[Magus978]

You know the drill...let's do some match by match commentary.

Welcome to Aki! New hope arises today as everyone starts over at 0-0. Let's see what happens over the next 15 days!

- We start off the top division matches with Takagenji (M17) against Chiyomaru (J1). Chiyomaru making a cameo because of Takayasu dropping out. Takagenji tries to force Chiyomaru out, but it's the Juryo who just sends Takagenji down and to defeat. Good start for Chiyomaru as he tries to make it back to Makuuchi at the first time of asking.

- Yutakayama (M16) was promoted from Juryo after a 9-6 tournament in the summer. Tochiozan has had a year's worth of losing records, and surely if he doesn't make kachi-koshi, he's relegated. Pretty good bout here as Tochiozan almost has Yutakayama on the brink, but the newly-promoted Yutakayama is able to turn the tide with a Kotenage.

- Pair of newly-promoted rikishi in this one as Ishiura (M15), who bounced right back from relegation in the spring, faces Azumaryu (M15), who's back in the top division after spending some time in the second tier. Ishiura and Azumaryu battle it out in the middle, but it's Ishiura who slips and falls to the clay. This one's over pretty quickly, and Azumaryu didn't really have to do a thing.

- Tsurugeisho (M14), the Juryo champion from the last tournament, faces Toyonoshima (M14), who went 7-8 this past summer in a make-koshi effort. Tsurugeisho looked the stronger of the two from the off, and eventually just forces Toyonoshima out.

- Kagayaki (M13) & Nishikigi (M13) have to be looking over their shoulders as relegation to Juryo could come for them if they have another bad tournament. After a pretty blatant false start, Nishikigi gets the duke with a shi-tatenage.

- Shohozan (M12) is probably on his way out sooner rather than later at the age of 35, but Daishoho (M12) has a lot to prove. Off the initial charge, Shohozan bounces right off of Daishoho. They rest in the middle, with the veteran making me eat my words today and tossing the heavier Daishoho to the ground.

- The popular Enho (M11) takes on Onosho (M11). Enho enters this tournament at 216 lbs, has not put on a lot of weight as of yet. This bout gets exciting very quickly, as Enho is making the heavier Onosho move more than he'd like, eventually tossing him out of the ring! The Enho fan club in loud voice today, as the little rikishi that could gets himself a day 1 victory!

- Sadanoumi (M10) takes on Meisei (M10) next. Sadanoumi tries to be aggressive and shove Meisei out, but it's Meisei who just lets him fall to the ground. Relatively effortless win for Meisei here, with Sadanoumi doing all the work.

- THE RICE GOES FLYING! It's Terutsuyoshi (M9) time! He faces Kotoyuki (M9). Both were the lower-rank heroes of the summer, going 12-3 and 11-4 respectively. Kotoyuki the aggressor early on, almost has Terutsuyoshi out, but a great counter move to escape the predicament leads Terutsuyoshi on the attack, and eventually he shoves Kotoyuki out and gets himself a day 1 win!

- Takarafuji (M8) faces Kotoeko (M7) in our second battle of "not the same rank" on the day. After a grueling battle of mawashi-grabbing, Takarafuji is able to force Kotoeko out for the victory.

- Kotoshogiku (M7) continues his attempt to climb back towards his personal best of Ozeki, and it starts by fighting Okinoumi (M8). Originally, the referee rules for Kotoshogiku, but during the bout Kotoshogiku was clearly out with the back of his foot touching the outside of the ring.

- Shimanoumi (M6) & Myogiryu (M6) face off next. Both finished 8-7 in the summer. They held each other for a little bit, trying to leverage their grips for position, but in the end it's Myogiryu who's able to score the victory via force out.

- Chiyotairyu (M5) & Ryuden (M5) are next on the dohyo. Ryuden's 4-11 record in the summer resulted in a sharp drop. Chiyotairyu went on the attack early, but Ryuden grabbed the mawashi after enduring the early slap assault, and was able to turn the bout around and force Chiyotairyu out. Ryuden, the winner via Yorikiri.

- Tamawashi (M4) dropped sharply from Sekiwake. He'll look to get it back this tournament, and to do that he'll need a good start against Shodai (M4). Good aggressive sumo from Tamawashi, and Shodai looked like a deer in the headlights. Tamawashi forces Shodai out and wins it.

- Abi (K) steps in against Tomokaze (M3). Abi rallied for an 8-7 record to save his Komusubi rank in the summer. Tomokaze managed a strong 11-4 record. Abi goes on the attack from the off, but perhaps gets too aggressive, as Tomokaze just lets him fall to the ground. Bad start for Abi.

- Daieisho (M3) takes on Takakeisho (S), who needs 10 wins to regain Ozeki rank. Takakeisho goes on the ultra attack early on, trying to brute force his way to victory, but Daieisho stands firm. Daieisho attacks pretty well too, and they go back and forth in a great bout. Eventually, Takakeisho is able to force a mistake out of Daieisho, and gets the win.

- Mitakeumi (S) faces Asanoyama (M2) next. Mitakeumi went 9-6 in the summer and earned promotion to Sekiwake. Asanoyama just missed a kachi-koshi, going 7-8 and missing out on a chance to potentially promote to Komusubi. Mitakeumi attacks early, but suddenly Asanoyama rushes him and pushes Mitakeumi out of the ring entirely and into the front row! It's take a sumo wrestler home day here in Aki!

- We haven't seen Tochinoshin (O) since the spring tournament, and as a kadoban Ozeki he needs a winning record to keep his rank. The journey to 8 wins starts with a bout against Ichinojo (M2). Tochinoshin gets a good jump, but really does not look in any form as he goes quietly down to the ground. Easy win for Ichinojo.

- Have another kadoban Ozeki in the next match, as Goeido (O) starts out against the Bulgarian Aoiyama (M1). Goeido goes on the attack, and Aoiyama has no answers for it, eventually getting shoved out of the ring and also into the front row.

- Hakuho (Y), fresh off of becoming a naturalized Japanese citizen, will look to make good on it by beating Hokutofuji (M1). Hokutofuji on the offensive early...Hakuho is shocked, and he can't recover! Hokutofuji knocks off Hakuho on day 1...AND HERE COME THE PILLOWS!!! Give that man a kinboshi bonus!

- Main Event time! Kakuryu (Y), winner of the summer tournament with a 14-1 mark, looks to repeat the feat here in the fall. To do that, it all starts with a bout against Endo (K). Wouldn't it be something if BOTH Yokozuna went down on day 1? Endo tries to make it happen, but Kakuryu just lets him be overzealous and Endo hits the clay. Kakuryu gets the victory.

There's no reason for me to give you a rundown after day 1. For that you can go back and read the commentary. We'll see you tomorrow for day 2 of the Aki basho. Hakkeyoi!