Senshuraku is upon us! In a bit, we will crown a new top division champion. The two Yokozuna will fight – possibly twice – with the title on the line. Something we’ve wanted for a while. But before we get to that, there are some other items to address.
Juryo Yusho
Asahakuryu won his bout against Nishikifuji and claimed the title with a 13-2 record. He was able to force Nishikifuji out with a good left hand uwate grip, the yorikiri finish. He won the yusho in his debut, repeating the feats accomplished by Kusano, Takerufuji, Tochimusashi, Tomokaze, Mitakeumi, Ichinojo, Terunofuji, Endo, Chiyotairyu, Ikioi, Shotenro, Tochinoshin, Toyohibiki… His stablemate and former Ozeki Asanoyama came up just short, finishing 12-3 after his win over Mita.
Sansho Nominees
- Outstanding Performance
- Hakuoho (1st, if he wins)
- Aonishiki (1st, if Hoshoryu wins the yusho)
- Fighting Spirit
- Takanosho (5th)
- Technique
- Aonishiki (2nd)
Yesterday, Hiro mentioned that the winner of the Ura/Ryuden bout might be looking at a special prize. However, neither man is listed as a sansho candidate.
Remember, Hakuoho is (so far) the only wrestler to defeat Onosato this tournament. However, he needs a kachi-koshi to claim his Outstanding Performance Prize. The condition placed on Aonishiki’s prize is unusual. He will claim the prize only if Hoshoryu wins the yusho. I cannot recall a prize being contingent on another wrestler’s victory, but maybe you all can remember one? Regardless, he will claim his second technique prize and Takanosho has earned a fifth Fighting Spirit Prize. Congratulations!
Makuuchi Action
Tobizaru (9-6) defeated Asakoryu (6-9). Tobizaru shoved Asakoryu to the bales. After some hazu-oshi, Asakoryu inexplicably pulled and tried a slapdown when he was already at the edge. So, essentially Tobizaru shoved him out for the win. Oshidashi.
Hitoshi (7-8) defeated Meisei (5-10). Meisei dragged Hitoshi around the right by his right hand but couldn’t get the kotenage finish. Hitoshi kept his footing and stayed in bounds. When Meisei switched to tsuppari, Hitoshi pulled and slapped Meisei down. Hatakikomi.
Mitakeumi (7-8) defeated Nishikigi (2-13). Mitakeumi overpowered Nishikigi and ushered him back to Juryo. Yorikiri.
Roga (7-8) defeated Ryuden (9-6). Roga got both of his hands inside quickly and steered Ryuden toward the bales. The tawara were mere speedbumps as Roga drove Ryuden out. Yorikiri.
Shodai (10-5) defeated Shishi (10-5). A bloodied Shodai dragged Shishi over to the edge by trapping Shishi’s right arm and pulling him forward. There were several bouts this tournament where I felt that in the past, Shodai would have given up. This was another one where he dug deep, fought hard, and won. Kotenage.
Churanoumi (9-6) defeated Tomokaze (9-6). Tomokaze pulled and slapped Churanoumi down as Churanoumi charged forward. Both men crashed out. Gunbai Churanoumi. Mono-ii. Gunbai confirmed. Tomokaze was dead in the air before Churanoumi fell down. Oshidashi.
Tokihayate (7-8) defeated Fujinokawa (6-9). Oh, my word. I do not know how Tokihayate resisted that kubinage. Fujinokawa wrapped his arm around Tokihayate’s head and dragged him toward the ground. But Tokihayate does sumo squats, apparently, and used that firm base to withstand Fujinokawa’s attempt. He countered with his own overarm throw and toppled Fujinokawa with an uwatenage.
Midorifuji (7-8) defeated Sadanoumi (6-9). Sadanoumi pulled and Midorifuji pressed forward, forcing Sadanoumi to run out of the ring. Yorikiri.
Kusano (8-7) defeated Shonannoumi (7-8). Kusano wrapped up Shonannoumi with his left hand inside and his right hand outside on Shonannoumi’s belt. He drove forward and forced Shonannoumi out. Yorikiri.
