March 2022 Basho (Haru)--DAY 9--March 21, 2022
Links to selected Basho (Tournament) Blog Posts--March 2020--Present
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March 2022 (Haru) Basho
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Day 9--March 21, 2022
Recap and statistics
A. Video and Photo
Note: NHK videos will be available on demand until 2 weeks after the end of the Basho (Tournament). 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.
NHK match highlights (condensed, all matches in their entirety, the highlights are 27 minutes long).
All NHK Video Highlights from one link (latest day should be uploaded by about 12:30 am Central Daylight Time the next day, i.e. Day 9 video should by available by 12:30 the next day. It might be available before that, so check).
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Japan Sumo Association Youtube offers selected full matches on its Youtube and Website channel. They are usually Makuuchi (Top Division) bouts, but sometimes there are Juryo (2nd Division) bouts as well. There is no commentary.
2. Wakatakakage (S1e) (7-1--8-1) v Ichinojo (M2e) (5-3--5-4) (Match Video) Wakatakakage is on the left.
4. A Juryo (2nd Division Match)
Enho (J11w) (5-3--6-3) v Ryuden (J13e) (8-0--8-1) (Match Video)
This seemingly insignificant Juryo match pitted two ex Makuuchi (Top Division) men against each other. Enho quickly became a fan favorite when he reached as high as M4e in this Basho two years ago. But alas, his quickness could not overcome lack of size, he was found out by the bigger and better competition, and driven out of the Top Division by November 2020. He has been slowly drifting downward in Juryo ever since. But he is having a very good Basho, partly due to the stakes involved. A bad Basho could drop him out of the salaried ranks altogether (lowest Juryo is J14).
Ryuden, on the other hand, was driven out of the Top Division after being a staple there since January 2018, rising as high as san'yaku (Top Rank) Komusubi in July 2019. However, he was suspended for breaking Covid Restrictions (in a rather "tabloid" way) for 3 Basho dropping him all the way to Makushita (3rd Division--non salaried) 47w. He wasn't in a cotton mawashi (belt) very long, winning 13 of 14 matches and a Yusho (Championship) in his two Basho there. He is now back in a silk mawashi at J13e, looking to get back to Makuuchi within a couple of Basho. However, today he hit a speed bump, a very determined Rikishi who needed to win very badly. It was quite a match! Ryuden still holds a share of the lead, and Enho now needs just two more wins to cement his salaried rank and start looking up to better things in the future.
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Chris Sumo Youtube. Chris Gould is a long time free lance Sumo journalist and videographer. His videos are shot at the venue.
"We continue to go close up to the in-ring AND backstage action. Key title bouts from divisions 1, 2 and 3, unique behind-the-scenes footage, and an update on an injured wrestler who left us all rather worried two months ago."
Top Division match video not covered by the JSA site above.
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Photos:
Nikkan Sports Day 9 Photo Feature: There are photos today's Makuuchi matches, with selected Rikishi quotes. (Japanese)
Japanese Sumo Association Twitter Feed provides a steady stream of great photos throughout the Basho. Look for the dates on the tweets for the latest ones.
Sumo Forum's daily Photo Features are appearing on a one day delay at present
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B. Notable and Quotable
Note: Rikishi names that are not linked are those who are linked above in the videos.
Notable:
Takayasu continued his perfect run, winning his 9th consecutive match. He has a one match lead over Mitakeumi (O2w), Wakatakake (S1e). and Kotonowaka (M6w). No one else is within two matches of the lead, as Takakeisho (O1e) and Abi (S1w) both lost, leaving them at 6-3. It will be difficult for them to overcome that lead, particularly due to the fact that the san'yaku (Top Rankers) will be battling each other, for the most part, this week.
The Maegashira in the mix will find their schedule getting much tougher as well, and it will be interesting especially to see how Kotonowaka handles the pressure. He has the size, technique, and dohyo (ring) presence to be a factor for years to come, as he is one of the young and rising presences in the sport.
It will also be interesting to see how Wakatatakage handles the spotlight. His win today marks his 4th consecutive Top Division Kachi-koshi (winning record), but in the previous three he had to pull each out of the fire with closing winning streaks of five, six, and five, meaning he has never been in true contention before. But he has been terrific in this Basho. Time will tell if he is the real article just yet, but, barring injury, etc., he certainly looks like he will be in the future.
Kachi-Koshi (8 wins) Today:
Mitakeumi (O2w) 8-1; Wakatakakage (S1e) 8-1; Kotonowaka (M6w) 8-1
Make-Koshi (8 losses) Today:
Takanosho (K1e) 1-8; Ura (M1w) 1-8; Meisei (M3w) 1-8; Okinoumi (M7w) 1-8
For the Day: (san'yaku)
Yokozuna Terunofuji (Y1e)--Out of the Basho with right heel and left knee problems
Ozeki: 2-1 Mitakeumi is now 8-1, Takakeisho 6-3, Shodai 4-5
Sekiwake: 1-1 Wakatakakage 8-1, Abi 6-3
Komusubi: 0-2 Hoshoryu (K1w) 4-5, Takanosho (K1e) 1-8
Through 9 Days Top Rankers are 40-29-3 (absences) (including 1 forfeit)
Through 9 Days in January: 34-24-5
The Maegashira won the day against the san'yaku for the first time today, winning three of their five matches. In the Day standings they are now 1-4-4 against the Top Rankers
Through 9 Days: Maegashira are 18-28 v san'yaku
Through 9 Days in January: 16-26
Rookie Kotokuzan (M16w) won today improving to 5-4. He needs to win three of his last six to earn Kashi-koshi and be promoted, which means he would stay in the Top Division. A losing record will almost certainly drop him back to Juryo (2nd Division).
