Kashunowaka 300 Posted November 23, 2003 (edited) I have made a run-down of how the top-rankers have fared against each other and in general during 2003. Included in this group are yokozuna Asashoryu, the four ozeki and Wakanosato. Yokozuna Musashimaru is not included, as he did not face any top-rankers during 2003. (If you find any errors in the data, please let me know.) Yokozuna Asashoryu is undisputedly the leading rikishi of 2003, with 3 yusho and 67 wins. His record of 12-7 against the rest of the top group is good, but not overwhelming. Kaio and Tochiazuma gave Asashoryu a hard time on several occasions in 2003. But Asashoryu only lost 11 bouts against the rest of makuuchi, 5 of which was in his only kyujo basho in Nagoya. If you look at bouts between top-rankers only, ozeki Kaio would have been yokozuna long ago. He dominates Chiyotaikai completely, and Asashoryu and Musoyama usually lose against him. But Kaio loses too much against lower ranked opponents, so he is still ozeki. Kaio's worst opponents right now (apart from himself) are Tochinonada, Wakanosato and Tochiazuma. Against the rest of makuuchi, ozeki Chiyotaikai is the best rikishi of 2003 with only 8 losses. On the other hand, internally in the top group he is the worst rikishi: even Musoyama is better. So his problem is quite the opposite of Kaio's. Perhaps he can find some consolation in the fact that he can beat yusho winner Tochiazuma quite easily. Ozeki Musoyama has the poor record 30-26 against the rest of makuuchi in 2003, so those who argue that he really doesn't belong among the ozeki find their argument strengthened here. Considering that, Musoyama fares quite well against the top group. Only Asashoryu seems impossible for Musoyama to beat. Ozeki Tochiazuma hath risen again after a disastrous year. He now seems to be back to his early 2002 form. He was 4-1 against the top group in Kyushu basho, but before that he was 4-10 in 2003, so he still has a lot to prove. Tochiazuma's 4-win streak against Chiyotaikai in 2002 has turned into a 4-loss streak in 2003. Alas, poor Wakanosato ... The only rikishi in this group without a kyujo during 2003 - and the third best in terms of internal bouts - will now be demoted from sekiwake, perhaps even to maegashira. Hatsu basho 2004 will be Wakanosato's 20th consecutive basho at M1 or higher. Even with the bad result from Kyushu included, Wakanosato is 13-12 against ozeki and yokozuna in 2003 and can beat anyone. <pre> Rikishi Basho Total Internal Asa Kaio Chiyo Muso Tochi Waka --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Asashoryu 01/03 14-1 2-0 - W W 03/03 10-5 1-2 - L L W 05/03 13-2 4-1 - L W W W W 07/03 5-5-5 0-0 - 09/03 13-2 2-2 - W W L L 11/03 12-3 3-2 - L W W L W --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 67-18-5 12-7 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kaio 01/03 0-0-15 0-0 - 03/03 10-5 2-1 W - W L 05/03 11-4 3-2 W - W L L W 07/03 12-3 4-0 - W W W W 09/03 7-8 1-3 L - W L L 11/03 10-5 3-2 W - W W L L --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 50-25-15 13-8 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chiyotaikai 01/03 0-0-15 0-0 - 03/03 12-3 1-2 W L - L 05/03 10-5 1-4 L L - L W L 07/03 11-4 2-2 L - W W L 09/03 11-4 2-2 L L - W W 11/03 10-5 2-3 L L - L W W --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 54-21-15 8-13 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Musoyama 01/03 8-7 0-2 L - L 03/03 1-6-8 0-1 - L 05/03 8-7 3-2 L W W - L W 07/03 10-5 2-2 L L - W W 09/03 1-5-9 0-0 - 11/03 9-6 2-3 L L W - L W --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 37-36-17 7-10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tochiazuma 01/03 0-6-9 0-1 - L 03/03 0-0-15 0-0 - 05/03 8-7 2-3 L W L W - L 07/03 7-8 0-4 L L L - L 09/03 10-5 2-2 W W L - L 11/03 13-2 4-1 W W L W - W --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 38-28-24 8-11 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wakanosato 01/03 11-4 2-1 L W W - 03/03 9-6 3-1 L W W W - 05/03 9-6 2-3 L L W L W - 07/03 10-5 2-2 L W L W - 09/03 11-4 3-1 W W L W - 11/03 7-8 1-4 L W L L L - --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 57-33-0 13-12 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- </pre> Edit: Added the word consecutive to Wakanosato's 20-basho streak. Edit 2: Wakanosato's total win count is 57. Edited December 14, 2004 by Exil Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Naifuzan 1 Posted November 23, 2003 Interesting. Especially interesting to see how Kaio dominates Chiyo who dominates Tochi who dominates Kaio... and so on. