Kyushu 2025 discussion (results)

[Morty 1,519]

For me the difference between Onosato and Hoshoryu as Yokozuna, and this is an entirely subjective difference, is that I'm surprised when Onosato loses - I'm not surprised when Hoshoryu loses. I expect Onosato to win and it's been a while since I've had that feeling about any rikishi.

What is objective though is statistics and they show a considerable difference - since he became a Yokozuna, Onosato has won 86% of his bouts and his entire makuuchi winning percentage is 77% of bouts. In 12 Makuuchi basho he has won five yusho and jun-yusho'd twice. So he has finished first or second in around 60% of the makuuchi basho he has competed in.

By contrast Hoshoryu has won 69% of his Yokozuna bouts (but that doesn't include the ones he didn't appear for because he was kyujo) and his entire makuuchi winning percentage is 62% of bouts (again not including kyujo). In 32 makuuchi basho he has had two yusho and four jun-yusho. So he has finished first or second in 19% of the makuuchi basho he has competed in.

I don't know how to work out kinboshi numbers but that will also presumably favour Onosato.

So one is demonstrably more dominant than the other, both as a Yokozuna and by entire career numbers. (thanks to the people who maintain the database that allowed me to work this out).

[Oskanohana 376]

On 12/11/2025 at 00:25, Reonito said:

Tohakuryu would surely have lost by hansoku if he wasn't pushed out first, right?

Hitoshi's hair pull today against Hatsuyama was even more awful. Man, Hitoshi is earning rapidly a top place in my "I cannot wait for his danpatsu-shiki ceremony" list.

Wakatakakage looks really deflated. I think he watched the ozeki train pass him by for good. He had a great chance last basho and he wasn't even close. Now it's the rank-and-file life.

Takayasu is looking good trying to escape his komusubi kadoban. He might even start a sekiwake run if he keeps this up. I'd assume it takes 4 basho, seeing as a yokozuna-run is 2 basho and an ozeki-run requires 3. As long as it doesn't require any yusho, I think he can get it. I'm rooting for him.

[Reonito 1,797]

7 minutes ago, Oskanohana said:

He might even start a sekiwake run if he keeps this up. I'd assume it takes 4 basho, seeing as a yokozuna-run is 2 basho and an ozeki-run requires 3.

Math checks out, 5 basho for a komusubi run.

[Bunbukuchagama 993]

Kazunofuji vs Dewanojo was the funniest bout ever. 

[hypnoowl 25]

6 hours ago, Bunbukuchagama said:

Kazunofuji vs Dewanojo was the funniest bout ever. 

Thank you for pointing that out, both Kakuryu and even Dewanojo himself also found it highly amusing . Near the end it looked like poor Kazunofuji will soon collapse from exhaustion without any help from Dewanojo.

[Jakusotsu 6,406]

Can somebody please make a GIF with Onosato's tawara jumps?

[I am the Yokozuna 223]

I dread the lack of interesting winning techniques in recent basho - this time there has been only one chongake. What could be causing this lack of variety?
Onosato’s dominance has an eerie resemblance to a certain era that only just ended, and now it seems that the only truly exciting storyline left is Aonishiki’s potential ōzeki run.

[Benihana 1,975]

Well, Tobizaru took that "make him kiss the dohyo" a bit too literal...

[RabidJohn 2,075]

Happy birthday, Tamawashi. 41yrs young and still being able to go up against yokozuna and give them a really hard time is truly remarkable.
He did his utmost to get another kinboshi - hope he has some gas left for week 2.

[dingo 1,490]

Fujinokawa lost to his own overeagerness and Tomokaze's experience today. That consecutive slapdown was perfectly timed and executed with plenty of strength.

Midorifuji had an "easier" bout for a change, as in he didn't have to huff and puff for a minute locked in a belt battle against a much bigger opponent. Instead he got in a good throw against Shishi. Nevertheless that took plenty of effort.

Random thought of the day: Ichiyamamoto sounds like a Japanese soy sauce brand.

It's the Waka bros' day today as Wakatakakage got a nice and low belt grip and sent out Oshoma easily. In the other bout Yoshinofuji had the initial momentum but Wakamotoharu had the better grip, so once he weathered the momentum Yoshinofuji was in trouble. Great back and forth bout, and very emphatic throw down by Wakamotoharu. 

Takayasu was surprisingly fast out of the tachiai and his tsuppari was remarkably effective. Maybe Hakuoho didn't expect that kind of tactics but it worked really well. 

