Hatsu 2025

Hatsu 2025, Day Four

Andy Abi (阿炎), Hatsu 2025, Hatsu Basho , ,

In maezumo, Hikarumusashi picked up his first win against Akinoyama (安氣乃山). Two powerful shoves and Akinoyama was forced out. Hoshoryu’s cousin Tenrosei had a tougher time with Nishikio but got the job done with a brutal takedown.

Good news from the infirmary as Roga will return to the line-up and face Endo. With an odd number of Makuuchi fighters, Sadanoumi will visit from Juryo and face Tokihayate.

Today’s NHK videos are available here: Juryo Part I and Part II, Makuuchi Part I and Part II.

Makuuchi Action

Tokihayate (3-1) defeated Kagayaki (0-4). Kagayaki charged forward and forced Tokihayate to the edge. At the edge, Tokihayate shifted left along the tawara and pulled Kagayaki to the bales. Tokihayate followed up with some gaburi yotsu to force Kagayaki over the edge. Yorikiri.

Kitanowaka (2-2) defeated Nishikifuji (2-2). A quick shift to the right at the tachiai granted Kitanowaka a deep righthand belt grip. He pivoted and shoved Nishikifuji to the edge. As Nishikifuji spun around to engage, Kitanowaka followed up and forced Nishikifuji over the tawara. Yorikiri.

Kinbozan (4-0) defeated Tamashoho (1-3). Tamashoho double false start put Andy on henka alert…but no henka was coming. He was just jittery as Kinbozan quickly shoved Tamashoho out. Oshidashi.

Shonannoumi (1-3) defeated Hakuoho (3-1). Shonannoumi pressed Hakuoho backward to the edge of the ring and then quickly slapped him down. Huh, Shonannoumi having some success moving forward. Who’d have thunk it? Hatakikomi.

Nishikigi (3-1) defeated Kotoshoho (1-3). Kotoshoho got a quick jump at the tachiai but Nishikigi immediately pulled to his left and Kotoshoho fell forward to his knees. Hikiotoshi.

Onokatsu (2-2) defeated Midorifuji (1-3). A patient Onokatsu held Midorifuji at arm’s length at the beginning of the bout with tsuppari but he could only get Midorifuji to the edge. He moved in to grab a Midorifuji’s mawashi, with a left hand outside grip. He was able to slip his right hand around Midorifuji’s trunk and then charge forward, forcing Midorifuji back and out. Yorikiri.

Tamawashi (4-0) defeated Takerufuji (3-1). Tamawashi blasted Takerufuji backwards and followed up with steady tsuppari. Takerufuji tried a poorly executed pull because Tamawashi pursued quickly and shoved Takerufuji off the dohyo. Oshidashi.

Churanoumi (2-2) defeated Meisei (1-3). Meisei charged forward, mindlessly. Churanoumi slipped to his right and shoved Meisei down. Tsukiotoshi.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzz…. Come on guys, I could have slept through this. Cut it out with the sloppy sumo.

Oshoma (2-2) defeated Mitakeumi (2-2). Mitakeumi charged forward and reached inside to try to get at Oshoma’s belt with his left hand. Oshoma pulled left and slapped Mitakeumi down at the edge. Hatakikomi.

Ichiyamamoto (2-1) defeated Takarafuji (0-4). Ichiyamamoto defeated Takarafuji. Ichiyamamoto sumo drove Takarafuji back. Takarafuji tried to shift left but seemed to slip and Ichiyamamoto finished him with a shove. Hatakikomi.

Halftime

Chiyoshoma (4-0) defeated Endo (1-3). Who is going to henka? Chiyoshoma false start. No henka. That’s kind of disappointing, actually. I was hoping for that elusive double-henka. Endo charged forward but Chiyoshoma used his left hand to shove Endo’s elbow, forcing Endo left. Chiyoshoma bowled Endo across the dohyo and Endo took out Kandayu as he careened off the dohyo. Strike! Tsukidashi.

Ura (2-2) defeated Takayasu (2-2). Ura woke us up with a nice finishing move to defeat Takayasu. Ura released with his left, twisted and pulled Takayasu down with a tsutaezori.

Gonoyama (3-1) defeated Hiradoumi (1-3). Gonoyama battered Hiradoumi as Hiradoumi tried to keep his hold of Gonoyama’s belt. Oshidashi.

