I would bet on him this time, because he's all in. If this does not work, he has time to reassess his strategy. My 2 cents : either he wins the yusho (and the rope) or he gets hurt and goes kyujo
"Talkin bout practice" practice is practice, it's a time to try new things, work on strategies, and also not give anything away. It holds little bearing to the finality of any upcoming tournaments
We will know by the end of the first week, because he is always stronger on the second, but he seems to be the coming strong. Edit: But Kotozakura was so dominant last basho, that 14-1 didn't feel like a fluke, I actually don't who is the favorite wich makes me very excited to this basho.
My bolderer prediction is the double promotion as Hoshoryu wins in the playoff against Zak. I will always hope for the massive jam session of this community to celebrate the channel!
I agree with the Onosato pick, however, Kotozakura went full Japanese and promised his grandfather's grave that he'd come back to perform his dohyo-iri as Yokozuna Kotozakura there. He's gonna be a walking determination machine this basho.
Kotozakura is formidable, and it's hard to argue with multi-generational sumo determination, but if determination = yusho, Takakeisho would be one of the Top 5 of all time .
Hoshoryu has been killing it in the group practices. I think with his new weight and his attitude he is the favorite going in. If he can avoid that first week letdown he so often used to have, I like him for my pick. He fights Kirishima first day, that will show us a lot about what is to come, I expect Kirishima will have a 10 win showing this time, and Kotozakura is very consistently at 10+ so he really has to contend. From what I saw in group practice out of Terunofuji I just think he is vulnerable at this stage and will finally have to concede to the younger men, but hopefully not without a fight. Onosato is the absolute ultimate Yokozuna favorite eventually but has looked a bit timid in groups and has not developed the Yokozuna attitude yet, he may take a little more time to ripen. But that being said, any one of the top guys has a real opportunity to win, and I do not expect anyone below Ozeki to win this one.
Definitely agree with the Onosato yusho pick. Personally I chalk up Hoshoryu and kotozakura’s lackluster follow up to their great bashos to ozeki promotion hangover. Or that could be me trying to cope and hope for Yokozuna promotion this time.
I agree it's hard to make predictions for this basho since it may be the most important one since I started watching in May 2021. It's hard to make a real prediction without just saying what I wish will happen, but here we go. BOLD: Teru is in a playoff with one of the Ozeki(my money's on Nephew) BOLDER: Mitakeumi is in contention on day 10. BOLDEST: The Sanyaku for March will be the Waka bros at Sekiwake with Atamifuji and Oho at Komosubi. Bonus: Hokutofuji demolishes one of the Juryo promotions and gives them their "welcome to Makuuchi" moment. Obviously practice isn't the tournament, but it says a lot about mindset. I think Teru and Nephew are mentally prepared to win while Onosato and Zakura seem absent. Maybe Grandson is just sandbagging to rest up, but I'm not sure he'll hold under the Yokozuna pressure. Either way, I'm just ready for some great sumo!
I am optimistic about Hoshoryu. His issues have been overly relying on throws and flashy techniques to get wins and underestimating his opponents and I think both practice reports and his last tournament demonstrate real progress. I also think that facing Kirishima early will wake him up. He's had a chip in his shoulder with that rivalry and if he was ordinarily inclined to be sleepy I think that will wake him up. I am cautiously predicting a Hoshoryu yusho though I have no idea on the runner up. If Teru shows up in form I would say him, if not it's up for grabs by everyone in the Sanyaku
There is something magical about predicting Hoshoryu in your comments, the two times I have done it I was right. Looking forward to your end of basho review, thank you for all the quality content!
Wow JWags, I’m surprised to hear that you don’t think Kotozakura would be awarded the rope with a 13-2 Jun Yusho. I figured that, since Terunofuji is so long in the tooth, the YDC would opt to be more flexible. I assume you’re thinking the YDC is seeing plenty of future Yokozuna potential in Onosato, thus being more conservative with awarding a rope to a non-Yusho…???
Hoshoryu wins the yusho, going 15-0. Bolder-er prediction. Hoshoryu, at the minimum, will have 3 more wins than wakatakakage. Also, this Hoshoryu slander is getting wild.
I really hope you’re right about Hakuoho…but his recent relative mediocrity in Juryo doesn’t give me that level of optimism. He’s still to regain his previously characteristic core strength and stability. I’ll be happy if he merely maintains his place in Div 1.
It might be some wishful thinking... IMO, he's getting stronger each basho, and right now the true talent level of high Juryo is very close to that of low meg.
Terunofuji will absolutely win of he stays above 80% healyhy. He's had quite a lot of rest and he seems to do well when he's fresh (as fresh as a guy that is so beaten up can be)
Somehow I don’t think we will get a new Yokozuna in January already. I cannot explain why, it’s just a feeling that I have. They both seem so underwhelming compared to past Ozekis that became Yokozuna. I mean they are not bad, but I don’t see them as dominant enough. My guess is, that someone gets the Yusho who is neither in the race for Yokozuna (Hoshoryu, Kotozakura) this basho nor is the Yokozuna (Terunofuji).
