Nagoya Basho 2018 Discussion [SPOILERS]

[Eikokurai 3,437]

With the focus on Mitaekumi, I completely overlooked that Yoshikaze managed a win today, thereby avoiding the ignominy of the 0-15 record. Of course, that’s a trivial matter if speculation about his health has any substance to it.

[Dwale 419]

Wild to think Mitakeumi is only twenty-five. Really hoping he can stay healthy. I expect we'll hear whispers about the Y word if he does, before long.

[ALAKTORN 346]

Congratulations Mitakeumi! What a nice record. I’ll kinda be disappointed if he wins tomorrow because he could’ve had a zenshō if the shinpan didn’t cheat him out of a torinaoshi…

Is it me or Aoiyama is looking fatter than usual this basho?

[Kintamayama 45,537]

Mitakeumi Ozeki run? Mixed views. Hakkaku rijicho says yes. "I guess that's what it will be. It's difficult to get good results one after the other. I would like him to train seriously during the summer jungyo. Facing the Yokozunae and Ozekis next basho will show what he's really worth." 

Ounomatsu, head of the judging department: "I can't say anything till I see his bout on the final day."

Reminder-last basho he was 9-6 at Komusubi. 

[Eikokurai 3,437]

  On 21/07/2018 at 14:40, ALAKTORN said:

Congratulations Mitakeumi! What a nice record. I’ll kinda be disappointed if he wins tomorrow because he could’ve had a zenshō if the shinpan didn’t cheat him out of a torinaoshi…

Is it me or Aoiyama is looking fatter than usual this basho?

I can’t look at Aoiyama long enough to be able to say. 

[Uinseann 2]

  On 21/07/2018 at 15:00, Eikokurai said:

I can’t look at Aoiyama long enough to be able to say. 

I don't want to start a flame war, really, but to me, Aoiyama is very pleasant to look at. So, dear gentleman, I disagree with you.

[Dwale 419]

  On 21/07/2018 at 14:40, ALAKTORN said:

Is it me or Aoiyama is looking fatter than usual this basho?

He's been hurt, so he hasn't been able to train as hard as usual. He probably did trade some muscle for some fat.

[Gurowake 4,109]

  On 21/07/2018 at 15:00, Kintamayama said:

Mitakeumi Ozeki run? Mixed views. Hakkaku rijicho says yes. "I guess that's what it will be. It's difficult to get good results one after the other. I would like him to train seriously during the summer jungyo. Facing the Yokozunae and Ozekis next basho will show what he's really worth." 

Ounomatsu, head of the judging department: "I can't say anything till I see his bout on the final day."

Reminder-last basho he was 9-6 at Komusubi. 

I don't see how someone who has 22 wins in sanyaku in the last two tournaments, including a Yusho, is not on an Ozeki run.  Especially given that he's been in sanyaku quite a while - over a year.  Not as long as Goeido before his promotion, but he's still consistently been able to get at least 8 wins with the exception of one 7-win tournament, much like Goeido was (and after Goeido's 2 7-win tournaments he even was lucky enough to not be demoted).  9 KKs out of the last ten tournaments, all in the joi, with 11 wins at M1 the one time not in sanyaku.  Yes, he obviously needs double digits wins next basho, and probably needs at least 11 counting his last bout this tournament, but to not say emphatically that he's up for promotion is ludicrous.

Unless they're talking about promoting him after this basho, which seems equally crazy.  If all the top-ranked rikishi complete next tournament he'll have to do well just to get a KK, IMO.  (Of course, they probably won't - I can imagine Takayasu and/or Goeido just sitting out and resting, and Kisenosato probably won't manage to finish)

Edited July 21, 2018 by Gurowake

[mikawa 1,794]

Congrats to Mitakeumi and Yoshikaze, a performance worthy of the yusho and a performance not worthy of a 0-15.

It's not the first time someone has defeated Tochiozan to win his first yusho, just look at Kyokutenho

[Rocks 1,809]

  On 21/07/2018 at 14:23, Eikokurai said:

With the focus on Mitaekumi, I completely overlooked that Yoshikaze managed a win today, thereby avoiding the ignominy of the 0-15 record. Of course, that’s a trivial matter if speculation about his health has any substance to it.

I picked against him in the daily games last night but I was glad to see he won. He still looked half out of it though. I really hope it is just a bad cold. At least he earned a little self respect and avoided losing to someone ranked below M11 for the first time in 3 years.  He has Shohozan tomorrow.  He's 3-11 himself but I hope he goes easy on Yoshikaze.

[Kintamayama 45,537]

  On 21/07/2018 at 15:19, Gurowake said:

I don't see how someone who has 22 wins in sanyaku in the last two tournaments, including a Yusho, is not on an Ozeki run.

I'm pretty sure it was said to motivate him to not rest on his laurels and do his best tomorrow. I'm convinced he will be on a run. It's good for Sumo.

[Tenshinhan 1,612]

  On 21/07/2018 at 14:15, Jakusotsu said:

Er, no, he wouldn't. He'd still have to wait for Mitakeumi to lose against Ichinojo.

I meant: Mitakeumi to lose on Day 14 (against Tochiozan) and on Day 15 (against Yutakayama). Then both, Mitakeumi and Yutakayama would have been 12-3 and in a playoff (without Mita fighting Ichinojo)...   

[Kintamayama 45,537]

Another thing about Mitakeumi is that he does famously feeble keiko ala Takamisakari. One of his Oyakatas was on the TV broadcast and said it was a wonder how he does so well in honbasho when he is really weak in training...

