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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 4 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. Shodai (O2e) v Wakatakakage (K1e) (Shodai begins on the left)
2. Oho (J12w) v Abi (J14e) (this is a Juryo (2nd Divsion) match. Abi is in the black belt.
Abi won his 18th consecutive match since coming back from suspension. He won the March and May Makushita (3rd Division) Basho (7-0 in both) and now is 4-0 in his first Juryo (2nd Division). At this pace he could return to the Top Division as early as January 2022.
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:
As mentioned in the Tachiai.org match reports, Day 4 featured some of the best technique of the Tournament so far and was a joy to watch. Both Hakuho (Y1e) and Terunofuji (O1e) won to stay unbeaten, but both were pushed to the max, particularly Terunofuji, who was nearly pushed out by January 2021 Basho Yusho (Champion) Daieisho (M1w) before turning the tables at the very end to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Hakuho was also pushed hard by Takanosho (M2e--who was demoted from the third highest rank [Sekiwake] after four consecutive Basho.)
Rookie Ichiyamamoto (M17e) ran his record to 3-1, handing Tsurugisho (M15e) his first loss (3-1). Tsurugisho was a Makuuchi (Top Division) Rikishi after winning the July 2019 Juryo (2nd Division) Yusho with a 13-2 record. He was 13-22-10 and out with an injury when dropped to Juryo in July of 2020. He stayed in the mid Juryo ranks until he won the January 2021 Basho with a 12-3 record, which got him promoted back to Makuuchi. He went from M14w (9-6) to M8e (4-11) back to M15e. He needs a solid kachi-koshi (winning record) to remain in Makuuchi. A make-koshi (losing record) will probably land him back in Juryo. It is one of the less well known stories of a Basho, but there is always tremendous pressure on low ranking members of a Division. The same pressure that is also on Ichiyamamoto in his first venture into the top Division.
Once again the Top Rankers dominated the Maegashira, winning 4 of the 5 bouts they fought. Ichinojo (M2w) was the only Maegashira winner, pushing out Miesei (K1w) in an eye blink. Ichinojo's road gets a lot tougher in the next two days, with Hakuko (Y1e) and Terunofuji (O1e) on his schedule. It is the gauntlet that all high ranking Maegashira must run, as the road to san yaku is not an easy one. For the Basho, Maegashira are now 6-15 (.286) against Top Rankers. Two days ago they were 4-6.
Quotable: (Source for all quotes is Chris sumo Youtube)
That was a close one. Thank goodness it ended in a win. Not everything is going to go to plan, but I hope I can still win regardless, and continue to pick up these points
Terunofuji (O1e) after his perilous win over Daieisho (M1w)
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I could really move properly today. You can't move like that without real spirit.Yeah, my Sumo wasn't so good, but my spirit really shone through. And if I keep picking up the wins, my performances will get even better.
Hakuho (Y1e) after his lightning move turning possible defeat into victory over Takanosho (M2e)
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My legs are getting forward well, and things seem pretty good. It's my first time in ages to top the bill against a Yokozuna (his scheduled match tomorrow against Hakuho). So of course I'm looking forward.
Ichinojo (M2w) on his win over Meisei (K1w), his 3rd win in 4 outings against san yaku (Top Rankers) in this Basho. Ichinojo, at 200 Kg (440 lbs) is the biggest Rikishi in the field. He outweighs Hakuho by about 90 lbs.
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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 (2-0-2)
Condensed results (20 matches)
Key: Time of Match--s=seconds; Rank; Winner; Basho Record; Finishing Move; Rank; Loser; Basho Record
Day 4 Condensed results
18.8s M17e Ichiyamamoto (3-1) yorikiri M15e Tsurugisho (3-1)
06.4s M16e Chiyonokuni (3-1) oshitaoshi M14e Daiamami (1-3)
03.7s M15w Tokushoryu (3-1) oshidashi M14w Chiyonoo (1-3)
07.1s M16w Ishiura (1-3) okuridashi M13e Chiyomaru (1-3)
12.6s M12w Kagayaki (3-1) oshidashi M13w Ura (2-2)
38.0s M11e Kaisei (2-2) sukuinage M12e Tochinoshin (0-4)
09.5s M10e Tamawashi (4-0) okuridashi M11w Kotonowaka (3-1)
08.9s M9e Hidenoumi (2-2) yorikiri M10w Terutsuyoshi (1-3)
05.6s M9w Shimanoumi (2-2) oshidashi M8w Aoiyama (1-3)
16.6s M8e Takarafuji (2-2) oshidashi M7e Myogiryu (1-3)
32.0s M6w Kiribayama (3-1) uwatedashinage M7w Chiyoshoma (2-2)
04.5s M5e Okinoumi (3-1) oshidashi M6e Onosho (1-3)
02.5s M5w Hoshoryu (3-1) oshidashi M4w Chiyotairyu (1-3)
02.6s M3e Hokutofuji (3-1) oshidashi M4e Kotoeko (2-2)
12.5s M2w Ichinojo (3-1) yorikiri K1w Meisei (1-3)
11.4s S1e Takayasu (2-0-2) hatakikomi M1e Endo (1-3)
06.1s S1w Mitakeumi (3-1) oshidashi M3w Tobizaru (1-3)
07.1s K1e Wakatakakage (2-2) oshidashi O2e Shodai (2-2)
14.1s O1e Terunofuji (4-0) yorikiri M1w Daieisho (0-4)
08.9s Y1e Hakuho (4-0) tsukiotoshi M2e Takanosho (0-4)
Source: Sumo Reference (text results) and Nikkansports.com length of bouts data (see result sources below)
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Finishing Moves (20 matches--81 TOTAL) Note: finishing move links below link to short NHK videos demonstrating the technique.
Frontal Push Out (Oshidashi)............9-18
Frontal Force Out (Yorikiri)............4-24
Rear Push Out (Okuridashi)..............2--3
Slap Down (Hatakikomi)..................1--6
Beltless Arm Throw (Sukuinage)..........1--4
Thrust Down (Tsukiotoshi)...............1--4