2025 Kyushu Basho: Final Day results and analysis

Recapping all the top division action from Grand Sumo's 2025 Kyushu Basho (spoilers).

Grand Sumo in 2025 is a wrap!

And, wow, what a wonderful year it’s been. We’ve seen two yokozuna promotions, the rise of Aonishiki and six thrilling tournaments. We’ve had surprise winners, heart breaks and dominance from Onosato. The Kyushu basho was especially fun with Hoshoryu, Onosato and Aonishiki battling it out over the past 15 days proving that those three are a cut above the competition right now.

Last night everything was on the line.

Scroll down to see what happened and who lifted the Emperor’s Cup.

Before you get there, though… here’s my hat in hand routine.

These daily tournament updates are free for everyone and it’s my plan to keep it that way. Many readers have told me that this is how they were either introduced to sumo or how they were able to turn an initial curiosity into a full-blown fandom. I would hate to put this behind a pay-wall, because I want lots of folks to be able to find and learn about sumo.

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Bonus gif today is the 74th yokozuna eyeing up his prey.

“Mine is louder.”

SPOILERS BELOW

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Results

• Asakoryu (8-7) def. Kotoeiho (9-6) by shitatenage (underarm throw)

• Oshoumi (7-8) def. Fujiseun (8-7) by okuridashi (rear push out) after mono-ii (judges’ review) confirms gyoji (referee) decision

• Shishi (6-9) def. Meisei (1-5-9) by oshitasohi (frontal push down)

• Chiyoshoma (10-5) def. Kotoshoho (7-8) by oshidashi (frontal push out)

• Daieisho (10-5) def. Tokihayate (9-6) by oshidashi*

• Nishikifuji (9-6) def. Tobizaru (6-9) by oshidashi

• Tomokaze (7-8) def. Midorifuji (6-9) by hatakikomi (slapdown)

• Kinbozan (7-8) def. Sadanoumi (4-11) by hatakikomi

• Gonoyama (9-6) def. Abi (5-10) by oshidashi

• Churanoumi (8-7) def. Ryuden (7-8) by shitatehineri (twisting underarm throw)

• Onokatsu (7-8) def. Shonannoumi (3-12) by yorikiri (frontal force out)

• Atamifuji (8-7) def. Mitakeumi (7-8) by oshidashi

• Tamawashi (7-8) def. Fujinokawa (9-6) by oshidashi*

• Oshoma (4-11) def. Hiradoumi (4-11) by tsukiotoshi (thrust down) after mono-ii confirms gyoji decision

• Ichiyamamoto (11-4) def. Wakamotoharu (8-7) by okuritoashi (rear push down)*

• Kirishima (11-4) def. Ura (8-7) by oshitashi*

• Wakatakakage (7-8) def. Roga (8-7) by oshidashi*

• Hakuoho (6-9) def. Shodai (4-11) by yorikiri

• Takayasu (8-7) def. Yoshinofuji (9-6) by oshitaoshi*

• Oho (7-8) def. Takanosho (5-10) by oshidashi

• Aonishiki (12-3) def. Kotozakura (8-7) by uchimuso (inner thigh propping twist down)

• Hoshoryu (12-3) def. Onosato (11-4) by fusen (default)

• Aonishiki (12-3) def. Hoshoryu (12-3) by okurinage (rear throw down)

*Must see bouts!

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Final Standings

• Yusho: S1e Aonishiki (12-3)

• Yusho-doten: Y1wYO Hoshoryu (12-3)

• Shukun-sho (Outstanding Performance Award): S1e Aonishiki (12-3)

• Kanto-sho (Fighting Spirit Prize): M2e Kirishima (11-4), M8e Ichiyamamoto (11-4)

• Gino-sho (Technique Prize): S1e Aonishiki (12-3), M5e Yoshinofuji (9-6)

• Juryo yusho: J13w Fujiryoga (13-2)

• Makushita yusho: Ms15w Kazuma (7-0)

• Sandanme yusho: S31e Kaki (7-0)

• Jonidan yusho: Jd45w Ryuho (7-0)

• Jonokuchi yusho: Jk21e Goseiryu

Analysis

DANNY SUMO GETS IT DONE!

Aonishiki wins the 2025 Kyushu basho! He earns the yusho after beating Hoshoryu in a play-off. This was Aonishiki’s first ever play-off appearance and it earned him his best record ever (12-3), a one win improvement on the 11-4 he’s had every single other time he’s competed in makuuchi. The 21 year-old’s incredible month (and year) is now almost certain to be rewarded with a promotion to ozeki.

Let’s see how he got the cup.

In this bout Hoshoryu worked hard to get his hands on Aonishiki’s chest and push him into an upright position. He failed to do that when they met the previous night. Everyone knows, by now, that if you let Aonishiki stay bent over he’s going to find a way to win.

