Asashosakari

Day 13 Results Makushita 7-0 Ms3e Otsuji (Takadagawa) 6-1 Ms39w Fukuzaki (Fujishima) Sandanme 7-0 Sd16w Hatooka (Kise) 6-1 Sd45w Kotohaguro (Sadogatake) Jonidan 7-0 Jd21e Mineyaiba (Shikoroyama) 6-1 Jd24w Kobayashi (Kasugano) 7-0 Jd61e Tenrosei (Shikoroyama) Jonokuchi 7-0 Jk7e Kazuma (Kise) No big surprises in these matches, although Otsuji and Mineyaiba had to come through very competitive performances by Fukuzaki and Kobayashi. Hatooka took a bit longer to defeat Kotohaguro, but looked to be in charge of the match the entire time, and the Tenrosei and Kazuma wins were the expected easy affairs. The Shikoroyama duo will be contesting a playoff on senshuraku, the other three championships have been decided. Kazuma should be the runaway favourite for the jonidan title next time as well. Mineyaiba will certainly be expected to deliver another strong score, too, but a 7-0 will be much less of a foregone conclusion there, and Tenrosei should have his hands full in mid-sandanme if I'm not completely underestimating him. Hatooka...well, good luck at your highest rank in three years.

Yusho Races Round 7 (Day 13) Videos Jd98e Masarufuji (5-1) (6-0) Kazuma Jk7e Jd61e Tenrosei (6-0) (5-1) Takano Jd44w Jd21e Mineyaiba (6-0) Kobayashi Jd24w Sd45w Kotohaguro (6-0) Hatooka Sd16w Ms3e Otsuji (6-0) Fukuzaki Ms39w

Natsu 2025 is only the seventh basho of the 7-bout era (and first in over 20 years) without a single kachikoshi in the Ms1 and Ms2 ranks.

Day 14 Nabatame W J12w 7-7 safe Daiamami W J13w 7-7 safe Rank W-L max min maxQ minQ Hatsuyama W J10w 5-9 Ms1w 3rd Wakanosho J11w 1-2-11 Ms10w Ms10w 1st 1st Miyanokaze L J13e 6-8 Ms2e 3rd Mudoho L J14w 5-9 Ms3w Ms5w 2nd 2nd Otsuji Ms3e 7-0 J10e J10e 1st 1st Ishizaki Ms4e 4-2 Ms1e Ms3e 2nd 4th Kotokuzan Ms4w 4-2 Ms1w Ms3w 2nd 4th Kyokukaiyu W Ms5e 5-2 Ms2e Ms2e 2nd 4th I already had this post up a few minutes ago, but ended up deleting it because what I wrote was nonsense. Yeesh. Two more juryo rikishi are safe after today. (Can't say I had expected Daiamami to survive from 1-5...) Kyokukaiyu wins in makushita, but while there's a second open slot after Mudoho's loss to Hitoshi, it's not certain from the numerical point of view that Kyokukaiyu will be taking it. Unless the torikumi committee does something wildly stupid, we'll get Hatsuyama/Miyanokaze vs Ishizaki/Kotokuzan tomorrow (presumably in rank order, so H vs I and M vs K). Any victorious makushita guy will "win" any possible numerical comparison, so their promotion will be assured by a senshuraku victory (and will be impossible if they lose). And while it looks like their wins would also open up additional slots, a comparison between Hatsuyama 5-10 and Kyokukaiyu 5-2 would narrowly favour the juryo incumbent, so I think Kyokukaiyu will need to root for Hatsuyama to win so that only the contender who defeats Miyanokaze gets to join him on the way up, if any. Or maybe this whole "strict numbers" inference from the last few years' worth of decisions is complete nonsense - a Hatsuyama loss will certainly provide a useful data point, so I'm kind of rooting for that scenario (no offense to either Hatsuyama or Kyokukaiyu intended).

Was arguably to be expected with how extremely self-conscious his dohyo appearances had become over the last year or so...no point needlessly risking injury when your future plans are already set. And his retirement coinciding with Isegahama giving up the heya had been rumoured for a while, of course. Going into restaurant work, it sounds like. (Satonofuji, not Isegahama.)

Please don't stop! It's a bit awkward (and my fault, and I'll reconsider for next basho) that we've been posting in different threads, but it looked like we were often commenting on different aspects.

