Great showing from Takayasu this basho coming back from injury.
Another record-breaker - no one has ever won it after only 7 tournaments as a professional. Even Takerufuji took 10 (I think). You can see Kotozakura and him developing a serious personal rivalry to be first to Yokozuna. Agree with you 100% about Takayasu. Did fantastically well and so unfortunate. He's come close several previous Bashos and his lower back problem does seem to make it difficult getting through 15 days but he's surely still good enough to take a title if he could last the distance. On to sweaty Nagoya in July.
I'm off to the land of the rising sun at the end of September. Sadly no basho this time.
Very envious. Osaka again @Friend Or Defoe ? Great news for Hiradoumi too, making Sanyaku ranks for the first time. Thoroughly deserved. Can’t wait for July 14. Word is Onosato could well make Ozeki with a back to back win.
Yes, a couple of nights in Osaka. Visiting Sapparo, Hiroshima and Onomichi for the first time.
Will Takerufuji be in the Nagoya Basho?
Still in the balance last I heard, a couple of days ago. Seems daft that he's been demoted to Juryo from Maegashira 6 for having to sit out May but I guess them's the rules. On paper should be a breeze if he's fit enough from Day 1 but it was a nasty injury. Fingers crossed. Nice time of year end Sept - have a great time.
Early days but it seems Terunofuji has recovered from his injury!
Takerufuji demotion makes zero sense to me.
Completely agree. If he doesn't return to compete in Juryo this Basho, he'll automatically drop to Div 3 (unsalaried). It's a really inflexible (and stupid) system. Teruno looks invincible and it would be great if he won his 10th title undefeated. He really deserves it. Poor Asanoyama is out for 6+ months, needing surgery on his torn ACL. He'd come all the way back from Div 4 after his suspension for being a naughty boy during Covid (utter bollocks that was). Now he'll have to do it all over again, unless he calls it a day. So far, he's saying he's up for it but who knows?
Hold the back page. Stupid me. Just seen that Takerufuji came back today and won. Only Juryo competition but looked every bit as good as when winning the title. No apparent problem with the ankle. Should at least stay in Juryo even if it’s too late to earn amateur to Div 1.
Was good to see his return on the highlights. I assumed he would become a low number Maegashira, shows what I know! He should win the Juryo quite comfortably in Tokyo.
Will take something strange to prevent Terunofuji becoming a Daiyokozuna.
Was good to see his return on the highlights. I assumed he would become a low number Maegashira, shows what I know! He should win the Juryo quite comfortably in Tokyo.
Will take something strange to prevent Terunofuji becoming a Daiyokozuna.
Agreed on both points. Kotozakura has never beaten Teruno. He has ground his way up the ranks and is looking likeliest of the Ozeki to make Yokozuna. Even if 2 defeats is too big a deficit to recover to win the Basho, it'll be huge if he turns Teruno over this time and 13 wins here might just be enough if he were also to take the Sept Basho to make the big Y. Gonna be a belter of a bout.
Wow! He didn't make that easy. Congratulations Daiyokozuna.
What a climax. Takanosho did brilliantly and tried the throat move again. But Teruno was waiting and totally resolute. Great stuff. And Kotozakura beat the Yokozuna for the first time. Something neither Kirishima nor Hoshoryu have yet done. Despite falling short in the Basho again (only he and new Komusubi Hiradoumi have yet to win one among all the current Sanyaku ranks), that'll be huge for his confidence. Expect a big performance from him in September.
He needs 12 wins to make 33 over last 3 Bashos, which is the customary hurdle. Slightly fortunate in early bouts but looking really good now - almost invincible, though the showdown with Kirishima promises to be fantastic. Good to see him back on form. Thanks for that news re Takerufuji - brilliant news.
That was incredible by Wakatakakage (best name in sumo!) Twice he looked like he was finished.
Takayasu also winding back the years and is in the running for the Basho.
