Top 10 Rikishi to Challenge Hakuho?

[pc95 0]

Who are your top 10 wrestlers to challenge Hakuho's win streak?

Based on what I've seen this year here's my top 10 current Hakuho challengers:

1. Kakuryu

2. Baruto

3. Kotooshu

4. Harumafuji

5. Tochiozan

6. Kaio

7. Kisenosato

8. Homasho

9 Kotoshogiku

10. Amanishiki

[Kintamayama 45,534]

Why 10? Just guessing who will be the one will do, no? Still, being a cocksure sport, I'll play:

1.Baruto

2. Aminishiki

3. Tochiouzan

4. Kotooushuu

5. Kisenosato

6. Harumafuji

7. Kakuryuu

8. Tochinoshin

9. Kotoshougiku

10. Tatsu

[ryafuji 815]

1. Kisenosato

2. Tochiozan

3. Tochinoshin

4. Kakuryu

5. Aminishiki

6. Harumafuji

7. Kotooshu

8. Baruto

9. Aran

10. Kaio

[sekitori 492]

Based on recent performances, I would vote for "none of the above". (I am not worthy...)

Edited September 28, 2010 by sekitori

[pc95 0]

Well for this year's matches minus January, I'd say Baruto and Kakuryu have come closest to snapping the winning streak.

This Sept Basho though, pretty much no-one challenged, Baruto maybe a bit, but he doesn't have the reactions or speed to keep up with Hakuho consistently. Hakuho also looks stronger in the legs than most all rikishi except maybe Tochiozan whom Hakuho outclasses upper-body wise. Pretty much Hakuho has to make a serious bumble-headed mistake to lose his streak. Definitely sucks having Asashoryu gone - loss of parity.

[ryafuji 815]

I guess there's always the possibility, however remote, of a lapse in concentration, as with Shotenro. I just have a feeling that it will be someone below ozeki - maybe even a maegashira - who will eventually stop him.

[Tamaikazuchi 4]

  Kintamayama said:

10. Tatsu

This one.

[Flohru 176]

  pc95 said:

Well for this year's matches minus January, I'd say Baruto and Kakuryu have come closest to snapping the winning streak.

This Sept Basho though, pretty much no-one challenged, Baruto maybe a bit, but he doesn't have the reactions or speed to keep up with Hakuho consistently. Hakuho also looks stronger in the legs than most all rikishi except maybe Tochiozan whom Hakuho outclasses upper-body wise. Pretty much Hakuho has to make a serious bumble-headed mistake to lose his streak. Definitely sucks having Asashoryu gone - loss of parity.

The funny thing is that the three challengers you mention here are the active rikishi with the worst overall records against Yokozuna opponents so far (with the exception of Takekaze and Kakizoe, considering only rikishi with +10 bouts against Yokozuna), standing at a whopping 1-53 combined with Kakuryu at 0-21 holding something which could be kind of a record(?)!

Personally I can't see Hakuho giving away his win streak against any rank-and-filer, it simply must be an Ozeki or at least Ozeki potential late in the basho (not sure if it will be the next one though, my guess is Hatsu 2011).

Well here we go:

1.) Harumafuji

2.) Kotooshu

3.) Kaio

4.) Kisenosato

5.) Baruto

6.) Aminishiki

7.) Tochiozan

8.) Tochinoshin

9.) Goeido

10.) Miyabiyama

[Jakusotsu 6,050]

There's only one on my list:

1. Hakuho

[Asashosakari 19,669]

  Flohru said:

Personally I can't see Hakuho giving away his win streak against any rank-and-filer, it simply must be an Ozeki or at least Ozeki potential late in the basho

I'd like to turn this on its head. My clear favourite is Aminishiki - but not while Futabayama's record still stands. (I am not worthy...) That being said, while you have to give good odds on Hakuho breaking the record now, I don't think he's going to go much beyond it. All that psychological pressure being lifted from him once he's at 70 might well make the difference. Of course, I also expected one of the ozeki to take him down this basho, so what do I know...

BTW, this is another of those threads where I'm inclined to say that Asashoryu may not be too sad to be out of sumo. He did lose the last six regulation bouts against Hakuho - sure the yusho races might be more suspenseful on a superficial level, but imagine the reaction here and elsewhere if Hakuho now stood at 62 wins with a second yokozuna present. Not the reaction to Hakuho's feat, but to the second yokozuna's inability to prevent it.

[sekitori 492]

When Hakuho finally loses a bout, two things almost certainly happen:

1. Whoever defeats him will lose his next match convincingly.

2. In his next bout, Hakuho will simply just begin another winning streak.

Someone on the English broadcasting side (I'm not sure who it was) suggested that in Kyushu, the NSK could possibly load Hakuho's schedule in the first half of the basho with only sanyaku rikishis. The theory would be that in order to break Futabayama's record, he would have to work as hard as possible. The problem with that logic is that if he does get past the first eight days undefeated (which seems more likely than not), all of his major opposition for the yusho would then be gone and the second half would be anticlimactic.

[Gernobono 467]

my guess is:

no mongolian until the 70th rensho

and a mongolian after the 70th rendsho

[Asashosakari 19,669]

  sekitori said:

Someone on the English broadcasting side (I'm not sure who it was) suggested that in Kyushu, the NSK could possibly load Hakuho's schedule in the first half of the basho with only sanyaku rikishis. The theory would be that in order to break Futabayama's record, he would have to work as hard as possible. The problem with that logic is that if he does get past the first eight days undefeated (which seems more likely than not), all of his major opposition for the yusho would then be gone and the second half would be anticlimactic.

