Ozekis and Yokozunas for January 2023 - Seems so far away!

[Jejima 1,363]

2021 saw a big change at the top of the banzuke.

Will Terunoifuji's knees last the year?

Will either of the two Ozekis get promoted.  

Are there future Ozekis waiting in the wings?

Please leave your actual prediction for the top two ranks for the January 2023 banzuke in the comments below like this...

Stilton Y1 Red Leicester
Wensleydale Y2 
Cheddar O1 Shropshire Blue
                O2 Stinking Bishop 

etc

- then we can see who is closest at the end of the year, to award a yusho for this poll.
 

Previous polls:

2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012 - not polled
2011
2010
2009
2008

[Sakura 1,484]

But what about a Double Gloucester or a Crumbly Lancashire?

[Gurowake 4,031]

What about Venezuelan Beaver Cheese?

[Jejima 1,363]

13 minutes ago, Gurowake said:

What about Venezuelan Beaver Cheese?

Not an English cheese - unlike the others (and Sakura's suggestions ;-)).

[just_some_guy 265]

Takakeisho Y1 Terunofuji

Shodai 01 Takanosho

 

Mitakeumi will probably finally show up now and ruin this prediction for me but I'm leaving him out purely out of spite.

[Kashunowaka 300]

I swear I didn't look at @just_some_guy's picks beforehand! I thought I was being original picking Takanosho...

Terunofuji Y

Takakeisho O Shodai

Takanosho O

[Godango 973]

Terunofuji Y Takakeisho

Mitakeumi O Shodai

 

Ha! I was very close to picking Takanosho at O as well. Interesting.

[MumboJumbo 37]

Takakeisho Y Terunofuji

Shodai O Mitakeumi 

 

Takakeisho and Mitakeumi finally getting a good run of tournaments without injury or failing at the final leg? Sure. Terunofuji sits out a tournament, allowing for somebody to make the leap.

[Seiyashi 4,072]

Past trends are no indication of future performance, but I don't see either Takakeisho or Shodai successfully putting together a back to back yusho-winning challenge, in the presence of Terunofuji, to get the rope. The ozeki might luck out and take Terunofuji to playoffs and maybe even a yusho, but with Terunofuji having broken his zensho drought, there's even less psychological barriers standing in his way of clocking 14-1s as yusho scores from now on. I really don't see either of the ozeki matching that twice in a row for D-D or D-Y results to trigger YDC discussion.

But I think with the thinned-out competition, Mitakeumi might just finally make it to ozeki if he can maintain double digits for a bit.

Terunofuji Y
Takakeisho O Mitakeumi
                      O Shodai

I'm giving Takakeisho some credit as he tends to be on fire for Fukuoka, so he's more likely than not to be O1E in January 2023.

Edited December 2, 2021 by Seiyashi

[Morty 1,484]

Terunofuji Y Takakeisho

Mitakeumi O Takanosho

Shodai M3E

[Kintamayama 44,791]

Terunofuji Y

Takakeishou  O Houshouryuu

O Shoudai

[Kaminariyuki 498]

Y1 - Terunofuji

Y2 - Takakeisho

O1 - Mitakeumi

O2 - Abi

O3 - Meisei

Shodai intai. I nearly said Terunofuji, as well, but hopefully he holds out through at least 2022. Looking pretty good the last couple of basho but I think his body may be easily susceptible to injury given the competition he'll have.

[Churaumi 734]

I don't foresee any change. Terunofuji will continue to limp along dominantly, Takakeisho will show basho of brilliance but follow those with just-good-enough basho to stay ozeki. I'm also not sold that his injuries won't come back. Shodai will be the lesser ozeki but will continue to bounce back from inevitable kadoban at least once. I just don't see anyone right now putting up a successful ozeki-run this year, unless Daieisho or Mitakeumi can square themselves away. I think Mitakeumi will be a sekiwake most of the year, getting routine 8-7 and 9-6 records. Daieisho will bounce around sanyaku and the low single-digit maegashira slots but will continue with business as usual. My dark horses are Meisei and Kiribayama but...not without some shocking levels of improvement.

[chishafuwaku 474]

Mitakeumi Y Terunofuji
      Shodai O Meisei

     

[Athenayama 1,010]

Status quo in January 2023.

Terunofuji Y
Takakeisho O Shodai

[Asapedroryu 229]

Y - Takakeisho

O - Mitakeumi, Daieisho, Takanosho

[Shatsume 118]

Terunofuji Y

Takakeisho O Mitakeumi 

Shodai O Wakatakakage

Abi S Takanosho

 

Wakatakakage promoted to Ozeki for Jan 23 tournament. 

[Pitinosato 119]

No changes at all:

Terunofuji Y
Takakeisho O Shodai

Pitinosato

 

[Oortael 151]

Terunofuji    Y 
Takakeisho O Mitakeumi

[WAKATAKE 2,648]

No changes and it will be exactly like Hatsu 2022

Y1E Terunofuji
O1E Takakeisho
O1W Shodai

[Yarimotsu 552]

Uhh I meant to include Shodai for Q3, retaining his rank at Ozeki.

Hopefully I'm wrong and there's more Ozeki coming in 2022.

[I am the Yokozuna 188]

Any chance to reopen it for one more day?

[Jejima 1,363]

Well, most of us think that the current trio at the top (Terunofuji, Takakeisho and Shodai) will still be in the top two ranks at the start of 2022.

Just about all of us think that Terunofuji will not retire this year.  A fifth of us think that Takakeisho will get promoted to Yokozuna too - which is looking less likely after mid-way through the first basho of the year.

The 18% of people who predicted that Mitakeumi will be ranked as Ozeki next January will be feeling a little more confident as they watch the hatsu basho unfold.

More at the end of the year, (if not before....!)

[Jejima 1,363]

Only Terunofuji and Takakeisho will remain in the top two ranks in January. 

rokudenashi, Qwerry, Morty, Unagiyutaka and Oortael all got Question 1 completely correct.

Terunofuji will be the sole Yokozuna on the January 2023 banzuke. Out of the above, rokudenashi, Unagiyutaka and Oortael were  correct here.

Out of the above three, Oortael did the best, with only one (Mitakeumi - so very close!) prediction wrong. The others had more.

So, the yusho goes to @Oortael .

 

[Churaumi 734]

I was pretty close except for the Shodai guess. I think I can give myself half credit for my Mitakeumi guess since his ozeki reign is over. Hopefully he comes back in 2023.