I’m only up to Day 8 but this basho is shaping up to have a great endgame. I had given up hope that my boy 'keisho would ever amount to anything, but he’s tied with the boss. Abi is up there as a classic heel that everyone hates, didn’t expect Mitakeumi to be a contender but I’m glad he’s here. Lots of weird randos that are still in the game. Ura yusho?
Imagine getting drunk and ejected from the stadium by a bunch of former yokozuna working security, what a crazy sport.
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Why are former Yokozuna working security? It seems like it would beneath them. I’d imagine such a thing would be a source of humiliation.
As I understand it, that’s the point, keep them from getting too egotistical.
Why do they agree to do it?
Once a rikishi retires and joins the oyakata ranks, doesn’t matter if you were the GOAT Yokozuna or a middling Maegashira. You start your post-rikishi life at the bottom, just like you did when you entered the world of sumo, and are expected to work your way up. No exceptions.
And the first job every new oyakata is given is security duty–both as a reminder of that fact, and because they don’t know how to do anything else yet.
I wouldn’t call Abi a heel. He is/was well-liked in Japan until his COVID indiscretion that got him suspended. He has served his suspension, repented, and is ready to return to his rightful place near the top of the ranks.
If he makes it past Takakeisho today he has a legit shot at a yusho, as he’s not expected to face Teru head to head (though that could change depending on how things shake out over the next couple days).
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The English-language sumo fandom seem to hate Abi because his style is one-dimensional and the hostess incident. I don’t have any strong feelings about him.
One of the guys on the English language NHK broadcasts referred to Abi as “the technician” a couple of years ago and it was like the funniest thing my kids ever heard, literally every time Abi appears on screen they blurt out THE TECHNICIAN in the most sarcastic voice imaginable (they are high school wrestlers FWIW)
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I got a signed Akua card, so now I have to cheer for Akua, even though he’s a scrub. :(
Abi is very technically grounded. He’s been doing sumo at a high level since grade school, and, having just dispatched of Takakeisho, another exclusively oshi wrestler, he matches up well against Terunofuji for tomorrow’s match. He’ll be the underdog for sure, but also wouldn’t surprise me at all if he beat the Yokozuna.
I’m sure he has an extremely technical background, but at that time his execution was notoriously … lacking and he had a extremely lackadaisical vibe. Something happened and he seems to have renewed interest/effort more recently.
What happened was he was suspended for COVID violations and his sumo future was up in the air. This right around the time he became a new husband and father. He’s finally realized he can’t be a carefree dolt anymore, and now he seems committed to making the most of his talent.
But I wouldn’t say his execution was lacking, as before he was suspended he had spent four consecutive basho as Komusubi, something that is not easy to do.
wait, I was thinking of Endo, not Abi
Yeah those things apply better to Endo, who had much higher expectations placed on him. To be fair he’s suffered a bunch of injuries, which have held him back, but he appears destined to not fulfill his promise as the next great Japanese Hope.
easy to get them mixed up, they’re both pretty boys with long arms
Game effort by Abi, but Terunofuji is just a beast among men right now.
Just me or were there a lot of leg sweeps and kicks this tournament?
Kisenosato is no longer Araiso Oyakata.
He has changed his name once again, to Nishonoseki.
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