The Ryogoku Kokugikan was the setting for two of the most significant pieces of sumo news this week.
First up was the (limited) resumption of training between wrestlers from different stables at the arena’s practice rings.
For the first time in seven months, top-rankers were able to spar with their main rivals — something invaluable to rikishi such as Asanoyama and Mitakeumi, who train in stables without any opponents of a comparable level. Both men had been forced to prepare for the July and September tournaments whilst going against wrestlers from at least two divisions lower.
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