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.

Hatsu 2025, Day Ten

Andy Hatsu 2025, Hatsu Basho , , ,

We’ll look at the second division first today. Wakaikari, Shishi, and Aonishiki all won their bouts in Juryo as the three youngsters picked up their ninth wins and edge closer to the yusho. Ryuden is the lone chaser at 8-2.

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

The way Wakaikari hit at Shirokuma today reminded me of Hiradoumi. Aonishiki used his ottsuke effectively to keep Sadanoumi from getting a hold with his right hand and then bulled Sadanoumi back and out. Shishi tried to use his right arm under Oshoumi’s left shoulder for a throw at the edge. But his persistence paid off as he finally pressed Oshoumi out.

Jikan desu! Ryotsuite!

Makuuchi Action

Nishikifuji (5-5) defeated Nishikigi (5-5). Nishikifuji won the battle of the brocades by grabbing Nishikigi’s belt with a left-hand inside grip, pivoting, and driving Nishikigi back over the bales. Nishikigi’s only counter attack appeared to be an attempt to topple Nishikifuji as he approached the edge. Otherwise, this was all Nishikifuji. Yorikiri.

Tokihayate (5-5) defeated Onokatsu (6-4). Tokihayate locked in with a left-hand inside grip and spun Onokatsu around the dohyo. He released his left-hand grip and flung Onokatsu out of the ring with his right arm locked under Onokatsu’s shoulder. Kotenage.

Midorifuji (3-7) defeated Kagayaki (3-7). Midorifuji pulled and grabbed Kagayaki’s belth with his left hand as Kagayaki charged forward. Midorifuji helped Kagayaki fall forward by tugging on Kagayaki’s belt as he stumbled forward and flopped at the edge. Uwatedashinage.

Meisei (3-7) defeated Tamashoho (3-7). Tamashoho was too eager and jumped offsides. Five-yard penalty, replay first down. Meisei pressed forward through Tamashoho’s tsuppari and drove him out. Hakuho’s still the only person to take that 5-yard penalty seriously. Tamashoho’s tsuppari just does not seem to hit, here in the top division. It’s like it’s there but it’s one of those rain showers you don’t even need an umbrella for. Oshidashi.

Churanoumi (4-6) defeated Kotoshoho (2-8). The pair had a solid tachiai and traded tsuppari for a few seconds. Churanoumi stepped inside, hit Kotoshoho in the jaw with a headbutt and Kotoshoho immediately dropped to one knee. Tsukiotoshi.

Oshoma (5-5) defeated Hakuoho (6-4). Hakuoho managed a morozashi and rotated Oshoma toward the ground as Oshoma pressed Hakuoho back toward the bales. Both men looked to fall at the same time. Gunbai Oshoma. Mono-ii. The shimpan decide, “Dotai. Torinaoshi,” rematch. On the replay, Hakuoho jumped early. Reset. Strong tachiai. Oshoma tried to slap Hakuoho down but Hakuoho managed to stay up. The two locked in with right-hand belt grips. Hakuoho took the initiative to pull the pair toward the bales. Hakuoho tried to topple the pair but Oshoma pressed forward into Hakuoho and pulled him forward. Uwatenage.

Shonannoumi (5-5) defeated Takarafuji (4-6). Takarafuji sure made an admirable effort. He really wanted that right-hand outside grip and he got it a few times as the two tangoed around the ring. But Shonannoumi knew that was dangerous and would extend his body to pull Takarafuji’s had free. As Takarafuji reached in again, Shonannoumi rotated and pulled him by the left shoulder, forcing Takarafuji to fall forward. Kotenage.

Takerufuji (8-2) defeated Ichiyamamoto (6-4). Takerufuji henka! Ichiyamamoto charged forward to the ground. Tsukiotoshi.

Shodai (5-5) defeated Mitakeumi (2-8). The Shodozer rolled through Mitakeumi, forcing him to the edge, quickly. Mitakeumi tried to slip right and throw Shodai at the edge but the Shodozer’s brakes were up to the task as the Shodozer stopped right at the edge. Mitakeumi’s momentum carried him over the tawara. Oshidashi.

Oho (8-2) defeated Tamawashi (6-4). Rough tachiai as the two banged heads repeatedly while trading tsuppari. Oho tried a brief pull but that would have been bad so he reached in for a belt grip. Belt grip acquired, Oho pulled up, charged forward and overpowered Tamawashi forcing him back and over the edge. Yorikiri.

Halftime

Endo (5-5) defeated Atamifuji (2-8). Atamifuji had no defense today. Endo wrapped up Atamifuji and drove forward, forcing Atamifuji out. Yorikiri.

