@@luciagianquitto4010 it’s a tough one for sure, but it likely is gonna boil down to whom among the most talented and disciplined can manage to remain injury free.
I agree completely with your list save the absence of Hakuoho, I would have placed him 5th or 6th with room to go up depending on how he looks in January.
Sadly he has a vast gulf between current form and the last time he competed in Division 1. I desperately hope I’m wrong but M15 looks to be his ceiling for the foreseeable future.
I think Takerufuji has the highest ceiling of all, assuming Kiri’s injuries will hobble him until retirement. The Waka brothers are genuine Sekiwake level.
I think your rankings are just where they oughta be, but I feel like you're dismissing Gonoyama too readily. Dude just ended on a nice result last basho and looked better than he ever had. String a few more of those together and baby we got a stew going. Love the content as always. Keep it up!
Once again as I have said before, Takerufuji, yes it will take longer but my chicken leg friend will get it done. But the heat is coming in January, with 3 Ozeki in place, the Waka Bros coming in hot, a maybe healthy Yoka! We shall see.... plus all the Random interlopers like Abi mixed in :)
Wakatakakage will make Ozeki next at this rate although he probably won't maintain it if he does get it - Waka bros seem to do really well right around Sekiwake
I’m excited to hear your take on Wakatakakage!! Started watching sumo 2 Bashos Ago (September) and immediately decided he was one of my favorites for his build, tenacity and strength, mind you, I didn’t know Anything about Sumo!! He’s still one of my favorites!!! (And my boys love saying his name! lol)
I'm holding on to hope that Hiradoumi can get over this bump in his career. He's made it up to komusubi very fast and he's real young so he has the time to find himself and make a comeback. Takerufuji and Hakuoho I worry could be injury magnets. They could well end up like Takayasu, too strong for mid maegashira in a vacuum but not durable enough to hang in the joi.
speaking of takayasu, he was only a year older than kirishima when he got injured and lost ozeki. I think Kirishima could be the next takayasu where the same injury keeps flaring up preventing him from putting together three ozeki-level basho to return to the rank.
This has been bouncing around my brain since I first watched the video, so I wanted to come back here and declare a bolderererer prediction (more of a pipe dream, really) that day 15 finds us with Kotozakura, Terunofuji, and Hoshoryu in a 3 way play off, ending with the unexpected triumph of the nephew. It ushers in an announcement of retirement for Yerunofuji and two new Yokozuna!
Wakatakakage is my best bet. Love Wakamotoharu a lot, and thought he might do it at one point, but it all fell apart. It would be great to see Waka-brothers side by side at Ozeki! Atamifuji would need to find his next gear to make it happen. He has time and it will take time. Kirishima is my Bae, BUT he is oit for January and has both physical and mental concerns to overcome to get there. Might be a 2026 occurrence if it happens at all.
Merry Christmas! Excellent content as always. When watching old sumo basho, I can see a clear similarity between the styles of Takerufuji and former ozeki Dejima. Both were very good at bulldozing forward with an inside grip, but were vulnerable to slap dows and couldn't defend well when their opponent got inside. Both have a 13-2 yusho which they won close to their 25th birthday. Dejima lost ozeki because of a lower leg injury, hopefully takerufuji's injury can heal completely and hopefully he makes it to ozeki and the ankle/achilles tendon doesn't flare up and drop him like Dejima.
I think I agree with your entire assessment of the field at this point in time. I'd really like to see Terunofuji retire soon, but my guess is that JSA is leaning on him to continue in the hope that a new Yokozuna will emerge. Honestly, I would LOVE to see both Kotonowaka and Hoshoryu make it to Yokozuna. But I digress. As for Ozeki, yes, I think Wakatakatakatakakagi has the best shot right now. He's so consistent, and that's what's needed. Additionally, I would LOVE to see Takerufuji and Hakuoho stay healthy so they can get back to sanyaku level AND make their own ozeki runs. I'm a firm believer that having a strong field of upper echelon rikishi elevates everyone's sumo because the lower level guys have more to shoot for.
