Introduction to SUMO

couple videos i saw posted on sumoforum.net that i thought i'd post here in between bashos.

here's toyonoshima taking his sumo juniors out for a night on the town. they go to a couple tiny restaurants, and a really fancy karaoke place. it also deals with the amount of money toyonoshima has won over his career, and how much sumo wrestlers make in general. it's all in japanese though:



here's a show with ikioi, takarafuji, and asahisho, but it's also in japanese and is more of an interview:

 
thought i would try bumping this thread up occasionally with sumo news in the time between tournaments to make sure people know it's here if they're interested in taking a look at the sport.


Takanohana fails to be re-elected for NSK board


Today, the elections for the NSK board members – directors and vice-directors – took place.

The board is renewed every two years after Hatsu basho. If the number of candidates matches the number of seats (ten directors plus three vice directors), then elections are not held and the candidates automatically become directors or vice directors respectively.


This is, in fact, how the board selection process worked for many years. There were five ichimon. Each presented two candidates, and they became directors. In 2010, Takanohana Kōji disrupted the system by declaring an unauthorized candidacy, a move that ended in him splitting from his ichimon and forming his own together with his supporters. With six ichimon, the number of candidates was almost certain to exceed the number of seats, resulting in the five most recent occasions ending up in elections.

Takanohana succeeded in winning enough votes in the previous four elections, although he was unable to then get enough support inside the board to become its chairman. But today’s elections were different.

When the Takanohana ichimon convened to decide on their candidate, together with the three rogue toshiyori who seceded from Tokitsukaze ichimon recently, the members of the ichimon wanted their candidate to be Onomatsu oyakata (Onosho’s stablemaster), rather than Takanohana. In fact, they could not agree on a candidacy in their first meeting, and eventually, after meeting again, the ichimon announced both Onomatsu and Takanohana would be running.

Today, after the votes were counted, these were the results:

Candidate - heya - ichimon - votes - elected?
Hakkaku - Hakkaku - Takasago 11 ✓
Oguruma - Oguruma - Nishonoseki 10 ✓
Kagamiyama - Kagamiyama - Tokitsukaze 11 ✓
Kasugano - Kasugano - Dewanoumi 9 ✓
Onomatsu - Onomatsu - Takanohana 8 ✓
Yamahibiki - Yamahibiki - Dewanoumi 8 ✓
Dewanoumi - Dewanoumi - Dewanoumi 9 ✓
Takashima - Miyagino - Isegahama 12 ✓
Shibatayama - Shibatayama - Nishonoseki 10 ✓
Sakaigawa - Sakaigawa - Dewanoumi 11 ✓
Takanohana - Takanohana - Takanohana 2 ✗

So the result is that other than his own vote, Takanohana has just one single supporter. For the first time in 8 years, he is not elected to the board, let alone able to progress to chairman.

(read more...)

no surprise considering how he handled the harumafuji/takanoiwa scandal.

[URL='https://www.reddit.com/r/Sumo/comments/7v3c9z/kakuryu_underwent_endoscopic_surgery_on_his_left/']Kakuryu underwent endoscopic surgery on his left ankle on February 1st, having injured it near the end of the Hatsu basho.https://www.reddit.com/r/Sumo/comments/7v3c9z/kakuryu_underwent_endoscopic_surgery_on_his_left/[/URL]



no surprise considering what happened in the last week of the last tournament. hopefully he can come back looking like he did early on in january.
 
a one-day tournament was held yesterday. here are the semi-finals and finals:


and a highlight video of all of the tournament winner's matches in the tournament:


they had some "old timers" competing as well, including god's gift to sumo Takamisakari vs. Kotooshu:
 
Thought I'd continue my "Sumo in the Heisei Era" series here rather than in separate threads.

