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Kyushu Post Basho Report
(Simon Siddall reporting) Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.the Kyushu Basho was one to remember, and it could have been even better, if not for a moment of madness from Ozeki Kaio.

Yokozuna Asashoryu showed us once more that he is the undisputed master of the sport at this time with a display of granite sumo. Even when losing to M1 Hakuho, he was the one always trying to go forward. In that fight it was really a case of him losing rather than Hakuho winning. He was only well beaten on senshuraku by Ozeki Kaio, who finally showed us all what he was capable of, but only when it was too late to count.more on that later in the report. After five yusho in six basho, we can put Asashoryu in the bracket with other Dai-Yokouzuna. For me, however, there are still question marks. Only when I see him dominating for ten years or so will I accept that he deserves his place alongside Chiyonofuji, Kitanoumi, Taiho and Takanohana simply because he currently has no rival. That sad situation looks to be on the mend with the rise to prominence of some very promising young rikishi. Still, five yusho in a year is an amazing achievement at any time (Kaio has won five in his entire career) and a testament to Asashoryu's powers of concentration and ferocity. I doff my cap to you, sir.

Ozeki Kaio showed us his best and worst sides in Kyushu. Unfortunately, the latter side outfoxed the former. He spent most of the first fourteen days poncing around the dohyo, trying to avoid falling over. In the middle of all that, he showed a few glimpses of his brilliance, but these were few and far between. In particular, the turning point of the basho on Day 12 against Miyabiyama gave us Kaio at his very worst. His nightmarish pull-down attempt at the tachiai backfired spectacularly and made him look decidedly average in front of his own fans. It is harder to swallow in hindsight because he then went on to win the last three days, meaning he would have been promoted had he just kept his composure and beaten Miyabiyama. I wouldn't be surprised if he had lost quite a bit of sleep over this incident. Still, he half made up for it with a dramatic dismantling of his nemesis on senshuraku, and at least that has now left the door open for promotion in January. I'll make a prediction now.I think he'll do it! And Hakuho will be a year or two behind him! There.the cards are on the table. Kaio has shown he can still dominate the dohyo if he's in the right frame of mind. Surely he realizes now that he just has to go for it in January.

The rest of the Ozeki are not a pretty sight. I won't comment on Musoyama's retirement because Mike has already provided a worthy tribute. Chiyotaikai will have his work cut out in January if that left arm injury persists. There's no doubt at all that it drastically affected his performance in Kyushu, when he found it hard to go forward except against much lighter foes. Tochiazuma is doing the right thing in sitting out the next basho. I had brief hopes at the start when he won on the first three days but then reality bit once more. He'll never improve if he's constantly trying to fight with injuries. If he makes a full recovery, there is no reason why he won't be able to return to the Ozeki rank.

Turning to Sekiwake, we see another success story in the bulky shape of Wakanosato. The Naruto Beya man has been consistently putting up the numbers in the last few basho and we now see a real possibility for him to make Ozeki in January. He'll need at least ten wins to do it, but you have to say that it looks pretty likely on this showing. He's looked very solid, although he was twice caught out by leg trips this basho, once by Kotomitsuki, and then by Asashoryu. I'd say his future foes will be looking to use such vulnerability against him.

The other Sekiwake, Miyabiyama, is a frustrating chap to watch, in that he can win so impressively, and lose so badly. He's far too top heavy in my book.he needs to get rid of that big blubbery belly of his and return to the sleeker (I say sleek in the loosest possible sense) version of himself when he shot up to Ozeki like a shot. Still, he seems to be adapting to his bulk and posting the numbers.

Komusubi Kotomitsuki is another one who frustrates me immensely, much in the same way Miyabiyama does. He's one of the most naturally talented rikishi around, but he also has put on far too many pounds. He looked impressive this basho, but he also had real trouble with his balance in some bouts, and ended up flat on his face more than once. I doubt anyone would say that his sumo has improved since the days when he won his yusho. 10-5 will put him firmly at Sekiwake next time (there may well be four Sekiwake in January - a by-product of weak Ozeki allowing the lower sanyaku and top Maegashira to post high scores). If he can keep consistency, I'd say he could make Ozeki, but consistency has always been his problem.

Komusubi Tochinonada had a basho to forget. He was taped up everywhere throughout and looked more like an Egyptian mummy than a rikishi, and this may well have been the reason he was so un-genki. He just didn't seem up for it this time. It was strange to see after his impressive run in the Aki Basho in September. He just seemed to give up at the edge a la Kyokushuzan...it wasn't a pretty sight at all. Back down to upper Maegashira for him. Time is running out for this Ozeki hopeful.he'll be 31 in February 2005.

