Month: January 2025

Hatsu 2025, Day Fourteen

Andy Hatsu 2025, Hatsu Basho , ,

Shishi defeated Kotoeiho and improves to 12-2. Nabatame defeated Ryuden so both men join Aonishiki on 11-3. Shishi has already fought the wrestlers with the best records in the division. My guess is they might throw Tomokaze at him. Tomokaze will be seeking kachi-koshi. But that seems like a weak deciding bout for this race. Anyone have a better idea?

Your NHK videos are still here, despite today’s pre-emption. Juryo Part I & Part II, Makuuchi Part I & Part II.

If any of my readers are going to Kokugikan tomorrow, be sure to prepare for extra security screening. The Kyokai posted an announcement that they will be doing more bag checks tomorrow and confiscating any banned items. My guess is that they will have a VIP in attendance, possibly the new PM or the Emperor.

It has been a few years since the Emperor came to watch in person, and obviously there was the famous scene several years ago when PM Abe hosted American President Donald Trump. Maybe Ishiba will come to present the Prime Minister’s Cup? Or, maybe they just want to be extra safe on senshuraku and Andy’s just letting his mind go wild with senseless speculation again. We shall see.

I fired up the VPN to watch today’s action. When I turned on JME, there was supposed to be a short program on Okinawa dialects before sumo coverage but instead there was a soccer game that was tied 1-1 and in the 3rd minute of extra time. That meant sumo was being pre-empted so this will be my first time in a while watching the Abema coverage.

Interesting, they have added approximate shimekomi colors next to the wrestlers’ shikona. If you’re familiar with soccer coverage, it’s similar to the way they display the different kit colors. There is a bit more of an ad mix nowadays, apparently. I also enjoyed being able to see the kensho banners more clearly. But no news breaks and no sense of being rushed out the door at the end of the day’s action as NHK usually rushes to the news at 6pm. NHK has a bit to learn from Abema and a dedicated sumo channel would go a long way.

Makuuchi Action

Nishikigi (7-7) defeated Kagayaki (5-9). Nishikigi let Kagayaki get a morozashi, double-inside grip. As Kagayaki started to chug forward, Nishikigi pivoted and rolled Kagayaki down along the tawara. Kotenage.

Tamawashi (9-5) defeated Nishikifuji (8-6). Old Tom O’Washi rushed out with purpose and hit Nishikifuji with a solid tachiai. Nishikifuji pulled immediately and Tom surged forward, casting Nishikifuji into the crowd. Nishikifuji was dead before Tom’s hand touched down. No mono-ii. Oshidashi.

Meisei (6-8) defeated Onokatsu (6-8). Onokatsu drove Meisei to the bales with his tsuppari but Meisei resisted and locked on with a good belt grip. Meisei rotated and forced Onokatsu up against the bales and then pressed him over. Yorikiri.

Tokihayate (6-8) defeated Churanoumi (4-10). Tokihayate rotated to his right and drove Churanoumi backwards and over the bales. Churanoumi seemed to move rather gingerly, as if his left ankle or knee is giving him issues. That would explain his terrible performance this tournament. Stonecreek shared a list of wrestlers who have been performing particularly poorly and I would add Churanoumi to that list of Wakamotoharu, Atamifuji, and Mitakeumi. Yorikiri.

Oshoma (8-6) defeated Tamashoho (5-9). Oshoma rotated slightly to the left and rolled Tamashoho off the dohyo. Tsukiotoshi.

Kotoshoho (4-10) defeated Takarafuji (5-9). Takarafuji was content to play passive, reactive sumo at the start of this bout. He seemed to be waiting for Kotoshoho to make his moves and then he was trying to counter with inashi. Kotoshoho decided to jettison his oshi-tsuki attack and reached in for a belt grip. The two settled into a lean. Here, Takarafuji started to take the initiative and drove into Kotoshoho. Kotoshoho countered and threw Takarafuji. Takarafuji rolled down the dohyo and landed on his butt next to Kokonoe. A polite little bow to the head shimpan, “How do you do, sir?” Uwatenage.

Hakuoho (9-5) defeated Endo (6-8). Endo resisted powerfully and took it to Hakuoho. Where has this Endo been? This has been the most competitive I have seen him in some time. Hakuoho still managed to throw him with a powerful left-hand inside belt grip. Shitatenage.

Shonannoumi (8-6) defeated Ichiyamamoto (7-7). Ichiyamamoto started this bout on the belt but Shonannoumi bucked him off quickly. As Ichiyamamoto began to get his tsuppari engine going and began to churn his legs forward, Shonannoumi slipped to the right and shoved Ichiyamamoto down and out. Oshidashi.

