Natsu 2025 Day Thirteen
As we head towards the final weekend of the May tournament, the yusho conclusion is coming nearer.
Public League Leaderboard
Scores from Fantasizr
Yusho Arasoi
13 Wins
02 Ozeki East Onosato
10 Wins
01 Yokozuna East Hoshoryu
05 Sekiwake West Kirishima
07 Komusubi West Wakatakakage
Notable Maneuvers
Hikiotoshi. Takayasu had very little against Ichiyamamoto, who got a grip early but couldn’t put much into his mawashi game. Takayasu leaned and leaned and leaned, then very simply swatted aside Ichiyamamoto when they started moving.
Match of the Day
02 Ozeki East Onosato versus 03 Ozeki West Kotozakura
This match was for all the marbles, and Onosato faced as tough a challenge as he has so far. That was true after the tachiai, as well. Kotozakura blew up Onosato’s initial offense, and got his hands under the Yokozuna-hopeful. Onosato then moved his hands inside, which didn’t get much of a grip but did push Kotozakura back. From there, Onosato didn’t need the mawashi to powerfully escort Kotozakura out of the dohyo. With that, Onosato won the yusho and secured his promotion to Yokozuna.
Recap
Onosato won. Not just against Kotozakura, but he won the yusho with his thirteenth straight victory. He will be the 75th Yokozuna, although nothing will be fully official until after the basho is over. There’s also no debate. He won the yusho last time and he already has 13 wins and no mathematical chance of losing the Emperor’s Cup. In 13 career basho since turning pro, Onosato will take sumo’s top rank in fewer tournaments than anyone else in sumo’s modern history.
Onosato hasn’t just won all his matches so far, he has been dominating everyone. Day Thirteen had a little more of a battle, because he didn’t instantly send Kotozakura backwards. That counts as making Onosato sweat this basho. In less than two weeks, the question about Onosato has gone from “Can he manage the pressure of Yokozuna promotion?” to “Can anyone possibly stop this guy?” He hasn’t just cleared the bar, but shot so far above it that we’ve changed his immediate possibilities. And he won’t turn 25 until after the basho.
Onosato’s pure dominance is in some ways masking the performance of other rikishi. Hoshoryu, Kirishima, and Wakatakakage are already on 10 wins, which is a good number with two days left. Remarkably, they all also could win out and land on 12 wins. Kirishima and Wakatakakage faced each other on Day Five. (Wakatakakage won by kubinage.) They also have already faced Hoshoryu. Wakatakakage lost on Day One, while Kirishima won on Day Twelve. 12 wins would set possible Ozeki promotions on the table for Kirishima and Wakatakakage.
Hoshoryu could end his basho by beating Kotozakura and Onosato, earn 12 wins, and still be well short of the yusho. That’s not terrible for a Yokozuna, and yet his future seems less bright. He’s got such a barrier now in Onosato that any chance he could dominate like his uncle Asashoryu looks impossible. Hoshoryu has shown he is a worthy Yokozuna this basho, after he struggled in his Yokozuna debut in March. He won’t win the yusho and could lose the jun-yusho, but he’s been good.
Besides Onosato zensho-yusho watch, there are a few things to settle in the final weekend. Nishikigi, Kayo, Shonannoumi, and Ryuden all still need to finish strong to avoid a Juryo demotion, while Tochitaikai and Tamashoho have secured it already. Takayasu’s struggles means one Sanyaku slot is open for July, and Wakamotoharu and Abi stand a chance to get it with two more wins. Just don’t think an Onosato zensho-yusho is boring. The last undefeated yusho was Terunofuji in November 2021. The last Yokozuna to earn the rope with a zensho basho was Harumafuji. Sit back and watch history happen live.