12+ wins for Wakamotoharu seems quite unlikely. For Takerufuji I want to see him face off higher ranked wrestlers as after his earliest bouts where he was a unknown the losses have been piling when Takerufuji goes against san`yaku or joi opponents.
Why didn't you mention Takanosho? Had a pretty good showing in the last Tournament, and the Summer Tournament was the runner up, and he beat the Yokozuna in that Tournament, no? He certainly was better than most of the guys you mentioned in this video.
@@TheDohyo nonetheless, Takanosho gets presentation points, he always looks happy, which you just can't say about the bad boys Kotozakura and Hoshoryu.
@ you’re permitted to smile if you get over ten wins, I don’t think Ura was even close to that, nor did he come even close to beating a Yokozuna, just saying you’re going a little hyperbolic here. Sometimes being absurd is, well being absurd.
@@michaeltischuk7972 I remember him beating Yokozuna Terunofuji in 2022. It turns out he also beat Harumafuji right before the injury that dropped Ura from the top division way back when.
Honestly I HAVE NO IDEA about who could be an ozeki
Lucky you are here then! I did a whole vid!
I also have no idea...
@@stevenicholas5651 GREAT NEWS!
@@luciagianquitto4010 it’s a tough one for sure, but it likely is gonna boil down to whom among the most talented and disciplined can manage to remain injury free.
Would love to see both Waka bros at Ozeki.
Longshot but I would love if Abi got it
Yes. This is the smirkiest timeline.
I agree completely with your list save the absence of Hakuoho, I would have placed him 5th or 6th with room to go up depending on how he looks in January.
Sadly he has a vast gulf between current form and the last time he competed in Division 1. I desperately hope I’m wrong but M15 looks to be his ceiling for the foreseeable future.
A Christmas miracle!
9/10 head whip to start. Excellent rebound after a couple of disaponting intro head whips. Proud of ya.
My hair is finally long enough for some A+ whippage.
I think Takerufuji has the highest ceiling of all, assuming Kiri’s injuries will hobble him until retirement. The Waka brothers are genuine Sekiwake level.
I like the candidates JWags. I’ve often wondered where Wakatakakage would’ve landed had it not been for the injury…;
Merry Christmas Mr Jwags!!
Happy Merry to you my friend!
I think your rankings are just where they oughta be, but I feel like you're dismissing Gonoyama too readily. Dude just ended on a nice result last basho and looked better than he ever had. String a few more of those together and baby we got a stew going. Love the content as always. Keep it up!
Let's see him get KK in the joi 1st... Then we may talk of stew and Carl Weathers!
Once again as I have said before, Takerufuji, yes it will take longer but my chicken leg friend will get it done. But the heat is coming in January, with 3 Ozeki in place, the Waka Bros coming in hot, a maybe healthy Yoka! We shall see.... plus all the Random interlopers like Abi mixed in :)
Wakatakakage will make Ozeki next at this rate although he probably won't maintain it if he does get it - Waka bros seem to do really well right around Sekiwake
I’m excited to hear your take on Wakatakakage!! Started watching sumo 2 Bashos Ago (September) and immediately decided he was one of my favorites for his build, tenacity and strength, mind you, I didn’t know Anything about Sumo!! He’s still one of my favorites!!! (And my boys love saying his name! lol)
I'm between Kirishima return to Ozeki, or Wakatakakage becoming a new Ozeki by the end of 2025.
I'm holding on to hope that Hiradoumi can get over this bump in his career. He's made it up to komusubi very fast and he's real young so he has the time to find himself and make a comeback.
Takerufuji and Hakuoho I worry could be injury magnets. They could well end up like Takayasu, too strong for mid maegashira in a vacuum but not durable enough to hang in the joi.
speaking of takayasu, he was only a year older than kirishima when he got injured and lost ozeki. I think Kirishima could be the next takayasu where the same injury keeps flaring up preventing him from putting together three ozeki-level basho to return to the rank.
