botev1921

To be honest, I would expect at least half the rikishi to have diabetes. After all it is often associated with weight and that would be type 2. It is something common nowadays!

It is pretty obvious he has no aspirations to become yokozuna, so what's the point in pushing too hard. This might shorten his Ozeki career!

He's a yokozuna. Winning every basho 15-0, regardless of physical condition, is a job requirement. He's also supposed to be a model citizen, showing absolutely no emotion on the dohyo, and never ever do things like shove opponents or perform henka. And no, I'm not exaggerating. Bravo. That's precisely the point. Great post. It's a good point, but every sport needs to get into the 21st century and if you don't want your Yokozuna to be influenced by modern way of life, you should either not promote non-japanese, not allow non-japanese to even be in sumo or lock the potential yokozuna in a cage while he is in sumo. The world has developed and as traditional as this sport is, you can't expect sane, normal human beings to behave like they used to 200 years ago...it's just not natural to anybody! There is more competitiveness today and less respect and I think that makes sumo more interesting to non-japanese! By the way I can't agree 15-0 is a job requirement for a Yokozuna - that certainly diminishes completely the ability of all other wrestlers and that is just idiotic!

That makes most sense to me, yet I am not sure it is reasonable to believe both people with 8-7 at K and M2 will be promoted to the same level! Myogiryu S Aoiyama Goeido K Tochinoshin Aran M1 Shohozan Homasho M2 Kaisei Toyohibiki M3 Gagamaru Toyonoshima M4 Aminishiki

Great spirit by our guy Aoiyama and very solid sumo the second week. Hopefully he gets more attention at the heya and is better prepared for the Ozeki next time. I think he will be at least Komusubi as I don't see anybody more worthy after this basho. Both Aran and Tochinoshin were just 9-6 and I can hardly say that is more impressive than 8-7 when having faced all Ozeki!

Did you watch a different day or something? Baruto was dominant in the beginning and Hakuho won thanks to a great counter attack that Baruto didn't expect. It was Barutos' to lose and he did lose it! Ama looks better than the Yokozuna at the moment!

Hmpf... you sound like you really don't know that there are not 1, not 2, not 3, but TWELVE rikishi younger than Aoiyama in makuuchi right now. Among these are ozeki Kisenosato, sekiwake Tochiozan and komusubi Myogiryu. Oh, and the sole yokozuna Hakuho is the 16th youngest makuuchi rikishi. I don't think Harumafuji felt particularly threatened. Let me stop you right there! Kisenosato needed 4 years to reach the top Maegashira ranks. He needed 10 years to reach Ozeki! Tochiozan needed 4 years to reach the top Maegashira ranks and started sumo 4 years before Aoiyama. Myogiryu started directly in Makushita, Hakuho needed 4 years to get to the top Maegashira ranks...none of them can be compared to what Aoiyama has acheived. Aoiyama will probably stay somewhere between Komusubi and Maegashira 10 throuout his entire career, but this in its own is a great acomplishment for someone who started doing sumo in Japan merely 3 years ago!

Great win by Aoiyama today and I expect him to stand his ground against the Yokozuna tomorrow!

I also had doubts about Aoiyama initially, but he gained a lot of weight and power over the last 2 years. He created his own style and strategy, which was lacking in his early makushita days. I hear he is nearing the 180kg, which is a good 30kg from the time he arrived. Even if he doesn't do well this time around (nerves and everything), he should find positives and keep growing!

Myogiryu looks set to stay there for a long time, judging by his sumo lately. He needs some self-confidence and could easily be an Ozeki in a year or so!

I would have expected Aoiyama to be higher than Aminishiki. Everything else seem right.

Personally I consider Hakuho a strong favorite to win this basho. I can't remember when was the last time he didn't win two in a raw...was it in his early Yokozuna days when Kotooshu won his only yusho? I kind of want Kisenosato to get his first yusho as he is showing some great things lately. To me personally, an 8-7 record for Aoiyama considering he will probably be a M1 or 2 will be amazing...that of couse means at least 2-3 wins against the likes of Kisenosato, Kotooshu, Giku, etc.

I am rooting for my man Aoiyama...hopefully Kotooshu takes part so Aoiyama can have his dream come true!

http://soothe.in/en/oxygen-capsule/

It is good to hear he is getting support, because I've heard several times he took the death of his former oyakata very personal. Hopefully he can build on the previous basho and with the solid Tochiozan and Tochinowaka pulling him forward as well maybe he can improve and win 1-2 bouts against the Ozeki!

Could you give me some details on how Aoiyama is doing? I hear he was having some issues settling in the new group?

Some people here are terrible. I would suggest, you know-it-alls, break a foot and then go out there to wrestle a 140kg guy out of respect for the yusho race! Are you stupid or what? Why on Earth would someone risk not his future in sport, but possibly his ability to walk just to please a bunch of morons like you guys? Kotooshu is unfortunately in a bad state and as of today he seems likely to miss Nagoya!

Can anybody give me approximate Aoiyama position for Nagoya? It is very crowded in the top Maegashira ranks, so should we expect him to be at 1 or 2? I will be shocked if he is below 2.