Looking more briefly through the Maegashira ranks, there's no doubt that M1 Hakuho is something to watch. He won't be twenty years old until March, and he could well be on an Ozeki push as early as then. He looks a ready-made rival for Asashoryu. Build-wise, he's 2kg heavier and 7cm taller than the Yokozuna. This height disadvantage (shorter is generally better in sumo) may be costly for him so I'd like to see him get a little more solid.

Despite M2 Kakizoe's losing record (6-9), I thought he displayed admirable fighting spirit and some nice sumo at this rank. I expect him to be back up there over the coming year. M7 Takamisakari had a great start and but still left it late to secure kachi-koshi on the final day. Everything has to be a struggle with the crowd pleaser so I wasn't too surprised to see this on the senshuraku script. He showed some fine sumo this basho but I'm a little concerned that he's not going to quite make it to sanyaku. He has a lot going for him, though - a wiry body that allows him to escape death grips at the edge, a fearless nature allowing him not to be deterred by possible injuries when falling dramatically off the dohyo into the third row in desperately close matches, and, of course, the support of his thousands of fans. Whatever you think of him, he's always great to watch.

M9 Roho (10-5) looked very solid and impressive this basho. Apart from a four-day losing streak starting from Day 10, where he went up against some pretty hard opponents (including Kaio), he's looked too good for the rank. He should be up against some of the sanyaku lads in January and that will be interesting to watch. M10 Kotooshu (11-4) got the Kantosho (fighting spirit prize) but I find that ridiculous.his sumo was often evasive and ugly, and generally lacking in so-called fighting spirit. He showed some of his obvious promise at times but there were far too many henka for my liking. I was amazed that they didn't give the Ginosho to M13 Kaiho. The Kyokai actually told him that he could have it if he beat Hakuho on the final day and went to 11-4 but there was little chance of that happening. I say why not give him the technique prize. If he's already shown good technique, what difference would one day make? It all strikes me as a bit daft.

I was glad to see M14 Ama and M15 Kasugao get kachi-koshi as they both put on good displays of technical sumo throughout this basho. Kasugao is pretty agile for a big fella, while Ama is the lightest rikishi in Makuuchi at 113kg so he had to scrap for every win. However, I was disappointed to see M15 Tokitenku fall to a make-koshi (7-8) as that means he'll probably be kicked out of Makuuchi again.

M16 Kisenosato (formerly Hagiwara) put on some dominating displays but also showed a fatal lack of concentration at times. I love the way he dominates fights and just forces people out. He puts me in mind of Akinoshima or Takanohana.he just gets you to the edge and you realize that you haven't got anywhere left to go so you just.step out. This type of sumo will please the conservatives in the sport (me, too) but, as one would expect at his tender age, he really needs to work on his tachiai, which was shown to be sorely lacking on more than one occasion.

The hall of shame.Kyokushuzan was a disgrace this basho. If I had any power, I'd bust the slacker down to Juryo 5 just to teach him a lesson.perhaps then he might remember where and who he is. And the comedy relief was provided by the two Elvis look-alikes - Toki and Takanotsuru. I loved the fight between them on Day 7. Apologies to all those fans who hate people who always bring up Elvis when they see either of these two. I actually just mentioned Elvis to wind you all up!

There's plenty to look forward to in January. Can Asashoryu keep it going? Can Kaio make it to Yokozuna? Will Wakanosato make Ozeki? Can Hakuho live up to the billing? Will Miyabiyama and Kotomitsuki stop arsing around and finally make a real push upwards (for the second time in Miyabiyama's case)? How about Kisenosato? It should be a cracker! I'll be in Kokugikan as often as I can (I live only about an hour away) sneaking to the front for the early bouts.

Until then.

fantasyfootychampion@yahoo.co.uk

Day 12 Comments
(Simon Siddall reporting) Apart from the obvious big fights at the end there were some pretty uninspiring match-ups today - I wasn't exactly dancing with joy at the prospect of bouts like Jumonji against Kyokushuzan or Tamakasuga against Takanostsuru. To relieve the boredom, I thought I'd do a bit of detective work - call me Marlowe if you wish. There are currently 42 rikishi in Makuuchi, of which eleven are foreigners (seven are Mongolian). There are nine rikishi in the sanyaku ranks, and only one of those is currently a foreigner - Yokozuna Asashoryu. I decided to look at the percentage of these rikishi who are currently doing, or are capable of doing better than what I would describe as run-of-the-mill sumo. This, of course, is about as subjective as you can get and I'm sure many sumo fans reading this will disagree with me, but I thought I'd give it a go anyway. Forgive me if I leave one of your favourites off the list!

