, and simple. Ichinojo played cart-on-wheels, pulling on Tamawashi's head and trying to push him down while rolling away out: very easy win for Tamawashi, oshi-dashi. I figure these guys had a picnic by Lake Kucherla during the April break; looks like neither intends to be a factor this time out.

K Mitakeumi (1-1) vs. O Takayasu (1-1)
Interesting--neither of these guys matter right now. The days when they both seemed like legitimate threats to win the yusho every basho seems like an age ago. In the match there was a whole lot of slapping going on, mostly on Mitakeumi's part. Takayasu was standing there waiting to get beat. Back went Takayasu, then back went Mitakeumi. Takayasu followed and went down compliantly at his feet, hataki-komi. What a weird sport.

O Goeido (2-0) vs. M2 Endo (0-2)
Like Takayasu, Goeido is a sideshow. These days he seems to leap out to a solid, undefeated start too often, leaving me thinking, "oh no, is it going to be Goeido?" Then naturally he doesn't come close to the yusho, fading strongly in the last few days. I expected the same this tournament, but Endo surprised me by dominating this one and putting that narrative to bed. Endo snuck a sneaky left hand way, way inside at the tachi-ai and didn't let Goeido escape, flop crazily about as Goeido might. Endo drove forward, trying the force-out waters. Lo! Goeido went straight out, no problem. I was not impressed by Goeido's effort level here, but then I'm never much impressed by Goeido. Let it be.

O Takakeisho (2-0) vs. M1 Hokutofuji (0-2)
Looking over the early bow-outs by Hakuho, Ichinojo, and Tamawashi, I figured this tournament was Takakeisho vs. Kakuryu. It felt odd, or flat, because a Takakeisho yusho in his first Ozeki tournament still seem like too much too soon, and a Kakuryu yusho seems a very boring way to open Reiwa. Anyway, in the ring, this seemed like a good one for a possible upset; Hokutofuji makes a good rival for Takakeisho, and has a little chip on his shoulder about the young guys who get more shine. Sure enough, Hokutofuji did not simply give up. He kept close and worked Takakeisho with windmill upward thrusts and shoves. Takakeisho never had any momentum, and when he looked tentative, abandoning his bump, retreat, and repeat attack for sustained pressure, Hokutofuji exploded on him, forcing him back and knocking him emphatically into the crowd, oshi-dashi. Zoinks! Could it be we will have a wild and crazy tournament on our hands? Match of the Day, Part II.

M1 Kotoshogiku (1-1) vs. Y Kakuryu (2-0)
Wow. Day three, and already the tournament is squarely in Kakuryu's grasp. Yes, he is definitely The Storyteller this tournament--but he has just never been a very good one. I've been watching sumo for about twenty years, and every other Yokozuna in that time, including Kisenosato, has had about a billion pounds more charisma. I'm also not crazy about The Invisible Yokozuna's fighting spirit. Oh, he's fine. But Hakuho is a stone cold killer, and Kakuryu is more like a plodding foot soldier. Plod, plod, plod, all the way to the yusho? Kotoshogiku tried his old gaburi belly-heave technique here and had Kakuryu going backwards--looked dangerous. They were chest to chest, and Kakuryu was playing Kotoshogiku's game, mashed together like two pieces of French Toast in the bottom of the aluminum tray at the church brunch. But the Yokozuna wasn't going to go out like that, was he? No. He pivoted hard right at the straw, tried to sling Kotoshogiku into the dirt. Down went their heads, and up went their inside legs in a classic nage-no-uchi-ai. It was very, very close, and watching, I wasn't sure who hit down first--looked to me like Kakuryu's head pile-drove into the dirt before Kotoshogiku's noggin came down. But the gyoji picked Kakuryu as the winner, and no mono-ii. This turned out to be correct: Kakuryu's head did indeed hit before Kotoshogiku's did--hard, straight, and unsupported, a neck-breaker if it were you or me--but Kotoshogiku had put his arm down a fraction of a second before that. This was exciting, and looked cool. Yay!

Tomorrow Mike explodes like a barrel of tra-la-la on fire inside a popcorn machine.

Day 2 Comments (Gary Jones reporting)
Hello to all. With kyujo (or non participation) the hottest topic in sumo right now and it destined to remain the biggest single event this basho, I know what's really on your mind from yesterday. The one question we all want answers to. What happened to everyone's favorite, Chiyonokuni? It's true, the tournament just isn't the same without him.

After the screaming horror of his injury in the Hatsu basho subsided, they demoted him a good one, all the way down to the middle of Juryo. With a no-show here at the Natsu he may not be a salaried man for July. The good news is, he's no longer hobbling around on crutches. He can walk!

