Hakkeyoi!

As I’m still testing out writing formats for today, I’m going to pick out some highlight matches from Day One to cover, starting with Shishi and Daiseizan.

First Match: We begin day one with Shishi fighting Daiseizan. Daiseizan is a young, interesting, and successful visitor to the top division from the second division of Juryo. He is also the only Chinese sekitori (member of the top two divisions.) The victory goes to Daiseizan after a mata (false start) from Shishi.

Highlight Match Number One: The first highlight match is Shonannoumi and Tobizaru, both strong rikishi down lower than they usually are. Tobizaru, the popular self-proclaimed “Flying Monkey,” has been surrounded by worries over his right knee, which was heavily taped today. He and Shonannoumi shared a long match that ended with Shonannoumi on the ground just before Tobizaru and a victory for the acrobat.

Ura Match Number One: We will, naturally, be covering the Chubby Agile Guy (credit: Jack Black) daily. And today went well for the favorite third of Team Kise, though Kinbozan and Churanoumi were less impressive. Despite Ura’s claim that what he does best in sumo is “spending time alone meaningfully,” he kept trying to grab Oshoma’s hand throughout the bout. The ex-Komusubi Oshoma was hesitant and focused on his defense, but that wasn’t enough to stop Ura, who seemed to have reached for the leg before pushing Oshoma out the old-fashioned way by oshidashi.

Highlight Match Number Two: Atamifuji and Takayasu are both highly popular for being on the large side and, in Atamifuji’s case, looking like a large sleepy baby 99% of the time. This was an unusually long match for their standards and ended with a brilliant fight on the edge (or the technical term, tawara, rice bales) where Takayasu fought wildly but ended up being forced over. A victory for the Isegahama man.

Highlight Match Number Three: This match was interesting mostly because of the main obvious reason: Wakatakakage lost! Hakuoho overpowered him in a style reminiscent of his pre-injury days. Wakatakakage often loses in his first week and improves drastically in his second, so we’ll see how his Ozeki hopes go. One loss out of the four he can get is bad, but not disastrous. Hopefully he can recuperate tomorrow against fellow legacy Oho.

Highlight Match Number Four: An excellent staredown preceded the Yokozuna and Iron Man’s match. I think Hoshoryu won the staredown, which is entirely pointless and also probably irrelevant. However, he was able to follow up the staredown victory with an actual one by sending Tamawashi to the ground. They hit the dohyo at nearly the same time and the victory was given to Hoshoryu without a mono-ii. A watashikomi victory, which is an unusual kimarite, and good to see from Hosh.

Highlight Match Number Five: A mata from Aonishiki, which seems to be a common situation on day one, probably high nerves to start the basho. Aonishiki hit the ground hard after a quick toss from Onosato following a strong tachiai. Onosato wins fair and square with a yoritaoshi loss–it will be interesting to see how this affects their basho going on. Tamawashi will trade and fight Onosato tomorrow while Aonishiki takes on Atamifuji.

In terms of news from the lower divisions, Jonidan #42 Matsugashima from Takadagawa-beya had a serious fall that merited a neck brace and response from the medical team. In Juryo, yusho favorite ex-Ozeki Asanoyama secured his first win and other contenders Mita and Oshoumi also got theirs.

Hoshoryu and Takayasu’s fight tomorrow will be interesting; Ura takes on fellow technician Midorifuji, Atamifuji fights Aonishiki, and Abi will fight Kirishima.

Good night moon, good night room, good night Chiyomaru.

Back for more sumo tomorrow!