Kyushu 2025 discussion (results)

[Leoben 178]

That call should have been overturned.

[Bobsen020 0]

What could have possibly been the reasoning of the judges to not at least have a monoii there on the last bout?

[RabidJohn 2,078]

Jumping vertically from the tawara in an attempt to touch down last never works, because it just makes it even more obvious that you've lost. Probably the reason for no mono-ii, IMO.

I'd have loved to see Aonishiki win, and I believe that was his best attempt yet. He will get there.

I really appreciated Hoshoryu's patience today. Such a contrast to yesterday.

[Hankegami 598]

Hello everyone! Sorry for missing out most of the party, but the forum is filled with bugs and I have little patience to circle them around. Not today, though. I was also waiting for the tournament to shape out, frankly. In the meanwhile, I kept watching the bouts (thanks to Moti) and cheering my faves, and that's it. Now, let's get back to business: how did my faves fare on Day 13?

Mitakeumi is surprisingly still hanging on. Ok, he was against 117 kg Midorifuji but we're deep into week 2. It's like full moon for the half pinoy-wolf. At 6-7, he still has a chance to save his basho somehow.

Kinbozan lost by the great idea of going for a belt fight with Ryuden after having pushed him almost out. By the slow-mo, he took the belt to finish him by yorikiri - someone forgot to pass him the memo of NEVER going on a belt fight against Ryuden unless you are a better belt gamer than him. Quite astonishing.

I admit I am quite fond of Ichiyamamoto, so I am glad he's sitting at 9-4 with room for further improvement. Sure, he absolutely has a joi wall, but it would be nice for him to get another merry-go-round up there. I also like his decision of going for the belt whenever necessary - and people keep describing him as Abi lite!

About Abi... merry two go-rounder against Fujinokawa! The 20-year-old kid is giving quite the spectacle by moving around relentlessly. He's still having issues racking up a robust score, but considering how young he is I wonder how much can he improve in the next few years.

Yoshinofuji played the gatekeeper against Tokihayate today. To be honest, I has not been amused by his ability to ruin the party for my favorites, but I must admit he has the ability to carve a spot for himself. I hope he heals up and show how far he can go in 2026.

Now, the bigshots. Kotozakura is in some discreet trouble right now. He failed to upset Hoshoryu despite his many tries, and he's now sitting at 7-6 with Onosato and Aonishiki waiting to get a piece of his scalp. He can either be the party wrecker for someone, or going kadoban despite all his struggles this basho.

Finally, the musubi no ichiban. Went somewhat better than I expected. Aonishiki tried something new to turn tables, and it almost worked. Still no cigar, though. The Ukrainian is now in a delicate position, with 3 losses and a good chance to fail breaking his 11 wins barrier - again (courtesy of Wakatakakage, but a loss is a loss). Also, Onosato seem somewhat shakier in the last few days. I like Hoshoryu's chances for the yusho at this point.

23 minutes ago, RabidJohn said:

Jumping vertically from the tawara in an attempt to touch down last never works, because it just makes it even more obvious that you've lost. Probably the reason for no mono-ii, IMO.

I concur. Aonishiki fled out ages before Onosato hit the ground. I like the kid - I was rooting for him, to cry out loud - but the shimpan have a recent history of regarding jump outs as a losing move. There isn't much to argue about, really.

Edited 14 hours ago by Hankegami

[Jakusotsu 6,407]

9 minutes ago, Hankegami said:

the shimpan have a recent history of regarding jump outs as a losing move

I fondly remember a time when touching down first was an undisputed loss, even if that time happened in my mind only.

[Akinomaki 41,864]

Aonishiki: I thought I lost, because I was flying (same expression as used in the shinitai explanation of the head shimpan) https://www.jiji.com/sp/article?k=2025112101096&g=spo#:~:text=相撲 

[Gospodin 273]

54 minutes ago, Jakusotsu said:

I fondly remember a time when touching down first was an undisputed loss, even if that time happened in my mind only.

I fondly remember Kyokushuzan´s repertoire of jumps.

[Leoben 178]

from the opposite angle

 

[Adz_517 21]

1 hour ago, Leoben said:

from the opposite angle

 

Top of the big toe is clearly in contact with the clay. Would have been an interesting monoi if called. 
 

I’ve also seen a screen grab which shows Aonishiki’s foot still in contact with the ground while Onosato’s fully airborne. That’s a difficult call. 

Edited 11 hours ago by Adz_517
More information.

[dingo 1,490]

I felt Midorifuji was a bit too early woth his pull or katasukashi attempt as Mitakeumi wasn't fully committed forward yet. But maybe Midorifuji felt he would be pushed too upright otherwise. In any case he didn't pull it off so has to win the remaining two if he wants to get kachikoshi.

Kachikoshi for Fujinokawa with the third tachiai attempt! It seemed like Abi's defeat was more due to himself than Fujinokawa. Be it as it may, I'm happy that the small dynamo has his 8 wins.

