More rikishi-speak..
Moti Dichne
Much hyped newcomer Asahifuji ranked at 6E in Sandanme and who inherited his shikona from the 63rd Yokozuna Asahifuji, won the highly anticipated match against another hyped newcomer Oomori to secure his sixth win of the basho. He defeated Oomori who had won five consecutive matches since his debut at Makushita 60 tsukedashi, by yorikiri . This puts him one win away (and a playoff win..) from winning his third consecutive division championship. Oomori reflected, "It was fun because he was strong. I hope to be able to win more from now on." He acknowledged the difference in strength between himself and his opponent, saying, "He has strong fundamental strength," and added, "He was waiting for me to make a move. I think it was his strategy."
Enhou in Juryo, after returning to the paid ranks after three years, suffered his second consecutive loss, once again putting on hold his chances of achieving a kachikoshi. He was pushed down by Kazekenou who is currently in first place with a 10-1 record, bringing his own record to 7-4. He was forced into a situation where he seemed to be able to get close to his opponent but couldn't, saying, "I guess I lost due to lack of stamina." He said he missed the few chances he had, and accepted the result, saying, "My opponent was good in the final stages." If he wins another bout, it will be his first kachikoshi in Juryo or higher in 19 tournaments since the Haru Basho in 2023. If he gets a makekoshi, he will be demoted back to Makushita. He said he is "not that conscious" of achieving a kachikoshi. Looking ahead to tomorrow, he said, "I want to save up a little more strength so that I can unleash explosive power in the next match." The Natsu Basht is finally entering its final stages, but Enhou's words were strong. "I think this is just the beginning. I still have a lot of fighting spirit. I think I can get there once my body is in good shape," he said, looking ahead. Enhou has been absent since Nashu Basho 2023 due to a serious spinal cord injury, and has not competed for seven tournaments since then.