2025 Nagoya Basho: Day 11 results and analysis

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

We are into the home stretch in Nagoya with just four days left to figure out who will be the latest top division champion. And, folks, right now it’s too close to call.

The 2025 Nagoya basho has been a very refreshing tournament, due to there being so much intrigue and doubt over which wrestlers are going to be the ones fighting for the cup on the final day.

Important matches from last night included Onosato vs. Kirishima, Ichiyamamoto vs. Takayasu, Kotozakura vs. Tamawashi and Aonishiki vs. Abi.

Scroll down to see who got the wins and who is well placed for the a possible yusho this weekend.

Bonus gif today is the latest crowd pleaser, Fujinokawa.

“Asakoryu! Pose off! Now!”

SPOILERS BELOW

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Results

• Oshoumi (7-4) def. Kayo (2-9) by sotogake (outside leg trip)

• Kusano (9-2) def. Mitakeumi (8-3) by uwatenage (over arm throw)*

• Midorifuji (7-4) def. Hidenoumi (1-8-2) by yorikiri (frontal force out)*

• Tokihayate (5-6) def. Kotoeiho (4-7) by sukuinage (beltless arm throw)*

• Kotoshoho (9-2) def. Takanosho (7-4) by yorikiri*

• Atamifuji (8-3) def. Shodai (6-5) by yorikiri

• Shishi (4-7) def. Chiyoshoma (0-11) by sukuinage

• Ura (7-4) def. Fujinokawa (6-5) by oshidashi (frontal push out)

• Asakoryu (3-8) def. Sadanoumi (2-9) by okuridashi (rear push out)*

• Roga (7-4) def. Tobizaru (3-8) by kotenage (headlock throw)*

• Churanoumi (6-5) def. Gonoyama (6-5) by okuridashi

• Onokatsu (5-6) def. Takerufuji (5-6) by tsukihaza (knee touch down)

• Oho (4-7) def. Meisei (3-8) by yoritoashi (frontal crush out)

• Wakamotoharu (3-8) def. Hiradoumi (5-6) by hatakikomi (slap down)*

• Aonishiki (9-2) def. Abi (6-5) by yorikiri*

• Takayasu (8-3) def. Ichiyamamoto (9-2) by shitatenage (underarm throw)*

• Kinbozan (3-8) def. Oshoma (2-9) by shitatenage

• Wakatakakage (7-4) def. Hakuoho (6-5) by yorikiri

• Kotozakura (6-5) def. Tamawashi (8-3) by hikiotoshi (hand pull down)*

• Onosato (8-3) def. Kirishima (8-3) by uwatehineri (twisting over arm throw)*

  *Must see bouts!

Leaderboard

• M1w Aonishiki, M8w Ichiyamamoto, M14e Kusano, M15e Kotoshoho: 9-2

• Y1wYO Onosato, S1w Kirishima, K1w Takayasu, M4w Tamawashi, M10e Atamifuji, M16w Mitakeumi: 8-3

Analysis

The race for the cup is wide open in Nagoya!

Ichiyamamoto, Aonishiki, Kusano and Kotoshosho are an all-maegashira group of leaders, all on 9-2. Behind them, on 8-3, are the more established Onosato, Kirishima and Takayasu. Though, they are also joined by Tamawashi, Atamifuji and Mitakeumi!

Ichiyamamoto missed out on the chance to move to 10-1, and lead everyone, last night. He lost to Takayasu in a very exciting contest.

These two traded tsuppari (rapid fire palm strikes) at the beginning of the bout. Ichiyamamoto’s strikes were designed to try and force Takayasu out. Takayasu was using his strikes to disguise his attempts to lock onto Ichiyamamoto’s belt. With space running out, Takayasu managed to swim his right arm under and grab a firm hold of Ichiyamamoto’s mawashi. Once he had that, Takayasu pushed off the the tawara (straw bales), twisted to his left and pulled off the thudding underarm throw.

With top opponents in the wings, Ichiyamamoto’s chance at an unlikely yusho likely ends here. Takayasu, who has already fought all the upper-ranked wrestlers is in a better position to mount a surprise title bid (despite being one win off the pace).

