Natsu 2025 Day Fourteen
With everyone through 14 days of sumo, we have a champion but plenty is still left to be decided.
Public League Leaderboard
Scores from Fantasizr
Yusho Arasoi
14 Wins—Yusho Winner
02 Ozeki East Onosato
Notable Maneuvers
Fumidashi. Chiyoshoma started his match with Takayasu going sideways, and he couldn’t stop himself without stepping out even after they engaged. He lost by a non-technique, the inadvertent step out.
Match of the Day
24 Maegashira #9 East Aonishiki 10-4 versus 30 Maegashira #12 East Atamifuji
This one began with a solid tachiai that gave Atamifuji the better position and a right hand inside grip. That pushed Aonishiki back, but he set his feet and grabbed Atamifuji’s mawashi with his right under Atamifuji’s left. That shifted the match back to center, but Atamifuji reversed the momentum again. Aonishiki kept his feet wide, even while attempting some trips. Although Atamifuji kept fighting, Aonishiki worked him for the yorikiri and a 10th win.
Recap
While Onosato’s yusho clinching win on Day Thirteen made Day Fourteen feel like a formality, there was plenty of exciting sumo. Not the least of which was Onosato’s match against Daieisho. Daieisho not only began with a hard tachiai, but it slightly disrupted Onosato’s sumo in a way not seen this month. Onosato reversed the momentum by pulling, which then allowed him to regroup. Onosato pushed out Daieisho for his 14th win, keeping the chance of a zensho yusho alive.
In addition to Onosato’s undefeated hopes, lots of other rikishi are fighting for something. Yokozuna Hoshoryu would probably like to put a blemish on Onosato in their final match, just to prove he’s still a rival. Kirishima and Wakatakakage both could get 12 wins, and have probably both completed the first of a possible three-basho ozeki run. The overall excellence of Sanyaku likely means Wakatakakage remains at Komusubi in July, but he’s earned a Sekiwake promotion based on performance.
The dominance of Sanyaku has made for an odd promotion situation. Right now, no one between Maegashira #1 and Maegashira #5 has a winning record. Only Abi, at Maegashira #2, has a chance at a last day kachi-koshi. His final day opponent is not another 7-7 rikishi, but 9-5 Oshoma. View that as, essentially, a Sanyaku promotion playoff. If Oshoma wins, he will be the highest-ranked Maegashira with a winning record. In fact, there are no all 7-7 matches on Day Fifteen. That may advantage Abi, Tobizaru, Atamifuji, Tokihayate, and Kayo on the final day.
Kayo likely needs an 8th win to secure his place as a Maegashira after his top-division debut. He certainly doesn’t want to rely on Banzuke luck. Otherwise, Tochitaikai, Tamashoho, and Nishikigi have all probably guaranteed they will take the drop to Juryo. Kayo also gets 9-5 Kinbozan to try and prove he should stay, rather than another demotion candidate. His task is pretty tough.
One of the only other things to settle is who gets a special prize. Aonishiki seems like he is in line for a second prize in his second Makuuchi basho. Kirishima and Wakatakakage have also done so well, they may be in line for a prize as well. The only wild card may by Abi, who did get a kinboshi and could have a winning record. That usually equals a special prize. And don’t look past that final match. We get a Yokozuna versus an about-to-be Yokozuna with a zensho yusho on the line.
Wakatakakage will be promoted to Sekiwake. Since the modern six-basho era began in 1958, eleven wins at Komusubi has forced a third Sekiwake slot if necessary. Not counting this basho, there have been 56 cases where a Komusubi achieved 11 or more wins. In 11 of those instances, the rikishi forced an S2 slot. No Komusubi with 11+ wins has ever been denied promotion to Sekiwake.
I don't think Abi will get a special prize even if he KKs. Lately, they've been quite stingy with the Shukun-sho, so I don't think an 8-7 and kinboshi would do it. If he were in contention it might be different. He's gotten it twice before, but he had records of 12-3 and 11-4. If the committee decided to smile upon him the prize would have to be conditional, as a winning record is required. I agree that Aonishiki, WTK, and Kirishima will be strongly considered. I pretty much assume that WTK will get his sixth Gino-sho, and I think Kiri deserves one also, and both unconditionally. One could argue that Aonishiki should get a Technique Prize as well, but I think it's more likely that he'll get the Kanto-sho. He has fought with great spirit!