Midorifuji (7-7) defeated Shodai (6-8). Shodai confidently stepped forward into Midorifuji as Midorifuji slammed into him over and over without much success in driving him back. But he wasn’t alert to what Midorifuji was doing with his right hand. Midorifuji slammed into Shodai and brought his right hand up inside Shodai’s left armpit and suddenly pulled Shodai down. Hisashiburi. Katasukashi.

Gonoyama (7-7) defeated Tobizaru (6-8). Tobizaru henka. Gonoyama caught it and gently shoved Tobizaru out. After such a great start to the tournament, claiming a kinboshi, forcing Terunofuji to go intai, and two Ozeki scalps on top of it… Tobizaru is make-koshi. Surely, he was on pace for a special prize early in the tournament. Pfffth. That’s gone as he leapt meekly from the dohyo. Tsukidashi.

Halftime

Atamifuji (4-10) defeated Mitakeumi (2-12). Mitakeumi gave Atamifuji one good shove to the face at the tachiai. Then Atamifuji chugged forward and forced Mitakeumi out. If there was a time to go to the bathroom or get some tea, you could do it during this bout so you wouldn’t miss the delicate dohyo maintenance during halftime. Oshidashi.

Oho (11-3) defeated Takanosho (6-8). Excellent counter from Oho. As Takanosho chugged forward, Oho pivoted and tried a kotenage. That failed but he tried again with a shove into Takanosho right shoulder. Tsukiotoshi.

Kinbozan (12-2) defeated Kirishima (10-4). Kinbozan wants this yusho. This was a great yotsu bout. Kirishima forced his way inside, negating Kinbozan’s usual pusher-thruster style. Kirishima tried an uwatenage from that left-hand outside grip. But Kinbozan kept his footing and countered with a powerful right-hand throw. He had a grip with his right-hand inside on Kirishima’s belt but Kirishima’s uwatenage attempt pulled Kinbozan’s hand off his belt. This might have given Kinbozan better leverage by shifting his grip under Kirishima’s shoulder. Great work from both men but Kinbozan walks away with the white star and remains in the lead. Sukuinage.

Sanyaku

Takayasu (8-6) defeated Abi (7-7). Abi pounded away at Takayasu’s face while Takayasu drove Abi back to the bales. As Abi planted his feet against the tawara, Takayasu shifted left and slapped Abi back into the ring. Hatakikomi.

Ura (7-7) defeated Wakatakakage (7-7). Wakatakakage tried to slap Ura down but Ura kept his balance. Ura with the nice counter, drove into Wakatakakage, establishing a double-inside hold of Wakatakakage’s trunk. Waka then tried to throw Ura from the right but Ura staggered Wakatakakage with a shove and WTK stutter-stepped out as he tried to catch himself.

Wakamotoharu (5-9) defeated Chiyoshoma (8-6). When I see Chiyoshoma now, I just hear the voice of a young Martin Sheen. “Everyone gets everything he wants. I wanted a [yusho run], and for my sins, they gave me one.” Chiyoshoma hit Wakamotoharu hard at the tachiai and then pulled. Wakamotoharu kept his footing so Chiyoshoma slammed back into WMH, leading with his head to Wakamotoharu’s chin. This flung Wakamotoharu across the ring. As WMH teetered on the bales, he pivoted and threw Chiyoshoma forward. The gyoji seemed to look for a mark in the Janome and when he saw it, pointed his gunbai to Chiyoshoma. Mono-ii. Review showed that Wakamotoharu’s counter throw defeated Chiyoshoma. Tsukiotoshi.

Daieisho (10-4) defeated Hiradoumi (6-8). Daieisho’s thrusting overpowered Hiradoumi. Tsukidashi.

Onosato (9-5) defeated Kotozakura (5-9). Onosato’s steady footwork earned him a massive, double-fisted stack of kensho-kin. Kotozakura tried to throw him from the right as they moved back to the bales. But Onosato shrugged off the hold and continued to plow Kotozakura backward. Oshidashi.

Don’t worry, another double-stack of kensho-kin awaited the winner of the musubi-no-ichiban.

Hoshoryu (11-3) defeated Takerufuji (10-4). Takerufuji went high and tried a kubinage after the tachiai. He grabbed Hoshoryu’s belt with the left and wrapped his right arm around Hoshoryu’s head and rotated clockwise. Hoshoryu did not go down, though. Instead, he went low, got hold of Takerufuji’s belt, lifted him up and drove him backward from the dohyo. Yorikiri.

Wrap-up

Kirishima fell out of the yusho race with his loss to Kinbozan, taking the loser of the Hoshoryu/Takerufuji bout with him (Takerufuji). The yusho race narrows to include Kinbozan in the lead, and only Hoshoryu and Oho chasing.

