Hai! Kindof a quiet day today, in terms of nothing really spectacular. Of note (looking just at DonDon's video):
ITEM: Shishi loses yet again. What's really interesting is: watch Tobizaru's feet compared to his. Just before Tobizaro starts his pull/throw, he looks like he's gliding on ice whereas Shishi looks like he's playing DDR. Yesterday Shishi showed that he has decent "macro" maneuverability in terms of moving around the ring, but I think it's this "micro" level lack of control that's killing him.
ITEM: Kotozakura the heel? There's this moment where Kotozakura's stepped out of the ring and he's pushing Oho's head down. And it looks really bad, like Kotozakura's shoving him down even tho Kotozakura's already lost.
If we look at it closely, Kotozakura starts pushing Oho's head down while Kotozakura is still "in the air", and that seems reasonable. Kotozakura hadn't touched down yet, Oho was unbalanced leaning forward so instinct naturally suggests that Kotozakura should push the head down and maybe get Oho down to the ground first.
The problem is that after Kotozakura's landed outside the ring, Kotozakura still keeps pushing down. i.e. the contest is over, and there's no need to push Oho down further (possibly injuring him.)
Maybe the most charitable interpretation is that on "muscle memory" he was just carrying through the move to completion. Also, it looks like he wasn't putting that much pressure on, once his foot landed. A slightly less flattering possibility is that Kotozakura was stopping himself from falling out of the ring by pushing himself off Oho. Of course it's possible Kotozakura was just being mean-spirited or expressing frustration. ofc I don't know what's going in in Kotozakura's mind and heart, but I hope it was nothing bad.
Yeah I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt... however, he's an Ozeki and presumably interested in performing Yokozuna-level sumo. The standards are higher for him. I kinda wish he'd a just shown some concern for Oho.
Wakanosho blasts Kotoeiho back off the line but Koto thrusts his way back to the center. They have a shoving match during which Waka's feet go out from under him. Called a pull down but looked like slippy-otoshi to me.
Shishi puts a big forearm in Tobizaru's face off the tachiai but the Monkey gets an outside grip and absolutely manhandles a one handed belt drag where Shishi runs around turning 180 and ends up on the dirt.
Ura stands straight up off the line and baits Tamawashi's thrust that he immediately ducks under and drives in. Tama doesn't seem to know where the next attack is coming from as Ura slaps his arms down, looks for a knee pick, and settles for just shoving him off the ring.
Asanoyama drives Tokihayate to the bales but during the scramble Toki gets double unders and fights back, driving all the way back across the ring and puts Asa on his butt falling off the edge.
Churanoumi spends the majority of the match with Abi's hands on his face but he stays on his feet and after Abi's pull down attempt they end up near the edge where Chura shoves Abi over the tawara.
After some tachiai shoving Gonoyama plants two hands on Yoshinofuji's chin and forces his head back but it can't stop Yoshi's relentless forward momentum. Gono fights back off the straw but has to retreat again and runs out of ring on his pull down attempt and goes flying off the edge before Yoshi falls to the clay.
Fujinokawa with the first henka of the day, slapping down Takanosho off the line.
Hiradoumi using Kotoshoho's first pull down attempt to take him to the straw, but Koto drives back. Hira grabs a wrist with two hands but it's not enough to pull Koto out, who recovers and gives a massive forearm thrust to Hira's face that knocks him off his feet.
Atamifuji's massive bulk proves to be relentless as he calmly and inexorably moves Wakamotoharu over the straw from his first drive.
Kirishima maintains his undefeated win streak off a short slap fight tachiai against Daieisho. Kiri looks for the belt and Daiei looks for a slap down but the latter is the one running off the dohyo.
Oho's initial drive works Kotozakura back and eventually to the bales where the ozeki tries to shuck his opponent past but it's too late as he teeters on one foot and out before Oho loses his balance.
