2025 Kyushu Basho: Day 13 results and analysis
Recapping all the top division action from Grand Sumo's 2025 Kyushu Basho (spoilers).
We are just two days away from putting a wrap on Grand Sumo in 2025. It’s been a wonderful year and we are building to an awesome grandstand finish.
Last night saw some pivotal matches and a big heap of controversy. Outside of the big names, though, lots of tired sumo out there.
Scroll down to see where we stand with the Onosato, Hoshoryu and Aonishiki triumvirate after last night’s matches.
Bonus gif is the Fukouka Convention Center clearing out.
SPOILERS BELOW
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Results
Gonoyama (7-6) def. Meisei (1-3-9) by oshitaoshi (frontal push down)
Oshoumi (5-8) def. Tomokaze (5-8) by oshidashi (frontal push out)
Sadanoumi (4-9) def. Shishi (5-8) by kubihineri (head twisting throw)
Asakoryu (7-6) def. Kotoshoho (7-6) by oshidashi
Daieisho (8-5) def. Chiyoshoma (8-5) by oshitaoshi
Tobizaru (6-7) def. Shonannoumi (3-10) by yorikiri (frontal force out)
Mitakeumi (6-7) def. Midorifuji (6-7) by oshidashi
Ryuden (6-7) def. Kinbozan (5-8) by yorikiri
Ichiyamamoto (9-4) def. Roga (8-5) by yorikiri
Fujinokawa (8-5) def. Abi (5-8) by tuskiotoshi*
Yoshinofuji (9-4) def. Tokihayate (9-4) by yorikiri*
Hiradoumi (4-9) def. Churanoumi (6-7) by oshidashi
Wakamotoharu (6-7) def. Onokatsu (5-8) by yorikiri
Kirishima (9-4) def. Atamifuji (7-6) by yorikiri*
Tamawashi (6-7) def. Wakatakakage (6-7) by oshidashi
Ura (7-6) def. Hakuoho (4-9) by uwatedashinage (pulling over arm throw)
Takayasu (6-7) def. Nishikifuji (8-5) by hatakikomi (slap down)
Takanasho (4-9) def. Shodai (4-9) by oshidashi
Oho (5-8) def. Oshoma (3-10) by yorikiri
Hoshoryu (11-2) def. Kotozakura (7-6) by yorikiri*
Onosato (11-2) def. Aonishiki (10-3) by yorikiri*
*Must see bouts!
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Leaderboard
Y1e Onosato, Y1wYO Hoshoryu: 11-2
S1e Aonishiki: 10-3
M2e Kirishima, M5e Yoshinofuji, M8e Ichiyamamoto, M14w Tokihayate: 9-4
Analysis
Onosato slipped again! But this time he won. But should he have? Hmmm…
First, here’s the bout itself:
Onosato opened with a big moroto-tsuki (double handed thrust) that pushed Aonishiki back. Some of Aonishiki’s losses have come from this opening where the opponents then drill him in the chest again and don’t allow him to bend forwards into his favourite posture and reach for their belt.
Aonishiki quickly ducked his head after this to hide his neck and chest and get to that bent over posture he loves (note to future opponents, maybe this is where you can slap down Aonishiki).
Onosato had smartly kept his right arm close to him through this opening phase, though. This gave him his favourite position, right arm inside.
Aonishiki knew this wasn’t good, so he scooted back and put his big hand over Onosato’s belt on the outside.
From here he wanted to peel away, stepping his right foot back and then putting his left foot forwards to try and trip and throw Onosato.
Onosato defended this, though, by untangling his leg and pulling back against Aonishiki’s body.
Onosato’s plan at this point was to plant his right foot and then drive off both feet, while squeezing Aonishiki with his right arm (to line him up more centrally).
This is where disaster struck. That right foot slid back as soon as he planted it, turning his attempted push into a full on dive.
Aonishiki was going to one foot before he noticed that Onosato had slipped. I’ve seen some people say “why didn’t he just jump up and not backwards?” But I think Aonishiki was looking to side-step when he saw his throw was blocked. I don’t think he realized what was going on until he was in the process of going airborne. Then, once he was up in the air, I think Onosato’s force is what pushed him out.
From this point on Aonishiki tried to make the best out of the situation, by generating as much hang time as he could. He landed outside the ring, just after the top of Onosato’s left thigh touched down.
The referee gave the division to Onosato. And the judges kept quiet.
This is the second time we’ve seen a bang-bang play like this, at a pivotal juncture, not go to a mono-ii. Both instances have involved Onosato (I’m talking about his play-off win over Hoshoryu). However, I don’t think these decisions are being made based on who is in the ring.
Clearly the referees and judges believe this bout ending, like with the Onosato vs. Hoshoryu play-off, was a case for the dead body rule where Aonishiki and Hoshoryu were considered the dead bodies who had no control of the bout once they were airborne.
I don’t like this interpretation because I think both Hoshoryu and Aonishiki were very active despite being in the air. Hoshoryu was going for a throw and then tried a slap down. Aonishiki was attempting a slap down. Plus, in this most recent bout, Onosato was airborne too and probably had as much control of what happened next as Aonishiki did.
Despite my disagreement with the application of the rule, I am satisfied that things are being consistent. This is also what happened on Day 1 when Hakuoho beat Hoshoryu (and again, I don’t believe these decisions are being made because of attitudes towards certain wrestlers).