It wouldn't be right to have a basho without at least a mention of Khan Hakuho. He held off announcing his own kyujo until last Thursday morning as he remained hopeful to the end. It was made clear to us, the unwashed masses, that his motivation to appear was very high but the muscle tear hasn't healed on it's own and he refused surgery.

The first basho of the new Reiwa (pursuing harmony) era sees him at the east side (and so superior to west, of course) of the banzuke. He wanted to win it, flanked by his two young protégés Enho and Ishiura now both in Makuuchi for the first time and so eligible to wipe his "dew" for him. Hakuho's a goal setting kinda guy. It would have proclaimed to future generations what most modern observers are fully aware of, he be DA MAN.

Someone else will now win it and have their name written in a small corner of the sumo history books. It all came crashing down on the final day of the Haru basho. All because Hakuho was too busy entertaining the crowds by goofing around and throwing Kakuryu for the big finish instead of just winning the damn bout when he had him at the edge.

After Mike's sunshine and lollipops opening to the new Reiwa era, let's see if we can't enjoy ourselves on day two. Beer may help.

Daishoho (M16) 1-0 v Chiyoshoma (M17) 0-1
Chiyoshoma just missed out on being demoted last basho. Had there been one more even slightly worthy candidate he would have been a J guy. Daishoho showed his sumo chops by crashing into the poor man's Harumafuji with elbows flying out wide. If you're thinking moro-zashi, you'd be right. Moro-zashi with a yori-kiri twist for Chiyoshoma, and an arrivederci for Daishoho.

Ikioi (J1) 0-1 v Ishiura (M16) 0-1
Now the diminutive Enho has arrived, Ishiura suddenly looks like a real mass monster. Juryo man Ikioi (yep, it happens that quick) shoulder blasted him and tried to get to grips with the muscled up ankle bitter. He couldn't reach down far enough and the crowd whooped at the yori-taoshi win for Ishiura.

Tokushoryu (M14) 0-1 v Terutsuyoshi (M15) 1-0
Does anyone remember Tokushoryu from his previous visit to the Maegashira ranks? Me neither. Love the belly though, this is how rikishi should look. All full and round shapes ready for the artists brush. Tiny Terutsuyoshi ducked in low and saw only belly. Up close and personal he was just driven out oshi-dashi.

Kotoeko (M15) 0-1 v Enho (M14) 1-0
The crowd was thrilled and then disappointed as prepubescent Enho saw his opponent get in under his shoulder, get round to his side and run him straight out, oshi-dashi. The camera zoomed in as Enho fought back the tears, breaking the hearts of middle-aged women throughout Japan. Maegashira is a big rank for a little boy.

The only reason pixie faced Enho has managed to get this far is because he can hide behind the sand grains, sneaking out for the okuri-dashi finish. Twenty seven of his wins have come by disqualification when his opponents mistakenly attacked the Gyoji instead. There, I'm glad I've got that out of my system, as Ichinojo said when he turned around and saw Enho sitting on the floor. Now he's in the top division we shall see who is willing to nodowa a child. My money is on Hokutofuji.

Shimanoumi (M12) 0-1 v Chiyomaru (M13) 1-0
The Juryo Yusho winner seemed determined to show he can go chest to chest with Chiyomaru and chased him round looking for a hug. As soon as he got one he regretted it. There's a lot of man to Chiyomaru and he bellied his boy out, yori-kiri.

Results from the new weigh-ins were released just before the basho started and most Makuuchi men have been remarkably stable with their weight. One who hasn't is Chiyomaru. I don't think he really needed it but he's gained over 17lb (8kg) since last weigh-in, that's a lot and must surely affect how he feels during training.

In sumo it has long been taught to gain weight slowly but consistently, to give the body a chance to adapt. It should give him a bit more collision impact when he arrives but it will definitely take more time for him to get there now. Having been almost invulnerable to it, we will see if he gets brought down by Hataki-komi more often at his new 425 pound (193kg) magnificence.

Sadanoumi (M13) 0-1 v Yago (M12) 1-0
Again we see the habit of yielding at the edge from Yago to give the yori-kiri up. He stood his ground for a time as his smaller opponent flurried in front of him. It was impossible for Yago to tell what Sadanoumi was actually going for as everything was coming at him, nodowa, slaps and thrusts along with moro-zashi and a brief outside right. It was pure hustle from speedy Sadanoumi. And it worked.

Kagayaki (M10) 0-1 v Shohozan (M11) 1-0
Right at the start Kagayaki took a face full of Sho's thick skull and that was that, mo' moro-zashi and a surprisingly easy yori-kiri. Kagayaki looked deflated.