Sanyaku

Wakatakakage (2-2) defeated Atamifuji (0-4). Wakatakakage secured a double-inside grip and tried to drive into Atamifuji. Atamifuji resisted and tried to pitch Wakatakakage to the side. Wakatakakage released with his left hand and pulled Atamifuji down by the shoulder. Katasukashi.

Shodai (1-3) defeated Wakamotoharu (1-3). Shodai pressed forward. (This is new.) Shodai seemed to sense Wakamotoharu was seeking out that stability from the tawara so before they reached the bales he quickly twisted and drove Wakamotoharu to the ground. Tsukiotoshi.

Oho (4-0) defeated Daieisho (3-1). Oh! Oho! That looked like another boring bout as Daieisho chugged his way into Oho and Oho rode his way back to the bales. But at the edge Oho suddenly seized Daieisho’s left arm and yanked him forward. Hikiotoshi.

Abi (3-1) defeated Onosato (2-2). Abi-sumo defeated the Ozeki with one of his quick pulls. Hikiotoshi.

Hoshoryu (4-0) defeated Takanosho (0-4). After a fast-paced brawl, Takanosho charged forward and drove Hoshoryu to the edge. But Hoshoryu twisted to his left and thrust Takanosho out with his left arm under Takanosho’s shoulder. Tsukiotoshi.

Kirishima (1-3) defeated Kotozakura (1-3). The rope run is over. Kirishima used his right-hand inside, left-hand outside grip well. Kotozakura had no effective counter attack as Kirishima drove him back and out. Yorikiri.

Tobizaru (3-1) defeated Terunofuji (2-2). Terunofuji hit Tobizaru hard and drove him to the edge. Tobizaru quickly slipped to the left and reasserted position at the center of the ring. Tobizaru kept up his tsuppari and this prevented Terunofuji from corralling the monkey and enveloping with his usual kimedashi hold. Tobizaru kept up the assault, shoved the Yokozuna hard with his right, forced Terunofuji to his left. Tobizaru then followed and shoved Terunofuji out from behind, and a few cushions fly. Okuridashi.

Wrap-up

On to Day Five! With Daieisho’s slip up today, Hoshoryu is the lone sanyaku wrestler with an undefeated record so far. Oho’s charge continues along with Chiyoshoma, Tamawashi, and Kinbozan as the undefeated rank-and-file.

Kotozakura doesn’t look like he wants a belt. It looks like he wants to join Kirishima, Mitakeumi and Shodai as the next former Ozeki. Onosato also needs to turn things around. Aside from Hoshoryu, this was a terrible day for the top-ranked wrestlers. Well, Kinbozan looked great today. I don’t want to encourage Oho’s tactics from today. I like his forward-moving sumo better. Shodai looked positively brutal. I have no idea where that came from.

Looking at tomorrow’s bouts, I think Terunofuji vs Gonoyama will be decisive regarding Terunofuji’s continued participation in this tournament. If he loses, I think he will sit out. He cringed when he fell off the dohyo today, as if his knees were torturing him. He has not demonstrated the dominant power of the past with his upper-body.

Hoshoryu will face Atamifuji, who is having a terrible tournament. Onosato will try to turn things around against Oho. This is why I usually have no loyalties. As soon as I begin to favor a couple of wrestlers, they get pitted against each other. Someone, whose shikona begins with “O” and ends with “o” will win this bout. Finally, Kotozakura has to get it together against Shodai. This will be a fun one.

Chiyoshoma will face Takayasu, Tamawashi will get his turn against Meisei and Kinbozan will face Nishikifuji.

Hatsu 2025, Day Three: Maezumo Begins

Andy Hatsu 2025, Hatsu Basho ,

Day Three means maezumo begins. Our new American rikishi, Hikarumusashi, squared off against Hoshoryu’s cousin, Tenrosei in a tough debut bout. Hikarumusashi tried to use his tsuppari but Tenrosei caught him off balance and slapped him down in the most engaging maezumo bout of the day. There might be a revenge bout in Jonokuchi and this could work itself into a nice little rivalry. The video below is from Lulit on Twitter.

The NHK videos for today are here: Juryo Part I and Part II, Makuuchi Part I and Part II.

Makuuchi Action

Nishikifuji (2-1) defeated Kagayaki (0-3). Nishikifuji used effective tsuppari to get Kagayaki moving backwards. Then he stepped inside and got a deep belt grip and forced Kagayaki over the edge. Kagayaki did not look competitive. Yorikiri.

