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July 2021 Basho
Introduction and Previews (including 2 new Fred Pinkerton height x weight scatter plots)--links to all player information (ranking, prefecture or country of origin, date of birth, stable, height, weight)
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Video: Note: NHK videos will be available on demand until 2 weeks after the end of the Basho. After that, they will be removed from the site. They are usually available for on demand viewing about 1 day after the matches. Note that "highlights" means complete full match video of all daily Makuuchi matches.
Day 14 Video highlights (replays of all 20 matches--NHK) (27:00)
Chris Sumo Youtube
Japanese Sumo Association Youtube
JSA Youtube has offered 2 full matches on its Youtube channel. Hopefully they will do this every day. It is a live feed, no commentary, but it gives another perspective on these matches.
1. Ura (M13w) v Meisei (K1w) Ura is on the left.
Ura becomes the lowest ranked Maegashira in this Basho to defeat a san'yaku (Top Rank) opponent.
2. Terunofuji (O1e) v Takayasu (S1e) Terunofuji is on the left.
3. Hakuho (Y1e) v Shodai (O2e) Hakuho is on the left.
4. Oho (J12w) (8-5) v Yutakayama (J1e) (10-3) This is a Juryo (2nd Division) match. Oho is on the right.
This was a match with Yusho (Championship) implications. Yutakayama is trying to earn a promotion to Top Division, and nothing guarantees that more than a Juryo Yusho. He has reached as high as M1w (July 2020), but injuries and an overall record of 19-43-8 in his next 4 Basho sent him plummeting back to Juryo. Today's loss will not help his cause, but even if he loses tomorrow, he would still finish with a 10-5 record. From the J1 rank, that should be good enough to get his promotion, but now, even if he wins tomorrow, he is unlikely to go up as a Juryo Yusho.
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Notable:
The dream match up is set for Day 15. Both Hakuho (Y1e) and Terunofuji (O1e) won their 14th consecutive matches. They will meet in the final match of the final Day tomorrow. The winner is Tournament Champion. Either way, Terunofuji will be promoted to 73rd Yokozuna early next week.
Both Rikishi had long matches today, but one was a struggle while the other was...something else. Terunofuji had to "come from behind" in a 17.5 second bout with Takayasu (S1e). Hakuho also fought for over 17 seconds before beating Shodai (O2e) with a Backward Force Down (Abisetaoshi), his 10th different Kimarite (Finishing Move) of the Tournament. How he fought the battle (see the videos above) was a matter of contention among Sumo experts, some calling it "brilliant", while others contended it was below the dignity of a Yokozuna. Whatever you might think, Hakuho's approach completely flummoxed the Ozeki and easily set up the win. Terunofuji watched the whole match and now has more than a few things to think about.
Both Shodai (7-7) and Takayasu (7-6-1) will contest the most important "Darwin" match (winner earns Kachi-koshi--winning record--saves rank; loser gets Make-koshi--losing record--in Takayasu's case his two early absences are counted as losses for this purpose). A Shodai loss will make the embarrassing prospect of 3 Kadoban (Ozeki Make-koshi--2 in a row mean demotion from Ozeki) a reality. A Takayasu loss will cap two collapses in the last 3 Basho and drop him from Sekiwake to Komusubi. Going into this match, he had dreams of an Ozeki promotion, which will not happen regardless of tomorrow's outcome.
Here are the other "Darwin" matches on tomorrow's card. For lower rankers, these matches are crucial in order to avoid dropping to 2nd Division (Juryo).
Meisei (K1w) (7-7) v Kagayaki (M12w) (7-7).
Meisei's san'yaku Rank is on the line.
Takanosho (M2e) (7-7) v Chiyonokuni (M16e) (7-7).
Chiyokuni is staring into a Juryo abyss.
Onosho (M6e) (7-7) v Terutsuyoshi (M10w) (7-7)
Chiyonoo (M14w) (7-7) v Ichiyamamamoto (M17e) (7-7)
Both have just been promoted from Juryo, Ichiyamamoto for the first time. Neither can afford to lose.
On the other side of the coin, Kotoeko (M4e), who has lost 11 consecutive matches (2-12), will be desperate to finish on a high note against Tochinoshin (M12e)(6-8).
