2025 Kyushu Basho: Day 2 results and analysis
Recapping all the top division action from Grand Sumo's 2025 Kyushu Basho (spoilers).
Day two of the Kyushu basho is in the books and I feel like we’ve already got a lot of intrigue going on here.
You can see who won in the top division last night and see the best matches below. You’ll also get my analysis (more brief than usual).
Bonus gif today is Friend of the Wind (Tomokaze).
SPOILERS BELOW
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Results
Chiyoshoma (2-0) def. Fujiseun (0-2) by hatakikomi (slapdown)
Asakoryu (2-0) def. Oshoumi (1-1) by hikiotoshi (hand pull down)
Sadanoumi (1-1) def. Shonannoumi (0-2) by uwatenage (over arm throw)*
Nishikifuji (1-1) def. Ryuden (1-1) by tsukidashi (frontal thrust out)
Tokihayate (2-0) def. Mitakeumi (0-2) by uwatenage
Fujinokawa (2-0) def. Gonoyama (1-1) by tsukiotoshi (thrust down)*
Roga (1-1) def. Tomokaze (0-2) by hatakikomi
Kotoshoho (1-1) def. Daieisho (1-1) by hikiotoshi
Shishi (1-1) def. Tobizaru (1-1) by oshidashi (frontal push out)*
Ichiyamamoto (1-1) def. Midorifuji (0-2) by uwatenage*
Abi (2-0) def. Kinbozan (1-1) by oshidashi
Churanoumi (2-0) def. Atamifuji (1-1) by tsukiotoshi
Onokatsu (1-1) def. Shodai (0-2) by yorikiri (frontal force out)
Tamawashi (1-1) def. Yoshinofuji (1-1) by oshidashi
Oshoma (1-1) def. Ura (1-1) by tsukidashi
Takayasu (1-1) def. Hiradoumi (1-1) by uwatenage*
Aonishiki (2-0) def. Wakamotoharu (0-2) by yoritaoshi (frontal crush out)*
Oho (2-0) def. Wakatakakage (0-2) by kotenage (armlock throw)*
Kirishima (1-1) def. Kotozakura (1-1) by yorikiri
Onosato (2-0) def. Hakuoho (1-1) by yoritoashi*
Hoshoryu (1-1) def. Takanosho (0-2) by oshidashi*
*Must see bouts!
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Analysis
Hoshoryu responded to Day 1’s loss to Hakuoho with a blitzing finish over Takanosho. Hoshoryu went moro-tsuki (double handed thrust) off the tachiai and that was strong enough to get the job done without any kind of follow up. He’s now 1-1. And I think the vibes have been reset over his tournament.
Hakuoho had a chance to do the kinboshi double last night when he met Onosato, someone he’s beaten in the last two meetings. He gave Onosato some trouble, but couldn’t peg back the 75th yokozuna like he did the 74th on Day 1.
Hakuoho got a great jump on his tachiai and then did awesome to deny Onosato from getting his right arm on the inside. Onosato was desperate for that position, using a makki-kae (outside to inside switch) to try and get it. Hakuoho stepped out when Onosato did this and was momentarily side-on to his opponent. Onosato was able to recover, though. He got square, but was forced into a hidari-yotsu (left arm inside, right arm outside position), which is not his forté. It pays to be very big and very strong, though. Despite fighting in the opposite to his preferred grip he was still able to out-muscle Hakuoho and shrug him over the line.
Onosato is now 2-0, but that wasn’t the most dominating performance we’ve ever seen from him.
Kirishima beat Kotozakura last night to tie their records on 1-1. Kirishima got the job done with a deep bend in his back and a strong narrow grip.
Oho, who is my sleeper pick for the basho, beat Wakatakakage last night and looked very impressive while doing so. In the last tournament Oho showed he might have figured out how to defend against belt grapplers, by using their grabbing inside arm as the focus of a kotenage attack. That’s what he used on Wakatakakage here. If he can do that consistently, then he is a very dangerous fighter.
The other Waka Bro. lost last night, too. Aonishiki was able to get revenge on Wakamotoharu for his loss in September. However, Wakamotoharu really made him work for it. Wakamotoharu succeeded, initially, in preventing Aonishiki from having his favourite leaned over posture. However, Aonishiki backed up his feet to make sure he could get in that stance. Wakamotoharu then defended the uchimuso (inner thigh propping twist down), twice, by virtue of keeping his stance rather wide. Aonishiki then decided to drive forwards for a force out. Wakamotoharu attempted a death-defying utchari (backward pivot throw), but came up just short in trying to rotate Aonishiki over and have him touch down first.
Aonishiki landed flat on his back and that seemed to take the wind out of him. He was very slow to get up after that. Hopefully he wasn’t injured. The utchari is a very dangerous move for both wrestlers and I’d be happy to see it banned.
In juryo hot prospect Mita also attempted an utchari last night. His was on the much larger Kagayaki. He lost the bout, but also seemed to badly injure himself on the throw attempt. It looked, to me, like he may have blown out his knee. He needed a stretcher to remove him from the dohyo. If that was an ACL tear than Mita, who seemed very likely to break into makuuchi in January, could be out for the best part of the year. There’s another reason why the utchari should be discouraged, if not formerly banned.
Tonight we have Onosato taking on the currently winless Wakatakakage. He’s got a 5-2 record against the former sekiwake. Hoshoryu meets his old judo buddy Kirishima. That’s probably my favourite match-up in all of sumo. Hoshoryu has the slim 12-9 advantage in their head-to-head. He won the last match-up with an uwatenage.
Oho has local boy Hiradoumi tomorrow. Hiradoumi, who lost a very exciting bout to Takayasu last night, is 2-0 against Oho. Aonishiki meets Hakuoho, whom he has a 3-0 record against.
Enjoy!
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