Tokihayate defeated Tamashoho. Tokihayate slipped inside Tamashoho’s thrusting attack and locked on with his right-hand grip. Once he got the grip, Tamashoho shutdown his tsuppari and Tokihayate drove his opponent backwards with relative ease. Yorikiri.

Kinbozan (3-0) defeated Kitanowaka (1-2). Kinbozan’s powerful thrusts to Kitanowaka’s head had neck area overwhelmed Kitanowaka. Kitanowaka tried to escape and nearly slipped. Kinbozan pursued and Kitanowaka continued to flail as he ran away and stepped over the bales. Oshidashi.

Hakuoho (3-0) defeated Kotoshoho (1-2). This was a bruising thrusting bout. Kotoshoho kept Hakuoho off the belt with his powerful thrusts. Hakuoho took a pounding from Kotoshoho as he tried to get a grip. Kotoshoho’s thrusts worked Hakuoho to the edge. Hakuoho gave up on getting a grip and started his own thrusting attack in earnest. That turned the tables and forced Kotoshoho back and out. An appreciative round of applause from the audience. Oshidashi.

Nishikigi (2-1) defeated Shonannoumi (0-3). Nishikigi wrapped up Shonannoumi’s trunk with his left arm inside in a bear hug, chugged forward, and escorted the beach bum out of the ring. Yorikiri.

Takerufuji (3-0) defeated Onokatsu (1-2). Firm tachiai and a tight, back-and-forth belt battle. Both men throw each other and land in a heap. Gunbai Onokatsu. Mono-ii. The crowd erupts in cheers as they judged both fell at the same time, torinaoshi. Takerufuji got his thrusting attack going on the redo after a failed slapdown attempt. The thrusts were too much for Onokatsu and he stepped back and out. Oshidashi.

Tamawashi (3-0) defeated Midorifuji (1-2). Midorifuji got off the line a bit early for a false start. After they resettled, Tamawashi assaulted Midorifuji and blasted him clear of the dohyo. Oshidashi.

Meisei (1-2) defeated Oshoma (1-2). After a solid tachiai and few thrusts, Meisei yanked on Oshoma’s right arm and pulled him forward. Oshoma wasn’t quite defeated so Meisei followed up with a thrust to force Oshoma over the bales. Oshidashi.

Mitakeumi (2-1) defeated Churanoumi (1-2). This bout started as a wide ranging oshi brawl and then settled into a very entertaining grapple. The gyoji had to pause things for a bit to adjust their mawashi after Mitakeumi’s knot came undone. After the restart, Mitakeumi plowed forward with his right-hand inside. Churanoumi tried to cast Mitakeumi side to side but Mitakeumi kept up the pressure and forced Churanoumi out under the red tassel. Honestly, this was the most competitive bout I have seen from Mitakeumi since he got Covid. Yorikiri.

Endo (1-2) defeated Takarafuji (0-3). Endo baited Takarafuji into moving forward. At the edge, Endo pulled on Takarafuji’s left arm and pulled him forward to the ground. Tottari.

Halftime

Chiyoshoma (3-0) defeated Ichiyamamoto (2-1). Chiyoshoma henka! Chiyoshoma grabbed Ichiyamamoto’s left arm and pulled him forward but Ichiyamamoto pulled back. While Ichiyamamoto tried to recover and start up his tsuppari, Chiyoshoma forced his way inside and grabbed Ichiyamamoto by the mawashi. With a firm grip, Chiyoshoma quickly forced Ichiyamamoto to the bales where he gave it his all to resist. But Chiyoshoma wore him down and forced him over the tawara. Yorikiri.

Takayasu (2-1) defeated Hiradoumi (1-2). Hiradoumi’s gaburi sumo forced Takayasu to the edge. Takayasu used the bales to stabilize. He slid to his right along the tawara and slapped Hiradoumi down. Hatakikomi.

Gonoyama (2-1) defeated Ura (1-2). Gonoyama engaged Ura with both guns on full blast. Ura slipped away to try to regroup but Gonoyama pursued quickly, reengaged, and launched Ura into the crowd. Oshitaoshi.

Sanyaku

Abi (2-1) defeated Atamifuji (0-3). Abi-zumo. Phase One was to engage with powerful thrusts. As Atamifuji pressed forward, Abi engaged Phase Two. Abi slipped away and slapped him down. Hatakikomi.

Daieisho (3-0) defeated Shodai (0-3). Shodai tried to get inside to get an attack going but this is Daieisho. He’s not exactly going to welcome you inside for a belt grip with tea and crumpets. No, he’s going to assault you with powerful tsuppari. And assault is what he did to Shodai, over and over until he forced Shodai over the edge. Oshidashi.

