Nagoya 2025 Day Eight
The middle day of the July sumo tournament brings a shakeup to the leaderboard.
Public League Leaderboard
Scores from Fantasizr
Yusho Arasoi
7 Wins
05 Sekiwake #1 West Kirishima
16 Maegashira #4 West Tamawashi
24 Maegashira #8 West Ichiyamamoto
35 Maegashira #14 East Kusano
6 Wins
02 Yokozuna West Onosato
08 Komusubi West Takayasu
09 Maegashira #1 East Aonishiki
25 Maegashira #9 East Ura
37 Maegashira #15 East Kotoshoho
40 Maegashira #16 West Mitakeumi
Notable Maneuvers
Shitatedashinage. Ichiyamamoto has overwhelmingly favored pushing-thrusting over his career. This basho, he’s got some burgeoning skills on the mawashi. On Day Eight, he beat the bigger and better grappler Atamifuji with a nice pulling underarm throw for his seventh win.
Match of the Day
13 Maegashira #3 East Onokatsu versus 05 Sekiwake #1 West Kirishima
Kirishima has been on form this basho, while Onokatsu has been stumbling against the top of the Banzuke. Yet it was Onokatsu who got the match he wanted. From the tachiai, Onokatsu relentlessly went for thrusts to the upper chest of Kirishima. Kirishima was moving back and around, while delivering thrusts in response. That turned the match into a face-slapfest, upping the intensity. Kirishima never gave up through the flurry of blows, but also never took control of the match. Kirishima got the forward momentum in the hand storm, forcing Onokatsu to step back.
Recap
The banner headline for the day must be Onosato’s loss to Hakuoho. It wasn’t even amazing or spectacular sumo. Hakuoho just used his best form and barreled straight into Onosato’s chest. Unlike nearly every other Onosato match recently, Onosato didn’t absorb the blow and redirect the match. Hakuoho just kept forward, even as Onosato went for the slap down. This could be a blueprint to beat Onosato, but only if someone can deliver that kind of hard tachiai right at Onosato’s chest to produce leverage. That is much easier said than done.
The Hakuoho kinboshi does knock Onosato down the leaderboard, handing the race to the quartet of Kirishima, Tamawashi, Ichiyamamoto, and Kusano. It’s a weird group, although all showed skills on Day Eight. Kirishima looked like his old Ozeki self that could handle anything against Onokatsu. Tamawashi had a vintage performance by redirecting Abi’s tsuppari. Ichiyamamoto showed his increasing belt skills. Kusano delivered a powerful yorikiri against a desperate Hidenoumi. Expecting any of them to keep winning, especially considering the Yokozuna and Ozeki dropped their Day Eight matches, is a bit generous. But one of the four could easily keep moving.
Sitting at 6-2 isn’t a death knell for anyone’s Yusho chances. Alongside the Yokozuna, 5 other rikishi sit one loss back. Takayasu looked like the best version of himself in dispatching an active Wakamotoharu. Aonishiki and Ura continued to win while being must-watch rikishi. Kotoshoho’s form looks as strong as it has in a long while, and he seems more like an upper Maegashira. Mitakeumi got his second loss in a row, but he too could rebound.
Mitakekumi’s dip in form shows how quickly things can change. Two days ago, he was riding high as the lone undefeated rikishi. Now, he’s looking up at a host of rikishi while seemingly unable to generate power. There’s a pretty good chance that if Onosato wins out, he’ll be the yusho winner. That at least gets a playoff, because he’ll likely get a chance at whoever remains on one loss. Those that don’t will not jump up to face the top-rankers.
Kirishima is the slight favorite at this moment, by virtue of being the only Sanyaku wrestler on one-loss. Just remember he has a ton of work to turn his first half performance into a Yusho. An Onosato match looms near the final weekend, and he still must see Kotozakura. He also doesn’t get easy matches until then. On Day Nine, he gets Hakuoho coming off a kinboshi. For now, Kirishima is a nose ahead, and one loss gives someone else the extra chance at pulling ahead.