2025 Natsu Basho: Day 11 results and analysis
I've got spoilers for ya.
Wow, what a great day of matches! We’re really been spoiled with action this tournament and lots of wrestlers have stood up and really competed with a lot of fire (even those who typically seem quite lackadaisical).
Today was especially neat because we had just one yorikiri! And that match, between Nishikigi and Onokatsu was pretty fun, too. We also had only three oshidashi. Instead we were treated to four kotenage and five hatakikomi.
Scroll down to see who got those armlock throws and slapdowns (and also who was responsible for the rare koshikudake). You’ll also find my analysis and some great videos, too.
Speaking of videos…
My friend and former Bloody Elbow colleague Blaine Henry released a short video breaking down Wakatakakage’s katasukashi move. Check it out below:
Blaine’s The Fight Library on Substack is also a must read if you like combat sports beyond sumo. Blaine will break down MMA and boxing as well as more obscure sports like ssireum and lethwei.
Today’s bonus gif is one of my faves… Kirishima!
SPOILERS BELOW
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Results
Asakoryu (8-3) def. Roga (7-4) via kotenage (armlock throw)*
Kotoshoho (5-1-5) def. Ryuden (4-7) by kotenage
Kayo (5-6) def. Sadanoumi (7-4) by okuridashi (rear push out)*
Takanosho (7-4) def. Tochitaikai (3-8) by oshidashi (frontal push out)
Endo (6-5) def. Tamashoho (4-7) by oshidashi
Midorifuji (2-9) def. Shonannoumi (3-8) by hatakikomi (slap down)*
Kinbozan (7-4) def. Atamifuji (7-4) by tsukidashi (frontal thrust out)
Onokatsu (7-4) def. Nishikigi (5-6) by yorikiri (frontal force out)
Tokihayate (6-5) def. Churanoumi (2-9) by kotenage*
Tobizaru (6-5) def. Shishi (2-9) by hatakikomi*
Oshoma (8-3) def. Meisei (7-4) by hatakikomi
Abi (7-4) def. Gonoyama (3-8) by uwatenage (over arm throw)
Oho (4-7) def. Tamawashi (3-8) by hikiotoshi (hand pull down)*
Wakamotoharu (5-6) def. Hiradoumi (4-7) by oshidashi
Ura (3-8) def. Takayasu (2-9) by tsutaezori (under arm forward body drop)*
Kirishima (8-3) def. Ichiyamamoto (4-7) by hatakikomi*
Daieisho (8-3) def. Takerufuji (4-7) by hatakikomi
Kotozakura (7-4) def. Aonishiki (8-3) by kotenage*
Onosato (11-0) def. Wakatakakage (8-3) by yoritaoshi (frontal crush out)*
Hoshoryu (9-2) def. Hakuoho (8-3) by koshikudake (inadvertent collapse)*
*Must see bouts!
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Leaderboard
O1e Onosato: 11-0
Y1e Hoshoryu: 9-2
S1e Daieisho, S1w Kirishima, K1w Wakatakakage, four others: 8-3
Analysis
Wakatakakage went one step further than Ichiyamamoto did on Day 11. He didn’t just make Onosato sweat, he made him really work for his win. Despite needing to put in some hard graft, Onosato got his eleventh win of the tournament and in doing so turned his grasp over the tournament into a stranglehold. This win dropped Wakatakakage to 8-3 and pretty much eliminated his chances of catching Onosato. Due to other results on the day, Onosato now has just one legitimate challenger for this cup: Hoshoryu. Even so, it seems very unlikely that Onosato could throw this tournament away at this point, when he has a zensho-yusho (undefeated championship) and yokozuna promotion in his sights.
Here’s his win over Wakatakakage:
Wakatakakage got off to a very good start in this match, landing his head right on Onosato’s chest off the tachiai. He then did a good job of using ottsuke (forearm blocking) to prevent Onosato getting his left hand on his mawashi. Wakatakakage then went from defense to offense, securing a moro-zashi (double underhooks), and pushing Onosato back. Let that sink in… Wakatakakage pushed Onosato back. He has to be, pound-for-pound, one of the strongest rikishi in the sport.
Onosato didn’t panic when he was being pushed back, though. He smartly reached over and got a good outside grip on the mawashi.
This is yet another sign of growth from Onosato. In past tournaments, when put in this position, he would lightly slap at his opponents’ neck and shoulders, not quite sure whether he should be trying to side-step or slap them down. In this match he made a good decision, quickly, to get connected to Wakatakakage and use that grip to steer himself out of trouble.