Day 13 Shimanoumi W J8e 5-8 safe Shiden W J8w 5-8 safe Mitoryu W J12e 7-6 safe Rank W-L max min maxQ minQ Hatsuyama L J10w 4-9 Ms3w 2nd Wakanosho J11w 1-2-10 Ms10w Ms10w 1st 1st Nabatame L J12w 6-7 Ms1w 2nd Miyanokaze W J13e 6-7 Ms2e 2nd Daiamami L J13w 6-7 Ms2w 2nd Mudoho L J14w 5-8 Ms1w Ms5w 6th 2nd Otsuji W Ms3e 7-0 J10e J10e 1st 1st Ishizaki Ms4e 4-2 Ms1e Ms3e 2nd 4th Kotokuzan Ms4w 4-2 Ms1w Ms3w 2nd 4th Kyokukaiyu Ms5e 4-2 Ms2e Ms4e 2nd 4th Kitanowaka L Ms1e 3-4 out Congrats to Otsuji on the makushita yusho! He'll be exchanged with Wakanosho straight up, everything else is still up in the air. Mudoho is demotable after today's loss to Shiden, but it's conceivable (if not all that likely) that he could still save his bacon with a run to 7-8. Half wins and half losses by the formerly eight endangered juryo rikishi, with three guys now safe but Miyanokaze still on the bubble despite sending visitor Kitanowaka to makekoshi. With Mita's withdrawal the need for a daily makushita fill-in has disappeared, and they're making use of that by saving both Ishizaki and Kotokuzan for Day 15 now. Pretty much impossible to make an informed guess about who they are likely to meet - none of the juryo rikishi are facing each other tomorrow, so the post-Day 14 situation could be anything from just Hatsuyama's fate undecided to all five guys still at risk. Both makushitans were up in juryo matches before but the opponents they faced aren't part of the danger crowd, and there are also no same-stable complications, so the committee will have free choice no matter what happens. Kyokukaiyu will finish his campaign against fellow 4-2 Nishinoryu on Day 14 as mentioned yesterday.

Hatooka won the sandanme title today, and with that he has become the first rikishi ever (under modern circumstances*) to win two makushita-and-under yusho from the exact same rank. Two past rikishi came close by doing it from the East and West, both in makushita: Chibanoyama and Iwatora. * Modern circumstances because three rikishi did it in 1929/30 when each ranking was used for two tournaments, which makes it a more trivial achievement: Tonoshiroyama in jonokuchi, Ichinonami in jonidan, Mikumayama in sandanme.

It has been a few years, and perhaps nobody really missed it, but I've decided to revive my tracking of former sekitori. It'll be done as a standalone thread this time, rather than tacked on to others. Previously the introductory posts were in each basho's banzuke release thread, the daily results - only from Day 8 onwards - in the Promotion/Demotion discussions. I'll endeavour to cover the results across the full tournament in this version. For some posting practice I'll start by filling in the 2024 results with each basho's "Day 0" and Day 15 tables, with Aki also getting the daily posts to test that out ahead of Kyushu. For space reasons not all information will be included on all tables. Feedback welcome, especially in regards to which data is getting shown at which points in time (too much / too little, etc.), but also anything else you may want to share.

Some eight hours later than usual it's finally there. Kyokukaiyu - Nishinoryu on Day 14, so only Ishizaki and Kotokuzan are being sent up for another juryo appearance.

I'm not feeling guilty at all.

Speaking of whom, Imada is the absolutely least judo-looking judoka we've ever seen in sumo, isn't he? Nodowa and tsuppari barrages, dang.

(I registered for the full article, San-in Chuo Shimpo allows for 5 article views per month for free) While he's attending school in Shimane, 18-year-old Minami himself is from Tsuyama-shi, Okayama prefecture. 180 cm / 111 kg, and part of the sumo club only in his final school year just now. Nevertheless, he got to participate in the prefectural high school championship, the national Inter-High and the National Sports Festival, for the reason mentioned by Akinomaki. (As they say in real estate, "Location, location, location"...) Somebody involved with Hidenoyama-beya spotted Minami at the Inter-High and followed up with him again after the NSF, ultimately convincing him to give up his original post-graduation plan of attending nursing school. "I happened to see some sumo videos and it just looked so cool, so I went in", Minami explained the relatively late discovery of his passion for the sport. A youngster with a sincere character which, Hidenoyama says, will help Minami progress and grow as a professional, he's expected to make his debut in the Natsu honbasho. According to the Oki Fishery HS sumo club, Minami will be the first member to go into ozumo since Okinofuji, who joined in 2006 and retired last year.