Oho (3-0) defeated Wakamotoharu (1-2). Wakamotoharu tried to take on Oho toe-to-toe. NOT a good idea. Oho doubled down on his thrusts, forced Wakamotoharu back to the bales. Wakamotoharu tried to pivot at the bales but Oho followed up and threw Wakamotoharu down. Tsukitaoshi.

Hoshoryu (3-0) defeated Wakatakakage (1-2). Hoshoryu forced Wakatakakage back with powerful tsuppari and Wakatakakage’s attempts to slip to the side or push Hoshoryu to the side were completely ineffective. Tsukidashi.

Tobizaru (2-1) defeated Kotozakura (1-2). Kotozakura had control of Tobizaru’s left arm and tried to yank him over the bales. Tobizaru freed his arm and used his tsuppari to keep Kotozakura at bay. Kotozakura wanted to end this so he charged forward but Tobizaru disappeared into thin air and Kotozakura fell into a heap below the dohyo. Hikiotoshi.

Onosato (2-1) defeated Takanosho (0-3). Takanosho pivoted, twisted, and Onosato fell onto his shoulder. Gunbai Onosato? Mono-ii. Video replay demonstrated that Takanosho had stepped out. Konishiki has spoken of throwing his TV out the window after a particularly difficult loss. This must be a TV-throwing moment of frustration for Takanosho. HE HAD IT. But it slipped from his grasp because of sloppy footwork. Instead of picking up an Ozeki scalp and a heap of cash, Takanosho is sitting on a goose egg. 0-3. Oshidashi.

Terunofuji (2-1) defeated Kirishima (0-3). Kirishima locked on with his right hand inside while the Yokozuna latched onto that right arm and seemed content to take a ride. Kirishima dragged Terunofuji around the ring wearing himself out. The two settled into a stalemate at the center of the ring to catch their breath. Terunofuji dug deep and charged forward, finally forcing Kirishima over the bales, under the red tassel. Yorikiri.

Wrap-up

Kotozakura’s rope run is on life support and we’re only on Day Three! A yusho seems completely out of grasp at this point. You know how wrestlers commonly talk about taking it one bout at a time? Kotozakura needs to do that and regroup.

Meanwhile, Hoshoryu looks as strong as ever. He dispatched Wakatakakage today with relative ease. Tomorrow he will face Takanosho. Wakatakakage used a passive strategy today and it backfired. I got the sense he was hoping to do what Tobizaru did to Kotozakura but Hoshoryu had him completely secured.

After a few basho where Abi looked a bit lost (yet somehow still at the top of the banzuke), he is on fire, engaging and powerful. Daieisho, the tsuki to Abi’s oshi, is burning things up, too. Both men know what it takes to win. I like what they have been serving up so far. Daieisho is still undefeated, along with Hoshoryu and will face a tough one against Oho tomorrow. The henka returns from Chiyoshoma. It has been a while but he wants to keep his winning streak going. Ichiyamamoto was completely at a loss.

Lastly, toward the bottom of the rank-and-file we have Tamawashi, Takerufuji, Hakuoho, and Kinbozan. Those four have hoovered up white stars these first few days and are competing at a level beyond those ranked around them. Tamawashi will take on Takerufuji tomorrow in what I think will be a highlight bout.

Well, I’m just here for the ride. I want to see where this show goes!

Hatsu 2025, Day Two

Andy Hatsu 2025, Hatsu Basho

In the early action, Enho fell to Hogasho but Kawazoe won an easy one in his first bout back from sudden kyujo. Enho’s loss did not look promising or it may have been a strategic loss…I really do not like to think that way, but here we are. Hogasho corralled him pretty easily, drove him to the edge, and barely noticed Enho’s last-gasp attempt to turn the tables at the edge. At least Enho will be fighting from the Losers’ Bracket. He will fight the Tokyo Univeristy graduate, Suyama, tomorrow.

Day One was pretty amazing. It had upsets but not too many. Instead of all Ozeki falling on the first day, Kotozakura and Hoshoryu stood their ground and won their opening day bouts. The quick losses from Terunofuji and Onosato did not really demonstrate much about their conditioning. Those losses seemed to come down to lack of preparation and excellent execution by their opponents. Onosato will surely recover from the loss but all of us still have questions about how long Terunofuji will be able to participate in this tournament.

