2025 Natsu Basho: Day 1 results and analysis

Spoilers ahead!

We are off!

Sumo is back in our lives with the summer tournament and I couldn’t be happier. This opening day of makuuchi matches took a little time to warm up, but we had some great bouts towards the end of the night.

Kotozakura vs. Oho is my match of the day. I also realy enjoyed Ura vs. Ichiyamamoto, Gonoyama vs. Kirishima and Onokatsu vs. Churanoumi.

Scroll down, past the bonus gif, for the complete results, some videos of important matches and my analysis on what all went down.

Before you go there, though, I have a new giveaway! Sumo Stomp! subscriber Maxx owns a very cool apparell brand called Cheeky Sumo. Check out his website here (link)! Maxx is providing me with a sweatshirt to give away to a paid subscriber this month. That subscriber will be determined by a random draw. If you are a monthly subscriber you get one entry in the draw. If you are an annual subscriber you get six entries in the draw. And if you are a founding member you will receive twelve entries in that draw. If you win you’ll be able to pick one of the colours below and a sweatshirt will be sent out to you free of charge (no matter where you are in the world).

Today’s bonus gif is Onosato, who will become the 75th yokozuna if he wins this tournament.

SPOILERS BELOW

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

---

---

Results

• Tochitaikai (1-0) def. Mitakeumi (0-1) via hatakikomi (slap down)

• Asakoryu (1-0) def. Tamashoho (0-1) via yorikiri (frontal force out)

• Nishikigi (1-0) def. Shonannoumi (0-1) via yorikiri

• Ryuden (1-0) def. Kayo (0-1) via yorikiri*

• Roga (1-0) def. Sadanoumi (0-1) via yorikiri

• Tokihayate (1-0) def. Takanosho (0-1) via oshidashi (frontal push out)

• Atamifuji (1-0) def. Shishi (0-1) via yorikiri

• Endo (1-0) def. Shodai (0-1) via yorikiri*

• Meisei (1-0) def. Midorifuji (0-1) via hatakikomi

• Kinbozan (1-0) def. Aonishiki (0-1) via oshidashi*

• Onokatsu (1-0) def. Churanoumi (0-1) via oshidashi*

• Hakuoho (1-0) def. Tobizaru (0-1) via yoritaoshi (frontal crush out)

• Oshoma (1-0) def. Chiyoshoma (0-1) via okuridashi (rear push out)

• Ichiyamamoto (1-0) def. Ura (0-1) via hatakikomi after confirmation by mono-ii (judges review)*

• Takerufuji (1-0) def. Hiradoumi (0-1) via tsukiotoshi (thrust down) after confirmation by mono-ii

• Tamawashi (1-0) def. Takayasu (0-1) via oshidashi*

• Kirishima (1-0) def. Gonoyama (0-1) via yorikiri*

• Daieisho (1-0) def. Abi (0-1) by tsukiotoshi

• Oho (1-0) def. Kotozakura (0-1) by katasukashi (under shoulder swing down)*

• Onosato (1-0) def. Wakamotoharu (0-1) via yorikiri

• Hoshoryu (1-0) def. Wakatakakage (0-1) via oshidashi*

*Must see bouts!

---

If you’re unable to pick up a paid subscription to Sumo Stomp! but would still like to tip me for these posts, please consider buying me a coffee below (via PayPal).

---

Leaderboard

• Too early!

Analysis

In my final report card for the March tournament, which I snuck in under the wire on Friday (link), I analyzed Hoshoryu’s 5-5-5 performance. I concluded that it seemed like his elbow injury was preventing him from hitting a hard nodowa (throat thrust) off the tachiai and reasoned that this was why he had such a poor showing; since the nodowa has emerged as a crucial component of his new sumo (which is purposely less dependent on throws).

I said that if he started Day 1 with a hard nodowa, we can probably rest easy that the elbow injury is not going to affect him this time around.

Check out his opening day bout with Wakatakakage below:

The nodowa looks good folks!

Hoshoryu, who wasn’t wearing strapping around his right elbow, tagged the stout Wakatakakage in the throat off the tachiai. Though he didn’t snap Wakatakakage’s head back immediately, he was able to lock on and power Wakatakakage to the tawara (straw bales). After getting Wakatakakge’s heelds to the straw, Hoshoryu finished him off with a push to secure his opening day win. That’s only the third Day 1 victory for Hoshoryu in the past eight tournaments.

Hoshoryu’s redemption tour is one of the biggest stories for this tournament. The other big story is Onosato’s quest to join Hoshoryu in the yokozuna ranks. Since he won the last tournament, the ozeki is a shoe-in to become the 75th yokozuna if he wins this tournament. He’s also likely to still get that promotion if he loses in a play-off to Hoshoryu.

Onosato doesn’t seem to do nerves. In his opening day bout with Wakamotoharu you couldn’t tell that history was beckoning him this month. He ran through the elder Waka Brother after stuffing his attempt at a nodowa.

This performance gave more evidence that Onosato is not just a physical beast, but also someone who is evolving mentally and tactically. Wakamotoharu beat him in the last tournament with a strong nodowa attack. In that bout Wakamotoharu took advantage of Onosato’s usual tachiai approach, where he makes himself big and keeps his hands low in order to fish for an underhook.

This time around, though, Onosato came up from his squat with both hands raised to Wakamotoharu’s chest.