Day 12 - Results new KK: Kotokuzan, Takakento, Tenshoho, Shimazuumi, Chiyonoo, Dairaido new MK: Akua, Enho, Chiyomaru, Yuma, Tsushimanada, Asashiyu, Bushozan, Nionoumi, Amakaze, Yoshiazuma Above-average results! Which in this tournament means 15 wins and 14 losses. Sigh. As you can see it didn't stop the makekoshi avalanche in any case, although the charitable interpretation is that the guys who are not makekoshi must have done pretty well in this round, and in fact they did to the tune of 13-2. The two losses marred the records of Daishomaru (now 4-2) and Yago (3-3 with three straight defeats). Yago lost that bout to Chiyonoo; two other head-to-head clashes took place with makekoshi on the line, in which Kaisho beat Tsushimanada and Kitaharima prevailed over Chiyomaru. The big news of Day 12 was arguably Enho falling to MK in a very hard-fought but ultimately losing effort. The last two banzuke-making sessions saw 3-4 records at Ms10 getting dropped out of the top 15 to accommodate pretty borderline kachikoshi scores, so there's a good chance that Enho will not be in line for even a 7-0 promotion in July and his hoped-for return to salaried status cannot happen before November now. Maybe he'll get more lucky than those other Ms10's did... Speaking of which, the guy struck by the "be gone from the zone!" hammer two months ago was Gojinyu who entered this round at 5-0 and gave our top performer ex-sekitori Otsuji a big fight as part of the makushita yusho race on Day 11. Otsuji narrowly prevailed at the tawara in the end and has all but clinched his return to juryo, with perhaps the ¥ 500,000 yusho bonus sweetening the deal tomorrow. Two other former sekitori are also still in the hunt for promotion. Kitanowaka stared down makekoshi in his Day 11 visit to the juryo torikumi, winning a tough battle against shin-juryo Mita to give himself a chance to finish the tournament with 4 wins and a certain promotion. Kotokuzan already has those 4 wins now, but he will almost definitely need a fifth and even that may not be enough from Ms4w when all is said and done. Meanwhile the repromotion campaign ended for Akua, who fell to makekoshi. One more win may yet keep him in the top 5, however; he's facing fellow 2-4 Tochimusashi for that tomorrow. An even worse score at a single-digit rank is held by 1-5 Daishoho - he grinded to a 4-3 in March to make some amends for his 1-14 disaster from Hatsu basho, but now it's gonna be another big demotion (likely to outside the top 15 even if he wins his last match). Even though Daishoho's still only 30 years old I'm probably far from the only one who is starting to have severe doubts about his potential to stage a return to the paid ranks. A year ago he was ranked J2w - since then he has posted a combined line of 26-62. In other news: Asanoyama is 5-1 and will face the aforementioned Gojinyu to decide which one of them gets into - or at least very close to - the Nagoya top 5. Ailing Kawazoe returned to action but was easily pushed out of the dohyo to remain winless. The two low-makushita injury returnees will move in opposite directions with Shimazuumi KK after today and Bushozan on an unexpected makekoshi. Dairaido secured his kachikoshi and will get to stay in the sandanme division, while Yoshiazuma is headed downwards in jonidan again. Fujiazuma is re-joining the field for the final round of matches. Rank Shikona Heya Record Natsu 2025 Results Ms1e Kitanowaka Hakkaku 3-3 X – O – X – O – X – O – Ms1w Akua Tatsunami 2-4 O X – – O – X – X – X – Ms3e Otsuji Takadagawa 6-0 – O O – O – O – O – O – Ms3w Hokutofuji Hakkaku 0-0-2 (i) – – – – Ms4w Kotokuzan Arashio 4-2 O – X – – O O – X – O – Ms5w Tochimusashi Kasugano 2-4 – X X – – X O – X – O – Ms6e Daishoho Oitekaze 1-5 X – – O X – X – X – X – Ms6w Kiryuko Tatsunami kyujo – – – – – – – – – – – – Ms7w Tochimaru Kasugano 0-2-4 – X – X – – – – – – – – Ms10w Enho Isegahama 2-4 – O – O – X – X – X – X Ms11e Chiyomaru Kokonoe 2-4 O – – X – X – X – O – X Ms12e Takakento Tokiwayama 4-2 – O – O – O – X – X – O Ms14w Asanoyama Takasago 5-1 O – – X O – – O – O – O Ms16e Kawazoe Isegahama 0-4-2 – X X – – X – – – – X – Ms17e Kitaharima Yamahibiki 3-3 X – O – – O – X – X – O Ms21w Yuma Onomatsu 2-4 X – – X – X O – O – X – Ms22e Kaisho Asakayama 3-3 – X – O X – O – – X – O Ms24e Tenshoho Isegahama 4-2 – O – O O – X – – X O – Ms26w Tsushimanada Sakaigawa 2-4 X – O – X – – O – X – X Ms27e Asashiyu Takasago 2-4 – X X – – O – X O – – X Ms36e Daishomaru Oitekaze 4-2 O – – O X – O – O – – X Ms43w Shimazuumi Hanaregoma 4-2 O – – X – X O – – O – O Ms45w Bushozan Fujishima 2-4 – X X – X – O – O – X – Ms49e Asagyokusei Takasago 2-4 – O – X – X – X X – O – Ms50w Chiyonoo Kokonoe 4-2 X – O – X – O – – O – O Ms51w Yago Oshiogawa 3-3 – O – O – O X – – X – X Ms55e Nionoumi Yamahibiki 2-4 O – – X – X – X O – – X Sd10e Fujiazuma Tamanoi 0-3-3 – X – X X – – – – – – – Sd17e Chiyosakae Kokonoe 3-3 – O – X – X X – – O – O Sd34w Amakaze Oshiogawa 2-4 – X O – X – – X O – X – Sd37w Asanowaka Takasago 3-3 X – – X O – X – – O – O Sd79w Dairaido Takadagawa 4-2 – O – O X – X – O – – O Jd36w Yoshiazuma Tamanoi 2-4 X – O – O – X – – X X –

