2025 Hatsu Basho: Day 9 results, replays and analysis
I've got spoilers.
Day 9 was a fun one!
Lots of great matches and the closest I’ve come to my white whale all tournament. That white whale is having all matches end with a different kimarite (winning technique). This day we got fifteen different kimarite across our twenty-six makuuchi bouts. And we just had one yorikiri and three oshidashi among them.
This would be a good day of action to show that friend who isn’t into sumo, but you desperately wish was. It would really show off the variety the sport offers and help dispel that myth that it’s just fat guys pushing each other.
On Day 9 Kinbozan got his biggest test yet, in the form of Takerufuji. Other important bouts included Chiyoshoma vs. Churanoumi, Hoshoryu vs. Hiradoumi, Onosato vs. Daieisho and Oho vs. Atamifuji.
Check out what happened in those bouts below!
Bonus gif is Kotozakura reminding us of the importance of shoulder mobility.
SPOILERS BELOW
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Results
Kagayaki (3-6) def. Shiden (2-7) via yorikiri (frontal force out)
Kotoshoho (2-7) def. Tamashoho (3-6) via kotenage (armlock throw)*
Shonnanoumi (4-5) def. Tokihayate (4-5) via oshidashi (frontal push out)
Onokatsu (6-3) def. Nishikifuji (4-5) via yoritaoshi (frontal crush out)
Nishikigi (5-4) def. Kitanowaka (4-5) via fusen (default)
Kinbozan (9-0) def. Takerufuji (7-2) via kotenage*
Hakuoho (6-3) def. Meisei (2-7) via uwatedashinage (pulling over arm throw)*
Midorifuji (2-7) def. Mitakeumi (2-7) via shitatenage (under arm throw)*
Endo (4-5) def. Tamawashi (6-3) via hikiotoshi (hand pull down)
Ichiyamamoto (6-3) def. Oshoma (4-5) via oshitaoshi (frontal push down)*
Takayasu (6-3) def. Takarafuji (4-5) via tsukidashi (frontal thrust out)
Chiyoshoma (8-1) def. Churanoumi (3-6) via tottari (arm bar throw)*
Shodai (4-5) def. Gonoyama (5-4) via oshitoashi*
Oho (7-2) def. Atamifuji (2-7) via katasukashi (under shoulder swing down)*
Wakatakakage (4-5) def. Takanosho (2-7) via sukuinage (betless arm throw)*
Kirishima (6-3) def. Abi (5-4) via oshidashi*
Wakamotoharu (2-7) def. Tobizaru (5-4) via oshidashi
Hiradoumi (5-4) def. Hoshoryu (6-3) via tsukiotoshi (thrust down)*
Ura (5-4) def. Kotozakura (3-6) via oshitaoshi*
Onosato (6-3) def. Daieisho (6-3) via hatakikomi (slap down)*
*Must see bouts!
Leaderboard
M14w Kinbozan: 9-0
M5w Chiyoshoma: 8-1
M3w Oho, M11w Takerufuji: 7-2
O1w Hoshoryu, O2w Onosato, S1w Daieisho, six others: 6-3
Analysis
The Kazakh Krusher Kinbozan keeps collecting wins at the hatsu basho. The rank-and-filer has yet to fall off, despite the match-making getting a little tougher for him over the past two days. On Day 8 he beat Tamawashi. And on Day 9 he’s beaten Takerufuji (in their first ever meeting).
Check out how he managed to beat the Tanimal below:
This bout shows me that Kinbozan knows what’s possible this month and that he wants it, badly. He showed more personality and determination in this bout than any other time I’ve seen him during his makuuchi career. He really dug in during this bout and fought out of trouble before picking up a huge victory.
Takerufuji won the first phase of this bout, hitting Kinbozan well off the tachiai and then pulling him out of position. Kinbozan was able to turn quickly, though, and land a big thrust to Takerufuji’s cheek that almost put him down. Takerufuji was able to right himself and push off the boundary, though. He then charged at Kinbozan. Kinbozan attempted to pull down on Takerufuji’s head for a slap down, but Takerufuji blocked that with an overhook on his left side. Takerufuji then transitioned to a migi-yotsu (right arm inside, left arm outside) grip.