I went through the list and decided that every single foreigner currently in Makuuchi is capable of interesting sumo. Though I dislike Kyokushuzan's style, there's no denying that he pulls off some spectacular techniques from time to time. I then moved on to the Japanese rikishi.

In sanyaku, only one rikishi is consistently doing good sumo - Wakanosato. Tochinonada is certainly capable of it, as is Kotomitsuki, but they are both woefully erratic. Tochiazuma is great but terminally injured, Kaio has not been doing the great sumo he is capable of and Chiyotaikai has looked terrible, although he is injured so I should really cut him some slack. The point with sanyaku is that I only see Wakanosato as on the rise in terms of quality of sumo, while the others seem stuck in ruts. Certainly, for most of the Japanese sanyaku boys, their best days are behind them.

It's when I go down to Maegashira that I start feeling shock. I only counted nine Japanese rikishi who don't generally make me try to stifle yawns...here they are: Dejima, Iwakiyama, Kotonowaka, Tosanoumi, Takamisakari, Hayateumi, Hokutoriki, Kaiho and Kisenosato. The rest, and let's face it people, are average and uninspiring. So there you have it - 9 out of the 23 Japanese Maegashira are average (39%), and wouldn't (in my opinion) have lasted five minutes in this division in the boom years of the nineties. Compare that with the 100% of the foreigners up there who are doing, or are capable of good sumo.

Interpretation - Japanese sumo has become stale and complacent and is in serious danger of being hijacked by foreigners who are technically superior and generally have a greater will to win. Until the Kyokai get their act together and accept this fact, interest from the Japanese public in sumo is in danger of waning still further. I've lived in Japan for nine years and am only too well aware that the Japanese fans don't really like foreigners showing the Japanese rikishi how to play their own game. I'm personally all for this influx of foreigners into the world's greatest sport, but the reality is that attendances will continue to drop unless someone does something soon. I'd get Kitanoumi out of there for a start and put Chiyonofuji in charge, but that argument is for another day. I'd be very interested in hearing Mike and Kenji's take on this (admittedly controversial and loose) analysis.

Anyway, on to the red hot action...

The big story today was the sad demise of Kaio's Yokozuna challenge. The crowd erupted as the popular Ozeki stepped up to his date with destiny against Sekiwake Miyabiyama. It really is nerve-wracking stuff watching someone going for Yokozuna, especially when they're in the last chance saloon. This is one of the things which makes sumo so great. Can you therefore imagine my horror as Kaio went for a hideous pull-down straight from the tachiai. What in the name of all that is holy was he thinking? Miyabiyama (8-4) shrugged the feeble, ludicrous (and utterly un-Yokozuna-like) tactic aside and won with a simple oshitaoshi. I can only think that the Ozeki just lost his head for a moment in his excitement and desperation to win. Now that Kaio (9-3) has lost to two maegashira and displayed poor sumo throughout, he can kiss promotion goodbye, which is very sad, but you have to say that he does not deserve the exalted rank with the brand of sumo he has displayed this basho. I will stand by my prediction that Hakuho will be the next Yokozuna. I also extend my sympathies to those long-suffering Kaio fans. The big man is certainly capable of sumo, but time is against him now and it will really be hard for him to do all this again. I hope I'm wrong.

Yokozuna Asashoryu looked as fired up as I've ever seen him to defeat upstart Sekiwake Wakanosato. His tachiai was fine again and the two rikishi broke off briefly before resuming a brief stalemate in the centre. This was broken by a sly sotogake (outside leg trip) attempt by the Yokozuna, which gave him the forward momentum to push his opponent out by yorikiri. He could not contain his elation and lashed out wildly after the win in true Asashoryu style. It was great to watch. What a fighter he is! Although it's far from over, the yusho looks to be going Asashoryu's way. It's been a cracking basho so I won't write anyone off yet. However, I hope Kaio was watching this bout carefully, as it was a fine example of how a Yokozuna should take the initiative and dominate each and every fight, or die trying. Asashoryu stands now at 11-1 and Wakanosato is still far from out of it at 10-2.

