In the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament’s fourth day at the Ryogoku Kokugikan, Honoikazuchi—a former Nippon Sport Science University standout who entered the professional ranks with the lowest makushita ranking—suffered a surprising second consecutive loss. Facing Makushita wrestler Waka (from Futagoyama stable), he was thrown off balance by an aggressive upward thrust and eventually pushed out of the ring. “I got slapped in the face and lost the spirit battle,” he reflected in self-criticism.
Despite the fanfare surrounding his debut, he has yet to earn his first victory. “I thought I couldn’t lose today, so it’s really frustrating,” he said. The opponent was particularly significant being a classmate from Kanagawa’s Mukai-no-Oka Technical High School. “We were close in high school and pushed each other to improve,” which made the loss even more painful. Looking ahead to his third match, he emphasized a change of mindset: “I can’t afford to lose again.”
