2025 Hatsu Basho: Day 13 results, replays and analysis

There's spoilers in here.

Jan 24, 2025

Happy Friday all!

Day 13 of the New Year basho is done and dusted and we have a very exciting two days ahead of us. The late plot twist in this basho and the final act have been really fun to follow. And it’s, right now, too close to call when it comes to predicting a winner.

Day 13’s glamour matches were Kotozakura vs. Kinbozan, Onosato vs. Hoshoryu, Abi vs. Takerufuji, Oho vs. Ura and Takayasu vs. Kirishima.

Takayasu vs. Kirishima is my favourite bout of the tournament thus far. It was excellent from start to finish. Tobizaru vs. Atamifuji was a lot of fun, too.

Scroll down for some vids, results and my analysis.

Bonus gif is the Hiradoumi strut.

SPOILERS BELOW

Results

Tamashoho (5-8) def. Nishikigi (6-7) via oshidashi (frontal push out)*
Midorifuji (6-7) def. Kotoshoho (3-10) via tsukiotoshi (thrust down)
Tamawashi (8-5) def. Oshoma (7-6) via oshidashi*
Oshoma (7-6) def. Tokihayate (5-8) via oshidashi*
Nishikifuji (8-5) def. Churanoumi (4-9) via oshidashi
Kagayaki (5-8) def. Takarafuji (5-8) via oshidashi
Meisei (5-8) def. Mitakeumi (2-11) via yorikiri (frontal force out)
Shonannoumi (7-6) def. Endo (6-7) via oshitaoshi (frontal push down)*
Hakuoho (8-5) def. Hiradoumi (6-7) via yorikiri
Oho (10-3) def. Ura (6-7) via hatakikomi (slap down)*
Tobizaru (6-7) def. Atamifuji (3-10) via yorikiri*
Kirishima (10-3) def. Takayasu (7-6) via tsukiotoshi after mono-ii (judges review)*
Takanosho (6-7) def. Gonoyama (6-7) via tsukiotoshi*
Wakatakakage (7-6) def. Shodai (7-6) via yorikiri
Takerufuji (10-3) def. Abi (7-6) via oshidashi after moni-ii*
Daieisho (9-4) def. Chiyoshoma (8-5) via oshidashi
Ichiyamamoto (7-6) def. Wakamotoharu (4-9) via oshidashi
Hoshoryu (10-3) def. Onosato (8-5) via kubinage (headlock throw)*
Kinbozan (11-2) def. Kotozakura (5-8) via tsukidashi (frontal thrust out)*

*Must see bouts

Leaderboard

M14w Kinbozan: 11-2
O1w Hoshoryu, M1w Kirishima, M3w Oho, M11w Takerufuji: 10-3

Analysis

Kinbozan maintained his slight lead this tournament with a big win over Kotozakura on Day 13. Kotozakura does not look right in this tournament and he’s been shoved around in a way we are not used to seeing. That being said, this was still a challenging match-up for Kinbozan.

This was the final match of the day. Before it happened he saw all of his challengers win. And he knew, if he lost this bout, he would drop back into a four-way tie with them.

Despite all that, he launched himself at Kotozakura with confidence and made quick work of the faltering ozeki.

Kinbozan got a great hit in off the tachiai in this bout. He smacked Kotozakura right under the chin, forcing his head to snap backwards.

Kinbozan did this with Hoshoryu yesterday. However, in that bout, Hoshoryu stepped off to the side and was slightly rotated by Kinbozan’s thrust. That led to Kinbozan falling through empty space and onto the dirt.

This time his thrust pushed Kotozakura straight backwards and kept him in front of him.

With Kotozakura reeling, Kinbozan kept touching his chest and advancing on route to the quick thrust out.

The loss gave Kotozakura a make-koshi (losing record). That means he will be kadoban (in a corner) in the March tournament. If he gets a losing record in March he will lose the ozeki ranking he’s worked so hard to get.

The make-koshi breaks Kotozakura’s streak of fourteen straight kachi-koshi (only Hoshoryu has more than that).

Kotozakura has been relatively injury free during his career. But in this tournament he has looked hurt, slow and very tentative. The fact he’s fought through the injury might suggest this isn’t something that could affect him into the next tournament. However, in deciding to fight (and not just side out large portions of the basho) Kotozakura has risked doing himself further injury.

