2025 Aki Basho: Day 8 results and analysis
Recapping all the top division action from Grand Sumo's 2025 Aki Basho (spoilers).
We are now a over a week into the 2025 aki basho. Over the past seven days the yokozuna, Hoshoryu and Onosato, have been doing what’s expected of them and that’s been great to see. We’re deep enough into this thing now that we can start to seriously imagine an epic showdown between these two at the end.
To make that happen, though… they have to keep winning.
Last night Hoshoryu met Gonoyama and Onosato met Hiradoumi. The yokozuna aren’t the only wrestlers competing this month, though. There’s still a few guys who might rise up and challenge them down the stretch.
Scroll down to find out if the yokozuna are still in pole position and what other rikishi are managing to keep pace.
The bonus gif today is a pair of ladies who really want to see a new ozeki!
SPOILERS BELOW
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
Results
Ryuden (6-2) def. Tomokaze (5-3) by hatakikomi (slap down)
Nishikigi (1-7) def. Sadanoumi (3-5) by yorikiri (frontal force out)
Asakoryu (3-5) def. Tochitaikai (3-5) by okuridashi (rear push out)
Shishi (6-2) def. Meisei (2-6) by yorikiri
Hitoshi (4-4) def. Tokihayate (3-5) by hikiotoshi (hand pull down)
Shonannoumi (5-3) def. Mitakeumi (3-5) by okuridashi*
Tobizaru (6-2) def. Roga (4-4) by hikiotoshi
Shodai (7-1) def. Ura (6-2) by uwatenage (over arm throw)*
Takanosho (7-1) def. Churanoumi (5-3) by hatakikomi
Oshoma (4-4) def. Daieisho (2-6) by oshidashi (frontal push out)
Onokatsu (5-3) def. Midorifuji (2-6) by yorikiri
Kusano (4-4) def. Fujinokawa (3-5) by uwatenage*
Kinbozan (3-5) def. Ichiyamamoto (2-6) by uwatenage after mono-ii (judges review) confirms gyoji (referee) decision*
Hakuoho (5-3) def. Kotoshoho (2-6) by uwatedashinage (pulling over arm throw)*
Oho (4-4) def. Abi (0-8) by oshidashi
Aonishiki (6-2) def. Tamawashi (3-5) by yorikiri*
Wakatakakage (5-3) def. Atamifuji (2-6) by yorikiri
Wakamotoharu (6-2) def. Kirishima (4-4) by yorikiri
Takayasu (2-6) def. Kotozakura (5-3) by shitatenage
Onosato (7-1) def. Hiradoumi (4-4) by oshidashi*
Hoshoryu (8-0) def. Gonoyama (0-8) by oshidashi*
*Must see bouts!
If you’re unable to pick up a paid subscription to Sumo Stomp! but would still like to tip me for these posts, please consider buying me a coffee below (via PayPal).
Leaderboard
Y1wYO Hoshoryu: 8-0
Y1e Onosato, M7e Takanosho, M11e Shodai: 7-1
Analysis
Hoshoryu maintained his perfect start to the basho with a no nonsense win over Gonoyama. Gonoyama, who was 0-7 going into this bout, switched mawashi for this day hoping it would bring him some better luck.
Gonoyama did move Hoshoryu back off the tachiai. However, Hoshoryu was able to get an inside position with his right arm. That position helped him twist Gonoyama off of his feet and halt his opponent’s forward momentum. After that he was able to back Gonoyama up and crowd him out along the north side of the ring.
This is currently Hoshoryu’s best ever start to a tournament. His previous best start was when he went 6-0, at the 2024 Kyushu basho. He finished runner-up to Kotozakura in that tournament. This time around he’ll be hoping to go one better.
The man with the best chance of spoiling Hoshoryu’s hot start is Onosato. He beat Hiradoumi to go 7-1. He didn’t get the same distance on the push out that he got with Gonoyama yesterday, but this was still another dominant performance from Onosato. He’s looked locked-in since his hiccup against Hakuoho on Day 4.
