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Notable Maneuvers
Okurinage. Tobizaru basically had two throws to beat Takakeisho (who isn't looking great). First, he swept up Takakeisho's arm to get him sideways, then he used the rear throw for the win.
Match of the Day
On a day where many matches were won decisively, this one had a little bit of interest despite being short. Wakamotoharu had the tachiai, getting under the taller Kotozakura. Yet the Ozeki showed his abilities by not only standing his ground, but using Wakamotoharu's stalled momentum to turn him around and get an easy yorikiri win.
Recap
After four days of the Nagoya 2024 basho, Yokozuna Terunofuji is the sole leader at 4-0. This is surprising on two levels. First, no one was really sure how Terunofuji would do coming into this basho. His last complete tournament was in January. The other reason Terunofuji standing astride the yusho race at 4-0 is a shock is that anyone is in that position. Usually, it takes a few more days for there to be more than one undefeated rikishi.
On Day Four, Kirishima, Shonannoumi, Oshoma, and Asanoyama all picked up their first loss. Kirishima took Daieisho's very best pushing attack in a classic effort from the Oitekaze man. Everyone else just didn't look as strong. Shonannoumi fell victim to a Kotoshoho hit and shift. Midorifuji just plain handled Oshoma. Asanoyama might have actually been injured in his match against Ichiyamamoto. We will know more tomorrow.
Kotozakura is the non-Yokozuna doing the best right now. He's at 3-1 after an opening day loss, plus he's passing the eye test well enough. Kirishima is also 3-1, but his target is 10 wins as much as it is the yusho. And he did gingerly get back on the dohyo after his match against Daieisho. Hoshoryu got immediately shoved back by Gonoyama on Day Four, while Takakeisho still seems unable to finish anyone off. Onosato fell victim to a hit-and-shift from Hiradoumi that shows he still needs to figure out all the tricks.
Those would be the biggest threats on paper to Terunofuji's yusho chances. Yet the real story isn't that every rikishi other than Terunfouji has a loss. It's that Terunofuji now has a cushion. The last person to get a 15-0 yusho was Terunofuji. The Yokozuna was also the last person to get a 14-1 yusho. He also has a 14-1 Jun-Yusho, where his one loss was to a 15-0 Hakuho in the dai-Yokozuna's last basho. 12 and 13 wins have been the basic Emperor's Cup standard recently, so Terunofuji does not need to stay perfect.
That also shows it is likely the other top rikishi will drop a match or two. They all already have. Terunofuji is bandaged, aching, and not as spry as he used to be. Yet he is still the very best when he mounts the dohyo. And as a Yokozuna, he gets to only compete when he feels good enough to be at his best. Nagoya 2024 appears to be a basho where he is at his best.
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