Bernd
03/06/2021 (Sat) 16:02:47
No.42822
del
03/06/2021 (Sat) 16:02:47
No.42822
del
Haru basho is starting on next Sunday.
There's now a couple updates on wrestlers' form and expectations:
• Kakuryu, the current yokozuna west, is determined to perform. He's sat out last three tournaments, and pulled out of so many tournaments after poor performance, he has only fought 4 out of last 14 basho until the last day. He sounds more sure about his form than usual (he often waited until the last day before announcing whether he's participating or not) however he mentioned that he has been having a bit of a cold for last three weeks. It is understood that it's just a slight flu and not corona.
• Terunofuji wants to seal the promotion to ozeki. He won 13 bouts in November and 11 in January, judging by historical statistics he will need another 11 this time. He hasn't participated in public practice though, and has been working on improving stamina instead.
• Takakeisho is kadoban ozeki. Kadoban means he's "cornered" – his poor performance last time means he will be demoted unless he wins 10. He has lost about 10-15kg since last tournament. Good for him, he was getting too fat and it's been ruining his stamina. His left ankle is still not completely healed, oops.
• Takayasu, currently on komusubi rank, says he's feeling back in top form and wants also to get back to ozeki rank, where he was all the time since mid-2017 until the end of 2019. He won 9 bouts in January (also as komusubi), and as a rule of thumb needs about 34 over 3 tournaments to get there, on an improving form – implies he can get there by summer if he wins 12 and 13 this time around and in May. Or, on a longer run, if he wins at least 11 every tournament from now on.
• Midorifuji, a lightweight who surprised in January not so much by great performance in lower top division as by that he won five (!) of his bouts by katasukashi – under-shoulder swing down, reports his back is fucked, a herniated disk or something. He's still in but can't expect to show a good performance. A shame; he put on a good show on January.
I will probably follow-up with a post explaining a bit of how bouts take place, with all the important terms you should probably memorise if you want to follow the commentaries.
There's now a couple updates on wrestlers' form and expectations:
• Kakuryu, the current yokozuna west, is determined to perform. He's sat out last three tournaments, and pulled out of so many tournaments after poor performance, he has only fought 4 out of last 14 basho until the last day. He sounds more sure about his form than usual (he often waited until the last day before announcing whether he's participating or not) however he mentioned that he has been having a bit of a cold for last three weeks. It is understood that it's just a slight flu and not corona.
• Terunofuji wants to seal the promotion to ozeki. He won 13 bouts in November and 11 in January, judging by historical statistics he will need another 11 this time. He hasn't participated in public practice though, and has been working on improving stamina instead.
• Takakeisho is kadoban ozeki. Kadoban means he's "cornered" – his poor performance last time means he will be demoted unless he wins 10. He has lost about 10-15kg since last tournament. Good for him, he was getting too fat and it's been ruining his stamina. His left ankle is still not completely healed, oops.
• Takayasu, currently on komusubi rank, says he's feeling back in top form and wants also to get back to ozeki rank, where he was all the time since mid-2017 until the end of 2019. He won 9 bouts in January (also as komusubi), and as a rule of thumb needs about 34 over 3 tournaments to get there, on an improving form – implies he can get there by summer if he wins 12 and 13 this time around and in May. Or, on a longer run, if he wins at least 11 every tournament from now on.
• Midorifuji, a lightweight who surprised in January not so much by great performance in lower top division as by that he won five (!) of his bouts by katasukashi – under-shoulder swing down, reports his back is fucked, a herniated disk or something. He's still in but can't expect to show a good performance. A shame; he put on a good show on January.
I will probably follow-up with a post explaining a bit of how bouts take place, with all the important terms you should probably memorise if you want to follow the commentaries.