Public League Leaderboard
Scores from Fantasizr.
Yusho Arasoi
6 Wins
01 Yokozuna East Terunofuji
4 Wins
02 Ozeki #1 East Kotozakura
03 Ozeki #1 West Hoshoryu
08 Komusubi East Daieisho
16 Maegashira #4 East Tobizaru
19 Maegashira #5 West Shonannoumi
20 Maegashira #6 East Takanosho
22 Maegashira #7 East Kotoshoho
26 Maegashira #9 East Oshoma
27 Maegashira #9 West Tamawashi
28 Maegashira #10 East Shodai
29 Maegashira #10 West Midorifuji
33 Maegashira #12 West Churanoumi
36 Maegashira #14 East Wakatakakage
Notable Maneuvers
Hatakikomi. Technically, Ryuden won by slap-down, but as often happens with Ryuden, it was more complicated than that. Really, he pulled Oho, seemed to start some complicated throw, then pushed him down when Oho was off-balance. And it was all in one slow motion.
Match of the Day
Takakeisho has his usual sumo this basho in terms of form and style, but he has a notable lack of power that makes him unable to deliver the final move. In this match, credit also goes to Wakamotoharu. The Maegashira was pushed back at the start, but held steady. Then Takakeisho tried for a throw of some kind, but Wakamotoharu kept his feet. After a wild reengagement, Takakeisho put out a shoving attack that did nothing. That got Takakeisho's back to Wakamotoharu, and the lower-ranked man shoved the Ozeki out in a way that made him hit a flying clothesline on one of the shimpan.
Recap
Not only is Terunofuji the sole leader still, but he somehow has a two-win cushion. And it's just Day Six. Five men entered the day with one loss, and every one of them picked up a second loss on Day Six. Wakatakakage, Tamawashi, Oshoma, Shonannoumi, and Tobizaru all had a chance to solidify the position as prime threat to Terunofuji's yusho chance. None of them took it. At least Tobizaru lost to the Yokozuna. Mostly, it was just another day of people falling off the pace.
Kotozakura and Hoshoryu both kept in sight of the leader with fourth wins. The top Ozeki pair are not dominating. Gonoyama made Kotozakura fight back from the edge in a display of Kotozakura's skill. That skill has not been accompanied with the kind of tachiai and power that speaks to yusho. Hoshoryu actually needed two chances to beat Ura. In their first match, he got knocked backwards, and the Master of Throws did launch a nice sideways one. However, they basically both kept their feet from going out well enough to earn a torinaoshi. Hoshoryu was quite strong in the win in the second match, but it isn't great he needed two tries.
Ura, in fact, was sent crashing off the dohyo and into a judge, which multiple rikishi did on Day Six. People were flying off the dohyo and off the leaderboard. Except, of course, the pack in second place right now at 4-2 is at thirteen rikishi. That is almost guaranteed to change over the next few days, simply because that many rikishi on the same record will face each other. In fact, Kotozakura-Tobizaru, Oshoma-Shonannoumi, and Churanoumi-Midorifuji are all paired up on Day Seven.
And the 3-3 rikishi aren't really looking that far past the performance of the 4-2 rikishi. Onosato has found his form in the last few days. He won the yusho last time, and he could hit a winning streak. Kirishima, by contrast, has fallen off a bit. Yet he also still needs to go hard for his 10 wins to get back to Ozeki. Hokutofuji is carrying a three match winning streak after starting with three losses. He could rise above other Maegashira. None of those men are likely to threaten the yusho race, but there is no singular rikishi who is the biggest threats to the Yokozuna.
Meanwhile, Terunofuji will face Ura. The Pink One does have a kinboshi over Terunofuji, back in September of 2022. In their other seven matches, Terunofuji has won. If Ura pulls the upset on Day Seven, then Terunofuji will still be the sole leader. And there will also still be a bunch of rikishi piled up behind him with middling to okay performances. If Terunofuji wins on Day Seven, he has already guaranteed a solid lead going into the second week after what he's done in the first week.
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