Basho Preview ・ 場所前展望
Banzuke →Reigning champion Onosato opens an ozeki bid
July (Nagoya) 2024 opens on July 14. And then there is Onosato, who won the championship at 12-3 from Komusubi. Now at Sekiwake, another double-digit basho would put an ozeki run firmly on the table.
Banzuke Notes
Yokozuna Terunofuji, who withdrew at 0-2-13 last time, returns looking to make amends.
Ozeki Kotozakura went a strong 11-4 last basho and belongs in the title conversation. Ozeki Hoshoryu went 10-5 last basho and looks to build on it.
In the sanyaku ranks, Daieisho moves up to Komusubi after going 11-4 at Maegashira 1; Hiradoumi moves up to Komusubi after going 9-6 at Maegashira 2.
- Yokozuna Terunofujilast basho 0-2-13
- Ozeki Kotozakuralast basho Ozeki, 11-4
- Ozeki Hoshoryulast basho Ozeki, 10-5
- Komusubi Daieisholast basho Maegashira 1, 11-4
- Komusubi Hiradoumilast basho Maegashira 2, 9-6
Ozeki Bid & Kadoban
Meanwhile, ozeki Takakeisho, after finishing 0-2-13 last basho, enters this one kadoban. It is kadoban No. 9 — he survived 7 of 8, but fell to sekiwake 1 time. The numbers add to the worry: his rating of 2516 sits 160 points below his peak of 2676, just No. 10 in makuuchi — thin for an ozeki. Can he summon the rank's pride anyway?
- Sekiwake Onosatolast basho 12-3 ・ champion ・ ozeki bid
- Ozeki Takakeisholast basho 0-2-13 ・ kadoban #9
New Faces in Makuuchi
Returning to makuuchi: Wakatakakage, Endo, Chiyoshoma, Kagayaki, Bushozan.
- Maegashira 14 Wakatakakagereturning
- Maegashira 14 Endoreturning
- Maegashira 15 Chiyoshomareturning
- Maegashira 16 Kagayakireturning
- Maegashira 16 Bushozanreturning
Title Contenders (Rating)
Kotozakura tops the pre-basho ELO chart at 2666. On the numbers, these five headline the title race.
解説 ・ InsightKotozakura has climbed from a rating of 2540 to 2666 over the past year — the momentum is real.
One caveat: Asanoyama is returning from a layoff — whether the numbers hold is an open question.
- Ozeki KotozakuraELO 2666 ・ Forward Pusher
- Ozeki HoshoryuELO 2633 ・ Thrower
- Sekiwake OnosatoELO 2607
- Maegashira 12 AsanoyamaELO 2589 ・ Belt Grinder
- Komusubi DaieishoELO 2585 ・ Forward Pusher
Day 1 Bouts to Watch
- Terunofuji (Yokozuna) vs Hiradoumi (Komusubi) →head-to-head: Terunofuji leads 2-0; the rating model gives Terunofuji 58%
- Kotozakura (Ozeki) vs Daieisho (Komusubi) →head-to-head: Kotozakura leads 13-10; the rating model gives Kotozakura 61%; Forward Pusher vs Forward Pusher — style matchup is even
- Atamifuji (Maegashira 1) vs Hoshoryu (Ozeki) →head-to-head: Atamifuji leads 6-5; the rating model gives Atamifuji 30%