Hiradoumi (8-7) defeated Kinbozan (7-8). Hiradoumi staggered Kinbozan at the tachiai. Kinbozan tried to twist Hiradoumi over at the edge but Hiradoumi maintained the pressure and shoved Kinbozan out from behind. Okuridashi.
Halftime
Daieisho (7-8) defeated Gonoyama (1-14). Both men hit each other with forceful tsuppari. As Daieisho tired, he neared the bales and started to put his gear in reverse. He pulled and danced along the tawara until he slapped Gonoyama down. Hatakikomi.
Atamifuji (5-10) defeated Ichiyamamoto (4-11). The two men got migi-yotsu grips. Ichiyamamoto fought to get himself away from the tawara but Atamifuji started using his gaburi to back Ichiyamamoto up and carry him over the bales. Yorikiri.
Oho (10-5) defeated Oshoma (9-6). Oshoma pressured Oho and had forced him to the edge but Oho put his right arm around Oshoma’s head and his left hand in Oshoma’s armpit. Oho then twisted and pulled Oshoma’s head and shoulder down to toward the bales. Ouch. Tsukiotoshi.
Hakuoho (8-7) defeated Ura (10-5). Hakuoho battered Ura and when Ura pulled away, Hakuoho followed with his mitt in Ura’s face. Hakuoho earns his first Outstanding Performance Prize. Oshitaoshi.
Onokatsu (7-8) defeated Abi (3-12). Onokatsu charged ahead. Abi tried to pull and slapdown but he was already at the edge. Silliness. I hope Abi recovers from his injuries. Yorikiri.
Tamawashi (6-9) defeated Kotoshoho (3-12). Tamawashi just bullied Kotoshoho back and over the edge. Oshidashi.
Sanyaku
Wakamotoharu (9-6) defeated Aonishiki (11-4). Hidari-yotsu. Wakamotoharu forced Aonishiki to the edge and over the bales. Yorikiri.
Takayasu (7-8) defeated Kirishima (6-9). Kirishima’s confidence shaken, he retreated from Takayasu’s tsuppari and Takayasu slapped him down. Tsukiotoshi.
Takanosho (12-3) defeated Wakatakakage (6-9). Takanosho overpowered Wakatakakage and shoved him out. Oshidashi.
Hoshoryu (13-2) defeated Onosato (13-2)! Hoshoryu blitzed Onosato at the tachiai, shoving him hard in the face, driving him straight back and out. Well, that was the opposite of a henka but the outcome was just as quick. Oshidashi.
Play-off
Onosato defeated Hoshoryu. Hoshoryu launched out and latched onto Onosato’s mawashi with a deep right-hand grip. He pivoted and spun, trying to drive Onosato over the bales but Onosato adjusted, shifted slightly so Onosato was toppled on top of Hoshoryu. Both men crashed off the dohyo. Gunbai Onosato. Mono-ii. Gunbai confirmed. Onosato yusho.
Wrap-up
Well. This basho had a little bit of everything, didn’t it? It ended in a Play-off between the Yokozuna. Hoshoryu drove the action in both bouts. Onosato’s counter attack was better in the Play-off. Next Stop, London.
We will find out our Juryo promotions in a few days but most of the banzuke will remain under wraps until the troupe heads to Kyushu. Wakatakakage and Kirishima will fall out of sanyaku. Takayasu likely will, as well. Aonishiki will claim a Sekiwake slot and he will probably be joined by Oho. Who will claim the Komusubi slots? Takanosho? Wakamotoharu? Hiradoumi?
See you in a few days.
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That would have been a most epic conclusion of the tournament…if NHK hadn’t spoiled the result thirty minutes before it aired. I watch the highlights, so I tuned in at 9 am pst for the first airing of the day at 9:30 am pst, and what do I first see? NHK World Newsline running a video on Onosato winning the tournament.
I get they’re probably ran by separate departments. But c’mon. They hide the VOD behind the airings, so you can’t watch on demand until after the last airing, and I get you can’t ignore the tournament result all day, but like…maybe not right before people can see the tournament result? Save it for AFTER the first airing at least.