Takerufuji used that grip to spin Kinbozan towards the straw. Kinbozan was able to plant his right foot in the north-side toku-dawara. From that position Kinbozan showed the mettle I praised him for earlier.
Look at how close Takerufuji was to the wining in the below shot:
It’s amazing that Kinbozan could rescue himself from here. He got out of it by swinging his left leg down and forwards, planting it and then grinding his right foot against the straw. He managed to turn that foot and then plant it, despite all the pressure Takerufuji was putting against his upper body. At this point Kinbozan already knew what he was going to do. Turning the foot was the set-up for what we’re going to see next.
In one motion, Kinbozan stepped his left leg strongly towards Takerufuji and swept his right leg outwards, while pulling with the right-arm overhook (a position Takerufuji gave him when he established his migi-yotsu).
His tight grip on Takerufuji’s left arm meant that, as Kinbozan moved and turned, Takerufuji was taken off his feet and forced down.
It was a high risk move, with Kinbozan’s feet going out of bounds just after Takerufuji hit the dirt. It worked, though! And that move has probably shifted the narrative from Kinbozan being a pretender to a legit contender this month,
Kinbozan has Abi tomorrow. What do you think folks, can he get to 10-0?
Kinbozan’s status as a contender is getting more plausible thanks to the losses others took on Day 9.
Hoshoryu lost to Hiradoumi in what is a total calamity for him and his fans. Up until this point it felt like Hoshoryu would be able to catch Kinbozan in the final week, but going three losses behind makes that a very difficult task now. And that means our chances of having him promoted to yokozuna after this tournament have taken a devastating blow. It’s not impossible, but a lot would need to break Hoshoryu’s way in the next six days.
This was Hiradoumi’s first ever win against Hoshoryu (in eight matches). See how he managed it below:
He didn’t do anything particularly special. Hoshoryu came out thrusting and Hiradoumi quickly caught his right wrist and executed a beautiful pull down before helping Hoshoryu over with a pat on the back. In retrospect I think Hoshoryu will regret not going straight for Hiradoumi’s belt.
In the November tournament Hoshoryu used his throws on smaller opponents and saved his long thrusting battles for the big boys. He may have been hoping to go from thrust to belt here, but he didn’t have enough time to do so.
That loss dropped Hoshoryu to 6-3 and put him behind our four leaders of the basho, all of whom come from the maegashira ranks.
Chiyoshoma is in second place at 8-1. He used some vicious tsuppari to soften up Churanoumi before pulling him down. Oho and Takerufuji are both 7-2. Oho beat Atamifuji with a katasukashi (a move Atamifuji is especially prone to).
There’s a bit of a traffic jam at 6-3, with lots of wrestlers (both high ranked and low) sitting on that mark. Onosato and Daieisho are both there. Onosato beat the Battle Pug on Day 9, coaxing Daieisho into a face first dive.
Kirishima is also on 6-3. He’s won six straight since his difficult start to the tournament. He beat Abi on Day 9. He got the win thanks to some wonderfuly timed counter thrusts. By bashing Abi’s arms to the side (and not upwards like he had in previous losses) he was able to spin Abi out of position and score a big push out.
Kotozakura’s struggles continued on Day 9. Ura was able to establish a moro-zashi (both arms inside) grip quickly off the tachiai. From there Ura was able to get underneath Kotozakura, push him back and then shrug him to the side. That’s the first loss of the Evil Kotozakura era.
Hakuoho is also on 6-3. He’s been flying under the radar this tournament. Last night he survived a scare with Meisei and showed off great grip strength to yank the former sekwake around by the belt.
It’s not on official channels yet, but Kotoshoho vs. Tamashoho is a must-see bout. They pounded each other with thrusts until Kotoshoho was able to snag Tamashoho’s arm and wrench him down.
Day 10 brings us Kinbozan vs. Abi, Chiyoshoma vs. Kirishima, Takerufuji vs. Ichiyamamoto and Hoshoryu vs. Daieisho.
Can’t wait!
I’ve been happily cheering Kinbozan on as he kept winning but that win over Takerufuji was just awesome. He really did want that one and it showed.
What has Kinbozan been eating? He's needs to figure what is magic charm has been this tournament and NHK better finally update his picture on Grand Sumo highlights. They've been doing him dirty with that James Bond villain picture.