Senshuraku fights are not out yet. I will try to bring an update before action starts tonight for both Juryo and Makuuchi. Will this Hoshoryu vs Kotozakura bout happen? I think so. Hoshoryu has already fought Oho and Kinbozan. Kinbozan has not fought Oho, though. If Kinbozan beats his opponent tomorrow, whether it’s Oho or anyone else, the Cup is his. If Oho wins and Kinbozan loses, we will have a play-off, possibly with Hoshoryu, if he wins his bout.

Hatsu 2025, Day Lucky Thirteen

Andy Hatsu 2025, Hatsu Basho, Kinbozan (金峰山) , , , , ,

All four of the lower division yusho races were decided earlier today. Mudoho won the Makushita yusho, Daimasakari won the Sandanme yusho, Yago won the Jonidan yusho and Daikisho won the Jonokuchi yusho.

Your NHK videos are here: Juryo Part I & Part II, Makuuchi Part I & Part II.

In Juryo, Shishi lost to Nabatame and Ryuden defeated Aonishiki, so we now have a two-man yusho contest in the second division. Matches have not been set for the next two days but Ryuden already beat Shishi, so they cannot meet again unless there’s a playoff.

Makuuchi Action

Tamashoho (5-8) defeated Nishikigi (6-7). Tamashoho kept plugging away at Nishikigi with his tsuppari and drove Nishikigi over the edge. Oshidashi.

Midorifuji (6-7) defeated Kotoshoho (3-10). Solid tachiai but when Kotoshoho charged ahead, Midorifuji slipped to the side and Kotoshoho ran himself off the dohyo. Tsukiotoshi.

Tamawashi (8-5) defeated Onokatsu (7-6). Onokatsu reached in with his left hand but Tamawashi immediately wrapped it in an arm bar. As Onokatsu extracted his arm, Tamawashi dragged Onokatsu toward the edge and battered him until he backed out. Oshidashi.

Oshoma (7-6) defeated Tokihayate (5-8). Oshoma pulled and tried a slapdown. It failed but drew Tokihayate toward the edge. At the edge, Oshoma attacked with another armbar, kotenage, and dragged Tokihayate along the bales by his arm. He then finished him off with a quick shove. Oshidashi.

Nishikifuji (8-5) defeated Churanoumi (4-9). Nishikifuji’s tsuppari never allowed Churanoumi to establish himself inside or get a belt grip. Churanoumi tried some misdirection but Nishikifuji’s footwork was solid today. Nishikifuji continued to press forward and drove Churanoumi to his ninth loss. Oshidashi.

Kagayaki (5-8) defeated Takarafuji (5-8). Solid tachiai. Kagayaki plowed ahead and Takarafuji slowly shifted to his left. Kagayaki maintained his steady pressure and forced Takarafuji back and out. Oshidashi #5.

Meisei (5-8) defeated Mitakeumi (2-11). Mitakeumi showed up and Meisei forced him out. Yorikiri #1.

Shonannoumi (7-6) defeated Endo (6-7). Endo did a henka and Shonannoumi thrust him from the dohyo. As Endo rolled down the dohyo, he made sure to kick Oho in the face a few times. Oshitaoshi #1.

Hakuoho (8-5) defeated Hiradoumi (6-7). Hiradoumi jumped early. Reset. Solid tachiai. Hakuoho got his left hand inside but Hiradoumi immediately shifted his right hand to force Hakuoho’s grip outside. Hakuoho seemed fine with the outside grip and bulldozed forward, forcing HIradoumi out. Yorikiri.

Oho (10-3) defeated Ura (6-7). Oho’s improved ring sense this tournament. He pulled but shifted left well in front of the bales to pull Ura down. Hatakikomi.

Halftime. Shimpan Shuffle.

Newsbreak. Another FujiTV update. Stick it to your competitor. Kick him when he’s down, repeatedly.

Tobizaru (6-7) defeated Atamifuji (3-10). Atamifuji spent a lot of time and energy on his right hand ottsuke, squeezing Tobizaru’s left hand and not allowing him to get too deep. With his left-hand outside, he tried to swing Tobizaru around but Tobizaru’s footwork was solid today. He countered by continuing to press inside with his right hand inside. Atamifuji was too big to throw but as the two danced along the edge, Tobizaru forced his weight into Atamifuji and pressed him out before tumbling from the dohyo himself. Yorikiri.

Kirishima (10-3) defeated Takayasu (7-6). A battle of former Ozeki. Kirishima longed for an inside position but Takayasu brawled him to keep him off his belt. “I will fight you.” Eventually, Takayasu tired and Kirishima took the opportunity to get his left hand inside. Takayasu trapped Kirishima’s left arm so Kirishima pulled and dragged Takayasu down while rotating and shoving Takayasu with his left. Both men tumbled down the dohyo’s side. A mono-ii was called to check if they fell at the same time but Takayasu was clearly down first. Tsukiotoshi.