Day 11 Results Makushita (4 > 2) 6-0 Ms3e Otsuji (Takadagawa) 5-1 Ms16w Gojinyu (Takekuma) 6-0 Ms39w Fukuzaki (Fujishima) 5-1 Ms60TD Gyotoku (Tamanoi) Sandanme (5 > 2) 6-0 Sd16w Hatooka (Kise) 5-1 Sd21e Yonezawaryu (Sakaigawa) 6-0 Sd45w Kotohaguro (Sadogatake) 5-1 Sd63w Kyokumizuno (Oshima) 5-1 Sd79e Yamenosato (Nishiiwa) Jonidan (6 > 3) 6-0 Jd21e Mineyaiba (Shikoroyama) 6-0 Jd24w Kobayashi (Kasugano) 5-1 Jd54e Zuitenryu (Sakaigawa) 6-0 Jd61e Tenrosei (Shikoroyama) 5-1 Jd85e Boshuyama (Sakaigawa) 5-1 Jd101w Satsumasho (Oitekaze) Jonokuchi (1 > 1) 6-0 Jk7e Kazuma (Kise) No real surprises in yesterday's matches, every match bar Tenrosei - Boshuyama was won by the rikishi with significantly higher-rank experience, although I suppose Fukuzaki - Gyotoku was a bit of a black box as neither guy has much of a professional track record yet. As expected they haven't made the Tenrosei - Kazuma pairing for the finals, so there will be two 5-1 guests in the bracket. Tenrosei will take on Jd44w Takano, a 24-year-old with some sandanme experience but none in the last year, and may face stablemate Mineyaiba in a playoff if they're both successful (although I wouldn't rule out Kobayashi spoiling the party). The Kazuma procession culminates against Jd98e Masarufuji - the 17-year-old had made some good progress towards upper jonidan last year, but bounced off hard in recent months with at one point 11 consecutive losses. The makushita and sandanme divisions will see straight deciders.

Every single part of this is completely wrong. Kinboshi only began to be officially recognized in 1930. The concept of fusensho/pai was only established in 1926. The absences you're talking about weren't draws, they were simply that, absences. The difference to the fusen system is that they were scored as an absence for both rikishi. This also had nothing to do with yokozuna, but was the general system of handling absent rikishi. Ozutsu wasn't known for avoiding matches, but for stalemating his opponent with defensive sumo until the match was abandoned and scored as a draw. No other yokozuna did the thing you claimed they were doing, either.