Sumo in the Heisei Era Part 1: 1989

Sumo in the Heisei Era Part 2: 1990 - 1992


1990 saw Chiyonofuji and Hokutoumi win two tournaments each. Onokuni at this point had been struggling with injuries and illness. An ankle injury suffered in the January tournament would cause him to sit out the next four tournaments in a row. In March Hokutoumi would win his championship in thrilling fashion, competing in a three-way playoff against Konishiki and Kirishima. Despite losing, this performance would see Kirishima earn promotion to Ozeki. March would also see Chiyonofuji earn his landmark 1000th win, but 1990 would signal the tail end of his career as he would also be forced to sit out the September tournament due to injury. His tournament win in November would be his 31st championship but also his last.

The other two tournaments in 1990 were won by Asahifuji, an Ozeki (sumo’s second highest rank) at the time. These tournament wins would cause him to earn promotion to Yokozuna, making him the 63rd in the sport’s history.

May 1990 would also see two significant debuts for extremely influential figures in Heisei sumo. Takahanada would become the youngest wrestler ever to make his debut in the top division in May, still 17 years old. He would, however, earn a losing record in the top division, going 4-11, only to return in November. Far down the ranks, another influential man was making his debut in the sport. This was Mainoumi who, because of his smaller stature, would become one of the most dynamic and inventive wrestlers of the Heisei era. Later, in September, under the coaching of Takamiyama, Akebono would follow suit and make his debut in the top division as another one of the era’s most influential wrestlers.

1991 would be a year of transition from Showa powerhouses to Heisei superstars. Recently promoted Ozeki Kirishima would win the January tournament (his first and only championship) while Chiyonofuji is injured on the second day and has to withdraw. As Chiyonofuji sits out the March tournament, Hokutoumi takes control and wins what would be his last championship.

The first day of the May tournament would see Takahanada matched up with returning Yokozuna Chiyonofuji. In a clear changing of the guard, Takahanada wins the match. Chiyonofuji would win his next match, but lose again on the third day in what would be his final bout. He announced his retirement the next day. He had competed in sumo for a little over 20 years and competed as a Yokozuna for nearly 10 years earning 31 championships, the second most at the time. He held the record for the most wins in the sport at the time, with 1045, and the record for the most top division wins with 807.

33emv84.jpg

The end of an era: Chiyonofuji announces his retirement

Onokuni would sit out the May tournament as well due to a fever, and when he returned in July would go on to lose 4 matches, and would call it quits on the 9th day, announcing his retirement. He competed as a Yokozuna for 23 tournaments but, in contrast to the success of Chiyonokuni, had only two championships in his career (and only one as a Yokozuna).

July also saw the entirely unexpected success of low-ranked Maegashira 13 Kotofuji who would end the tournament with a 14-1 record and the championship. He was one of the lowest ranked wrestlers to ever win a championship, and would never have anywhere near this much success again.

Fans present on day 11 of the November tournament also get to witness one of the most famous matches of the Heisei era. Mainoumi, who debuted in the top division in September, matched up against Akebono who was more than twice his size. He would win the match with the extremely rare winning technique mitokorozeme, a triple-attack force out by tripping one leg, grabbing the other, and using his head to press against Akebono’s chest. This was the only time in the Heisei era that this technique was used to win a match.

Two events in 1991 would signal the increasing foreign influence in sumo. The first sumo tournament held off of Japanese soil took place in London in the Royal Albert Hall in October. This was not a full 15-day tournament, but a koen overseas exhibition tournament. More importantly, 1991 would mark the introduction of Mongolians to the sport of sumo as a group of six moved to Japan to join the Oshima stable. Chief among these Mongolians were Kyokutenho, Kyokutenzan, and Kyokushuzan.

fkmckh.jpg

Mongolian pioneers - Back left: Kyokushuzan, back right: Kyokutenho, front right: Kyokutenzan

1992 was notable as for half of the year there were no Yokozuna in the sport. Asahifuji would start the year with three losses in a row, and go on to announce his retirement, leaving Hokutofuji as the only Yokozuna. Hokutofuji had been struggling with an injury for months and, as the sole Yokozuna felt a duty to try to continue competing. He sat out the January tournament, and although he attempted to compete in March, he lost his first two matches and withdraw. Shortly before the start of the May tournament Hokutofuji would announce his retirement, leaving the top rank in the sport empty for the first time in 60 years.

