2025 Aki Basho: Day 2 results and analysis
Recapping all the top division action from Grand Sumo's 2025 Aki Basho (spoilers).
Day two of our autumn tournament has come and gone and we were treated to some great sumo. It’s far too early to speculate on where this basho is heading. Right now we just need to sit back and enjoy as some pieces start to fall into place.
Scroll down for all the top division results, some great videos and my analysis.
Today’s bonus gif is Kotozakura, making an adjustment.
SPOILERS BELOW
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Results
Oshoumi (2-0) def. Hitoshi (0-2) by kotenage (headlock throw)
Shishi (1-1) def. Tomokaze (1-1) by oshidashi (frontal push out)
Ryuden (2-0) def. Nishikigi (0-2) by yorikiri (frontal force out)
Tobizaru (2-0) def. Sadanoumi (1-1) by hikiotoshi (hand pull down)
Asakoryu (1-1) def. Shonannoumi (0-2) by oshidashi
Tokihayate (1-1) def. Mitakeumi (0-2) by yorikiri
Roga (2-0) def. Meisei (1-1) by uwatenage (over arm throw) after gyoji (referee) decision overturned by mono-ii (shimpan [judges] review)*
Shodai (2-0) def. Daieisho (1-1) by okuridashi (rear push out)*
Churanoumi (1-1) def. Fujinokawa (1-1) by yorikiri*
Ura (2-0) def. Midorifuji (1-1) by yoritaoshi (frontal crush out)*
Oshoma (1-1) def. Kinbozan (1-1) by uwatenage*
Onokatsu (2-0) def. Takanosho (1-1) by oshidashi
Ichiyamamoto (1-1) def. Kusano (0-2) by oshidashi
Kotoshoho (1-1) def. Hiradoumi (1-1) by tsukiotoshi (thrust down)
Wakamotoharu (2-0) def. Gonoyama (0-2) by oshidashi*
Aonishiki (1-1) def. Atamifuji (1-1) by yorikiri after torinaoshi (immediate replay)*
Wakatakakage (1-1) def. Oho (0-2) by yorikiri*
Kirishima (2-0) def. Abi (0-2) by sukuinage (beltless arm throw)*
Kotozakura (2-0) def. Hakuoho (1-1) by tsukiotoshi*
Onosato (2-0) def. Tamawashi (0-2) by tsukiotoshi*
Hoshoryu (2-0) def. Takayasu (0-2) by yorikiri*
*Must see bouts!
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Leaderboard
Too early!
Analysis
Both yokozuna won, again, last night. And both continue to look in good condition and form. And both had to deal with some stiff resistance, too.
First it was Onosato, who had to gut out a very hard nodowa (throat thrust) from Tamawashi. Onosato stood firm to that attack before pushing Tamawashi’s elbow and then stepping out for the nice thrust down.
Hoshoryu had more work to do against the tough and tricky Takayasu. Hoshoryu came into this bout with a 2-10 record against the former ozeki. It’s only Day 2, but Hoshoryu really needed to win this. And I think he knew that. Taking an early loss, albeit to a komusubi, could snowball into another disappointing yokozuna tournament for him.
I think you could sense the urgency and, even anxiety, in Hoshoryu in his tachiai. He did a very fast tap and go while Takayasu had just one fist down. He used that early advantage to get a quick inside position with his left arm. Takayasu, the best defensive grappler in the sport, blocked him from getting the belt, though. Hoshoryu then went inside with his right arm and tried to land a shitatenage (underarm throw). Takayasu is seldom thrown, though. He blocked two of those attacks. Hoshoryu then went moro-zashi (double inside position) and used a great deal of strength to force Takayasu out.
That’s great sumo from Hoshoryu and the second match in a row where he’s had to improvise and dig deep for the win.
Kotozakura won easily on Day 2, which is a great sign for him and his fitness this month. He played matador with Hakuoho, taking his opening charge in the chest before sweeping him to the side.
Kotozakura might have done something very cool during that sequence. Off the tachiai he started going for a makki-kae (a switch from outside to inside position) with his right arm. He then bailed on it, circled to the weak side and slapped Hakuoho down into the empty space he created. He may have bailed on the makki-kae because he saw this opportunity present itself. If he faked the makki-kae, though, to disguise his next move… that’s some high level sumo.
Kirishima is keeping pace with the early leaders. He did a good job of deflecting Abi’s harite (palm striking) — sideways, not upwards — and let Abi throw himself off balance. Then then helped his opponent over with almost a katasukashi (under shoulder swing down) grip on the shoulder.
Last night Wakatakakage got the first of the eleven wins he needs to make ozeki. He bull-rushed Oho for the very quick yorikiri.
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Aonishiki and Atamifuji had a fascinating contest. I think, based on how Atamifuji defended against Aonishiki’s numerous pull/twist/snap down attacks, that guys are reading the scouting report on Aonishiki and that he’s not going to find wins as easy to come by as he did in the past.
In their match, after defending a number of attempts to pull him down, Atamifuji was finally wrenched onto the dirt. However, while doing so Aonishiki put his elbows into the ground at the same time. The shimpan called for a torinaoshi after this, which may be a subtle warning to Aonishiki that these freestyle wrestling infused moves might be outside of what the JSA deems appropriate sumo (like with Hoshoryu and his judo throws). In the rematch, Aonishiki survived a slapdown attempt and got on Atamifuji’s belt and then charged him out the ring, while Atamifuji tried, and failed, to levitate and land second.
Ura is off to a 2-0 start. He came out on top after a fun bout with Midorifuji last night. Ura went for the tsuridashi (frontal lift out), but had to settle for dumping Midorifuji on the straw bales (ouch).
Churanoumi and Fujinokawa gave us what we’d expect from an All Violence Team match-up. They battled, furiously, over the belt and laid in some hard slaps, too, before crashing off the ring. Fujinokawa will be a fun watch this month, but I think he’s going to struggle to get wins while ranked this high.
Tomorrow we have Abi looking to break Onosato’s perfect start to the basho. Onosato is 5-3 against ol’ Machine-Gun Arm. Hoshoryu draws Hakuoho, whom he is 2-0 against.
Kotozakura meets Aonishiki. Kotozakura was one of Aonishiki’s uchimuso (inner thigh propping twist down) victims in May. It will be interesting to see what Kotozakura does to try and counter that this time around.
See you tomorrow!
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Hooray for a morning update! This was a cool day of bouts. Atamifuji and Aonishiki was especially interesting, but I am worried that Aonishiki's style of going so low will mess up his neck and back. (Ura is the only other person to do it this much, and Ura tends to stay at a longer reach.)
Kotozakura is back to making things look easy. Onosato seems to have discovered how to get angles on people instead of only using hatakikomi. And Hoshoryu is using more effort but is showing strong technique.
One of my favorite things about following sumo over the course of a year is watching how the top rankers adapt to rookies that reach their ranks. That's why I'm so intrigued to see how Aonishiki performs this tournament.