[sumo] Fwd: [Sumo news] - Things some rikishi said today

[Jeff A]

Moti

Best regards,
Gaijingai- is today Day 9?

For of all sad words of tongue or pen,
The saddest are these:
It might have been.
- John Greenleaf Whittier

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Moti Dichne <niramiai at n gmail.com>
Date: Mon, May 18, 2026 at 3:23 AM
Subject: [Sumo news] - Things some rikishi said today
To: Sumo Newsletter2 <sumo-newsletter2 at googlegroups.com>


Abi defeated Fujiseiun with a clever change of tactic ( a henka, if we're
being honest..) at the start of the bout, securing his fourth win. He moved
to the left while extending his right hand and holding his opponent's head
down in a skillful move. "I thought about a lot of things, and then I
decided to just go for it," he reflected. This brings his record to 4 wins
and 4 losses. "Whether I win or lose, my movements were good. I was able to
do it today because my body was moving well," he said with a satisfied
expression. This gives him momentum heading into the second half of the
season. Tomorrowy, he is scheduled to face Hakunofuji. (sigh..)

Tobizaru beat Ura in a fierce battle that went to a rematch, maintaining
his one-loss record. Initially, Tobizaru drove his opponent to the edge of
the dohyo, putting him in a bow-like position and seemingly on the verge of
victory. However, Ura showed incredible tenacity, (Matrix-level, if we're
being honest) and in the end, Tobizaru was pushed back to the edge of the
dohyo but managed to execute a pulling technique. The gyoji initially
pointing his fan (gumbai, if we're being honest)  to Tobizaru, but a monoii
was called, and a torinaoshi was decided (Ura was robbed, if we're being
honest). In the rematch, Tobizaru took control, not letting Ura get close,
and finally pushed him out of the dohyo. The arena erupted in applause
(went bonkers, if we're being honest) for the intense battle. Tobizaru
said, "A draw? I didn't know. I felt like I had been given another chance,
so I decided to go for it." (you betcha, if we're being honest). His
previous record against Ura, who is known for his fierce offense and
defense, was 10 -9  However, having recently suffered five consecutive
losses to him, he said, "I'm happy to have won after a losing streak,"
indicating he has halted his disadvantage. He is now just one win away from
his first kachikoshi in four tournaments. Furthermore, Kirishima, who had
been undefeated, suffered a loss, leaving him, Wakatakakage, and Kirishima
with one loss each. "My technique hasn't changed, but my body is in good
condition. I feel like everything is clicking without any injuries. I want
to concentrate and take each match one at a time," he said, his confidence
growing day by day. (probably, if we're being honest)
Fujiryouga beat on-form Kotoeihou  who had only one loss, to improve his
record to 6 -2. He thrust forward with a powerful left-hand grip, and
nearly lost his balance at the edge of the dohyo when his opponent
attempted a thrust-down, but he said, "I wanted to win no matter what," and
managed to throw his opponent down, forcing him to the ground. His leg is
not in perfect condition, and he appeared to be limping slightly after the
match. Nevertheless, he strongly emphasized his own sumo style, saying,
"Because of my injury, I want to keep moving forward. I can't do anything
particularly skillful, so I want to fight with a bold, no-nonsense style
until the very end."
Komusubi Wakatakakage defeated Ouhou to maintain his one-loss record. From
the start of the bout, he quickly grabbed his opponent's mawashi with his
left hand, then turned to the left, lifting his opponent's upper body
before pushing him over in a solid finish. "I focused on doing my own
sumo," he said calmly as he reflected on the match. He is now 7-1 after the
halfway point of the tournament. On this day, Ozeki Kirishima suffered his
first loss, adding Wakatakakage to the top of the yusho race, but
Wakatakakage didn't waver, saying, "The basho isn't over yet. I'll just do
my best." Nevertheless, he quietly stated, "I think I'm in good physical
condition. I want to concentrate on each match one at a time," showing his
fighting spirit burning within as he heads into the second half of the
tournament.
Gounoyama handed the undefeated Ozeki Kirishima his first loss today. At
the start of the bout, he pulled back and was quickly pushed to the edge of
the dohyo when Kirishima got a migi yotsu grip.  "I was thinking I had to
somehow break free," he said, and after withstanding a sukuinage, he
regained his balance, pushed back, and won by oshidashi. "I was losing in
terms of speed, strength, and technique. It was good that I tried to attack
midway through the match," he said, reflecting on the match with
satisfaction. His record against Kirishima was close to even, with 4 wins
and 5 losses in the past, but he had recently lost the last three matches.
"I was aware that I wasn't pushing because he was shifting my position. I
thought I should keep my body in front of him. " he said, describing how he
achieved victory by putting his plan into action. He is now 6-2 at the
halfway point of the tournament, chasing Kirishima, Wakatakakage, and
Tobizaru, who all have one loss. After the match, Minatogawa Oyakata
(former Ozeki Takakeishou) also visited him in the bathing area and praised
his performance, saying, "It was good." With both Yokozuna Oonosato and
Houshouryuu, and Ozeki Aonishiki absent, this tournament lacks a clear
favorite. It wouldn't be surprising to see anyone lift the Emperor's Cup.
"I'll get ahead in wins and then stay focused." It's still too early to
think about the yusho, but he's unconsciously trying to ride the momentum.

Ozeki Kirishima suffered his first defeat of the tournament, against
Gounoyama . He started the bout with a sharp charge and pushed forward,
driving Gounoyama to the edge of the dohyo, but Gounoyama managed to circle
around him and he couldn't finish him off (someone has to find a better way
of saying this, to be honest). He tried a forceful throw midway through the
bout, which created distance and reversed the situation. From there, he was
pushed out. "I had a good start, but the throw at the end wasn't good. I
rushed it a little," he said, reflecting with regret. Although he missed
the opportunity to lead the tournament undefeated in the middle of the
tournament, he still has a record of 7 -1 . Regarding the content of his
matches, he took a positive view, saying, "My body is moving well." He is
still at the forefront of the yushop race, alongside Wakatakakage and
Tobizaru, but he said, "I don't want to dwell on that, I just want to
concentrate on my own matches," keeping his sights set on the match in
front of him. He did not lose his composure despite his first loss and
calmly looked ahead to the second half of the tournament.






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