Hai! Kindof a quiet day today, in terms of nothing really spectacular. Of note (looking just at DonDon's video):
ITEM: Shishi loses yet again. What's really interesting is: watch Tobizaru's feet compared to his. Just before Tobizaro starts his pull/throw, he looks like he's gliding on ice whereas Shishi looks like he's playing DDR. Yesterday Shishi showed that he has decent "macro" maneuverability in terms of moving around the ring, but I think it's this "micro" level lack of control that's killing him.
ITEM: Kotozakura the heel? There's this moment where Kotozakura's stepped out of the ring and he's pushing Oho's head down. And it looks really bad, like Kotozakura's shoving him down even tho Kotozakura's already lost.
If we look at it closely, Kotozakura starts pushing Oho's head down while Kotozakura is still "in the air", and that seems reasonable. Kotozakura hadn't touched down yet, Oho was unbalanced leaning forward so instinct naturally suggests that Kotozakura should push the head down and maybe get Oho down to the ground first.
The problem is that after Kotozakura's landed outside the ring, Kotozakura still keeps pushing down. i.e. the contest is over, and there's no need to push Oho down further (possibly injuring him.)
Maybe the most charitable interpretation is that on "muscle memory" he was just carrying through the move to completion. Also, it looks like he wasn't putting that much pressure on, once his foot landed. A slightly less flattering possibility is that Kotozakura was stopping himself from falling out of the ring by pushing himself off Oho. Of course it's possible Kotozakura was just being mean-spirited or expressing frustration. ofc I don't know what's going in in Kotozakura's mind and heart, but I hope it was nothing bad.
Certainly a bad look from Kotozakura but I'm not 100% convinced it was intentional. But I'm not surprised he's frustrated.
Yeah I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt... however, he's an Ozeki and presumably interested in performing Yokozuna-level sumo. The standards are higher for him. I kinda wish he'd a just shown some concern for Oho.
Wakanosho blasts Kotoeiho back off the line but Koto thrusts his way back to the center. They have a shoving match during which Waka's feet go out from under him. Called a pull down but looked like slippy-otoshi to me.
Shishi puts a big forearm in Tobizaru's face off the tachiai but the Monkey gets an outside grip and absolutely manhandles a one handed belt drag where Shishi runs around turning 180 and ends up on the dirt.
Ura stands straight up off the line and baits Tamawashi's thrust that he immediately ducks under and drives in. Tama doesn't seem to know where the next attack is coming from as Ura slaps his arms down, looks for a knee pick, and settles for just shoving him off the ring.
Asanoyama drives Tokihayate to the bales but during the scramble Toki gets double unders and fights back, driving all the way back across the ring and puts Asa on his butt falling off the edge.
Churanoumi spends the majority of the match with Abi's hands on his face but he stays on his feet and after Abi's pull down attempt they end up near the edge where Chura shoves Abi over the tawara.
After some tachiai shoving Gonoyama plants two hands on Yoshinofuji's chin and forces his head back but it can't stop Yoshi's relentless forward momentum. Gono fights back off the straw but has to retreat again and runs out of ring on his pull down attempt and goes flying off the edge before Yoshi falls to the clay.
Fujinokawa with the first henka of the day, slapping down Takanosho off the line.
Hiradoumi using Kotoshoho's first pull down attempt to take him to the straw, but Koto drives back. Hira grabs a wrist with two hands but it's not enough to pull Koto out, who recovers and gives a massive forearm thrust to Hira's face that knocks him off his feet.
Atamifuji's massive bulk proves to be relentless as he calmly and inexorably moves Wakamotoharu over the straw from his first drive.
Kirishima maintains his undefeated win streak off a short slap fight tachiai against Daieisho. Kiri looks for the belt and Daiei looks for a slap down but the latter is the one running off the dohyo.
Oho's initial drive works Kotozakura back and eventually to the bales where the ozeki tries to shuck his opponent past but it's too late as he teeters on one foot and out before Oho loses his balance.