Juryo and makushita, the numerical view: Day 12 Mita W J14e 8-4 safe Rank W-L max min maxQ minQ Shimanoumi W J8e 4-8 Ms1e 2nd Shiden L J8w 4-8 Ms1w 2nd Hatsuyama L J10w 4-8 Ms3w 2nd Wakanosho J11w 1-2-9 Ms10w Ms10w 1st 1st Mitoryu W J12e 6-6 Ms1e 2nd Nabatame W J12w 6-6 Ms1w 2nd Miyanokaze L J13e 5-7 Ms4e 2nd Daiamami W J13w 6-6 Ms2w 2nd Mudoho L J14w 5-7 Ms5w 2nd Kitanowaka Ms1e 3-3 J14e (1st) Otsuji Ms3e 6-0 J10e J12e 1st (2nd) Ishizaki Ms4e 4-2 Ms1e Ms3e 2nd 5th Kotokuzan Ms4w 4-2 Ms1w Ms3w 2nd 5th Kyokukaiyu Ms5e 4-2 Ms2e Ms4e 2nd 5th Dewanoryu L Ms2w 3-4 out Still 8 juryo guys on the bubble, but by the numbers there are only 4 that Kyokukaiyu can still force down. (6 for Kotokuzan, all 8 for Ishizaki.) Somebody's asleep in the Kyokai's social media team or shenanigans are afoot - the Day 14/15 lower divisions torikumi previews have not been posted to the Fanclub yet, usually they'd be out for several hours by now. As it stands based on the Day 13 schedule, either they're planning to send up only two out of Ishizaki/Kotokuzan/Kyokukaiyu (with the third facing the next 4-2 Ms8e Nishinoryu, and this third being TBD hence no preview), or they're headed for something really wacky where two different makushita guys are getting an 8th bout, one to fill out the juryo schedules alongside the three exchange candidates, and one to face Nishinoryu. Edit: I suppose it makes sense to include the information that Kitanowaka is in juryo for Day 13, facing Miyanokaze. Mudoho is more endangered, but he and Kitanowaka already met on Day 1.

