First day of Kyushu Basho, no upsets. Endo and new kid Osunaarashi both lost though.

After day 4, six wrestlers at 4-0. Initially it looked like Harumafuji may have gotten away with one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RanppmAcU_w&feature=c4-overview&list=UUpOmy6iy-dJHMXvvA_Ok19g

From this angle it looks like he may have touched the dohyo with his hand but I saw a video from the other side and he didn't.

After day 7 Hakuho and Harumafuji alone at the top undefeated. Found these pictures of a "regional meet" (for lack of a better term) taken at Masuda in October. Pretty interesting, looks like somebody even got Hakuho's autograph!: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasoninjapan/sets/72157637188983623/

After day 10, Hakuho and Harumafuji both still undefeated: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HojeOZlRH4

With this win Hakuho passed Takanohana for sixth place on the career wins list with 702.

It was fun while it lasted. Kisenosato defeats Harumafuji leaving Hakuho alone at the top (as usual): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGLgeGzCvII&feature=c4-overview&list=UUpOmy6iy-dJHMXvvA_Ok19g

After getting off to a horrible 1-4 start, new kid Osunaarashi has gone 6-2 and if he can win one of his last two will end his first basho with a winning record.

Wunderkind Endo on the other hand has dropped to 5-8.

Looks like it'll come down to day 15 after all. Kisenosato the Yokozuna slayer!:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aS9NwAfOQbw&feature=c4-overview&list=UUpOmy6iy-dJHMXvvA_Ok19g

Kisenosato probably kicking himself over that day 3 loss to Aminishiki,(his other loss was to Goeido) otherwise there'd be a three way tie for first.

Harumafuji wins!!: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITiNv6u7gao&feature=c4-overview&list=UUpOmy6iy-dJHMXvvA_Ok19g

gaijinmark wrote:

Harumafuji wins!!: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITiNv6u7gao&feature=c4-overview&list=UUpOmy6iy-dJHMXvvA_Ok19g

Well, it was not quite a henka which Harumafuji has been known to do.

Who needs NFL playoffs, first sumo tournament of the year starts on Sunday. Please bear in mind the narrator is British (no offense peg) :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C718K7ePmsw

Hakuho's life just got easier:

Yokozuna Harumafuji out of New Year's basho

Japan's premier sumo tournament will go ahead without one of its grand champions for the first time in five years, officials said on Friday, with Harumafuji sidelined by an ankle injury.

Harumafuji, one of two reigning "yokozuna" will skip the New Year tournament due to start at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan on Sunday, the Japan Sumo Association said. The 29-year-old Mongolian, who reached the sport's top rank in September 2012, twisted his right ankle and partially tore ligaments when he slipped while running in training in late December, his stablemaster Isegahama said.

"I really wanted to compete. But I would have worsened the condition if I compete with my left ankle as it is," Harumafuji, whose real name is Davaanyam Byambadorj, told reporters at his stable.

Harumafuji won the last of the year's six, 15-day tournaments, held in Fukuoka in November.

It will be the first time for a yokozuna to miss a regular tournament since now-retired Asashoryu skipped one in November 2008.

Harumafuji's absence will leave fellow Mongolian Hakuho as the lone grand champion competing in the January basho.

And Kisenosato manages to lose on day one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADajXDG2gSc&feature=c4-overview&list=UUpOmy6iy-dJHMXvvA_Ok19g

After day 6 Hakuho alone at the top 6-0 followed by a logjam of 5 guys at 5-1 no of whom have a chance of catching Hakuho although my boy Endo is there so I'm hoping he makes a good impression. Kisenosato already down to 4-2.

One bit of interesting news though:

Kotooshu becomes naturalized Japanese citizen

Bulgarian sekiwake Kotooshu has obtained Japanese nationality, it was learned on Thursday.

The 30-year-old Kotooshu, whose real name is Kaloyan Mahlyanov, is the first European wrestler to become a naturalized Japanese. As a result, he has cleared the first hurdle toward becoming a sumo elder after he ends his career as a wrestler.

He is expected to take his wife�fs maiden name Ando.

Under Japan Sumo Association rules, wrestlers can only become sumo elders if they are Japanese nationals. Sumo elder membership, however, can only be obtained by purchasing toshiyori kabu, or elder stock, in the JSA.

There are only 105 shares available for purchase, and the increasing lifespan of elders has meant that they take longer to become vacant. As a result, their decreasing availability has caused their price to greatly increase, with stock now reportedly selling for up to 500 million yen.

Kotooshu made his sumo debut in 2002 and became the first European to reach ozeki in 2006.