No-one has ever claimed veteran tough guy Shohozan was too heavy, but he has just dropped a surprising 11lb (5kg) which means if he skips lunch he won't be in the 300 pound club anymore. At 35 years old and more make-koshi than kachi-koshi this past year, it's safe to say the weight loss is simply due to age for the former Komusubi. It should keep him mobile for a bit longer and help prolong his career.

Tochiohzan (M11) 0-1 v Onosho (M10) 1-0
When they've had a stern lecture about vital protocols the Gyoji can be pains in the mawashi. Other times, not so much. Today nobody noticed Onosho waving his hand well past his shikirisen (white starting line) and then not even touching the sand (another vital part of the action) as he ripped into Tochiohzan for the yori-kiri victory.

Kaisei (M8) 0-1 v Nishikigi (M9) 0-1
Well, that ends my hopes for Kaisei this basho. He had a speedy tachi-ai, for him. Took a nice inside position and moved forward whilst keeping low. I really can't ask for more. Nishikigi just slung him down kote-nage style. Oh boy.

Tomokaze (M9) 1-0 v Asanoyama (M8) 1-0
When was the last time the top division delivered a strong uwate-nage in the middle of the dohyo? Only day 2 and Asanoyama stepped up and done did it. He gobbled that boy up as though he were a plateful of grilled eels, livers and all.

Asanoyama is another guy who's decided to eat his way to the top and gained 15lb (7kg) of increasingly soft bulk. That puts him about 10 away from joining the 400 pounder club. Well, there was me thinking he was a "difficult to move" rikishi because of good hip positioning and leg strength.

Takarafuji (M6) 1-0 v Shodai (M7) 1-0
These two kept bumping chests as they sorted out the position of the day. In truth Shodai had his left hand threatening to go deep inside all along. The sleepy Takarafuji didn't respond to it and in it went, nice and deep.

Taka defensively wrapped his right arm over perhaps looking to put a little kime clamp on that pesky limb. Shodai showed a touch of brilliance and grabbed Taka's right hand with his own right hand and drove forward to the tawara. Takarafuji survived but he lost all positioning and was brought down tsuki-otoshi. Shodai might be happier here in the middle of the pack.

Meisei (M7) 0-1 v Yoshikaze (M6) 0-1
A nice fast start from Meisei as he took a strong looking hazu-oshi position and started driving the 37 year old back. Beautiful sumo.

Then his head goes down, his arm disengages and he tumbles out into the front row seating. Ugly sumo.

Okinoumi (M4) 0-1 v Myogiryu (M5) 0-1
Yet mo' moro-zashi from Myogiryu. Yori-kiri. Okinoumi didn't do anything.

Ryuden (M5) 1-0 v Abi (M4) 1-0
Abi put a pulse back into the day with some old fashioned effort. Okay they said he lost again (he didn't, Ryuden touched first) but at least he made the crowd cheer. Officially an oshi-taoshi win for Ryuden as they both crash to the clay.

Tamawashi (M3) 0-1 v Mitakeumi (K) 0-1
I expected Tamawashi to be horrible following his near KO from Aoiyama yesterday. And he was. Oh he tried alright, he tried very hard indeed. He even (and he may regret this when he's older) smashed heads with Mitakeumi as he tried to get him moving backwards. But the more Tama tried, the more he exposed himself as jelly legged and slow to respond. Damn Aoiyama, that's some swing you got.

Mitakeumi didn't look much better either. Slow and ponderous, he hung on in there until Tamawashi ran out of energy and ideas and then grabbed at the Hataki-komi win. He's now beaten the Mongolian oshi machine 9 times in a row. He clearly has Tama's number. It's time for Tamawashi to stop answering the call and just henka him.

Ichinojo (S) 0-1 v Chiyotairyu (M3) 0-1
Four times they crashed chest and bellies into each other, each time Chiyo tried to get his oshi on and each time Ichi didn't seem to notice. After blubber blast number four Ichinojo took the open mae-mitsu grip and stepped into the space left by the now back peddling Chiyomaru. The oshi-dashi win was instant. Ichinojo gets Tamawashi for day 3, it may not be the premium match-up it should be.

Last time he was weighed, Ichi was still in the 400lb club. Just. Up a kilo from last time (what's one more kilo between 226 friends?) Ichinojo crushed the scale at 227kg. That's the full 500 pound with a few ounces to spare. Again. Chiyotairyu also ate his way up the bulk-o-meter by adding an impressive 15lb (7kg) on his already cannonball like physique, to come in at 436lb (198kg). That's some professional level munching.