Ichiyamamoto, the only Rookie in the field, is in free fall as he lost his 5th consecutive match, to force today's "Darwin" match. If he loses, he will surely go back to Juryo.
Maegeshira (Rank and Filers) had a successful day against san'yaku (Top Rankers) today, going 2-1 to improve their overall record to 18-43 (.295) against their betters.
And Tamawashi (M10e) can finish his 1,361st consecutive bout with a Special Prize and 12-3 record if he wins. Even if he doesn't, he has had a superb Basho, and an extension of a phenomenal consecutive match streak.
Quotable (Source: Nikkan Sports):
I don't feel much (about it) while I'm active. I think (I will be happy about it after I retire).
I don't want to lose to young people yet. I want to show a sumo wrestling (style) that excites people,
Tamawashi (M10e) reflecting on his 1,360th consecutive bout, which moves him into 6th Place on the all time consecutive bouts list. He won today against Hokutofuji (M3e), running his record to 11-3. The 36 year old Rikishi began his career in March 2004. In 104 Basho, he has yet to miss a match.
Match article (Nikkan Sports) (Japanese)
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Partial or complete absences from this Basho
Wins-Losses-Absences
O1w---Takakeisho (1-2-12) (including 1 forfeit loss)
O2w---Asanoyama (0-0-15)
S1e---Takayasu (2-1-2)
M1e---Endo (1-4-10) (including 1 foreit loss)
Condensed results (20 matches)
Key: Time of Match--s=seconds; Rank; Winner; Basho Record; Finishing Move; Rank; Loser; Basho Record
Day 14--Results--times
05.7s M14e Daiamami (4-10) yorikiri J3e Wakamotoharu (7-7)
12.9s M12e Tochinoshin (6-8) yorikiri M17e Ichiyamamoto (7-7)
15.4s M15w Tokushoryu (6-8) sukuinage M11e Kaisei (6-8)
10.9s M15e Tsurugisho (8-6) kotenage M10w Terutsuyoshi (8-6)
14.3s M9w Shimanoumi (8-6) uwatenage M16e Chiyonokuni (7-7)
28.9s M11w Kotonowaka (11-3) yorikiri M8e Takarafuji (8-6)
05.3s M7w Chiyoshoma (8-6) uwatenage M16w Ishiura (8-6)
02.8s M6e Onosho (6-8) yorikiri M14w Chiyonoo (7-7)
09.5s M12w Kagayaki (7-7) oshidashi M5e Okinoumi (5-9)
08.2s M13e Chiyomaru (6-8) hatakikomi M4e Kotoeko (2-12)
02.3s M10e Tamawashi (11-3) oshitaoshi M3e Hokutofuji (8-6)
07.4s M7e Myogiryu (4-10) hatakikomi M3w Tobizaru (3-11)
04.9s M2e Takanosho (7-7) yorikiri M9e Hidenoumi (6-8)
32.4s M2w Ichinojo (9-5) yorikiri M6w Kiribayama (8-6)
00.7s M8w Aoiyama (6-8) hatakikomi M1w Daieisho (4-10)
02.4s M4w Chiyotairyu (4-10) tsukidashi K1e Wakatakakage 4-10)
11.0s M13w Ura (9-5) yorikiri K1w Meisei (7-7)
07.1s S1w Mitakeumi (8-6) yorikiri M5w Hoshoryu (9-5)
17.1s O1e Terunofuji (14-0) yorikiri S1e Takayasu (7-5-2)
17.5s Y1e Hakuho (14-0) abisetaoshi O2e Shodai (7-7)
Source: Sumo Reference (text results) and Nikkansports.com length of bouts data (see result sources below)
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Finishing Moves (20 matches--281 TOTAL) Note: finishing move links below link to short NHK videos demonstrating the technique.
Frontal Force Out (Yorikiri)............9-87
Over Arm Throw (Uwatenage)..............2-13
Slap Down (Hatakikomi)..................3-28
Backward Force Down (Abisetaoshi).......1--1
Arm Lock Throw (Kotenage)...............1--6
Frontal Push Out (Oshidashi)............1-57