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Sakai World Sumo Champs – not all about winning
Las Vegas Koen
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Our man reports from the fight capital of the world
Rikishi of Old
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Heya Peek
John Gunning
John’s early morning dash to Azumazeki-beya & report on TKOTU
SFM Interview
Katrina Watts sits down with SFM’s Mark Buckton to discuss amateur sumo
Photo Bonanza
SFM’s best yet – Aki Basho/ Las Vegas / Amateur World Champs / Azumazeki-beya visit – seen nowhere else
Aki Basho Review
Lon Howard
Lon gives us his Aki Basho summary, along with the henka sightings results, and his take on the tournament while ‘gem’ of the basho takes a break
Lower Division Rikishi
Mikko Mattila
Mikko Mattila returns to cover lower division ups and downs
Kyushu Basho Forecast
Pierre Wohlleben & Mark Buckton
Pierre predicts the Kyushu Basho banzuke while Mark previews the ones to watch next time out
Sumo 101
Barbara Ann Klein
Discovers and explains amasumo & ozumo variations
Kimarite Focus
Mikko Mattila
Mikko once again walks us through his chosen kimarite
Minusha
John McTague
John’s unique bimonthly view of news from outside the dohyo
Online Gaming
Zenjimoto of ‘game fame’ covers some of the very best sumo games around – his own!
Kokugi Connections
Todd Lambert
Todd’s focus on 3 of the most interesting online sumo sites today
Fan Debate
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SFM Cartoons
Benny Loh
In the first of our cartoon bonanzas, sit back and chuckle at Benny Loh’s offerings
Let’s Hear From You
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Readers’ Letters
See what SFM readers had to say since our last issue
Sumo Quiz
The Quizmaster
Answer the Qs and win yourself next basho’s banzuke.
On the second day a, far more lively Saturday night crowd of 8,576 greeted the rikishi, prompting the “sold out” banners to be lowered from the Event Center’s ceiling.
Egged on by KONISHIKI, the crowd sounded louder and more into each bout, often screaming for East or West rikishi. The sekitori, responding to the cheering, appeared to try harder to please the audience. In fact, we witnessed more tsuridashi and uchari than normally seen in a typical hon-basho.
Ozeki Chiyotaikai, again, with his sharp tsuppari, downed one rikishi after another, and in the final, he defeated yokozuna Asashoryu by tsukiotoshi. With the two ozeki winning the first two days’ competitions, the stage was set for a three-way yusho kettei-sen on the final day – IF Asashoryu could come back to win on day 3.
Day Two rikishi talk
Asashoryu – Before the interpreter arrived, speaking to Japanese sumo beat reporters about Chiyotaikai: “I don’t remember, but I tell you it’s been a while. He came up with such powerful tsupparis..I was really surprised.” On today’s
Chiyotaikai – On winning the day 2 yusho: “I lost a lot at the casinos but I won at the sumo! I am so happy to win today’s tournament here in Las Vegas. In the world of martial arts, undoubtedly, this is the mecca. So to win the championship here is something else.” On the crowd: “They are different from Japan – foot thumping, whistling – and they are loud so they can really motivate you to do well. I can’t communicate with them with words but can communicate with heart to heart. It’s turning out to be one happy occasion for all of us. I went to see Bellagio’s fountain, too.” Asked whether he faced the yokozuna previously and how he fared if he did: “Well...I mean I just faced him yesterday and I lost yesterday (laughs). But, yes, I did beat him before. As the next basho is my home basho in Kyushu, I feel this is a great way to start preparing for it.”
Takamisakari – His “performance” getting as many cheers in Vegas as in Japan, facing Asashoryu, getting slapped on his face and losing,
Kisenosato: “I am very happy to be here and am honored to be a member of the group, showing sumo to the American people. I am especially happy today as I was able to stay until the quarter-finals to face an ozeki. Everything is different here. I am awed, everything is so huge...” On doing anything special while in Vegas: “I haven’t had too much chance to do the sights yet. I am still too young (19 years old) to gamble so I have not been to a casino. I want to do well here as I am also really looking forward to doing well in the next basho.”
Tournament Day 3
The final day of the tournament brought the biggest crowd, attracting 9,227 spectators, once again, bringing down the “sold out” banners.
With four huge TV screens positioned on the upper sections, each match could have been observed easily, although in some bouts, fans were asking for a replay. There was only one mono-ii throughout the three
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