Daieisho (M2) 1-0 v Tochinoshin (S) 1-0
For a brief moment Daieisho did well to hold his boy off when he opened with some strong thrusts and tried to get his legs into it. But Tochi pressed hard back at him and fell into his lucky left outer grip. With that in hand, he drove forward to the tawara (edge made of straw) and tossed the M2 over and away for the utterly dominating and oh so rare kimari-te of tsuri-dashi. He's looking super strong for the start of Natsu. His confidence must be up in the clouds but he should pace himself with plain yori-kiri wins, beginning with Okinoumi tomorrow.

In a final mention of the weigh-in results, Kasugano heya buddies Tochinoshin and Aoiyama were both in the 3-way-tie for first place as having lost the most amount of weight at 11lb (5kg) each. With so much on the line at Kasugano I'm inclined to think it's from some seriously hard training sessions.

Goeido (O) 1-0 v Aoiyama (K) 1-0
Sukui-nage (grip-less inner arm throw) win for the Ozeki. Another technique that's becoming increasingly harder to see in the top division. Aoiyama, massive though he is, gets thrown over about once in every ten bouts. Why? Often it's the same reason he got thrown today. He grabs hold of the arms, not the mawashi. Over we go.

Aoiyama has taken just 3 wins from Goeido out of 24 attempts. That's woeful for such a big dude when he's facing someone that comes straight at him. Bulging Daniel shouldn't be getting pushed around by a guy 66lbs (30kg) lighter. And it usually is pushing sumo, nothing too technical. Stand your ground big D you can do it!

Takakeisho (O) 1-0 v Kotoshogiku (M1) 1-0
Following a decent tachi-ai from Koto, where he just about held his own, he went and lifted his shoulders up. I assume to get some heavy oshi-action. But it didn't come. It was Takakeisho that stepped away from the straight line power sumo. Moving to his right he let the old bull stumble forward and delivered the pushes his is famous for at a now wide open and flailing target. Tsuki-dashi in 3 easy steps.

Shin Ozeki rarely do well. A mini tour of the sponsors is expected as are any, err, paybacks. They are unable to drop out of all the invites to attend dull social gatherings and, if they like you, media interviews and a guest spot on the new "guess the name of the kittens" game show. Training gets pushed aside. Its been a looong time since a shin Ozeki actually won the yusho. Exactly 13 years at the Natsu of 2006. Mike will fly out to your home and personally deliver a passionate kiss if anyone can think of the guy's name.

Endo (M2) 0-1 v Takayasu (O) 0-1
Lots of moving forward and pushing from Taka in this one but was it strong Ozeki level sumo? Well, not if you let Endo stay in it by moving and resetting his stance so you have to do it over and over. He does have a lot of trouble with Endo. At the end, Taka just looked relieved it was done with, no fire in the belly.

In the last of the hard practice bouts before the basho started, Ichinojo just effing destroyed Takayasu. The Ozeki was so frustrated from the 17-5 pummeling he received he was loudly grumbling and swearing in full view of the press. When it was time to give his interview he only managed through gritted teeth "I'm grateful to Ichinojo" and then left with his tail tucked between his legs. Any rumors you may hear that have Ichinojo quoted as saying "yeah, I totally owned that beeyatch" were started by me and are entirely untrue.

Word is, Taka's back is paining him so this is going to be a long basho for the Ozeki.

Hokutofuji (M1) 0-1 v Kakuryu (Y) 1-0
As sole surviving Yokozuna it falls on Kakuryu to pick the sumo banner up and lead from the front. That does not go so well with his quiet, easy going nature but he has been looking good during the pre-basho training. Yesterday he did to Mitakeumi what Mitakeumi likes to do to his own opponents, namely hit low, hit inside and hit first. If Kakuryu can fully commit to that style of tachi-ai then the rest of the bout will just be sweeping up the remains. Only the biggest boys will require something different.

Well if it ain't broke. The Kak was golden again. He got the jump on the 26 year old by dictating when they charge. Hokutofuji knew he had been played and faded over to his left instead of standing his ground. Kakuryu led with the head and the nice bonk was picked up by the mic. And that was it. The tachi-ai won it. A carbon copy of the day 1 oshi-dashi. Hokutofuji went for a light run half way up the hana-michi.

Harvye raises the tone of Sumotalk to just slightly out of the gutter for day 3.

