Wednesdaymania 237: Aki Basho 2019

It's time for the fall Sumo basho - Aki Basho!

This basho, we're going to be sans Takayasu, which breaks my heart, since I love watching his reactions to the decision of the referee, or gyoji. We'll also be without Takanofuji, who is suspended pending an investigation into whether or not he attacked an attendant. This wouldn't be the first time, apparently.

In happier news, however, Hakuhou has achieved Japanese citizenship, which means that he gets to stay in Japan when he retires and start his own Dojo.

DAY 1:

• Takagenji vs Chiyomaru. Chiyomaru has beaten Takagenji in both of their previous career bouts, which was a fairly good indicator of how today's match would go. Takagenji, being Takanofuji's brother, is likely a bit distracted by the fact that his brother is facing possible expulsion over the incident with the attendant. Chiyomaru won via tsukiotoshi, or "downward thrust". These two are now 0-3.
• Takagenji is now 0-1
• Chiyomaru is now 1-0
• Yutakayama vs Tochiouzan. Of their four previous bouts, Yutakayama has won 3. This was a far more spirited grapple than the previous match, ending with Yutakayama beating Tochiouzan via kotenage, or "armlock throw". They are now 4-1 against each other.
• Yutakayama is now 1-0
• Tochiouzan is now 0-1
• Ishiura vs Azumaryuu. These two are fairly evenly matched over their five career bouts with Azumaryuu the Mongolian only coming out the better by one win. This match lasted all of about four seconds, with Azumaryuu taking the win by uwatehineri, or "twisting overarm throw". They are now 2-4 against one another.
• Ishiura is now 0-1
• Azumaryuu is now 1-0
• Tsurugishou vs Toyonoshima. I don't know that I've yet seen Tsurugishou in a basho, since I've been watching, so to know that these two have only fought once before (with Toyonoshima coming out the victor), I did not know what to expect. What I got was some good use of bulk from both men trying to use their size and weight to overcome one another before Tsurugishou beat Toyonoshima by yorikiri, or "frontal force out" - literally using his size to back Toyonoshima out of the circle. They are now 1-1 with each other. This was also Tsurugishou's first bout at Makuuchi rank.
• Tsurugishou is now 1-0
• Toyonoshima is now 0-1
• Kagayaki vs Nishikigi. These two men are fundamental sumo wrestlers. They're evenly matched across their previous twelve career bouts. This was also a real show of strength from both men, who essentially danced slowly towards the end, where Nishikigi beat Kagayaki via shitatenage, or an "underarm throw". Their record against each other is now 6-7.
• Kagayaki is now 0-1
• Nishikigi is now 1-0
• Shouhouzan vs Daishouhou. In their previous two meetings, Daishouhou has been the victor, but I wasn't sure what to expect from this battle of the "hou". Starting with explosive slaps and developing into a strong grapple where Shouhouzan's body was completely engaged, this might have been one of the more exciting matches this basho. Daishouhou fought him to a standstill before being forced nearly over the edge by Shouhouzan. Shouhouzan realized he couldn't force his opponent out for a yorikiri victory, so he instead whipped him around for a shitatenage. The two are now 1-2.
• Shouhouzan is now 1-0
• Daishouhou is now 0-1
• Ounoushou vs Enhou. Ounoushou has beaten Enhou in their only previous career meeting, but Enhou is young, hungry, wily, and deceptively small. He is easily dwarfed by all others in the ring, but like the Little Engine Who Could, he really, really can. What looked like an easy win for Ounoushou suddenly became an upset when Enhou beat him by sukuinage, or "beltless arm throw", whipping Ounoushou over the edge of the circle. The two are now evenly matched at 1-1.
• Ounoushou is now 0-1
• Enhou is now 1-0
• Sadanoumi vs Meisei. These two have met six times and Meisei has only one once. It's a messy brawl for this match, but in the end, Meisei gets his second victory over Sadanoumi via katasukashi, or "under-shoulder swing down", shoving Sadanoumi down by his shoulderblades. Their career record against each other is now 5-2.
• Sadanoumi is now 0-1
• Meisei is now 1-0
