Author: Admin

Here are the quick results from today’s Day 3 of the January 2023 Grand Sumo Tournament in Tokyo:
Key: M-Maegashira, K-Komusubi, S-Sekiwake, O-Ozeki, J-Juryo
Makuuchi (Top Tier):
Takarafuji (M16) beat Azumaryu (M14)
Ichiyamamoto (M14) beat Chiyomaru (M16)
Mitoryu (M15) beat Kotoeko (M13)
Kotoshoho (M13) beat Tsurugisho (M15)
Tochinoshin (M11) beat Okinoumi (M12)
Kagayaki (M12) beat Chiyoshoma (M11)
Endo (M9) beat Hiradoumi (M10)
Aoiyama (M10) beat Takanosho (M9)
Ura (M7) beat Oho (M8)
Onosho (M8) beat Myogiryu (M6)
Sadanoumi (M4) beat Ryuden (M5)
Hokutofuji (M6) beat Nishikifuji (M4)
Nishikigi (M5) beat Midorifuji (M3)
Kiribayama (K) beat Wakamotoharu (K)
Abi (M3) beat Meisei (K)
Hoshoryu (S) beat Mikakeumi (M2)
Wakatakakage (S) beat Tobizaru (M1)
Shodai (S) beat Kotonowaka (K)
Tamawashi (M2) beat Takayasu (S)
Takakeisho (O) beat Daieisho (M1)
Leader: 7 at 3-0
Of note: Shodai picked up his first win today, meaning he now needs to go 9-3 or better the rest of the way to get 10 wins and return to Ozeki. On the flip side, after 2 runner-up finishes the last 2 tournaments Takayasu is already out of it at 0-3. A lot of the reason is a neck injury suffered in the November playoff against Abi when he seemed to possibly suffer a concussion, but also an ankle injury now. He may not make it thorugh all 15 days. Hoshoryu is among the group at 3-0 and now should be just 8 wins away from reaching Ozeki, but if he can finish with more than 11 that will help. He has a big early match tomorrow against fellow 3-0 Tamawashi. Also in the 3-0 group is November Champion Abi, who has Shodai tomorrow.

Juryo:
Tsushimanada (J14) beat Kaisho (J13)
Asanoyama (J12) beat Hakuyozan (J14)
Shonannoumi (J13) beat Takakento (J12)
Shimazuumi (J11) beat Terutsuyoshi (J10)
Gonoyama (J10) beat Chiyosakae (J11)
Hidenoumi (J0) beat Kitanowaka (J8)
Roga (J9) beat Shimanoumi (J8)
Churanoumi (J6) beat Tochimusashi (J7)
Daishoho (J6) beat Kotokuzan (J5)
Kinbozan (J5) beat Chiyonokuni (J7)
Enho (J4) beat Oshoma (J3)
Tohakuryu (J4) beat Atamifuji (J3)
Bushozan (J1) beat Daiamami (J2)
Hokuseiho (J2) beat Akua (J1)
Leader: Kinbozan, Roga, Shimazuumi, Asanoyama (3-0)
Of note: Another relatively easy win for the former Ozeki as Asanoyama is off to his 4th straight 3-0 start since returning from a 1 year suspension, but this time he has 12 matches to go instead of 4. Tomorrow’s opponent is Tsushimanada. Interesting to note there are 3 different countries represented at the top-Japan (Asanoyama, Shimazuumi), Kazakhstan (Kinbozan) and Russia (Roga). On the flip side. that’s now 19 straight losses for Terutsuyoshi. He’ll try to avoid making it 20 tomorrow against Hidenoumi.

