2025 Natsu Basho: Day 2 results and analysis

I've got some spoilers in here.

Day 2 of the summer tournament brought us more thrills and spills and the dohyo. Emphasis on the spills. It seems like the clay is a little slippery this month. On this day a number of bouts ended with wrestlers losing their footing on the clay. Hopefully the yobidashi can sort that out and we’re not talking about this during the business end of the basho.

Hoshoryu vs. Wakamotoharu was the main event this night, if you will. They put on a fun bout. Other must-see matches from the day include Onosato vs. Takayasu (a rematch from March’s play-off), Chiyoshoma vs. Tobizaru, Ryuden vs. Sadanoumi and Daieisho vs. Gonoyama.

Scroll down for full results, videos and analysis.

Today’s bonus gif is Ura, reminding us that sometimes you just gotta breathe.

SPOILERS BELOW

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

---

---

Results

• Tochitaikai (2-0) def. Tamashoho (0-2) via hatakikomi (slap down)

• Kusano (1-1) def. Asakoryu (1-1) via tsuridashi (frontal lift out)

• Nishikigi (2-0) def. Kayo (0-2) via yorikiri (frontal force out)

• Roga (2-0) def. Shonannoumi (0-2) via yorikiri

• Sadanoumi (1-1) def. Ryuden (1-1) via yoritaoshi (frontal crush out)*

• Atamifuji (2-0) def. Tokihayate (1-1) via kimedashi (arm barring force out)*

• Takanosho (1-1) def. Shishi (0-2) via oshidashi (frontal push out)

• Endo (2-0) def. Meisei (1-1) via yorikiri

• Shodai (1-1) def. Midorifuji (0-2) via hatakikomi

• Onokatsu (2-0) def. Kinbozan (1-1) via yorikiri

• Aonishiki (1-1) def. Churanoumi (0-2) via yorikiri

• Hakuoho (2-0) def. Oshoma (1-1) via oshidashi

• Tobizaru (1-1) def. Chiyoshoma (0-2) via yorikiri*

• Takerufuji (2-0) def. Ura (0-2) via oshidashi

• Hiradoumi (1-1) def. Ichiyamamoto (1-1) via hikiotoshi (hand pull down)

• Wakatakakage (1-1) def. Tamawashi (1-1) via katasukashi (under shoulder swing down)*

• Daieisho (2-0) def. Gonoyama (0-2) via tsukiotoshi (thrust down)*

• Oho (2-0) def. Kirishima (1-1) via tsukidashi (frontal thrust out)

• Onosato (2-0) def. Takayasu (0-2) via hatakikomi*

• Kotozakura (1-1) def. Abi (0-2) via hikiotoshi

• Hoshoryu (2-0) def. Wakamotoharu (0-2) via yoritaoshi*

*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

Hoshoryu got to 2-0 this day with a win over Wakamotoharu (thus completing the Waka Bros. sweep).

Hoshoryu didn’t lead with the nodowa (throat thrust) for this match, for tactical reasons. If he had lead with his right hand high, aiming for Wakamotoharu’s throat, that would have given Wakamotoharu an easy path to the hidari-yotsu (left arm inside, right arm outside grip). That’s Wakamotoharu’s go-to position and he’s very hard to beat once he has it. To prevent the hidari-yotsu Hoshoryu took moro-zashi (double underhooks) off the tachiai. From that position he hoisted Wakamotoharu’s arms high, to keep his hands away from his belt, and then shucked him to the straw. Wakamotoharu tried to twist his way out of trouble (he has a good utchari [backward pivot throw]), but Hoshoryu sensed the danger and was able to muscle him out, even if that meant taking a head first dive towards the concrete.

That last move required a lot of arm strength from Hoshoryu. I think that’s another sign that his elbow won’t be much of an issue during this tournament. I certainly hope that’s the case. In just two matches he’s looked great and hopefully that means we’ll see a true yokozuna effort from him this month.

Hoshoryu will need to fight like a yokozuna if he wants to beat Onosato to the cup. On Day 2 our yokozuna-in-waiting ‘smoked’ (as Hiro Morita likes to say) Takayasu. This was a rematch from the play-off in March, which Onosato won.

In this match Onosato showed us his much improved hatakikomi (slap down). In March he used this move to devastating effect, showing he had improved greatly when it comes to decision-making and execution of this move. In some tournaments last year he flapped down, rather than slapped down, and often left it too late. That resulted in him being bungled out of the ring before his opponents touched down. Now, though, he’s hitting this move with a lot of conviction. His unrivaled strength and athleticism allows him to powerfully force opponents down and spring far enough away to avoid their last ditch dives. I think it might be game over for the division if Onosato is able to consistently hit this move, while still being so dominating when crashing forwards.

Kotozakura got his first win of the tournament last night. He beat Abi, but I think he can thank the slippery clay that I alluded to early. In this bout Kotozakura stood up well to Abi’s thrusts and pushes, but it seemed like one of Abi’s feet skidded out from under him.

Daieisho has looked very good through two bouts. He smashed Gonoyama on Day 2.

Daieisho always reminds me of slow motion footage of a grizzly bear fighting over a salmon run. He’s ferocious when he gets a full head of steam and he has good rhythm to his tsuppari (palm striking). When someone stands in the pocket with him, like Gonoyama did, he’s able to reel off strike after strike, with alternating hands, until he finds his KO blow.

This time around he got the finish when one of his left hand swipes caught a lunging Gonoyama on the side and forced him to twist off of his feet and careen into the clay. Daieisho showed a lot of strength to pull that off, generating power from his hips, but he also showed nifty footwork to step back and provide the space for Gonoyama to lunge through.

Daieisho is on an ozeki run right now, but maybe he has his sights set on more than that this month.

Kirishima, who forced out Gonoyama on Day 1, was pegged back on Day 2. He lost to Oho, who is now 2-0.

Oho got a great start off the tachiai in this bout, landing a stiff double handed push in Kirishima’s chest. Kirishima, a great hand-fighter, was forced into defensive mode. He tried to swipe away Oho’s thrusts, but Oho was too quick/aggressive and had him over the straw in no time. That’s two impressive wins in a row for Oho, who is trying to rebound from an awful March showing.

Takerufuji is 2-0, too. He bounced out poor Ura with a big push, after missing on a slap down.

Wakatakakage got a nice win over Tamawashi on this day. He survived a strong nodowa from the Iron Man and then seized on his other arm to pull off a slick katasukashi (under shoulder swing down).

Atamifuji is looking good so far. He went to 2-0 with a painful kimedashi (arm barring force out) win over the smaller Tokihayate. He no doubt learned this from his stablemate Terunofuji.

Onokatsu followed up his impressive Day 1 win with another victory. On Day 2 he beat Kinbozan in another bout where he showed more willingness to thrust. He hit Kinbozan with a nodowa before going to his more comfortable hidari-yotsu.

Day 3 has some intriguing match-ups on tap for us.

Oho’s bright start will be tested by Hoshoryu. Oho has the slight edge on their head-to-head match-up, which he currently leads 5-4.

Onosato will take on Abi. Abi is winless so far, but he’s got a 3-3 record against Onosato (not many in the sport can boast a 50% win rate against the current ozeki).

Kotozakura has Wakatakakage, Daieisho has Wakamotoharu and Kirishima has Tamawashi tomorrow, too.

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.