Takanosho (6-7) defeated Gonoyama (6-7). Takanosho lives on the edge. After a back-and-forth grapple, Gonoyama finally worked Takanosho to the bales but Takanosho escaped right and shoved Gonoyama down. No kensho on this bout? Both of these men are heyagashira. Takakeisho’s supporters have not shifted to the pleasant, cheerful Onigiri-kun? Tsukiotoshi.

Sanyaku

Wakatakakage (7-6) defeated Shodai (6-7). Shodai tried to shift his left-hand inside but as this brought Shodai’s body up, Wakatakakage took advantage, bulled forward and toppled Shodai into the crowd. Yorikiri.

Takerufuji (10-3) defeated Abi (7-6). Abi decided to play tawara roulette today. Abi shifted left, pulled and Takerufuji charged forward. Takerufuji seemed to stay up just long enough to force Abi out. Mono-ii. Replay showed Abi’s heel touching outside the ring as Takerufji was still falling forward. Oshidashi #6.

Daieisho (9-4) defeated Chiyoshoma (8-5). Chiyoshoma has been taking on the top guys, head-on. I have to give him props. No henka today. In fact, Daieisho was the one to shift to the right, thrusting Chiyoshoma from the left side. He followed up with his steady blasts. Chiyoshoma dropped off the dohyo. It was a good run. Props to Kokonoe’s top dog. Tsukidashi.

Ichiyamamoto (7-6) defeated Wakamotoharu (4-9). Ichiyamamoto yanked yard on Wakamotoharu, pulling him to the edge of the ring. Ichiyamamoto then followed up with powerful thrusts and forced Wakamotoharu off the ring and out of sanyaku altogether. Oshidashi.

Hoshoryu (10-3) defeated Onosato (8-5). Hoshoryu wanted a left-hand grip but Onosato batted his arm away and pressed forward. Hoshoryu then reached up with his right arm and put Onosato into a headlock. Onosato was trying to reach in with his right hand and Hoshoryu’s pivot carried him forward and off the ground. Hoshoryu dropped Onosato with the Kubinage.

Kinbozan (11-2) defeated Kotozakura (5-8). Kinbozan blasted Kotozakura head-on at the tachiai. Kotozakura pulled weakly and Kinbozan’s footwork was solid. He quickly rushed the Ozeki to his make-koshi. Tsukidashi.

Wrap-up

What a Tournament! As we head into the final weekend, Kinbozan leads a yusho race we did not see coming on Day One. Kotozakura has gone from the consensus favorite for Yokozuna promotion to Kadoban. Hoshoryu’s slim hopes might still be alive, though even with a yusho, I’m not sure if it will be enough to impress and earn a promotion at this tournament.

Schedulers need to get cracking because they have not set up our Day 14 bouts, yet. I’ll try to bring an update later with the details but it might not come until late. In the meantime, I’m eager to hear what bouts you will be looking forward to this weekend! Will Kotozakura continue? If he does not, who will get the fusen win?

Hatsu 2025, Day Twelve

Andy Hatsu 2025, Hatsu Basho , , ,

In Juryo, Wakaikari is kyujo with a bicep injury suffered during his loss to Shishi yesterday. Ryuden collected the fusen win and stays one loss off the lead.

Shishi defeated Aonishiki to secure the sole lead in the Juryo yusho contest. Aonishiki tried his best pusher-thruster attack, and really threw some haymakers, but Shishi made effective use of his size advantage to drop his compatriot. Shishi will take on Nabatame who is on nine wins (as is Kotoeiho). Aonishiki will face Ryuden tomorrow.

Your NHK videos are here: Juryo Part I & Part II, Makuuchi Part I & Part II.

Makuuchi Action

Nishikigi (6-6) defeated Tokihayate (5-7). Tokihayate tried to use an early shift in direction to gain advantage but Nishikigi adjusted well, locked up Tokihayate with his left-hand inside, right-hand outside, and bulldozed Tokihayate out of the ring. Yorikiri.

Tamawashi (7-5) defeated Hakuoho (7-5). Hakuoho got a double-inside grip and pressed forward. This effectively ended Tamawashi’s tsuppari so Tamawashi locked on with his own belt grip. Tamawashi used his left-hand to yank Hakuoho around and force him to the edge of the ring. Tamawashi kept up pressure with that left hand and forced him down over the bales. I hope that bout lived up to its billing for you. It did for me. Great bout. Uwatenage.

Nishikifuji (7-5) defeated Meisei (4-8). Meisei charged forward and Nishikifuji pulled to his left with his right hand coming down on the back of Meisei’s head to slap him down. Hatakikomi.

Kagayaki (4-8) defeated Churanoumi (4-8). Kagayaki steamrolled through Churanoumi, leading with his forearm planted under Churanoumi’s chin. That looked uncomfortable and it was certainly effective at keeping Churanoumi off Kagayaki’s belt. Oshidashi.