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

Makuuchi Action

Nishikifuji (1-1) defeated Tamashoho (1-1). Tamashoho came out with palms of fury. Nishikifuji weathered the fury like it was a sunny stroll through the park. Nishikifuji pressed forward and thrust Tamashoho from the ring with ease. Tsukidashi.

Hakuoho (2-0) defeated Tokihayate (1-1). Tokihayate charged forward through Hakuoho but as the pair drew close to the edge, Hakuoho used his firm left-hand inside grip to yank Tokihayate over the bales. Shitatenage.

Kitanowaka (1-1) defeated Kagayaki (0-2). Kitanowaka showed up today with taped right shoulder. Thankfully, he was able to use his left to win today. Kitanowaka followed Hakuoho’s example and as Kagayaki pressed the pair toward the tawara, Kitanowaka used his left-hand inside grip to throw Kagayaki at the edge. Shitatenage.

 Kinbozan (2-0) defeated Shonannoumi (0-2). Kinbozan laid into Shonannoumi from the tachiai with heavy thrusts to the chin and upper body. At the edge, Shonannoumi had enough and stepped out to relieve his suffering. Tsukidashi.

Kotoshoho (1-1) defeated Onokatsu (1-1). It looked like Onokatsu was trying a similar counter attack to Hakuoho and Kitanowaka. He had latched on to Kotoshoho’s belt at the tachiai with his left-hand (over instead of under). As Kotoshoho plowed ahead toward the bales, Onokatsu tried to use his hold for a throw or to pull his opponent over the bales but Kotoshoho kept Onokatsu in front and drove him over the bales. Yorikiri.

Nishikigi (1-1) defeated Midorifuji (1-1). Nishikigi held on to Midorifuji’s right shoulder with his left arm. He tried to reach in for a left hand grip but Midorifuji pulled and spun the pair to avoid Nishikigi’s grip. Nishikigi then tried to change his right-hand grip and get it inside but Midorifuji resisted. With his right-hand over, Nishikigi dug deep and pressed forward, trying a kimedashi. As he charged forward, Midorifuji relented on his left allowing Nishikigi access inside and his pace accelerated as he rushed Midorifuji off the dohyo and into the crowd. Yorikiri.

Takerufuji (2-0) defeated Meisei (0-2). Takerufuji met Meisei at the tachiai but slipped to the side and helped propel Meisei forward with a powerful tug on Meisei’s belt. Meisei slammed on the brakes and stopped at the bales but Takerufuji slammed into him hard from behind and blasted him off the dohyo. Okuridashi.

Tamawashi (2-0) defeated Churanoumi (1-1). Churanoumi seemed to be making progress, forcing Tamawashi toward the bales with a torrent of tsuppari. Tamawashi used excellent footwork to pivot and cut off the dohyo as Churanoumi advanced toward the edge. With Churanoumi’s back to the edge, Tamawashi charged ahead and shoved Churanoumi into the crowd. Oshidashi.

Oshoma (1-1) defeated Takarafuji (0-2). Oshoma found Takarafuji’s neck and shoved him to the bales with a forceful nodowa. Takarafuji tried to recover and get inside for a belt grip but Oshoma’s defense was too strong and his tsuppari kept Takarafuji at the edge as they cycled along the tawara to the back of the dohyo. One final shove from Oshoma and Takarafuji stepped out. Oshidashi.

Takayasu (1-1) defeated Endo (0-2). Takayasu drove Endo to the bales. Endo used the bales to begin his own charge forward. Enticed by Takayasu’s shiny belt, Endo lunged forward a bit too far as he tried to get a hold. Takayasu hit him hard with his left and Endo spun around but when he recentered, Takayasu met him with a slapdown. Hatakikomi.

Halftime

Ichiyamamoto (2-0) defeated Mitakeumi (1-1). Ichiyamamoto used his style of sumo to force Mitakeumi to the edge. Like Endo before him, Mitakeumi used the tawara to give himself stability and a platform to launch his counter attack. Mitakeumi thrust forward and forced Ichiyamamoto back into the center of the ring. Ichiyamamoto pivoted and layed into Mitakeumi once again, driving him to the edge. Mitakeumi grabbed Ichiyamamoto’s belt and tried to pull him over the tawara but Ichiyamamoto grabbed onto Mitakeumi and pressed him over the edge. Yorikiri.

