Natsu 2025 Predictions
There's one more day until live sumo, so here's a guess at how the upcoming basho might play out.
The Natsu Basho is about to begin, but you can still sign up for Fantasy Basho on Fantasizr.
With the basho almost here and the first two says’ matches already announced, that means I will post my public predictions for the Natsu basho.
I also always take this time to review the predictions I made before the previous basho. My Haru guess was not terrible—although as always I missed some stuff. I called Onosato’s yusho, which feels like a good credit to my predicting skills. I also foresaw success from Takerufuji, Hakuoho, and Aonishiki. Similarly, I had a correct feeling about struggles by Takarafuji and Nishikifuji. Those are all positives for my guessing skills.
On the other hand, I also though Hoshoryu would do well in his Yokozuna debut, and I guessed Takayasu would just be middling. Both of those were horribly wrong. So it goes.
As always, these are made as pure guesses from the top of my head. I do have two key rules for this effort. 1) Any rikishi absent from Day 1 gets a 0. For this basho, unfortunately, that means Kotoshoho is predicted to get 0 wins. 2) The total has to equal the number of Makuuchi competitors by 7.5 to make a logical number of overall wins. I also try to balance the whole Banzuke so that no there isn’t a cluster of high totals among rikishi who face each other.
So here are the predictions. I am calling the Revenge of Hoshoryu for the Natsu basho. If he is healthy, he’s coming for it. That does not mean Onosato will falter, and Kotozakura’s strength will be evident again as well. That limits the totals for the rest of the joi as well, of course. Among those outside the joi-jin, I am seeing Hakuoho and Aonishiki having success again. These might not be the boldest of predictions, but it’s what I could see best. I am always ready to be wrong. I’d just like to be able to say “I told you so” in two months time.
See you tomorrow for the first daily recap. And don’t forget, all paid subscribers get a full preview of Day One and every day.