Day 1 Comments (Mike Wesemann reporting)
Welcome to the Reiwa Era, and if Day 1 was a harbinger of the sumo to come this era, curse the life expectancy of Japanese males. While newly-promoted Takakeisho received the majority of the pre-basho ink, the biggest story coming in is the story that won't be:  Hakuho's withdrawal due to a phantom injury. The Yokozuna has pulled himself out of competition time and time again so as to free up the spotlight for Japanese rikishi, and this tournament's withdrawal has a little bit extra flavor due to the "punishment" handed down to the Yokozuna a few weeks ago for his leading the Osaka crowd in a celebratory clap after his yusho interview.

The Osaka fans really appreciated the move, and it was easily the highlight of the senshuraku broadcast, but in an effort to save face, the Sumo Association had to call a formal hearing where they reprimanded the Yokozuna and docked his pay 10% for the upcoming basho. Woopty freakin' doo. Saving face in Japan is so Heisei if you ask me, but I think the Yokozuna's sitting out is probably 25% giving the Association the finger and 75% doing what he usually does to take the spotlight off of him.

With Hakuho out of the way, Takakeisho becomes the biggest story, and the spin doctors are already out en force coming off of his poor performance at the Soken keiko session held a week before the basho. Takakeisho was completely outclassed fighting rikishi around his current rank, but Kitanofuji explained it away by saying that oshi guys usually don't fare well in keiko. What? What's the difference between keiko and a hon-basho? Kitanofuji said that in the hon-basho there's a certain nervousness (kinchoukan) that allows oshi guys to do better. Don't even bother googling the term kinchoukan. It's loosely translated as "yaocho that allows Japanese oshi guys to do better."

One other manufactured storyline regarding Takakeisho prior to the basho that I've seen in multiple places is this revelation that he's looking to fight more like Kotonishiki. If you never saw Kotonishiki fight, he was a buff dude like Shohozan, a shorter dude a bit taller than Toyonoshima, and then he was the quickest Japanese rikishi I think I've ever seen. His bread and butter was to secure moro-zashi, and he was good enough at the tactic to secure two career yusho without ever reaching an elite rank. It's just laughable to think that Takakeisho can suddenly become a Kotonishiki (he can't), but it's yet another manufactured narrative that they can use to explain a yaocho victory where Takakeisho wins by moro-zashi or in yotsu fashion. Asashoryu was a guy who successfully converted from an oshi guy to a yotsu guy, but it's laughable to put Takakeisho in that same category.

Beyond the Takakeisho farce, they asked the guys on the broadcast (Kitanofuji in the booth and Mainoumi in the mukou-joumen chair) who else they had high expectations for in the Reiwa Era, and without skipping a beat, they all said: Ichinojo, Tamawashi, and a resurgent Tochinoshin.

Oh wait, I meant to say Mitakeumi, Hokutofuji, and Onosho. I absolutely get why they have to finger those three along with Takakeisho, but it's a totally fabricated narrative in an effort to keep the Japanese fans as interested as possible.

When everyone was finally pressed for the yusho favorite, everyone at least did state the obvious answer, Yokozuna Kakuryu. Mainoumi didn't even bother mentioning anyone else, but Kitanofuji did mention the following rikishi in this order:  Kakuryu, Goeido, Takakeisho, Ichinojo, and Mitakeumi.

So that's the pre-basho hype heading into the new era, and for the record, keeping track of the first this and the first that in the Reiwa Jidai is already tired. I think the only award I'm going to dish out is the first bout that wasn't fixed in the new era, and trust me, it's going to be really hard to find a candidate the first half of the bouts.

M17 Chiyoshoma and J1 Toyonoshima hooked up in hidari-yotsu where Chiyoshoma enjoyed the solid right outer grip, and with Toyonoshima unable to apply any pressure from the inside, Chiyoshoma had the clear path to victory, but he decided not to pursue it intentionally whiffing on an outer belt throw with the right and then sloppily rushing forward with arms extended. This allowed Toyonoshima to move right and offer a mediocre tsuki, and Chiyoshoma's reaction was to dip that left shoulder and just take a knee at the edge.  He actually caught himself with both palms to the dirt while Toyonoshima managed to put his right arm at the back of Chiyoshoma's belt in uwate-nage fashion.  They still ruled it tsuki-otoshi while I ruled it and easy yaocho call.

M16 Ishiura moved left at the tachi-ai offering a weak tsuki with that same arm, but it had zero effect on M16 Daishoho who looked to secure the right arm inside. Ishiura continued to spin in circles, however, and so the two eventually hooked up in hidari-yotsu where Ishiura had a right frontal grip. The problem is that Ishiura wasn't ducked in tight enough, and so he couldn't use that right belt grip efficiently. As a result, Daishoho used his right arm wrapped around Ishiura's left to pry him upright and send him across kime-dashi style.  And there you have it...a very rare legitimate bout in the Reiwa era through Day 1.

