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I cannot comment on any speculation about my promotion to yokozuna in May, when I would become the first 59-year-old and the first Englishman to attain the rank. But as the JSA has not explicitly issued a statement that this will not happen... well.. draw your own conclusions.

"Found this in the shitakubeya, anyone wants it? If not I'll give it to a new oyakata as deshi."

Hi people. I'm Whatta. I've been a long time lurker since I started watching Sumo in 2017, around when Takayasu was a shin-Ozeki. I finally had the inspiration to actually make an account here rather than just read the forums. As for where you might know me from in the Sumo fan world, I was in the very early days a very active member on the "Grand Sumo Discord", and even a moderator for a short stint before I stopped using that server. I'm also a very active part of the Grand Sumo Breakdown podcasts fanbase and have been since their second ever episode. I've frequently contributed fan content to that show and I appeared once as a guest host on a special episode talking about injuries in Sumo. If you hang out in their patreon Discord you'll see me there all the time in the discussions. I also enjoy playing Guess the Banzuke, though I'm not very good at it. My shikona in that game is "Nanikitanohito". Nani for "What" in "Whatta", and Kita no Hito as "Person of the north", cause I'm from Sweden. I once had a small youtube channel where I posted some Sumo meme videos and some pretty popular Basho storyline summaries and highlights, but the big basho summary videos got taken down for copyright so it's a bit of a relic these days. Still some fun smaller stuff on there that I'm a bit proud of. https://www.youtube.com/@whataboutthings Have a good day! I hope to have some fun here now and then!

Nishonoseki Ichimon held a rengo-keiko today at Oshiogawa beya with 5 Juryo rikishi. Kotoeihou, Wakanoshou, Kazekenou,, Ootsuji and Wakaikari who came for degeiko and is from Tokitsukaze Ichimon. About 30 bouts between them. As the Haru jungyo is mainly attended by Makuuchi wrestlers, the Juryo rikishi who remain in Tokyo at this time of year are lacking in practice partners. In an effort to overcome this situation, the Juryo rikishi have been going back and forth between the heyas of their Ichimon for the past few days, competing with each other. Kazekenou, who is in good shape, reflected, "Various rikishi of similar ranks came to visit us. There are many different types, so it was good keiko." Wakaikari, who came for keiko at the invitation of Sadogatake Oyakata was positive, saying, There are lots of training partners, so the keiko is better than usual. I'm glad I had this opportunity."

Kagayaki (30) is getting married on June 14th to 折戸智恵 Tomoe Orito (?), 29. They will register on June 1st, Kagayaki's birthday. They met through a mutual acquaintance and have been dating for about two years. There is a story behind this, but I'm too preoccupied, so use GT which is actually getting much better. I will not ask the obvious snarky question. https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202504160000965.html "Hey look up there! Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's Kagayaki!!"

Kokutai runner up, and winner of numerous tournaments throughout college, the uwatenage whiz Masaki Hanaoka, a Nihon University grad, will be turning pro with Sakaigawa. MsTD approved. He was a team mate of Kusano's from primary school through college, but goes elsewhere this time. For perspective, in his 2nd year I already rated him at ozeki on my college banzuke: 2022 Collegiate Sumo + Banzuke - Page 2 - Amasumo Discussions - Sumo Forum. With him joining ozumo, the top 5 on that banzuke are all pros now. Here he is in the 135kg weight class final last year.

The YDC Soken will be held on May 2nd at the Kkan. Open to the public.