Top Maegashira Hakuho did everything right apart from win against Chiyotaikai, who came up with the goods in a strangely muted but very quickfire tsuppari attack. Hakuho took the blows very well, as he has done all basho, and it looked inevitable that he would win when Chiyotaikai ran out of steam and the Mongolian got the belt. However, the Ozeki did well to resist Hakuho's mistimed throw and managed to hold on for the yorikiri win. Hakuho now stands at 10-2, and Chiyotaikai did his cause to avoid kadoban no harm at all by improving to 6-6.

Komosubi Tochinonada has been living right on the edge after an awful basho. He knew from Day 9 that he had to win all his remaining fights to avoid make-koshi, not an impossible task when one takes into account that he has already fought all of the top rikishi, but certainly not a welcome demon on his shoulder. I realised today that he also looks like a frog, which probably doesn't help either. He was unlucky to lose today, though, as it took a mono-ii to decide (controversially, I reckon) that M4 Tamanoshima had pipped him at the edge. The bout was a pretty scrappy affair as both rikishi had far too much to lose to be aggressive. Tochinonada will slip out of sanyaku again in January with a 4-8 record, as Tamanoshima stays in the kachi-koshi hunt at 6-6.

Komosubi Kotomitsuki was made to look a total spoon by M3 Iwakiyama. Kotomitsuki tried his usual daft pull down sumo tactics and failed miserably until Iwakiyama turned it round and pulled the very same tactic, only this time with success, proving that the beer Iwakiyama drinks is better than the beer Kotomitsuki drinks. An ugly bout leaves Kotomitsuki at 8-4 and Iwakiyama at 7-5.

M5 Kotonowaka got a chicken kachi-koshi today with a nasty, nasty, nasty, evil pre-meditated henka. I suppose he doesn't care about making lifelong enemies anymore because his retirement won't be that far off. The look on M2 Kokkai's face told me that he won't be giving Kotonowaka a kiss under the mistletoe at the sumo Christmas party this year. Add to the drama that as grandad got his kachi-koshi, Kokkai got his make-koshi. There will be tears before bedtime in Oitekaze Beya tonight.

M7 Takamisakari was beaten by M13 Kaiho in an exciting bout...the first one of the day. Kaiho has shown some cracking tecnhique this basho and may well take the ginosho if he gets ten wins or more (guessing here). Today was no different as both showed lightning speed and commendable fighting spirit to give the fans a see-saw spectacle that ended up with a yoritaoshi that was nice and easy on the eye. Both rikishi are at ranks that are kind to them so let's see how they do in the next basho when they're at higher altitudes. Takamisakari's kachi-koshi still eludes him at 7-5 while Kaiho is already in sumo heaven at 9-3.

M10 Kotooshu won a battle of sheer brute power against M9 Roho as both rikishi got powerful belt holds from the off. It put me in mind of some of those scraps between Akebono and Musashimaru a few years ago, but on a lower scale obviously. Kotooshu improves to 9-3 while Roho won't be too bothered to fall to 8-4 now he has his kachi-koshi in the bag.

M16 Kisenosato (7-5) was well beaten by M9 Kotoryu (8-4) in a low key mawashi battle which ended with a messy sukuinage at the edge. Kisenosato did a good job of negating Kotoryu's superior tachiai and even managed to briefly get morozashi but failed to capitalise on all this sterling work by letting Kotoryu sneak the throw. It was sloppy stuff from the bright young thing and he needs to work on his concentration, not to mention his tachiai, which can be pretty average. But let's give the lad time. I had hardly noticed Kotoryu this basho (he's one of those highly average ones I mentioned earlier) so I was somewhat surprised to find that he'd managed a Day 12 kachi-koshi. Well done to you, young sir!

That's it for me. Any comments to fantasyfootychampion@yahoo.co.uk

Day 9 Comments
Well, Mike's in Fukuoka today, the lucky panda, and I'm stuck near Tokyo watching the NHK broadcast. Looking around at the crowd, I'd say that Mike's presence probably lowered the average age of the crowd significantly. He also was a vital addition to the numbers of bums on seats, which haven't been there, frankly. What the hell is happening? Kaio, the popular Kyushu hero is going for Yokozuna for probably the last time; he has a great chance of doing it; we have the great new hope for Japanese sumo coming through in his first basho (Kisenosato) and he's living up to the billing to a reasonable degree, considering his tender age; there are other young up-and-comers on show, including the majestic, imperious Hakuho. Despite all this, the place has been half empty, even at the weekends. At first glance one might say that we're looking at the early stages of the death of sumo. However, I disagree. See later...