• Terutsuyoshi vs Kotoyuuki. Terutsuyoshi has beaten Kotoyuuki each of the three times they've previously fought. Today's bout was no different, with Terutsuyoshi flailing and shoving his way to victory via oshidashi, "frontal push out". They are now 4-0.
• Terutsuyoshi is now 1-0
• Kotoyuuki is now 0-1
• Takarafuji vs Kotoekou. Takarafuji took the win during the only previous meeting these two have had. This was fairly standard sumo, and Takarafuji won via yorikiri. They are now 2-0 against each other.
• Takarafuji is now 1-0
• Kotoekou is now 0-1
• Kotoshougiku vs Okinoumi. In 24 meetings, Kotoshougiku has proven himself the winner 16 times. I want to like Okinoumi more than I do, since his name reminds me of delightful savory pancakes, but he's sometimes quite bland. This match, however, reminds me of why I do quite like him. Kotoshougiku's foot slipped out of the ring before he managed to toss Okinoumi, who nearly walked away before the judges informed him that he was actually the winner via yorikiri. The two are now 16-9.
• Kotoshougiku is now 0-1
• Okinoumi is now 1-0
• Shimanoumi vs Myougiryuu. I don't know much about Shimanoumi besides that he lost to Myougiryuu the only other time they've met. The two had a good bout, but Myougiryuu still won via yorikiri. They are now 0-2.
• Shimanoumi is now 0-1
• Myougiryuu is now 1-0
• Chiyotairyuu vs Ryuuden. I like Ryuuden, but he's hit-or-miss, as his record against Chiyotairyuu indicates. The two are 2-1 with Chiyotairyuu leading. Ryuuden's long limbs were more help than hindrance in this bout, allowing him the leverage necessary to push Chiyotairyuu out via oshidashi. They are now evenly matched 2-2.
• Chiyotairyuu is now 0-1
• Ryuuden is now 1-0
• Tamawashi vs Shoudai. Mongolian Tamawashi leads in the twelve previous meetings with Shoudai at 8-4. They collide like trains, Tamawashi bulling his way to a victory via okuridashi, or "rear push out", pushing Shoudai out while the man's back is turned. They are now 9-4.
• Tamawashi is now 1-0
• Shoudai is now 0-1
• Abi vs Tomokaze. This is the first time Abi, a new favorite of mine, has faced Tomokaze. Tomokaze, however, hasn't had a losing record in 14 bashos, so... sorry Abi. Tomokaze won by hatakikomi, or "slap down" and their new record is 0-1.
• Abi is now 0-1
• Tomokaze is now 1-0
• Daieishou vs Takakeishou. These two are nearly evenly matched at 3-2. This match makes it look like they hate each other - they're slapping and beating each other like it's a battlefield and only one will survive. In the end, Takakeisho wins via tsukiyotoshi, and now he only needs nine more wins this basho to move up to the next rank, Ozeki. They are now 3:3
• Daieishou is now 0-1
• Takakeishou is now 1-0
• Mitakeumi vs Asanoyama. At 2-0 against Asanoyama, Mitakeumi should be more impressive. He's another guy who borders on vanilla. Asanoyama, however, turns the tables during this bout and wins via oshidashi. They are now 2-1.
• Mitakeumi is now 0-1
• Asanoyama is now 1-0
• Tochinoshin vs Ichinojou. This match is sad. Georgian (the country) Tochinoshin needs to retire so his legs don't fall off. He's not really a foe for Mongolian Ichinojou. It's even more depressing when you realize their record was 16-5 with Tochinoshin as the victor. Instead, we get to watch as a once-great sumo is completely obliterated via uwatenage, or "overarm throw".
• Tochinoshin is now 0-1.
• Ichinojou is now 1-0.
• Aoiyama vs Goueido. With a record like 3-22, you can guess who my favorite should have been going into this match, but Goueido has been struggling the last couple basho. And yet, there he went, defying my pessimism and tossing the enormous Bulgarian Aoiyama around to win with an oshidashi. They are now 3-23.
• Aoiyama is now 0-1
• Goueido is now 1-0
• Hokutofuji vs Hakuhou. With a career record of 1-5, you'd expect the deadly Mongolian Hakuhou to just... murder Hokutofuji. However, despite being slapped with the force of a MAC truck, Hokutofuji took out the Yokozuna Hakuhou via yorikiri. They are now 2-5. Also, unfortunately, Hakuhou had to pull out of the tournament due to injury.
• Hokutofuji is now 1-0
• Hakuhou is now 0-1.

I hope to cover the rest of the basho in the next week, but for today, I think that's enough in-depth coverage to get you interested!

Go Enjoy Something!

FC