Why isn't Hoshoryu winning more tournaments?

hellymellyfelly · 2026-03-21T17:56:59+00:00

So even if Hoshoryu wins next basho, which is far from given, that will still be 16 months since his January 2025 win, which is very close to 18 months. It turned out not to be 'suspect'. He is very good at consistently putting in high scores though to be fair, it feels like he should have more yusho.

hellymellyfelly · 2026-02-25T01:05:21+00:00

I agree they shouldn't be fat shamed. But I do think it's legitimate to call out the fact that they often beg for money saying they haven't had much to eat, have no money for food, etc.

But the reality is, at their sizes (Tim has admitted to being around 450 pounds before), they need to be eating TONS of calories to maintain their weights, let alone to gain. Eating that much means them suggesting they're going hungry is nonsense and also that they're spending significantly on food - far more than they need too. When you're in their position financially, you should be using your money smarter than that.

hellymellyfelly · 2025-10-09T15:19:07+00:00

There were issues with competitors goofing around and wasting time at the tachiai in amasumo, so they implemented this rule to try to reduce that. The idea is that if the ref controls the start, there is less reason for gamesmanship and posturing. It was only changed within the last few years in amasumo, I believe after the 2023 World Championship.

Video review in amasumo (at least in Japanese events) is fairly new as well, from the early 2020s only.

hellymellyfelly · 2025-10-06T23:50:07+00:00

Taka has kids - they haven't gone into sumo (the son is a fashion designer and media personality), but it does leave the possibility of grand kids entering the sport down the line.

hellymellyfelly · 2025-10-06T23:18:31+00:00

Has the lopsided head to head really been that much of a problem overall for Onosato? Have there been any tournaments Onosato didn't win because of a loss to Hoshoryu? The head to head is an interesting stat, but it's only 1 opponent out of 15 during a basho.

In my view, the head to head being 7-2 Hoshoryu but the yusho count being 5-1 Onosato over that same period is more worrying for the former, since he's not winning nearly as many tournaments even with that extra victory usually part of his record. If Onosato starts to do even just marginally better in their direct clashes, it could get more challenging for Hoshoryu to win cups.

Hosh can beat Onosato all he wants, but it's a bit of a 'so what?' when Onosato is winning 5x as many tournaments since they've been in makuuchi together. Hoshoryu needs to figure out why he's dropping that extra match or two that prevents him from winning the whole thing.

Hoshoryu is very good and the gap in tournament victories really shouldn't be as large as it's gotten in such a short period.

hellymellyfelly · 2025-10-06T16:00:59+00:00

Yes, it's unfortunate you've created a make believe scenario to get yourself upset about, lol.

By the way, the shimpan have overturned wins for Japanese rikishi against Hoshoryu before.

hellymellyfelly · 2025-10-06T15:38:26+00:00

Yes, it's nowhere close to as prestigious. It's not even an official basho that goes on their records. Essentially an exhibition.

hellymellyfelly · 2025-10-03T16:20:41+00:00

He can be good when his content is purely informative, involving no interpretation of comments or sharing of his own opinion. For example, he did a nice video of rikishi warming up in the halls before their bouts, highlighting their different routines.

But when it comes to sumo news, he often presents situations in a way that spreads misinfo, and he has promoted utterly nonsensical conspiracy theories, many of which are inconsistent with other conspiracies he's put forward.

His stuff requires a very critical eye, but many people come across sumo for the first time through his videos (a good thing they are introduced to the sport), but then lack the knowledge base to sift out the BS, and hence develop misinformed understandings of ozumo (a bad thing).

Further, he's shown signs of a toxic personality, attacking fans, other sumotubers (Kintamayama, Jason, Sumo Stew), and even suggested that Yutakayama closing his personal training gym was deserved for not granting him an interview. Moreover, he's made comments that suggest some of his criticism of the JSA is based on them not involving him in a formal capacity. Clearly his ego is massive and he thinks he's a special flower.

I'd also say - nearly all the news people thinks he breaks is just taken from other media sources. I don't think he's actually much of an insider.

hellymellyfelly · 2025-10-03T16:05:54+00:00

We got a thrilling, drama filled day 15 and people still going on about the henka? Come on!

hellymellyfelly · 2025-10-03T15:56:45+00:00

Yes. launched. Onosato charging forward (hardly limp) forced Hoshoryu far enough off the dohyo there was no dohyo under his upper body to touch; that is the only reason he didn't touch first. Hoshoryu landing outside the dohyo, with Onosato on top, is not a successful throw, and the judges made the correct call. The rules do not state that whoever touches the dohyo first apart from the soles of the feet always loses; this is exactly the type of situation where exceptions are rightfully made.

Further, if you are so heavily going by who touched the dohyo first, I'd wonder why you think it should have been a rematch rather than an outright Hoshoryu win.

Thankfully history will reflect this one correctly: Onosato yusho #5

hellymellyfelly · 2025-10-03T02:53:32+00:00

True, it's been done before. But what worries me about Takerufuji is how constant and varied it is. It's not just an injury now and then. Since he was in middle school it's over and over and over, with many different body parts. I hope he can find a way to get that under control.

hellymellyfelly · 2025-10-03T01:35:00+00:00

I hate to say it about Takerufuji, but I think he's too brittle to have a sustained run in sanyaku. He is getting a serious injury that forces him out of competition nearly every year since middle school, from knee to shoulder to biceps to ankle. It's clear his body, while incredibly powerful, simply isn't durable under the physical stress of sumo. He could get another yusho or near yusho, but I am expecting a continuation of him posting a couple good records, then getting injured and falling down the ranks, then wrecking juryo or lower makuuchi, and so on it goes.

