GRAND SUMO: Day 9 of the July 2025 Tournament – GRAND SUMO Highlights
[Music] Hello and thank you for joining us on Grand Sumo Highlights. It’s day nine of the July tournament at the all-new Aigi Arena in Nagagoya, Central Japan. The intense competition for the Emperor’s Cup is heating up after one of the front runners, this man, Yokoa, suffered his second setback yesterday. The new Grand Champ needs to restructure his game against veteran Takayasu today. We now have a quartet of Dikishi leading the pack with seven wins, one loss a piece. Siki Kirishima, Magashi rank and filers Tamawashi Ichyamoto and rookie sensation Kusano. They’re followed by six digi including Onos and Takayasu. The AG Arena is filled with fans once again on this national holiday, Marine Day. We begin with one of the rookies to the top Makunochi division, Kotto Ajo, fairing out three wins, five losses, taking on veteran Duden, who’s competing from the second highest Jirro division with a 5-3 record there. Kottojo was only two years old when Duden turned pro as a teenager. Taking in’s charge is Kottojo Kotto left and in deep. He doesn’t have the right hand inside totally yet, but he does a good job of staying right in front of Nuden has no answer. Now shows great sumo to kick off day nine here. He improves to four wins, five losses, and snaps his three bout losing streak. It’s a Yodiki victory. Next, it’s Kaio 1 and seven versus Shoddai 4 and four. These men are clashing for the first time. Kaio is still fighting in his second top division turnney. He’s from Okinawa Prefecture in southern Japan. Former Ozaki Shodai is competing in his 57th. In a little bit lower is Kaio just hopping after the Tati. They separate now. Shoddai does a double hand attack and says farewell. Shai wins by Oshidashi frontal push out. So Shoddai notches his fifth victory and hands Kao his eighth loss for a Makoshi losing record. Now it’s Chiranomi 4 and4 going up against Shishi 3 and5. Shishi from Ukraine has come out on top in both their meetings in Makunochi so far. Chiranomi regrouped well after being taken back by Koto yesterday. Shishi wants to use the advantage in the rivalry here to put an end to his three bout losing streak. Rather high is Shishi trying to catch Shiranomi in purple. Shidanomi showing good footwork trying to get inside Shishi’s Kishin but Shishi gets that right hand outside grip. Shishi trying to take command but that’s shaken off by Chiranomi. Shidanomi good job and staying much lower. Shiranomi wins by Oshidashi. Great ring sense there by the man from Okinawa. So, Chiranomi scores win number five. [Music] We have Fujinoa five and three going against Asakoru 2 and six. It’s a lightweight battle between two men from western Japan. Newcomer Fujinoa hails from Kyoto Prefecture and his opponent Asakoru from Osaka Prefecture. Explosive charge by both men. Left hand in for the man in blue. Fujinoa goes for that Maki. He gets that right hand inside as well. A double hand inside position for the rookie. Fujinoa trying to take back Asakoru, but Asakoru doesn’t budge. Right hand in deep for Fujinoa. Now Asafi wants to make good use of that left hand outside grip. Now that’s taken out and finishes him off. A Yikitti victory for the Makunoi newcomer as Aakoru goes to a sixpout losing streak and Fujinoa moves up to six and three. Checking the replay. Left hand in, right hand outside for Fujinoa. He allows Asakori to get that inside position. Now Fujinoa goes for the Maki from outside to inside. Gets a double hand inside position. No grip on the mawashi yet. Good movement by the hips by Asakoru. Asakoru trying to take advantage with that left hand outside grip. But look at Fujinoa. Great footwork coming after this and he gets rid of Asakoru’s outside grip and then now he drives him back. Wins by Yodiki. [Music] It’s Midori Fuji five wins, three losses versus Mitakeomi 6 and two. Mitakyomi leads their history by a slim 5 to4 margin. Midori Fuji took the former Ozaki down in their last two encounters though. Mitakeomi has backto-back losses from day seven. Can he regroup in lower as Midori Fuji slapping away but moving back now? Dead center. Mitaki is right in front of him and takes him back. That’s all she wrote. Mita wins by Yodiki frontal force out and he earns his seventh victory, seven-2. Here’s a key bout we’re focusing on in the first half. It’s Takanosho. Five wins, three losses, fighting co-leader Kano, the rookie seven and one. Both prefer digging their right hand into their opponent to get in the driver’s seat. Kanano, the rookie sensation, is on fire. Five straight victories from day four. In purple is Kano. But look at Takanosho in red all over Kanano. Takanosho showing who’s boss and handing his second loss of the tournament. So no Kachkoshi winning record. The allimp important number eight