Juryo substitutes lost their first match against Top Division men today and are now 3-1 for the Basho..
There were 10 Kimarite (finishing moves) used today, including 2 throws. A new Kimarite, Watashikomi (Thigh Grabbing Push Down), was employed by Terutsuyoshi (M11w). A rather small Rikishi, he has used 40 of the 82 Kimarite to win matches. If you look at his Kimarite page at Sumo Reference, you will see that his rate of use is greater than the overall rate in the vast majority of his techniques. He is very exciting to watch because you never know what he is going to pull out of his tool box. He is also known for throwing copious amounts of salt in his before match ritual, always a fan favorite.
Through 9 Days: 23 Kimarite, 8 throws.
Through 9 Days in January: 23 winning and 2 non-winning (losing); 6 throws, one swing.
Average Fighting Time
Through 9 Days: 10.5 seconds (183 matches)
Through 9 Days in January: 10.1 seconds (179 matches)
Today's matches took 6 minutes 4.9 seconds. By far the most in any one day in the Basho. It increased the average time for the entire Basho by 1 second.
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Quotable (Source for all, unless otherwise specifically noted, is Chris Sumo Youtube):
"I haven't taken questions until now to make sure I was totally focused on myself. I consider an Ozeki winning score to be 10, and will be seeking those two extra wins to do the rank justice. And I aim to chase down the leader."
Mitakeumi (O2e) on earning his Kachi-koshi (8 wins, guaranteed more wins than losses) and the work he still needs to do. Today he beat Tamawashi (M2w) and is now has a 27-3 career record against Tamawashi.
"I hung in there well today and focused strictly on my own sumo. As a smaller guy I simply have to be under him and hitting up."
Wakatakakage (S1e) on his exhausting 2 minute struggle with a Ichinojo (M2e), who outweighed him by 76 kg (168 pounds).
"I didn't want him to raise my center of gravity. I just wanted to wait for the right time" As I'm small, I just want to stay low and attack from a low angle."
Wakatakakage, from another angle. (Kyodo News).
"The local support is a terrific boost. I don't think my sumo has been brilliant this time, but I seem to be fighting OK."
Endo (M4w), who dealt Takakeisho (O1w) a crippling blow to his Yusho aspirations, knocking the Ozeki 3 matches off the lead.
"I just didn't want him getting inside of me."
Kotonowaka (M6w) on his win over Tobizaru (M9e), which kept him one match behind the leader at 8-1.
"My opponent was really fast, so I wanted to stay in front of him. Everything will stay the same. I will just focus on doing my sumo."
Kotonowaka, on another aspect of his win." (Kyodo News)
"Look, on the whole I was going forward and driving him back. I know there was that needless pull in the middle, but I'll be aiming to cut that out from tomorrow."
Takayasu (M7e) with some self-criticism after winning his 9th consecutive match and stay in the lead.
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C. Condensed results (20 matches)
Key: Time of Match--s=seconds; Rank; Winner; Basho Record; Finishing Move; Rank; Loser; Basho Record
Day 9
Partial or complete absences from this Basho
Ishiura (M5w) (1-3-5) (including 1 forfeit loss)
Terunofuji (Y1e) (3-3-3) (including 1 forfeit loss)
Chionokuni (M13w) (4-3-2) (including 1 forfeit loss)
35.4s M16e Nishikigi (6-3) yoritaoshi J2w Hidenoumi (4-5)
04.4s M14w Yutakayama (4-5) hatakikomi M17w Ichiyamamoto (3-6)
04.8s M15w Tochinoshin (6-3) hatakikomi M14e Kotoshoho (5-4)
17.1s M16w Kotokuzan (5-4) tsukidashi M13e Chiyomaru (4-5)
36.1s M12w Chiyotairyu (4-5) hikiotoshi M15e Akua (2-7)
07.1s M12e Kotoeko (6-3) sukuinage M17e Kagayaki (4-5)
02.5s M11w Terutsuyoshi (5-4) watashikomi M8w Sadanoumi (2-7)
12.6s M10e Shimanoumi (5-4) yorikiri M8e Chiyoshoma (3-6)
22.1s M11e Myogiryu (4-5) kotenage M7w Okinoumi (1-8)
38.8s M7e Takayasu (9-0) oshidashi M10w Aoiyama (3-6)
08.1s M6w Kotonowaka (8-1) oshidashi M9e Tobizaru (4-5)
09.1s M9w Wakamotoharu (6-3) hatakikomi M6e Hokutofuji (4-5)
02.4s M4e Kiribayama (6-3) hatakikomi M3w Meisei (1-8)
02.6s M3e Onosho (4-5) tsukiotoshi M1w Ura (1-8)
03.4s M1e Daieisho (5-4) oshidashi K1e Takanosho (1-8)
07.3s M5e Takarafuji (3-6) oshidashi S1w Abi (6-3)
119.0s S1e Wakatakakage (8-1) yorikiri M2e Ichinojo (5-4)
17.0s M4w Endo (6-3) yoritaoshi O1w Takakeisho (6-3)
07.4s O1e Shodai (4-5) yorikiri K1w Hoshoryu (4-5)
07.7s O2w Mitakeumi (8-1) yorikiri M2w Tamawashi (4-5)
Source: Sumo Reference (text results) and Nikkansports.com length of bouts data (see result sources below)
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D. Finishing Moves (20 matches--186 Total) Note: finishing move links below link to short NHK videos demonstrating the technique.
Slap Down (Hatakikomi).......................4(17)
Frontal Push Out (Oshidashi).................4(46)
Frontal Force Out (Yorikiri).................4(43)
Frontal Crush Out (Yoritaoshi)...............2 (5)
Hand Pull Down (Hikiotoshi)..................1 (7)
Arm Lock Throw (Kotenage)....................1 (2)