Saturday, September 28, 2013

When A Yokozuna Loses


The 2013 Aki Basho (Grand Sumo Tournament) is coming to a close.  I wanted to touch on a interesting and kind of funny topic that I didn't cover in my introduction to Sumo.

Part I-IV:
http://iloveleglocks.blogspot.com/2013/08/introduction-to-sumo-part-i-history-and.html
http://iloveleglocks.blogspot.com/2013/08/introduction-to-sumo-part-ii-banzuke.html
http://iloveleglocks.blogspot.com/2013/08/introduction-to-sumo-part-iii-sumo.html
http://iloveleglocks.blogspot.com/2013/08/introduction-to-sumo-part-iv-gyoji.html

When there is an upset of a yokozuna (there are currently two) to a lower ranked wrestler during a tournament, the audience will react by throwing their 1 kg zabuton seat cushions into the the dohyo.  It's a three hundred year old tradition, and it's quite the spectacle.


                          
     Haramafuji's first lost of this tournament (he hasn't had a good showing this tournament)


                          
                           Hakuho's only loss of this tournament

Remember, each tournament is fifteen days with a wrestler having one match per day.  It is extremely difficult to go undefeated especially at the highest level.  A yokozuna wants to finish with as few loses as possible which means they don't want to lose at all!

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