Oshoma (6-6) defeated Shonannoumi (6-6). Shonannoumi charged ahead and drove Oshoma to the edge. Suddenly, Oshoma slipped left along the bales and thrust Shonannoumi down to his left. The crowd rewarded Oshoma’s sudden table-turning with a good cheer. When it works, it works. Tsukiotoshi.

Takarafuji (5-7) defeated Tamashoho (4-8). Tamashoho slapped away with his tsuppari but Takarafuji managed to pressure Tamashoho back and over the edge. Oshidashi.

Midorifuji (5-7) defeated Endo (6-6). Midorifuji henka! Midorifuji shifted right and pulled Endo to the edge by the left shoulder. He followed up with a shove to force Endo out. Since Midorifuji latched on to Endo’s arm and did not go for the contactless “Ole” attack, some readers will disagree that it was a henka and call it a hit-and-shift. I object to calling this a hit-and-shift because he did not hit Endo. He avoided the hit at the tachiai and grabbed Endo from the side after dodging the initial charge. That’s a henka in my book. Oshidashi.

Kotoshoho (3-9) defeated Mitakeumi (2-10). Kotoshoho grabbed Mitakeumi with a right-hand inside belt grip and charged forward, forcing Mitakeumi over the bales. Yorikiri.

Onokatsu (7-5) defeated Ichiyamamoto (6-6). Onokatsu bore the brunt of Ichiyamamoto’s tsuppari attack and kept his balance when Ichi tried a quick slap-down. Ichiyamamoto went back to tsuppari but soon grew weary and had to shift to a yotsu-style. Both men locked in with opposing right-hand inside belt grips but Onokatsu pressed forward and forced Ichiyamamoto over the bales. Yorikiri.

Atamifuji (3-9) defeated Takayasu (7-5). Takayasu employed an Abi strategy to start with a quick, forceful slam followed by a slapdown attempt. He then tried to get at Atamifuji’s belt from the side but Atamifuji pressed forward. Takayasu put Atamifuji in a headlock and tried to bring him down with a kubinage but Atamifuji resisted. Takayasu should have relented here and tried something else but he doubled down with the kubinage attack. This exposed his back to Atamifuji who wrapped up Takayasu from behind and turned the tables by charging forward and forcing Takayasu out from behind. That was great sumo from Atamifuji. I loved seeing the variety of attacks used by Takayasu but Atamifuji really impressed me. It’s Day 12 and he finally woke up from his winter slumber. Okuridashi.

Halftime

Takanosho (5-7) defeated Tobizaru (5-7). This is the playbook for dispatching Tobizaru. Get inside and contain his antics, pressure him to the bales. Maintain good footing and shove him over the bales. Well executed by Takanosho. Oshidashi.

Newsbreak. It’s smart to work this in the second half when there is more time between bouts.

Kirishima (9-3) defeated Oho (9-3). Oho tried a pull but immediately regretted it and attempted to charge forward back to center behind a wall of tsuppari. Kirishima dodged the tsuppari to the right and got in behind Oho. “Uh-oh.” Kirishima grabbed the back of Oho’s belt and pressed forward, driving Oho to the tawara. Oho resisted admirably on the edge but Kirishima did not relent, shifted his grip to the front to get a better hold, and forcefully hoisted Oho to slam him to the ground. Okurinage.

Sanyaku

Shodai (6-6) defeated Abi (7-5). Abi drove forward using shoulder blasts instead of his usual top-heavy tsuppari. Shodai used the bales for stability and tried to pitch Abi over the bales. When Abi tried to pull, Shodai drove forward and forced Abi out. Oshidashi.

Wakatakakage (6-6) defeated Gonoyama (6-6). Gonoyama charged forward but Wakatakakage used the stability of the bales to halt Gonoyama’s advance. This was impressive because Gonoyama drove into him hard with thrusts to the face. Nonetheless, Wakatakakage pressed his way back to the center and tried a slapdown. As Gonoyama charged back into Wakatakakage, WTK grabbed Gonoyama and rotated him to the bales. Gonoyama tried to resist but Wakatakakage did not relent and forced Gonoyama over. Yorikiri.

Another newsbreak? That FujiTV scandal is too juicy not to pass up.

Wakamotoharu (4-8) defeated Hiradoumi (6-6). Now that’s a henka of the flying variety. The only contact came as Wakamotoharu slapped Hiradoumi down as Hiradoumi rushed by, helpless. The crowd groaned in collective disapproval. “Desperate times call for desperate measures.” Hatakikomi.

Daieisho (8-4) defeated Ura (6-6). Daieisho’s thrusts were too much for Ura. Tsukiotoshi.

