Aki 2025 Day Ten
Two-thirds in on the September sumo tournament, and we are set up for the closing kick.
Public League Leaderboard
Scores from Fantasizr
Yusho Arasoi
10 Wins
02 Yokozuna West Hoshoryu
9 Wins
01 Yokozuna East Onosato
8 Wins
07 Komusubi West Aonishiki
20 Maegashira #7 East Takanosho
28 Maegashira #11 East Shodai
40 Maegashira #17 East Ryuden
Notable Maneuvers
Sukuinage. Hoshoryu had pushed Wakamotoharu to the edge, then Wakamotoharu tried to turn the match around. Instead, Hoshoryu threw Wakamotoharu completely around, leaving him on his back in the middle of the dohyo.
Match of the Day
03 Ozeki East Kotozakura versus 05 Sekiwake West Kirishima
Kotozakura is essentially out of the yusho race (not mathematically, but practically), although he really needs a winning record to avoid kadoban. Kirishima wants to keep a Sekiwake rank. At the tachiai, Kirishima almost got a grip, but Kotozakura blocked it. Then they had a mini-slap fest favoring Kotozakura that got Kirishima to the edge. At that point, Kirishima regrouped into a grappling battle without a fantastic grip. Kirishima kept working, but a grip change allowed the Ozeki to clamp on. From there, he had an easy yorikiri.
Recap
Hoshoryu got his tenth win, remaining undefeated and maintaining his spot on top of the leaderboard. In addition to marching towards the yusho, although nothing is guaranteed, he may have also survived without giving up a kinboshi. There are five days left, and he has five Sanyaku opponents to face on paper. That includes Onosato on the final day. He needs to keep up his form for five more days, but he is absolutely fighting like a Yokozuna.
In fairness, so is Onosato. And now Onosato is the sole rikishi on one loss. He also has five possible Sanyaku opponents with five days remaining, so he may have only given up the one kinboshi. His manhandling of Kotoshoho, who may have been trying kind of a henka or hit-and-shift, was another sign he possesses an unusual combo of strength, speed, and skill. He, too, is performing as a Yokozuna should.
The two Yokozuna stand atop this basho thanks to Shodai falling to Takanosho. Takanosho just went straight into Shodai, never letting Shodai do his defend-and-re-engage sumo that’s been so good. Now both Takanosho and Shodai are sitting at 8-2, alongside Aonishiki and Ryuden. This quartet isn’t completely out of the yusho race, but they all need a lot to go right. That’s especially true of the three Maegashira. Aonishiki at least still needs to face Hoshoryu, but even if he wins there the Ukrainian needs some luck.
There were important milestones on Day Ten. Abi got his first win in a disastrous, injury-plagued basho. (Gonoyama is still winless.) Aonishiki, Takanosho, and Ryuden all got crucial 8th wins for a kachi-koshi. Aonishiki preserves his Sanyaku spot, while Ryuden is guaranteed to be in Makuuchi in November. Kotoshoho and Atamifuji picked up 8th losses for guaranteed losing records.
Yet all of that pales to the Yokozuna dominating. We haven’t seen anything like this in years, and once the relative youth of Hoshoryu (26) and Onosato (25) are considered this is incredibly exciting. There are two in-prime rikishi topping the Banzuke and the yusho race. This is how sumo should be. We’re headed towards a Yokozuna vs. Yokozuna clash on the final day for the yusho. Let’s see how they survive the next four days to get there.