Newsbreak. It’s a long one. Thankfully these second half bouts take a bit more time.

Takanosho (3-7) defeated Takayasu (6-4). The pair traded tsuppari as Takanosho walked back toward the bales. Takayasu did not heed Admiral Ackbar’s warning. Takanosho rotated as he approached the edge and turned the tables. Once Takayasu’s back was to the edge, Takanosho pushed Takayasu out. Oshidashi.

Kirishima (7-3) defeated Chiyoshoma (8-2). Brawl here as Chiyoshoma did not allow Kirishima access to his belt. Kirishima reached in but Chiyoshoma rotated away while keeping up the tsuppari. As Chiyoshoma pressed forward into Kirishima’s tsuppari, Kirishima stepped back and pulled Chiyoshoma forward. The Chiyoshoma yusho fears abate as he rolled across the dohyo. Hikiotoshi.

Sanyaku

Abi (6-4) defeated Kinbozan (9-1). Kinbozan, did you not read the brief? Abi dropped Kinbozan quickly by hitting him hard at the tachiai to bait Kinbozan into pressing forward. Abi then immediately stepped right and deflected Kinbozan’s forward momentum to Abi’s left. Kinbozan fell forward. Tsukiotoshi.

Wakatakakage (5-5) defeated Tobizaru (5-5). Wakatakakage stepped left and used his left hand to press Tobizaru to the side and down. Hatakikomi.

A Second Newsbreak. A first-floor arcade (game center) near the Tsutenkaku shotengai, a landmark in Osaka, is on fire. Maybe someone is finally venting their frustrations against the claw.

Wakamotoharu (3-7) defeated Ura (5-5). As the dust settled after the initial exchange, Ura literally put up his dukes. That was hilarious. I don’t think he appreciated WMH’s kachiage at the tachiai. He tried to rotate and pull Wakamotoharu’s left arm but Wakamotoharu slipped away and shoved Ura from behind. Oshitaoshi.

Onosato (7-3) defeated Gonoyama (5-5). Gonoyama charged forward early. Reset. Onosato henka?! But a matta? What the hell is going on? The NHK video will only show the legit tachiai so hat tip to Lulit on Twitter to show the full bout with all the hijinks, below. On the third attempt, Onosato met Gonoyama head on but rotated right and slapped Gonoyama down with both hands at the back of Gonoyama’s head. Hatakikomi.

Hoshoryu (7-3) defeated Daieisho (6-4). Hoshoryu quickly seized Daieisho’s belt with his right hand and pulled him forward to the ground. Uwatedashinage.

Kotozakura (4-6) defeated Hiradoumi (5-5). Someone got Kotozakura some smelling salts as he finally moved forward. He hit Hiradoumi square at the tachiai and pressed forward. Hiradoumi tried to rotate back to his left but Kotozakura pursued and shoved him over the bales. Oshidashi.

Wrap-up

Suddenly, the race is flung wide open. Kinbozan still leads with one loss. Chiyoshoma joins Oho and Takerufuji at 8-2. Hoshoryu, Onosato and Kirishima sneak back into the race at 7-3. We might be looking at a big playoff with an 11- or 12-win yusho. I’m not sure why they’re so worried about Tsutenkaku when there’s a dumpster fire right here on the dohyo in front of us. If we’re not careful, the Shodozer will get into this yusho race, somehow. Maybe we should just focus on Juryo now?

Looking ahead to tomorrow’s action, Kinbozan will fight Onosato, Takerufuji will face Daieisho and Chiyoshoma will fight Hoshoryu in the musubi-no-ichiban. I’ve got my popcorn at the ready. To be honest, y’all, I’m going back to bed. This is a lot to process at 4am. The good news is that both rally towels worked today, even if Onosato’s performance was a bit shaky. If he pulls the same thing against Kinbozan tomorrow, I will die laughing. It will be a good death.

Hatsu 2025, Day Nine

Andy Hatsu 2025, Hatsu Basho , , , , ,

News from the infirmary is that Kitanowaka is kyujo. He broke his leg in yesterday’s action and will need two months to recover. He will surely drop back into Juryo for March. With Terunofuji’s retirement and several demotions incoming, Shiden and Kayo are going to kick themselves if they miss this opportunity at promotion. Meanwhile, there are several guys a bit deeper on the banzuke willing to fill in the gaps. We’re obviously skipping over makuuchi veterans Tsurugisho and Shimanoumi, who cannot buy a white star between them.