Hoshoryu (9-3) defeated Kinbozan (10-2). Clean tachiai. Kinbozan blasted ahead but Hoshoryu shifted to his right, slightly and shoved Kinbozan at the shoulder. This was enough to get Kinbozan off-balance. Hoshoryu followed quickly by slapping Kinbozan down. The entire stadium was surprised by how quickly this bout ended, Kinbozan most of all as he grimaced in defeat. Hatakikomi.

Takerufuji (9-3) defeated Kotozakura (5-7). Kotozakura used his right-hand inside grip to drag Takerufuji to the edge. As he pressed forward, Takerufuji blasted the Ozeki in the left shoulder with enough power to not only stagger Kotozakura but to collapse him into a heap under the red tassel. Tsukiotoshi.

Onosato (8-4) defeated Chiyoshoma (8-4). It was a good run while it lasted. Onosato easily dispatched Chiyoshoma. Chiyoshoma tried to shift to his left but Onosato was all over him and forced him over the bales quickly. Yorikiri.

Wrap-up

There is a lot to cover. I want to start with the lower divisions since tomorrow is all-important Day 13. Day 13 is often the decider for lower division yusho races, unless playoffs are needed on senshuraku. Tomorrow, two of the races will be decided for sure. In Makushita, Ishizaki will fight Oho’s brother, Mudoho, for the title. In Jonidan, Yago (yes, blast-from-the-past, former Maegashira Yago) will fight the 19-year-old Sekimoto for that division’s yusho as he comes back from a lengthy 3-basho kyujo.

While Enho is one sekitori tournament away from kabu-eligibilty, Yago is six tournaments away. One wonders if he will try to make a push for Juryo or if he plans to stay in the sport and ride until the wheels fall off.

Before I forget, Sandanme comes down to two Oitekaze-beya stablemates, Daimasakari and Daikosho. Since they cannot fight each other tomorrow, Daimasakari will fight Chiyodaigo and Daikosho will fight Noda. If one Oitekaze-beya man wins, he wins the yusho. If both lose, there will be a massive playoff on senshuraku where even Enho and Ikarigata (Wakaikari’s little brother) can get in on the action. If both Oitekaze wrestlers win, they will fight each other in a playoff on senshuraku. Of course, I’m rooting for a massive 10- or 11-man playoff. Chaos!

Down in Jonokuchi, another Oitekaze-beya veteran, Daikisho, is the only guy on six wins. He will claim the title if he beats Wakahizen tomorrow. If he loses, there will be a play-off on senshuraku with between two and four guys.

Back to the top division

Kinbozan still leads but there is now a larger crowd in play here with Hoshoryu, Kirishima, Oho, and Takerufuji hanging on with three losses. Is an 11-win yusho still in play here, practically speaking? If so, Onosato, Chiyoshoma and Daieisho worked their way into the conversation for what I can only assume would be a massive playoff, because it seems possible but unlikely.

Tomorrow’s torikumi pits Onosato against Hoshoryu in our first Ozeki pairing of the tournament. But Kotozakura will face Kinbozan in the musubi-no-ichiban. Takerufuji will face Abi, Kirishima will battle Takayasu, and Oho will fight Ura.

Kotozakura is staring kadoban in the face. He has yet to face his Ozeki peers and cannot lose another bout. If he loses to Kinbozan tomorrow, I would not be surprised if he goes kyujo. Several people have mentioned back issues troubling Atamifuji and causing his poor performance so far. He countered Takayasu well today and picked up a much-needed win.

Hatsu 2025, Day Eleven

Andy Hatsu 2025, Hatsu Basho ,

In Juryo, Wakaikari fell to Shishi after another henka. Shishi got some good slaps in their little brawl before smothering Wakaikari and driving him from the ring. Aonishiki ran Asakoryu out of the Kokugikan once he got that right hand at the back of Asakoryu’s belt. The big Shishi/Aonishiki bout is set for tomorrow. The two Ukrainains will duke it out for the first time, with the title race on the line.

The makuuchi yusho race has begun to take shape and it is a wild one. Kinbozan remains in the lead despite his Day Ten loss to Abi. Chiyoshoma stumbled as well, reopening the door for Oho and Takerufuji. This also gives Hoshoryu, Onosato, and Kirishima a whiff as they sit two wins back.

The schedulers are trying to end these Maegashira title hopes by moving them up to face sanyaku opponents now. Oho and Kirishima have already faced the meat of their schedule, so they likely have the advantage in these closing days. They will face each other tomorrow. The Ozeki will take turns fighting each other in the final three days.

Your NHK videos are here: Juryo Part I & Part II, Makuuchi Part I & Part II.

