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joshuashibata.bsky.social
Professional Ring Announcer, MC, host, PA Announcer. Lover of all combat sports and rugby! Works for Fighters Rep, Cali Muay Thai, RFCLA, Rugby Tens Championship.
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We always forget to take pics when we visit each other until it’s the very last day.. 😅 @joshuashibata.bsky.social

submitted 2 days ago • 1 comment

Japan-based sports writers who are generally conservative in context and opinion, are resoundingly critical of the JSA's heartless treatment of Hakuho, which has rendered sumo without the greatest yokozuna of all time. Ichiro Sasaki of Nippon Sports sums up the tragedy as, "... a loss ...

submitted 7 days ago • 2 comments

The JSA thinks they're rid of Hakuho and that he'll never affect them again. But, if his new SUMO league takes off and his rikishi are paid 5x what they are now and are given the freedoms afforded to other professional athletes, how many ozumo rikishi will join him? For certain the young guys will.

submitted 9 days ago • 8 comments

Tomorrow we party!!!! Come by and join my Birthday/Welcome Home Stray party on Twitch! We will play games; there will be chances to win prizes; drinks & dancing; and more ridiculousnesss than necessary! Tomorrow afternoon! Hope to see you there! Twitch.tv/wrestlingleva

submitted 13 days ago • 0 comments

My first stream back will be my birthday party & now Stray’s Welcome Home party on Saturday!!  Starting at 3/4pm EST. There will be chance to win prizes; drinks & dancing; and more ridiculousnesss than necessary!  Twitch.tv/wrestlingleva

submitted 14 days ago • 0 comments

We had a championship playoff in the Jonidan btw co-leaders with perfect scores of 7-0-- both from Shirokoyama Beya. Congrats to the winner, 26-yr-old Mineyaiba (Left) and 18-yr-old Tenrosei (Center), nephew of Asashoryu and son of professional wrestler Blue Wolf. Nice work, Homasho! (Right)

submitted 18 days ago • 0 comments

The parties and celebrations are in full swing. First up is the group shot (in the shitakubeya) of the big supporters with their boy, Onosato. Talk about happy. I've never seen Japanese people so exuberant. The old guys in the front row look to be blasting off.

submitted 17 days ago • 4 comments

Everybody's smiling (well, maybe not Shonanoumi, but every class has somebody)-- and Nishikigi brought his glasses--so all is beautifully well. No injuries here only joyful faces. Thank you for your support! Natsu 2025 was terrific--and really memorable.

submitted 18 days ago • 3 comments

Day 11, Natsu. Setting his sights on a kinboshi from HOSHORYU, M7 HAKUOHO gave it a good fight but came up short in his second tournament bout versus Hoshoryu--the first being in Nagoya 2023 where then sekiwake Hoshoryu floored him by uwatenage before going on to win the yusho.

submitted 21 days ago • 1 comment

This photo from Reiko @_kirishima_love memorializes a really rotten birthday for Yokozuna Hoshoryu who, after this bout with Kirishima, falls from one-behind the leader Onosato, to a five-way tie for second place. Onosato can claim the yusho with a win tonight versus fellow Ozeki Kotozakura.

submitted 21 days ago • 3 comments

Ura demonstrates the Tsuzaezori. The underarm forward body drop: Kimarite in which the attacker will dive under one of the defender's arms while maintaining a grip on that arm. Leaning back and into the defender, he will force him to fall forward and touch down with his free hand or body.

submitted 22 days ago • 2 comments

ONOSATO is on a roll w zensho yusho within his grasp but, according to Tamanoi Oyakata (Tochiazuma), WAKATAKAKAGE is the wrestler most threatening to Onosato's perfect score. Through tireless conviction, Wakatakakage has rebuilt his injured knee and is producing his best sumo since his 2022 yusho.

submitted 25 days ago • 1 comment

Wanna know all the places you can find me! Here are the links!

submitted 23 days ago • 0 comments

For his Day 9 White Star vs Takerufuji, Kirishima sacrificed his face to buffer his fall. In close call situations, a good rikishi will withdraw his hands and arms even if his pretty face is nearest the clay. As a consequence, Kirishima's right cheek was heavily bandaged on Day 10 vs Kotozakura.

submitted 23 days ago • 4 comments

After suffering his third loss on Day 7, Ozeki Kotozakura looked down, but he's far from out. "Yes, it was a poor perfomance," he said. "I'm going to change my attitude." Ch. Hakkaku summed it up, "First thing is to hit the opponent, aka pressure! Instead, he's trying to land a light right hand."

submitted 26 days ago • 1 comment

It's not just the 90-pounds that Takakeisho has lost in eight months that astounds, but his gentle face and peaceful expression that has emerged. Can a man look more relieved and happy than he now that he no longer stuffs himself with food he doesn't like and weighs himself three-times a day?

submitted 28 days ago • 4 comments

Abema TV announces its guest analyst for Day 7 of Natsu: SHOMA ARASHI--model and face of "Men's Non No" magazine, AND grandson of 57th Yokozuna Mienoumi. Arashi is pleased to be commentating on sumo, "A world I gave up on." Do you see the resemblance btw him and his grandfather? Me neither.

submitted 28 days ago • 1 comment

Sekiwake Daieisho, sumo's best non-ozeki wrestler has been flawless, winning five consecutive matches by Day 5. The formula for ozeki is 33 victories by a san'yaku in three basho(s), which makes Daieisho's magic number eight. Daieisho-seki, Stay on it. You're producing terrific sumo.

submitted 28 days ago • 3 comments

Granted, Gyoji Shikimori Inosuke's sightline may have been obstructed by Kotozakura's body--but, that is why there are shimpan on all sides of the ring. In Takerufuji vs Kotozakura at least one of those shimpan should have called for a mono-ii. The ozeki's elbow...

submitted 27 days ago • 2 comments

On the flip side of Asanoyama's unexpected loss and end to any promotion this season is the joy of the rikishi who defeated him. Ms15 Toseiryu was unable to calm his excitement when speaking to the press. "It's the best sumo I've ever wrestled," he said in near wonder. "I still can't believe it."

submitted 29 days ago • 0 comments

Maegashira 2 Abi takes a gold star from Yokozuna Hoshoryu on Day 4 of Natsu. Tasting sand for the second consecutive day while doling out the same number of kinboshi--first to Oho and now to Abi (who now has four such scalps in his purse)-- Hoshoryu is having a tough start in Natsu.

submitted 29 days ago • 1 comment

A change has come to the usual jocose Akua who is receiving praise from all corners of sumodom for his dancing for the day's winners (with extra mirth for the yokozuna) and cleansing the air surrounding the dohyo of evil spirits--by performing the yumitori-shiki, the bow twirling ceremony.

submitted 30 days ago • 1 comment

From leveling a blow to the back of the head of Hoshoryu, Oho not only won the day but his second kinboshi. "It would have been best if I could have attacked him straight up," said Oho, "but the yokozuna possesses incredible speed in his returns. So, I decided to go for and hit the target."

submitted 30 days ago • 1 comment