Just took the wind totally out of my sails, and it was only worse when a playoff happened. If I hadn’t known the result I would have been on the edge of my seat.
Such a shame.
This happened to me in the past so WARNING to everyone ;do not tune in to NHK until Grand Sumo starts. (-;
I knew Hoshoryu won the first bout cuz the highlight show was too long (had to include a playoff). There will be signs, got to just trick your brain sometimes
Playoff between Yokozuna on day 15 was cool. I think the shimpan should have called for a rematch for them both “landing simultaneously” myself.
I don’t think Aonishiki is going to get promoted based on any non-sanyaku results unless he gets a yusho in November. They promoted Terunofuji because he already had been ozeki and he had won two yusho and been runner up in two (one in a playoff) in the previous five tournaments. Barring injury I don’t expect Aonishiki will not be an Ozeki for Osaka though.
Yusho is a high bar. I would just note that Terunofuji didn’t have Onosato and Hoshoryu as Yokozuna and Hakuho was close to the end of his career.
With how they historically underdemoted Takayasu to keep Aonishiki out of Komusubi in July I can’t help but thinking they are setting the bar VERY high for the kid.
They underdemoted Takayasu, that’s true, but probably not to keep Aonishiki out of sanyaku. They simply had to decide between an underdemotion for Takayasu and an overpromotion for Aonishiki, who hadn’t even fought in the joi then.
If the same happens between the divisions nobody cries scandal.
There were six O and Y, now only three including a not very healthy Kotozakura. I think that could make a difference in favor of Aonishiki.
FYI anyone going to the London sumo tournament next month, I’ve just seen there will be a number of talks happening at Japan House in Kensington during the week.
https://www.japanhouselondon.uk/press-area/japan-house-london-news/japans-regions-celebrated-through-series-of-events-at-japan-house-london-this-autumn-2/
The two later talks are already fully booked, but the Wednesday ‘Tokoyama: sumo hairdressing (Tokoami; Hakuoho; presented by Hiro Morita) still has availability (tickets are free). All will apparently be streamed online.
Japan House will also be selling sumo merchandise.
Very cool! Thank you for sharing!
P.S.: A really great thing about this basho was the nearly complete absence of bad injuries! No wheelchair or stretcher needed for any sekitori. Only Kotozakura going kyujo during the contest. That‘s rare, too, I think!
Yeah. In May, Kotoshoho was the only kyujo…5 days…but then was followed with an epidemic. 7 guys out, 47 kyujo days total.
I would have loved to see Hoshoryu win, but glad anyway that he had such a strong comeback from his injury. Nothing against Onosato, he seems like a nice guy.
The rivalry I am looking forward to is Hoshoryu – Aonishki. They are both so smart, technically skilled and versatile, with wrestling backgrounds, and neither of them is huge. I bet they find each other an interesting challenge.
Fujinokawa is a fun little scrapper to watch.
What a great Basho and chapter in the rivalry between the two Grand Champions. Kyushu should be fascinating. It will also be exciting to see who will be joining Onosato, Hoshoryu, Kotozakura and Aoinishiki in Sanyaku when the banzuke come out.
At the moment, I have Aonishiki and Ōhō at Sekiwake, and Takanoshō and either Hakuōhō or Takayasu at Komusubi… usually, NSK would promote the top Maegashira with a winning record, but Takayasu might stay at Komusubi with a 7-8, just shifting over to West…
Wow – the first time in years we have a Yokozuna playoff and then that was close enough to cause a mono-ii to confirm the tournament winner. I have nothing but positive comments!
Regarding Andy’s question – Today, I will pick Aonishiki & Oho as S1 & S2, and then Takanosho & Takatasu as K1 & K2 (that’s a half rank demotion for Takayasu). Then, by calculations, Hakuoho & Wakamotoharu as the M1 boys and Wakatakakage & Kirishima as the M2 boys. I might however switch that M1 & M2 around giving a rank bonus to the former S-men. I need to think about that.
Regarding Hirdoumi, 8-wins from M4E doesn’t really put him higher than M3E unless there’s nobody worthy in front of him. At least that’s how I see it today.