This was a great start to the bout from Hoshoryu, though:

After getting Aonishiki up, Hoshoryu then made a decision that I personally find quite curious. He ducked down. Against Aonishiki, I think you need to go for the kill when you get a full view of his chest by either putting hands there and driving him back or going moro-zashi (double inside) and putting your head right under his chin. But Hoshoryu ducked down…

I think Hoshoryu was looking to get under Aonishiki’s arms and get on his belt, possibly looking for a trendy watashikomi. By bending down though, he gave Aonishiki time and space to do the same, like so:

This above situation is where Aonishiki is at his best. From here Hoshoryu reached his right hand onto Aonishiki’s belt. I think he was hoping to get a firm grip there and then switch stance, violently, to pull off a shitatenage.

Aonishiki blocked Hoshoryu’s hand, though, using ottsuke (forearm blocking).

Hoshoryu responded with a desperate slap down attempt, which just doesn’t work on Aonishiki when he’s in this stance. He tried the same thing in their earlier bout, too, to no avail.

Just like he did the last time, Aonishiki defended the hatakikomi by crashing through space and into Hoshoryu’s body. Aonishiki didn’t attack square on, though, since he was likely mindful of running into the set-up for a throw.

He instead turned his right foot as he stepped forwards and then stepped off to the side, where it would be impossible for Hoshoryu to throw him.

When you get side-on to someone in sumo, it’s game-over.

Hoshoryu tried to literally run out of this position, but Aonishiki stayed on his back and then dragged him down for the biggest win of his young career.

Aonishiki’s crowing achievement last night is yet another example of the young Ukrainian defying expectations and proving he is, truly, one of the top three rikishi on the planet. And he’s not even close to competing at his full potential. Next up for the Blue Whirlwind is becoming the first European born yokozuna. I think that’s the least we can expect, given the talent, poise and fortitude we’ve been witness to all year long.

Oh, by the way, that was the second bout Aonishiki won last night. He had to get through Kotozakura to force a play-off in the first place. And thank God he did. If Aonishiki had lost this bout, Hoshoryu would have won the championship by default — since Onosato was kyujo (absent) on the final day due to a shoulder injury. Not even Hoshoryu would have wanted a yusho off a fusen.

In this bout Aonishiki was again able to do his impression of a gallows and get his head under his opponent’s chin. I’m a little disappointed in Kotozakura for what happened next. Aonishiki defeated him with the uchimuso and it looked great. But this is his second time he has landed this on Kotozakura. For someone as intelligent as Kotozakura, he should have read what Aonishiki was doing, especially when he drew his hand back before the chop to the inside of his injured knee. If Kotozakura had deployed some wrist control that move would likely have been off the table.

Despite Kotozakura’s rare defensive miscue here, Aonishiki deserves a lot of credit for winning with so much pressure on his shoulders. The only time I’ve seen him get nervous was when Kotoshoho beat him in Nagoya, to essentially eliminate him from title contention. In this bout, though, he was back to his emotionless shark-like demeanour.

The loss is inconsequential for Kotozakura. He finished the tournament 8-7 and is safe to fight another two tournaments, at least, as an ozeki. He’ll be on the west side of the banzuke, though, looking across at the guy who just beat him.

With his yusho Aonishiki also earned an Outstanding Performance award and a Technique Prize. That’s his first career shukun-sho and third gino-sho.

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Fighting Spirit prizes went to Kirishima and Ichiyamamoto, who claimed their eleventh wins last night.

Kirishima got his against Ura after hitting him hard in the throat and then pulling him down.

Ichiyamamoto beat Wakamotoharu with a strong thrust and then a drive to the straw.

These 11-4 records represent nice rebounds for these guys. Kirishima lost his sekiwake rank in September, with a whimper, after going 6-9. Ichiyamamoto went 4-11 at the last tournament.

Yoshinofuji was given a Technique Prize, too. That’s the second one of his young career. He lost to Takayasu last night.

Yoshinofuji’s tournament really fell apart in the second week. Despite that, there’s still plenty to like about the young Isegahama man and he feels like a ironclad pick for a future san’yaku promotion.

Yoshinofuji was also one of the few Kyushu born wrestlers to do well on home soil. Local favourites Shodai, Hiradoumi, Sadanoumi and Meisei had just thirteen wins between them. Okinawa’s Churanoumi managed a kachi-koshi, though. He won his Darwin Match with Ryuden last night.

22 year-old Fujiryoga won juryo last night after beating Hatsuyama. This yusho might not be enough to launch the youngster up to makuuchi, though. Former ozeki Asanoyama, who finished runner-up, likely earned his return to the top division, though.

Makushita was won by Kise heya’s giant Kazuma. Oitekaze’s Kaki won sandanme (that’s his third yusho in a row).

The matches may be over for 2025, but my sumo coverage sure isn’t!

I’m going to have a follow up post for my Kyushu predictions coming out next. Then I’ll do report cards and my banzuke prediction for the New Year tournament. I’ll also be recording an episode of The Level Change with Stephie Haynes tomorrow to talk about this tournament.

Thank you everyone for reading this post. I really appreciate it and I love chatting with you all in the comments, IM and emails — keep ‘em coming.

For now, though, take care, be kind and FIGHT WITH SPIRIT!!!

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