Ex-Ozeki Shodai Falls to 0-3 in Juryo, Backing Out Against 200-kg Kazuma; Fans Worry
ABEMA TIMES reports that Juryo 3 Shodai (Tokitsukaze), the former ozeki, lost to Juryo 4 Kazuma (Kise), who weighs over 200 kg, on Day 3 in his home-region basho and is 0-3. He hit with his chest and got his left arm inside, but Kazuma pushed him back. Blown toward the edge, he looked to have held at the straw, then stepped out on his own without much resistance before Kazuma could follow up. Kazuma won by oshidashi for his first win.
Shodai, from Uto, Kumamoto, held ozeki for 13 basho from November 2020 to November 2022. After 12 losses at Maegashira 11 in September, he is in juryo for the first time in 11 years, since November 2015. The hall went quiet; some viewers wrote 'No fighting spirit' and 'Stepping out on his own?', while others asked 'Is he hurt somewhere?' and 'I'm going to cry.'