Natsu 2025 Day Nine
We are moving closer and closer to the end of the basho, but the ninth day of the May tournament saw rikishi simply move forward.
Public League Leaderboard
Scores from Fantasizr
Yusho Arasoi
9 Wins
02 Ozeki East Onosato
8 Wins
20 Maegashira #7 East Hakuoho
24 Maegashira #9 East Aonishiki
7 Wins
01 Yokozuna East Hoshoryu
07 Komusubi West Wakatakakage
41 Maegashira #17 West Asakoryu
Notable Maneuvers
Hikiotoshi. Wakatakakage did not allow Abi to unleash his full tsuppari attack, but he also never got into Abi. Abi read it, shifted slightly sideways, and got a nice hand pull down win to give Wakatakakage a second loss.
Match of the Day
14 Maegashira #4 East Takerufuji versus 05 Sekiwake West Kirishima
This one was strange early, because Takerufuji seemed on edge. He had a weird pull back before they could start, accompanied by all the apologetic nodding you would expect. That didn’t get anything out of his system, though, and Takerufuji somehow had a hard and awkward tachiai. He was flying forward, so Kirishima could get his arms around him. As they struggled, Kirishima got the headlock and went for a kubinage. The headlock throw worked to send Takerufuji over, but Kirishima was going with him. The gyoji pointed to Kirishima, but there was a mono-ii. The shimpan looked at whether Kirishima’s elbow hit before Takerufuji touched clay. It was extremely close, but they upheld Kirishima’s win possibly because Takerufuji was staring up as they were both falling and in no position to win.
Recap
Onosato continues his dominance of the Natsu basho. Ura at least seemed to do something different with the up-and-under move to get a belt grip. The result was the same as everyone taking it right to Onosato. The Yokozuna hopeful was hardly bothered, pushed hard at Ura, and got an easy win. It was slightly more exciting because Ura was spinning around for something as he went out. Once again, Onosato not only won but looked incredible doing it.
The action on Day Nine happened just below Onosato on the leaderboard. Wakatakakage succumbed to Abi’s post-30 veteran awareness that makes him very good at pull downs and slaps. A second loss puts him further away from Onosato, and it didn’t look good. Still, a loss like that to Abi isn’t shameful or anything. There’s just a high standard this basho.
Contributing to the difficulty of staying in this basho are Hakuoho and Aonishiki. Hakuoho got his eighth win on Day Nine against Shodai despite a bandaged right arm. He didn’t look too hurt while fighting, but he was carrying it like he had an invisible sling as he went back after the match. It’s worth watching as the basho moves along. Aonishiki once again saw a tricky veteran in Chiyoshoma, and he proved he can manage an odd match where he should be uncomfortable. The Blonde Bomber took Chiyoshoma defensive slaps and sideways moving in stride to still get into the middle of Chiyoshoma for a simple win.
The two-loss group besides Wakatakakage represents different ends of the Banzuke. Asakoryu continued his impressive basho by sending Ryuden over with a nice throw. It feels like his bubble should bust soon, but he’s one win from kachi-koshi and could have ten wins even if he collapses over the second week. Meanwhile, at the top of the Banzuke, Yokozuna Hoshoryu looms. He beat Ichiyamamoto for the first time in his career on Day Nine with ease. While he needs two losses from Onosato, he can also inflict one of those.
Theoretically, the nine rikishi at 6-3 are in this yusho race, but they need to not only win out but have Onosato lose three times and have the 8-1 and 7-2 rikishi fall apart. Weird things can happen in sumo. In this basho, Midorifuji has already started 0-9, while Kotoshoho missed the first five days but has a 3-1 competitive record. Yet the standard Onosato, and to a lesser degree Hakuoho and Aonishiki, has set is too high for anything but a miracle. There’s plenty of sumo left, but Onosato is already on 9 Wins and has barely broken a sweat. That matters.