That’s exactly how I put the S, K, M1 and M2. My only doubt was wether they might drop Takayasu (for Hakuoho) this time.
An outstanding performance prize for an 8-7 record?
The outstanding performance is for earning a kinboshi and a kachikoshi. I think that’s more or less a guaranteed prize.
This is standard practice for maegashira defeating a yusho-worthy performing yokozuna. Just any kinboshi won’t do.
I think it is the other way round. Any kinboshi will do, but it has to be validated with a kachikoshi.
Abi didn’t get a prize in Nagoya for defeating Hoshoryu and neither did Aonishiki. Same with Hakuoho for 11-4 Onosato. There’s nothing outstanding in defeating an underperforming or even withdrawing yokozuna. Tamawashi got a shukun-sho for truly outstanding performance for his age, not exclusively for beating Onosato.
Wow, that’s interesting. So it’s not strange at all that they made the shukun-sho for Aonishiki depend on Hoshoryu‘s performance, it’s only more rigorous for sanyaku. (Though to classify an 11-5 as underperformance seems quite severe too.) Thanks for the information.
He is the only one who put dirt on Onosato before the final day. You will almost always see a special prize for a Maegashira who is the only one to have defeated a Yokozuna by the final day when special prizes are announced. Doubly so if that Yokozuna is fighting for the Yusho on the final day thanks to that one loss when he could have won it the day before and be fighting for a perfect tournament.
Great basho! I wanted to chirp about the Aonishiki Ozeki conversation. There is a certain element of “the situation” at the time, which makes trying to say without doubt what is going to happen, impossible. I agree that they will be considering Aonishiki for Ozeki if he has a similar November tournament, and i hope he does and they do. Sumo is so exciting now and for much of my fandom we had to wait through a period of renewal, post Hakuho era and waiting for the next generation to replace the old. Sumo is awesome and i’m so glad i found it and that it’s where it is now. Hakkeyoi!!!
The finish had me bouncing off the walls in excitement. I don’t think I could ask for more than a tournament finish that’s decided by two yokozuna going to a playoff that’s so close they have to call a mono-ii.
It looked to me like Onosato expected everything but the pushes out of Hoshoryu. I think the first and only time a nodowa actually worked against him.
I only got into sumo during last September’s tournament so watching Hoshoryu and Onosato’s rise has been a treat. Thanks for the daily updates, I can only catch lower divisions live so checking here in the morning kept me going until I catch the highlights on video.
Interesting bit of history i just came across on YT. Its Fujinokawa from ( guessing the late 60’s) worth a look to compare styles against today… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Um5gWyvQY7s
The henka debate undervalues the head games in sumo .. Anticipation + tendencies + style differences make matches intriguing for sumo junkies .. We love sumo because of the clashing styles + constant adaptation to opponents + health .. Otherwise size, strength and/or speed would always beat skill .. With tachiai speeds measured in fractions of a second .. getting opponents guessing/hesitating is a valid strategy .. Abi has made a career of hair trigger tachiai’s + henkas ..
Keeping opponents guessing is probably one reason Hoshoryu’s sumo can be amazing .. e.g. he almost pulled off a second win over Onosato w a lightening fast move + throw .. Onosato’s countering foot work was likewise impressive .. As dissappointing as a henka can feel .. we all enjoy the drama of anticipating an audacious henka + knowing we said “i told you so” .. Actually, i wondered if he would throw a henka v Onosato .. who also had to be prepared for it ,,
fwiw .. i think Shishi is learning a lot about sumo styles + gaining upper body strength .. previously he looked v confused + uncertain about how to respond + relied on his obvious leg strength .. he is like a tackling dummy .. bounces right back up due to disproportionate weight/strength in his lower half .. In this basho i saw a lot of moves he previously could not have pulled off .. a solid second tier megashira career is not a bad outcome .. it is fun watching him try to figure it out .. he gave a motivated Shodai all he could handle ..
Hi, does anyone know if the London event will be shown on TV and/or via stream, live or highlights or else? Thanks.
Here are all the possibilities
https://www.royalalberthall.com/tickets/events/2025/the-grand-sumo-tournament
At least DAZN seems to function.