How about a sumo thread?

[ursus arctos]

Shodai loses again and is now officially kadoban

Mitakeumi handles Abi and Terunofuji only needs about five seconds to win his bout

On Day 14, Mitakeumi gets Takarafuji (9-4), while Teru gets Abi (10-3).

If they both record the same result, their bout on the final day will determine the title.

If they don't, the wrestler trailing going into Day 15 can still force a playoff by winning (Abi will be eliminated from the title race if he loses to Terunofuji).

[Anton Gramscescu]

OK, so this is now A Genuinely Interesting Basho.

1) With the top two both losing today, we have three guys (Abi, 'umi, and Teru) at 10-2 with three days to go.

2) Takakeisho will be kadoban next tourney and it;s a good bet Shodai will be too. This sets up a nightmare scenario for the JSA - you *have* to have two O/Ys to start a tournament (obscure old rule, basically you need one "champion" on both the east and west side of the table. If they both have losing records again in March, the May basho can't happen).

3) So this massively increases the likelihood that Mitakeumi will get a promotion to Ozeki this tourney, even though he'd normally be on shaky ground. Normally, he'd need 13 wins to get the nod; 12 is possible, but now I think even with 11 they might give him the nod. problem here: 'umi fights Abi tomorrow and (almost certainly) Teru on Saturday.

4) There are now I think five guys kyujo if you include the soon-to-be-kicked-out-of-sumo Hidenoumi who got done for gambling, which means the banzuke re-alignment for next basho is going to be batshit crazy. I think there are going to be a couple of guys with 5-9 records who would normally et tossed down the ranks that might barely get demoted. Likeliest beneficiary of this: Tochinoshin.

[ursus arctos]

And we are once again tied at the top after 10 days

[Anton Gramscescu]

Win streak ends at 23. Abi and 'umi still undefeated. Teru and his vanquisher (Tamawashi - takes a Mongolian to beat a Mongolian) at 5-1.

[Anton Gramscescu]

Day 4 was maybe the best day of sumo in the last three years. Nearly all of the last ten bouts were super-entertaining, including Ura v Teru.

Day 5 has some good ones, too, notably Hoshoryu v. Tobizaru. My man Chiyonokuni is 0-5, very depressing. Abi, back up from the lower divisions, is 5-0 - it's like the entire division has forgotten how to defeat him (back up and pull, the dude will fall over every time). Mitakaeumi looks great, as he does about one in every eight bashos - also unbeaten. Teru just *destroyed* Ichinojo. Judo-tossed all 450 pounds of him. So a three-way tie at 5-0

[ursus arctos]

Yes, the gulf in class seems even wider than in Hakuho's heyday, which is somewhat hard to believe.

It is hard not to think that (barring injury) the focus will be very much on his unbeaten streak rather than the destination of the next several titles. The last time a new Yokozuna won his first three tournaments with that rank was in 1915. Tero looks nailed on to match (and then surpass) that feat.

Wakatakakage is 0-4 now after losing to Shodai. M1 looks like it was too high for him at this point, though I agree his ceiling is quite a bit higher.

[Anton Gramscescu]

Day 3 of Hatsu and Takakeisho is already kyujo. Amazingly, he lost today to Ura, who on day 2 really looked liked he had suffered a concussion v. Shodai.

Terunofuji is now 20 or 21 straight matches without a loss and honeslty, it;s not clear who might actually beat him. Ever. Like this could go on all year.

Mitakaeumi starting off brightly, not impossible to think he could be on his way to Ozeki status (finally). Hoshoryu and Wakatakage both increasingly looking like they will both be firmly ensonsed in the K/S ranks by the end of the year. After Mitakaeumi, these two guys look to be next likeliest to ascend to the Ozeki rank. Meanwhile, at the bottom of the top division, I think there's a reasonable chance that all three white guys (Kaisei, Aioyama and the Mighty Tochinoshin) might all get relegated this basho; also, newcomer Ouho looks like he might have real staying power.

[sw2borshch]

I watched half an hour of sumo in a hotel room in Belgium last week (on the telly, they weren't on my mattress) and it was very watchable. I hadn't realised that the bouts were so quick.

[ursus arctos]

Teru is 12-0 and has been doing things like this.

https://twitter.com/thesumosoul/status/1463821955941888001?s=21

Three days to go, including a likely final day bout with Takakeisho, who is 11-1.

[ursus arctos]

The GOAT has officially retired

[ursus arctos]

Now that smallcaps' appearances are sadly limited, this thread may be down to two posters, but Takakeisho looks very likely to lose his ozeki status after losing his first two bouts in this tournament

[Anton Gramscescu]

Worst sumo wrestler ever retires.

Genuine passing of an era...

[ursus arctos]

Not taking any chances with his knees, I see

[Anton Gramscescu]

Video of Terunofuji's first dohyo-iri at the Meiji Shrine.

[Anton Gramscescu]

And the Yokozuna Deliberation Council unanimously recommends Terunofuji as the sport's 73rd Yokozuna. Rope achievement: unlocked!

[Anton Gramscescu]

That's the one.

[ursus arctos]

https://twitter.com/DomingoOfficial/status/1416726992100155394

[Anton Gramscescu]

Zensho yusho!

Can't seem to load an image (out of practice on this board) but the shot of Hakuho screaming after the win is one for the ages.

[ursus arctos]

Both Titans 14-0 going onto the final day

First time since 2012 (when not yet Yokozuna Hakuho lost), only sixth in modern era.

[ursus arctos]

Two more commanding victories, with Teru particularly impressive in just blowing Mitakeumi out of the ring

[ursus arctos]

Especially hard to project just where they will be physically in four days.

Hak seems to be getting a bit stronger as the basho goes on. Teru not so much.

[Anton Gramscescu]

Days off are good for the knees.

I literally can't stop thinking about what a Teru-Hak bout will look like. Advantage Hakuho because of mobility, I think but...?

[ursus arctos]

The top two barely broke a sweat today

10-0 with five days left

[Anton Gramscescu]

Would certainly make the video highlight reel a lot shorter.

I think four competent Ozeki plus is the minimum for a good basho. Shodai obviously doesn;t qualify, but when they are at their best, Takakeisho and Asanoyama both do. Shame we've lost both of them.

I watched a basho from 2016 a while ago when there were seven competent Ozeki pluses. Completely different experience. A golden age, I guess.

[ursus arctos]

There doesn't seem to be a chance of sanction. I thought it might be different because Yokozuna and musubi no ichiban

They should just have Teru and Hak do a five bout series for the title. They are so far above the rest that it isn't funny.