This basho is Tobizaru’s to lose.
The flying monkey is putting on one heck of a show for a rookie.
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Shodai!
Long-time favorite. Happy to seem him finally fulfill his potential.
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That last match was absolutely incredible. Did you see the exact moment when Tobizaru’s heart was shattered?
What an emotional gut-punch, he had Shodai on the ropes. So close and yet so far. Still, I think his flying monkey style has so a ton of potential. Very excited to see him in the next tournament, this guy is just so thirsty for victory and his technique is on point.
I was cheering for my boi Takakeisho, but Shodai was such a beast. My other boi Kotoshogiku just looks sad. It’s time to hang up the gloves and retire, bro.
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Tobizaru was a pleasant surprise, but he’s 28 and has been lingering in Juryo for two years before coming out of nowhere in his makuuchi debut. We’ll see if this was a one-time fluke or the start of something exciting.
Either way, I love his style.
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I am 1,000% on board the Tobizaru hype train, that guy is so thirsty for victory. Maybe he’s a flash in the pan like Enho, who knows. Shodai had some incredible fighting spirit, tho. He was almost pushed out and then his opponent almost got him in an arm bar… I gotta stan Shodai too, that guy rose to the occasion and never gave up.
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Is there any question about shodai’s promotion at this point? He’s got to be a shoe-in. In the last year, despite there only being five tournaments, he’s got four double-digit wins, four fighting spirit prizes, runner up twice and a yusho.
As I understand it, the baseline requirement is two yusho and a general record of good sumo (I think they bent the rules for Kisenosato a little because the powers that be really wanted a Japanese yokozuna). So it’s a bit soon but if Shodai keeps performing at this level, he’ll surely get that promotion.
Edit: I looked it up and Shodai is native Japanese, so that definitely tilts the scales in his favor.
wait are we talking about the same thing? I’m talking about getting promoted to ozeki. Is that already a done deal and people are already looking to the next step???
D’oh yeah, I got confused and thought he was already ozeki. He’ll get the promotion for sure, 100%.
It’s a done deal.
And bucking tradition, he won’t be changing his shikona. He’ll remain Shodai to become only the 5th Ozeki to retain his given name at that rank.
I guess there’s some kind of sumo tourney in Austin that’s going to go live on youtube.
Enho’s “OH SHIT” expression as he realizes he’s in way over his head:
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Asanoyama is kyujo for the rest of this basho. Hurt his shoulder on Day 1.
He is, but the fact that he’s gotten this far toppling guys literally more than twice his size is nothing to sneeze at. If sumo had a lightweight division he’s be Yokozuna for sure.
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Asanoyama out, my boy Takakeisho can win this if he can get past Shodai and Terenofuji, the human kaiju.
Looks like Shodai has a gimpy ankle. He may struggle to get a winning record from this point.
I have this basho going to either Takakeisho or Terunofuji. Probably the latter.
This woman is a ghost, right? Some kind of sumo apparition, creepy as hell. She’s there every day so far.
She’s the daughter of an extremely wealthy company owner who is a tanimachi–a major donor to one of the stables, thus earning daily seating privileges.
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Woah, Ura with a move I’ve never seen before: izori takedown.