The January tournament was won by Takahanada, the first in his career, and at 19 years old again set an age record as the youngest championship winner. The championship trophy would be handed to him by his father, who was his stablemaster. At his championship party Takahanada was too young to drink the customary sake and had to settle for oolong tea instead. Takahanada would also win the September tournament.

March would see Konishiki win his third championship and in doing so make a case for being promoted to Yokozuna, the first foreign-born wrestler to have earned consideration. The question of his promotion would lead to quite a bit of controversy as the Yokozuna Deliberation Council would deny him this promotion. Their argument was that they wanted to see one more good tournament from him, but members of the council also said that Konishiki didn’t have hinkaku or “dignity” or “quality of character.” This comment was taken by a newspaper to mean “We Don’t Need a Foreign Yokozuna” which exacerbated the issue. Another newspaper then came out with an article with a quote from Konishiki saying that if he were Japanese, he would have been Yokozuna already. This led the Sumo Association to call Konishiki in to meet with them for an explanation, and inflamed the issue even more. The result of the controversy was that Konishiki was not promoted, and would never have the same kind of success again. The YDC was probably right not to promote him, but miscommunication and cultural differences led to a controversy which clearly affected Konishiki.

ncbaya.jpg

Takamiyama (Azumazeki stablemaster) and his protégé, fellow Hawai’ian Akebono

Akebono wins his first tournament in May, and is promoted to Ozeki. He would pick up an injury between tournaments and wouldn’t be able to compete in July but, after returning with a successful (although not fantastic) 9-6 record in September, would begin his march towards Yokozuna promotion in November by winning the tournament with a 14-1 record.
 
Sumo in the Heisei Era Part 3: 1993 – 1996


1993 would open with one of the most important championship wins in the Heisei era. The tournament was won by Akebono, his second in a row, one of the qualifications of an Ozeki for Yokozuna promotion. Failure to meet this qualification had denied Konishiki a promotion to Yokozuna, but Akebono had succeeded in his place. There was still an attitude of questioning his fitness for the role due to his being a foreigner but his promotion was welcomed by many as, for the first time in 8 months, the sport had a Yokozuna again.

This was an important time for Takahanada and his older brother Wakahanada as well, as in January Takahanada earned promotion to Ozeki and took on the ring name that he would use for the rest of his career, Takanohana, the ring name his father has used. March would see Wakahanada win the tournament, and change his ring name to Wakanohana, the ring name of his uncle. The success of these brothers would usher in an era of “Waka-Taka Fever” as they brought in many younger fans and sumo’s popularity rose to its highest level since Futabayama’s era in the 1930’s.

11waq8x.jpg

Young brothers who would become Wakanohana and Takanohana look at sumo rankings with their father

The latter half of the year’s championships would all go to new Yokozuna Akebono, as his rivalry with the Waka-Taka brothers drew in the fans. His fellow Hawai’ian, Konishiki, would struggle however, and in November after a losing record be demoted from his position as an Ozeki, a rank he had held for 39 tournaments.

1994 would be Takanohana’s year as he won four of the six tournaments. The final two tournaments of the year in September and November would be zensho yusho, championships where he won all his matches, going 15-0. After his championship in September he had been nominated for Yokozuna promotion, but the Yokozuna Deliberation Council rejected him. Again, the reason given was that he had not won two tournaments in a row, a criterion that he would meet the following tournament in November.

While Akebono sits out the July tournament injured, another Hawai’ian would take over, dominating the tournament. Musashimaru, who had been promoted to Ozeki earlier in the year, wins his first tournament with an unbeaten record.

1orv3n.jpg

Akebono, Konishiki, and Musashimaru in Hawai’i

1995 is one of the years that would come to define the Heisei era. Before the start of the 9th day of the January tournament, early in the morning on the 17th a 6.9 magnitude earthquake strikes in the Southern part of Hyogo Prefecture. With most of the victims from the city of Kobe, over 6,000 people are killed. Then, on March 20th, members of the doomsday cult Aum Shinrikyo release sarin gas in the subway system of Tokyo, killing 12 people and injuring over 1,000.



