That’s a wrap!
You can check out my results and analysis for the final day of the 2023 Kyushu basho here (link).
We have our champion. We have our prize winners. And we have closure on the 2023 season of Grand Sumo. It’s been a heck of a year for twists and turns, returns and redemption. A number of rikishi have soared to new heights while others have slumped and suffered.
With this tournament coming to a close, I now get to celebrate my first year covering the sport for Bloody Elbow. It’s been a very fun, and sometimes challenging, education on how to cover the sport in a way I enjoy and would want to read myself. I’ve loved it and I can’t thank you all enough for coming along on the ride thus far.
Next up for me are my deep dives on what we just saw. I’ll be doing my report card series, where I grade everyone in makuuchi for their performances in this tournament. I’ll also be doing a deep dive on Takakeisho (who won the vote for the Sumo Stomp! spotlight). I’ll be breaking down his bouts and hoping to answer how he might have blown his chances of becoming the next yokozuna.
Those will be premium pieces here on Substack with just previews available for free on Bloody Elbow.
Which brings me to my next slightly uncomfortable point…
If you like what I do here and want to support me, the best way to do that is with a paid subscription. I keep the prices as low as Substack will allow me. Paid subscriptions fund my ability to write longer and more detailed pieces. They also tell me what I’m doing here has value and is worth the time and energy I put into it (which isn’t always easy when I’m an editor at BE and a social worker in training, as well as a parent and a spouse).
If you can’t afford to pick up a paid subscription, that’s ok — I get it. Times are tough right now (especially in the build up to the Holidays). There will always be some free content available on Sumo Stomp! and regardless if you are a paid or a free subscribers you have my deep appreciation for reading my work.
Take care all!
Tim
New member here. Thrilled to find this substack. In the US it's nearly impossible to find somebody to talk sumo with! And I already love the in-depth analysis I've found here. Now I'm looking forward to the January tournament even more!