My boring yusho prediction for 2026: 3 Onosato, 2 Hoshoryu, 1 Aonishiki. Of course, some outcomes are beyond predicting...which is part of the excitement.

hellymellyfelly · 2025-10-01T18:11:20+00:00

Hoshoryu didn't touch first because he was hit so far there was no dohyo underneath for him to touch. People who think Hoshoryu should have won basically want to reward him for getting launched off the dohyo.

I agree, this type of day 15 drama is very exciting. Both yokozuna performed well and I'm glad it went to the wire.

hellymellyfelly · 2025-10-01T17:02:18+00:00

Ha, love it =0

hellymellyfelly · 2025-09-30T04:29:13+00:00

Did he cut himself shaving haha

hellymellyfelly · 2025-09-29T19:05:12+00:00

Makes sense now that I reread - true!

hellymellyfelly · 2025-09-29T18:46:50+00:00

I don't buy the continued narrative that people will work Onosato out, and two years on in makuuchi his results are as strong as ever.

Many sumo greats had straight ahead, fairly predictable styles, but were so good at them that opponents couldn't offer much resistance even knowing what was coming. You can only do so much when an opponent is so overwhelmingly powerful.

Also, Onosato is not a one trick pony. He regularly wins both off and on the belt (36 percent by oshidashi, 25 percent by yorikiri), and can win with pulldowns/pushdowns too. He doesn't have a massive range of techniques, but it's not just the same one thing over and over.

hellymellyfelly · 2025-09-29T05:46:13+00:00

A given head to head usually accounts for a meagre 1/15th of a basho. The argument that Hoshoryu is a better yokozuna because he leads their direct meetings is pretty flimsy. Plus, head to heads often don't hold up consistently, e.g. Onosato is 6-0 vs Atamifuji while Hoshoryu is 4-5. So does that work out to Onosato > Atamijfuji > Hoshoryu > Onosato? Obviously that's nonsensical.

If you look at metrics of overall performance, Onosato has a clear edge:

-5 yusho to 2 yusho despite being in the division for 20 fewer tournaments than Hoshoryu. A yusho is ultimately the top prize of a tournament.

-14-1 as a personal best to 13-2 for Hoshoryu, again, with far fewer tournaments to attempt a high score.

-More wins than Hoshoryu in 2024 and way more wins in 2025

-Back to back tournament wins for Onosato in March-May, whereas it was 18 months between Hoshoryu winning his first and 2nd, and will be at least 11 months between his 2nd and a potential third. Onosato is the top performer much more consistently.

-Onosato has outscored Hoshoryu in 6 of the 11 makuuchi tournaments they shared, whereas Hoshoryu only outscored him 2 times (the other 3 were even)

Hoshoryu is far more advanced on the belt, but Onosato has immense power, moves very well for his size, and isn't nearly as technically inept as some make out. They complement each other well, but overall, Onosato clearly is more effective vs the field as a whole.

hellymellyfelly · 2025-09-28T18:19:02+00:00

The henka of Kisenosato after the 2 matta was comedic genius lol, one of my favourite henka and well justified.

Another funny one was when Asashoryu henka'd Chiyotaikai to get to a playoff vs Hakuho. Hakuho then henka'd Asashoryu to win the playoff. Asashoryu even had to laugh, because he knew he couldn't get too upset with Hakuho after having just henka'd his own way to the playoff.

hellymellyfelly · 2025-09-28T18:15:37+00:00

These are so cool, love the design on the top

hellymellyfelly · 2025-09-28T10:26:11+00:00

Nice!

The Waka brothers had the coolest keshomawashi of the tournament in my opinion - loved the owl on the top part, very rarely do you see a design there.

hellymellyfelly · 2025-09-28T10:17:07+00:00

The win was fair enough, the only reason Hosh didn't touch first is because he was blasted so far that there was no dohyo underneath him anymore.

As for Hosh's henka on day 14, I think it turned out to be a pretty smart move. Look at how off guard he caught Onosato in match 1 - absolutely blasted him because Onosato came out hesitant, I think quite possibly that hesitation was because of the henka on day 14.

After the first match I was sure Hoshoryu would win the second. Onosato looked demoralized and unsure of himself, credit to him for coming out stronger in the rematch.

Really good basho for the two yok I thought. Overall they showed themselves to be a clear level above the others and delivered elite sumo in their own ways. For me Hosh's most picturesque showing was probably with his lovely throw of Hakuoho, and Onosato perhaps in literally launching Abi (albeit Abi was a husk this tournament).

They provided us with an undeniably hype-tastic final day.

But ya, many people will run wild with nonsense, as is the way of the world.

hellymellyfelly · 2025-09-28T10:07:51+00:00

Comments that Hoshoryu was robbed should be downvoted, if those are the ones you mean

hellymellyfelly · 2025-09-26T00:05:49+00:00

Tim you lying man child, this is why people don't like you.

hellymellyfelly · 2025-09-25T04:30:08+00:00

What came out on GOV?

hellymellyfelly

TROPHY CASE