We now have Kakuryu with one loss, and three guys, Harumafuji, Kisenosato, and Ishiura with two losses. Figuring out who could win this thing is like trying to figure out the NFL playoffs. :nut:
Then Goeido vs. Kakuryu (good thing there isn't a 5 yard penalty for false starts, these guys would have ended up in the parking lot):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlxW7Qw6BTg
Kakuryu had to pull out after day 10 with an injury. Should Kisenosato win it, hardly a sure thing with Hakuho only one behind, I wonder if people will say, "Yeah, but two Yokozuna were out."
Don't like how they're talking about making Kisenosato a Yokozuna after just one championship. With Kotoshogiku's demotion that would make twice as many Yokozuna as Ozeki. It should be the other way around.
Japan is happy, the JSA is happy, and Konishiki is reminded once again of how he got screwed out of yokozuna promotion over 20 years ago (38 wins and two yusho over a three-basho span versus Kisenosato's 36 wins and one yusho over his last three basho)
^ Thanks for posting. Kind of reminds me of back in the mid-1980's, Randy Bass of the Hanshin Tigers got to within one of Sadaharu Oh's single season home run record with 4 or 5 games to go. He didn't see a pitch within a foot of the strike zone the rest of the season.
But the big news is Hakuho dropping out again still having problems with his toe:
"Mongolian grand champion Hakuho on Thursday pulled out of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament due to injuries to his right toe and right thigh.
Hakuho sustained a big toe sprain and thigh muscle injury that will require three weeks of medical treatment, his stablemaster Miyagino said. His withdrawal comes a day after he crashed to his second loss on the fourth day of the 15-day meet at Edion Arena Osaka.
The 32-year-old Hakuho, the most successful wrestler in sumo history with 37 career titles, injured his thigh and toe in Wednesday's bout against top-ranked maegashira Ikioi.
The yokozuna had had surgery on his right toe to remove bone spurs after skipping the entire Autumn meet last September.
"He wasn't in good spirits and there was something strange about his sumo since he lost on the first day. He'll just have to start all over again," said Miyagino.
Hakuho's withdrawal is his first since missing the Autumn tournament last year and fifth overall. He forfeits Thursday's scheduled bout against komusubi Mitakeumi."
Kisenosato and Takayasu are out of the same stable so they won't meet unless we get to day 15 and they're tied. Biggest surprise to me is Terunofuji with just one loss. I guess being kadoban can be a good motivator.
I was one of those who was skeptical of Kisenosato's promotion to yokozuna; I felt he was undeserving of the honor. But he certainly performed admirably after being injured.
As for Terunofuji--just deserts after pulling off that henka on day 14.
Day 8, and in the eyes of Hakuho and Harumafuji, order has been restored (and they've done a lot of the restoring).
Y2e Harumafuji 8 - 0
Y2w Hakuho 8 - 0
S1w Takayasu 7 - 1
Y1e Kisenosato 6 - 2
O1e Terunofuji 6 - 2
S1e Tamawashi 6 - 2
M5w Shodai 6 - 2
M7e Hokutofuji 6 - 2
M9w Kagayaki 6 - 2
M10e Tochinoshin 6 - 2
M10w Ura 6 - 2
M13w Daishomaru 6 - 2
The other yokozuna, Kakuryu, withdrew after day 5. I expect most of those rank and filers to fall to the side in the next couple days. Two new wrestlers at this basho. One of them, Onosho, looking pretty good at 5-3. We'll see how he does the second week.
Saw an article about Takayasu being promoted to ozeki, first time I ever saw salaries mentioned:
"As ozeki, Takayasu will earn a 2.347 million yen monthly salary in addition to benefits that include business and first-class travel on flights, and access to the reserved basement parking area at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan."
Kakuryu and Endo had already withdrawn, now this. This basho could be a case of "last man standing".
Kisenosato and Terunofuji drop out with injuries
Yokozuna Kisenosato and ozeki Terunofuji have both pulled out of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament due to injuries and will forfeit their sixth-day bouts, sumo officials said Friday.
The 31-year-old Kisenosato, who has been competing despite delayed recovery from an upper arm injury, injured his left ankle while losing to third-ranked maegashira Ikioi in Thursday's bout at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium. He entered the meet with a perfect 15-0 head-to-head record against Ikioi.
Medical reports submitted to the Japan Sumo Association revealed he has been diagnosed with damaged ligaments in his left ankle joint and will need three weeks of treatment.
It is the second straight tournament that the grand champion from the Tagonoura stable has been forced to withdraw from, and the third time overall.
"He said he is no condition to wrestle. The pain in his left arm seems to be gone but he hasn't been able to put on good sumo. He was desperate and hoping to heal himself in the ring," his stablemaster Tagonoura said.
"It was a difficult decision. But we'll think of what's best going forward and make sure the fans will get to see a healthy yokozuna again."
Meanwhile, Terunofuji, who underwent endoscopic surgery on his left knee last month, also pulled out.
He was diagnosed with a left knee meniscal injury and his scheduled opponent for Friday, No. 1 maegashira Shodai, wins by forfeit, leaving Terunofuji at 1-5.
For the 25-year-old Mongolian ozeki from the Isegahama stable, it is the second time in his career he is withdrawing from a tournament.