2021 "Kozumo" Hatsu Basho discussion thread

[Fukuyamada 42]

Yeah, Daieisho has been thoroughly convincing in this tournament. I hope he maintains his composure and wins all 15 bouts.

[Karasukurai 166]

Takakeisho won but not well. He just threw everything, including the kitchen sink, at Tochinoshin with a hint of desperation and abandon. If Tochi had considered a bit of lateral movement rather than standing there like a statue, Takakeisho might have been in trouble. As it was, that tall stack of kensho went the Ozeki's way.

Shodai has settled nicely and is keeping up the honour of the Ozeki and Daieisho is simply on fire. Meanwhile in Juryo, a mention for Ikioi's win over Oho along with another lovely move from Ura with a nice tottari on Yago. Tsurugisho still the man to beat in the second division.

The best thing about this basho? We've got through a week with no Covid interruptions and everyone is safe and sound so far - fingers crossed for week two.

[Tigerboy1966 1,449]

You know the world's gone mad when Akiseyama loses to Ichinojo and we look for excuses.

[since_94 650]

Bout of the day IMO was Hoshoryu's impressive win over Kotoeko by uwatenage.  Very impressive. Might even warrant a congratulatory call from scary uncle with that one.

[Thorbjarn 215]

Daeisho truly amazing so far, but we definitely have to watch out for Shodai. It is going to be an interesting second week. I'd assume Shodai will beat his Ozeki rivals, judging by everyone's current form. 

As impressed as I am with Daieisho, I will not expect a none-Hakuho Rikishi to go 15-0 at the moment. Would be fun to be surprised, though. Maybe another 13-2 Yusho Basho? 

[nagora 88]

1 hour ago, robnplunder said:

KK will be a good ending for Akiseyama.   He will face stiffer competition the rest of the way, starting with Meisei whom I think will beat him easily.

Even in winning, Takakeisho looked unimpressive.  I think he is kadoban-bound.  

The only dude that can stop the Daieisho train may be Shodai who already lost to the former.  This is Daieisho's basho.  I said it three times in this thread and that makes it true!

I don't think Meisei will stop Akiseyama myself but the latter need never take up poker. I've never seen anyone so obviously rattled at the start of a bout.

Takakeisho's win was certainly better than his first - at least he put some back into it.

I agree about Daieisho; barring injury I can't see anyone stopping him from taking the cup but I hope we get a good bout when he does eventually come up against Shodai.

[RabidJohn 1,793]

14 minutes ago, nagora said:

I agree about Daieisho; barring injury I can't see anyone stopping him from taking the cup but I hope we get a good bout when he does eventually come up against Shodai.

He met Shodai on day 3 and beat him. The only way they'll meet again during this basho is in a play-off.

[Eikokurai 3,437]

29 minutes ago, nagora said:

I agree about Daieisho; barring injury I can't see anyone stopping him from taking the cup but I hope we get a good bout when he does eventually come up against Shodai.

He’s faced all the sanyaku and beaten them all. It’s all guys lower or equal to him from now until the end.

[Jakusotsu 5,981]

21 minutes ago, Eikokurai said:

He’s faced all the sanyaku and beaten them all.

This calls for a query:
http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Query_bout.aspx?show_form=0&group_by=basho&group_by2=rikishi1&having=7&rank1=m&onlyw1=on&rank2=y,o,s,k

[Eikokurai 3,437]

24 minutes ago, Jakusotsu said:

This calls for a query:
http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Query_bout.aspx?show_form=0&group_by=basho&group_by2=rikishi1&having=7&rank1=m&onlyw1=on&rank2=y,o,s,k

The only problem with the query is it returns the total number beaten and doesn’t clarify if they beat all of the sanyaku possible. For example, the top return, Annenyama with 8, beat 8 of 9 Y-K who appeared (a 10th was kyujo) and that he faced. His clean sweep was denied by Yokozuna Wakanohana.

Likewise, Yutakayama lost to two Sekiwake and one of his 8 wins was a fusen freebie from an Ozeki.

Edited January 16, 2021 by Eikokurai

[Jakusotsu 5,981]

I know, of course. But still valuable, don't you think?

[Akinomaki 40,601]

This is better http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Query_bout.aspx?show_form=0&group_by=basho&group_by2=rikishi1&having=4&rowcount=4&rank1=m&wins1=5-15&winsopt1=2&rank2=y,o,s,k&gsort_by=record

Edit: improved to include 5-0 like Taiho

Edited January 17, 2021 by Akinomaki

[since_94 650]

2 hours ago, Fukuyamada said:

Yeah, Daieisho has been thoroughly convincing in this tournament. I hope he maintains his composure and wins all 15 bouts.

His tachiai was fierce today. Blew Takanosho back and finished him off quickly with some well aimed tsuppari

[Eikokurai 3,437]

Half expecting to see Kotoshoho with some strapping on his left ankle tomorrow. While he showed no obvious signs on pain, it took a bit of a twist as he went down in a way that often causes injury in sumo.

[Eikokurai 3,437]

47 minutes ago, Akinomaki said:

This is better http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Query_bout.aspx?show_form=0&group_by=basho&group_by2=rikishi1&having=7&rowcount=4&rank1=m&wins1=7-15&winsopt1=2&rank2=y,o,s,k&gsort_by=record

So Daieisho is the first Maegashira to clean sweep the sanyaku then (those that turned up).

54 minutes ago, Jakusotsu said:

I know, of course. But still valuable, don't you think?