Wow, Kirishima showed his power by lifting Atamifuji a few times until he was finally out. Looks like Kirishima is about to finish the basho very strong, a double digit record and sanyaku are in his reach.

Aonishiki should've gotten at least a torinaoshi as there was little to separate them except the fact that Aonishiki was flying outside the tawara. But if anything Onosato seemed to touch down a fraction earlier. Yokozuna privileges I guess... 

[I am the Yokozuna 223]

Rather understandable albeit debatable decision. But what really caught my eye - how diplomatic and mature Aonishiki handles himself - from the interview at the FCCJ to this accident - he has shown hinkaki and clearly has the big goal in mind.  Will he get there, no idea, but he has done the nemawashi well.
 

I hope the Kotozakura for once would play a spoiler and make the basho even more entertaining on senshuraku. Irrespective of that this has been in the second week quite an interesting one. 
 

[Kintamayama 47,413]

Almost at the same time as Oonosato fell forward, Aonishiki flew outside the ring. No monoii was called.. Aonishiki watched the NHK replay on a monitor at the back of the west hanamichi. "I flew outside the ring. In my mind, I lost." Chief shinpan Takadagawa: "There was no point in calling a monoii. Aonishiki flew out. Oonosato blew him away."

Mainoumi on NHK in his diplomatic way: "it would have been nice to have a monoii.."

Edited 8 hours ago by Kintamayama

[Benihana 1,976]

*makingVERYannoyedsounds* At least Aonishiki got the numbers of both Kotozakura (2-1) AND Hoshoryu (2-0). It's in his own hands now.

[Ryoshishokunin 336]

1 hour ago, Kintamayama said:

Chief shinpan Takadagawa: "There was no point in calling a monoii. Aonishiki flew out. Oonosato blew him away."

These, of course, aren't actually the rules.  Frustrating.  

[Sumo Spiffy 671]

Onosato's win was consistent with how they tend to call matches where the touch down is close, but one wrestler is clearly the aggressor and the other the, uh... recipient. We might get the pictures out and say it was close because this or that, but even if they had a mono-ii, there's no chance in hell they're taking the win away from the yokozuna in a match like this.

[Reonito 1,798]

1 hour ago, Sumo Spiffy said:

Onosato's win was consistent with how they tend to call matches where the touch down is close, but one wrestler is clearly the aggressor and the other the, uh... recipient. We might get the pictures out and say it was close because this or that, but even if they had a mono-ii, there's no chance in hell they're taking the win away from the yokozuna in a match like this.

Unless they called top of the foot touching, which by the rules they should, though it's often ignored.

[Jabbamaru 169]

A blatant rip-off.

The Kyoukai won't rest until a nihonjin breaks Hakuho's record.

[Jabbamaru 169]

A blatant rip-off.

The Kyoukai won't rest until a nihonjin breaks Hakuho's record.

[Fashiritētā 215]

30 minutes ago, Reonito said:

Unless they called top of the foot touching, which by the rules they should, though it's often ignored.

Weve had a couple of those this Basho , but yeah, they never call it

[Leoben 178]

To elaborate a bit, I think Aonishiki should have won because he had a belt grip, was pushing Onosato down by the back of the head, and he was still upright when moving backward. He was in control and executing a technique while Onosato was completely extended and already making contact with the dohyo. The foot being overturned just adds to that. However I understand they will give the Yokozuna the benefit of the doubt in a close situation like that. 

Edited 4 hours ago by Leoben

[Koorifuu 1,121]

Fujinoyama looked uninterested in trying hard all basho. The end of the line might be near, disillusioned at struggling to break through to juryo.

Edited 4 hours ago by Koorifuu

[Ack! 502]

On 20/11/2025 at 05:04, dingo said:

The ladies in the front row got definitely their tickets' worth of entertainment as Ura did human bowling and rolled right into them  That was fun to watch even from the screen, I can't imagine how it would've been close by.

It was!  I'm guessing this ongoing somersaulting is a means for protecting his knees?  Reminds me of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWKRwCzwMNA

[Bunbukuchagama 994]

4 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

"it would have been nice to have a monoii.."

Yes, it would. But they were afraid they won't like what they would see.

[Kaninoyama 1,882]

Ajigawa Oyakata himself accepted the judgment without question.

In his own words: His rikishi was flying outside the dohyo. Therefore, he had no body, he lost, and there was no reason to call a mono-ii.

 

Edited 2 hours ago by Kaninoyama

[Ryoshishokunin 336]

At the same time, Onosato was falling on his face.  Therefore, he didn't have any body either, and also lost.  

And if I recall, isn't the dead body rule only supposed to apply when one of the rikishi is falling onto/over the other?  

(On the gripping hand: either Ajigawa or Aonishiki showing dissent will just make it harder on them in the future, so their words are as useless as anyone else's. Pfah.)