Day 6: Asanoyama Stops Unbeaten Atamifuji, Then Asks 'Was He Unbeaten? I Didn't Know'
East Maegashira 1 Asanoyama, 32 (Takasago), forced out Sekiwake Atamifuji, 24 (Isegahama), on Day 6, leaving no unbeaten wrestlers in makuuchi. Asanoyama hit with his head, grabbed the front of the mawashi with his left, got his right arm in, drew Atamifuji up and drove him out without letting him get a grip (Sponichi, Nikkan Sports). Asanoyama stopped a four-bout losing streak and is 2-4; he has now beaten Atamifuji in their last two meetings and leads the series 4-1 (ABEMA TIMES). Atamifuji, 5-1, missed a new career best: his 5-0 start had matched his record from Kyushu 2023 (Sponichi). He looked up at the ceiling and grimaced (Daily Sports).
'Was Atamifuji unbeaten? I didn't know,' Asanoyama told reporters. 'It's the middle of the basho, so I wasn't really paying attention to records.' 'I remembered last basho. He's bigger and heavier, so if we lock up chest to chest it's tough. Going forward and winning was good' (Nikkan Sports, Sports Hochi). A serious left knee injury at Nagoya 2024 dropped him as far as sandanme; back at the top of the maegashira ranks, he went 1-4 against the yokozuna and ozeki (Jiji Press). 'I've thrown away the "former ozeki" label. This isn't a rank where you win easily. I go in ready to lose,' he said, adding that he has gained 'not one or two things but dozens' from facing the top men (Nikkan Sports).
NHK commentator Minatogawa (ex-ozeki Takakeisho) had predicted before the bout that Asanoyama's chances would open up if he got the left uwate first, and that is exactly what happened. 'He must have known it's bad against Asanoyama to let him get the left uwate first,' Minatogawa said. 'If he learns to think about how he wrestles and adapt, Atamifuji can aim for ozeki too' (Nikkan Sports). Chairman Hakkaku was blunter: 'Weak today. He has to think. Thrust, for example. Against strong opponents you have to go all out. He needs to work on his tachi-ai' (Nikkan Sports). On ABEMA, Tsurugisho called it 'a bad habit. If he's going to charge like that, he has to keep driving forward without letting up. He was passive,' adding that against a tough opponent 'you need the mindset to grab first' (ABEMA TIMES). THE ANSWER says viewers on X praised Minatogawa's NHK commentary as 'full of love for the rikishi' and 'never badmouthing the loser,' and his dramatic weight loss since his 165-kg playing days also drew attention.
Sources: Yahoo! Japan Sports (Sponichi) · Yahoo! Japan Sports (Nikkan Sports) · Yahoo! Japan Sports (Sports Hochi) · Yahoo! Japan Sports (Jiji Press) · Yahoo! Japan Sports (ABEMA TIMES) · Yahoo! Japan Sports (Nikkan Sports / Hakkaku) · Yahoo! Japan Sports (Nikkan Sports / Minatogawa) · Yahoo! Japan Sports (Daily Sports) · Yahoo! Japan Sports (THE ANSWER)