This allowed Onosato to block Wakamotoharu’s opening thrust attempt. Wakamotoharu saw this coming and stepped off to the side before attempting his nodowa (which is very out of character for him, by the way, he much prefers getting on a belt).

When Wakamotoharu landed the nodowa he wasn’t able to push Onosato back. Onosato was too close and had already secured an underhook with his right arm.

Onosato used his free left arm to push down Wakamotoharu’s thrusting arm and then gather him up for a force out.

The best bout of Day 1 was Kotozakura vs. Oho. This is a match-up of yokozuna grandkids. Kotozakura’s grandfather, Kotozakura I, was the 53th yokozuna. Oho’s grandfather was Taiho, the 48th yokozuna, whose accomplishments topped the record books until one Hakuho came along in the 2000s.

Oho is coming off a terrible March tournament (and wearing a new bronze mawashi). Kotozakura is coming off a so-so one, where he saved his ozeki ranking but still managed just a 8-7 record.

In this bout, Kotozakura opened with a thrusting attack. That was a little surprising considering Oho is an oshi-zumo (pushing/thrusting) practitioner and Kotozakura is a yotsu-zumo (belt grappling) practitioner. Kotozakura was able to get Oho to the straw with his opening salvo. However, Oho circled off the straw and locked up a hidari-yotsu (left arm inside, right arm outside grip). This, by default, gave Kotozakura a hidari-yotsu of his own.

They stalled in the center of the dohyo once those grips were established. Usually you’d bet on Kotozakura to win against Oho when in this position. However, the hidari-yotsu is not Kotozakura’s prefered grip. He operates with the migi-yotsu (right arm inside, left arm outside). It’s unclear if Oho purposefully put Kotozakura in the hidari-yotsu. I don’t think he did, since his clinch was a desperation move and he likely took whatever grip was easiest in that moment.

After a twenty or so second stalemate, Kotozakura made a fatal mistake. He tried to switch to his favorite grip. He reached for Oho’s belt with his right hand, as a feint, and then quickly withdrew it and forced it inside. However, he didn’t get his left arm out from inside Oho’s other arm. This meant he was left with a moro-zashi (double underhooks).

I am sure that Kotozakura would have wanted to go migi-yotsu and not moro-zashi on Oho. Oho must have done a great job of pinching that left arm and keeping it inside. The moro-zashi is a great position to have when you have a size advantage over your opponent. In this situation, though, where Oho is as big and strong as Kotozakura, this meant Oho was able to counter with a kimedashi (arm barring force out) attempt. Oho cranked on Kotozakura’s arms to cause pain and halt Kotozakura’s forward progress.

Oho let go of the position once he had Kotozakura moving backwards. The position was probably hell on his own arms. He tried to finish Kotozakura off with thrusts, but Kotozakura got the drop on him and pushed him back.

While moving backwards Oho underhooked Kotozakura’s left arm. That prevented Kotozakura getting the migi-yotsu again. This time that looked more intentional. Oho then transitioned to a beautiful katasukashi (under shoulder swing down) for the win.

Kirishima vs. Gonoyama was another highly technical bout from Day 1. Kirishima showed great evasion to escape along the straw after Gonoyama’s forceful tachiai almost bounced him out. Kirishima then used great hand-fighting to deflect Gonoyama’s thrusts and secure a migi-yotsu. Once he had that hold he was able to overwhelm Gonoyama (who is not a good grappler) for the force out. Kudos to Gonoyama for switching over to the superior black mawashi for this tournament, though.

Aonishiki vs. Kinbozan was an interesting bout, too. This is their second meeting. The first time they fought was in juryo (the second division) last year. Kinbozan won that bout.

Aonishiki was one of the stories of the last tournament, going 11-4 in his debut top division basho. Kinbozan was one of the stories, too, for the wrong reason. He slumped in March after making it to a play-off with Hoshoryu and Oho in January.

Kinbozan fought like he had something to prove in this one. He met his fellow pusher/thruster with a hard moroto tsuki (double hand thrust) off the tachiai. That pushed Aonishiki half way across the ring. Kinbozan then hit him with a second moroto tsuki to put him on the straw and a third to bundle him out.

The Tanimal got off to a winning start on Day 1. Takerufuji clattered Hiradoumi off the tachiai, but gave up a moro zashi. Hiradoumi almost made him pay for that, getting him to the straw before Takerufuji slapped him down with authority.

There’s no video of it on official outlets, but I also want to shoutout Onokatsu’s win over Churanoumi. I’m high on Onokatsu’s potential and I think he can really go places if he doesn’t relay too much on his hidari-yotsu. He went toe-to-toe in tsuppari (rapid palm strikes) with Churanoumi (one of my All Violence Team members) and was able to gut out a win. That’s a big win for him and a sign that he might be broadening his sumo.

Onokatsu will be tested with another pusher/thruster tomorrow when he meets Kinbozan.

Tomorrow has some other cool match-ups on the docket.

Onosato vs. Takayasu is especially tasty. Onosato beat Takayasu in a play-off for the cup in March. Takayasu did beat him during the regular tournament, though.

Hoshoryu will face Wakamotoharu. Those two seem like friends off the ring, but in competition their matches can be pretty spicy.

Kotozakura draws Abi (who lost to Daieisho on Day 1).

See you then!

---

I’m planning some content for YouTube in the very near future. Please head on over and subscribe to the channel and hit the notification bell so you get an alert when that content drops.