Good to see a European in the Makuuchi today.
That move, right up against the Tawada, was how Wakatakakage beat Takayasu in a play off to win his (so far) one and only Basho a couple of years ago. Immense strength and timing. Fantastic. Huge bout for Onosato tomorrow vs Kotozakura, with Kirishima and Takayasu breathing down his neck. Vital he wins or the nerves could get to him. He’s still to face Takayasu and Hoshoryu who may not be firing on all cylinders but will be very difficult. Come on Onosato.
Comments
Great showing from Takayasu this basho coming back from injury.
You can see Kotozakura and him developing a serious personal rivalry to be first to Yokozuna.
Agree with you 100% about Takayasu. Did fantastically well and so unfortunate. He's come close several previous Bashos and his lower back problem does seem to make it difficult getting through 15 days but he's surely still good enough to take a title if he could last the distance.
On to sweaty Nagoya in July.
https://www.sumo.or.jp/EnHonbashoBanzuke/index/
I'm off to the land of the rising sun at the end of September. Sadly no basho this time.
Great news for Hiradoumi too, making Sanyaku ranks for the first time. Thoroughly deserved.
Can’t wait for July 14. Word is Onosato could well make Ozeki with a back to back win.
Will Takerufuji be in the Nagoya Basho?
Seems daft that he's been demoted to Juryo from Maegashira 6 for having to sit out May but I guess them's the rules.
On paper should be a breeze if he's fit enough from Day 1 but it was a nasty injury. Fingers crossed.
Nice time of year end Sept - have a great time.
Takerufuji demotion makes zero sense to me.
If he doesn't return to compete in Juryo this Basho, he'll automatically drop to Div 3 (unsalaried). It's a really inflexible (and stupid) system.
Teruno looks invincible and it would be great if he won his 10th title undefeated. He really deserves it.
Poor Asanoyama is out for 6+ months, needing surgery on his torn ACL. He'd come all the way back from Div 4 after his suspension for being a naughty boy during Covid (utter bollocks that was). Now he'll have to do it all over again, unless he calls it a day. So far, he's saying he's up for it but who knows?
Stupid me.
Just seen that Takerufuji came back today and won. Only Juryo competition but looked every bit as good as when winning the title.
No apparent problem with the ankle.
Should at least stay in Juryo even if it’s too late to earn amateur to Div 1.
Will take something strange to prevent Terunofuji becoming a Daiyokozuna.
Kotozakura has never beaten Teruno. He has ground his way up the ranks and is looking likeliest of the Ozeki to make Yokozuna.
Even if 2 defeats is too big a deficit to recover to win the Basho, it'll be huge if he turns Teruno over this time and 13 wins here might just be enough if he were also to take the Sept Basho to make the big Y.
Gonna be a belter of a bout.
Also on the final day Onosato has a chance of making the Ozeki requirements with a victory. Impressive after a poor start.
Takanosho did brilliantly and tried the throat move again. But Teruno was waiting and totally resolute.
Great stuff.
And Kotozakura beat the Yokozuna for the first time. Something neither Kirishima nor Hoshoryu have yet done.
Despite falling short in the Basho again (only he and new Komusubi Hiradoumi have yet to win one among all the current Sanyaku ranks), that'll be huge for his confidence. Expect a big performance from him in September.
Meanwhile Takerufuji is 7-0 in Jūryō. I can see them two having a great rivalry.
Thanks for that news re Takerufuji - brilliant news.
Onosato takes on Kotozakura tomorrow.
Getting very interesting
Takayasu also winding back the years and is in the running for the Basho.
Good to see a European in the Makuuchi today.
Huge bout for Onosato tomorrow vs Kotozakura, with Kirishima and Takayasu breathing down his neck.
Vital he wins or the nerves could get to him. He’s still to face Takayasu and Hoshoryu who may not be firing on all cylinders but will be very difficult.
Come on Onosato.