2025 Nagoya Basho: Day 6 results and analysis

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

Jul 18, 2025

The latest day of the 2025 Nagoya basho is in the books. We’re down Hoshoryu, but there’s still plenty of intrigue left in this basho. Onosato is doing what we expect of him, but there are some surprising contenders who might be able to challenge him for the cup this month.

Some of the best matches from Day 6 included Takayasu vs. Aonishiki, Takerufuji vs. Sadanoumi, Hakuoho vs. Meisei and Ura vs. Tobizaru.

Scroll down for all the results, lots of vids, and my takeways/analysis on what happened.

Bonus gif today is Kotozakura’s war face.

SPOILERS BELOW

Results

Kotoshoho (4-2) def. Kayo (0-6) by oshidashi (frontal push out)
Kusano (5-1) def. Shishi (3-3) by yoritaoshi (frontal crush out)*
Fujinokawa (4-2) def. Kotoeiho (3-3) by kubinage (headlock throw)*
Mitakumi (6-0) def. Shodai (3-3) by yorikiri (frontal force out)
Takanosho (3-3) def. Asakoryu (2-4) by hatakikomi (slap down)
Tokihayate (3-3) def. Churanoumi (3-3) by oshidashi
Midorifuji (3-3) def. Roga (2-4) by kainahineri (two handed arm twist down)*
Atamifuji (4-2) def. Chiyoshoma (0-6) by yorikiri
Ura (5-1) def. Tobizaru (2-4) by yorikiri*
Takerufuji (4-2) def. Sadanoumi (1-5) by yorikiri*
Hiradoumi (3-3) def. Ichiyamamoto (5-1) by oshidashi
Hakuoho (3-3) def. Meisei (2-4) by shitatenage (underarm throw)*
Tamawashi (5-1) def. Gonoyama (4-2) by oshitaoshi (frontal push down)
Wakamotoharu (2-4) def. Oho (2-4) by hatakikomi*
Takayasu (5-1) def. Aonishiki (4-2) by uwatenage (over arm throw)*
Kirishima (5-1) def. Kinbozan (1-5) by okuritoashi (rear push down)*
Wakatakakage (3-3) def. Oshoma (1-5) by yorikiri
Kotozakura (4-2) def. Abi (3-3) by yorikiri*
Onosato (5-1) def. Onokatsu (1-5) by oshidashi
*Must see bouts!

Leaderboard

M16w Mitakeumi: 6-0
Y1w Onosato, S1w Kirishima, K1w Takayasu, M4w Tamawashi, M8w Ichiyamamoto, M9e Ura, M14e Kusano: 5-1

Analysis

After his wobble on Day 4, Onosato seems back on cruise control. He brushed Onokatsu aside without much effort last night. Onokatsu tried to get inside position off the tachiai, but Onosato’s outstretched arms were far too strong for him to close the distance.

This moves Onosato’s record to 5-1, which has him joined in second place with a whole host of interesting characters.

Takayasu, who was the bridesmaid early this year to Onosato, kept pace with the newest yokozuna. Takayasu got to take the Aonishiki test on Day 6 for the first time. Takayasu went into this match with a lot of respect for Aonishiki’s uchimuso (inner thigh propping twist down) move (something Kirishima failed to do on the previous day). He did exactly what I theorized top guys would start doing with Aonishiki. He was mindful of where Aonishiki’s free hand was and tried to guard against letting him reach out and chop his knee. This helped him stay up, barely, when Aonishiki did go for the move. After he survived that attempt Takayasu horsed Aonishiki over his hip for an empthatic win.

Could Takayasu be the man to prevent Onosato claiming his third title this year? These two are in the same ichimon (stable group) and Takayasu has been a nurturing figure for Onosato since he hit the big leagues. That didn’t prevent Onosato crushing Takayasu’s yusho dreams in March. I don’t think it will prevent Takayasu wanting to return the favour.

Leave a comment

Kirishima bounced back from his loss to Aonishiki with a confident win over the struggling Kinbozan. Kirishima took Kinbozan’s moroto-tsuki (two handed thrust) off the tachiai and then did an inashi (side-step) to get around him. From there he bundled him out and off the ring. Kirishima is now 5-1 and looking like a serious contender this month.

Kotozakura is 4-2 after Day 6. It’s not out the question that he becames a factor in this title chase. However, he’s likely more concerned with banking another kachi-koshi (winning record) as he continues to work himself back into full fitness and confidence. Last night Abi tried to henka him. It didn’t work, though. Kotozakura caught the leaping Troll King and put him out with ease.

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”.

Check out the store!

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

Our surprise leader of the tournament is Mitakeumi. He met, and beat, a familiar foe on Day 6. He and Shodai were ozeki together and have fought almost 40 times. The resurgent Mitkaeumi swept Shodai out with a quick yorikiri in this meeting.

Mitakeumi’s 6-0 has come thanks to bouts with fellow makuuchi basement dwellers, so I don’t think he’s a serious contender for the cup this month. I think we’ll see his performance trail off once he gets that much needed eigthth win.

Tamawashi is 5-1. He’s another guy who likely won’t be able to keep this form up down the stretch. Even so, he looked very strong in thrusting out Gonoyama (who has looked pretty sharp himself this month).

Top division rookie Kusano is 5-1. He forced Shishi off the ring and caused the Ukrainian to take a painful bump on his back. Kusano is looking as impressive as I assumed he would. The real test for him will be when the match-making shifts next week.

Shishi was able to walk off this painful yoritaoshi loss. He’s not the only rikishi who took a nasty bump on Day 6, though.

Takerufuji managed to wrestle Sadanoumi off the dohyo. However, in doing so he fell off the ring with his arm locked onto Sadanoumi. He looked in tremendous pain after that was over. It looked, in my uneducated opinion, that he may have torn his bicep. That’s very bad if it’s true, since it would likely rule him out of the tournament and may even require surgery.

Midorifuji rebounded on Day 6. The previous day he lost to Fujinokawa via a rare tsuridashi (frontal lift out). This day he won by the equally rare kainahineri, against Roga.

Tomorrow’s docket has Onosato vs. Kinbozan up top. These two are 1-1. Kinbozan’s win came in January when he finished runner-up to Hoshoryu.

Kotozakura vs. Hakuoho is an interesting bout. This will be the first meeting between the two. Kotozakura feasts on younger, less experienced, yotsu (belt grabbing) guys. This will be a massive test for the former top prospect.

Other matches to look out for include Takayasu vs. Kirishima and Ura vs. Gonoyama. Ura is 5-1 after he beat Tobizaru last night in a predictably fun and chaotic match.

That’s all for today, though! See you tomorrow.

If you haven’t already, please subscribe to my YouTube channel. I need 1,000 subscribers before I can monetize the channel. I’m a long way away from that.