The musubi no ichiban today was a hate match (or so the Japanese media would have you believe) between Yokozuna Asahoryu and M4 Kyokushuzan. You'd probably be able to get fifty thousand for a 1000 yen note today for a Kyokushuzan win, but we all know that this is Kyokushuzan's 'off' basho, where he tries his hardest to lose as many as he can so he will be demoted as far as possible down the banzuke in order to give him his only possible chance of ever winning a yusho. Kyokushuzan had the temerity to give the Yokozuna a quick harite at the tachiai but was on the defensive immediately as Asashoryu shrugged off Kyokushuzan's weak thrusts and evasions and pressed forward to win by oshidashi. Asashoryu is still on for the zensho at 9-0 and Kyokushuzan is wasting everyone's time at 1-8.

The crowd erupted when Ozeki Kaio stepped up against a man old enough to be a grandfather (it's possible!) - M5 Kotonowaka. The old man has been turning back time this basho and has turned in a series of fine performances, for which he deserves unbounded respect. However, he was public enemy number one today in Fukuoka as the crowd willed him to just let this one go by and let Kaio march on towards promotion. Kaio made short work of Kotonowaka, coming in steady and safe at the tachiai and not allowing Kotonowaka get any kind of grip. The Ozeki simply pushed Kotonowaka out without much resistance. The Yokozuna hopeful is now 8-1 and just needs to keep his concentration over the final stretch. Don't start celebrating yet, however, because tomorrow the Ozeki is up against...Hakuho. Can't wait for that one.

Ozeki Chiyotaikai met up with another bread-and-butter opponent today in M5 Shimtori. His 4-4 record going into today after the first week against relatively weak opponents is, frankly, awful, so it seems there are no bread-and-butter wins for Chiyo anymore. But hold the press...the old Chiyotaikai came out to play today as he came in low and hard at the tachiai to push Shimotori out within two seconds. Chiyo improved to 5-4 while Shimotori continues to look out of his depth at 2-7. Kokonoe oyakata must have had a few harsh words with the Ozeki over the last few days.

Sekiwake Wakanosato has looked as solid as the concrete wall outside my house this basho. Surely his current attempt to make Ozeki will bear fruit at last, especially when one considers the vacuum that may appear in the next two basho at that rank. It is conceivable that there will be no Ozeki at all in the Hatsu Basho in January, now that Musoyama has retired, Tochiazuma is at Sekiwake, Kaio may be going upwards and Chiyotaikai looks as bad as any rikishi I've ever seen (apart from the last two days), certainly not deserving of his Ozeki rank on current overall form. M4 Tamanoshima proved to be a slippery customer today as he used good footwork to move along the edge but Wakanosato never looked in real danger, thanks to his superior balance (which has improved greatly of late). Waka stays in the yusho hunt at 8-1 while Tama chan falls to 3-6.

Komosubi Tochinonada has been a surprise this basho, in that he's looked uncharacteristically weak. He met his Komosubi counterpart, the genki Kotomitsuki today. After a slightly extended stalemate in the centre of the dohyo Tochinonada tried an ill-advised kotenage, which was far too high to work. I suppose that's desperation in action. Kotomitsuki did the decent thing and put his opponent out of his misery. Tochinonada falls to a shocking 2-7 and will want to avoid a Day 10 make-koshi. Kotomitsuki is the most tanned girl on the beach at 6-3. Eh?

And here comes M1 Hakuho. When Tochiazuma retires, he will be the rikishi I officially support (although I do already - wholeheartedly). Kenji beat me to it pointing out the similarities to this marvellous technician to the former Yokozuna Takanohana. He even looks like him. He was up against a worthy opponent today in M3 Kyokutenho (worthy in that he is certainly capable of excellent technical sumo himself). An interesting battle ensued. No one had the best of the tachiai and both rikishi settled into safe grips - hidariuate for Hakuho and migishitate for Kyokutenho. Kyokutenho attacked and tried to pull off the inevitable nage, but Hakuho showed his usual balance, technique, strength and poise by turning the throw round to win by uwatedashinage...he seemed just to gently PUT Kyokutenho onto the dohyo. It's amazing stuff, particularly when one remembers that he's only 19 years old. In his kachi-koshi interview immediately after the bout, he even looked totally self-assured there. I get sick of the younger rikishi in these interviews coming out with all that gambarimasu/jibun no sumo torimasu crap...it was great to hear someone making slightly more intelligent comments...especially when it isn't his native language. Mark my words - this man is the next Yokozuna (if Kaio doesn't make it this basho). I hope I haven't put the mockers on him now! Watch out Asashoryu.

