2025 Kyushu Basho: Day 11 results and analysis
Recapping all the top division action from Grand Sumo's 2025 Kyushu Basho (spoilers).
Just four days left folks! And thanks to Onosato’s loss on Day 10, to local boy Yoshinofuji, things at the Kyushu basho are more up in the air than we expected a few days ago.
Would that stay the same after Day 11? Well, scroll on down to find out.
Bonus gif today is Takanosho pondering the meaning of life.
SPOILERS BELOW
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Results
Oshoumi (3-8) def. Ryuden (4-7) by tsukiotoshi (thrust down)
Meisei (1-1-9) def. Mitakeumi (5-6) by katasukashi (under shoulder swing down)*
Tokihayate (8-3) def. Gonoyama (6-5) by uwatedashinage (pulling over arm throw)*
Tomokaze (4-7) def. Sadanoumi (3-8) by hatakikomi (slap down)
Nishikifuji (8-3) def. Fujinokawa (6-5) by oshidashi (frontal push out)
Shishi (4-7) def. Asakoryu (6-5) by oshitaoshi (frontal push down)
Midorifuji (6-5) def. Shonannoumi (3-8) by katasukashi*
Chiyoshoma (7-4) def. Kinbozan (4-7) by tottari (arm bar throw)
Ichiyamamoto (7-4) def. Kotoshoho (6-5) by hikiotoshi (hand pull donw)
Roga (7-4) def. Abi (5-6) by hatakikomi
Churanoumi (6-5) def. Daieisho (6-5) by tsukiotoshi
Onokatsu (5-6) def. Tobizaru (4-7) by yorikiri (frontal force out)
Atamifuji (7-4) def. Tamawashi (4-7) by yorikiri*
Kirishima (7-4) def. Shodai (4-7) by tsukidashi (frontal thrust out)
Hiradoumi (3-8) def. Wakatakakage (5-6) by tsukiotoshi
Wakamotoharu (6-5) def. Hakuoho (3-8) by yorikiri
Ura (6-5) def. Takayasu (5-6) by watashikomi (thigh grabbing push down)*
Yoshinofuji (8-3) def. Aonishiki (9-2) by tsukidashi*
Kotozakura (6-5) def. Oshoma (3-8) by hikiotoshi
Hoshoryu (9-2) def. Oho (4-7) by yoritaoshi (frontal crush out)*
Takanosho (3-8) def. Onosato (9-2) by hikiotoshi*
*Must see bouts!
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Leaderboard
Y1e Onosato, Y1wYO Hoshoryu, S1e Aonishiki: 9-2
M5e Yoshinofuji, M14w Tokihayate, M15e Nishikifuji: 8-3
Analysis
He slipped! Onosato slipped!
Onosato is no longer leading this tournament. He fell flat on his face against Takanosho last night. The Big O hit Takanosho hard on the tachiai, forcing him backwards. But as Onosato tried to advance he lost his footing. Takanosho seized on that by tugging on Onosato’s wrist to complete the hikiotoshi.
That mistake/accident by Onosato was extremely costly, thanks to what Hoshoryu had done moments early.
Hoshoryu blew threw Oho last night. He backed up the bigger man and then shrugged him down with authority. Since going behind in this tournament, Hoshoryu has looked especially mean in the ring. And some of his finishes are being delivered with a little extra oomph.
Aonishiki would be in the lead right now if it wasn’t for that pesky Yoshinofuji. The Kyushu native improved his record to 3-0 against Aonishiki last night. He showed great speed and aggression in the bout, blasting Aonishiki back off the tachiai and then refusing to let him bend over and reach for his belt.
Aonishiki is now tied with Hoshoryu and Onosato. But Yoshinofuji is just one win behind that group. And given his form, momentum and the bump he seems to get from his home crowd, I wouldn’t bet against him being a big factor as we head down the stretch.
Tokihayate remains in the hunt, too. He beat Gonoyama, showing off great speed and footwork in the process.
Nishikifuji joined Tokihayate with an 8-3 record. He pushed around Fujinokawa, who has been looking less Pitbull and more Chihuahua after his impressive start to the tournament.
Ura got a big win last night. He shot a double-leg on Takayasu. The watashikomi seems en vogue at the moment.
Atamifuji got a good win last night, too. He might be a dark horse contender in this basho if things begin to really fall off for the yokozuna and Aonishiki. He used great yotsu-zumo (grappling) to keep himself in along the boundary and then turn the tables on Tamawashi.
I haven’t talked about Kirishima a lot in this tournament. But my fave is looking good for a kachi-koshi (winning record), at least, after he dispatched of Shodai. Shodai, one of the more popular wrestlers from Kyushu, looks set to disappoint his fans with another bad record on home soil.
The Kyushu fans got to see their Hiradoumi win last night. However, they weren’t exactly thrilled about it. Hiradoumi already has his make-koshi (losing record) and is now in face-saving mode. He got a cheap win off Wakatakakage with a henka. Listen to the crowd grown over that below.
Tonight includes some challenging matches for the yokozuna, at a time where every match really matters.
Onosato has Oho. Oho hasn’t had a good tournament (making my pick for him to win in the CME Fantasy Sumo contest look rather silly). He’s fought Onosato well in the past, though, and has a kinboshi over him.
Hoshoryu faces Takayasu. Hoshoryu beat Takayasu in September (with a bit of an early jump off the tachiai), but his overall record against him is just 4-9.
Aonishiki has a much easier task ahead of him. He’s got Oshoma, who has been a free pass for the higher ranked wrestlers so far this month.
Yoshinofuji has to beat Kotozakura tonight if he wants to turn himself from a spoiler candidate to a full on title contender. They’ve never faced each other. Kotozakura took out Oshoma, with ease, last night.
Kotozakura is still lacking strength with his pushing power, but his reflexes and decision making remain sharp as ever. Yoshinofuji probably has to wrap him up and march him out quickly to avoid getting side-stepped or dragged down by the shockingly nimble big man.
Tokihayate has a very tough test tonight in the form of Atamifuji. If he can hit one of his patented pulling throws on the Pudding Man, then he might actually be someone to worry about in these final days.
Nishikifuji takes on Ichiyamamoto. He’s done well against him in the past, but surely Nishikifuji has to fall off at some point?
Nishikifuji beat Tokihayate on the first day of the basho. If that hadn’t happened, the JSA would likely have paired these two off tonight to try and eliminate one of them. Since they can’t fight again, though, there’s a potential for a crowded play-off if they keep winning and Onosato, Hoshoryu, Aonishiki and Yoshinofuji all take wins off each other.
It’s amazing how many possibilities there are for this tournament over the final four days. I think this might be one of the more fun, and certainly most unpredictable, finishes we’ve had all year.
Let’s see what chaos we have in store for us tonight.
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Good afternoon all, well what a turn around
Tim is always right and so far he’s been bang on the money
In my despair in my head I had more or less written Hoshoryu off !
I prayed hard in hope that Hoshoryu would pick up.and someone took notice because what a turnaround
My husband, despite not being the least bit interested, said this would be a four way split but he thought Aonishiki would ultimately win
I think it will be Onosato!
Tamawashi is looking tired, can he just keep going ?
Atamifuji is doing very well
This day had some really cool highlights in Don Don Sumo's collection. Incredible to see Yoshinofuji having such strong performances to make the tournament more exciting. And Hiradoumi's henka looked rather slick, so I can't hate on it too much, especially after the henka that Waka pulled on Aonishiki.