Takanohana’s first year as a Yokozuna would see him earn 4 championships, starting the year off by winning the January tournament after a playoff with Musashimaru. There was talk of halting the January tournament after the Great Hanshin Earthquake, but it was decided that the tournament should continue with the wrestlers serving as pillars of strength for the public.

In the November tournament Wakanohana and Takanohana meet in a playoff on the final day to determine the champion. This was the first time that brothers had ever competed in sumo. In the early days of the sport there had been a rule that if brothers were to meet in a playoff, the match would not be held and the victory would be simply awarded to the elder brother. The two do meet, however, and Wakanohana (the older brother) walks away with the title.

1996 would again be dominated by Takanohana, who wins four consecutive tournaments. He is forced to withdraw from the November tournament, however, with a back injury, missing a tournament for the first time in his career. In his place Musashimaru wins his second championship after winning an astounding 5-way playoff on the final day.

In April allegations of match-fixing, which would a far larger role later in the era, are raised by Onaruto Oyakata (stablemaster), the former Kotetsuyama. His claims of match-fixing, drug abuse, tax evasion, and close ties to organized crime are published in a book called Yaocho (match-fixing) co-written by Seiichiro Hashimoto. A month before the book is published both men die at the same hospital, hours apart, on April 14th, reportedly of the same lung ailment. Although police would find no evidence of foul play, one of Onaruto Oyakata’s wrestlers would claim that he did indeed have close ties to organized crime.

In September Kyokushuzan, a member of the first group of Mongolians to enter sumo, sets the stage for the most dominant force of the later Heisei era as he becomes the first Mongolian to debut in the top division.
 
sumo tournament coming up in a couple weeks, just wanted to bump this thread back up to get ready for it.

here's a fun match in a high school competition between Enho and the man-mountain Ichinojo:


Kakuryu and Hakuho opening a basketball game between Japan and Germany:


video from Chris Gould on Hakuho and the summer tour:
 
Kisenosato's danpatsushiki, hair-cutting retirement ceremony:


hPYxU8avdnpDOgJleu1IZkWZlCGu1iDMdCXO5RlEI0M.jpg
 
So, as we've known for a while the May tournament has been canceled and the July tournament has been postponed, won't have an audience, and will be held in Tokyo instead of Nagoya. The last time a tournament was canceled was for the match-fixing scandal in 2011 (and at that time a tournament hadn't been canceled since 1946). It's not really a surprise though, and with several wrestlers testing positive it's for the best.

Here's Kintamayama:


Chris Gould:



Jason:



I might try to post some sumo content in here throughout the month, but just wanted to make sure everyone knew there's no tournament.

@babycart @EL CORINTHIAN @shincheckin @rmongler @JkMMA @PurpleStorm @Asurah @Sano @josh from md @Okajima @RJ Green @winterbike @LC Shepard @Bluesbreaker @hyu244 @s_o_c_a_r @Slick_36 @Senshi @Muppettoker @argy-bargy @Edison Carasio @ChainFlow @Oshime2 @DatCutman @catchwrestle @rodgerdodger @Sapp @Apollo33 @MoreKane @BoxingMMA @dkjt @-guerilla- @ChickenBrother @INTERL0PER @what-wut @Adjaar @TheRuthlessOne @elreece @Tone C @loyalyolayal @Nameless King @The Polish Pounder [USER=144715]@GSP_37 @Kaybee @Fluffernutter @Stormtrooper85 @Jin Akutsu @AZ103 [/USER]
 
So, as we've known for a while the May tournament has been canceled and the July tournament has been postponed, won't have an audience, and will be held in Tokyo instead of Nagoya. The last time a tournament was canceled was for the match-fixing scandal in 2011 (and at that time a tournament hadn't been canceled since 1946). It's not really a surprise though, and with several wrestlers testing positive it's for the best.