Now his losing record is confirmed, we might see him rest for the final two days of the tournament. If that’s the case, he’ll be giving a freebie win to Onosato tomorrow.

Leave a comment

If Onosato does get the fusen win tomorrow, that won’t help him push for the title in January. On Day 13 he was mathematically eliminated from this tournament by Hoshoryu.

This bout looked a lot like Onosato’s earliest bouts with Hoshoryu, with him rushing forwards with his arms loose and then getting thrown on his back. During the middle part of last year, Onosato looked to have sured up some of his yotsu (gappling) deficiencies, but he’s gone back to looking raw and hasty in this basho.

You have to question his fight IQ in this bout, too. A scouting report (and his past experiences) could have told him that Hoshoryu would throw you if you didn’t have a solid counter grip on his belt.

The gift-wrapped victory kept Hoshoryu’s yusho (championship) hopes alive. Remember, if he wins this he has an argument, albeit a very weak one, for a yokozuna promotion.

Kirishima kept pace with the chasing pack on Day 13. However, unlike with Hoshoryu, this win didn’t come easy.

He and Takayasu threw down in what was, for me, the most exciting bout of the tournament.

Check it out in all it’s glory, below:

Both Kirishima and Takayasu are superb defensive wrestlers. Both, too, are extremely verstaile, being very comfortable with both oshi-zumo (pushing/thrusting) and yotsu-zumo (belt grabbing/grappling).

Takayasu wanted to grapple in this bout, off the tachiai. But Kirishima blocked his attempts at the belt and drew him into a thrusting battle. He may have gotten more than what he hoping for, though! Takayasu landed some very heavy harite (palm strikes), which forced Kirishima to move backwards.

Kirishima wisely opted out of that battle and clinched Takayasu. He locked up a hidari-yotsu (left arm inside grip). But Takayasu was able to break his grip on his belt. After breaking the grip, Takayasu beautifully pinned Krishima’s arm (below) and tried to grab Kirishima’s belt.

Kirishima tried to reverse out of trouble. When Takayasu felt him moving backwards, he stepped on the gas. This resulted in both men spiralling off the dohyo for a photo finish.

The gyoji (referee) gave the bout to Kirishima and the shimpan (judges) confirmed it.

Takerufuji and Oho are our two last contenders for the cup. They moved to 10-3 with wins over Abi and Ura.

Takerufuji avoided a rare foot sweep attempt from Abi and then speared him off the ring. This would require a moni-ii, to confirm the win for Takerufuji.

Oho’s win over Ura was less chaotic. He used his height advantage over the low charging Ura and was eventually able to push him down for the win.

Tobizaru beat Atamifuji, in exciting fashion, on Day 13. Thanks to that bout, I think it’s safe to say Tobizaru isn’t looking to improve relations with the Isegahama stable now his nemesis Terunofuji has retired. After clinching with Atamifuji, Tobizaru hit him with the same leg kick that once wrankled theyokozuna. After that Atamifuji seemed to grab Tobizaru by the chonmage (top knot). Impressively, Tobizaru was able to hang with Atamifuji in the yotsu department and come out on top when they both crashed off the ring.

That win staved off a make-koshi for Tobizaru. That was his first win since Day 7. It’s been downhill for the Moneky Man since an impressive start to the basho where he beat Terunofuji, Onosato and Kotozakura.

Tomorrow’s penultimate day of the competition will have Takerufuji vs. Hoshoryu as the last match. The loser of that one will be eliminated from taking home the cup.

Before that there will be Kinbozan vs. Kirishima and Oho vs. Takanosho.

If Kinbozan wins he’ll move to 12-2. Then he will likely face Oho on Day 15 (since he’s already fought the others immediately trailing him). If Oho beats Takanosho tomorrow, he’ll go into that bout with an 11-3 record and the chance to force Kinbozan into a play-off.

If Kinbozan loses he’ll be 11-3, tied with Kirishima, the winner of Takerufuji vs. Hoshoryu and Oho (if he beats Takanosho). In that scenario Kinbozan vs. Oho would still be the likely match to make on Day 15. Kirishima will likely get Takerufuji on the final day. And Hoshoryu might be left with either the banged up Kotozakura (if he’s still competing) or Daieisho (who is alone with nine wins right now).

As an unabashed Kirishima fan, I would love to see him storm back from a wretched 2024 and claim the first Emperor’s Cup of 2025. What about you reader? Who are you pulling for in these final two days?