2025 Haru Basho: Day 5 results, replays and analysis

Spoilers here.

Day 5 is now in the books in Osaka. And things are tight!

We have a lot of wrestlers bunched together on matching or similar records. We’re yet to see a single guy, or a small pack, separate from those yet. It’s fun having a big field of contenders. I’m sure we’ll get some clarity in the coming days with some names shooting out into a lead, though,

Some of my favorite matches on this day were Shishi vs. Onokatsu, Hakuoho vs. Endo, Daieisho vs. Wakamotoharu and Abi vs. Oho.

Our yokozuna Hoshoryu met Chiyoshoma. Onosato took on Tobizaru and Kotozakura fought Takanosho.

Scroll down to see how all these matches unfolded. There’s also lots of videos and plenty of my analysis.

Bonus gif today is Atamifuji marching to the back.

Better luck next time, kid.

SPOILERS BELOW

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

---

---

Results

• Mitakeumi (3-2) def. Kayo (2-3) via yorikiri (frontal force out)

• Kotoshoho (3-2) def. Tokihayate (3-2) via uwatenage (over arm throw)

• Sadanoumi (2-3) def. Shirokuma (1-4) via sotogake (outside leg trip)*

• Churanoumi (4-1) def. Asakoryu (3-2) via okuridashi (rear push out)

• Ryuden (3-2) def. Aonishiki (2-3) via kainahineri (two handed arm twist down)

• Shishi (4-1) def. Onokatsu (4-1) via yorikiri*

• Meisei (3-2) def. Midorifuji (2-3) via yorikiri

• Hakuoho (4-1) def. Endo (4-1) via yorikiri

• Atamifuji (3-2) def. Nishikigi (0-5) via oshidashi (frontal push out)

• Oshoma (1-4) def. Shodai (2-3) via yorikiri

• Kinbozan (2-3) def. Tamawashi (3-2) via tsukidashi (frontal thrust out)

• Takerufuji (3-2) def. Ura (3-2) via oshidashi

• Ichiyamamoto (3-2) def. Hiradoumi (2-3) via hikiotoshi (hand pull down)

• Takayasu (4-1) def. Gonoyama (1-4) via hatakikomi (slap down)

• Wakatakakage (1-4) def. Kirishima (3-2) via yorikiri

• Oho (2-3) def. Abi (3-2) via oshidashi*

• Daieisho (3-2) def. Wakamotoharu (3-2) via tsukiotoshi (thrust down)*

• Takanosho (2-3) def. Kotozakura (2-3) via oshidashi*

• Onosato (4-1) def. Tobizaru (1-4) via oshidashi

• Chiyoshoma (3-2) def. Hoshoryu (3-2) via yorikiri*

*Must see bouts!

Leaderboard

• O1e Onosato, M4e Takayasu, M9e Hakuoho, M9w Endo, M12w Onokatsu, M13w Shishi, M14w Churanoumi: 4-1

• Y1e Hoshoryu, S1e Daieisho, K1e Kirishima, K1w Abi, 13 others: 3-2

Analysis

The first kinboshi of the Hoshuryu era has been given out. The winner of that is the ornery Chiyoshoma.

Hoshoryu and Chiyoshoma had a spicy staredown before this one. Chiyoshoma was giving off a vibe that, despite his young countryman’s promotion, he didn’t want to show utmost respect.

That attitude was borne out in the fight itself, with Chiyoshoma performing a henka on the charging yokozuna. Hoshoryu did well to steady himself after that. But he then had an uphill battle of trying to stay in with Chiyoshoma on his hip. Chiyoshoma was eventually able to get him over the edge. I’m looking forward to their next match-up. Hoshoryu will likely want to respond with force.

That loss dropped Hoshoryu to 3-2. That’s not a disaster, though. We' don’t have any 5-0 wrestlers at this point of the tournament. Most are bunched around the 4-1 and 3-2 record.

Of the 4-1 wrestlers, Onosato is the most likely threat to challenge for the title (though that doesn’t mean someone can’t surprise us).

Onosato got to 4-1 with a powerful win over Tobizaru. Tobizaru tried to hold Onosato up and take him into a long clinch battle (like he won over Takayasu), but Onosato wasn’t having any of that. He pushed through Tobizaru’s arms and backed him out the ring, quickly.

Endo and Onokatsu could have gone 5-0, but both were pegged back.

Endo lost to Hakuoho. Endo went for a mae-mitsu (front grip on the belt) to start this bout. Hakuoho easily broke his grip with his hand, though, and then established a hidari-yotsu (left arm inside, right arm outside) grip to force Endo off the ring and into the crowd.

Onokatsu lost to Shishi. Shishi, whose squatting position looks like he’s trying to summon a demon, showed some intelligence in the bout. Off the tachiai he twisted his body and angled his right arm to make sure it got inside of Onokatsu’s left arm. This forced Onokatsu into a migi-yotsu grip (the opposite to his prefered hidari-yotsu). The position also gave Shishi an uwate (underhook) with his left arm. That’s what Shishi used for the uwatenage attempt (which resulted in a force out).

Those bouts mean both Hakuoho and Shishi join Onokatsu, Endo and Onosato on 4-1 records. They are joined by Takayasu (who easily slapped down Gonoyama) and Churanoumi (who side-stepped the hard charging Asakoryu).

Kotozakura took another loss on Day 5. He fought through Takanosho’s nodowa (throat thrust) and almost scored a nice slap down. However, Takanosho was able to stay on his feet and pressure with another nodowa before putting his head in Kotozakura’s chest and driving him out of bounds.

After beating Onosato with thrusts on Day 4, Wakamotoharu tried to do the same to Daieisho on Day 5. That didn’t work out too well, though. The Battle Pug took Wakamotoharu’s best shot and then timed a perfect defensive swipe that sent Wakamotoharu rolling on the ground.

Wakamotoharu’s brother fared better this day, though. Wakatakakage scored a win over Kirishima. Kirishima went for a slap down off the tachiai. That’s not a bad plan, fifteen percent of Wakatakakage’s losses are by hatakikomi (the overall rate is 8.4%). Wakatakakage wouldn’t be driven down this time, though. He stayed upright and then was in prime position (migi-yotsu and a head on the chest) to push Kirishima out.

Oho picked up a big win on Day 5. He managed to push out Abi after weathering some palms (and foreheads) right on his nose. Oho has now won his last four bouts against Abi.

Oho has struggled a little bit in this tournament, his first as a sekiwake. On Day 6 he will meet Wakatakakage.

Day 6 is headlined by Hoshoryu vs. Tobizaru. Tobizaru has a good record against Hoshoryu, winning ten times in their twenty-five bouts. He caught Hoshoryu with a quick hikiotoshi in November.

Chiyoshoma will have a chance to spoil Kotozakura’s attempts to save his ozeki ranking tomorrow. Chiyoshoma is 1-8 against Kotozakura, but Kotozakura clearly still seems to be fighting hurt.

Onosato will have a decent test tomorrow. He’s got Takanosho. Takanosho does well against extra large/tall opponents. He’s able to really wedge his nodowa under their chins and drive them backwards and, sometimes, up off their feet.

See you back here tomorrow!

---

---