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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 3 Video highlights (replays of all 21 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. Chiyomaru (M13e) v Ura (M13w) Ura is in the salmon belt.
2. Takagenji (J6e--1-1) v Kotoshoho (J5w--0-2) (this is a Juryo (2nd Divsion) match. Kotoshoho is in the blue belt
Takagenji has been in two Makuuchi (Top Division) Basho. He participated in the July and September 2019 Basho with a 4-11 record in each. In a career that began in 2013, he has participated in 20 Juryo (2nd Division) Tournaments. Kotoshoho rocketed up the Banzuke (rankings), beginning his career in 2018 and reaching Top Division in July of 2020. He started well, with a 26-19 record in his first three Basho. He reached as high as M3e, but, as with most high ranking Maegashira, found the going much more difficult having to face several san yaku (Top Rank) Rikishi. He was 2-13 and 1-6 with 8 absences, dropping back to Juryo in May 2021. He was 7-8 in that Basho. At age 21 he has a bright future, but it is hard knocks for everyone in Sumo.
Tachiai.org is following the Jonokuchi Division Basho of this Tournament. Jonokuchi is Division 6, the lowest division, non salaried.
Mukainakano (Jk20w--0-0) v Byakuen (Jk25w--1-0). After winning against Shonanzakura in his first Jonokuchi match (see Day 1), Byuken fought 18 year old debutant Mukainakano. Mukainakano is 90 kg heavier (377 lbs as opposed to 180) than Shonanzakura. Byakuen, to refresh your memory, is 5'7" 148 lbs, 229 lbs in arrears. Alas, the outcome was what you might expect, perhaps delaying Byakuen's Yokozuna aspirations for the moment.
Note. After this match the video contains several other Jonokuchi bouts.
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Notable:
Day 3 brought the sad news that Takakeisho (O1w) suffered a serious cervical injury on Day 2 and will miss the rest of the Basho. At the same time, Takayasu (S1e) returned to action after missing the first two Days with a lower back problem. Takayasu, after finishing the last two Basho with 10-5 records, needed 13 wins in this Basho to all but guarantee a return to Ozeki status that he last had in November 2019. If he wins all of his matches, he can still get there, and perhaps even 12 of 13 would get him over the line (Asanoyama [O1w and now suspended for violating Pandemic restrictions] was promoted to Ozeki last July after winning 32 matches in 3 consecutive Basho).
Among the top contenders, Terunofuji (O1e), on a run to a possible Yokozuna promotion, won his 3rd consecutive match, but not without a tremendous struggle. It took 52 and 1/2 seconds for him to finally beat Takanosho (M2e and demoted from Sekiwake [3rd Rank after Yokozuna and Ozeki] after a terrible 5-10 outing in May). It took a rarely seen 2 handed arm twist down (Kainahineri) for the Ozeki to win. Endo (M1e) was the only Maegashira (out of 6) to win against a san yaku (Top Ranker) today, sending Shodai (O2e) to his first defeat. After consecutive days of holding their own (2-3) against san yaku, today's results left the Maegashira with a 5-11 record through three days. Rookie Ichiyamamoto (M17e) defeated Juryo (2nd Division) substitute Yutakayama to run his record as a 27 year old debutant to 2-1.
As for Hokuho (Y1e), he manhandled January Basho Yusho (Champion) Daieisho, throwing him down in a match that lasted less than 3 seconds.
Quotable:
"At the tachiai (initial charge) he (Takakeisho) felt an electric shock in his neck"
From the Nissan Sports match report
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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 (1-0-2)
Condensed results (20 matches)
Key: Time of Match--s=seconds; Rank; Winner; Basho Record; Finishing Move; Rank; Loser; Basho Record
Day 3 Condensed results
04.1s M17e Ichiyamamoto (2-1) hatakikomi J1e Yutakayama (2-1)
13.7s M16e Chiyonokuni (2-1) hatakikomi M16w Ishiura (0-3)
06.7s M15e Tsurugisho (3-0) yorikiri M15w Tokushoryu (2-1)
06.6s M14e Daiamami (1-2) yorikiri M14w Chiyonoo (1-2)
14.0s M13w Ura (2-1) yorikiri M13e Chiyomaru (1-2)
04.1s M12w Kagayaki (2-1) oshidashi M12e Tochinoshin (0-3)
01.2s M11w Kotonowaka (3-0) hikiotoshi M10w Terutsuyoshi (1-2)
04.1s M11e Kaisei (1-2) tsukidashi M9w Shimanoumi (1-2)
06.5s M10e Tamawashi (3-0) kotenage M9e Hidenoumi (1-2)
11.3s M8e Takarafuji (1-2) sukuinage M8w Aoiyama (1-2)
06.7s M7e Myogiryu (1-2) oshitaoshi M7w Chiyoshoma (2-1)
09.1s M6w Kiribayama (2-1) yorikiri M6e Onosho (1-2)
39.6s M5e Okinoumi (2-1) makiotoshi M5w Hoshoryu (2-1)
03.4s M4e Kotoeko (2-1) oshidashi M4w Chiyotairyu (1-2)
02.9s K1e Wakatakakage (1-2) hikiotoshi M3w Tobizaru (1-2)
15.4s S1w Mitakeumi (2-1) yorikiri M3e Hokutofuji (2-1)
13.8s S1e Takayasu (1-0-2) yorikiri M2w Ichinojo (2-1)
----- K1w Meisei (1-2) fusen O1w Takakeisho (1-2)
52.5s O1e Terunofuji (3-0) kainahineri M2e Takanosho (0-3)
02.1s M1e Endo (1-2) hikiotoshi O2e Shodai (2-1)
02.8s Y1e Hakuho (3-0) sukuinage M1w Daieisho (0-3)
Source: Sumo Reference (text results) and Nikkansports.com length of bouts data (see result sources below)
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Finishing Moves (21 matches/61 TOTAL MATCHES) Note: finishing move links below link to short NHK videos demonstrating the technique.
Frontal Force Out (Yorikiri)............6-20
Hand Pull Down (Hikiotoshi).............3--4
Slap Down (Hatakikomi)..................2--5
Frontal Push Out (Oshidashi)............2--9
Beltless Arm Throw (Sukuinage)..........2--3