Will three rikishi be promoted to Ozeki at the same time for the first time in history? The key to the Nagoya tournament, “Cabaret Club Ugly News, Asanoyama’s Wall

The Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament will open on July 9.

There are many rikishi of note, including yokozuna Terunofuji (31), who will win his second consecutive championship, and Hakusabuho (19, former juryo no Ochiai), who made his first tournament debut three days after his first bout in the ring, tied for the fastest time since the Showa era (1968-1989).

However, the main attraction of the tournament will be the Ozeki-ranks of Toyoshoryu (24), Waka Motoharu (29), and Daieisho (29), the three sekiwake. If all three are promoted to ozeki at the same time after the first tournament, it will be the first time in history that such a feat has been achieved.

Toyoshoryu, from Mongolia, has won five consecutive bouts. His athleticism and occasional powerful throws are his strong points.

He returned to Mongolia in early June and received direct instruction from his uncle, Dorgorsuren Dagwadolji, the former yokozuna Asashoryu. He is very enthusiastic about it,” said a reporter from the sports department of a national newspaper.

Dagwadolji seemed to feel his nephew’s growth, as he tweeted on Twitter, “I tried to work with him, but he was still heavy in the waist and getting stronger. Toyoshoryu also has a fighting spirit, saying, “I have admired my uncle since I was a child, so I may not be able to reach the same level, but I want to get closer.

Although Waka Motoharu has only been in the makuuchi division for nine tournaments, he won 11 matches in the spring tournament as a komusubi and 10 matches in the summer tournament as a new sekiwake. He shows consistent strength in the left yashitsu, a form in which he excels.

In the Nagoya tournament a year ago, he had a good fight with yokozuna Terunofuji, but was stopped midway through the bout by a “mawashi wait,” and was defeated after the bout resumed. This made him one of the most popular rikishi, and his ability has improved dramatically. As he says, ‘I’m not conscious about taking an ozeki title,’ the key will be whether or not he can maintain a normal mindset.

Daieisho is the only one of the three to have won a makunouchi title. In the spring tournament, he was the sole leader with a 12-2 record through the 14th day, but he missed his second championship by consecutive losses to Honwari and Kirimayama (now Kirishima) in the championship deciding match at the Chishuuraku. He had a chance to become ozeki-ranked ozeki at the summer tournament, but he finished with only 10 wins and was not promoted. Still, with 22 wins in the two tournaments, he is the closest of the three to ozeki in terms of numbers alone. Daieisho himself is enthusiastic, saying , “I want to win all the tournaments. I want to win all of them, and I also want to win the championship.

How will these three fight Yokozuna Terunofuji and how will they crush each other? In order to win a promotion to ozeki, the first thing to do is to avoid losing ground to lower-ranked rikishi below you in the ranks.

Asanoyama, 29, is likely to hold the key to this. Asanoyama, a former ozeki, was suspended for six tournaments for violating the guidelines of the Japan Sumo Association by frequenting COVID-19 crisis cabarets. He dropped down the ranks to the third rank, but returned to the makuuchi division for the first time in two years at the summer tournament. He won 12 matches, second only to Terunofuji, who won the championship. A reporter from the sports department continued, “Asanoyama won his first championship.

Asanoyama, who will move up to the fourth rank in the east maegashira at the Nagoya tournament, will face all the top ranks. For the three sekiwake who are aiming for promotion to ozeki, if they do not defeat Asanoyama, even though he is now ranked lower, the ozeki title will be far away. For Asanoyama, on the other hand, he cannot afford to lose, as Daieisho and Wakamotoharu are in the same grade and Toyoshoryu has lost their only previous bout.

Asanoyama’s chances of returning to the ozeki ranks will be measured by how well he can beat the top ranks, and if he can defeat the three sekiwake, he will naturally be in contention for the championship.

Asanoyama’s performance will surely be a barrier to Toyoshoryu, Wakamotoharu, and Daieisho, all of whom are aiming for the ozeki title. The Nagoya tournament is sure to be one of the most exciting in recent years.