Public League Leaderboard
Scores from Fantasizr.
Yusho Arasoi
13 Wins
05 Sekiwake #1 West Onosato
11 Wins
06 Sekiwake #2 East Kirishima
22 Maegashira #7 East Wakatakakage
35 Maegashira #13 West Nishikigi
Notable Maneuvers
Sokubiotoshi. See, Tobizaru was getting completely railroaded out by Shonannoumi. So all he did was unleash a "head chop down." The move was so sudden and happened so close to the edge that the gyoji pointed to Shonannoumi. The shimpan had a mono-ii to discuss that, no, Tobizaru stayed in while chopping down on Shonannoumi's head.
Match of the Day
05 Sekiwake #1 West Onosato versus 03 Ozeki West Hoshoryu
THis match's stakes were clear. Onosato wins and he won the yusho. Naturally, the pre-match tension was intense, and a false start took place. After they reset themselves, the match wasn't a branburner. Indeed, Onosato heavily shoved out Hoshoryu in a way that didn't allow him to do anything. But that is bigger than it seems. Onosato gets the yusho, a victory over a soon-to-be fellow Ozeki, and a win over someone he has yet to beat.
Recap
It's all over. Onosato took care of business against Hoshoryu in the musubi no ichiban. That gives him 13 Wins with one match left, while no one else has more than 11. He cannot be caught, and the Emperor's Cup is his. Indeed, if you want some drama around a yusho, you will have to look at Jonidan, where Shimizuumi and Daiyusho are both 7-0 and will have a playoff. Every other division has a yusho winner already secured.
This is more incredible than it seems at first. Kirishima, Wakatakakage, and Nishikigi could all get 12 wins this basho, a total that has been yusho worthy recently. Onosato's domination has made a possible 12 wins like nothing. Kirishima faces Daieisho, Wakatakakage sees Takyasu, and Nishikigi battles Churanoumi on Day Fifteen. So they could all share a Jun-Yusho with a dozen victories. Some Special Prizes may be in the offing for each of them as well, although Onosato also seems to have a hold on those as well. He has been that good.
Onosato entered this basho with a shot at an Ozeki promotion by November, but in a good position to make it to sumo's second rank in the near future. During this basho, he has emphatically sealed his position as one of the very best rikishi in sumo. In 5 Makuuchi basho, Onosato has 56 wins, 2 Yusho, a Jun-Yusho, and 6 Special Prizes. He'll add to that last category on Day Fifteen, and could make it to 57 wins. He also vanquished both Ozeki, his nearest competitor Kirishima, and generally performed like an Ozeki.
Don't think the only thing left to watch on Day Fifteen is whether Onosato gets one more win and the Jun-Yusho race. Hoshoryu, Midorifuji, Ichiyamamoto, Tamawashi, Sadanoumi, Hokutofuji, Ryuden, and Nishikifuji are on 7 wins. The Maegashira all will want 8 and a subsequent promotion, while Hoshoryu is fighting his fellow Ozeki Kotozakura to avoid going Kadoban. Nishikifuji, at the very foot of the Banzuke, needs a win on Day Fifteen over Ichiyamamoto to stay in Makuuchi. Many rikishi need to give their all on Day Fifteen.
Yet Onosato's matchup against fellow Sekiwake Abi is mostly a formality. Abi has had a basho to forget, and is sitting at 4-10. At best, he can make Onosato's yusho slightly less impressive. But you don't win by Day Fourteen because others have fallen apart around you. Onosato's basho has been a dominant display of sumo interrupted by one defeat to Wakatakakage that is the match of the tournament. This is an exciting young talent asserting himself as something more. Be thrilled you witnessed it.
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