2025 Nagoya Basho: Day 7 results and analysis
Recapping all the top division action from Grand Sumo's 2025 Nagoya Basho (spoilers).
We are a week into the Nagoya basho and our leading pack is beginning to thin out. And it’s a great pack, too. We’ve got some upper ranked guys, some rank-and-filers, some young, some old, some popular, some unheralded; it’s wonderful. And it makes a change from a few tournaments lately, where it’s been a one or two horse race.
I spoke about the current runners and riders on the Level Change podcast yesterday, with Stephie Haynes. I love chatting sumo with Stephie and we went pretty long on this one, really getting into the weeds on a number of rikishi. Check it out!
Stephie made this a free-for-all podcast to help promote Sumo Stomp! to as many folks as possible. That’s super nice and just indicative of the kind of person she is and how supportive she has been of everything I do. I’m lucky to have friends like her.
Scroll down for last night’s results, videos and my analysis.
Bonus gif today is the old man and sea (salt).
SPOILERS BELOW
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Results
Fujinokawa (5-2) def. Mitakumi (6-1) by tsukiotoshi (thrust down)*
Kusano (6-1) def. Kotoeiho (3-4) by sukiunage (beltless arm throw)
Shodai (4-3) def. Shishi (3-4) by yoritaoshi (frontal crush out)
Midorifuji (4-3) def. Kayo (0-7) by yorikiri (frontal force out)
Kotoshoho (5-2) def. Tokihayate (3-4) by yorikiri
Roga (3-4) def. Churanoumi (3-4) by uwatedashinage (pulling over arm throw)
Atamifuji (5-2) def. Asakoryu (2-5) by kotenage (headlock throw)*
Takanosho (4-3) def. Chiyoshoma (0-7) by okuridashi (rear push out)*
Sadanoumi (2-5) def. Tobizaru (2-5) by oshidashi (frontal push out)
Gonoyama (5-2) def. Ura (5-2) by oshitaoshi (frontal push down)*
Ichiyamamoto (6-1) def. Takerufuji (4-3) by hatakikomi (slap down)
Hiradoumi (4-3) def. Meisei (2-5) by tsukiotoshi
Onokatsu (2-5) def. Oho (2-5) by yorikiri
Abi (4-3) def. Wakamotoharu (2-5) by hatakikomi
Aonishiki (5-2) def. Oshoma (1-6) by oshidashi*
Tamawashi (6-1) def. Wakatakakage (3-4) by tsukidashi (frontal thrust out)*
Kirishima (6-1) def. Takayasu (5-2) by yorikiri
Kotozakura (5-2) def. Hakuoho (3-4) by yorikiri*
Onosato (6-1) def. Kinbozan (1-6) by yorikiri
*Must see bouts!
Leaderboard
Y1w Onosato, S1w Kirishima, M4w Tamawashi, M8w Ichiyamamoto, M14e Kusanom M16w Mitakeumi: 6-1
O1e Kotozakura, K1w Takayasu, M1w Aonishiki, M6w Gonoyama, M9e Ura, M10e Atamifuji, M14w Fujinokawa, M15e Kotoshoho: 5-2
Analysis
Onosato keeps doing Onosato things. On Day 7 he walked through Kinbozan. He pushed Kinbozan out quickly, despite Kinbozan being one of the few rikishi out there who can match him for size.
Onosato being the front runner for the cup is our new normal, especially when Hoshoryu it sitting on the sidelines.
We are starting to separate the wheat from the chaff when it comes to Onosato’s challengers this month. A number of wrestlers managed to keep pace with him on 6-1 records last night and a few of those look like good candidates to play spoiler against the shin-yokozuna.
Kirishima is, in my opinion, most likely to pip Onosato to the cup. He’s looking like he did when he was called Kiribayama and is oozing confidence on the dohyo. On Day 7 he hit and slid around Takayasu for a quick force out. Takayasu has been in good form this tournament and he’s usually a very tough out. Kirishima handling him so assuredly is a sign that the Mongolian sekiwake is operating at a high level right now. The loss dropped Takayasu down to 5-2. He could still be a factor in this basho, though.
The next highest ranked 6-1 wrestler is the ageless wonder Tamawashi. He beat up Wakatakakage on Day 7, nailing him with his famous nodowa (throat thrust) and then hounding him out for the big win.
Wakatakakage is now 3-4 and at risk of losing his ozeki run before it really started.
Ichiyamamoto is also at 6-1. He slapped down Takerufuji on Day 7. I was surprised to see Takerufuji come out last night. It looked like he seriously injured his bicep in his win over Sadanoumi on the previous night. He wore a lot of strapping in this bout. Hopefully he’s not doing more harm than good by continuing to compete.
Mitakeumi took his first loss of the tournament last night. The plucky Fujinokawa, the newest member of the All Violence Team, missed a henka and then had to escape as Mitakeumi chased him around the perimeter. Fujinokawa did some straw surfing to stay in and improve his record to 5-2.
Kusano is also at 6-1. He out muscled the bendy Koteiho, throwing him down and across the straw.
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)
Of the 5-2 wrestlers, Kotozakura might be the most threatening to Onosato. He beat Hakuoho last night and continued to show he is creeping back into form and that his nuanced, and very strong, yotsu game is a force to be reckoned with.
Aonishiki rebounded from his loss to Takayasu with a win over the struggling Oshoma to go 5-2. Aonishiki used his thrusting attacks to punish the back peddling Oshoma. It looked like Aonishiki utilized a micro-bend in his elbow when thrusting Oshoma, saving the full extension of his arm until he knew it would result in the win. Very smart.
Ura and Gonoyama are both on 5-2. That’s thanks to Gonoyama taking the win in a high paced bout which saw Ura flip-flop into the shimpan (judge).
Chiyoshoma is now 0-7 and that couldn’t happen to a more deserving guy. He’s fought dirty this tournament and he threw an elbow at Takanosho last night. Fortunately it didn’t prevent Takanosho from bundling Chiyoshoma off the ring. Takanosho shot him a stare after that one.
On the previous day Chiyoshoma landed a hard slap across Atamifuji’s face, which was perilously close to being an eye poke.
He’s fighting like a deeply unhappy man at the moment, trying to hurt more than he’s trying to win.
He meets Tobizaru tomorrow, a wrestler he has a 1-10 record against. Hopefully he loses that one, too.
Tomorrow also gives us Onosato vs. Hakuoho, Kotozakura vs. Oshoma, Kinbozan vs. Wakatakakage, Aonishiki vs. Oho and Onokatsu vs. Kirishima.
See you then!
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Kotozakura’s Hakuoho win was splendid. His technique and stability are always incredible to see, but it looks like his strength is coming back against a guy who (while not the same since his pec tear) is no slouch strength wise
Kayo is also 0-7. Even Midorifuji was able to beat him by yorikiri, and I figure there aren't many people that Midorifuji wins yotsu battles against.