===============================
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)
===============================
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 5 Video highlights (replays of all 20 matches--NHK) (27:00)
Chris Sumo Youtube
July 2021, Day 5: The making of Hakuho?
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 Tobizaru (M3w) (Shodai begins on the left)
2. Nishikifuji (J11e--2-2) v Abi (J14e--4-0) (this is a Juryo (2nd Division) match. Abi is in the black belt.
Abi won his 19th consecutive match since coming back from suspension. He won the March and May Makushita (3rd Division) Basho (7-0 in both) and now is 5-0 in his first Juryo (2nd Division). At this pace he could return to the Top Division as early as January 2022. Nishikifuji began his career in November 2016 and rose to Makushita (3rd Division--no salary) by November of 2017. It took him 16 Basho to break into Juryo (2nd Division--salaried). After slipping back to Makushita for one Basho in January of 2021 (in which he lost a playoff for the Championship), he returned to Juryo and has gone 15-15 in the last two Basho before this one. He is 24 and has fought 228 matches going into this Basho.
Tachiai.org is following the Jonokuchi Division Basho of this Tournament. Jonokuchi is Division 6, the lowest division, non salaried. Today there was no video.
++++
Notable:
The two leaders (Hakuho--Y1e and Terunofuji--O1e), number 1 and 2 seeds, won their matches, with somewhat less drama than yesterday. Tamawashi (M10e), the only other undefeated Rikishi, lost his 1st match of the Basho. Tamawashi (who we have spoken of before in earlier Basho Posts) began his career in March of 2004, at the age of 19. Since that beginning, through today, He has fought 1,341 matches (plus 10 forfeits, all wins) without missing a match. Over 1,000 of these have been in Makuuchi (Top Division). He has a career winning record, one Makuuchi Yusho (Championship) and 58 Kachi-Koshis (winning records) v 44 Make-koshis (losing records). He has won 3 career Yusho, lost one playoff, won 3 special prizes and 3 kinboshi (gold star win by a Maegashira [rank and filer] against a Yokozuna). Overall he has had a better than average career, and has been in the Top Division in every Basho since July 2013. But what he will most likely be remembered for above all else his his iron durability. He is now 36, so who knows if he might get injured tomorrow and miss a match? But I wouldn't bet on it. His achievement in this very difficult and dangerous sport has been nothing short of phenomenal.
The other Ozeki left in the Basho lost his 3rd consecutive match today, leaving Shodai (O2e) at 2-3. It is early, but he could be staring down the barrel at yet another "Kadoban" (Ozeki with a losing record). Since becoming Ozeki in November of 2020 he has been Kadoban twice (although once was due to an injury). Chris Sumo, in today's video, had some harsh words for him. It will be interesting to see how his Basho works out.
Ichiyamamoto (M17e) won his 3rd straight match as a Rookie, running his record to 4-1. He is half way to guaranteeing that he will still be in the Top Division in September.
Rank and Filers (Maegeshira) were 2-3 against san'yaku (Top Rankers) today, running their overall record to 8-18 against their betters.
Quotable (Source: Chris Sumo Youtube)
"I couldn't impose my style because I over thought things, being wary of the pull."
Shodai (O2e) on his third consecutive loss (to Tobizaru M3w) leaving him with a 2-3 record and wondering if he might end up "kadoban" (losing record, must have winning record in the next Basho or will lose his Ozeki ranking).
"I just thought about keeping calm and attacking from the front. I guess it went to plan.
Terunofuji (O1e) on his hard fought win over Hokutofuji (M3e), his 5th consecutive win to start the Basho.
"I was a bit languid at the start but coped through sheer skill. The inside left and the breakage of his outside grip clinched it.
Hakuho (Y1e) on his quick turning of the tables on 440 lb Ichinojo (M2w), his 5th consecutive win, keeping pace with Terunofuji.
++++
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)
Condensed results (20 matches)
Key: Time of Match--s=seconds; Rank; Winner; Basho Record; Finishing Move; Rank; Loser; Basho Record
Day 5 Condensed results
05.1s M17e Ichiyamamoto (4-1) katasukashi M15w Tokushoryu (3-2)
04.5s M16e Chiyonokuni (4-1) tsukiotoshi M15e Tsurugisho (3-2)
08.1s M16w Ishiura (2-3) kirikaeshi M14e Daiamami (1-4)
06.3s M14w Chiyonoo (2-3) yorikiri M12w Kagayaki (3-2)
04.9s M11w Kotonowaka (4-1) oshidashi M13w Ura (2-3)
04.4s M13e Chiyomaru (2-3) oshidashi M11e Kaisei (2-3)
01.1s M12e Tochinoshin (1-4) tsukiotoshi M10w Terutsuyoshi (1-4)
07.4s M8w Aoiyama (2-3) oshidashi M10e Tamawashi (4-1)
69.1s M8e Takarafuji (3-2) tsukiotoshi M9w Shimanoumi (2-3)
03.1s M9e Hidenoumi (3-2) tsukiotoshi M7w Chiyoshoma (2-3)
08.4s M5w Hoshoryu (4-1) yorikiri M7e Myogiryu (1-4)
38.0s M6w Kiribayama (4-1) isamiashi M5e Okinoumi (3-2)
03.4s M6e Onosho (2-3) yorikiri M4w Chiyotairyu (1-4)
16.0s M2e Takanosho (1-4) hatakikomi M4e Kotoeko (2-3)
09.2s M1w Daieisho (1-4) tsukidashi K1e Wakatakakage (2-3)
----- S1w Mitakeumi (4-1) fusen M1e Endo (1-4)
07.7s K1w Meisei (2-3) katasukashi S1e Takayasu (2-1-2)
12.5s O1e Terunofuji (5-0) kotenage M3e Hokutofuji (3-2)
15.7s M3w Tobizaru (2-3) oshidashi O2e Shodai (2-3)
08.7s Y1e Hakuho (5-0) yorikiri M2w Ichinojo (3-2)
Source: Sumo Reference (text results) and Nikkansports.com length of bouts data (see result sources below)
++++
Finishing Moves (20 matches--101 TOTAL) Note: finishing move links below link to short NHK videos demonstrating the technique.
Frontal Push Out (Oshidashi)............4-22
Frontal Force Out (Yorikiri)............4-28
Thrust Down (Tsukiotoshi)...............4--8
Under Shoulder Swing Down (Katasukashi).2--2
Slap Down (Hatakikomi)..................1--7
Twisting Backward Knee Trip (Kirikaeshi)1--1
Arm Lock Throw (Kotenage)...............1--2
Frontal Thrust Out (Tsukidashi).........1--2
Non-technique (Losing Technique)