Using his incredible size and strength, Onosato was able to use that grip to wrench Wakatakakage off to the side and halt his forward push.
At this point Wakatakakage knew he couldn’t force Onosato out, so he too slapped on a good grip.
Wakatakakage was able to use that grip to pull Onosato forwards and past him.
Onosato used good footwork to stay up and not get tangled up in Wakatakakage’s legs. He also kept hold of his outside grip through all of this, giving himself something to hold himself up on.
When they got to the above position, the bout could have gone any number of ways. Wakatakakage could have scooped one of Onosato’s legs out from under him with his hand. Or he could have grapevined his leg around Onosato’s and tripped him over. Or he could have tried to elevate Onosato and then dump him on the clay. He wouldn’t get a chance at any of that, though. Onosato saw this position and then saw a perfect way to end the fight.
He shot his right leg to the side…
And then let gravity do its thing.
A “crush out” if we’d ever seen one.
That was, by far, Onosato’s best win of the tournament. He had to be very intelligent in both his attack and defense. He made wise decisions and committed to them early and fully.
This kid has been as close to flawless as you can get this tournament.
Hoshoryu kept up his desperate chase of Onosato by beating Hakuoho. He’s 9-2 after winning his last seven bouts. He needs Onosato to lose and then beat him himself if he wants to beat him to the cup. Do we think Onosato is going to lose, though?
His match with Hakuoho last night was a little odd. Hakuoho seemed to either slip or buckle under Hoshoryu. God, I hope it was a slip.
That loss effectively rules Hakuoho out of challenging Onosato for the cup this month. The 21 year-old has still proved that he was worth all that hype he had prior to his shoulder injury, though.
Aonishiki was also dropped back in his hunt to surprise Onosato this month. He lost a gritty match with Kotozakura.
Aonishiki continued to show no signs of nerves going up against an elite opponent. He did his best to mash Kotozakura’s face with thrusts and then power him out with hands dug deep into the ozeki’s armpits.
Kotozakura showed amazing strength to come back from that situation, bouncing off his right foot with enough power to keep himself in bounds and then go on the counter-attack. At this point Aonishiki had a moro-zashi. However, Kotozakura exploited that, with an armlock on Aonishiki’s left overhook. Aonishiki did his best to block and reverse an attempt at a throw, but Kotozakura stuck with it and executed the kotenage (armlock throw) on his second attempt. Aonishiki landed quite painfully from the throw. I hope it didn’t damage his shoulder.
That win puts Kotozakura at 7-4 and has him close to a kachi-koshi (winning record).
Kirishima got his kachi-koshi on Day 11. He got a quick slap down win on Ichiyamamoto.
Daieisho also hit his kachi-koshi. He switched his usual raging bull outfit for a matador’s cape and let Takerufuji fall at his feet.
Asakoryu also got his eighth win on Day 11. Asakoryu has quietly put in his career best performance this month. Last night he was pushed to the brink by Roga. He used his speed to escape along the straw and then his strength to drag Roga down.
The match, and moment, of the day (perhaps tournament?) came when Ura took on Takayasu. They brawled at the beginning, with Takayasu doing his best E. Honda impression towards Ura’s face. Ura hung in there, though, and managed to get his head under Takayasu’s arm. I have no idea how Takayasu didn’t know what would happen next. See it for yourself, in all its glory, below:
This was Ura’s fourth career tsutaezori (under arm forward body drop). His last one was also against Takayasu. And it wasn’t that long ago, either. Ura hit this on him in January. The fact Takayasu wasn’t able to recognize this is a sign that he’s going through the motions a little this month, possibly still shell shocked from finishing second place in the March tournament (after being in a fantastic position to win it).
Tomorrow brings us the first ever meeting of Onosato and Hakuoho. There’s a bit of history there. Hakuoho was recruited to the Miyagino stable by Hakuho (that stable has since been absorbed by Isegahama). Hakuho was also desperate to recruit Onosato. However, Onosato rejected the GOAT in favour of Nishonoseki and former yokozuna Kisenosato.
Hoshoryu will need to beat his ‘frenemy’ Kirishima on Day 12 to keep the pressure on Onosato. These two are 11-9 head-to-head. Hoshoryu has won the last three against his former judo clubmate. Kirishima won the three bouts before that.
If Hoshoryu loses and Onosato wins, Onosato can win the tournament outright on Day 13.
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So happy to see Midorifuji and Ura win on the same day!
Just top-tier stuff up and down today, like you noted. Asakoryu, Ura, Hoshoryu, Kotazakura, Onosato...so much impressive strategy on display.