As long as Terunofuji is healthy, he'll 85% win the yusho. He is still on another level for now. Kirishima will get losing record. For mid Maegashira, Ura and Roga will get losing records and fall further down. Hakuoho will get losing record and demoted. He didn't look that convincing in Juryo and not the same Hakuoho anymore. Tokihayate almost certainly will get demoted, he's too mediocre for Makuushita. Ryuden will win Juryo 🏆. Nabatame will get demoted to Makushita. Mita Toki will get winning record with just 1-2 lost.
Hoshoryu has been dominating the final practice days before the yusho. I think he may just want it more this time.
I would bet on him this time, because he's all in. If this does not work, he has time to reassess his strategy.
My 2 cents : either he wins the yusho (and the rope) or he gets hurt and goes kyujo
"Talkin bout practice" practice is practice, it's a time to try new things, work on strategies, and also not give anything away. It holds little bearing to the finality of any upcoming tournaments
We will know by the end of the first week, because he is always stronger on the second, but he seems to be the coming strong.
Edit: But Kotozakura was so dominant last basho, that 14-1 didn't feel like a fluke, I actually don't who is the favorite wich makes me very excited to this basho.
@@edwells4769 I see where you're coming from but Kirishima preceded his Ozeki promotion by steamrolling practice. It shows he is locked in.
@@edwells4769 it’s definitely an indicator. Kototzakura’s practice matches before this were poor and it showed as well
Thanks JWags for this shout out, I got sooo pumped and showed all the students at school. We a got a new generation of sumo fans in the works!
Nice!
Thanks again for reaching out!
Spicy, spicy, spicy takes this time around! Got me more hyped for the basho than I was twenty minutes ago, as you always do. 🥰
Thanks for the kind words!
Bolder-er-er-er... Hokotofuji wins it all! Lfg!
I hope our three ozeki can pull a great basho, so we can have two Yoko promotion *and* Onosato's run start !!
Indeed, that would be Most Satisfying...
My bolderer prediction is the double promotion as Hoshoryu wins in the playoff against Zak. I will always hope for the massive jam session of this community to celebrate the channel!
Dime store Abi!
I love it I call ichiyamamoto the temu abi.
Love the Clue finale to this episode
your takes are reasonable and well researched, but have you considered i want hoshoryu to win therefore he will???????
Yours seems to be a popular take!
Love your videos. Can't wait for Hatsu. SUMO IS AWESOME 😁
Agreed on all three! Thanks for the kind words!
Wonderful Clue reference Sir! And a great video. TY
How did I nearly miss this upload!? Curse that TH-cam algorithm.
Have you hit the "Notifications" bell? It's like the Shire Bell, except instead of signalling mealtimes, it signals new eps of The Dohyo!
@TheDohyo it might be about time for me to do that, me thinks
I may have waved back when you said hello at the start of this video, but nobody can prove that that happened
I mean, I WAS waving to you, so...
I agree with the Onosato pick, however, Kotozakura went full Japanese and promised his grandfather's grave that he'd come back to perform his dohyo-iri as Yokozuna Kotozakura there. He's gonna be a walking determination machine this basho.
Kotozakura is formidable, and it's hard to argue with multi-generational sumo determination, but if determination = yusho, Takakeisho would be one of the Top 5 of all time .
Can't wait for Hatsu ❤
Hoshoryu has been killing it in the group practices. I think with his new weight and his attitude he is the favorite going in. If he can avoid that first week letdown he so often used to have, I like him for my pick. He fights Kirishima first day, that will show us a lot about what is to come, I expect Kirishima will have a 10 win showing this time, and Kotozakura is very consistently at 10+ so he really has to contend. From what I saw in group practice out of Terunofuji I just think he is vulnerable at this stage and will finally have to concede to the younger men, but hopefully not without a fight. Onosato is the absolute ultimate Yokozuna favorite eventually but has looked a bit timid in groups and has not developed the Yokozuna attitude yet, he may take a little more time to ripen. But that being said, any one of the top guys has a real opportunity to win, and I do not expect anyone below Ozeki to win this one.
Bruh Hoshoryu Has this MAN 😎
This comment feels like it was underscored by Bon Jovi
Definitely agree with the Onosato yusho pick. Personally I chalk up Hoshoryu and kotozakura’s lackluster follow up to their great bashos to ozeki promotion hangover. Or that could be me trying to cope and hope for Yokozuna promotion this time.
I agree it's hard to make predictions for this basho since it may be the most important one since I started watching in May 2021. It's hard to make a real prediction without just saying what I wish will happen, but here we go.