This has been bouncing around my brain since I first watched the video, so I wanted to come back here and declare a bolderererer prediction (more of a pipe dream, really) that day 15 finds us with Kotozakura, Terunofuji, and Hoshoryu in a 3 way play off, ending with the unexpected triumph of the nephew. It ushers in an announcement of retirement for Yerunofuji and two new Yokozuna!
This would be epic.
In Hakuoho continues to heal, and the stable issues resolve, he could very well make it in 9 tournaments.
Wakatakakage is my best bet.
Love Wakamotoharu a lot, and thought he might do it at one point, but it all fell apart. It would be great to see Waka-brothers side by side at Ozeki!
Atamifuji would need to find his next gear to make it happen. He has time and it will take time.
Kirishima is my Bae, BUT he is oit for January and has both physical and mental concerns to overcome to get there. Might be a 2026 occurrence if it happens at all.
Is it confirmed that Kiri is out for the january basho? I know that he skipped the provincial tour but the basho too?
@moritzhu1 i believe that came from the Grand Sumo Breakdown December news report. They had pulled it from a Japanese print source.
Merry Christmas! Excellent content as always. When watching old sumo basho, I can see a clear similarity between the styles of Takerufuji and former ozeki Dejima. Both were very good at bulldozing forward with an inside grip, but were vulnerable to slap dows and couldn't defend well when their opponent got inside. Both have a 13-2 yusho which they won close to their 25th birthday. Dejima lost ozeki because of a lower leg injury, hopefully takerufuji's injury can heal completely and hopefully he makes it to ozeki and the ankle/achilles tendon doesn't flare up and drop him like Dejima.
Great observation. I will have to check out some classic Dejima!
Agreed with the rankings 100%! It was certainly Onosato's and Kotozakura's year😂😂😂, I think they get it in tandem!
I think I agree with your entire assessment of the field at this point in time. I'd really like to see Terunofuji retire soon, but my guess is that JSA is leaning on him to continue in the hope that a new Yokozuna will emerge. Honestly, I would LOVE to see both Kotonowaka and Hoshoryu make it to Yokozuna. But I digress.
As for Ozeki, yes, I think Wakatakatakatakakagi has the best shot right now. He's so consistent, and that's what's needed. Additionally, I would LOVE to see Takerufuji and Hakuoho stay healthy so they can get back to sanyaku level AND make their own ozeki runs. I'm a firm believer that having a strong field of upper echelon rikishi elevates everyone's sumo because the lower level guys have more to shoot for.
i am watching your video and go to Christmas !
Happy Merry, my friend!
The ozeki rank seems to be the most difficult rank to keep, seeing all the guys who used to be one.
I still hope Kirishima makes it back to that rank.
Both Wakatakakage and Wakamotoharu. For extra drama
Wuldn't only one getting promoted lead to MORE drama...
12+ wins for Wakamotoharu seems quite unlikely. For Takerufuji I want to see him face off higher ranked wrestlers as after his earliest bouts where he was a unknown the losses have been piling when Takerufuji goes against san`yaku or joi opponents.
Why didn't you mention Takanosho? Had a pretty good showing in the last Tournament, and the Summer Tournament was the runner up, and he beat the Yokozuna in that Tournament, no? He certainly was better than most of the guys you mentioned in this video.
Wrong side of 30, he's never gotten 10+ wins in the San'yaku, and has a bad knee.
@@TheDohyo nonetheless, Takanosho gets presentation points, he always looks happy, which you just can't say about the bad boys Kotozakura and Hoshoryu.
@@michaeltischuk7972 Well, by that criteria, Ura should be our next Yokozuna!
@ you’re permitted to smile if you get over ten wins, I don’t think Ura was even close to that, nor did he come even close to beating a Yokozuna, just saying you’re going a little hyperbolic here. Sometimes being absurd is, well being absurd.
@@michaeltischuk7972 I remember him beating Yokozuna Terunofuji in 2022. It turns out he also beat Harumafuji right before the injury that dropped Ura from the top division way back when.
I think Kirashima has a mental block about becoming ozeki...
How so?
I mean, he already WAS an ozeki so is the block new?