Grand Sumo’s latest offering, the 2025 Nagoya basho, crossed its mid-way point this weekend. The 15 day tournament, which takes place in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan wraps up on Sunday. In the top division, whoever finishes with the best win-loss record will be crowned the champion. There’s still a lot of matches to be played, but at this point it feels as if we know which wrestlers will be there competing for the Emperor’s Cup this weekend.
Sumo results (after day 9)
| Record | East | Rank | West | Record |
| 1-4-4 | Hoshoryu 🇲🇳 | Yokozuna | Onosato 🇯🇵 | 7-2 |
| 5-4 | Kotozakura🇯🇵 | Ozeki | ||
| 0-0-9 | Daieisho 🇯🇵 | Sekiwake | Kirishima 🇲🇳 | 7-2 |
| Sekiwake | Wakatakakage 🇯🇵 | 5-4 | ||
| 2-7 | Oshoma 🇲🇳 | Komusubi | Takayasu 🇯🇵 | 6-3 |
| 7-2 | Aoinishiki 🇺🇦 | M1 | Wakamotoharu 🇯🇵 | 2-7 |
| 3-6 | Oho 🇯🇵 | M2 | Abi 🇯🇵 | 5-4 |
| 3-6 | Onokatsu 🇲🇳 | M3 | Kinbozan 🇰🇿 | 2-7 |
| 5-4 | Hakuoho 🇯🇵 | M4 | Tamawashi 🇲🇳 | 7-2 |
| 5-4 | Hiradoumi 🇯🇵 | M5 | Meisei 🇯🇵 | 3-6 |
| 5-4 | Takerufuji 🇯🇵 | M6 | Gonoyama 🇯🇵 | 5-4 |
| 3-6 | Tobizaru 🇯🇵 | M7 | Endo 🇯🇵 | 0-0-9 |
| 2-7 | Sadanoumi 🇯🇵 | M8 | Ichiyamamoto 🇯🇵 | 8-1 |
| 6-3 | Ura 🇯🇵 | M9 | Chiyoshoma 🇲🇳 | 0-9 |
| 6-3 | Atamifuji 🇯🇵 | M10 | Roga 🇷🇺 | 5-4 |
| 6-3 | Takanosho 🇯🇵 | M11 | Tokihayate 🇯🇵 | 4-5 |
| 5-4 | Midorifuji 🇯🇵 | M12 | Asakoryu 🇯🇵 | 2-7 |
| 5-4 | Churanoumi 🇯🇵 | M13 | Shodai 🇯🇵 | 5-4 |
| 7-2 | Kusano 🇯🇵 | M14 | Fujinokawa 🇯🇵 | 6-3 |
| 7-2 | Kotoshoho 🇯🇵 | M15 | Hidenoumi 🇯🇵 | 2-7 |
| 1-8 | Kayo 🇯🇵 | M16 | Mitakeumi 🇯🇵 | 7-2 |
| 4-5 | Kotoeiho 🇯🇵 | M17 | Shishi 🇺🇦 | 3-6 |
Ichiyamamoto leads the way!
The unheralded Ichiyamamoto is the surprise of this tournament. After nine days of wrestling he leads the makuuchi (top division) with an 8-1 record. The 31 year-old has never won a top division tournament before. In truth, he’s never even come close. Despite his lack of success in the top division a yusho (championship) for Ichiyamamoto would be very well received.
Ichiyamamoto is one of the more popular characters in sumo, known for his positive and humorous demeanour. He’s often included in variety shows on Japan and seems to be well-liked by his fellow rikishi (wrestlers), too.
In this tournament Ichiyamamoto is ranked maegashira 9. From this ranking he’s fought some decent opposition and scored wins over tough vets like Sadanoumi and Tobizaru and fiery young up and comers like Roga, Atamifuji and Takerufuji. His only loss so far was a Day 6 defeat to Hiradoumi.
Below is his Day 9 win over Gonoyama, via hikiotoshi (hand pull down).
Ichiyamamoto is a tricky pusher/thruster whose game relies on speed, evasion and rapid fire striking. This week he’s due to be tested with tougher opposition (as the match-making shifts from being based on rankings to being based on records).
If Ichiyamamoto could hold on and take the yusho, his title win would be one of the more unusual and, frankly, fun outcomes of this year in sumo.
The chasing pack
Ichiyamamoto doesn’t have much room for error as he tries to claim an improbably championship. There are seven wrestlers behind him on 7-2 records. Within that group are some of the best wrestlers competing on the planet right now.
Pre-tournament favorite Onosato is in that group. Onosato is competing in his first tournament since being promoted to the top rank of yokozuna (making him the 75th person bestowed that honour since the 1600s). He’s taken two uncharacteristic losses so far this basho (tournament). His first defeat came to Oho on Day 4, where he accidentally stepped out of bounds. His second loss came on Day 8 against Hakuoho (below). In this bout he failed with a slap down and was bundled out by the formerly much-hyped prospect.
Onosato should still be considered the favorite to win this tournament. He’s had a stellar 2025, winning two out of the past three tournaments.
Other wrestlers hoping to beat Onosato and Ichiyamamoto to the cup are Kirishima, Aonishiki and Kusano. Those three are also on 7-2 records.
Former ozeki (rank below yokozuna) Kirishima is fighting showing us some of his best sumo ever in this tournament, after a terrible 2024 that was maligned due to a neck injury. Aonishiki is continuing to prove that he is one of the most exciting young wrestlers in the sport. The 21 year-old former Ukrainian refugee has taken down a number of big names (including Kirishima) using extremely creative moves along the way (like the uchimuso, below):
Kusano is fighting in his first ever top division tournament. He’s looked great. Although, due to him being ranked very low, his seven wins have come against a much lower level of opposition than anyone else mentioned here.
Hoshoryu pulls out due to injury
The sports only other yokozuna left the tournament on Day 5 citing toe and thumb injuries. The toe injury had been mentioned prior to the tournament. The thumb injury may have been suffered during competition this month.
Hoshoryu won his first day match in Nagoya but then lost to Wakamotoharu, Aonishiki and Abi (below).
In sumo the yokozuna can never be demoted. They only cease being a yokozuna when they retire. For this reason it is common for yokozuna to pull themselves out of tournaments, for injuries, instead of hanging in there and possibly finishing a tournament with a bad losing record. For this reason, yokozuna injury reports should always be taken with a grain of salt.
Regardless how legitimate Hoshoryu’s injuries are, this result in Nagoya adds to a pretty horrendous start to the 26 year-old’s yokozuna career. He was promoted to become the 74th yokozuna after winning the January tournament.
After that he went 5-5-5 (with the last five representing missed matches due to injury) after citing an elbow injury. Then, in May, he went 12-3 and finished runner-up to Onosato (who he beat on the final day).
This latest pull out has helped amplify certain voices who claimed Hoshoryu might not have been ready for the top spot in the sport.
More sumo coverage on Combat Press
Combat Press will provide more coverage of the 2025 summer tournament. Next week we will bring you the final results.
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