1995 Kyushu Basho preview

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1995 Kyushu Basho Preview
S U M O   N O W !
(c) 1995 Ken Coller, Seattle WA USA
e-mail k.coller@genie.geis.com for comments to the author
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Going into the last basho (tournament) of the year, Takanohana and
Akebono continue to dominate the championship of the sport. In Osaka
this year, Akebono won the yusho, but all others so far have been taken
by the junior Yokozuna. Takanohana has a chance this time to tie great
Yokozuna Futabayama, with 12 yusho. After a very competitive fall basho
in Tokyo, the wrestlers head south, where such hometown fans as
Kyokudozan and Kaio generally do well. The basho runs from 12 to 26
November 1995 in Fukuoka. The rankings of the champions are the same as
they have been for the last half year, Takanohana and Akebono at
Yokozuna, and Musashimaru, Wakanohana and Takanonami being the three
Ozeki seemingly without hope for promotion any time soon.


The Yokozuna

Of the 75 bouts held so far in 1995, Takanohana has only lost seven:
two to Akebono and Musoyama, and one each to Terao, Kaio and
Kotonishiki, all of whom he will have to face in this last basho of
1995. Fighting injuries to his knees, thumb, and most importantly to his
pride, Hawaiian Akebono has a 64-11 record: this is almost a 13 win
average. Both of these young men are doing nothing to sully the rank of
Yokozuna, and the contrast between the two sometimes overshadows the
last two bouts of the day in the first week. Any badly placed thrust by
Akebono or a misstep by Takanohana is a potential loss, not only to
their foe of the day, but also to the other Yokozuna who sits at the
side of the dohyo watching intently his rival. If Akebono can get
inspiration and good counsel from his seniors (rumor has it that he's
been seeking tutelage from Chiyonofuji, advice from fellow countryman
Konishiki, and of course his oyakata) and nature has been kind to his
shattered thumb, look for the giant American to win the yusho in the
south, to keep him on track with his ninth championship. If he falls too
far behind the Japanese Yokozuna this early in the jidai, he may not
have any hope of keeping apace.


The Ozeki and other Sanyaku

Musashimaru solidified his position as dominant Ozeki despite showing
that he cannot consistently defeat Yokozuna; the last time he got close
was in Osaka, where he beat Akebono for the second time this year; he
has yet to topple Taka. The other two Ozeki seem to go in fits and
starts: Takanonami started the year as top Ozeki and was runner-up to
stablemate Takanohana for the yusho; Wakanohana can string together nine
or ten wins in a row and then collapse when his back becomes sore.
Speaking of injuries, Musoyama failed to make the trip to the exhibition
in Europe in October, along with Tokitsunada and Akinoshima. Musoyama,
after being injured in the New Year's basho, came back strongly from his
absence, taking all three special prizes in two basho. His stumbling
performance in the prior basho can only be explained by a flare-up of a
weakness that makes him prone to dislocate his shoulder, while although
painful, can be overcome; great champion Chiyonofuji suffered from this
same condition early in his career. Musoyama and Kaio trade places in
the top two Sekiwake slots, and are joined by resurgent Kotonishiki.
Just a half-rank below is fellow Sadogatake-beya sekitori Kotoinazuma,
who finally becomes Komusubi and adds to his retirement pension owing to
this promotion. I'm sure he will be smiling when he comes out on
shon-ichi (the first day of a tournament) to face Takanohana. Fellow
Komusubi Takatoriki may well be more grim as he faces Akebono with the
knowledge that his hopes for Ozeki promotion are all but gone, and that
a mediocre performance this basho might signal the start of his career's
decline.


Maegashira and the Rest

The top four Maegashira certainly illustrate where to look for drama
in the basho. The fortunes for the "cannon fodder" for the high ranked
rikishi are not favorable. Hapless Kenko, able to defeat Akebono and
still end up make-koshi, lacks inspiration and fire. Steely eyed
Tosanoumi, like a fighting dog, looks to the top ranks of professional
sumo and will fight college rival Musoyama in this, his third Makunouchi
basho. Aging Tochinowaka, with only three wins in July, finds himself
promoted to M2-E on the strength of an 8-7 record last time. In his 53rd
tournament, old Tochi can only hope to avoid embarrassment. Speaking of
veterans, crowd favorite Mitoizumi finds himself up at a high rank for
the first time this year. He has cunning and composure to help him take
victories that will elude Tochi, but his knees won't see him through the
second week.

We'll see if big Kotonowaka has recovered from his foot injury to make
a return to Sanyaku. Terao is continuing his consecutive appearance
streak, at 1226 since his debut in the lower ranks. He's been looking
genki lately, after fighting with some arm injuries and problems with
general fatigue. Ever popular Mainoumi is at M6-W, which makes him
eligible to face Ozeki. He showed some improvisation in his already
diverse technique last basho, let's see how it works against the top
half of the division. Asanowaka seems to be showing promise since he's
put less energy into his face-off at the start and more into his
tachi-ai. Very impatient and willing to throw his round body all over
the dohyo, all he needs is technique.

Alas, two favorites are sharing the M14 slot, where nine losses could
send them tumbling into Juryo: Kirishima and Daishoho. The Izutsu-beya
senior and former Ozeki, Kirishima has 499 upper division wins, and
still has a winning record over his illustrious career. I think that if
he finally wants to buy his wife the chanko restaurant and retire to
Pebble Beach for a few months, nobody could fault him. Daishoho, who
climbed to  Komusubi earlier this year, fell to a 6-9 record last outing
at M10. Unless his lower body injuries (and there are a plenitude of
them for this Tatsunami-beya star) can heal, this "elevator rikishi" is
headed for the sub-basement.

In a rough break for Hawaiian Sunahama, his debut as a sekitori is
tainted by scandal, it being reported in the tabloid press that he and
fellow American Sentoryu had been using marijuana on Japanese soil.
Denials of these reports made the legitimate press, and only served to
give the reports more weight and coverage. A questioning by the kyokai
resulted in both rikishi denying all charges, and this will hopefully be
the end of the matter.

Wakanojo, Juryo yusho winner, will be fighting as a sekitori in the
closest venue to Okinawa, his homeland. This rising star will likely be
promoted to makunochi with another Juryo yusho. Daihisho and Mongolian
rocket Kyokushuzan will also be men to watch in the Juryo division.

For the first time since 1988, I believe all six yusho in a calendar
year will be won by Yokozuna. Akebono should have more than enough
incentive to win, but Takanohana will be right there to catch the Cup
if it falls through the Hawaiian's fingers. As usual, the Ozeki are the
darkhorses, with the exception of Takanonami, who has less of a chance
to take a yusho than does Musoyama.