Blimey! Thwak! Kaboom! M2 Kokkai was obviously in a pretty bad mood today as he totally dismantled fighting spirit boy M2 Kakizoe in an awesome display of power sumo. Kokkai used the superior strength of his arms and shoulders to give his opponent no chance. Oshitaoshi. Kokkai is 4-5 and Kakizoe is 2-7.

M6 Takekaze (3-6) raised a gasp today when he absolutely murdered M11 Hayateumi (4-5), who tried a ludicrous leaping henka at the tachiai. Why do they bother? Takekaze must have thought it was Christmas...well, it is nearly, I suppose.

It was time for the crowd to get excited when M7 Takamisakari stepped onto the dohyo to face M11 Hokutoriki. Where would the kyokai be without this chap and his comedy King Kong antics? The place might well only be a quarter full. The crowd were disappointed today, though, although this hack most certainly wasn't because Hokutoriki came out with a devastating single thrust to the throat and gave his opponent no chance at all. Maybe Hokutoriki (5-4) wanted to take out yesterday's disappointment against Kotooshu on someone. You can't blame him. Takamisakari is now 6-3. He seems at home at this middle rank, but until he puts a bit more weight on that slight frame of his, he's always going to be hammered by the sanyaku rikishi when he gets promoted to upper maegashira.

The best bout of the basho so far was provided courtesy of two rikishi who have impressed the hell out of me. M9 Roho came in low at the tachiai but M16 Kisenosato absorbed the charge well and began pushing Roho towards the edge. Roho fought to get a grip of Kisenosato's mawashi and the fight moved again to the centre of the dohyo. There followed a period of quick, efficient sumo where both rikishi attempted to gain advantage by changing their belt grips. Kisenosato then got morozashi, and it looked like game over, but Roho pulled off a lovely shitatenage at the edge, and proved once and for all that he isn't just a nightclub bouncer. If only some of the other rikishi had an array of skills like these two have...we might have a full house. Great stuff...it cheers me up to think that these two lads are both young. Maybe the future of sumo isn't so dark after all, as I mentioned in the first paragraph of this report. Roho shows no sign of being fazed at this higher rank and stands at 8-1. It will be interesting to see him put up against the higher ranked rikishi in the yusho run-in. Kisenosato isn't blushing at 6-3.

One rikishi I've really gone off is M10 Kotooshu. After his unforgiveable henka against Hokutoriki on nakabi (he was 5-2 at the time, the fool!), and his unattractive sumo in general, I'm starting to think that despite his obvious ability, a prominent Kotooshu would be bad for sumo overall. He was pretty lucky today against M15 Tokitenku, who was the more aggressive of the two and really deserved something from the bout. Tokitenku went for morozashi, while Kotooshu wrapped his arms around Tokitenku a la Takanonami. It was interesting at this point to see how Kotooshu would have coped with being forced to the edge in this position, whether he could have swung Tokitenku round. Instead, Tokitenku went for the throw and Kotooshu did very well to use his weight and strength to fall on top of his opponent. Watashikomi (thigh grabbing push down) was the winning technique! It wasn't as saucy as it sounds, though. Kotooshu continues to put up the numbers and goes to 7-2...he's reminding me very strongly of Miyabiyama in Nagoya - looks good on paper but that's about it. Tokitenku falls to 4-5.

There was a great scrap between M13 Kaiho and M15 Kasugao. Kaiho looked totally in control with both hands wrapped round his opponent and could have finished the bout off any number of times, but Kasugao stuck in there while showing superb balance and it paid off when he saw his chance to pounce and pulled off a rare technique - abisetaoshi (backward force down). Both rikishi will be happy with their 6-3 records.

There was some great sumo today. It lightened my fears about the future of sumo to see so many technically proficient young rikishi putting in good performances and putting up the numbers. None of them are too big either, which bodes well for the prospect of attractive sumo over the next few years. I'll be back on Friday for Day 13...by then we should have a much clearer idea about the yusho. Asashoryu looks invincible but, as we all know, he can be beaten if opponents go for his throat at the tachiai and don't let him have his wicked way with them.

Simon Siddall reporting

Comments to fantasyfootychampion@yahoo.co.uk