Here are the quick results from today’s Day 2 of the January 2023 Grand Sumo Tournament in Tokyo:
Key: M-Maegashira, K-Komusubi, S-Sekiwake, O-Ozeki, J-Juryo

Makuuchi (Top Tier):
Tsurugisho (M15) beat Chiyomaru (M16)
Takarafuji (M16) beat Ichiyamamoto (M14)
Azumaryu (M15) beat Mitoryu (M15)
Kotoshoho (M13) beat Kagayaki (M12)
Kotoeko (M13) beat Okinoumi (M12)
Aoiyama (M10) beat Chiyoshoma (M11)
Hiradoumi (M10) beat Tochinoshin (M11)
Onosho (M8) beat Takanosho (M9)
Endo (M9) beat Oho (M8)
Ura (M7) beat Hokutofuji (M6)
Nishikigi (M5) beat Myogiryu (M6)
Nishikifuji (M4) beat Sadanoumi (M4)
Midorifuji (M3) beat Ryuden (M5)
Abi (M3) beat Wakamotoharu (K)
Tamawashi (M2) beat Meisei (K)
Mitakeumi (M2) beat Wakatakakage (S)
Daieisho (M1) beat Shodai (S)
Kiribayama (K) beat Takayasu (S)
Hoshoryu (S) beat Kotonowaka (K)
Tobizaru (M1) beat Takakeisho (O)

Juryo:
Tsushimanada (J14) beat Shonannoumi (J13)
Kaisho (J13) beat Hakuyozan (J14)
Asanoyama (J12) beat Chiyosakae (J11)
Shimazuumi (J11) beat Takakento (J12)
Roga (J9) beat Terutsuyoshi (J10)
Hidenoumi (J9) beat Gonoyama (J10)
Chiyonokuni (J7) beat Kitanowaka (J8)
Tochimusashi (J7) beat Shimanoumi (J8)
Kinbozan (J5) beat Daishoho (J6)
Churanoumi (J6) beat Kotokuzan (J5)
Enho (J4) beat Atamifuji (J3)
Oshoma (J3) beat Tohakuryu (J4)
Daiamami (J2) beat Akua (J1)
Hokuseiho (J2) beat Bushozan (J1)
Notes: In his second Juryo match, Asanoyama had a much easier time winning today than he did yesterday, pretty much walking over Chiyosakae. The former Ozeki is 2-0 and will try to go 3-0 tomorrow against Hakuyozan On the flip side, that’s now 18 straight losses for Terutsuyoshi, who hasn’t won since Day 14 of the September 2022 Tournament.

Lower tier notes: In the Makushita, a rare new Debut at Makushita 15 was scheduled for today as Ochiai, a new wrestler from Miyagino Beya (former Yokozuna Hakuho), was to be in action as the 3rd Ms15 debut since I began closely following sumo again at the start of 2021, but he wound up getting a freebie for his first victory because scheduled opponent Oki had withdrawn. His next chance for his “real” Debut will probably come on Day 4.
The last 2 Ms15 debuts were Kawazoe in September, who turned into a literal “human slinky” in his debut match against Asanoyama as he displayed almost inhuman flexibility in a loss, but gained a lot of fans for his efforts and has climbed up to Makushita 7 in his 3rd tournament, and Oshoma in November 2021 who is now at Juryo 3 and won the Juryo Championship in November. He’s reached the door to the top tier in just 8 tournaments and has just one losing record so far (technically 2 but the second was because of a withdrawal in July due to coronavirus protocols, he was 5-3 at the time and was recorded as finishing 5-3-7, the equivalent of 5-10 for rankings purposes but due to the circumstances he was not demoted).

Here are the quick results from the Opening Day of the January 2023 Grand Sumo Tournament in Tokyo:
Key: M-Maegashira, K-Komusubi, S-Sekiwake, O-Ozeki, Y-Yokozuna, J-Juryo

