Nagoya 2019 Day Twelve Recap

Day Twelve was honestly an ugly day of sumo. Plenty of matches were stalemates in the middle of the ring. Lots of rikishi slipped down.

Perhaps most remarkably, we have just three wrestlers who could mathematically win the yusho. They are the two Yokozuna and the Maegashira 16 West.

M16e Kotoyuki (8-4) wins by oshidashi over M12w Kagayaki (6-6)

Kotoyuki has certainly found a way to compete this basho. Here it was by keeping constant pressure on Kagayaki with a tsuppari attack.

M11w Nishikigi (4-8) wins by oshidashi over M15e Yago (3-9)

Yago's ineffectual sumo was on display again versus the less than on form Nishikigi. This probably sealed Yago's demotion to Juryo, along with the very injured Yoshikaze and Kaisei. That says alot.

M10e Kotoeko (8-4) wins by hikiotoshi over M13w Sadanoumi (7-5)

Kotoeko gets his kachi-koshi at the expense of Sadanoumi. Kotoeko was moving much more quickly than Sadanoumi, who never really got going.

M9e Shohozan (5-7) wins by oshitaoshi over M14w Enho (7-5)

Enho went for his usual leg pick, but got turned around and basically buckled to the dohyo. It was so awkward that the shimpan had to explain the top of Enho's foot hit the clay underneath him before Shohozan put his hand down. Enho was notably limping after the match.

M14e Toyonoshima (5-7) wins by yorikiri over M8e Onosho (6-6)

A 100% healthy Onosho should overwhelm someone like Toyonoshima, or really 90% of rikishi he'd face. Onosho is clearly not 100%, because he was withstood by Toyonoshima and shown to the edge.

M8w Okinoumi (6-6) wins by yorikiri over M13e Chiyomaru (5-7)

These two got stalled out early and it sure looked like Okinoumi could have gone forever leaning on the much bigger Chiyomaru. Chiyomaru had no plan to get out, and eventually Okinoumi shuffled him over the tawara.

M16w Terutsuyoshi (10-2) wins by oshidashi over M7e Myogiryu (8-4)

As a reward for performing so well, Terustuyoshi got to face a much higher ranked rikishi who also has performed well this basho. It didn't matter. Terutsuyoshi shot off the blocks and shoved Myogiryu back no problem.

M6w Shimanoumi (7-5) wins by kotenage over M10w Takagenji (4-8)

The Takagenji of the first three days is a distant memory. Shimanoumi never really got a solid grip, but he was still able to send Takagenji down with an arm throw.

M5e Kotoshogiku (6-6) wins by yorikiri over M12e Tochiozan (4-8)

Kotoshogiku looked like the old Kotoshogiku against Tochiozan. Of course, Tochiozan has looked just plain old all of a sudden.

M5w Takarafuji (5-7) wins by yorikiri over M9w Daishoho (5-7)

Takarafuji is at his best as a reactive wrestler. Here he absorbed Daishoho's tachiai, grabbed the mawashi, and maneuvered him out.

M4w Ichinojo (8-4) wins by yorikiri over M7w Tomokaze (9-3)

Tomokaze has certainly never faced anyone like Ichinojo, because there's only one rikishi like Ichinojo and these had never squared off before. He admirably bottled up the massive Mongolian. That resulted in a leaning contest, which Ichinojo usually wins. He did here, but Tomokaze looked like he belonged. That's good, because tomorrow he gets Kakuryu.

M3w Daieisho (7-5) wins by hikiotoshi over M1e Asanoyama (5-7)

Asnoyama got the initial momentum, but when he began going forward, Daieisho side-stepped and let Asanoyama go forward to the clay. Daieisho is now one win away from kachi-koshi. The reigning yusho winner is one loss from make-koshi.

M3e Shodai (6-6) wins by yorikiri over M1w Hokutofuji (7-5)

Shodai appeared to have decided he would just absorb Hokutofuji's tachiai. Whatever the plan, he did just that, which allowed him to bottle up and force out Hokutofuji.

M2w Endo (7-5) wins by tsukihiza over K1e Abi (5-7)

"Tsukihiza" is a kimarite which is classified as a "non-technique," or one in which the losing rikishi goes down for some reason other than the victor's attack. In this match, Endo fought off Abi's initial tsuppari, and then got him sideways. As Abi rallied for plan b, he spun around and fell to the clay.

M2e Aoiyama (6-6) wins by tsukidashi over K1w Ryuden (3-9)

Aoiyama just kept Ryuden at bay with repeated thrusts. That made this match pretty simple and an easy Aoiyama victory.

S1w Tamawashi (2-10) wins by tsukidashi over M4e Meisei (2-10)

Tamawashi has had a terrible basho, but Day Twelve probably means he's had a better one than Meisei. He didn't just beat him, but dominated him.

Y1e Kakuryu (12-0) wins by susoharai over M6e Chiyotairyu (6-6)

In true smart, reactive form, Kakuryu deflected Chiyotairyu's opening blast, then had him spun around. Kakuryu ended the match quickly then by unleashing a rear leg trip.

Y1w Hakuho (11-1) wins by yorikiri over S1e Mitakeumi (7-5)

Mitakeumi stalemated with the dai-Yokozuna and lasted for a long time, which might be a moral victory. Moral victories don't count on the record, however. Hakuho looked confident to let Mitakeumi wear himself out physically and mentally in trying to win. That gave Hakuho the ability to put Mitakeumi out.