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

Shishi put his head down and drove into heavyweight Mitoryu, earning his kachi-koshi. Wakaikari threw everything at Kiryuko, even starting with a henka, before finally winning with a nice throw. Both of those matches are in the Juryo Part I videos. Aonishiki, meanwhile, easily forced Kayo out to stay on pace. This might be the yusho race to watch this basho. Wakaikari will take on Shirokuma tomorrow. Shishi will face Oshoumi and Aonishiki will have his hands full against Sadanoumi.

Makuuchi Action

Kagayaki (3-6) defeated Shiden (2-7). Shiden slow rolled Kagayaki into a matta. The tachiai games won him no advantage as Kagayaki drove into him, forced him back to the bales, and out. Shiden had nothing to counter. He tried some ottsuke with his right arm for a few seconds but gave up to get a belt grip. That allowed Kagayaki to get his belt and chug forward. Yorikiri.

Kotoshoho (2-7) defeated Tamashoho (3-6). Kotoshoho charged forward, then pulled but Tamashoho kept his balance and kept up his tsuppari. After trying the same thing twice, Kotoshoho tried Plan B. Kotoshoho grabbed Tamashoho’s left arm at the shoulder and pulled him forward. Kotenage.

Shonannoumi (4-5) defeated Tokihayate (4-5). Shonannoumi completely abandoned his style of sumo and just laid into Tokihayate with powerful tsuppari. His tsuppari forced Tokihayate back to the edge and another, violent shove forced Tokihayate out. Where has this Shonannoumi been? Oshidashi.

Onokatsu (6-3) defeated Nishikifuji (4-5). Nishikifuji and Onokatsu traded tsuppari for a few seconds before switching to yotsu-zumo with left-hand inside grips. Nishikifuji’s fatal mistake was to try to pull. Onokatsu used the momentum shift to charge forward and drive Nishikifuji backward and down to the ground. Yoritaoshi.

Nishikigi (5-4) fusen win over Kitanowaka (4-5-6).

Kinbozan (9-0) defeated Takerufuji (7-2). A bout that lived up to the hype. This was a very entertaining back-and-forth. Takerufuji tried an early pull but Kinbozan forced him to the edge. Takerufuji pressed his way back to the center. Kinbozan pivoted and tried to pull Takerufuji down he then pressed forward, forcing Takerufuji to the edge again. Takerufuji suddenly turned the tables and forced Kinbozan to teeter at the edge by twisting. But Takerufuji could not finish him off. Kinbozan recovered and pulled Takerufuji across the ring. Takerufuji’s legs couldn’t keep up and Kinbozan won by dragging Takerufuji down by his arm. Kotenage.

Hakuoho (6-3) defeated Meisei (2-7). Both men locked in for a yotsu battle. Hakuoho drove forward and forced Meisei to the edge. Meisei pivoted and tried to throw Hakuoho but Hakuoho’s footwork was solid. The pair settled in the middle of the ring to catch their breath. Hakuoho caught his first, suddenly pulled and rotated counter-clockwise, throwing Meisei to the ground. Uwatedashinage.

Midorifuji (2-7) defeated Mitakeumi (2-7). Mitakeumi let Midorifuji have a morozashi, double-inside belt grip. Mitakeumi tried to pick up Midorifuji and charge forward for a kimedashi but Midorifuji resisted. Having failed at Plan A, Mitakeumi caught his breath and tried Plan A again, charging forward to the bales. Midorifuji pivoted and each man tried to topple the other over the bales. Midorifuji won with better leverage from his inside grip and threw Mitakeumi. Shitatenage.

Endo (4-5) defeated Tamawashi (6-3). Tamawashi hit Endo with tsuppari and put his head down to charge forward. Endo timed his pull well, shifted right and slapped Tamawashi down. Hikiotoshi.

Ichiyamamoto (6-3) defeated Oshoma (4-5). Ichiyamamoto plugged forward with his tsuppari. Oshoma tried to pull Ichiyamamoto over the bales but Ichiyamamoto latched onto Oshoma with his left hand outside. The two danced along the bales trying to throw the other. Ichiyamamoto was able to get Oshoma turned and shoved Oshoma over. Oshitaoshi.

Halftime

Takayasu (6-3) defeated Takarafuji (4-5). Takarafuji grabbed Takayasu’s left arm but Takayasu did not like where Takarafuji was going with it. So, Takayasu extracted his arm and thrust into Takarafuji, hard, shoving him out. Tsukidashi.

