This is absolutely the best tournament in recent memory. I'm happy with all my guys. Shodai and Ura get their Ks, Wakatakakage and Atamifuji have come-from-behind shots at the Cup, Kusano and Aonishki are spectacular, and Kotoshoho makes it a complete toss-up.
Poor Kayo is probably headed back down to Juryo, I guess, where hopefully he learns how to move forward. I hope Takerufuji's biceps isn't torn too badly. Should have quit days ago rather than tough it out, which just added defeats to his injury.
Four kinboshi in his Yokozuna debut has to be a real dose of reality for Onosato. The NHK Channel announcer said that's an all-time record.
Hopefully Onosato's struggles here take some of the glare off Hoshoryu. I think we're seeing them 'struggle' because there are lot of good guys in the top division right now. I don't think anyone can deny that Onosato and Hoshoryu are our top two wrestlers in the world, right now, even if they aren't going 14-1 in every tournament.
It's not rare to have a young guys competing for yushos early in their careers (even in their first few tournaments). The best prospects who come out of college sumo and then fly through makushita and juryo land in the low maegashira rankings around guys who are on the decline in their careers or have reached a ceiling that is that low maegashira level. You often see the studs like Kusano, Onosato, Hakuoho, etc. etc. run up big win totals in their first ever top division tournaments and get themselves in the mix for the title. A lot of those guys fall off in the second week of the tournament and some then struggle in subsequent tournaments (once they get ranked much higher - as a result of that big first tournament).
Right now we have a mix in our top four.
Kusano is that college stud who is blowing everyone away in his first attempt.
Aonishiki surprised everyone earlier this year and has shown he's the real deal, by doing the same thing in the next two tournaments.
Atamifuji did what Kusano did a few years ago and has been under the radar between now and then.
Kotoshoho has been more inconsistent and up and down in his young career.
It is rare for our top four at this stage in the competition to all be so young. There's usually a veteran/upper ranked guy with a shot to win among the leaders at this point (like when Terunofuji and Hoshoryu were around during Onosato's early tournaments or when Kirishima and Takakeisho were shutting the door on Atamifuji).
This is absolutely the best tournament in recent memory. I'm happy with all my guys. Shodai and Ura get their Ks, Wakatakakage and Atamifuji have come-from-behind shots at the Cup, Kusano and Aonishki are spectacular, and Kotoshoho makes it a complete toss-up.
Poor Kayo is probably headed back down to Juryo, I guess, where hopefully he learns how to move forward. I hope Takerufuji's biceps isn't torn too badly. Should have quit days ago rather than tough it out, which just added defeats to his injury.
Four kinboshi in his Yokozuna debut has to be a real dose of reality for Onosato. The NHK Channel announcer said that's an all-time record.
Hopefully Onosato's struggles here take some of the glare off Hoshoryu. I think we're seeing them 'struggle' because there are lot of good guys in the top division right now. I don't think anyone can deny that Onosato and Hoshoryu are our top two wrestlers in the world, right now, even if they aren't going 14-1 in every tournament.
I was wondering if it might take some pressure off of Hoshoryu. Keeps it interesting!
Onosato doesn’t want that record! And he started off so strong.
Awesome tournament!
It really is! Great storylines, but the matches have really delivered too.
How often does it happen that the top 4 are so relatively young?
It's not rare to have a young guys competing for yushos early in their careers (even in their first few tournaments). The best prospects who come out of college sumo and then fly through makushita and juryo land in the low maegashira rankings around guys who are on the decline in their careers or have reached a ceiling that is that low maegashira level. You often see the studs like Kusano, Onosato, Hakuoho, etc. etc. run up big win totals in their first ever top division tournaments and get themselves in the mix for the title. A lot of those guys fall off in the second week of the tournament and some then struggle in subsequent tournaments (once they get ranked much higher - as a result of that big first tournament).
Right now we have a mix in our top four.
Kusano is that college stud who is blowing everyone away in his first attempt.
Aonishiki surprised everyone earlier this year and has shown he's the real deal, by doing the same thing in the next two tournaments.
Atamifuji did what Kusano did a few years ago and has been under the radar between now and then.
Kotoshoho has been more inconsistent and up and down in his young career.
It is rare for our top four at this stage in the competition to all be so young. There's usually a veteran/upper ranked guy with a shot to win among the leaders at this point (like when Terunofuji and Hoshoryu were around during Onosato's early tournaments or when Kirishima and Takakeisho were shutting the door on Atamifuji).
Takerufuji is in that mix too.