Makuuchi Action

Shonannoumi (6-5) defeated Kotoshoho (2-9). Kotoshoho started early. Reset. Kotoshoho sidestep but Shonannoumi recovered well and chased Kotoshoho. Kotoshoho blasted Shonannoumi toward the edge and followed up with another charge but Shonannoumi slipped to the side. As Kotoshoho put on the brakes, Shonannoumi followed up with a shove and finished Kotoshoho off. Oshidashi.

Midorifuji (4-7) defeated Tokihayate (5-6). Midorifuji forced Tokihayate to the edge with his double-inside grip but Tokihayate resisted and forced the action back to the center. Midorifuji finished Tokihayate off with a dramatic throw in the middle of the ring. Shitatenage.

Meisei (4-7) defeated Kagayaki (3-8). Solid tachiai. Meisei retreated and pivoted several times as he drew Kagayaki closer to the edge. As Kagayaki drew close to the tawara, Meisei stepped toward the inside to corner Kagayaki. Kagayaki tried an inexplicable pull and Meisei easily shoved him out. Oshidashi.

Nishikifuji (6-5) defeated Oshoma (5-6). Oshoma baited Nishikifuji toward the edge but tripped over his own feet as he tried to execute a pull. At the same time Nishikifuji drove into Oshoma and effectively blasted Oshoma backward and off the ring. Oshitaoshi.

Tamashoho (4-7) defeated Churanoumi (4-7). For the first time this basho, Tamashoho’s tsuppari seemed to have an effect on someone as Tamashoho plugged away at Churanoumi’s face, steadily forcing Churanoumi closer to the edge. Tamashoho kept up the pressure and Churanoumi could not manage an escape. Oshidashi.

Hiradoumi (6-5) defeated Nishikigi (5-6). Hiradoumi jumped early. Reset. Hiradoumi hit Nishikigi and drove him to the edge. Nishikigi pivoted and tried to pull Hiradoumi by his shoulder but Hiradoumi resisted the throw, turned, and steamed ahead. Yorikiri.

Ura (6-5) defeated Mitakeumi (2-9). Ura pulled toward the edge, then circled around and charged into Mitakeumi. As Mitakeumi tried to slap Ura down, Ura charged ahead and forced Mitakeumi from the dohyo. Oshidashi.

Endo (6-5) defeated Shodai (5-6). A good old-fashioned grapple here. Endo tried an early pull but Shodai kept his balance and moved back to the middle of the ring. Shodai even tried charging forward! (Gasp!) But Endo held steady. Endo grabbed at Shodai’s belt getting both hands up front, maemitsu. This allowed him to hoist Shodai a bit and drive him backwards over the bales. Yorikiri.

Oho (9-2) defeated Onokatsu (6-5). Both men locked in with left-hand inside grips, resulting in a good long grapple as both men tried to force the other to the edge. Onokatsu drove Oho perilously close but Oho persevered and did not give in to those demons telling him to pull. He continued to charge forward and try to get that right hand inside. Instead, Onokatsu tried to pull as Oho worked to loosen his grip. Oho kept Onokatsu in front of him, charged forward and shoved Onokatsu out. Oshidashi.

Gonoyama (6-5) defeated Takarafuji (4-7). Gonoyama blasted away with his tsuppari and offered no openings to the leaky Takarabune. Tsukidashi.

Halftime

Hakuoho (7-4) defeated Tobizaru (5-6). Hakuoho’s tsuppari game seemed to improve during the bout. He tried everything, even kubinage a couple of times but could not finish Tobizaru. Tobizaru stayed centered and his own tsuppari worked to drive Hakuoho close to the edge during their long back and forth. As loose as Tobizaru’s shimekomi was tied, oshi-tsuki was probably the most efficient way to win. Hakuoho let go of Tobizaru’s belt with the right hand, instead tucking in underneath Tobizaru’s armpit. Hakuoho finally got some leverage and managed to drive Tobizaru to the edge and slam him, hard into the clay. Sukuinage.

Kirishima (8-3) defeated Tamawashi (6-5). Kirishima cycled around the ring in retreat but shifted back to the center of the ring. He pulled on Tamawashi’s arm and drew the veteran closer to the edge before driving in and forcing him from the dohyo. Yoritaoshi.

Takanosho (4-7) defeated Atamifuji (2-9). Takanosho won The Futility Bowl and staved off makekoshi for at least another day. Atamifuji had the early edge as he forced Takanosho back after the tachiai. But Takanosho worked both arms inside Atamifuji’s armpits and steamrolled through the ring. Yorikiri.

Sanyaku

Abi (7-4) defeated Ichiyamamoto (6-5). Abi pulled and danced along the bales as he tried to shove Ichiyamamoto over. Abi shoved Ichiyamamoto from the edge. Mono-ii? Did someone step out? Hair pull? Video review showed Abi’s tawara dance coming very close to touching…but not close enough. The shimpan even checked the janome for signs of disturbed clay. No evidence to overrule the decision on the field. Abi won. Tsukidashi.

