Harumafuji: still Mongolian, still badass.
My man Ama went 12-3 in the Kyushu basho, nearly winning the Emperor’s Cup, losing to Hakuho in a hard-fought playoff on the final day of the tournament. I just got the chance to see the playoff via bittorrent, and was certainly not disappointed.
I’ve now watched the match half a dozen times, and I’m amazed by Ama’s ability to stay alive in a match where he’s got half a dozen chances to lose. His grip after the tachi-ai isn’t a good one – he’s forced to compromise his right arm to prevent Hakuho from getting a two-handed grip on his belt. Hakuho has a good chance to force him out of the ring, then explores the possibility of lifting him out, taking him off his feet twice. Then he threatens a pulldown, and Ama ends up with his head under the Yokozuna’s chest. By the time Hakuho executes an overarm throw to end the match, I’m forced to conclude two things: Ama’s the most poised, patient, unpanicked guy I’ve ever seen on the dohyo, and Hakuho’s still a much more powerful rikishi.
The sumo association promoted Ama to Ozeki, and rewarded his basho with his fifth technique prize… but he still hasn’t won an Emperor’s cup. His stablemaster, former Yokozuna Asahifuji, had promised that wrestlers who reached the ozeki rank would change their names. (This is pretty common when rikishi reach the ozeki rank.) So Ama is now Harumafuji – literally “Sun-Horse-Plentiful-Warrior” – and the first ozeki in his stable since 1974.
The chattering classes in the sumo fan community are already arguing that Harumafuji is the second-strongest rikishi in sumo. That strikes me as overly ambitious – both Hakuho and Asashoryu are capable of giving Harumafuji a tough time, and he’s still got a tendency to lose to lower-ranked opponents early in tournaments. Here’s hoping that becoming Ozeki helps him focus in the January basho and we see evidence that he might one day become a Yokozuna.
(And let’s hope my Ama banner becomes a collectible. Thanks, Cyrus, for picking that up for me. Now I need someone to grab a Harumafuji one the next time they’re in Tokyo.)
In summary:
Was Ama, was sekiwake.
Now Harumafuji, now ozeki.
Still Mongolian, still badass.
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November 29th, 2008 at 8:27 am
[...] Post on Harumafuji (sumo wrestler) — just because I like to be reminded that there are things out there I know [...]
December 24th, 2008 at 3:17 am
Anytime!
January 11th, 2009 at 9:11 am
[...] to living in the gutter with sub-par, criminally slow or non-functioning internet is my excuse), Ethan from My Heart’s in Accra picked up my ball and slapping the keyboard at full speed sumo … He even has some video. Good game, Ethan. That’s an obnoxiously long link isn’t it? Me? [...]
January 14th, 2009 at 11:21 pm
The January basho is underway here in Tokyo. Harumafuji has lost all his first four matches while Hakuho, Asashoryu, Kotoushu, Baruto and Chiyotaikai have made it four in a row.
January 15th, 2009 at 12:16 pm
Yep. I’m watching with dismay here in the USA. I blame the name. How can a little guy like that expect to be fast and mobile while weighed down with a four-kanji name. Bring back Ama!
January 15th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
Finally, he won today against Kotoshogiku who is also struggling in this basho. They bought came into today’s match without a win.Lets see if he will again tomorrow.
January 15th, 2009 at 9:47 pm
The problem, Clement, is that Kotoshogiku is also in my fantasy sumo stable, so while I can celebrate the Harumafuji victory, it’s still costing me points in my league… :-)
January 19th, 2009 at 3:57 am
Too bad. I did not that you are a good follower of this ancient Japanese sport. In my case, I am following it because I am now here in Japan for studies. It is quite interesting to see the Mongolians dominating.Kotooshu and Baruto are also good.
January 22nd, 2009 at 4:33 pm
[...] name. Who knew? Adding four syllables and two kanjii was enough to slow down the lightweight yet badass Mongolian sufficiently for him to lose his first four matches as an ozeki. That’s a lot of losses, [...]
May 24th, 2009 at 10:21 am
Harumafuji has just won the Natsu Championship! Go, Harumafuji!
http://www.japantoday.com/category/sports/view/harumafuji-claims-1st-title-at-summer-sumo