[Flyric 94]

  On 21/07/2018 at 15:19, Gurowake said:

I don't see how someone who has 22 wins in sanyaku in the last two tournaments, including a Yusho, is not on an Ozeki run.

Those 9-6 records make things tricky. I think it Baruto who famously was passed for an ozeki promotion due to a 9-6 right in the middle of it. A Yusho is very impressive, but with so many of the high ranks kyujo, there's going to be an asterisk in everyone's mind. If Mitakeumi brings another stellar performance in Aki, he's got it, but if he only gets the 33 wins with no wins against the ozeki+ ranks... it'd be a tough call imo.

[robnplunder 976]

  On 21/07/2018 at 14:22, Eikokurai said:

With the focus on Mitaekumi today, I completely overlooked that Yoshikaze managed a win today, thereby avoiding the ignominy of the 0-15 record. Of course, that’s a trivial matter of speculation about his health has any substance to it.

That was the next "good feel" win of the day for me, after Mita's yusho concluding win.  Yoshikaze does not look like his old self and am hoping he wins another one today.  It may save him from the demotion (or is that decided already?).

[Akinomaki 40,814]

Yutakayama could win for a shukun-sho tomorrow - else nobody can get it. He and Asanoyama should get the kanto-sho.

and yes, I forgot him completely - Mitakeumi gino-sho and kanto-sho

Edited July 21, 2018 by Akinomaki

[Gurowake 4,109]

  On 21/07/2018 at 17:56, Akinomaki said:

Yutakayama could win for a shukun-sho tomorrow - else nobody can get it. He and Asanoyama should get the kanto-sho - or even one the gino-sho, but rather none this basho - and I don't think anybody else will get a sansho.

You don't think Mitakeumi will get a sansho?  (I know, you just forgot about him)

[Akinomaki 40,814]

  On 21/07/2018 at 17:57, Gurowake said:

You don't think Mitakeumi will get a sansho?  (I know, you just forgot about him)

Yes, I must have already had him as ozeki in my mind

 

[Akinomaki 40,814]

  On 21/07/2018 at 17:56, Akinomaki said:

Yutakayama could win for a shukun-sho tomorrow - else nobody can get it. He and Asanoyama should get the kanto-sho.

and yes, I forgot him completely - Mitakeumi gino-sho and kanto-sho

And on second thought, Mitakeumi and Yutakayama - winner shukun-sho is a real possibility - and the triple for Mitakeumi

Edited July 21, 2018 by Akinomaki

[Joaoiyama 313]

  On 21/07/2018 at 17:09, Kintamayama said:

Another thing about Mitakeumi is that he does famously feeble keiko ala Takamisakari. One of his Oyakatas was on the TV broadcast and said it was a wonder how he does so well in honbasho when he is really weak in training...

That is actually pretty common in combat sports, Muhammad Ali let his sparring partners exploit his weakness so he could get better at them. It worked for him and looks like it's working for Mitakeumi.

[Benihana 1,937]

Tochinoshin

M1e    4-11

M6w   9-6

M3w   14-1 Y

S1w    10-5

S1e     13-2 J

 

Mitakeumi

S1e     9-6

S1e     8-7

S1e     7-8

K1e     9-6

S1w    13-2/14-1 Y 

 

If Mitakeumi gets 12+ wins next basho, it will be hard not to promote him, even with 11, if he gets no. 14 tomorrow. 33 straight wins from sanyaku is what they say and he is in sanyaku permanently since 2017.03. He became komusubi for he first time, dropped to M1w, had a strong comeback and never looked back since then. Yes, no meetups with yokozuna this basho, but his other bouts show he is ready. His main problem were the maegashira he lost to, but this basho he handled them easily, like a Y/O should do. His skills improve rapidly, especially his belt sumo. And i think this is the key. The more "complete" he gets, the closer the top-end of the bazuke gets. This man has 4 MK (one due to injury) since entering makuuchi, opposed to 13 KK. Over his career it is 17-4 in favor of the KK. He IS the future. Barring injury, ozeki in november, yokozuna latest early 2020.

Edited July 21, 2018 by Benihana

[WAKATAKE 2,672]

One thing I've noticed about the Tochinoshin and Mitakeumi yushos. Their sumo was calm, confident, and defined. Major congrats to Mitakeumi, Dewanoumi beya and Nagano prefecture on this yusho. Now to finish strong and start that ozeki run!

[Akinomaki 40,814]

  On 21/07/2018 at 16:58, Tenshinhan said:

I meant: Mitakeumi to lose on Day 14 (against Tochiozan) and on Day 15 (against Yutakayama). Then both, Mitakeumi and Yutakayama would have been 12-3 and in a playoff (without Mita fighting Ichinojo)...   

With this pairing, they avoided the case that the shukun-sho could go to Ichinojo's outstanding performance this basho

[robnplunder 976]

Ichinojo has somehow managed to win 7 bouts in this basho with his lethargic approach to sumo.    At times, he look like he wanted to lose, don't know what to do, etc..  

What's up with this kid in juryo, Takanosho?    What's his prospect in Makuuchi?   Mitoryu continues to disappoint.   Don't see next Mongolian great to follow the current crop of yokozuna. 

[Bumpkin 438]

Regarding S1w Mitakeumi"s Ozeki run. If he wins on Day 15 and finishes 14-1 than 10 wins in Aki should get him promoted for Kyushu. 9+14+10=33. If Mitakeumi loses and finishes 13-2 than 11 wins in Aki should be needed. 9+13+11=33.