Makuuchi (Top Tier):
Takarafuji (M16) beat Chiyomaru (M16)
Tsurugisho (M15) beat Mitoryu (M15)
Azumaryu (M14) beat Kotoeko (M13)
Kotoshoho (M13) beat Ichiyamamoto (M14)
Tochinoshin (M11) beat Chiyoshoma (M11)
Aoiyama (M10) beat Hiradoumi (M10)
Takanosho (M9) beat Endo (M9)
Onosho (M8) beat Oho (M8)
Myogiryu (M6) beat Ura (M7)
Hokutofui (M6) beat Nishikigi (M5)
Ryuden (M5) beat Nishikifuji (M4)
Midorifuji (M3) beat Sadanoumi (M4)
Abi (M3) beat Kotonowaka (K)
Tamawashi (M2) beat Kiribayama (K)
Mitakwumi (M2) beat Shodai (S)
Daieisho (M1) beat Takayasu (S)
Hoshoryu (S) beat Tobizaru (M1)
Wakatakakage (S) beat Meisei (K)
Takakeisho (O) beat Wakamotoharu (K)
WITHDRAWALS: Terunofuji (Y), Ichinojo (M7). Terunofuji is out a second straight tournament due to recovery from double knee surgery after the September Tournament, it may have been aggravated during training recently. The hope is he’s ready for March, if not there may start to be more pressure on him to return soon or consider retiring (while Yokuzuna can never be demoted, they can be pressured or forced to retire due to consistent poor performance or extended absences). Ichinojo is suspended the entire tournament for what is being called coronavirus protocol violations, but it’s really more due to bad conduct in public since his July 2022 Championship.
Of note: Shodai must get at least 10 wins to return to Ozeki in March, otherwise the process starts over from the beginning. Wakatakakage & Hoshoryu can get into Ozeki promotion consideration if one or both finishes with at least 11 wins. Some people online think Takayasu can get back to Ozeki with the same, but in reality the only way that’s going to happen here is a Championship. Takakeisho can solidify his Yokozuna case with a runner-up finish again or at least 12 wins, while a Championship would probably seal it.

Juryo:
Hakuyozan (J14) beat Tsushimanada (J14)
Shonannoumi (J13) beat Kaisho (J13)
Asanoyama (J12) beat Takakento (J12)
Shimazuumi (J11) beat Chiyosakae (J11)
Gonoyama (J10) beat Terutsuyoshi (J10)
Roga (J9) beat Hidenoumi (J9)
Kitanowaka (J8) beat Shimanoumi (J8)
Chiyonokuni (J7) beat Tochimusashi (J7)
Daishoho (J6) beat Churanoumi (J6)
Kinbozan (J5) beat Kotokuzan (J5)
Tohakuryu (J4) beat Enho (J4)
Atamifuji (J3) beat Oshoma (J3)
Daiamami (J2) beat Hokuseiho (J2)
Bushozan (J1) beat Akua (J1)
Of note: It wasn’t easy, but the former Ozeki Asanoyama pulled out the victory in his Juryo return in his 4th tournament back after a one year suspension. At J12 there is no chance he returns to the top tier after this tournament, even if he goes 15-0. He’s scheduled to face Chiyosakae tomorrow on Day 2. On the other end, that’s 17 straight losses for Terutsuyoshi, who still can’t find his form outside of his standard epic salt throws pre-match, which are numbered because they don’t get to do all that in Makushita or below.

Lower-tier notes: Former top tier mainstay Ishiura is once again a pre-tournament withdrawal due to injuries. He was in the Sandanme this time around at Sandanme 30. He was among a number of pre-tournament withdrawals in the lower 4 tiers. This is his 5th straight missed tournament and could well drop him down to Jonidan if he can return in March, if ever.
Once again there are only 90 ranks in the Sandanme as the days of the traditional 100 may be over. There are 102 in the Jonidan and 16 (31 wrestlers total) in the Jonokuchi although 7 are already withdrawals and may not be making their debuts this time.

Finally, it was announced that on January 28, just under a week after the tournament concludes, the official retirement ceremony for the former Yokozuna Hakuho will be held, including the symbolic cutting off of his topknot. After retiring last year, Hakuho became Oyakata Makagi and now is the owner/master of Miyagino Beya and thus has taken the name Miyagino.