2025 Aki Basho: Day 3 results and analysis

Recapping all the top division action from Grand Sumo's 2025 Aki Basho (spoilers).

Another day in the bank at the 2025 aki basho and it’s still too early to speculate on where this one might be heading.

In this tournament, we’ve had some decent matches involving the upper rankers — particularly with our yokozuna. Below them, though, there’s been a lot of forgettable yorikiri matches.

Hopefully things pick up as guys get warmed up and start to think seriously about their records.

Scroll down to see who went the extra mile last night. I’ve got all the results, some match videos and my analysis.

Today’s bonus gif is Attack of the Flying Cushions (from July).

Who would you aim for?

SPOILERS BELOW

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Results

• Shishi (2-1) def. Hitoshi (0-3) by yorikiri (frontal force out)

• Ryuden (3-0) def. Kotoeiho (0-3) by yorikiri

• Shonannoumi (1-2) def. Nishikigi (0-3) by uwatenage (over arm throw)

• Tomokaze (2-1) def. Tobizaru (2-1) by oshidashi (frontal push out) after mono-ii (judges’ review) confirms gyoji (referee) decision*

• Tokihayate (2-1) def, Asakoryu (2-1) by tsukiotoshi (thrust down)

• Sadanoumi (2-1) def. Meisei (1-2) by oshidashi

• Mitakeumi (1-2) def. Shodai (2-1) by yorikiri

• Churanoumi (2-1) def. Roga (2-1) by yorikiri

• Kinbozan (1-2) def. Daieisho (1-2) by uwatenage*

• Ura (3-0) def. Fujinokawa (0-3) by oshidashi*

• Oshoma (2-1) def. Midorifuji (1-2) by oshidashi

• Kusano (1-2) def. Onokatsu (2-1) by yorikiri

• Takanosho (2-1) def. Ichiyamamoto (1-2) by yorikiri

• Hiradoumi (2-1) def. Wakamotoharu (2-1) by oshidashi

• Kotoshoho (2-1) def. Gonoyama (0-3) by oshidashi

• Oho (1-2) def. Takayasu (0-3) by tsukiotoshi

• Kirishima (3-0) def. Atamifuji (1-2) by yorikiri*

• Tamawashi (1-2) def. Wakatakakage (1-2) by oshidashi*

• Aonishiki (2-1) def. Kotozakura (2-1) by oshidashi*

• Hoshoryu (3-0) def. Hakuoho (1-2) by uwatenage*

• Onosato (3-0) def. Abi (0-3) by oshitaoshi (frontal push down)*

*Must see bouts!

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Leaderboard

• Too early!

Analysis

Onosato and Hoshoryu stay perfect!

Again, it’s too early to know where this tournament is heading, but could this be the double-yoko showdown we’ve been dreaming of? Sadly, at this stage of the basho, there’s a lot that can happen to prevent that, but a guy can still dream.

Hoshoryu maintained his undefeated record with a throwback performance against Hakuoho. Hoshoryu might have been going for a henka in this bout (something Hakuoho seems especially susceptible to). But I think he stepped off centre to get the belt position he would use for the eventual uwatenage. This was Hoshoryu’s first uwatenage since November, 2024. That November tournament was also the last time he landed a shitatenage (underarm throw).

There might be some grumbles from those who view this as closer to a henka than I do, though. “That’s not yokozuna sumo!” they might say. My personal take… winning sumo is yokozuna sumo.

If Hoshoryu was thinking henka all the way here, that — combined with his early start against Takayasu — might suggest that Hoshoryu is looking to use sumo’s dark arts to get wins because he’s still not in top fighting shape.

Onosato beat Abi to move to 3-0. He posterized Abi with a moroto-tsuki (double handed thrust). That knocked Abi off his feet and sent him off the cage like a bowling pin. Abi fights on his toes, so he’s always at risk of being knocked over like this, but even so, that was an amazing show of strength from Onosato.

Kotozakura took his first loss of the basho last night. He tried to use thrusting to avoid getting stuck in a clinch with Aonishiki, where Aonishiki could pull him down (like he did in their last meeting). Aonishiki is a good pusher/thruster, though. The Ukrainian landed hazuoshi (armpit thrusts) to put Kotozakura on his heels and was able to bump him out with an all-out dive.

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That’s a good win for Aonishiki, but his sumo is looking more chaotic than we’re used to seeing.

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Kirishima is on a good run right now. He blasted through Atamifuji. Atamifuji looked anxious in this bout (just like he did when he faced Kirishima for a cup back in 2024). Atamifuji took a long time to get settled, prompting apologies to both Kirishima and the shimpan (judges). When he was finally good to go, Kirishima surprised him with an early tachiai to get the win. That might have been Kirishima showing a bit of frustration.

Wakatakakage’s path to ozeki got a little tougher after last night. Tamawashi was able to brush him to the side and push him out. That was the Iron Man’s first win of the tournament.

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Ura is one of our early leaders. He got to 3-0 with a win over Fujinokawa (who is now 0-3). This was a high paced bout with Ura being able to eventually push Fujinokawa off the ring. It looked like Ura tried to stop Fujinokawa from taking a big spill, but just couldn’t reach.

Tobizaru had another match of the day candidate last night. His bout with Tomokaze was similar to his Day 1 bout with Shonannoumi. Tobizaru used a spin, again, to keep himself in bounds. However, Tomokaze managed to keep up with him and eventually launch him into the crowd (Tobizaru’s second home).

Daieisho took a loss to Kinbozan last night. Kinbozan was able to pivot and toss over the hard charging Battle Pug. That drops Daieisho to 1-2. I thought he’d be doing better than that at this stage.

Tonight Hoshoryu and Onosato are switching partners. Hoshoryu will face Abi and Onosato will have Hakuoho.

Abi has won his last five bouts with Hoshoryu (two of which earned kinboshi). Onosato and Hakuoho have only fought twice before. In the last tournament Hakuoho took a kinboshi from the newest yokozuna.

I’ll let you know how that goes.

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