Some preview-type remarks... 316 altogether. 524 players are on the GTB ranking ahead of Natsu basho. By recent participation status: ranked playing kyujo Active last basho: 359 235 124 Kosho last basho: 23 4 19 Multiple absences: 142 12 130 The kyujo players include last basho's yusho winner Isokiho, one of 14 Natsu absences from the top 100. 65 unranked players have entered, including - as far as I can tell - 62 new players plus three returnees: boosiv, Ivar (unless it's a coincidentally identical name?), and Ulsimitsuki (albeit seemingly misspelled as Ulsimituski). In exchange for these incoming players, 20 are set to fall off the rankings by losing their last countable score. The provisional top 20 after removing the scores from a year ago that will be replaced by the Natsu results (actual pre-Natsu positions and scores in brackets, including all remaining top 20 players): 1 Asset 4.471 ( 1 / 5.686) 2 Asashosakari 4.445 ( 2 / 5.599) 2 3 Bunbukuchagama 4.363 ( 3 / 5.574) 6 4 CaptSmarta$$ 4.332 ( 5 / 5.481) 7 5 Kale 4.326 ( 4 / 5.509) 8 6 Goshobiyama 4.324 ( 6 / 5.479) 8 7 Cheesofuji 4.314 ( 7 / 5.462) 8 8 Duden 4.304 (14 / 5.370) 9 9 Hisui 4.304 (11 / 5.394) 9 10 Toshishugisha 4.278 (13 / 5.386) 10 11 Akakyoryu 4.255 (21 / 5.314) 11 12 Kaito 4.246 (16 / 5.353) 12 13 Kachikoshi 4.240 (10 / 5.414) 12 14 Tyerenex 4.236 (23 / 5.300) 12 15 Kobashi 4.208 ( 8 / 5.442) 14 16 Pepenohana 4.197 (25 / 5.268) 14 17 TochiYESshin 4.188 (19 / 5.326) 15 18 Sugakusha 4.187 ( 9 / 5.418) 15 19 Beeftank 4.185 (12 / 5.387) 15 20 Zelerny 4.171 (26 / 5.249) 15 ... 21 Reonito 4.166 (17 / 5.342) 16 23 Papayasu 4.135 (18 / 5.328) 17 25 Purichu Ruyaru 4.118 (15 / 5.361) 18 26 Chiyonosawa 4.115 (20 / 5.325) 18 Players with a better provisional than actual ranking are getting to drop a relatively weak result from their totals, players who are worse provisionally are defending a relatively strong score. The final column shows how many approximate game points each player has to make up on the current #1 in order to take over the top spot after Natsu. (Based on an assumed mean score of 50 points = 0.020 ranking points per game point, so these are just estimates.) 12 players who are currently carrying a single zero on their ranking tally are set to replace it with a countable score and will see their ranking position improve significantly (current rank > provisional rank): Kotokishi (106 > 43) Hashibamiyama (108 > 46) Barutonoumi (111 > 49) Wakatakasake (128 > 81) Hobbobgob (133 > 97) Ardonite (132 > 99) matrix (139 > 114) AoiyamaFan (146 > 118) asanosanpo (163 > 136) Modra (170 > 146) Kcramsib (176 > 157) kostuek (183 > 165) On the other hand, 3 players who currently have the full six countable scores are set to pick up a zero by missing both Haru and Natsu (current rank > approximate next rank...the provisional rank makes no sense for these players): Krakel (41 > 140) Miwabe (69 > 163) Kotononami (129 > 184)

Takayasu was on degeiko and revealed that his 2nd child was born last night, a boy of about 4000g. Wife Konomi is back in her hometown in Hokkaido, so he can't be with the child for now. https://www.sanspo.com/article/20220819-PBL5BWRFXFINDH34ELWDOPCFQU/ So Takayasu jr. will get no special education, dad will train him and may have him join his future heya Takayasu-okamisan Mori Konomi published a photo of Takayasu I & II o

Ding ding ding!

https://www.sumo.or.jp/EnHonbashoBanzuke/index/ I realized too late that the current posting issues on the forum would affect my ability to post the banzuke tables the usual way, so as a quick fix I've had to remove all links to rikishi DB profiles. Sorry about that. Anyway... Makuuchi Hoshoryu (Y1e 5-5-5) Y - Onosato (O1e 12-3 Y) O Kotozakura (O1w 8-7) Daieisho (S1e 9-6) S Kirishima (K1e 8-7) Takayasu (M4e 12-3 D) K Wakatakakage (M1e 9-6) Wakamotoharu (M1w 9-6) M1 Oho (S1w 6-9) Abi (K1w 6-9) M2 Gonoyama (M2e 7-8) Tamawashi (M7w 10-5) M3 Hiradoumi (M6e 9-6) Takerufuji (M6w 9-6) M4 Ichiyamamoto (M4w 7-8) Ura (M5e 7-8) M5 Chiyoshoma (M2w 6-9) Oshoma (M8w 9-6) M6 Tobizaru (M3e 6-9) Hakuoho (M9e 9-6) M7 Churanoumi (M14w 11-4) Onokatsu (M12w 10-5) M8 Kinbozan (M5w 6-9) Aonishiki (M15e 11-4) M9 Midorifuji (M11e 9-6) Meisei (M11w 9-6) M10 Shodai (M7e 6-9) Endo (M9w 7-8) M11 Shishi (M13w 9-6) Atamifuji (M8e 6-9) M12 Takanosho (M3w 3-12) Tokihayate (M18e 10-5) M13 Sadanoumi (M15w 8-7) Kotoshoho (M16w 8-7) M14 Roga (J3e 11-4) Ryuden (M14e 6-9) M15 Shonannoumi (M10w 4-11) Kayo (J2e 9-6) M16 Nishikigi (M10e 3-12) Tamashoho (J1e 8-7) M17 Asakoryu (M16e 6-9) Tochitaikai (J3w 9-6) M18 - Simple style full banzuke:

