Basho Preview ・ 場所前展望
Banzuke →Hakuho chases the rope at July (Nagoya) 2006
July (Nagoya) 2006 opens on July 9. After going 13-2 two basho ago, ozeki Hakuho took the last one at 14-1. The standard is "back-to-back championships, or the equivalent" — stay at the front of the race here, and the rope becomes real.
Banzuke Notes
Yokozuna Asashoryu, who withdrew at 1-2-12 last time, returns looking to make amends.
Ozeki Chiyotaikai went 10-5 last basho and looks to build on it. Ozeki Kaio went 9-6 last basho and looks to build on it. Ozeki Kotooshu went 8-7 last basho and looks to build on it.
In the sanyaku ranks, Asasekiryu moves up to Komusubi after going 10-5 at Maegashira 2; Kisenosato moves up to Komusubi after going 8-7 at Maegashira 1.
- Yokozuna Asashoryulast basho 1-2-12
- Ozeki Chiyotaikailast basho Ozeki, 10-5
- Ozeki Kaiolast basho Ozeki, 9-6
- Ozeki Kotooshulast basho Ozeki, 8-7
- Komusubi Asasekiryulast basho Maegashira 2, 10-5
- Komusubi Kisenosatolast basho Maegashira 1, 8-7
Rope Run & Kadoban
After going 13-2 two basho ago, ozeki Hakuho took the last one at 14-1. The standard is "back-to-back championships, or the equivalent" — stay at the front of the race here, and the rope becomes real. Fifteen days begin in which he can hardly afford a single loss.
Meanwhile, ozeki Tochiazuma, after finishing 2-5-8 last basho, enters this one kadoban. It is kadoban No. 9 — he survived 4 of 8, but fell to sekiwake 4 times. His pre-basho rating stands at 2570 (No. 4 in makuuchi); the fifteen days ahead will show whether he can turn it around.
- Ozeki Hakuholast basho 14-1 ・ champion ・ yokozuna bid
- Ozeki Tochiazumalast basho 2-5-8 ・ kadoban #9
New Faces in Makuuchi
Making their makuuchi debut: Daimanazuru.
Returning to makuuchi: Toyozakura.
- Maegashira 14 Toyozakurareturning
- Maegashira 16 Daimanazurudebut
Title Contenders (Rating)
Hakuho tops the pre-basho ELO chart at 2741. On the numbers, these five headline the title race.
解説 ・ InsightHakuho has climbed from a rating of 2538 to 2741 over the past year — the momentum is real.
Just 8 points separate him from Asashoryu — the data says it's a two-horse race.
One caveat: Asashoryu, Tochiazuma are returning from a layoff — whether the numbers hold is an open question.
- Ozeki HakuhoELO 2741 ・ Thrower
- Yokozuna AsashoryuELO 2733 ・ Thrower
- Sekiwake MiyabiyamaELO 2639
- Ozeki TochiazumaELO 2570 ・ Forward Pusher
- Ozeki ChiyotaikaiELO 2519
Day 1 Bouts to Watch
- Asashoryu (Yokozuna) vs Kisenosato (Komusubi) →head-to-head: Asashoryu leads 13-4; the rating model gives Asashoryu 88%; Thrower vs Belt Grinder — style matchup slightly favors Asashoryu
- Hakuho (Ozeki) vs Asasekiryu (Komusubi) →head-to-head: Hakuho leads 13-2; the rating model gives Hakuho 86%; Thrower vs Thrower — style matchup is even
- Kotoshogiku (Maegashira 1) vs Chiyotaikai (Ozeki) →head-to-head: Chiyotaikai leads 16-3; the rating model gives Kotoshogiku 34%