Kyushu 2025 Day Ten
Two-thirds of the November sumo tournament is done, and the yusho race is getting increasingly limited.
Torikumi
Banzuke
Public League Leaderboard
Scores from Fantasizr
Yusho Arasoi
9 Wins
01 Yokozuna East Onosato
04 Sekiwake East Aonishiki
8 Wins
02 Yokozuna West Hoshoryu
7 Wins
16 Maegashira #5 East Yoshinofuji
35 Maegashira #14 West Tokihayate
36 Maegashira #15 East Nishikifuji
Notable Maneuvers
Katasukashi. Midorifuji got tackled in his match against Ryuden, but the two fell in a confusing enough way to require a rematch. So the second go-round, he went for his signature move and did an under-shoulder-swing-down that sent Ryuden down so hard he came up muddy and bloody.
Match of the Day
01 Yokozuna East Onosato versus 16 Maegashira #5 East Yoshinofuji
This wasn’t the most exciting match of the day, but it was certainly the most consequential. And it was sneakily excellent sumo from Yoshinofuji. At the tachiai, Yoshinofuji went right at Onosato. This usually backfires spectacularly, but Yoshinofuji wasn’t trying to simply push the Yokozuna back. Yoshinofuji got his left arm under Onosato’s right and lifted it out of grip range. With his right hand, he blocked Onosato’s left hand from doing anything. That combo put Onosato on a sled, where he couldn’t put up any resistance. This might not be the blueprint for beating Onosato, especially because he will learn from this one and Yoshinofuji’s actions were inch-perfect. This is Yoshinofuji’s first kinboshi and a huge result.
Recap
Onosato has finally fallen off the undefeated pedestal. He is still leading the yusho race, and everything about his Kyushu (and 2025) before Day Ten shows he is still the favorite. He just lost the zensho yusho potential, as well as having the easiest path to the yusho. His margin for error is now gone, and he needs to be on his sumo for the next five days.
Aonishiki is the rikishi who is tied with Onosato on 9 Wins. The Ukrainian just kept rolling along on Day Ten by showing you can beat Tamawashi’s nodowa if you can just put your head below his thrusts. Few rikishi are as flexible as Aonishiki to do that and strong enough to then win by yorikiri. Aonishiki has only lost via henka, and he is somehow looking better and better. 21 year olds making their Sekiwake debuts shouldn’t be doing this. His Ozeki promotion chances get stronger with each win.
Interestingly, Hoshoryu is the one rikishi one loss behind the co-leaders. There is a guaranteed round-robin involving Onosato, Hoshoryu, and Aonishiki over the final few days. Kotozakura having enough signs of life means the Ozeki will be the fourth member of the group to make the matchups work over the final three days. So the top three men on the Yusho Arasoi are all guaranteed to at least get a playoff (Hoshoryu) if they win out.
That potential for damage among the leaders gives hope to Yoshinofuji, Tokihayate, and Nishikifuji. Yoshinofuji made his own help on Day Ten against Onosato, and he gets the chance to put dirt on another leader when he sees Aonishiki on Day Eleven. Tokihayate and Nishikifuji will get their turn against other contenders if they keep winning, although they seem less likely to make hay as Yoshinofuji.
Thos the impact of Yoshinofuji’s win over Onosato. Onosato’s invincibility is gone, and the Yusho possibilities are now much more open. Aonishiki may have the best shot at an Emperor’s Cup in his impressive early career. Hoshoryu’s chances to be the top Yokozuna just got more realistic. Yoshinofuji has inserted himself in the Yusho race. And it all came from one day of sumo.