Oho did really well but if Aonishiki doesn't get in low the first time, he'll try a second and third until there's an opening. Again a great bout. 

Tamawashi almost added another kinboshi, managing to push back Onosato really well. The strength the 41 year old veteran mustered was amazing but Onosato's surprising nimbleness saved the day for him. 

Hoshoryu decided to play "flip the Ura" today and I'd say he did it quite well 

Onosato vs Aonishiki seems to shape up one of the key matches of this basho. Can't wait! 

[Gospodin 273]

Asanoyama gets better as the basho progresses. I am curious how far he can make it Makuuchi.

[hakutorizakura 692]

Ura got ashitori'd, almost kintamatori'd 

Did KZK's heel touch out? Ok maybe after Hiradoumi fell but anyways.

[Akinomaki 41,864]

On 12/11/2025 at 13:36, Kintamayama said:

Tamanoi oyakata was supposed to do the NHK broadcast today but lost his voice and went kyujo. Ex-Kotokaze subbed for him.

Tamanoi is back - he was commentator on Sunday sports. He was the regular for a long time, but Minatogawa was doing it lately.

[dingo 1,490]

A lot of hatakikomi today, did the Kyokai sanction a day off? 

I wouldn't have guessed that Sadanoumi in his current shape can beat Mitakeumi so convincingly. It really says plenty about them both, except Sadanoumi is caveated by his age. 

Gonoyama has decided to start demolishing lower makuuchi. It's a huge contrast to his toils in the joi. The question is can he carry his form over if his results take him closer to the top again? 

Atamifuji out-Daieishoed Daieisho! The big man seems to be on the mood again this basho. Or has some advice from Terunofuji finally reached his uncoachable ears? 

Shodai really is turning losing into an art form by making all the rikishi he loses to look good. Today Midorifuji had his turn, managing to twist Shodai's dohyo edge pressure into a beautiful amiuchi. 

Hakuoho's great start has turned into 6 losses. Perhaps his remaining opponents will be a bit easier and kachikoshi is not impossible yet. 

Kotozakura is bravely marching on, though he almost managed to turn a win into a loss. But his remaining schedule will make kachikoshi quite difficult. 

The yokozunas (yokozunae?) did their jobs well today, Hoshoryu getting rid of a potential yusho pretender in his win over Yoshinofuji. 

[Oskanohana 376]

I didn't see a replay from the reverse angle, but didn't Aonishiki come awfully close to grab his opponent's "Hiradoumis"?

On 16/11/2025 at 09:48, Jakusotsu said:

Can somebody please make a GIF with Onosato's tawara jumps?

He's being so blatant that I'm going to nickname him "El cordobés" internally. Maybe that will evolve to "Califa", we'll see. I could show you some clips why, but probably most of the people here would go "mimimi animal cruelty mimimi". All of yous foreigners don't even have a proper word for bullfighting, which is a completely incorrect "translation".

[Reonito 1,797]

11 minutes ago, Oskanohana said:

I didn't see a replay from the reverse angle, but didn't Aonishiki come awfully close to grab his opponent's "Hiradoumis"?

Maybe that's why none of the replays showed that angle 

Although after they didn't call hansoku in the famous Ama v Goeido "that right hand is a bit of a worry" bout, I think it's a foul on paper only. I've actually never seen hansoku called for anything other than a hair pull, despite the long list of kinjite.

Edited Tuesday at 02:01 by Reonito

[Oskanohana 376]

22 minutes ago, Reonito said:

Maybe that's why none of the replays showed that angle 

Although after they didn't call hansoku in the famous Ama v Goeido "that right hand is a bit of a worry" bout, I think it's a foul on paper only. I've actually never seen hansoku called for anything other than a hair pull, despite the long list of kinjite.

One thing I'd like to see at least once is the two-handed simultaneous slap at the sides of the head. I'd become an instant Hakuyozan fanboy if he did it. It's so funny to me that they have that move especifically coded but then when an eyepoke occurs (and I've seen a lot of black eyes lately) they just don't even bother to take a look, so an accidental hairpull is a no-no and you lose, but an accidental eyepoke that closes your eye for a week is nothing? Why? Because it was accidental? Like the hairpull?

[Bunbukuchagama 993]

1 hour ago, Oskanohana said:

an accidental hairpull is a no-no and you lose, but an accidental eyepoke that closes your eye for a week is nothing?

We have to determine what an actual eyapoke is then. 

The above wouldn't fly, but an open palm doing tsuppari and catching an eye is fair game, I guess.