After seeing Ichiyamamoto lose, Kirishima had a wonderful opportunity to take this tournament by the scruff of the neck. All he had to do was beat Onosato, something he’s never done before.

Unfortunately for him, Onosato proved too big and strong for his yotsu (belt-grabbing) attacks. Kirishima had done great to stand up to Onosato’s blitz off the tachiai, secure moro-zashi (double inside position) and then rotate him onto the straw. However, Onosato was able to brace against the tawara and push back towards the middle before rotating Kirishima and taking him down.

Had Kirishima gotten past Onosato, he would have had a very good path towards the yusho. As it stands, he’s in a good, but not great, position — just like Takayasu.

After last night the person in best position to win the cup this month is Aonishiki. The blue whirlwind took out Abi in his first ever meeting with the Troll King. I thought Abi would give Aonishiki some issues, given that Aonishiki’s kryptonite might be long armed thrusters. However, in this bout he was able to get into his familiar diving board pose and keep Abi at his arm’s length.

This was a strange bout for Abi. He showed a lot of respect fo Aonishiki’s game, by not attacking full throttle off the tachiai (or trying to hit him with a henka). This resulted in them locking up in almost a freestyle wrestling set-up. It also meant Abi was forced to stand still and he hates that. Aonishiki went for a slap down, but the lanky Abi resisted that. Abi then missed a slap down attempt of his own. Abi landed in the danger zone when he missed and Aonishiki then collapsed on him for the force out.

Abi, in what might have been some bad sportsmanship, made sure to take Aonishiki with him off the dohyo. That resulted in a hard fall for the Ukrainian, who scraped his thigh down the straw.

Aonishiki has now fought everyone at maegashira 2 and above in this tournament. With only joi opponents left (and with a share of the lead), he has to be the favorite to claim the cup this month.

One person who could stand in his way is Kusano. The impressive rookie is also at 9-2. He’s very likely to get a match with Aonishiki in the next few days and that’s something we’ve never before. Kusano certainly looks like the real deal (last night he flung over Mitakeumi), but we’re still to see him tested against an elite opponent. And, after all we’ve seen in the last three tournaments, Aonishiki needs to be included in that ‘elite’ category.

The other wild card currently leading this tournament is Kotoshoho. He steamrolled Takanosho last night.

Kotoshoho has always shown a lot of potential, but he’s seldom been consistent enough to claim a spot at the top of the banzuke. This month he’s gotten all his chaos under control and looked equal parts confident and violent on the dohyo.

Back in January, 2023 he finished runner-up to his old highschool classmate Takakeisho (the first tournament I covered for Sumo Stomp!). With how unpredictable he is, I wouldn’t rule him out of making a late charge for the yusho here.

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Buying merch is another way you can support what I do at Sumo Stomp! To celebrate the Nagoya tournament, and the promotion of Onosato, my partner (ex-Bloody Elbow colleague Anton Tabuena) and I have made a special Onosato ‘flames’ shirt. This organic cotton t-shirt includes the words “Onosato” and “Yokozuna 75”.

All Sumo Stomp! paid subscribers get 15% off everything in the store. Find the discount code at the bottom of this paywalled article (link)

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He’s not in with a chance to win the cup, but I wanted to just salute Roga quickly. The Russian has been a throw-machine this month. Last night, Tobizaru was his victim.

Roga is now 7-4 and has won with the following kimarite: uwatenage (x 2), uwatedashinage (x 3), kotenage (x 2). He’s got Gonoyama tomorrow, who is especially throwable.

Tonight’s all important matches are:

• Ichiyamamoto vs. Onosato. Ichiyamamoto is 1-2 in this match-up, he beat Onosato back in their juryo days.

• Kirishima vs. Kotozakura. Kirishima has a commanding 15-5 against the ozeki.

• Kusano vs. Wakatakakage. This is a first time meeting.

• Aonishiki vs. Tamawashi. This is another first time meeting.

• Kotoshoho vs. Takayasu. Kotoshoho is 2-6 against Takayasu.

We could have eight wrestlers all tied on 9-3 records after this.

Let’s see what happens.

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