M15 Terutsuyoshi and M15 Kotoeko both came with a light tachi-ai where Terutsuyoshi actually hopped forward awkwardly aligning his feet. That normally spells doom and gloom in a straight-up bout, but this one was fixed from the start. After hooking up in migi-yotsu where Kotoeko kept his right inside about as shallow as possible, Terutsuyoshi slowly backed up and to his left, and with Kotoeko just standing there, Terutsuyoshi pivoted to the side and swung Kotoeko down with a left tsuki to Eko's right elbow. The fall was quite exaggerated which is typical of a fixed bout, and Terutsuyoshi was never in a position to set up that much force starting from his horrible tachi-ai.

One of the most positive additions to the Makuuchi banzuke this basho is M14 Enho who was paired against M14 Tokushoryu. Enho looked to get inside with the left arm while Tokushoryu focused on tsuppari into Enho's head and shoulders. Tokushoryu easily won the power battle at the tachi-ai, but that lasted about one second before he just went limp allowing Enho to work his left arm to the inside where the rookie grabbed the back of Tokushoryu's belt and easily forced him across. Sorry to say it folks, and as interested as I am in watching Enho in the division, Tokushoryu was completely mukiryoku after winning the tachi-ai.

The announcers were waiting for the replay so they could try and figure out how Enho won because his sumo was that indecisive. After watching Enho lose the tachi-ai and then watching Tokushoryu go mukiryoku, the collective explanation was that Enho won because he was so much shorter than his taller opponent. Whatever. I want to like Enho and root for him, but I'm still going to call out yaocho when it occurs. This was not a promising start from the rookie despite the result in the win/loss column.  Before we move on, when Enho walked into the interview afterwards, I was shocked at just how small the dude looked compared to the NHK announcer.  I mean, when playing word association and someone yells out the phrase "Japanese dudes," the last word that comes to mind is "massive," but the way the petite NHK dude towers over Enho is shocking.



M13 Chiyomaru met M13 Sadanoumi with two hands to the throat before moving quickly left and slapping Sadanoumi down just like that with a left hand to the back of the head. Chiyomaru was calling in a favor here because Sadanoumi made no effort from the tachi-ai, and he went down far too easily. Sheesh, five bouts in and only one of them has been legitimately contested.  Before we move on, I'd be remiss if I didn't comment on the bright gay green mawashi Maru was sporting today.

M12 Yago caught M12 Shimanoumi with a nice right paw at the tachi-ai standing his foe upright and setting him up for a nice oshi attack, but Yago wasted that straightway by going for a quick pull. Shimanoumi survived that first volley, but Yago had him on his heels from the start shoving Shimanoumi upright and then going for a pull. With the two grunting and slapping for about 10 seconds, Yago finally got Shimanoumi upright again before finally spilling him to the dirt via hataki-komi. Yago's still got plenty of flaws in his sumo, but he was persistent today.

You couldn't have asked for an uglier tachi-ai than what we got from two veterans in M11 Shohozan and M11 Tochiozan. Shohozan sorta led with his left shoulder, but his feet were aligned terribly, and he was vulnerable to an attack from his opponent. Attack was the last thing on Tochiohzan's mind, however, as he did nothing from the tachi-ai allowing Shohozan to softly push him upright and then assume moro-zashi. Once in moro-zashi, Tochiohzan finally made a move in the form of a left kubi-nage, and it would have worked had he really tried, but instead of twisting Shohozan down, Oh just fell across the straw making sure to touch that right elbow down first. O-zumo this wasn't in this bout of hana-zumo where the number one priority for both rikishi was not to get injured. I mean, you could see it from the lethargic tachi-ai.

M10 Kagayaki came with the C3PO arms from the tachi-ai, and that's where a dude just keep his arms locked out wide signaling he's throwing the bout. The benefactor was M10 Onosho who sorta got moro-zashi but he also sorta executed an oshi attack. It didn't matter, though. With Kagayaki voluntarily limp and upright, Onosho drove him back and across in three uneventful seconds.

M9 Nishikigi kept his feet aligned at the tachi-ai and arms pointing straight down, and I knew his intentions against M9 Tomokaze from that point. His intentions were to do nothing, and he lived up to them pretty well as Tomokaze pushed his lethargic foe upright. Tomokaze focused on his right hand into Nishikigi's neck and jaw area, and the final blow--if you can call it that--was Tomokaze pushing sideways at Nishikigi's neck with the right, and Nishikigi just took a dive putting both palms to the dirt as Tomokaze looked to catch up. Sheesh, I hate to sound so negative right out of the gate, but the sumo up to this point of the broadcast has been utterly terrible.