Hiradoumi (1-1) defeated Shodai (0-2). Hiradoumi got a firm hold of Shodai’s belt with his left arm over Shodai’s right. Still, Shodai drove forward and forced Hiradoumi to the edge. Yet again, Hiradoumi used the bales to steady himself and resist Shodai’s charge. He pressed back into Shodai, all while not allowing Shodai to get a left-hand grip. As Shodai neared the edge, he swung Hiradoumi around but could not get him over the edge. Hiradoumi reengaged and drove Shodai back to the edge and over the bales. Solid gaburi-yotsu from the smaller Hiradoumi. Yorikiri.

Chiyoshoma (2-0) defeated Ura (1-1). Ura was a man of a single mind. He wanted Chiyoshoma’s belt. He weathered Chiyoshoma’s tsuppari and submarined low to get his left hand on the back of Chiyoshoma’s belt. Chiyoshoma countered Ura perfectly, seized Ura’s belt and drove Ura to the ground. Uwatenage.

Sanyaku

Oho (2-0) defeated Wakatakakage (1-1). Oho seized Wakatakakage’s right arm at the tachiai and swung him around. He followed up with heavy tsuppari, using his size advantage to its fullest as he forced WTK to the bales. Oh, you think you’re going to slip away? Here’s my right leg. They call it Oshidashi but Oho shoved Wakatakakage with his right leg as Wakatakakage tried to escape. Nice, instinctive counter. Oshidashi.

Gonoyama (1-1) defeated Wakamotoharu (1-1). Gonoyama charged ahead and as Wakamotoharu settled along the bales, preparing to counter, Gonoyama twisted and rolled WMH into the center of the ring. Tsukiotoshi.

Daieisho (2-0) defeated Atamifuji (0-2). Daieisho blasted Atamifuji with two quick blasts. With the third, he engaged and steamrolled ahead, forcing Atamifuji off the dohyo and into the second row. Oshidashi.

Abi (1-1) defeated Kotozakura (1-1). Wow, Abi-zumo! Abi did his thing. No surprises there. He hit Kotozakura hard and followed up with powerful thrusts. “It hurts!” Kotozakura really did not appreciate the thrusts to the face and neck. He turned and his left cheek to the brunt of Abi’s attack before falling into the crowd. Tsukidashi.

Onosato (1-1) defeated Kirishima (0-2). Kirishima did a good job of grabbing Onosato’s belt and pulling him forward. But Onosato used his own right-hand grip to stop his forward motion and steady himself. He resisted Kirishima’s kicks and then launched his counter attack. Volley after volley of tsuppari thrusts turned the tables and forced Kirishima to retreat. Onosato worked Kirishima to the edge and then finished him. Oshidashi.

Hoshoryu (2-0) defeated Tobizaru (1-1). Hoshoryu bum-rushed Tobizaru at the tachiai, grabbed his belt and tackled him. It looked like Tobizaru had tried to shift at the tachiai but Hoshoryu was ready for it. Hoshoryu adjusted and executed an open-field tackle any linebacker would be proud of. Fast. Powerful. Yoritaoshi.

Terunofuji (1-1) defeated Takanosho (0-2). Solid tachiai. Terunofuji drove Takanosho to the edge but Takanosho was able to pivot, counter, and drag the Yokozuna toward the bales. Terunofuji tried to slap Takanosho down but Takanosho powered through. Unfortunately for Takanosho, he could not come up with a solution and eventually tired. It seemed like he just kept trying to get his left hand inside but against a Yokozuna, you need a Plan B. You need a deeper set of tricks. Terunofuji won but looked vulnerable. He could not overpower Takanosho at the edge. Takanosho resisted over, and over until he wore out. Terunofuji tried Plan A, then Plan B, and when Plan C also failed, he tried A again. Yorikiri.

Wrap-up

A Yokozuna should have a counter-attack to Abi-zumo. That should be a prerequisite for promotion. You know what is coming. He knows what’s coming. The entire stadium and millions of people at home know what is coming. Thus, Kotozakura is not Yokozuna yet and will need to regroup. He’s fighting from behind for that rope, now.

The good thing for him is that Onosato and Terunofuji have already tasted defeat this tournament. Only Hoshoryu and Daieisho remain undefeated in the sanyaku ranks and we just finished Day Two! It is starting to feel like there has been little progress from the past several years of vulnerable Ozeki but I see two key differences: the whole field is not losing on the same day AND no one is kadoban. But will Terunofuji, Onosato and Kotozakura keep up? Will Hoshoryu fall off? Let’s see what Day Three has in store.