Indeed. I hope my reply didn’t seem too terse and impolite. I didn’t mean it that way.

[Akinomaki 40,601]

Since my ridiculous predictions turn up to be too realistic, I post this here as an option to spoil Daieisho's record: Hakuho is confirmed completely healed and requests a late entry, officially to do the dohyo-iri, and beats Daieisho on day 15 (ozeki are kyujo by then)

Edited January 16, 2021 by Akinomaki

[Philioyamfugi 378]

Daieisho looks absolutely ferocious....wow !! Shoudia looking very strong and were all set up for a exciting 2nd week. 

[Tigerboy1966 1,449]

3 hours ago, Karasukurai said:

The best thing about this basho? We've got through a week with no Covid interruptions and everyone is safe and sound so far - fingers crossed for week two.

I do wonder though, if sekitori are feeling pressured to persevere and keep the show on the road when they would otherwise have withdrawn through injury. There have been a lot of grimaces and limb-clutches after bouts. I just hope we aren't getting overdrawn at the injury bank.

[Shinobi Steve 146]

4 hours ago, Karasukurai said:

The best thing about this basho? We've got through a week with no Covid interruptions and everyone is safe and sound so far - fingers crossed for week two.

Absolutely agree! There was a lot of negativity in other places online going into the first few days. Let's definitely keep our fingers crossed though and knock on wood for a successful second week.

[Yubinhaad 11,710]

1 hour ago, Eikokurai said:

So Daieisho is the first Maegashira to clean sweep the sanyaku then (those that turned up).

Certainly the first who fought this many. Wakahanada started the 1991 Aki basho with a 5-0 sweep, but of course did not have to fight three sanyaku who were stablemates.

[Naganoyama 5,928]

7 hours ago, Amamaniac said:

This was actually a pretty satisfying day.  Almost everyone that should have won, won.  The only sad note was Akiseyama losing his bout (and share of the lead) to Mongolian monster, Ichinojo.  I started worrying when I saw Akiseyama get OCD about the salt around the shikirisen.  That was a clear break in his regular routine.  Then shortly after the tachiai, he started getting too eager instead of sticking to his patient game.  I guess the hype finally got to him.  

He'll always have days 1 through 6!  

He's not out of it yet!

[Tigerboy1966 1,449]

To state the bleeding obvious, I think we are down to two likely winners, Daeisho and Shodai, and one seriously live outsider, Ichinojo. Everyone else is just fighting for rank.

[nagora 88]

5 hours ago, RabidJohn said:

He met Shodai on day 3 and beat him. The only way they'll meet again during this basho is in a play-off.

Blink and you miss it, I guess :)

[Reonito 1,469]

9 hours ago, Eikokurai said:

Daieisho! Seven sanyaku faced. Seven sanyaku beaten. A clean sweep.

First time ever, as far as @Sakura and I can tell.

[Amamaniac 2,079]

Ozeki Watch for Day 8

Day 7 was only the second time this tournament that all three Ozeki won their scheduled bouts.  While some may question the quality of sumo on display, each wrestler did what they needed to do to get vital white star wins.  Wins don't have to be pretty, but real sumo fans prefer technical brilliance.

Tomorrow, Takakeisho is up first against iron man, Tamawashi.  Unlike Tochinoshin from today, Tamawashi is a pusher-thruster like Takakeisho.  They have different body types, which means that Takakeisho may have more mass behind his thrusts (& initial charge), but Tamawashi is definitely more mobile.  Takakeisho has a 9-5 (9-4 without the fusensho) edge in past meetings, and Tamawashi hasn't beaten Takakeisho in the last year.  This will be an oshizumo battle, and if Tamawashi can stay in it for more than say 5 seconds, he will have a chance to add to Takakeisho's woes.  The key will probably come down to the tachiai.  Based on today's performance, Takakeisho will go all out from the get go since his ability to generate power from a standing position is almost non-existent this tournament.  

Next up will be Asanoyama against technical wonder boy (?), Endo.  There should be a nice kensho purse on that match.  Both men have the same record in this tournament, i.e., 4-3.  If anything, that indicates that neither is fighting at the best of their ability.  This will be the first sanyaku opponent for Endo, so his current mediocre performance level will be tested.  Endo can rise to the occasion ... at times.  And actually, his previous record against Asanoyama is an impressive 7-4.  If Asanoyama has struggled with Endo's style of sumo in the past, he will probably struggle this time around.

And in the final bout of the day, Shodai takes on Mitakeumi.  That is an Ozeki with one championship under his mawashi going up against a junior-sanyaku-mainstay with two championships under his mawashi.  When Mitakeumi is good... he wins championships.  When he's not, he disappoints many a fan.  At only two wins and five losses, one wouldn't have to argue hard the fact that his sumo is off this tournament (his heart does not seem to be in it).  While Mitakeumi did provide some drama with his opening-day victory over Takakeisho, it soon became clear that the Ozeki was giving away white stars left, right, and centre this month.  Interestingly, however, Mitakeumi's two wins so far this tournament have come against Ozeki opponents.  Can he make a clean sweep?  Mitakeumi and Shodai's past record is actually quite even (10-9), and they have essentially been trading wins and losses.  This time around, however, Shodai looks like he will double up (i.e., win following his win in July 2020). 

What will Day 8 have in store for us?  Technical brilliance or several skin-of-your-teeth affairs.  Oh, the uncertainty!

Edited January 17, 2021 by Amamaniac