The mukiryoku sumo would continue as M8 Kaisei waited for M8 Asanoyama to fully get established at the tachi-ai before he made a move, and so after Asanoyama got his right arm inside easily and left hand at the front of the belt, Kaisei finally made his own move in the form of grabbing a left outer grip and keeping his right arm in shallow focused on a useless grip of Asanoyama's sagari. As Asanoyama looked to make a move, Kaisei let go of that left outer and kinda sorta feigned a right inside scoop throw, but he abandoned that quickly and just walked back as Asanoyama forced him across leading with the left outer...I guess.

In yet another thrown bout, M7 Meisei won the tachi-ai against M7 Shodai, but that has meant little today, and this bout was another example. With Meisei getting the left arm inside and right outer grip from the gun, he let Shodai catch up with a weak left arm to the inside before just backing up as if he were going for a right outer grip. With Shodai's left arm naturally in the "scoop" position, the normal flow of a bout would have been a nage-no-uchi-ai with Shodai scooping with the left as Meisei attempted to throw him with the right outer grip, but even Mainoumi correctly pointed out afterwards that this wasn't a true sukui-nage. Instead, Meisei just hopped across the dohyo to the edge before twisting his body down and landing on his backside. How does a rikishi land on his backside without being thrown? Well, it happens when he willingly takes a dive, and that's what happened here. The pressure--if you can call it that--being applied by Shodai was non-existent, so to see that ending from Meisei was comical.

The last few years, I've kind of fed off of the excitement and energy of the first half bouts to get me through the broadcast, but this has been the worst first half I think I've ever seen. The only bout I know was fought straight up was the Daishoho-Ishiura contest, and then I gave Yago and Shimanoumi the benefit of the doubt. Other than that, it's been nothing but fake sumo, and even if you're one who likes to think that everything is straight up, I don't see how you can equate Act One today with quality sumo. It was really unwatchable.

The second half bouts picked right up where the first half left off with M6 Yoshikaze thinking about getting his left arm inside at the tachi-ai against M6 Takarafuji but then quickly backing up and moving to his right going for an ineffective pull. Takarafuji who just watched all of this happen up to this point offered a light shove into his compromised opponent's gut and that sent Yoshikaze to the edge upright and stiff as a board, and it looked for a minute that Yoshikaze was involved in one of those stupid team building activities where one guy stands upright and just falls straight backwards where other members of his team will catch him. Yoshikaze quickly realized that nobody was going to catch him, and so he stepped out before just falling over, but the funny thing was, Takarafuji just stood there and watched him do it. For a contact sport, this bout seemed to avoid actual contact at every turn.

Two guys I've enjoyed watching so far this year have been M5 Myogiryu and M5 Ryuden, and the two looked to hook up today in hidari-yotsu before Myogiryu went for a maki-kae with his right before they could really get snuggled chest to chest. For Myogiryu's part, it didn't look as if he wanted to go chest to chest, and I can't blame him, and so he ultimately decided to go for a quick pull to catch Ryuden off guard. He didn't, and Ryuden was able to rush back in this time in migi-yotsu, and with Myogiryu indecisive, Ryuden darted left while pulling Myogiryu forward in the process, and the result was an easy okuri-dashi win for Ryuden in the end. Okuri-dashi isn't really how they draw it up from the start, but this was a clean bout...thankfully.

M4 Okinoumi showed decent pressure in the face of M4 Abi's lightweight tsuppari attack, and Okinoumi was able to force Abi back to the edge with some nice thrusts getting his opponent completely upright. Okinoumi curiously halted his charge at this point and waited for Abi to desperately dart to the right and go for a pull, and of course Okinoumi just floundered out of the ring when it came. As they showed the slow motion replay, Kitanofuji kept saying of Okinoumi, "If he only would have grabbed the mawashi [when he had Abi upright at the edge]." Yeah, if only. He intentionally didn't, and the result was Abi's picking up a cheap win after doing nothing positive the entire bout.

In the sanyaku ranks, Komusubi Aoiyama and M3 Tamawashi traded shoves initially while Aoiyama slowly backed up presumably looking for a pull. The only problem was that Tamawashi wasn't bearing in on him, and so there was separation between the two in the ring. With both guys standing there, Aoiyama unleashed a fierce hari-te catching Tamawashi on the left side of the face, and as the Komusubi rushed in for the kill after that, Tamawashi slipped to his right and had Aoiyama dead to rights with the right arm up and under Aoiyama's left. Instead of forcing a compromised Aoiyama back that last step, however, Tamawashi just let up and allowed Aoiyama to regain his composure and push the Mongolian back and across. Two things we can take from this bout: 1) Tamawashi let Aoiyama win, and 2) Tamawashi can surely take a punch. I thought that hari-te would have him seeing stars, but quick as a cat he had Aoiyama against the ropes with no recourse for victory...unless Tamawashi let him.