In the rank-and-file bouts, Ichiyamamoto vs Chiyoshoma is the only battle of undefeated. Onokatsu vs Takerufuji looks like an interesting one, as does Hakuoho vs Kotoshoho. Endo will hopefully pick up his first win against Takarafuji. Endo actually showed some promise today while Takarafuji has not been able to achieve much.

Three great matchups feature for our Ozeki. Hoshoryu will face Wakatakakage, Kotozakura will get his turn with Tobizaru and Onosato will fight Takanosho. Okay, maybe that is two great matchups and an onigiri.

The way Oho dismantled Wakatakakage should give Hoshoryu some ideas but Hoshoryu lacks Oho’s size. Both men are very fast so it could be a “blink-and-you-missed-it” contest. Kotozakura will try to dose Tobizaru’s power water with Ritalin. Containing the guy is the first step and Hoshoryu did an excellent job of that today. Lastly, Onosato should be able to demonstrate a clear skill and power difference against Takanosho.

Terunofuji will take on Kirishima. After a strong showing at Aki, Kirishima had quiet hopes of returning to Ozeki but has really not mustered much since he was humbled by Terunofuji last year — The Yeet Heard Round The World. Can you believe Kirishima has never beaten Terunofuji in twelve attempts? I can, too. We’ll see if tomorrow is any different.

Hatsu 2025: Day One

Andy Hatsu 2025, Hatsu Basho ,

I hate to lead with injury news. But the update from the infirmary is that Hokutofuji is kyujo, which means he will be the first on the barge to Juryo — barring a miracle recovery from surgery. Roga is also out and Bushozan is out down in Juryo.

So many storylines coming into this tournament but the big ones are the return of Terunofuji and the possible promotion runs of Kotozakura and Hoshoryu.

Murray Johnson kicked things off for us on NHK’s English-language coverage. We recently read Josh’s interview of Priyanka Yoshikawa but I do want to remind everyone of Josh’s excellent, four-part interview of Murray. Both are now available in the menu at the top of the homepage.

NHK footage of tonight’s bouts are located here: Juryo Part I and Part II, Makuuchi Part I and Part II.

Let’s get to it, shall we?

Makuuchi Bouts

Tokihayate defeated Nishikifuji. Tokihayate drove into Nishikifuji powerfully. He worked him to the edge with his right-hand overarm grip. Tokihayate then heaved Nishikifuji with that right hand and toppled him over onto the bales under the green tassel. Uwatenage.

Tamashoho defeated Kagayaki. Tamashoho executed, perhaps, the slowest henka in living memory. Kagayaki shifted and pressed forward, driving Tamashoho back. The bullet train charged forward but Tamashoho slipped deftly to the side while pulling Kagayaki off the rails. The makuuchi debutant won his first bout ranked in the top division! Congratulations! Hatakikomi.

Hakuoho defeated Kitanowaka. Hakuoho popped the gear into Drive and left it there. Kitanowaka reversed and shifted, switched up his grip…desperate to stymie Hakuoho’s continued attack. Hakuoho pursued Kitanowaka along the edge and drove Kitanowaka off the fighting surface as he fell forward. Hakuoho’s forward moving was judged to have won. Kitanowaka dead in the air before Hakuoho flopped to the ground. No mono-ii. Yorikiri.

Kinbozan defeated Kotoshoho. Kinbozan forcefully hoisted Kotoshoho to the bales and continued to press forward. Kotoshoho fell backwards under the red tassel. Yoritaoshi.

Onokatsu defeated Shonannoumi. Onokatsu locked onto Shonannoumi at the tachiai. Shonannoumi had a hold of Onokatsu’s left shoulder and reversed, yanking Onokatsu back to the edge. But that was a bad move as Onokatsu kept his balance and pressed Shonannoumi over the tawara. Oshidashi.

Takerufuji defeated Nishikigi. Takerufuji drove Nishikigi to the edge. Nishikigi slipped to his left and shoved Takerufuji under the right armpit. This almost spelled disaster for Takerufuji but he was able to maintain his balance and regroup. As he retreated, he pulled Nishikifuji down with his right-hand belt grip. That was a great escape by Takerufuji. Nishikigi looked solid today. Uwatedashinage.

Midorifuji defeated Meisei. Meisei retreated too quickly and backed himself out of the ring. Midorifuji will take that. Oshidashi.

