Kyushu 2023 Day Ten

Yusho Arasoi

8 Wins

03 Ozeki #1 West Kirishima

07 Sekiwake #2 East Kotonowaka

25 Maegashira #8 West Atamifuji

37 Maegashira #14 East Ichiyamamoto

7 Wins

02 Ozeki #1 East Takakeisho

04 Ozeki #2 West Hoshoryu

19 Maegashira #5 West Midorifuji

28 Maegashira #10 East Ryuden

31 Maegashira #11 West Hiradoumi

39 Maegashira #15 West Churanoumi

Public League Leaderboard

Scores from Fantasizr.

Notable Maneuvers

Kotenage. The arm-lock throw is usually a heavy, emphatic maneuver from a hard hold. On Day Ten, Midorifuji reversed a match he was going backwards by moving Takayasu over and down with one.

Match of the Day

12 Maegashira #2 East Shodai versus 13 Maegashira #2 West Meisei

Meisei shoved Shodai back from the start, but that sometimes gives Shodai the advantage. Indeed, Shodai reversed the match pretty quickly and slid his left arm under Meisei for a grip. That didn't quite land, but Shodai did start controlling the match. As they went to the edge, Shodai went for a throw, but Mesei was able to put strength against it and keep Shodai off balance to send the former Ozeki out first. The gyoji pointed to Meisei, and his win was confirmed by a mono-ii.

Recap

Early in the day's slate of matches, Hiradoumi got inside of Ichiyamamoto's pushing. That's the blueprint, and his decisive yorikiri victory was a simple win that pulled Ichiyamamoto back to the pack. Decisive wins that impacted the yusho race was kind of the theme of the day. Churanoumi had little for Mitakeumi after getting latched onto. Atamifuji very easily dispatched Shonannoumi. Kotonowaka stood Gonoyama up and sent him down. Hoshoryu pushed Wakamotoharu straight back. Kirishima didn't expend much effort to defeat Nishikigi. Takakeisho read Abi perfectly by stepping back and slapping down.

So now a quartet of rikishi stand in a four-way tie atop the yusho arasoi at 8-2. Kirishima and Kotonowaka are Sanyaku wrestlers who are fighting like the expectations for their ranks. Atamifuji is looking like a Sanyaku wrestler in the near future, while Ichiyamamoto was performing as strong as he ever has. The eight wins they already have are also good. Kirishima avoids kadoban status, and Kotonowaka will at least keep his Sekiwake rank. Atamifuji can look forward to another career high rank. Ichiyamamoto will stay in Makuuchi.

They also are all looking for much more. The fact four of them are tied means the road will be tough for any of them. Making it all much tougher is that there are six rikishi one win back, including the Ozeki Takakeisho and Hoshoryu. While neither one of those men have been free from errors this basho, they could easily win the rest of their matches. They are that good, and maybe more importantly, both can be that streaky.

The leaders also largely still need to see each other. With five days left and ten rikishi in close contention, the high impact matches will begin on Day Eleven. Atamifuji and Churanoumi get the Maegashira-in-contention battle. Ichiyamamoto will rise all the way up to face Sekiwake Daieisho on the second Wednesday. Kotonowaka and Takakeisho square off in the day's biggest matchup on paper. However any of those matches turn out will do something to the yusho race.

And other big matches wait for later in the basho. The inter-Ozeki clashes have still not happened, and Kotonowaka-Kirishima is still in the offing. Atamifuji and Ichiyamamoto will also be in line for an Ozeki matchup if they keep winning. When any of those happen, the leaderboard gets thinned. Yet they also mean someone will have to win and point to 12 or 13 wins being the yusho total. Watch who wins these big matchups, because they will be closer to lifting the Emperor's Cup