It will be interesting to see how Sekiwake Tochinoshin approaches this basho and whether or not he'll push for 10 wins. Today against M3 Chiyotairyu, Tochinoshin took the latter's best punch from the tachi-ai as Tairyu connected on a pretty good right shove that knocked the former Ozeki back a step or two, but Tochinoshin shoved his way back into the bout getting Chiyotairyu upright before assuming moro-zashi. From there, Tochinoshin lifted Chiyotairyu completely upright as if to finish him in tsuri-dashi fashion, but there was too much ground to cover, and so Shin wisely let Chiyotairyu back down before forcing him back and across in textbook yori-kiri style. This bout earned the biggest response on the day up to this point, and for good reason. There was definitely chikari-zumo on display here from both parties.

Sekiwake Ichinojo is another guy definitely capable of chikara-zumo, and he showed that with two nice shoves from the tachi-ai that knocked M2 Daieisho back with ease, but instead of pursuing his foe, Ichinojo just aligned his feet and began backing up as if to pull. Well, when the pull never came, it allowed Daieisho to rush in and score the quick tsuki-dashi win. As if. Ichinojo instinctively looked good for a second and a half before instantly going into mukiryoku mode and letting Daieisho win.

The marquee matchup on paper coming into the day was Ozeki Takakeisho vs. M2 Endoh, and straight up, I'd say these two are an even contest, but Endoh wasn't looking to win today going along with the tsuppari tachi-ai before backing himself up and going for that effective move where you kick one leg forward for no reason whatsoever. The effect of that was Takanosho's being able to push Endoh back and across, and to add effect, Endoh jumped wildly off the dohyo taking care not to kick over the bucket of salt in the corner, but no sane rikishi would ever perform the move from Endoh that I have pictured here. If you only watch Takakeisho during a slow motion replay, you'd see a decent tachi-ai, a positive shove that didn't really connect, a quick swipe down with both hands that missed everything, and then the final blow that sent Endoh back after his ballerina kick.

The announcers were just gushing over Takakeisho's sumo today using terms like "atsu-ryoku," but there was plenty more atsu-ryoku in the previous contest than this fluff piece. But it is what it is, and in this new era Japan needs a hero, and so far they are putting their eggs in Takakeisho's basket.

I'll just go on the record now and say that this is the sorriest lot of Ozeki the sport has ever seen, and Takayasu showed that by getting owned by M1 Kotoshogiku. Yes, that Kotoshogiku. The Geeku came with a nice kachi-age from the right striking Takayasu well while also managing the left arm to the inside. In fact, Kotoshogiku's tachi-ai was so effective, he briefly looked to have the path to moro-zashi, but he instead used that right arm to keep Takayasu contained as he methodically drove him back once, twice, three times a lady. The biggest problem with Takayasu is that he's been given so many favors the last few years that he doesn't know how to react when someone starts bearing down on him as Kotoshogiku did today.

M1 Hokutofuji kept his left arm ridiculously high and wide at the tachi-ai against Ozeki Goeido, and his right arm was kept out of harm's way as well. From this crappy position, Hokutofuji went straightway for a "pull," and I say that facetiously because instead of really trying to pull the Ozeki, Hokutofuji was just backing up laterally towards the edge so Goeido could easily push him out. The funny thing was that Goeido made it look close. He never was able to catch the M1 and bully him around, and in an unorthodox bout like this, a dude like Goeido needs to make sure that he doesn't step out first. It was close, but gunbai to Goeido, and I'm not sure how they came up with the yori-kiri winning technique.

In the day's final bout, the basho's storyteller, Yokozuna Kakuryu, was paired against Komusubi Mitakeumi. In a pure case of would he or wouldn't he, Kakuryu used perfect de-ashi and a nice oshi attack to knock Mitakeumi upright, back, and outta the ring in maybe three seconds. Kakuryu could do this brand of sumo to anybody 'cept maybe Ichinojo, so when he does his best C3P0 impression later on in the basho, it's your signal that he's throwing the bout or leaving himself vulnerable.

Well, the second half bouts had their moments, but this day contained far too much yaocho to get me excited about the new era in sumo.  We'll see if Gary can find a silver lining tomorrow.