Here are the new Makushita wrestlers - are they glory and salary bound, or just another face in the crowd?
Matzmidori (You can guess I route for him!)
Ohnomatz-beya
Makushta 46
1997 Haru Hatsudohyo
113-87-17 .565
Jonidan playoff in Kyushu 2001. He was nothing special until after his recovery from an injury in Natsu 2001. He has since moved from about a .500 rikishi up to almost .570.
Hisanohana (former Takahashi)
Tagonoura-beya
Makushita 52
2000 Hatsu Hatsudohyo
58-40 .592
First Makushita wrestler out of Kushimaumi's Tagonoura-beya. Jonidan playoff Natsu 2000. Been stuck in upper Sandanme for about a year.
Suzukawa
Oshiogawa-beya
Makushita 57
1999 Haru Hatsudohyo
73-60 .549
Really, is it just me or did Oshiogawa-beya wrestlers do really bad last time without their sempai Daishi? Juzan failed to get KK. Wakatoba, well the less said about his basho, the better. Even Wakakinryu - a stalwart in upper Makushita recently got pummeled and just held on in Makushita this time. Suzukawa was one of the only bright spots last time. He still is only a few basho out of Jonidan though, and this level may be a bit high.
Chokozan
Shikihide-beya
Makushita 58
1996 Haru Hatsudohyo
136-123 .525
This is the first Shikihide Makushita wrestler I can remember for a long time. Supposedly this guy has lots of fans for a lower division wrestler. He has taken his time to get to Makushita, but he has gotten KK in upper Sandanme over the last few basho.
Now, just because I did a Shin-Makushita special, do not think I will do anything else lower. I mean shin-jonidan is not really worth a report.
Justin Thyme Matz
Financial Institutions Division 1
Statistics Department
International Monetary Fund