2025 Natsu Basho: Day 5 results and analysis
Now with spoilers.
Day five has come and gone and we’re now deep enough into this basho to have a good idea of who will likely be our front runners over the next week and a half. One of those names is not surprising, but there are a couple others who are nice to see in the mix.
We had some good matches on this day. Hoshoryu vs. Gonoyama was both meaningful and very exciting. You should definitely check that out if you haven’t already.
I also really enjoyed Aonishiki vs. Midorifuji, Kinbozan vs. Shodai and Ura vs. Chiyoshoma.
Scroll down for all the results and some great videos. You’ll also get my analysis of what all went down on the dohyo.
Bonus gif today is The Berserker.
SPOILERS BELOW
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Results
Nishikigi (5-0) def. Tochitaikai (3-2) via yorikiri
Kayo (1-4) def. Takarafuji (2-3) via hatakikomi (slap down)
Asakoryu (4-1) def. Shonannoumi (1-4) via shitatenage (underrm throw)*
Roga (4-1) def. Tamashoho (1-4) via yorikiri (frontal force out)
Ryuden (3-2) def. Tokihayate (2-3) via yorikiri
Sadanoumi (3-2) def. Atamifuji (3-2) via yorikiri
Takanosho (2-2) def. Endo (4-1) via okuridashi (rear push out)
Meisei (3-2) def. Shishi (0-5) via tsukiotoshi (thrust down)
Aonishiki (4-1) def. Midorifuji (0-5) via uchimuso (inner thigh propping twist down)*
Kinbozan (3-2) def. Shodai (2-3) via yorikiri*
Hakuoho (5-0) def. Churanoumi (1-4) via oshidashi (frontal push out)
Onokatsu (3-2) def. Tobizaru (3-2) via yorikiri
Ura (1-4) def. Chiyoshoma (0-5) via yorikiri*
Ichiyamamoto (3-2) def. Oshoma (2-3) via oshidashi
Abi (2-3) def. Takerufuji (3-2) via tsukiotoshi*
Wakamotoharu (1-4) def. Takayasu (1-4) via oshidashi
Wakatakakage (4-1) def. Kirishima (3-2) via kubinage (headlock throw)*
Daieisho (5-0) def. Oho (3-2) via tsukidashi (frontal thrust out)*
Kotozakura (3-2) def. Hiradoumi (2-3) via hikiotoshi (hand pull down)*
Onosato (5-0) def. Tamawashi (2-3) via yorikiri*
Hoshoryu (3-2) def. Gonoyama (0-5) via uwatedashinage (pulling over arm throw)*
*Must see bouts!
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Leaderboard
O1e Onosato, S1e Daieisho, M7e Hakuoho, M16w Nishikigi: 5-0
K1w Wakatakakage, M9e Aonishiki, M11e Endo, M14w Roga, M17w Asakoryu: 4-1
Analysis
Hoshoryu secured a much needed win on Day 5, getting one over on Gonoyama (one of his personal nemeses). In case you’ve forgotten, Hoshoryu and Gonoyama once had a very notable stare down ahead of a match (which reportedly earned then ozeki Hoshoryu a dressing down). Their matches have felt especially firy since that incident.
Hoshoryu needed a win to stop the bleeding in this tournament, coming off back-to-back losses to Oho and Abi. If he had lost a third here, and given up a kinboshi to Gonoyama of all people, I think Hoshoryu might have started playing the ‘nagging injury’ game.
Thankfully, for those of us who want a yokozuna in the ring each day of a basho, Hoshoryu got his win, dropping poor Gonoyama down to 0-5.
Here’s their bout:
I think Hoshoryu looked a little tentative in this match-up. He was also caught sleeping when Gonoyama launched at him a shade early (as Abi did a few days ago).
Gonoyama’s early jump prevented Hoshoryu from getting any extension on his opening nodowa (throat thrust). Hoshoryu has started using that move to set the tone of his matches and create an opening for his go-to sequence of clinching and then either going for the force out or throw.
Once the nodowa was disrupted, and Gonoyama bounced out of range, Hoshoryu was forced into total improvisation mode.
At first he went for a slap down. That didn’t work, but then he got a good idea to brace against Gonoyama’s assault and look for an underhook with his right arm. Gonoyama, who has next to zero grappling acumen, tried to push Hoshoryu away with a nodowa. Hoshoryu’s underhook prevented that, though. Hoshoryu then forced Gonoyama back to the tawara (straw bales) and then found an overhook with his left hand, which he secured with a belt grab.