Here's Kintamayama:


Chris Gould:



Jason:



I might try to post some sumo content in here throughout the month, but just wanted to make sure everyone knew there's no tournament.

@babycart @EL CORINTHIAN @shincheckin @rmongler @JkMMA @PurpleStorm @Asurah @Sano @josh from md @Okajima @RJ Green @winterbike @LC Shepard @Bluesbreaker @hyu244 @s_o_c_a_r @Slick_36 @Senshi @Muppettoker @argy-bargy @Edison Carasio @ChainFlow @Oshime2 @DatCutman @catchwrestle @rodgerdodger @Sapp @Apollo33 @MoreKane @BoxingMMA @dkjt @-guerilla- @ChickenBrother @INTERL0PER @what-wut @Adjaar @TheRuthlessOne @elreece @Tone C @loyalyolayal @Nameless King @The Polish Pounder [USER=144715]@GSP_37 @Kaybee @Fluffernutter @Stormtrooper85 @Jin Akutsu @AZ103 [/USER]


You are the sumo resource I never knew I needed!
 
sumo tournament coming up in a couple weeks, just wanted to bump this thread back up to get ready for it.

here's a fun match in a high school competition between Enho and the man-mountain Ichinojo:


Kakuryu and Hakuho opening a basketball game between Japan and Germany:


video from Chris Gould on Hakuho and the summer tour:

Enho vs ichi video unavailable.
Damm, I wanted to see that
 
So, as we've known for a while the May tournament has been canceled and the July tournament has been postponed, won't have an audience, and will be held in Tokyo instead of Nagoya. The last time a tournament was canceled was for the match-fixing scandal in 2011 (and at that time a tournament hadn't been canceled since 1946). It's not really a surprise though, and with several wrestlers testing positive it's for the best.

Here's Kintamayama:


Chris Gould:



Jason:



I might try to post some sumo content in here throughout the month, but just wanted to make sure everyone knew there's no tournament.

@babycart @EL CORINTHIAN @shincheckin @rmongler @JkMMA @PurpleStorm @Asurah @Sano @josh from md @Okajima @RJ Green @winterbike @LC Shepard @Bluesbreaker @hyu244 @s_o_c_a_r @Slick_36 @Senshi @Muppettoker @argy-bargy @Edison Carasio @ChainFlow @Oshime2 @DatCutman @catchwrestle @rodgerdodger @Sapp @Apollo33 @MoreKane @BoxingMMA @dkjt @-guerilla- @ChickenBrother @INTERL0PER @what-wut @Adjaar @TheRuthlessOne @elreece @Tone C @loyalyolayal @Nameless King @The Polish Pounder [USER=144715]@GSP_37 @Kaybee @Fluffernutter @Stormtrooper85 @Jin Akutsu @AZ103 [/USER]

Thanks for the tag boss always good to see an update.
 
I'm guessing Kintamayama means gold head mountain.
 
This came across my timeline. Time to get weird in the absence of sumo
 
This is something I stumbled across a few weeks ago, basically these are some speculative videos on what would happen in a world without Hakuho. He reviews the Basho Hakuho won and gives reasoning for who would've won if Hakuho didn't exist. It's a pretty fun series and something interesting to watch since we have no Sumo until July or later.
 
This came across my timeline. Time to get weird in the absence of sumo


I saw the guys who do the Grand Sumo Breakdown Podcast are going to be doing something similar. Good to know there's still some kind of entertainment in the Sumo world with nothing left to watch
 
This came across my timeline. Time to get weird in the absence of sumo


hahaha wow. made some picks, let's make it happen rice bag mouse.

if anyone else made picks, the tournament will be here: Paper Sumo

a sample video:
 
hahaha wow. made some picks, let's make it happen rice bag mouse.

if anyone else made picks, the tournament will be here: Paper Sumo

a sample video:

Placing my hopes in the Kappa that apparently played Donatello in TMNT 3
 
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