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kaikitsune Makoto 209 Posted November 23, 2003 Great stuff Kashunowaka-zeki!! Regading KaioU, I still think that his 1-3 against Tochiazuma in last 4 meetings distorts the facts a bit. Before that KaioU beat Azuma 13 times in a row including times when Azuma was as good as he is now. Azuma still is very convenient foe for KaioU and he has lot of problems with him. This win yesterday over him was the first one in 17 bouts where he beat KaioU by going forward. Even in Aki basho where KaioU was one-armed and went 1-6 at the second half (only beating Taikai of course..) he lost to Azuma only at the edge by stepping out just before Azuma collapsed under his pressure. Yet numbers don't lie and Azuma indeed has 3-1 edge against him in last 4 bouts but to say that Azuma has any kind of domination going on over him is quite an exaggeration. Once upon a time I wrote a linquistical fruitsallad to German sumoforum summing up some basho and said that in the future Tochiazuma could well become Asashoryu's worst foe along with KaioU because Azuma simply has all the skills to match Shoryu's morozashi endevours and Azuma's balance is too good even for Shoryu. So these bouts should be very interesting in the future too. So I am glad that that prediction may turn out to be correct heh! I have made too many false predictions to fill a cereal box >(Holiday feeling...) When it comes to Wakanosato and KaioU, well here we have even stranger equation! This may sound a bit silly but amazingly it is very true: Wakanosato has had the priviledge of plocking beautiful flowers in the last 2 wins he has had against KaioU. This basho KaioU was in his deepest of recesses which made me sure he won't make it to kachi koshi as his sumo looked just awful the first 7 days. In Aki basho he was losing to everyone on second week (except Chiyotaikai of course...) without being able to do any yotsu-sumo. Last win over more or less genki KaioU was in Haru 2003 where he backpedaled to hikiotoshi win handing KaioU his first loss of the basho on day 7 or 8. Still Wakanosato is a good foe and dangerous to KaioU but he isn't as difficult as one might think based on numbers. In other words Wakanosato doesn't have anything special which makes KaioU vulnerable against him. Kaio vs Waka 98 Aki 6 Won Oshitaoshi 98 Kyushu 5 Won Sukuinage 00 Kyushu 7 Won Oshidashi 01 Hatsu 1 Lost Shitatenage 01 Haru 7 Won Uwatenage 01 Natsu 6 Lost Shitatenage 01 Nagoya 4 Won Kotenage 01 Aki 1 Lost Yorikiri 01 Kyushu 6 Won Yorikiri 02 Hatsu 2 Lost Yorikiri 02 Haru 7 Lost Hikiotoshi 02 Natsu 9 Lost Yorikiri 02 Aki 12 Won Yorikiri 03 Haru 10 Lost Hikiotoshi 03 Natsu 7 Won Yorikiri 03 Nagoya 5 Won Yorikiri 03 Aki 11 Lost Oshidashi 03 Kyushu 6 Lost Yorikiri Tochinonada is the foe whom KaioU has had nightmarish bouts of late even when in good enough condition. For a long time Nada was a piece of cake for KaioU but then someone learned something or someone forgot something and now Nada is KaioU's most difficult foe by a big margin. 5-0 in favour of Nada in 2003 is simply the best individual part of CV in ozumo one can imagine :-D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Naifuzan 1 Posted November 23, 2003 Talking about Kaio, I must say I'm very impressed with him this basho. What fighting spirit. If he'd always had that fighting spirit I'm sure he'd be yokozuna long ago. His bout against Chiyotaikai was amazing. What a fighter he is. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jesinofuji 11 Posted November 23, 2003 These are some great statistics Kashonowaka, thanks for posting them. :-D I think Next year will be even more interesting then this. Just think--a basho with a healthy Tochi, Chiyo and Shoryu could happen! But since the world has just come to an end, I really can't be happy about anything. (Holiday feeling...) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kotoseiya Yuichi 3 Posted November 23, 2003 Thank you for the stats indeed! Wakanosato's total win count is 57. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mikiro 0 Posted November 23, 2003 Kashunowaka, your statistical work is greatly appreciated and illuminating. Thanks too to Kaikitsune for his addendum especially his work on Kaio. I really thought Kaio was done for, but his perseverance through his injuries and pain was truly impressive, notably his victory over Chiyotaikai. Hopefully he can recover before the next basho so we can have four healthy Ozeki and a healthy Sanyaku for a truly superior tournament to start the new year. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mark Buckton 1 Posted November 24, 2003 Interesting.Especially interesting to see how Kaio dominates Chiyo who dominates Tochi who dominates Kaio... and so on. Just goes to show that what goes around comes around. ANR Brilliant initial post too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yoavoshimaru 0 Posted November 24, 2003 Talking about Kaio, I must say I'm very impressed with him this basho. What fighting spirit I was thinking the same thing, in fact for many days now. It's too bad he's not eligible for the fighting spirit prize. In fact, with the coming ozeki demotion rules/kosho change, perhaps the NSK can compensate a bit by rewarding those sanyaku who show great fighting spirit. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Asashosakari 19,331 Posted November 24, 2003 (edited) In fact, with the coming ozeki demotion rules/kosho change, perhaps the NSK can compensate a bit by rewarding those sanyaku who show great fighting spirit. Sekiwake and Komusubi are already eligible for the sansho awards. If you mean including Ozeki as eligible, too, I'm not sure what that would accomplish, as they're actually supposed to contend for the yusho and thus fulfill the sansho criteria pretty much by default (Edit: For shukun-sho and kanto-sho anyway)... Edited November 24, 2003 by Asashosakari Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