The play-off in the last tournament suggested that the ruling would favor the pusher-out-er and not the pusher-down-er. After this match that is not longer in question. It is abundantly clear now that you will lose if someone is pushing you off the ring and you are merely trying to push them down first.
If we’re staying consistent with this ruling, I’m fine with that. What I’m not fine with is the shimpan sitting on their hands and not taking a closer look at things. I don’t care if this prompts them to change the ruling. I just want someone to get on the mic and talk through their reasoning.
You could hear the grumblings in the crowd after a mono-ii was not called and you could see people in the front row with their arms folded in protest. Check out the Japanese YouTube comments on that video and you’ll see lots of fans displaying their anger at there not being a mono-ii.
This might be a way to prop up the gyoji and show how good they are at calling these decisions. But, even so, I don’t think you ruin the reputation of the ref by looking these things over, especially in title clinching and potentially title clinching matches.
Anyways, rant over.
No matter how we got here, Onosato moved to 11-2 last night and Aonishiki dropped to 10-3.
Before this happened Hoshoryu earned a win over Kotozakura to also go 11-2. There’s a tremendous amount of nuance in this bout, too, but I won’t break it down like the one above (emails can only be so long!).
In this bout Hoshoryu wisely decided to test Kotozakura’s strength in the clinch. He’d seen how spry Kotozakura was on his feet at the moment, as shown by his nimble win over Yoshinofuji on the previous day. But Hoshoryu rightly guessed that Kotozakura’s injured knees are preventing him driving with as much power as he can when he’s fully fit.
Kotozakura was strong enough to fend off a throw attempt, though, forcing Hoshoryu to pause and plan out his next move. Kotozakura beat him to the punch and went for a throw of his own. He just didn’t have the power to pull it off. Hoshoryu was able to regroup after that and march Kotozakura out. Kotozakura tried to separate at the straw and use his quickness for a slap down, but it was too late.
Watch how Hoshoryu saved Kotozakura from falling off the dohyo. That’s a clear sign of respect from the yokozuna against a man he knows would be a lot harder to handle if he hadn’t been walking wounded all year.
There are only four other wrestlers with a mathematical chance of equalling Hoshoryu and Onosato’s records on the final day.
Yoshinofuji and Tokihayate are two of them. That’s thanks to Yoshinofuji beating Tokihayate last night. This was a fascinating yotsu-zumo (belt grappling) battle between two guys with very different styles. This was Yoshinofuji’s brute force against Tokihayate’s technical guile. Tokihayate almost made Yoshinofuji pay for a risky makki-kae (switch from outside to inside position) with his right hand, but Yoshinofuji was strong enough to block a throw (on one leg) and surge back into the bout for the force out. This kid is gonna be a problem, folks.
Kirishima is also in with a shot at the yusho. He beat Atamifuji and risked his lower back to do so. He elevated the bigger man in order to complete his force out.
Ichiyamamoto is our last contender. He showed his evolving yotsu game to take out Roga. Nishikifuji was eliminated last night, thanks to Onosato’s enforcer Takayasu.
Fujinokawa picked up the biggest win of his career last night. He fought with lots of fire against the Fire God Abi (even after a weird false start call).
Fujiryoga is a win away from clinching the juryo yusho (second division championship). He beat one of his closest challengers, Daiseizan (only just), last night.
Our penultimate day gives us Hoshoryu vs. Aonishiki. Aonishiki is 2-0 against Hoshoryu, beating him with a watashikomi and kirikaeshi. So Hoshoryu will need to be ready for some spins and will have to keep an eye on Aonishiki’s low reaching hands. If Hoshoryu wins, Aonishiki is eliminated from title contention. I think Hoshoryu needs to hit him with that moroto-tsuki and then immediately go for a slap down or wrist pull down.
Onosato has Kotozakura. Onosato has won the last four, all while Kotozakura has been injured. Kotozakura was 4-2 in this match-up before that.
Kirishima vs. Tokihayate will eliminate one contender for the cup. Yoshinofuji vs. Ichiyamamoto will eliminate another.
If either Hoshoryu or Onosato win tonight that will eliminate anyone with four losses.
If Onosato and Hoshoryu lose, we’ll have a three way tie again with them and Aonishiki. The winners of Kirishima vs. Tokihayate and Yoshinofuji vs. Ichiyamamoto will still be in with a chance in that scenario.
Our final day will be Onosato vs. Hoshoryu, Aonishiki vs. Kotozakura, and then Kirishima/Tokihayate vs. Yoshinofuji/Ichiyamamoto. Onosato vs. Hoshoryu will either by for the cup or to force a play-off. The play-off could also include Aonishiki and the maegashira guy who wins both his last bouts.
These last two days are going to be epic.
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My sense of the O-A bout: if viewed as a single fight, there could be a little Yokozuna/ home fighter bias; there are competing dead body interpretations and I agree with your observations here Tim on the pushing out/down choices, but both were out of control; perhaps Onosato’s toe was the last contact of either rikishi before both left the dhoyo but I’m still not certain on that! I noted the gyoji put himself in a good position to watch (full credit on that), but the shimpan should have called a mono-ii at least so an explanation could be given for clarity. Maybe they didn’t do this to avoid setting precedents though…