Public League Leaderboard
Scores from Fantasizr.
Yusho Arasoi
03 Ozeki #1 West Takakeisho
22 Maegashira #7 East Takayasu
28 Maegashira #10 East Kinbozan
38 Maegashira #15 East Atamifuji
41 Maegashira #16 West Tsurugisho
Notable Maneuvers
Tsukitaoshi. What Hiradoumi did was turn Ryuden around and shove him down, while Ryuden pulled and tossed him sideways out of the dohyo. Hiradoumi landed second, so they called it a "frontal thrust down."
Match of the Day
These two engaged and MItakeumi kept the youngster in front of him, but Atamifuji had the grip. That meant Mitakeumi could control the match, but Atamifuji could respond. Therefore, after they circled a few times, Atamifuji got pushed to the edge but yanked Mitakeumi out. Gyoji points to Atamifuji, mono-ii ensues. Torinaoshi.
The second match is shorter but with a deja vu ending. This even results in a second mono-ii, but the gyoji's credit to Atamifuji is upheld.
Recap
The Ozeki held firm once again on Day Six. In fact, they all looked good. Takakeisho did his signature tsuppari blasts to beat Tamawashi. Kirishima unleashed a hellacious throw on Shodai. In the musubi no ichiban, Hoshoryu took Asanoyama's best and won with a shitatenage anyway. (Asanoyama is having the good-eye-test/poor-results basho right now.) Perhaps they are taking control of this basho now.
Takakeisho remains tied for the lead with four other rikishi. That is three fewer than yesterday's leaderboard, as Gonoyama, Onosho, and Mitakeumi lost their Day Six matches. The group is still a peculiar group to be leading the yusho race right now. We have an Ozeki returning from injury (Takakeisho), a former Ozeki who has struggled with consistency because of injuries (Takayasu), two youngsters establishing themselves in Makuuchi (Kinbozan and Atamifuji), and a veteran who was just hanging on to his Maegashira rank (Tsurugisho.) Making arguments for why any one of these rikishi will fall off is easy.
Yet they've also already banked 5 wins and are doing well. Takakeisho and Takayasu look closer to their best versions than the injury worries. Kinbozan is beginning to figure out how to use his size and strength against the top division. Atamifuji looks like a long-standing Makuuchi rikishi rather than a 21 year old figuring it out. Tsurugisho is put together and not beating himself. They are here for a reason.
There are also real threats in the 4-2 group. Kirishima sure seems to be finding himself. The Sekiwake pair of Wakamotoharu and Kotonowaka are in fine form, making them dangerous opponents for anyone. Hokutofuji is at Maegashira #1 East, and he was in a playoff last time around. No one is going to be able to take these rikishi lightly, and they will be opponents for anyone who keeps winning from the 5 win Maegashira group.
Fortunes can also change quickly. Wakamotoharu was winless after two days and now sees himself just off the yusho pace. On the other end, Onosho's two straight losses have knocked from the ranks of the undefeated and then the leadership group. But there's a hard-fought nature to this basho. On Day Six, there were a host of matches where the winner was the guy who fell second when both rikishi were going down. That describes the victories of Atamifuji, Kotoeko, Hiradoumi, Meisei, and Hoshoryu. The fine margins are separating rikishi, but a win is a win. That's what will make the real difference each day.
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