Next Yokozuna??????

[Midoriyama 35]

OK I know this post is like fishing in deep waters but I look at it from 3 angles

1. The current makuuchi rikishi: Takakeisho - I know his one dimensional sumo is limiting and he obviously has been set back with that knee but sometimes people seem to forget how young he actually is. With that being considered I think he can evolve his sumo and eventually get to yokozuna

2. Up and comer: Hoshoryu - the pedigree and statue are obvious signs and as written above if he puts some weight of course in the right way he can be unstoppable.

3. Wonderkids: Yoshii, Wakahiroto and Daihisho - OK many of you maybe don´t know who they are and I don´t blame you one bit for that. I know it´s crazy to put someone in yokozuna talks when they have only 2 ozumo tourneys in Jk and Jd. But these 3 seem to be mature beyond their years. They all posted great scores (5-2,5-2,5-2 and 6-1,5-2,5-2) and will be in upper Jd in September. The reasons I single them out here is their crazy young age - Yoshii turned 16 just 18 days ago, Wakahiroto and Daihisho will turn 16 in October and November respectively. The other reason is I like their measurements at such a young age - 177/150 for Yoshii, 174/140 for Wakahiroto and 179/132 for Daihisho. They all have already nice weight but they are well on track to grow to around and beyond 190 cm and we all know how important that is for a long term success in sumo. 

 

I may  look like a fool in couple years if these kids from third group fail and that may easily happen but I really think we will see them shoot up the ranks and at least one of them will get the rope - what would be the bookmakers odds for that? 

[orandashoho 720]

I don't know it is a good thing that these youngsters already have a huge weight. That could spell trouble for them in the longer run with stress on their joints and ligaments that have not been supported by solid muscle. It's far better for them to build their bodies along with gaining sumo experience. They may have to lose weight first before they can do that. Look at Iwasaki/Tobizaru. He was a stick man on his debut. Somewhere along the road, a rikishi has to find the shape and the weight that lets him do his most effective sumo. Can he do that while he is carrying a lot of excess bulk?

Edited August 18, 2019 by orandashoho

[Midoriyama 35]

21 minutes ago, orandashoho said:

I don't know it is a good thing that these youngsters already have a huge weight. That could spell trouble for them in the longer run with stress on their joints and ligaments that have not been supported by solid muscle. It's far better for them to build their bodies along with gaining sumo experience. They may have to lose weight first before they can do that. Look at Iwasaki/Tobizaru. He was a stick man on his debut. Somewhere along the road, a rikishi has to find the shape and the weight that lets him do his most effective sumo. Can he do that while he is carrying a lot of excess bulk?

I partially agree with what you said, but I like their height more than the weight. Excessive weight with no muscles to back it up can kill a career very fast but I don´t consider them being too fat. Especially Daihisho at 179/132 he can easily grow to 195 and bulk up slowly to  170 kg or so ... In these numbers I can see the ideal yokozuna body, but nobody knows whats gonna happen in lets say 5 years

Edited August 18, 2019 by Midoriyama

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

9 hours ago, Midoriyama said:

OK I know this post is like fishing in deep waters but I look at it from 3 angles

1. The current makuuchi rikishi: Takakeisho - I know his one dimensional sumo is limiting and he obviously has been set back with that knee but sometimes people seem to forget how young he actually is. With that being considered I think he can evolve his sumo and eventually get to yokozuna

He actually does have two-dimensional sumo. He has the straight out blast from tachiai that is also something Onosho does. He also has the one-two thrusts to go toe-to-toe with his aite until they make a mistake, and he can shift his position to thrust them out or down from an advantageous side position. Those two modes have taken him to ozeki (while healthy). Whether or not he'll develop and use some Toyonoshima-like belt-work is unknown. All indications are he could be a solid ozeki if he can keep injuries at bay. We'll need to see more to know whether he has the next level in him...

[robnplunder 975]

16 hours ago, Terukuni said:

Like 1991-1992, when the yokozuna retired, a large vacuum was created. Takahanada then came into spotlight, along with Akebono. Those two men then created a new era, and led it. I'm sure the same thing will happen when Hakuho and Kakuryu call it quits. In fact, we may have another no yokozuna era. This will set the stage for a new yokozuna to take charge. However, there really is no "big contender" at the moment (Takanohana and Hakuho are perfect examples of this), it's gonna be wide open for some time.

I agree.    Perhaps, the next Yokozuna may end up being someone in Makushita or Sandanme now, someone we don't know.

[Tigerboy1966 1,415]

16 hours ago, Midoriyama said:

They all have already nice weight but they are well on track to grow to around and beyond 190 cm and we all know how important that is for a long term success in sumo. 

No guarantee that they will get that much taller. Takayasu, for instance, was 183 at 15 and is currently listed at 185, while Kagayaki hasn't grown a cm since he debuted.

Edited August 19, 2019 by Tigerboy1966
another example

[Andreas21 183]

Takayasu. For simply being there when Hakuho and Kakuryo retire.

It seems we all pretty much agree that no one currently appears to be in prospect to actually win consecutive Yushos while Hakuho and Kakuryo shuffle Yushos by just appearing in reasonably healthy shape.

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

2 hours ago, Andreas21 said:

Takayasu. For simply being there when Hakuho and Kakuryo retire.

It seems we all pretty much agree that no one currently appears to be in prospect to actually win consecutive Yushos while Hakuho and Kakuryo shuffle Yushos by just appearing in reasonably healthy shape.

I think that is a long shot. He seems to have the Chiganoura choke™. In the basho that Takakeisho won, Takayasu could have stepped up and did not. Proven ability to win a yusho is a huge plus in my opinion (though Goeido squandered his chance). Which one of them bounces back from injury and takes charge will be a big factor in who could fill any vacuum left by one or both yokozuna leaving.

[Terukuni 105]

Sorry for the late reply, but I'm now beginning to eye Hoshoryu, as most of you guys know, the nephew of Asa. His rise has been pretty fast, kind of comparable to that of Takahanada (Takanohana II). I wonder where he will go. 

[Flohru 176]

1 hour ago, Terukuni said:

Sorry for the late reply, but I'm now beginning to eye Hoshoryu, as most of you guys know, the nephew of Asa. His rise has been pretty fast, kind of comparable to that of Takahanada (Takanohana II). I wonder where he will go. 

Well, both of them only needed only 9/10 basho to achieve their juryo promotion, but Hoshoryu sure had bigger trouble in Makushita (30-19 record, only one 6-1 in lower Makushita), compared to Takahanda (17-4, two Makushita yusho). And then the biggest difference is Hoshoryu entering at the rather mature age of 18 (in fact close to 19), while Takahanada was only 15. You could find dozens of comparable fast rises to Juryo (even if you only want to look at very very recent examples), some of them leading to greatness, others to nothing. Too early to tell.

[yorikiried by fate 2,001]

2 hours ago, Flohru said:

Well, both of them only needed only 9/10 basho to achieve their juryo promotion, but Hoshoryu sure had bigger trouble in Makushita (30-19 record, only one 6-1 in lower Makushita), compared to Takahanda (17-4, two Makushita yusho). And then the biggest difference is Hoshoryu entering at the rather mature age of 18 (in fact close to 19), while Takahanada was only 15. You could find dozens of comparable fast rises to Juryo (even if you only want to look at very very recent examples), some of them leading to greatness, others to nothing. Too early to tell.

It always is. Then again, Hoshoryu already sports Uncle Asa's Death Ray Stare. Which speaks for his fortitude and ambition. I wouldn't be surprised seeing him explode result-wise in the 15-bout schedule and make it to a threatening sanyaku within the next 18 months.