2024 Kyushu Basho: Day 9 results and analysis

We do spoilers now.

Day 9 has come and gone and the home stretch is starting to come into focus. Going into Day 9 there wasn’t a clear leader, with our top most ranked rikishi grouped very closely together.

The ozeki matches on Day 9 were:

• Hoshoryu vs. Churanoumi

• Kotozakura vs. Oshoma

• Onosato vs. Wakamotoharu

Day 9 also gave us Ura vs. Tobizaru, which is also must-see-TV.

You can see how these bouts ended below (and watch many of them, too). There you’ll also find my analysis.

Bonus gif today is the curious Kirishima.

Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock…

SPOILERS BELOW

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Results

• Chiyoshoma (5-4) def. Asakoryu (3-6) via yorikiri (frontal force out)

• Tokihayate (4-5) def. Ryuden (2-7) via uwatenage (over arm throw)*

• Takerufuji (7-2) def. Sadanoumi (3-6) via hatakikomi (slap down)*

• Shonannoumi (6-3) def. Hokutofuji (3-6) via hatakikomi*

• Meisei (6-3) def. Shishi (3-6) via oshidashi (frontal push out)

• Nishikifuji (3-6) def. Tamawashi (4-5) via yoritaoshi (frontal crush out)

• Takarafuji (7-2) def. Onokatsu (7-2) via hatakikomi*

• Ichiyamamoto (5-4) def. Mitakeumi (5-4) via yorikiri

• Takayasu (5-4) def. Endo (5-4) via uwatenage*

• Midorifuji (4-5) def. Nishikigi (2-7) via shitatedashinage (pulling under arm throw)*

• Takanosho (8-1) def. Roga (4-5) via tsukiotoshi (thrust down)

• Gonoyama (6-3) def. Kotoshoho (2-7) via oshitaoshi (frontal push down)

• Tobizaru (6-3) def. Ura (2-7) via okuridashi (rear push out)*

• Oho (3-6) def. Hiradoumi (1-8) via tsukidashi (frontal thrust out)*

• Wakatakakage (6-3) def. Shodai (3-6) via yorikiri

• Abi (7-2) def. Daieisho (5-4) via oshidashi*

• Kirishima (3-6) def. Atamifuji (4-5) via oshidashi*

• Hoshoryu (8-1) def. Churanoumi (2-7) via uwatenage*

• Kotozakura (8-1) def. Oshoma (2-7) via oshitaoshi

• Onosato (7-2) def. Wakamotoharu (5-4) via yorikiri

• *Must see bouts!

Leaderboard

• O1e Kotozakura, O1w Hoshoryu, M6e Takanosho: 8-1

• O2w Onosato, M3e Abi, M10e Takarafuji, M15e Onokatsu, M18w Takerufuji: 7-2

Analysis

Hoshoryu and Kotozakura kept their noses in front at the Kyushu basho after getting wins on Day 9. Hoshoryu beat Churanoumi in much the same fashion he beat both Wakatakakage and Oshoma earlier in the competition. In all those bouts he was able to throw down his opponents, without needing to do a high leg kick (which puts tremendous pressure on his standing leg). To execute these throws, he used fast pivoting motion and a lot of arm strength. In this Churanoumi throw, he was able to make Churanoumi flip over his knee to complete the move.

Wakatakakage and Oshoma were thrown down after they grabbed onto Hoshoryu’s belt. This time around Hoshoryu was more aggressive, he hunted for Churanoumi’s belt off the tachiai and then took him for a spin.

This is Hoshoryu’s fourth throw of the tournament. This is a marked increase over the past few tournaments, where I theorized he was trying to throw less to save wear and tear on his body (he hurt his knee on a big throw on Kotozakura in July). The throws we’ve seen in this tournament seem to be a happy medium, in that he’s able to use his best skill to get wins, but without risking hyperextension in his standing leg. He’s also performed these throws on smaller men. Against his bigger opponents in this tournament (Oho, Wakamotoharu, Atamifuji), he’s gone for a thrusting heavy attack.

Kotozakura beat Oshoma, but it wasn’t much to write home about. Kotozakura was able to get Oshoma moving along the boundary, but then it looked like Oshoma may have rolled his ankle and slipped. That’s still a win for Kotozakura, though.

Onosato kept pace just behind those leaders by beating Wakamotoharu. Wakamotoharu made things a little difficult for Onosato, once he got a hold of his belt, but the young ozeki was able to out muscle the komusubi for the force out. Onosato was smart at the beginning of this bout, blasting Wakamotoharu with a high thrust off the tachiai. That disrupted Wakamotoharu’s ability to come chest-to-chest and establish his favored grip.

Takanosho is a surprising leader of the tournament. He’s tied with Hoshoryu and Kotozakura after his win over Roga. Takanosho had been the surprise runner-up (to Terunofuji) at the Nagoya basho, but then looked poor at the Aki basho (going 4-11).

Onokatsu fell off the leader’s pace after a loss to Takarafuji. Just like he did on the previous day, Takarafuji got his opponent flying to the ground with a very deft flick of the wrist.

Takerufuji beat Sadanoumi to stay within reach of the leaders. Sadanoumi was able to move the Tanimal back, but couldn’t keep up with him once Takerufuji sped up. Takeurufji was then able to push Sadanoumi down, face first, into all the space he had opened up.

Day 9 provided us with Tobizaru vs. Ura, a match-up that always gets me excited. And it delivered this time around, too. Both men have off the charts creativity and spontaneity. Ura is the superior wrestler when it comes to close quarters. Tobizaru has the advantage when there is distance. Ura had his shot at making something happen when they locked up in the middle of the ring. However, Tobizaru was able to create some distance and then pull of a slick finishing sequence.

Tobizaru was able to mesmerize Ura with his left hand (see how he waves it slighly to maintain Ura’s focus) before shocking him with a right handed slap to his posting left arm. That slap put Ura completely off balance, making it easier to push him out.

Tobi needed to use some belly power to get Ura over the line.

Kirishima managed a win on Day 9. That puts him at 3-6. He was able to survive Atamifuji’s pressure and then pull off a Houdini like escape around the straw. Atamifuji, who can be rather slow to react to these kinds of situations, was unable to pivot all the way back to face Kirishima in time to prevent being pushed out.

Lastly, Takayasu (who is 5-4) got a fun win this day. He put Endo on a merry-go-around. And then pushed him off.

Tomorrow we have Hoshoryu vs. Kotoshoho. Kotoshoho could do his stablemate Kotozakura a big favour if he manages to get the win here. It’s something we know he’s capable of. He’s got a 4-1 record against Hoshoryu, though Hoshoryu won (via oshitaoshi) last time out.

Kotozakura has Tobizaru, someone he holds an 11-6 record over. Onosato will meet Daieisho, who he has never lost to.

Takerufuji will almost certainly win against Mitakeumi. Since his bad fall on Day 6, Mitakeumi has been fighting at half-speed.

See you then!