It took Makimoto just over 10 years to establish himself in sekitorihood following a brief stint in 1965, then following his final demotion from jūryō, he stuck around for a further decade in the lower ranks, therefore witnessing the yokozuna promotions of both Taihō and Chiyonofuji during his active career. Makimoto was viewed as so much of a prospect during his high school days that ex-Kagamisato would routinely travel down to Kumamoto by plane to visit him, eventually coercing the young wrestler to join Tokitsukaze stable. However, following Futabayama’s passing and the ensuing battle over who would inherit the stable, Makimoto opted not to follow the man who brought him into ōzumō to the newly-established Tatsutagawa stable, instead remaining at Tokitsukaze until retirement.

Yumitori-retired Satonofuji on the 19th had a special re-appearance at the Ota jungyo in his home pref. Gunma

Apr. 24th 1988, kanreki dohyo-iri of Wakanohana I (Futagoyama rijicho) in the kokugikan, with his 2 yokozuna deshi as attendants, tachimochi Wakanohana II (Magaki), tsuyuharai Takanosato (Naruto) o

Today was the opening of Hidenoyama-beya in Higashi-Mukojima, Sumida ward - let's see if a full post passes the blacklist oo The plot belongs to an adjacent intensive care home for the elderly, a supporter from active times is rijicho there, vacant land on which Hidenoyama built his heya, but he is paying rent for the grounds 7 deshi, including 2 new recruits for Natsu o o o o Nishinoseki-ichimon riji Takadagawa and Sadogatake were there, Kotoeiho trained with the deshi, the yokozuna is at the jungyo and was not available for the dohyo consecration (I wonder if his dohyo inaugurating dohyo-iri will take place later) o o o o o o

It's roughly the same number of miles from Detroit to Japan as it is kilometers from Queensland to Japan. When I was googling the distances, it didn't seem right that Detroit would be the same distance, but hey, that's why I was googling it. It took a couple minutes flipping back and forth before I noticed they were in different units.

Takayasu’s latest heartbreak creates sumo history My column today

Oonosato faced Nishikigi, Meisei, Hiradoumi and Atamifuji today in Yokohama- 11-1, the only loss was his first bout, against Hiradoumi. He did not do any sumo for the last three days, but came back looking sharp. "I think I did well. The tour ends tomorrow (27th). After the banzuke announcement (on the 28th), I plan to get my act together in the two weeks that remain," he said enthusiastically.

Oota

Bottle got stuck?

Training news from the jungyo: Oonosato and Takayasu, who faced each other in the playoffs of Haru, had mixed results in morning keiko yesterday. Defending champion Oonosato had a total of 12 matches with 5 wins and 7 losses. He ended the session with 4 straight losses, not being able to beat Kirishima even once. He also struggled against Maegashira Ounokatsu with 3 wins and 2 losses and had 2 wins and 1 loss against Meisei. "I took on opponents I don't like facing. I want to practice hard for the rest of the tour," he said, choosing rikishi who he felt he had trouble dealing with as his opponents.. Takayasu, who missed out on the yusho at Haru, joined the tour on the 12th and began training on that day. With a total of 6 wins and 1 loss, he said, "My movements aren't bad. I was able to do it while thinking," he said.

rengo-geiko today o o o earlier Nishonoseki Ichimon assembled the rikishi not at the jungyo at other heya to have them train, on the 13th at Sadogatake-beya, the 14th at Takadagawa-beya Wakanosho, Kotoeiho, Mudoho oo o o

It seems like Isegahama-oyakata has also denied this rumour: https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202504090000803.html (This might probably show up a bit late since I just decided to come out of lurkdom, and the post still needs to be approved)

Recent "news" along the line of this: Onosato denied the right of yokozuna promotion; the reason for Onosato's sudden retirement; Hakkaku fired; Hoshoryu intai ...

Can I be Tigerboy's tachimochi? I really like mochi, so I think I would be good at it.