2025 Natsu Basho: Day 8 results and analysis
Spoilerssss.
We have now crossed the half-way point of the 2025 summer tournament. And it’s pretty clear who has a shot at winning this thing right now. That doesn’t mean things are boring, though. We’re still seeing some very interesting chapters play out in the careers of some great athletes/characters.
On Day 8 Hoshoryu met Takerufuji, Onosato took on Hiradoumi and surprise contenders Hakuoho and Aonishiki met Meisei and Tobizaru.
Aonishiki vs. Tobizaru was one of the bouts of the day. Kinbozan vs. Chiyoshoma and Atamifuji vs. Shonannoumi were a lot of fun, too.
Scroll down to see all the top division results from Day 8, along with my analysis.
Bonus gif is this replay from a past basho, showing off the awesomeness that is the bird’s eye view.
SPOILERS BELOW
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Results
Tamashoho (3-5) def. Nishikigi (5-3) by hatakikomi (slap down)
Roga (6-2) def. Tochitaikai (3-5) by yorikiri (frontal force out)
Kayo (4-4) def. Tokihayate (3-5) by uwatenage (over arm throw)*
Asakoryu (6-2) def. Sadanoumi (5-3) by oshidashi (frontal push out)
Shonannoumi (3-5) def. Atamofuji (5-3) by uwatenage after confirmation by mono-ii (judges review)*
Endo (5-3) def. Ryuden (4-4) by uwatenage
Kotoshoho (2-1-5) def. Shishi (1-7) by yoritaoshi (frontal crush out)
Shodai (3-5) def. Takanosho (4-4) by sukuinage (beltless arm throw)*
Meisei (5-3) def. Hakuoho (7-1) by kotenage (armlock throw)*
Oshoma (5-3) def. Midorifuji (0-8) by okuridashi (rear push out)
Aonishiki (7-1) def. Tobizaru (4-4) by okuridashi*
Kinbozan (6-2) def. Chiyoshoma (2-6) by yorikiri*
Ichiyamamoto (4-4) def. Churanoumi (1-7) by uwatenage*
Wakamotoharu (3-5) def. Gonoyama (1-7) by oshidashi
Abi (4-4) def. Takayasu (2-6) by oshidashi
Wakatakakage (7-1) def. Oho (3-5) by yoritaoshi*
Daieisho (6-2) def. Kirishima (5-3) by tsukidashi (frontal thrust out)
Onosato (8-0) def. Hiradoumi (3-5) by oshidashi
Kotozakura (5-3) def. Tamawashi (2-6) by yorikiri
Hoshoryu (6-2) def. Takerufuji (3-5) by kotenage*
*Must see bouts!
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Leaderboard
O1e Onosato: 8-0
K1w Wakatakakage, M7e Hakuoho, M9e Aonishiki: 7-1
Y1e Hoshoryu, S1e Daieisho, M8w Kinbozan, M14w Roga, M17w Asakoryu: 6-2
Analysis
Another day, another dominating performance from Onosato. Today he walked through Hiradoumi. That’s eight days, eight wins and Onosato barely seems out of first gear. He’s looked incredible since hitting the top division last year, but in this tournament he looks his best yet. It’s frightening to think he’s probably going to get even better.
Hoshoryu, who is desperate to erase memories of his March tournament, scored a decent win over Takerufuji on Day 8. This was their third ever bout. In their first two matches Takerufuji blitzed off the line and was then caught and thrown by Hoshoryu. He tried to do something different this time around, yet was still caught and thrown by Hoshoryu.
Takerufuji attempted a henka in this match-up. That was gutsy, but it’s really outside of his wheelhouse and I think Hoshoryu was suspecting something like this might happen in this match-up. After the henka failed, Takerufuji looked pretty frantic as he tried to back down Hoshoryu with thrusts. Hoshoryu was able to catch one of those thrusting arms and then pull off a classic kotenage (armlock throw).
That loss drops Takerufuji to 3-5 for the tournament and puts him on pace for his worst career finish.
Kotozakura beat Tamawashi on Day 8 to go 5-3 and inch closer to a kachi-koshi (winning record). Kotozakura was able to lock up his migi-yotsu (right arm inside, left arm outside grip) and comfortably marshal out the veteran.
Daieisho rebounded from back-to-back losses to get a win over Kirishima (someone he usually has problems with). Daieisho put Kirishima on his heels quickly and then used good footwork to keep up with the quicker Kirishima and score the thrust out before Kirishima could circle away.
Wakatakakage beat Oho on Day 8 to remain one of the most credible threats to Onosato winning this tournament. He resisted a slap down attempt from Oho and used a snug inside grip on the right side to force Oho off the ring and into the seats. Oho has lost five straight now after opening his tournament with wins over Kotozakura, Kirishima and Hoshoryu.
Aonishiki is still in the hunt to upset Onosato, too. He came through a predictably chaotic match-up with Tobizaru. This was the Ukrainian’s first encounter with the Flying Monkey. Aonishiki dominated Tobizaru in the tsuppari (rapid palm striking) exchanges, touching Tobizaru’s chin a few times while also blocking anything hard Tobizaru threw back at him. Aonishiki then clawed at Tobizaru’s throat. Tobizaru survived that, but couldn’t do anything after Aonishiki smartly grabbed the back of his mawashi.
Aonishiki continues to show he is not flustered by taking on established talent. Those slaps he landed on Tobizaru also showed he’s not afraid to try and hurt them either.
Hakuoho took his first loss of the tournament on Day 8. He was up against Meisei. In this bout Meisei showed why he’s a founding member of my All Violence Team. He touched up Hakuoho with both his hands and his forehead before isolating an arm and pulling off the rare kotenage. Hakuoho invoked his mentor after this one, peaking over at the shimpan (ringside judges) to see if there would be a mono-ii (judges review). It looked pretty close to me, but the judges didn’t feel a review was justified.
Kinbozan is having a nice tournament, having been so disappointing in March. He’s a pusher/thruster, but he used yotsu (belt grabbing) sumo well in this bout with Chiyoshoma. He’s 6-2 now.
Lastly, let’s head over to juryo (the second division). Isegahama’s hot prospect Kusano is waltzing his way through the competition there, for the second tournament in a row. In March he crushed the second division, earning the yusho (championship) with days to spare. He finished with a 14-1 record. He’s 7-1 right now and seems destined for makuuchi (top division) sumo in July.
Tonight’s match-ups include Hoshoryu vs. Ichiyamamoto, Onosato vs. Ura, Abi vs. Wakatakakage, Aonishiki vs. Chiyoshoma and Hakuoho vs. Shodai.
Ichiyamamoto is 3-0 against Hoshoryu. He took a kinboshi (gold star) off the new yokozuna in March. Hoshoryu made an example of Ichiyamamoto on tour after that, subjecting him to some brutal butsukari (chest-lending) drills.
Onosato has blown through Ura with ease in each of their previous four bouts. Aonishiki will be fighting Chiyoshoma for the first time in his career. Chiyoshoma will probably dip into the dark arts to try and ensure he’s not embarrassed by the youngster.
See you tomorrow!
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That was a great day of sumo. Some really exciting matches. Oho is going to end up looking like a Diaz brother with the scar tissue over his right eye.
Poor Midorifuji going 0-8. Is he just getting unlucky? There are a number of surprisingly bad records so far in this basho.