Kisenosato beat his rival Kotooshu with yoritaoshi and is now the sole makuuchi yusho leader at 9-1 as Tochiozan lost to Kyokutenho. The other results played into his hands as well with Kakuryu and Kotoshogiku losing to Hakuho and Baruto, giving him a two win lead on the other sanyaku rikishi. Tamawashi and Takarafuji clinched kachi-koshi today, but likely won't play a major role in the yusho race.
The juryo leaders still are going pretty strong with Kyokushuho, Sotairyu and Kimurayama getting kachi-koshi while maintaining the lead. Tamaasuka lost to Oiwato and is one behind now along with Ikioi with seven more at 6-4.
Oniarashi may well reach juryo this time given his rank and win count (four already), but his loss to Masakaze in juryo (and some not too impressive sumo otherwise) lets me fear that this will be a short juryo stint. Wakanoshima was a lead makushita last basho and missed promotion with the 3-4. Now he will lose further ground as he already is make-koshi again with a loss to reigning makushita yusho champion Kairyu.
Several rikishi clinched kachi-koshi today, most notably Chiyomaru with a strong yoritaoshi and big Mongolian Wakamisho. Several young rikishi also are in this group with Akinokawa, Takakiho and Fukugoriki, but Wakakasuga is also worth mentioning as the 32 years old rikishi achieved a new career high rank for next basho. Koshinoryu from Fujishima-beya is on a high rank right now, and he will be 33 years old in two days, avoiding make-koshi today with a win, sending 19 years old Kotokawazu to make-koshi.
In jonokuchi Egyptian Osunaarashi employed some hard tsuki thrusts on 15 years old Kotomatsuo which can best be described as child abuse and really showed that he belongs into the makushita division.
Doitsuyama (sumoforum)