Each time a sekitori enters a basho late I wish I had a way to compare their subsequent performance to others who did the same thing, but it's non-trivial to find those others, so here's a reference list for the 15-bout era since 1949: 1949.05 Day 7 J8w Tamahikari 1-8-6 1950.01 Day 7 S1w Mitsuneyama 3-6-6 1950.01 Day 13 M13w Kuninobori 1-2-12 1951.01 Day 6 M19w Nachinoyama 4-6-5 1951.09 Day 4 M7e Kotogahama 6-6-3 1952.01 Day 7 M3e Hirosegawa 0-5-10 fusen Day 1, out again Day 10 1952.09 Day 12 J11w Onoura 1-4-10 fusen Day 1 1953.05 Day 7 J13e Toyonobori 6-3-6 1956.09 Day 5 J3e Hakuryuyama 6-5-4 1957.01 Day 5 J17e Hidenishiki 7-5-3 fusen Day 1 1957.11 Day 8 M4e Ouchiyama 2-6-7 1958.01 Day 6 J13e Hidenishiki 6-4-5 1958.07 Day 9 J21w Ichinoya 2-6-7 fusen Day 1 1958.11 Day 9 J4w Dairyu 1-6-8 1959.05 Day 3 J4w Tsunenishiki 6-7-2 1959.07 Day 11 M12w Atagoyama 4-1-10 1959.11 Day 8 J8e Tokinishiki 3-5-7 1960.05 Day 4 M5w Wakamaeda 5-7-3 1961.07 Day 4 M7e Dewanishiki 9-4-2 fusen Day 1 1961.11 Day 6 J10e Sawakaze 6-4-5 1962.03 Day 3 M11w Wakanoumi 7-6-2 1962.05 Day 5 J3w Kochi 4-7-4 1962.11 Day 6 M14e Wakanokuni 3-7-5 1966.07 Day 7 J5w Tochiazuma 3-6-6 1966.07 Day 10 J4w Wakayoshiba 1-5-9 1966.11 Day 6 J16w Dairyu 1-9-5 1967.01 Day 6 J11w Tsunenishiki 4-6-5 1970.03 Day 8 J3e Hanahikari 0-5-10 out again Day 12 1971.09 Day 6 M11e Masuiyama 1-4-10 out again Day 10 1971.09 Day 8 J3w Fujinokawa 4-4-7 1972.01 Day 3 J8e Iwatora 6-7-2 1975.03 Day 10 K1w Asahikuni 4-2-9 1979.05 Day 3 J2w Chiyonofuji 9-4-2 1985.05 Day 9 M2e Mitoizumi 2-5-8 1988.03 Day 5 M4w Fujinoshin 5-6-4 1989.03 Day 8 M1e Wakasegawa 1-7-7 1990.09 Day 5 M4e Ryogoku 3-8-4 1992.05 Day 9 M6w Kirinishiki 5-2-8 1997.03 Day 3 M10w Konishiki 6-7-2 2003.09 Day 4 J3w Kasugao 4-9-2 fusen Day 1 2006.01 Day 8 J3e Toki 4-5-6 fusen Day 1 2006.05 Day 3 J14e Masatsukasa 8-5-2 2006.05 Day 6 M16e Tokitsuumi 2-9-4 fusen Day 1 2009.07 Day 8 J8e Sakaizawa 5-4-6 fusen Day 1 2011.09 Day 3 J6e Aoiyama 10-3-2 2013.01 Day 5 J6w Asasekiryu 5-7-3 fusen Day 1 2014.09 Day 7 J7w Masunoyama 1-4-10 out again Day 11 2017.03 Day 6 M8e Kaisei 3-7-5 2017.09 Day 6 M12w Sadanoumi 2-8-5 2017.09 Day 8 M2w Aoiyama 3-5-7 2018.11 Day 3 K1w Kaisei 3-9-3 2020.09 Day 8 M13w Ishiura 4-4-7 2021.05 Day 9 M3e Aoiyama 4-3-8 2021.07 Day 3 S1e Takayasu 7-6-2 2021.11 Day 5 M13w Tochinoshin 6-6-3 fusen Day 1 2023.05 Day 11 M2e Takayasu 3-3-9 fusen Day 1 2023.07 Day 4 O1w Kirishima 6-7-2 fusen Day 1 2023.11 Day 8 M1e Asanoyama 4-4-7 2024.05 Day 4 J5w Kitanowaka 8-5-2 fusen Day 1 2024.05 Day 4 J7w Shimazuumi 5-8-2 fusen Day 1 2024.07 Day 6 M15e Chiyoshoma 5-5-5 2024.07 Day 8 J2e Takerufuji 2-1-12 out again Day 10 2025.01 Day 5 M8e Roga 0-3-12 out again Day 7 2025.05 Day 6 M14e Kotoshoho 6-1-5 (ongoing) Kotoshoho is one win away from becoming the first rikishi to get 7+ wins after missing more than 4 days at the start of a tournament, and could become the first to get kachikoshi after missing more than 3 days. Edit: He finished the basho 6-4-5, missing both milestones.

The duties list has been updated now as well, effective May 15 (= day 5 of the basho, Hokutofuji's retirement date). No other changes besides the Oyama addition and the Sendagawa placement shift.

Yusho Races Round 6 (Day 11) Videos Jk7e Kazuma (5-0) Satsumasho Jd101w Jd61e Tenrosei (5-0) Boshuyama Jd85e [kimarite: okurinage] Jd54e Zuitenryu (5-0) Kobayashi Jd24w Sd79e Yamenosato (5-0) Mineyaiba Jd21e Sd63w Kyokumizuno (5-0) Kotohaguro Sd45w Sd21e Yonezawaryu (5-0) Hatooka Sd16w Ms60TD Gyotoku (5-0) Fukuzaki Ms39w Ms3e Otsuji (5-0) Gojinyu Ms16w