It was game over once Hoshoryu had the belt. He was able to keep Gonoyama from pushing him too far back while searching for the right position to turn that overhook into an overarm throw.
This was a good win for Hoshoryu. Hopefully it helps him rally and get himself back into this tournament.
Hoshoryu won’t get back into this tournament unless Onosato starts to lose, though. And that doesn’t look like happening anytime soon.
He steamrolled Tamawashi on Day 5. Tamawashi hit Onosato with his famous nodowa, but it didn’t budge the yokozuna-in-waiting (thanks to the strong right hand grip Onosato got on the belt off the tachiai). Onosato was then able to quickly take Tamawashi out with a power yorikiri (frontal force out). That win was very yokozuna-like.
Our other ozeki got a win on Day 5, too. Kotozakura, who risks being the forgotten man in the hunt for a yokozuna promotion, looked really good against Hiradoumi (someone he historically does very well against). Hiradoumi did well to defend against Kotozakura’s migi-yotsu (right arm inside, left arm outside grip). He did that by scooting his hips back and squeezing in his arms, placing his hands right on Kotozakura’s ample chest. Unfortunately for him, Kotozakura is fantastic at punishing leaners with an array of pull down moves. It didn’t take long for Kotozakura to bring his weight down on Hiradoumi’s shoulders and force him into the dirt.
Daieisho, based on records, is Onosato’s closest challenger for the cup thus far. He remained perfect with a win over Oho. He and Oho went toe-to-toe to see who could thrust the hardest and the Battle Pug was the winner (as he usually is when someone adopts this tactic against him).
The only other wrestlers still perfect are Hakuoho and Nishikigi. Hakuoho beat Churanoumi on Day 5, thanks to the strength of his hidari-yotsu (left arm inside, right arm outside grip).
Nishikigi beat newcomer Tochitaikai. I think Nishikigi takes every other basho off. This is one of his ‘on’ tournaments. Once he gets kachi-koshi (a winning record) he’ll probably go back into self-preservation mode.
Wakatakakage vs. Kirishima is always a fun match-up. Wakatakakage got the W on this day. That improved his head-to-head record to 8-10 against the former ozeki.
This was a good back-and-forth battle. Kirishima wanted to spend more time thrusting, but Wakatakakage scuppered that by sticking to him like glue. This forced a yotsu battle and Kirishima was close to getting Wakatakakage out over the south side of the ring. However, the smaller Wakatakakage was able to slip around him and drag Kirishima down with both a firm left hand grab on the belt and a headlock.
Wakatakakage is now 4-1, just behind the leaders.
I can’t share footage of it, but Aonishiki got to 4-1 with a fantastic win over Midorifuji. Aonishiki has picked up from where he left off in his debut makuuchi tournament. He is looking aggressive, confident and extremely creative on the dohyo. He pushed Midorifuji around and then secured a mae-mitsu (front of belt grip). From that position Aonishiki was able to pull and twist Midorifuji off of his feet for the rare uchimuso (inner thigh propping twist down) win.
Kinbozan also had a good win on Day 5. Shodai was able to get him into a yotsu battle and almost get him over the straw. But then Kinbozan was able to lift and turn 180 degrees with Shodai and then force him out.
Ura got his first win on Day 5. He was able to charge out Chiyoshoma and do a little spin, too.
Hokutofuji announced his retirement on Day 5, citing persistent injuries and a desire to coach at his Hakkaku stable. The 32 year-old was in makushita (third division) for this tournament though he was yet to have a match. Hokutofuji was in makuuchi in January, though sat out the entire tournament due to injury. That dropped him to juryo. He fought hurt in juryo, taking a 3-12 record and demotion to makushita.
Hokutofuji was a runner-up at the 2023 Nagoya tournament, pushing Hoshoryu to a play-off. That was Hoshoryu’s first ever yusho. Hokutofuji ends his career with a 424-368-39 record across sixty-one tournaments. Forty-nine of those tournaments were in the top division. He finished runner-up twice in the top division and also earned two technique prizes and two fighting spirit prizes. He also earned seven kinboshi in his career (over Kakuryu, Harumafuji, Kisenosato and Hakuho).
He was nicknamed ‘The Berserker’ (and ‘Male Pattern Badass’ — shoutout to the CME) and was beloved for the intensity and personality he brought to the dohyo. In recent years his injuries prevented that intensity from carrying over into his matches. In his prime, though, he was must-see TV.
Happy trails Hokutofuji!
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Hi Tim!
Many thanks for the update, and excellent gif, of Hokutofuji. He has been a fun wrestler to watch. Best to him!