Other than perhaps the two sekiwake bouts being moved up from their usual Day 10/11 slots, I'd be highly surprised if anything like that happens. Although the second halfs of the recent tournaments have been pretty anti-climactic as it is, so I'm not sure that's an argument against doing it. ;-)

[Kintamayama 45,534]

I predict everything will be as usual torikumi -wise next basho. He will start off against the Komusubi west, whoever it will be, then etc.. etc...

[Harry 67]

How many more consecutive zensho yusho does he have to get before it becomes anticlimactic???

[madorosumaru 7]

Upon arriving in Japan after attending the Singapore Grand Prix, the former Asashoryu was asked who would be the one to end Hakuho's winning streak. The erstwhile yokozuna pondered the question for a moment and then responded with a mischievous smile, "Me." But then he said, "I guess I wouldn't be able to pull a stunt like that."

He also told the media, "Only someone who has been a yokozuna can understand about what it is like to be a yokozuna. Hey, that guy cries easily so we shouldn't make him cry too much. I suppose I'll give him a call and congratulate him."

[Jakusotsu 6,050]

  Harry said:

How many more consecutive zensho yusho does he have to get before it becomes anticlimactic???

I'm always puzzled to see how many people seem to get their primal excitement from who will win the yusho.

Let Hakuho win another 50 in a row and it couldn't get any more exciting to me.

[Tokyo Tom 0]

IMO, throwing out 10 names is like listing the usual suspects. I think the challenger will come from a sanyaku/high maegashira veteran- a crafty type of rikishi who could leverage a leg sweep. My vote is with either Aminishiki or Kyokutenho. I am more confident that the kimarite will be some sort of leg sweep (counter intuitive given Hakuho's giant thighs) but I can't see him being vulnerable to a push out or upper body throw.

If someone has the time, can you post the W/L record of Aminishiki and Kyokutenho vs Hakuho over the past couple of years (or direct me to a link where I can find the answer for myself)? Thanks in advance

[Doitsuyama 1,192]

  Tokyo Tom said:

If someone has the time, can you post the W/L record of Aminishiki and Kyokutenho vs Hakuho over the past couple of years (or direct me to a link where I can find the answer for myself)? Thanks in advance

Here is a query of all bouts with Hakuho since 2008. It's pretty clear that Harumafuji had the best success against him, at least back then. Just click on the "Expand" link to see the single bouts.

[Anjoboshi 2]

  Tokyo Tom said:

If someone has the time, can you post the W/L record of Aminishiki and Kyokutenho vs Hakuho over the past couple of years (or direct me to a link where I can find the answer for myself)? Thanks in advance

From the great Sumo Reference:

Hakuho vs. Aminishiki: 17 - 3

Hakuho vs. Kyokutenho: 20 - 2

Edit: Too slow XD

Edited September 29, 2010 by Anjoboshi

[Asashosakari 19,669]

  Tokyo Tom said:

If someone has the time, can you post the W/L record of Aminishiki and Kyokutenho vs Hakuho over the past couple of years (or direct me to a link where I can find the answer for myself)? Thanks in advance

The Database of Everything has you covered. :-) If you prefer a later starting point than 2008, just change it.

(Hmm, why does that query include Harumafuji in its original output but Ama when it's sorted alphabetically?)

Edit: Oh boy, same as Doitsuyama's query down to the same timeframe. I'm scared again. But still curious about my question...

Edited September 29, 2010 by Asashosakari

[sekitori 492]

My theory on how to become one of the most hated rikishis of all time:

Stop Hakuho's streak by use of a henka. The zabutons will be flying but they'll probably be aimed at the "winning" rikishi's head. Actually, I doubt if anyone will want to try it in this situation because of two reasons. First, it would be considered as nothing more than an attempt to achieve instant fame using an extremely cowardly tactic. Second, it probably would never work because I'm sure a henka is the very first thing Hakuho is looking for.

Still and all, it's an interesting thought--and also a very repulsive one.

[Anjoboshi 2]

  sekitori said:

Stop Hakuho's streak by use of a henka.

Doing this at bout number 69 and celebrating the victory with an extensive robo dance on the dohyo ...

... ah, this would be epic! (although I still prefer to see the record broken)

[pc95 0]

According to that database, Hakuho is 21-229 vs. everybody else since 2008. I suppose that had Asashoryu not retired for these last 4 bashos Hakuho's chance at Chiyonofuji's record would be almost nil. Statistically Asashoryu beats Hakuho at least once in 3 tournmaments. Only Baruto has beaten Hakuho this year convincingly. Losses to Harumafuji and Kaio were bouts involving deceptive movement. Kaio maybe 8-10 years younger would give Hakuho a run for his money every time more so than Baruto now, but as many of the responders have noted, the record is Hakuho to lose in total.

[Gusoyama 104]

  Asashosakari said:

imagine the reaction here and elsewhere if Hakuho now stood at 62 wins with a second yokozuna present. Not the reaction to Hakuho's feat, but to the second yokozuna's inability to prevent it.

I honestly think that Asa would have stopped him during one of the last 4 basho. He was way too proud, and would have pulled every trick out of his bag to show he still had it.