Sumo: Surprise leader Ichiyamamoto 1st to record 8 wins at IG Arena
The 31-year-old from Hokkaido improved to 8-1 with a victory over sixth-ranked maegashira Gonoyama before his three overnight co-leaders, including sekiwake Kirishima, incurred losses on Day 9.
While he regularly opens with a hand thrust, Ichiyamamoto attacked head-first against fellow Chuo University alumnus Gonoyama.
"I didn't want to lose," Ichiyamamoto said. "I thought he'd get the upper hand if I didn't hit him firmly."
Ichiyamamoto served as an attendant in the grand champion's ring-entry ceremony for the first time on Day 9, standing in for komusubi Takayasu ahead of his match with yokozuna Onosato.
The maegashira said he was relieved that the newly promoted Onosato went on to win the day's ultimate bout.
"If I was the attendant and the yokozuna lost, it would seem like I brought him bad luck," Ichiyamamoto said.
The pusher-thruster from the Hanaregoma stable has not led at this stage of a 15-day tournament since the November 2023 Kyushu meet, when he went on to win 11 bouts and earn a Fighting Spirit Prize.
The last wrestler from Hokkaido to lift the Emperor's Cup was yokozuna Hokutoumi, now Japan Sumo Association chief Hakkaku, at the 1991 Spring meet.
"Ichiyamamoto has a great opportunity," Hakkaku said. "I hope he can stay in the running for the championship for as long as possible."
Ichiyamamato, whose career high ranking is maegashira No. 4, said he simply hoped to move up in the rankings before heading back to his home prefecture next month during sumo's summer tour.
"I want to go home with good results," he said. "I hope I can move up at least one rank."
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Given that, when Takerufuji managed that exact feat in March 2024 he became the first debutant to win the title in over a century, Morita's prediction seemed outlandish at the time. Ten days later that's not the case, and Kusano has a viable path to history over the next five days if he can keep his hot streak going. Kirishima, meanwhile, not only has legitimate hopes of claiming a third title but also an outside chance of making it back to ōzeki should he do so. With a perfect run-in for the veteran adding up to a combined 32 wins over three tournaments — it's a score that would appear to be slightly short of the oft-cited mark of 33. That's not an official guideline, however, and sumo has just one ōzeki currently. A third Emperor's Cup for a former ōzeki could swing things in Kirishima's favor. However things turn out, a tournament that started in a disappointing manner heads into the final stretch with a range of exciting possible outcomes.