BOLD: Teru is in a playoff with one of the Ozeki(my money's on Nephew)
BOLDER: Mitakeumi is in contention on day 10.
BOLDEST: The Sanyaku for March will be the Waka bros at Sekiwake with Atamifuji and Oho at Komosubi.
Bonus: Hokutofuji demolishes one of the Juryo promotions and gives them their "welcome to Makuuchi" moment.
Obviously practice isn't the tournament, but it says a lot about mindset. I think Teru and Nephew are mentally prepared to win while Onosato and Zakura seem absent. Maybe Grandson is just sandbagging to rest up, but I'm not sure he'll hold under the Yokozuna pressure. Either way, I'm just ready for some great sumo!
I am optimistic about Hoshoryu. His issues have been overly relying on throws and flashy techniques to get wins and underestimating his opponents and I think both practice reports and his last tournament demonstrate real progress. I also think that facing Kirishima early will wake him up. He's had a chip in his shoulder with that rivalry and if he was ordinarily inclined to be sleepy I think that will wake him up. I am cautiously predicting a Hoshoryu yusho though I have no idea on the runner up. If Teru shows up in form I would say him, if not it's up for grabs by everyone in the Sanyaku
You could sing, Wakatakakage to the tune of, “Gary, lndiana”! Go ahead….you KNOW you want to….
I have! (His name also scans to the first few notes of Stevie Wonder's "Superstition!")
i also thik that onosato is the most likely candidate to win the yusho
You should take a look at Hoshoryu’s practice scores my boy
1: Weren't 40 of those matches vs Hiradoumi?
2: (iversonpractice.gif)
@ I hate to say I told you so but………. I guess those 40 hira practices paid off😂.
@@chunksthewise Say it with your whole chest! Y'all were right!
There is something magical about predicting Hoshoryu in your comments, the two times I have done it I was right. Looking forward to your end of basho review, thank you for all the quality content!
yesssssssss!!!!!!
Wow JWags, I’m surprised to hear that you don’t think Kotozakura would be awarded the rope with a 13-2 Jun Yusho. I figured that, since Terunofuji is so long in the tooth, the YDC would opt to be more flexible. I assume you’re thinking the YDC is seeing plenty of future Yokozuna potential in Onosato, thus being more conservative with awarding a rope to a non-Yusho…???
I think he said 12-3, not 13-2. He is predicting that the jun-yusho will be 12-3 or 11-4.
I said "11 or 12 wins" 15:15
Yusho: Yokozuna
Yokzuna Promotion: Horshoryu
Bold indeed!
Hoshoryu wins the yusho, going 15-0. Bolder-er prediction. Hoshoryu, at the minimum, will have 3 more wins than wakatakakage. Also, this Hoshoryu slander is getting wild.
Hoshoryu has a tendency for slow starts and blistering finishes. If he starts 6-0 he will win it.
It's not slander 'til he proves me wrong...
Onosato or Hoshoryu. Kotozakura won't get the rope.
I really hope you’re right about Hakuoho…but his recent relative mediocrity in Juryo doesn’t give me that level of optimism. He’s still to regain his previously characteristic core strength and stability. I’ll be happy if he merely maintains his place in Div 1.
It might be some wishful thinking...
IMO, he's getting stronger each basho, and right now the true talent level of high Juryo is very close to that of low meg.
Yeah but the last time you doubted the big guy the big guy won. I think he's gonna be the spoiler
Terunofuji will absolutely win of he stays above 80% healyhy. He's had quite a lot of rest and he seems to do well when he's fresh (as fresh as a guy that is so beaten up can be)
TBF, I have doubted Terunofuji in EVERY basho this year...
@@TheDohyo that is fair and true
Kotozakura wins at 13-2 playoff.
Somehow I don’t think we will get a new Yokozuna in January already. I cannot explain why, it’s just a feeling that I have. They both seem so underwhelming compared to past Ozekis that became Yokozuna. I mean they are not bad, but I don’t see them as dominant enough.
My guess is, that someone gets the Yusho who is neither in the race for Yokozuna (Hoshoryu, Kotozakura) this basho nor is the Yokozuna (Terunofuji).
Takerufuji wins this yusho.....
13-2
As long as Terunofuji is healthy, he'll 85% win the yusho. He is still on another level for now.
Kirishima will get losing record.
For mid Maegashira, Ura and Roga will get losing records and fall further down.
Hakuoho will get losing record and demoted. He didn't look that convincing in Juryo and not the same Hakuoho anymore. Tokihayate almost certainly will get demoted, he's too mediocre for Makuushita.
Ryuden will win Juryo 🏆. Nabatame will get demoted to Makushita. Mita Toki will get winning record with just 1-2 lost.
Excellent Boldness, my friend!
Diaiesho going 15-0.