Tamawashi defeated Oshoma. Tamawashi shove Oshoma. Oshoma fall down. Simple. Well, maybe not quite so simple. Tamawashi’s final shove happened to be timed perfectly. His right hand shoved Oshoma’s left shoulder hard just as Oshoma tried to slip to his right, driving Oshoma completely off balance. Oshitaoshi.

Churanoumi defeated Takarafuji. Churanoumi blocked Takarafuji to the side and then followed up with a nodowa, which forced Takarafuji to the edge. Churanoumi finished him off with a shove. Oshidashi.

Mitakeumi defeated Endo. Mitakeumi let Endo press forward with all his might. As Endo over committed, Mitakeumi jumped to the right and Endo flopped forward. Tsukiotoshi.

Halftime

Ichiyamamoto defeated Takayasu. Ichiyamamoto-style sumo here as he shoved Takayasu to the bales and then pulled Takayasu forward to the ground. Hikiotoshi.

Chiyoshoma defeated Hiradoumi. Chiyoshoma pivoted in the center of the ring and let the eager Hiradoumi charge past. He stuck with Hiradoumi and continued to press forward until Hiradoumi fell out under the black tassel. Oshidashi.

NHK World’s free coverage kicked in just in time for Shodai vs Ura.

Ura defeated Shodai. As if Shodai was going to get low against Ura. Come on now. At least he tried to go forward a little bit. Ura quickly got Shodai moving in reverse with his head in under Shodai’s chin. Shodai only earned a reprieve from Ura’s attack by walking over the bales. Yorikiri.

Sanyaku

Oho defeated Abi. Abi-zumo as he drove forward into Oho. However, Oho turned the tables at the edge by slipping to Abi’s right. As Abi’s momentum continued forward, Oho shoved him from behind. Okuridashi.

Daieisho defeated Gonoyama. Gonoyama took the initiative in this bout, pressing forward. But he was baited by Daieisho. Gonoyama over-committed at the edge so Daieisho slipped to his left and shoved Gonoyama down. Tsukiotoshi.

Wakamotoharu defeated Atamifuji. Wakamotoharu locked on with the right hand outside and drove Atamifuji back. Atamifuji was busy trying to bat Wakamotoharu’s left hand away but never stopped his backward momentum. Wakamotoharu kept pressing forward. Yorikiri.

Tobizaru defeated Onosato. Press forward and then quickly pull backward and the Ozeki goes down. Abi-like tachiai here as he slammed into Onosato, attacking the head, driving Onosato back. With a lightning quick pull on Onosato’s right arm, Tobizaru picked up the first big upset of the new year. Priyanka must be pleased. Great start for the flying monkey. And he won with his head and solid sumo, rather than hopping around like Daffy Duck. Hikiotoshi.

Hoshoryu defeated Kirishima. Hoshoryu attached himself to Kirishima’s belt with his right-hand, over-arm grip. Kirishima tried everything he could to free himself from Hoshoryu but the Ozeki stuck with him and eventually worked him over the edge. It felt like a sport fisher had reeled in a sailfish and the sailfish dragged the boat around before tiring. Yorikiri.

Kotozakura defeated Takanosho. Takanosho nearly pulled out another upset but Popeye the Ozeki remained calm and eventually pressed Takanosho over the bales. Yorikiri.

Wakatakakage defeated Terunofuji. Firm tachiai. Terunofuji charged forward but Wakatakakage slipped to the right and pulled Terunofuji down by the shoulder. “Wham, bam, thank you man.” Katasukashi.

Wrap-up

Wow. Day One is in the books! Two big upsets to start off the tournament. Both Onosato and Terunofuji fell today in David vs Goliath showdowns. In both cases, we see the underdogs clearly studied their opponents and prepared well for quick attacks. In both cases, the higher-ranked champion was pulled to the clay before they had much chance to execute any attack of their own. Absolutely beautiful work.

Preparation was key today. Earlier, we saw Churanoumi dismantle Takarafuji with the same effectiveness. We also saw the division’s newbie, Tamashoho, pick up a win in his debut. That backwards-style sumo will grow stale quickly at this level, though. He will need to pick up the aggression of his stablemate and brother-in-law, Tamawashi, to hang around.

Pivoting to Day Two, I saw Kawazoe on the torikumi! He’s paired up with Taiga. This is good news as Kawazoe mysteriously disappeared from view after winning his first bout in Kyushu. It was quite the disappointment since he started well. Also on the torikumi is his Miyagino-beya colleague, Enho. Enho will fight Hogasho.