Edited Tuesday at 03:53 by Bunbukuchagama

[Jakusotsu 6,406]

Has there ever been a later yokozuna dohyo-iri in "modern" times? (Onosato around 4:15 pm)

[Tigerboy1966 1,645]

Why are they running so late? Have we had some bad injuries or lots of mono-ii?

[Jakusotsu 6,406]

Takanonami would have won that final bout.

[Leoben 177]

No one lossless left now, and bravo Yoshinofuji for getting his first kinboshi.

 

[Bunbukuchagama 993]

1 hour ago, Tigerboy1966 said:

Why are they running so late? Have we had some bad injuries or lots of mono-ii?

Monoii AND torinaoshi.

[rhyen 1,862]

Just got back from Japan and did Fukuoka on day 3. 
 

Quick comparison with kokugikan. There are only 4 rows of chair seats up at the back, the S seats going for ¥5500 are comparable to the D seats in the KKan because you have no barriers to stop you from fall forward and risking injuries. Best to get the masuseki seats one row before them, those have small tables affixed to the floor and the arrangement functions both as a chair and semi masuseki. They have more masuseki than chairs anyway. 
 

The closeness to the wrestlers cannot be overstated as they do not utilize the private routes into the venue for the sekitori (there are such routes that lower ranks use). I can attest to being inches away from Takayasu & Atamifuji walking in while buying cheering towels at a shop. I also freely roamed the wooden corridors below and the hanamichi watching some prebout preparations (Sadanoumi did his warmup in the wooden corridor, pre dohyo-iri because he was slated to fight the 3rd match in the torikumi and wouldn’t have sufficient prep time after the dohyo-iri to change into his mawashi).

also watching the rikishi interactions in the hanamichi (waiting, entering, exiting, encouraging heyamates) that we don’t normally see on KKan broadcasts, is quite heartwarming. 
 

Don’t expect bentos shops inside the venue, they have a catering company where you exchange a voucher for a souvenir bag that includes bento boxes. Shops inside mainly sell snacks, alcohol and souvenirs. The food stalls are outside with food trucks and stalls. There is a seating area to eat and a live broadcast TV. Locals fans also congregate outside to cheer for Onosato (which they never get to do in Tokyo after his promotion to Ozeki).

one big change this year is them moving to oyakata booth into the center instead of keeping it outside (possibly because of Takakeisho & Akiseyama shenanigans one year ago).

[warusawa 23]

2 hours ago, rhyen said:

Just got back from Japan and did Fukuoka on day 3. 
 

Quick comparison with kokugikan. There are only 4 rows of chair seats up at the back, the S seats going for ¥5500 are comparable to the D seats in the KKan because you have no barriers to stop you from fall forward and risking injuries. Best to get the masuseki seats one row before them, those have small tables affixed to the floor and the arrangement functions both as a chair and semi masuseki. They have more masuseki than chairs anyway. 
 

The closeness to the wrestlers cannot be overstated as they do not utilize the private routes into the venue for the sekitori (there are such routes that lower ranks use). I can attest to being inches away from Takayasu & Atamifuji walking in while buying cheering towels at a shop. I also freely roamed the wooden corridors below and the hanamichi watching some prebout preparations (Sadanoumi did his warmup in the wooden corridor, pre dohyo-iri because he was slated to fight the 3rd match in the torikumi and wouldn’t have sufficient prep time after the dohyo-iri to change into his mawashi).

also watching the rikishi interactions in the hanamichi (waiting, entering, exiting, encouraging heyamates) that we don’t normally see on KKan broadcasts, is quite heartwarming. 
 

Don’t expect bentos shops inside the venue, they have a catering company where you exchange a voucher for a souvenir bag that includes bento boxes. Shops inside mainly sell snacks, alcohol and souvenirs. The food stalls are outside with food trucks and stalls. There is a seating area to eat and a live broadcast TV. Locals fans also congregate outside to cheer for Onosato (which they never get to do in Tokyo after his promotion to Ozeki).

one big change this year is them moving to oyakata booth into the center instead of keeping it outside (possibly because of Takakeisho & Akiseyama shenanigans one year ago).

I did the Fukuoka tournament a few years ago. One day we went to a pretty fancy sushi restaurant (the kind that has 8 seats at the counter and our Hyatt concierge had to arrange the reservation). The chef spoke little English but was quite a joker. When he saw us entering, he said: "We don't have any fish, the sumo wrestlers ate it all"...:). He then proceeded to serve some unforgettable sushi. :)