Nagoya 2021 Day Ten

Torikumi

Banzuke

Yusho Arasoi

10 wins

Y1e Hakuho

O1e Terunofuji

8 wins

M11w Kotonowaka

7 wins

M2w Ichinojo

M5w Hoshoryu

M6w Kiribayama

M10e Tamawashi

M16w Ishiura

M17e Ichiyamamoto

Notable Maneuvers

Three rikishi, Takayasu, Ichinojo, and Chiyomaru, won by tsukiotoshi, the twisting thrust down. Basically, they sent their opponent down with a hit to their side. Hatakikomi was also popular on Day Ten. A lot of rikishi hit the clay.

Match of The Day

Sekiwake East Takayasu versus Komusubi East Wakatakakage

Wakatakakage must have thought he had Takayasu. He certainly had the momentum and was driving Takayasu backwards. But Takayasu showed some veteran skills by moving sideways enough to use Wakatakakage's momentum against him. Wakatakakage was sent down with a shove, and that was all.

Recap

Not only did Hakuho and Terunofuji both win again, but they won relatively easily. Each man delivered a plain old yorikiri victory after getting a solid grip from the tachiai. Chiyotairyu seemed to know he lost as soon as Terunofuji wasn't pushed back from the start. Hakuho did need to wrangle Okinoumi a tiny bit, but that was only really noticeable because of how easy Terunofuji had it. Day Ten was a checkpoint towards their clash.

And still, Kotonowaka is the rikishi with the best chance to upset the apple cart. He achieved his eighth win, and the all-important kachi-koshi, on Day Ten. Apart from Hakuho and Terunofuji, he is the only rikishi who has already secured a winning record. He, too, had a straightforward match that ended in a plain yorikiri. He is two wins back, but he also seems to be marching along apart from everyone else.

The clutch of rikishi at 7 wins after 10 matches could be a threat, but math is starting to become a problem. For any of them to achieve an outright win, Hakuho and Terunofuji must lose at least three times, while Kotonowaka also needs another loss. And they would need to win out. The way sumo works, the six rikishi won't all end up winning out. The schedulers will pit them against each other and winning five matches in a row is a notable task. Yet one of them certainly could do it and be a minor yusho threat.

Likely, though, they will just be in place for a fluky jun-yusho if things get really odd in the last few days. Kotonowaka isn't even scheduled to face Sanyaku wrestlers on Day Eleven. He gets 5-5 Maegashira 9 West Shimanoumi. That's not exactly an eliminator match by either record or rank. Kotonowaka is fighting in a way to still rack up wins against lower Maegashira over the final five days. And he must win out to have a realistic chance.

Hakuho and Terunofuji also are probably not facing anymore Maegashira. There are seven Sanyaku wrestlers still competing, and they each have faced just one so far. That means their five remaining matches are spoken for, even if the order isn't obvious. As long as they keep above everyone else, they'll have Day 15 locked in place.