Day 10 - Results new KK: Asanoyama, Daishomaru new MK: Tochimusashi, Daishoho, Asagyokusei 14 wins and 14 losses are tying this round for the best overall performance with Days 3/4, which is exactly as depressing as it sounds. Things were particularly bad in the upper range occupied by our former sekitori bunch - the 16 rikishi ranked Ms30 and better posted a line of 5-11. The only promotion zoner to win was Otsuji, and at 5-0 he is presenting a very good case for an immediate return back to salaried status. The makushita yusho remains in reach for him as well, of course. Kitanowaka, Akua and Kotokuzan are now faced with a serious uphill battle that leaves them in need of winning both remaining bouts, and makekoshi Tochimusashi is saying goodbye to the top 5 altogether. Daishoho, who had narrowly missed out on a spot in the coveted five highest ranks, is also headed down. Third straight win and kachikoshi for Asanoyama, making sure that he'll at minimum be a little closer to juryo in two months' time, but the real prize - promotion to a rank where he won't need a 7-0 to get to juryo next time - will require two more shiroboshi for a 6-1 finish. On the other hand it was a third consecutive loss for Enho, this time on a very close mono-ii decision; he needs those two wins now just to finish KK at all. Fellow top division alum Chiyomaru is ranked between Enho and Asanoyama and avoided makekoshi for now. Daishomaru already looked better (if not exactly back to sekitori form) last basho, and his resurgence continues with an early KK in this one. Maybe he's got something left in the tank after all, which was hardly to be expected after he'd lost almost 40 ranks in the span of three tournaments, but of course it's going to be a long way back to relevance from outside Ms30. That same road is proving far from easy to traverse for Yago, who has dropped from 3-0 to 3-2 over the last few days. Shimazuumi and Bushozan both won again, however, and can still hope to finish the basho in positive territory. That's no longer the case for Asagyokusei who lost for the fourth straight time to pick up the makekoshi. Dairaido improved his score to 3-2 and just might be avoiding that trip to jonidan after all. All others outside of makushita have 2-3 records now. Kawazoe has declared his return to action in the next round after three bouts out. Rank Shikona Heya Record Natsu 2025 Results Ms1e Kitanowaka Hakkaku 2-3 X – O – X – O – X – Ms1w Akua Tatsunami 2-3 O X – – O – X – X – Ms3e Otsuji Takadagawa 5-0 – O O – O – O – O – Ms3w Hokutofuji Hakkaku 0-0-2 (i) – – – – Ms4w Kotokuzan Arashio 3-2 O – X – – O O – X – Ms5w Tochimusashi Kasugano 1-4 – X X – – X O – X – Ms6e Daishoho Oitekaze 1-4 X – – O X – X – X – Ms6w Kiryuko Tatsunami kyujo – – – – – – – – – – Ms7w Tochimaru Kasugano 0-2-3 – X – X – – – – – – Ms10w Enho Isegahama 2-3 – O – O – X – X – X Ms11e Chiyomaru Kokonoe 2-3 O – – X – X – X – O Ms12e Takakento Tokiwayama 3-2 – O – O – O – X – X Ms14w Asanoyama Takasago 4-1 O – – X O – – O – O Ms16e Kawazoe Isegahama 0-3-2 – X X – – X – – – – Ms17e Kitaharima Yamahibiki 2-3 X – O – – O – X – X Ms21w Yuma Onomatsu 2-3 X – – X – X O – O – Ms22e Kaisho Asakayama 2-3 – X – O X – O – – X Ms24e Tenshoho Isegahama 3-2 – O – O O – X – – X Ms26w Tsushimanada Sakaigawa 2-3 X – O – X – – O – X Ms27e Asashiyu Takasago 2-3 – X X – – O – X O – Ms36e Daishomaru Oitekaze 4-1 O – – O X – O – O – Ms43w Shimazuumi Hanaregoma 3-2 O – – X – X O – – O Ms45w Bushozan Fujishima 2-3 – X X – X – O – O – Ms49e Asagyokusei Takasago 1-4 – O – X – X – X X – Ms50w Chiyonoo Kokonoe 3-2 X – O – X – O – – O Ms51w Yago Oshiogawa 3-2 – O – O – O X – – X Ms55e Nionoumi Yamahibiki 2-3 O – – X – X – X O – Sd10e Fujiazuma Tamanoi 0-3-2 – X – X X – – – – – Sd17e Chiyosakae Kokonoe 2-3 – O – X – X X – – O Sd34w Amakaze Oshiogawa 2-3 – X O – X – – X O – Sd37w Asanowaka Takasago 2-3 X – – X O – X – – O Sd79w Dairaido Takadagawa 3-2 – O – O X – X – O – Jd36w Yoshiazuma Tamanoi 2-3 X – O – O – X – – X