Daieisho (7-4) defeated Takerufuji (8-3). Takerufuji blasted into Daieisho, forcing him to the edge. When he faced resistance, he tried a disastrous pull and Daieisho ran him out the other side and into Ajigawa’s lap. Oshidashi.

Takayasu (7-4) defeated Wakamotoharu (3-8). Some tachiai games here as Wakamotoharu did not want to put his hands down before Takayasu. Takayasu waited, “I’m Former Ozeki. You’re Never Will Be Ozeki. Get your hands down.” Wakamotoharu obliged, to his detriment. At the tachiai, Takayasu’s bear paws became intimately familiar with the lines in Wakamotoharu’s face as Takayasu mauled WMH and drove him over the edge. With the makekoshi, Wakamotoharu will drop from Sekiwake rank and needs to work hard to stay in sanyaku. Tsukidashi.

Kotozakura (5-6) defeated Wakatakakage (5-6). Kotozakura charged forward into Wakatakakage and drove him to the edge. Wakatakakage tried to slip away along the edge. As Kotozakura chased Wakatakakage around the ring, suddenly Inosuke stopped the fight and the gunbai went to Kotozakura. Wakatakakage had stepped out. Oshidashi.

Kinbozan (10-1) defeated Onosato (7-4). If Kinbozan wants a yusho, he will have to earn it by defeating Ozeki. First up, Onosato. Onosato hopped backward in retreat as Kinbozan chugged forward with that brutal nodowa threat. Onosato tried a slapdown, didn’t work. Onosato tried to pull Kinbozan’s arm at the edge, didn’t work. Onosato tried to levitate in the air, didn’t work. Kinbozan remained standing, firmly in the ring while Onosato crashed down into the crowd. Now, Onosato gets to sit there and watch the musubi-no-ichiban. “Think about what you’ve done.” At least Nishonoseki isn’t on shimpan duty. That would be awkward. Tsukitaoshi.

NHK showed highlights of past Hoshoryu/Chiyoshoma bouts. There are only four, one was a nice Kekaeshi win by Hoshoryu. It was interesting to see the crowds of the past, the pandemic years. Contrasted with today’s normalcy.

Hoshoryu (8-3) defeated Chiyoshoma (8-3). Chiyoshoma was out-classed. Hoshoryu locked on with his right hand outside and yanked hard on Chiyoshoma’s belt. Chiyoshoma resisted at the edge and kept his balance through Hoshoryu’s first throw attempt but he could not get an opportunity to counter. Hoshoryu immediately pulled back to through the dohyo and dragged Chiyoshoma to the opposite side and forced him roughly over the tawara. Yoritaoshi.

Wrap-up

Kinbozan retains his hold on the lead as Onosato literally tumbled from the yusho race. Yes, Kinbozan is a strong opponent. Yes, he is fighting at a rank below his true capabilities. But Onosato is Ozeki and there is no getting around the fact that his strategy today was to run away from Kinbozan’s thrusting attack.

As with Wakatakakage’s careless footwork, both Onosato and WTK demonstrated that attacking in retreat is fraught with risk. Oho remains one step behind Kinbozan precisely because he pressed forward when Onokatsu pulled. For Takerufuji, it was the same thing, he pulled and Daieisho stuck to his fundamentals and drove him out of the ring.

The Ozeki should be getting a bit of a reprieve here, facing these hot-shot maegashira instead of a Yokozuna or other sanyaku opponents. Tomorrow Kinbozan will fight Hoshoryu, Takerufuji will take on Kotozakura, and Chiyoshoma will face Onosato. Oho will face Kirishima, as I mentioned in the opening. Chiyoshoma is the real outlier here. Takerufuji and Kinbozan will likely be mainstays in the joi or even in sanyaku.

When we look at Hoshoryu’s schedule, he should still have bouts against both Ozeki on the final two days as well as Abi and Wakamotoharu. But now that we’ve snuck Chiyoshoma and Kinbozan in here, either the Abi or Wakamotoharu bout will not happen. For Onosato, that Wakamotoharu bout or an Ura bout got tossed for Chiyoshoma.

Kotozakura will still have little room for error if he hopes to avoid kadoban. A fight against Takerufuji will be a big challenge, even if that bout replaces Wakamotoharu or Daieisho, in his case. Frankly, I think I would rather fight either Wakamotoharu or Daieisho. Yes, they’re dangerous but they both have well established weaknesses. As a talented up-and-comer, Takerufuji could still be a bit of a puzzle.

There are a few other gems in the early bouts tomorrow. Tamawashi will fight Hakuoho and Onokatsu will fight Ichiyamamoto. Abi versus Shodai will either be LIT, as the kids say, or a hot mess. Do the kids even say lit, anymore? I feel like those kids are probably in their 20s and 30s now.