Day 10 complete. Hakuho 10-0. The only guy close is Kakuryu at 9-1. This is his match, notable because it's his 500th career win: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2Qu-J7hsRY&list=PL556B0EVMUL1lHqxZLvIsOJeNSmor5njD&index=32

Missed this one from day 8, the two new guys Osunaarashi vs. Endo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8-cX39VnVo&list=PL556B0EVMUL1lHqxZLvIsOJeNSmor5njD&index=21

First final match of the final day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBZfb4YuRVk&list=PL556B0EVMUL1lHqxZLvIsOJeNSmor5njD

FINAL, final match of the final day (which should tell what happened in the previous match): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PKtdj8p7k0&list=PL556B0EVMUL1lHqxZLvIsOJeNSmor5njD

Btw, Endo finished 11-4 got the Fighting Spirit Award.

News article on Jesse Kuhaulua, aka Takamiya, aka Watanabe Daigoro, aka Azumazeki Oyakata

http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/20140219_Sumo_legend_Kuhaulua_My_heart_is_on_Maui.html?id=246155001


A trailblazer in professional sumo, both as a rikishi and later as a stablemaster.

If it weren't for Jesse, there probably would be no Konishiki or Akebono, Asashoryu or Hakuho.

His success as a rikishi, his effective assimilation into the sumo world and Japanese society, and his popularity with the Japanese public opened the heretofore closed doors of sumo to foreigners.

Indirectly he's somewhat responsible for why native Japanese sumotori haven't won a tournament in many years.

Here's something you don't see every day, one man Sumo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OP8S4SRL63o

He's fighting the rice god. If he wins, the farmers will have a bad rice crop, if the rice god wins they'll have a good crop. Like the Washington Generals against the Globetrotters, he has yet to win.

Day 1 in Osaka, no upsets, the yokozuna and ozeki all won. This bout is Endo now at Maegashira 1 vs. Kakuryu who went 14-1 last basho: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdl4_AzHL6Q&list=PL556B0EVMUL0S6mdTX59Gc_D-FXZJQyCI

And then he gets Harumafuji on day two.

And Hakuho on day three.

Most likely Endo will be 0-3 after the first three days, I hope this doesn't shatter his confidence.

Around the turn now at day 8 only the two yokozuna undefeated. Osunaarashi was at 7-0 but hadn't fought anybody above maegashira 8 until today when he fought Endo and lost. After an 0-4 start Endo now at 4-4. Here's Hakuho, got a pretty good workout: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1qSSGKZ3-4&list=PL556B0EVMUL0S6mdTX59Gc_D-FXZJQyCI

Lots going on the last couple days, first this, not completely unexpected:

Kotooshu calls it a career

Kotooshu, the first European wrestler to ever win an Emperor�fs Cup and achieve sumo�fs second highest rank of ozeki, retired Thursday.

The Bulgarian rikishi, whose real name is Karoyan Ando, submitted his retirement papers to the Japan Sumo Association the same day. He said he has reached his physical limit and no longer possesses the energy to continue wrestling.

Kotooshu, 31, was promoted to the ozeki rank in January 2006 and served at the second highest rank for 47 tournaments — the fourth longest on the all-time list.

At the ongoing Spring Grand Sumo Tournament, Kotooshu lost nine consecutive bouts from the second day and withdrew from the meet on Wednesday, the 11th day, with a shoulder injury.

Kotooshu, who obtained Japanese nationality in January, plans to instruct junior wrestlers. As an elder in the JSA, he will be known as stablemaster Kotooshu. Wrestlers who achieve the rank of ozeki can retain their ring name for three years after retirement.


After going 11-0 Harumafuji lost his last two which would normally mean clear sailing for Hakuho, but Kakuryu is at his heels at 11-1 and then this:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YC9gsNJ93lA&index=50&list=PL556B0EVMUL0S6mdTX59Gc_D-FXZJQyCI

sad to see him retire. he was one of my favs
_________________

This is turning into the "when was the last time" basho.

When was the last time Hakuho lost twice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOAIvV29c_c&index=54&list=PL556B0EVMUL0S6mdTX59Gc_D-FXZJQyCI

And when was the last someone had a record of just 8-6 and had defeated both yokozuna: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_mL7uXqPkk&list=PL556B0EVMUL0S6mdTX59Gc_D-FXZJQyCI&index=55

But as Yogi said, "it ain't over till it's over". Hakuho still has a chance, if he can win tomorrow and Kotoshogiku can win again tomorrow it will force a playoff.