[sumo] Fwd: [Sumo news] - Ryuuden

[Jeff A]

Moti

Best regards,
Jeffrey Anderson
Gaijingai
For of all sad words of tongue or pen,
The saddest are these:
It might have been.
- John Greenleaf Whittier


---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Moti Dichne <niramiai at gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Aug 13, 2025 at 11:18 AM
Subject: [Sumo news] - Ryuuden
To: Sumo Newsletter2 <sumo-newsletter2 at googlegroups.com>


In his 20th year as a rikishi, 34-year-old veteran Juryo rikishi Ryuuden
showed his spirit in his best friend's hometown. On the 13th, during
asageiko at the Morioka City Tour, held for the first time in nine years,
he had 13 matches, the most of any sekitori. In bouts  with the other
sekitori, he had two wins and three losses. He was then called out by both
Yokozuna, Oonosato and Houshouryuu, in that order. He won one match against
Oonosato and lost all four matches against Houshouryuu, for a total of
three wins and ten losses. Upon being called out by both Yokozuna, Ryuuden
commented, "I was surprised, but I'm also happy, so I was determined to do
everything I could."

Being named by two Yokozuna on the same day is a rare occurrence. "I had
trained with Oonosato before (during a tour in Sendai) and he asked me if
it was okay to do it today, but Houshouryuu  calling me out came out of
nowhere.. When I finished (training) with Oonosato, I felt like our eyes
met for a moment," and he gestured towards me, so I mounted the dohyo
again. "Atamifuji was diagonally in front of me (when he made the gesture),
so I thought he might be calling him. I didn't know who he meant, so I just
went up. And sure enough, he chose me.. (laughs)." While he lost all his
matches against Houshouryuu due to fatigue, he showed off his signature
head placement against Oonosato, carefully attacking and grabbing the
mawashi and pulling, earning one win. "I think I fought tenaciously. I felt
like I could achieve something if I could grab the mawashi. I felt like if
I could manage the flow leading up to the mawashi, things might change," he
said, confident of his chances of returning to Makuuchi next basho.

Morioka City is the hometown of his friend  Nishikigi, a fellow Juryo
rikishi who also graduated from junior high school and entered sumo at the
same time  as Ryuuden. A traditional part of previous jungyos was that
Ryuuden and Nishikigi would be the first to step onto the ring during the
sekitori match-ups. Until another close friend, former Komusubi Shouhouzan
retired, two of the three served in that role. The three of them would go
out to eat almost every day on tour, accompanying Nishikigi, who declared,
"I drink sweet potato shochu 365 days a year." With one of them now
retired, Nishikigi, who was looking forward to a triumphant return to his
hometown after securing a return to Makuuchi, also withdrew from this
jungyo midway. "I was just called out as usual, but I was also carrying
Nishikigi's hopes of 'livening things up' (laughs). I was working hard
because it was a local tour for him. My current condition isn't that great,
but what can you do.. It's regrettable," he joked, stating that he fought
harder than anyone else in his best friend's hometown. And being in his
best friend's hometown gave him renewed motivation. "I'd be happy if a
Yokozuna chose me again." The three close friends, including former
Shouhouzan, all reached the highest rank of Komusubi. He had regained the
hunger of a young rikishi, wanting to stand out among the others and reach
a new high.

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