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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 9 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. Takarafuji (M8e) v Ura (M13w) The man of many kimarite (finishing moves wins this one with a tottari (arm barring force out). Ura is in the salmon belt.
2. Takagenji (J6e--4-4) v Akua (J2w--5-3)-this is a Juryo (2nd Division) match. Akua is in the black belt.
Takagenji began his career in May 2013. He is 24. He reached Makuuchi (Top Division on the back of a May 2019 Yusho (Championship) (13-2) at J2e. Two Basho and an 8-22 record sent him back to Juryo. After 4 more consecutive Make-koshi (losing records--24-36) he dropped to Makushita, out of the salaried ranks. He quickly (one Basho) got back to Juryo where he has earned 2 Kachi-koshi (winning records) in his next 4 Basho. A strong Kachi-koshi in this Basho could move him up to Makuuchi contention in the next one.
30 year old Akua began his career in January 2011. He did not reach Juryo until January 2018. A poor Basho sent him back to Makushita, where he appeared in 8 of his next 9 Basho. He made Juryo again in November 2019 and has been in the salaried ranks ever since. He first made Makuuchi in November 2020 and has been yo-yo ing back and forth between Makuuchi and Juryo ever since. A strong Kachi-koshi should yo yo him back to Top Division in September.
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Notable
Both leaders (Hakuho--Y1e and Terunofuji (O1e) won, stretching their winning streaks to 9, holding on to a two match lead over their closest rivals. There is still a long way to go, but with each passing day, the possibility of them meeting on the final day to decide things becomes larger. Two low ranking Maegeshira (Kotonowaka--M11w, and Rookie Ichiyamamoto (M17e) lead the chasers. The closest san'yaku (Top Rank Rikishi) is Mitakeumi (S1w) at 6-3.
Ichiyamamoto won his third consecutive bout, meaning he needs to win only one of his last six bouts to finish with a Kachi-koshi (winning record). Maegashira (Rank and Filers) had another bad day against san'yaku, winning only one of five bouts against their betters. Their cumulative record fell to 13-33 (.283)
Interestingly, today saw both the longest and shortest bouts of the Basho so far (see times below). The average time per finished match climbed to 11.4 seconds.
There were no new Kachi-koshi (overall winning record) today. Daieisho (M1w) became the first Rikishi to get a Make-koshi (losing record), losing his 8th in 9 matches. As recently as January 2021, he won the Championship with a 13-2 record. He was promoted from M1w to K2w. but his last two Basho have yielded 14 wins and 16 losses, dropping him back to Maegeshira. How far he will drop from his M1w ranking remains to be seen, but he has traveled this path before, reaching S2e in September 2020 before dropping back to Maegeshira in November after a 5-10 Basho.
Quotable (Source for all quotes: Chris Sumo Youtube)
I thought I'd go for a leg pull, but I missed and ended up with both arms inside.
Ishiura (M16w) on his 6th consecutive win, this time over Kagayaki (M12w)
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I stayed calm and persevered, resisting the temptation to pull. I felt the longer it went on, the more advantaged I'd be
Ichinojo (M2w) on his almost 52 second winning battle with Tobizaru (M3w)
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Good that I didn't get flustered. I want to enjoy myself up there, you know.
Takayasu (S1e) on his hard earned win over Hokutofuji (M3e)
That was my last fixture with the top guys. I hope I can mentally reset and show my true self in each remaining bout.
Hokutofuji on the loss and the larger context.
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My Sumo wasn't too bad except for at the end. Having coped with his movement for long spells, I ended up inviting him in for the push out.
Meisei (K1w) on his loss to Shodai (O2e)
I could encroach at the tachiai and felt I could take the fight at my pace. I kept him in front of me at all times.
Shodai's perspective on the win.
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I just thought I'd calmly go forward. And I don't feel any promotion pressure. I'm just fighting as usual.
Terunofuji (O1e) on his win over Okinoumi (M5e).
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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 9 Condensed results
04.9s M15e Tsurugisho (6-3) oshidashi J3e Wakamotoharu (5-4)
89.6s M17e Ichiyamamoto (7-2) yorikiri M13e Chiyomaru (3-6)
05.1s M16w Ishiura (6-3) katasukashi M12w Kagayaki (4-5)
09.9s M14w Chiyonoo (4-5) yorikiri M12e Tochinoshin (3-6)
05.7s M11w Kotonowaka (7-2) tsukidashi M16e Chiyonokuni (5-4)
05.7s M11e Kaisei (4-5) yorikiri M14e Daiamami (2-7)
06.6s M10w Terutsuyoshi (4-5) kirikaeshi M15w Tokushoryu (3-6)
04.4s M13w Ura (5-4) tottari M8e Takarafuji (5-4)
00.9s M7w Chiyoshoma (5-4) hatakikomi M10e Tamawashi (6-3)
14.0s M7e Myogiryu (2-7) yorikiri M9w Shimanoumi (5-4)
38.8s M6w Kiribayama (6-3) yorikiri M9e Hidenoumi (4-5)
01.5s M6e Onosho (3-6) hatakikomi M8w Aoiyama (4-5)
51.7s M2w Ichinojo (6-3) oshidashi M3w Tobizaru (3-6)
03.0s M2e Takanosho (5-4) oshidashi M1w Daieisho (1-8)
09.9s M5w Hoshoryu (6-3) shitatenage K1e Wakatakakage (3-6)
01.4s S1w Mitakeumi (6-3) oshidashi M4e Kotoeko (2-7)
11.1s S1e Takayasu (5-2-2) hatakikomi M3e Hokutofuji (4-5)
08.7s O1e Terunofuji (9-0) yorikiri M5e Okinoumi (5-4)
09.2s O2e Shodai (5-4) oshidashi K1w Meisei (4-5)
07.8s Y1e Hakuho (9-0) yorikiri M4w Chiyotairyu (2-7)
Source: Sumo Reference (text results) and Nikkansports.com length of bouts data (see result sources below)
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Finishing Moves (20 matches--181 TOTAL) Note: finishing move links below link to short NHK videos demonstrating the technique.
Frontal Force Out (Yorikiri)............7-56
Frontal Push Out (Oshidashi)............5-36
Slap Down (Hatakikomi)..................3-16
Under Shoulder Swing Down (Katasukashi).1--3
Twisting Backward Knee Trip (Kirikaeshi)1--2
Under Arm Throw (Shitatenage)...........1--4
Arm Bar Throw (Tottari).................1--1
Arm Bar Throw (Tottari).................1--1
Frontal Thrust Out (Tsukidashi).........1--3
Totals for Basho
Thrust Down (Tsukiotoshi)...............13
Over Arm Throw (Uwatenage)..............8
Hand Pull Down (Hikiotoshi).............7