2025 Hatsu Basho: Final Day results, replays and analysis

Ultimate spoilers within.

And we’re done.

What a thrilling basho. And what a fantastic finish.

Scroll down to see how this tournament was settled and who won the first Emperor’s Cup of the year. Down there I have full videos of all the matches that mattered on the final day.

This post wraps up my daily coverage of the 2025 hatsu basho.

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Bonus gif today is this beauty, courtesy of Satonofuji.

Mesmerizing.

SPOILERS BELOW

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Results

• Kotoshoho (5-10) def. Tamawashi (9-6) via hatakikomi (slap down)

• Nishikigi (8-7) def. Oshoma (8-7) via kotenage (arm lock throw)*

• Tokihayate (7-8) def. Takarafuji (5-10) via yorikiri (frontal force out)

• Tamashoho (6-9) def. Mitakeumi (2-13) via okuridashi (rear push out)

• Hakuoho (10-5) def. Takayasu (8-7) via yorikiri*

• Chiyoshoma (9-6) def. Shonannoumi (8-7) via oshidashi (frontal push out)*

• Hiradoumi (7-8) def. Onokatsu (7-8) via yorikiri

• Nishikifuji (9-6) def. Shodai (6-9) via yorikiri

• Gonoyama (8-7) def. Midorifuji (7-8) via tsukidashi (frontal thrust out)*

• Atamifuji (5-10) def. Churanoumi (4-11) via kimedashi (arm barring force out)

• Tobizaru (7-8) def. Meisei (6-9) via oshidashi

• Kirishima (11-4) def. Takerufuji (10-5) via hatakikomi*

• Oho (12-3) def. Kinbozan (12-3) via oshidashi*

• Kagayaki (6-9) def. Takanosho (6-9) via oshidashi

• Ichiyamamoto (8-7) def. Wakatakakage (7-8) via hatakikomi

• Daieisho (11-4) def. Abi (7-8) via tsukidashi (frontal thrust out)*

• Wakamotoharu (6-9) def. Endo (6-9) via oshidashi

• Onosato (10-5) def. Ura (7-8) via tsukidashi

• Hoshoryu (12-3) def. Kotozakura (5-10) via yorikiri*

Play-off results

• Hoshoryu def. Kinbozan via yorikiri

• Hoshoryu def. Oho via yoritaoshi

*Must see bouts

Final standings

• Yusho: O1w Hoshoryu

• Yusho-doten: M3w Oho, M14w Kinbozan

• Shukun-sho (Outstanding Performance Prize): No winners

• Kanto-sho (Fighting Spirit Prize): M1w Kirishima, M14w Kinbozan

• Gino-sho (Technique Prize): M3w Oho

• Juryo Yusho: J4w Shishi

Analysis

As a wise man once said, “the cream will rise to the top, oh yeah.”

And that’s what we saw on the final day of the 2025 hatsu basho. Hoshoryu won three must-win bouts to take home the first Emperor’s Cup of the year. This follows his play-off loss to Kotozakura in November, giving him a case for promotion to the sport’s 74th yokozuna. A 12-3 is not a dominant yusho (even though the display of guts to win a three way play-off deserves a lot of credit). However, reports out of Japan on the eve of Day 15 said that the JSA’s yokozuna deliberation council would view a championship win by Hoshoryu worthy of a promotion. We’ll find out if that’s true very soon, wit hthe JSA due to meet on Monday.

Let’s talk about how Hoshoryu forced that conversation.

The first domino to fall in his come from behind yusho was Oho beating Kinbozan. Had Kinbozan won that match, he would have claimed the cup there and then. And he tried his best to do that, but Oho proved too much of a challenge.

Here’s how that bout went down:

Kinbozan drew first blood in the bout, hitting Oho with a solid nodowa (throat thrust) off the tachiai.

What Oho did next won him the bout. Often in these situations, the wrestler who is being thrusted pushes forwards to try and fight through the nodowa. The thrusting wrestler then has a chance to step back and let their opponent fall forwards, providing a good slap down opportunity. Oho doesn’t go forwards, though. He moves back, relieving the pressure.

Doing this made Kinbozan spring forwards and gave Oho the opportunity to move around him and seize control of the match.

Kinbozan did well to turn himself back to face Oho quickly and they traded big thrusts after that. Oho’s thrusts were better aimed, though, and he was able to force Kinbozan backwards and then finish him along the edge.

This result meant that, no matter what, Kinbozan and Oho would be involved in a play-off to decide a winner.

Hoshoryu could only join them if he beat Kotozakura.