Chiyoshoma (8-1) defeated Churanoumi (3-6). Quite the brawl. Churanoumi’s tsuppari kept Chiyoshoma off his belt. When Chiyoshoma tried to reach in, Churanoumi would freak out and shove him away, hard. The thing is, Chiyoshoma’s tsuppari game is fierce and he plugged away, driving Chiyoshoma to the edge…but not over. Chiyoshoma pulled and as Churanoumi followed, Chiyoshoma grabbed his arm and pulled him forward over the bales. Tottari.

Shodai (4-5) defeated Gonoyama (5-4). THAT Shodai is still in the house. His footwork was excellent and he resisted Gonoyama’s opening nodowa. Gonoyama kept up with his forceful thrusts but Shodai weathered the torrent. Shodai shifted to the side and Gonoyama nearly toppled over but recovered and reengaged Shodai. Shodai had had enough and drove forward into Gonoyama with all of his might, forcing him to tumble backwards off the dohyo. Oshitaoshi.

Oho (7-2) defeated Atamifuji (2-7). Oho grabbed Atamifuji with his left arm under Atamifuji’s right shoulder. Oho rotated clockwise and slammed his right arm down onto Atamifuji’s back while pulling at that shoulder, forcing Atamifuji down. Katasukashi.

Sanyaku

Wakatakakage (4-5) defeated Takanosho (2-7). Takanosho drove forward and had Wakatakakage at the bales but Wakatakakage reached in with both hands on Takanosho’s belt and hoisted up. Wakatakakage let go of Takanosho’s belt but rotated and threw Takanosho over the bales. Sukuinage.

Kirishima (6-3) defeated Abi (5-4). Kirishima pulled as Abi was blasting away with his tsuppari. Abi stumbled forward and Kirishima pursued. Abi turned to resist at the bales but Kirishima shoved him over. Does this Kirishima only come out in Tokyo? Oshidashi.

Wakamotoharu (2-7) defeated Tobizaru (5-4). Wakamotoharu avoided make-koshi by keeping Tobizaru in front of him and hitting him with forceful tsuppari. Tobizaru tried to grab Wakamotoharu’s belt but WMH yanked him off. Wakamotoharu fired off with more tsuppari and drove Tobizaru over the edge. Oshidashi.

Hiradoumi (5-4) defeated Hoshoryu (6-3). Hiradoumi launched into Hoshoryu at the tachiai. He then shifted left and Hoshoryu stumbled forward to the ground. Rope hopes dashed. Tsukiotoshi.

Ura (5-4) defeated Kotozakura (3-6). Ura charged into the Ozeki with both arms inside. Ura then rotated right and pulled Kotozakura down. Why did that look so easy? I think it was because Kotozakura braced himself with his left leg against the bales. Ura twisted in that direction and that is the knee that Kotozakura has taped up and is wearing a supporter. Oshitaoshi.

Onosato (6-3) defeated Daieisho (6-3). Onosato drove his forearm into Daieisho’s chin, forcing him back. As Daieisho attempted to right himself and charge forward, Onosato shifted to his right and slapped Daieisho down. Hatakikomi.

Wrap-up

No Ozeki kachi-koshi for Kotozakura. He can only give up one more loss before he is kadoban in Osaka. If the left knee is really giving him this much trouble, he needs to go kyujo now. He has not faced either of his Ozeki peers. They have their own problems to sort out and will be more than motivated to drop him.

We’re going to have another maegashira yusho. Everyone in sanyaku is just fighting for pride and position at this point. As we take a look at the leader board, only Kinbozan is undefeated and only Chiyoshoma is one back with one loss. Takerufuji and Oho follow with two losses.

As we head into the final furlong, Kinbozan and Chiyoshoma will face their toughest battles yet as the Kyokai tries to stop their advance. Kinbozan will fight Abi and Chiyoshoma will take on Kirishima. Takerufuji will fight Ichiyamamoto and Oho will take on Tamawashi.

Oho might still be a favorite for the yusho, though he has two losses. The Kyokai cannot make his schedule more difficult; He has already faced the top guys. Takerufuji will probably start facing joi-level fights on Day 11.

One positive from Terunofuji’s retirement may be that this will open the door for another wrestler to enter the top division. At this rate, we are looking at an extended period of time with no Yokozuna. Our next Yokozuna is hopefully in Makuuchi right now and we will not need to wait for Wakaikari to establish himself as a sanyaku mainstay.

As was eluded to in the comments, this might impact the Kyokai’s Jungyo plans. For the past couple of years, even if Terunofuji had not been available for tournaments, he would participate in the local tours and events at shrines, performing his dohyo-iri. We just came out of a pandemic, so we know these events do not have to go on. At this time of increased popularity of sumo, his presence will be missed.