Day 8 - Results new KK: Otsuji new MK: Tochimaru, Kawazoe, Fujiazuma Another not so great round with 12 wins and 16 losses. Four of our ex-sekitori had the opportunity to collect the straight kachikoshi, but only upper-ranked Otsuji managed to do so, while Takakento, Tenshoho and Yago all fell out of the makushita yusho race (and the first one of them also out of consideration for a promotion to juryo). Meanwhile, all three makekoshi were ticketed by rikishi who have been sidelined in the course of the tournament. I suppose it's slightly encouraging that there hasn't been any true 0-4 despite the broadly disappointing results of this basho. Up in the promotion zone Kitanowaka and Kotokuzan managed to join Otsuji in winning, to leave themselves a likely two wins away from promotion. Akua is in the same situation after a loss. Tochimusashi avoided makekoshi for now to keep some semblance of hope for a continued stay in the promotion zone. The extended zone down to Ms15 saw less promising results with heavyweight veterans Daishoho (against Kitanowaka) and Chiyomaru dropping to 1-3 and Enho also being defeated. Asanoyama was the only winning ex-sekitori in that area, defeating Kitaharima, and retains a shot at making it into the top 5 ranks for July. Both low-ranked injury returnees Shimazuumi and Bushozan scored victories on Day 7, but at 2-2 and 1-3 it's hardly the comeback they were likely hoping for. Even further down in makushita it's matching 1-3 scores for Asagyokusei and Nionoumi, who thus have to worry about a ticket to sandanme being handed to them soon. The present sandanme denizens aren't doing all that well altogether, with Dairaido's 2-2 record the highlight. Yoshiazuma down in jonidan also stands at 2-2. Rank Shikona Heya Record Natsu 2025 Results Ms1e Kitanowaka Hakkaku 2-2 X – O – X – O – Ms1w Akua Tatsunami 2-2 O X – – O – X – Ms3e Otsuji Takadagawa 4-0 – O O – O – O – Ms3w Hokutofuji Hakkaku 0-0-2 (i) – – – – Ms4w Kotokuzan Arashio 3-1 O – X – – O O – Ms5w Tochimusashi Kasugano 1-3 – X X – – X O – Ms6e Daishoho Oitekaze 1-3 X – – O X – X – Ms6w Kiryuko Tatsunami kyujo – – – – – – – – Ms7w Tochimaru Kasugano 0-2-2 – X – X – – – – Ms10w Enho Isegahama 2-2 – O – O – X – X Ms11e Chiyomaru Kokonoe 1-3 O – – X – X – X Ms12e Takakento Tokiwayama 3-1 – O – O – O – X Ms14w Asanoyama Takasago 3-1 O – – X O – – O Ms16e Kawazoe Isegahama 0-3-1 – X X – – X – – Ms17e Kitaharima Yamahibiki 2-2 X – O – – O – X Ms21w Yuma Onomatsu 1-3 X – – X – X O – Ms22e Kaisho Asakayama 2-2 – X – O X – O – Ms24e Tenshoho Isegahama 3-1 – O – O O – X – Ms26w Tsushimanada Sakaigawa 2-2 X – O – X – – O Ms27e Asashiyu Takasago 1-3 – X X – – O – X Ms36e Daishomaru Oitekaze 3-1 O – – O X – O – Ms43w Shimazuumi Hanaregoma 2-2 O – – X – X O – Ms45w Bushozan Fujishima 1-3 – X X – X – O – Ms49e Asagyokusei Takasago 1-3 – O – X – X – X Ms50w Chiyonoo Kokonoe 2-2 X – O – X – O – Ms51w Yago Oshiogawa 3-1 – O – O – O X – Ms55e Nionoumi Yamahibiki 1-3 O – – X – X – X Sd10e Fujiazuma Tamanoi 0-3-1 – X – X X – – – Sd17e Chiyosakae Kokonoe 1-3 – O – X – X X – Sd34w Amakaze Oshiogawa 1-3 – X O – X – – X Sd37w Asanowaka Takasago 1-3 X – – X O – X – Sd79w Dairaido Takadagawa 2-2 – O – O X – X – Jd36w Yoshiazuma Tamanoi 2-2 X – O – O – X –

The point is that AI-generated explanations of anything can't be trusted at all and should never be distributed in the first place.

Exactly. Lots of rikishi could stand to use a more measured approach when facing Ura and Ichiyamamoto, like Onosato just did.

There's 500,000 ¥ riding on the next two bouts for those guys, not to mention that as a middle school starter Otsuji hasn't had a whole lot of yusho opportunities yet. (It's also a pretty short list of rikishi who bounced back from a disappointing juryo debut with the makushita yusho.)