Kotozakura has been walking wounded in this tournament, so this was a fortunate turn of events for Hoshoryu. However, this wasn’t an unfair advantage for the ozeki. Both Kinbozan and Oho had fought Kotozakura already this tournament.

Kotozakura fought hard, getting past Hoshoryu’s opening thrusts and establishing his preferred migi-yotsu (right arm inside) grip. From there Kotozakura defended a throw, but he didn’t have the strength to win a force out battle with Hoshoryu.

That set-up our three-way play-off.

In a random draw Hoshoryu vs. Kinbozan was selected as the opening bout. Hoshoryu opted to slap Kinbozan off the tachiai, using his left hand to turn Kinbozan’s head.

He did that to make sure Kinbozan’s head landed on his right shoulder. This gave him the position he needed to reach back and grab at the belt on the left side.

At the same time as this he locked up a grip with his right hand on the other side. I think he was going for the ‘Mongolian forklift’ that he used on Takerufuji this week (and Kirishima in November). He wasn’t able to get his left hand on the belt, though, so he had to improvise.

His back-up move is what his go-to move used to be. Hoshoryu turned his body and put his knee against Kinbozan’s left thigh, setting up an uwatenage (over arm throw).

Kinbozan did the splits to prevent that, though!

Despite missing on the throw, Hoshoryu still had a firm grip on Kinbozan’s belt.

Kinbozan tried to defend with a counter-grip, but Hoshoryu had the better position and was able to sling Kinbozan to the boundary and force him out.

Oho was next.

If Hoshoryu lost to Oho, Oho would have then fought Kinbozan.

Oho had a smart approach to this bout. He stepped off to the side off the tachiai, not wanting Hoshoryu to go chest-to-chest with him, as he just saw him start with Kinbozan.

Oho then pulled Hoshoryu towards him, eliciting a slip.

November must have flashed through Hoshoryu’s mind when this happened. He lost his final bout against Kotozakura, and the Kyushu basho, after he was forced into a slip.

This time, though, Hoshoryu was able to engage his knee before it was too late and steady himself. He pushed off that knee to attack Oho with thrusts, which he used to hide his entry to the belt.

He went migi-yotsu on Oho, but Oho prevented him from getting his right hand on the belt by using his ottsuke (forearm blocking). His ottsuke had looked great all tournament long.

Because Oho had Hoshoryu’s arms pinned (and one hand blocked from his belt), Oho was able to prevent Hoshoryu pushing him out at this stage. Oho used tremendous strength to survive there and then circle away from the straw.

Oho circled all the way to the center of the dohyo. He and Hoshoryu had matching migi-yotsu grips at that point.

The fight then was between Hoshoryu trying to lock his right hand onto Oho’s belt and Oho wanting separation so he could push Hoshoryu backwards and do his preferred pushing attacks. Oho, again, did well to keep Hoshoryu’s right hand high.

This forced Hoshoryu to improvise again. First he switched his hips and went for a throw, but Oho blocked it.

With Oho doing such a good job of keeping his hand high, Hoshoryu recognized that he could use that to his advantage. He pulled that hand backwards, forcing Oho to lunge forwards.

All that space created chaos with Oho desperately trying to turn to face Hoshoryu. Hoshoryu then dived in on his belt. He got two hands on the belt and pushed back. Without his arms inside, where he can perform ottsuke, Oho was powerless to prevent himself being pushed out.

And that was a wrap.

I’m not crying, you’re crying!

What a match. What a moment. Hoshoryu wins his second yusho and might be in line to make history as our next yokozuna.

Kinbozan gets a much deserved Fighting Spirit award for his exploits in January (as does Kirishima for his 11-4 finish). Oho grabs the Technique Prize. That’s Oho’s first ever special prize. Kinbozan received an Outstanding Performance prize in his makuuchi debut back in 2023.

Oho has another reason to celebrate, too. His younger brother Mudoho won the makushita (third division) yusho. Shishi is our juryo (second division) champion. That will earn the Ukrainian an immediate return to makuuchi.

Other good bouts on Day 15 include Kirishima slapping down Takerufuji…

Ichiyamamoto winning his Darwin Match over his idol Wakatakakage…

and Daieisho blasting through Abi.

Next up for me is… rest. But then I’ll be back with report cards for all of our makuuchi sumotori. I don’t think I’ll do a spotlight post this time around (since I’m limited with what video footage I can share here).

I might produce something else fun, though.

Thank you, as always, for reading Sumo Stomp!. I sincerely hope this added a fun extra dimension to your sumo watching this month. I’ve had a blast.

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