Shikona

Ura has the best puss in sumo. I could see him thinking, "Got this one! Just square the feet for one more push forward--" and then he hit the ground.

Yes, but clearly wincing as he tugged at the arm sleeve afterwards. A quality win for sure, but is each match going to be making the injury worse?

Mitakeumi rallies for 10 wins, just slightly too late to bounce back to Ozeki.

Hoshoryu did suffer a leg injury near end of the jungyo, but seems to be handling it okay. As far as I know, Kotonowaka is uninjured, and should do well.

He's the son of a sekiwake and the grandson of a sekiwake. There's not even an uncle involved, so where did the cousin come from?

Though Sadogatake did take his wife's name, thus officially joining her family.

The shin-Ozeki jinx is a very recent phenomenon. I looked through the "career Ozeki" back to Kotoosho and it was 7:4 in favor of those who did Not go kadoban first time out. And during that time there were six who went on to become Yokozuna (back to Asashoryu), and none of them were kadoban in basho 1, so it's actually 13:4 in favor of shin-Ozeki kachi koshi.

Sure, that's sports in general. Straighten out a couple of field goals and the Buffalo Bills are a super bowl dynasty. Going forward, my expectation is as the I Ching would suggest. To paraphrase the opening of "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms"--the dohyo, having been dominated by the Ozeki, tends to a series of Maegashira yusho; the dohyo having seen the Maegashira rise, tends toward the resurgence of the Ozeki.

And this year?

Really? What if Terunofuji is done and Takakeisho also continues to struggle? Someone has to win the yusho, and Hoshoryu and Kirishima would seem to have a better chance than anyone else at present.

Disagree--Tobizaru flying through the air on his back as Hoshoryu scratched a fingernail across the dohya is no loss. Without a foot slip against Nishikifuji, he should be 6-0.

We talking about PRACTICE???

Absolutely a henka. Chest touched only because he wasn't quick enough to get completely out of the way. Not as blatant as the Henkamafuji (only because of the shorter first step) but henkas are still henkas even when you like the guy who pulls one.

Thank you for your efforts, Kinta-san.