Sumo Haru Basho 2013 - Day 1

Sumo Haru Basho 2013 - Day 1

Welcome to my coverage of the Sumo Haru Basho 2013. Check in my archives on the side for my coverage of the January Hatsu Basho as there are too many links to post.

As far as I know, JasoninJapan will not be doing Haru Basho coverage so your best bet for daily videos will be: http://www.youtube.com/user/araibira

For match-ups and stats, check out: http://sumodb.sumogames.de/

The big news for this basho is that Harumafuji will be the East Yokozuna. The east is always the higher rank and Hakuho hasn't been a West Yokozuna since Kyushu 2009.

My pick for the tournament is Hakuho. Yes, he had a rough time in the last tournament but I think Harumafuji had a little luck to go with his good performance. Aside from Hakuho, I don't have a ton of other predictions. If the yokozuna take some quick losses, this tournament will open up. I don't have high hopes for any of the Ozeki though.

For a neat fact, Kyokutaisei and Osunaarashi happen to have the exact same rank. What are the odds of that?

As usual, I'm going to follow the Yokozuna/Ozeki, Jokoryu, Tochinowaka, Takanoyama and Osunaarashi. If some wrestlers get hot and can contend, I'll try to cover them as well and drop the ones who don't contend.

Ms23e Osunaarashi (0-0)vs Ms22w Yamatofuji (0-0)

Osunaarashi got the win here though it was extremely close. It looked like his opponent stepped out a second before him with his left foot but it was too close for me to see. A win is a win though and Osunaarashi needs to run the table to start making his campaign for Juryo.

J9e Miyabiyama (0-0)vs J8w Takanoyama (0-0)

Miyabiyama won here. Good effort by Takanoyama but like always, he is just too thin. He literally ran into Miyabiyama and bounced off which pretty much sent him out. I do love Takanoyama's sumo though. He is really quick and may have the best technique, but he is just too small.

M13e Tochinowaka (0-0) vs M13w Sadanofuji (0-0)

Sadanofuji got the win here. Tochinowaka totally gave this match away as he stood straight up early which gave Sadano an easy chance to get under and get the win. Tochino looked pretty bad here and his match-ups won't get any easier.

M11e  Takekaze (0-0) vs M11w Jokoryu (0-0)

Jokoryu got the win after he got Takekaze's back and pushed him strraight out. Take did a rolling bump to the outside that was certainly rough looking. Jokoryu's left ankle is highly taped up though which worries me.

M8e Aoiyama (0-0) vs M8w Kyokutenho (0-0)

Aoiyama won in a strictly power matchup. Kyoku couldn't get past the wall that was Aoiyama today and Aoiyama got the easy win.

Gagamaru vs Kitataiki

Kitataiki got the upset here as he literally outpowered Gagamaru which is no easy task and pushed him out.

Aran vs Kaisei
Aran won here after a long stalemate with neither man moving. This went over a minute until Kaisei got pushed out.

Toyonoshima vs Shohozan
Toyonoshima won here. Shohozan went with some fiery slaps to the neck early but Toyo got his side and pushed him out. Shohozan had two false starts here.

Goeido vs Tokitenku

Goeido won here. Tokitenku went for a weird leg sweep while moving to the side and it was a total fail. Goeido just went right at him and by the time Toki got his footing, he was out.

M3w  Ikioi (0-0) vs S1w Baruto (0-0)

Baruto got the win here but I'm afraid his knee is still shot. He did alot of one legged sumo and we know where that will lead him.

M2w Myogiryu (0-0)  vs O2w Kotoshogiku (0-0)

Kotoshogiku got the win here after a pretty even match. They stalemated for a bit and then went all around the ring before the Koto push out.

O2e Kakuryu (0-0) vs M2e Chiyotairyu (0-0)

Kakuryu got the win here. He pushed Chiyotairyu back and Chiyo slipped. He then rushed forward and ate dirt.

M1e Takayasu (0-0)  vs O1w Kotooshu (0-0)

Good effort here by Takayasu before taking the loss. He really got under Koto and had Koto on the ropes. However, he was too low and he went a little on the side where Koto was able to push him down easy.

O1e Kisenosato (0-0) vs M1w Tochinoshin (0-0)

Kisenosato got the win here with a push out. Tochi hit a false start early and they fought really close to each other with Tochi slipping too much to win.

K1w Aminishiki (0-0) vs Y1w Hakuho (0-0)

Hakuho pulled out the win after a little scare. He started way too far back and Aminishiki rushed him and almost put him down quick. Hakuho got him by the arm and swung him down.

Y1e  Harumafuji (0-0) vs K1e Tochiozan (0-0)

Harumafuji got the quick win today from the tachi-ai. Tochiozan went up against him and quickly got off balance. Haruma used that to his advtange and pulled him down.

Rankings:
1-0: All wrestlers from Sekiwake to Yokozuna won. Hakuho, Harumafuji, Kisenosato, Kotooshu, Kotoshogiku, Kakuryu, Baruto, Goeido, Toyonoshima, Aran, Kitataiki, Okinoumi, Aoiyama, Fujiazuma, Takarafuji, Jokoryu, Masunoyama, Sadanofuji, Sagatasukasa, Daido and Wakanosato. Osunaarashi also won.

0-1: Tochiozan, Aminishiki, Takayasu, Tochinoshin, Chiyotairyu, Myogiryu, Tokitenku, Ikioi, Shohozan, Kaisei, Gagamaru, Tochinowaka, Takanoyama and others.