The Yokozunae training

[Moti Dichne]

Today, Yokozuna Oonosato  faced Yokozuna Houshouryuu for some head to heads- 10 consecutive matches during the Niigata tour. Oonosato finished with 4-6. Both rikishi fought without any tape or support, providing an unexpected treat for the fans in attendance. This was Oonosato's first jungyo since being promoted to Yokozuna at the Nagoya basho in July. The summer jungyo featuring both Yokozuna began on the 3rd of this month with the Osaka/Kansai Expo tour and will run until the 31st in Kasukabe, Saitama Prefecture. "The end is in sight. I'll work hard from now on," he said. This marks the third Yokozuna showdown, following the Asahikawa tour on the 16th and the first day of the Sapporo tour on the 17th. While Oonosato smiled as he reflected on the keiko session, Houshouryuu held his left shoulder on the dohyo, perhaps due to discomfort he felt after keiko. The head-to-head record between the two is 2-6 in favor of Oonosato. As they are likely to be testing each other's minds in preparation for a rematch on the final day of Aki, it is not possible to simply assess their abilities or state of preparation from the outcome of today's matches, but it was a clash that has piqued interest in what will happen on the dohyo.