With how some other results went over the last few days, we’re seeing Hoshoryu and Onosato pulling away from the pack at the moment. Anything can happen in sumo, but it feels like we might see the epic senshuraku (last day of the tournament) that we have been hoping for.
Shodai and Takanosho are the only other wrestlers with 7-1 records right now. Shodai moved to that mark by beating Ura. Ura, who dropped down to 6-2, was thinking highlight reel when he went for the tsutaezori (under arm forward body drop). But Shodai stayed upright to defend that and then stepped away to create space. He then dragged Ura through that space, onto the dirt.
Takanosho got to 7-1 with a slick slap down on Churanoumi. Takanosho’s tournament is looking very similar to his last Kyushu basho, where he got off to a 10-1 start (only to come undone in match-ups with the high rankers).
Buying merch is another way to support this blog. This month’s featured item is a mug, perfect if you watch sumo over a cup of tea in the mornings (like I do).
If you’re a paid subscriber, go find a paywalled post and scroll to the bottom for a 15% coupon code for all store purchases.
Wakatakakage banked win number five last night. He now needs six more to become an ozeki. He got his right arm inside, quickly, on Atamifuji and then blocked Atamifuji off from doing the same. One hand on the belt often beats no hands and that’s what happened here.
Kotozakura lost to Takayasu last night. Kotozakura had Takayasu on the ropes and tried to finish the job with gaburi-yori (torso thrusting). However, it looked like he felt a pinch in his strapped up left knee. You could see him step back to relieve pressure on that joint. Once he did that Takayasu was able to recover and then turn the tables for the win. Hopefully this incident hasn’t caused any more damage to that knee of Kotozakura’s.
Aonishiki moved to 6-2 last night with a win over Tamawashi. He resisted Tamawashi’s thrusts and then got his mitts on the belt. Once he got the belt he stuck his head in Tamawashi’s chest and powered him out.
Last tournament winner Kotoshoho is struggling this month. He fell to 2-6 after being dragged down and over by Hakuoho.
Midorifuji is also struggling in September. He’s just 2-6 after a loss to Onokatsu. Midorifuji seemed to give up at the end of this bout. It looked like he might have gotten hurt when going for a throw just before that.
Fujinokawa put in another spirited attempt last night. However, this time it resulted in a lost. Kusano, who has not finding it easy this month, was able to overpower the smaller Fujinokawa and plant him right on the salt basket. It looked as though Kusano might have cut Fujinokawa with his thumbnail during the tachiai, too.
Tonight Onosato meets Wakamotoharu. He’s 6-2 against him. However, Wakamotoharu is fighting really well in this tournament. He also earned a kinboshi in July when he beat Hoshoryu (someone he usually struggles against).
Hoshoryu gets Kotoshoho (due to Kotoshoho’s rank more so than his record). Hoshoryu is 2-4 against Kotoshoho. However, those four losses all happened before 2021 and all but one of them were outside of the makuuchi (top division).
Takanosho faces Midorifuji tonight. That’s a pretty easy bout for him, based on how Midorifuji is performing (and if he’s as hurt as I think he is).
Shodai gets the plucky Tobizaru. Tobizaru is wrapped up like a mummy, but is scrapping his way to a kachi-koshi right now. He’s 6-2 at M15 (where a losing record could see him demoted from the top division).
Check back tomorrow to find out how all these bouts went down!
Help me get to 1,000 subscribers on YouTube (so then I can monetize the thing).
I assume that GIF at the top refers to Wakatakakage, but them's some pretty sloppy ideograms. Should be 若隆景. (I have them on my T-shirt.)
It's getting hard to pick. I love both Ura and Shodai, but the former should never have tried that throw on the latter. Shodai deserved the win.
I hope Takanosho hangs in there and makes a run for the cup too, but I doubt it.
Yay for Papa Yasu, though. At this point Kotosakura is bound to get his K. Papa Bear pretty much has to run the table from here to get his. Like Waka going for ozeki.
Gonna be an exciting week! It's stupid, how much my months revolve around this sport!