for Kasano here on day nine. And Takanosho moves up to six wins, three losses and extends his winning streak to four. Sano will look for a kachoshi tomorrow. Great hit and follow through by Takanosho. Winning by Oshidashi. Next, it’s Hideenomi. Zero wins, six losses, and two days sidelined going against Loa 4 and four. Hidenomi is desperate to produce his first victory in Makunochi since day 13 of the November 2021 tournament. Loga is bouncing back with back-to-back victories. Rather slow can’t get that frontal grip. Good movement by Hidenomi, but Hidenomi staying low trying to get inside Roga. Roga extends for that left hand frontal grip. He now gets it. Right hand in deep for him. Looks like Roga is in control, but Hideenomi staying in contention despite that angled position. Rather high is Hideenomi, but good job of staying in contention. wants to make use of that left hand outside and he does a powerful nag overarm throw to take down Hideenomi. So Hideenomi unable to break the duck here and Roga marks his fifth win. [Applause] It’s Ura and Toki Hayate. Uda six and two. To Tokiate three wins, five losses. Uda beat his foe twice down in Jurio, but that was nearly 5 years ago. These Viki facing off for the first time in Makunochi. In a little faster Tokiate, he gets that left hand inside. That’s taken out right away by Ura. Udura gets a left hand inside. Now the man in pink trying to finish off Tokihayate, but he pulls and Toki Hayate takes advantage right away. As soon as Uda pulls, Toki Hayate decides to hit the gas and taken down by Oshawi frontal push down. Tokiate improves to four and five. Now it’s Sadanomi 2 and six fighting Koto with a mirror record of six and two. Veteran Sadanomi leads their series in Makunochi by just a neck six to five. He strives to resurrect the sumo he showed in his double digit performance last Basho. Kotto looking confident this tournament. Three wins in a row. Now [Music] can’t get that frontal grip, but he has that right hand in deep and that’s all she needed to win by Yodi. Poto looking poised. So he prevails. Goes to seven wins, two losses, extending his winning streak to four. It’s Tobaru 3 and5 versus Atami Fuji 5 and3. Atami Fuji holds an overwhelming 6 to1 edge in their past meetings. But it was this man Tobaru who beat him for the first time in their last encounter in January. Atami bit the dust to Ichyama yesterday, snapping his five bout winning spree. A slow tachi. Pobizu circling around to the right. Bonsai position for him. Atami Puji using a nice Gaburi yodi there to take backing out. A yodi kitty frontal force out victory for the man in red. Atami Fuji improves to six wins, three losses. We go to co-leader Ichyamato 7-1 and Gyama 5 and three. These pusher thrusters competed for the same sumo squad during university. Moto has a slight 2 to1 advantage in the big leagues. He has one victory to go until his first kachoshi in half a year. Gonama needs three more to accomplish that. Nice and low thrusting away and then pulling is Ichiamyamoto. Nice nooa throat thrust. After the tachi and then using that hyotoi hand pull downamoto secures his kachoshi the allimportant number eight extends his winning streak to three. [Music] Good con of the head right and left. Nooat’s throat thrust and Goyama is taken down right after that by a hyotoi. [Music] What did you think about in the tachi today? Well, I know that my opponent had a great initial charge. I did pull, but I was able to move forward. You didn’t go with a double hand attack. Well, I focused on hitting my opponent hard in the tachi. You accomplished your kachoshi on day nine. Well, I just want to make sure that I reset myself and just take it one at a time. You’re at the top of the leaderboard for the title race. Well, we’re still in the middle of the tournament. I’ll take it each and every bout. Congratulations. Thank you. Next, let’s go to Taker Fuji. Four wins, four losses, taking on Shioama. Zero wins, eight losses. Kaku Fuji took care of his Mongolian foe in their first clash on top division soil last November by Oshidashi frontal pushout. Right hand slap by Chio. Chio is taken back immediately and Taku Fuji gets the victory. Take Fuji has been dealing with that bandaged right bicep injury, but today he has no trouble beating Chio. Handing Chio his ninth loss of the tournament. Right hand slap by Chio, but Taker Fuji just drives him back in an instant. So Taker Fuji picks up his fifth victory with that Oshidashi win. Next, it’s Noatu. Two wins, six losses versus co-leader Tamawashi, seven-1. These Titans from Mongolia locked horns twice so far. And it’s Iron Man Tamawashi here dispatching his foe with his signature pushing maneuvers in both cases. And Ono Katu pick up his first win against the veteran. Nice low tati by both men. Slapping away as Ono Katu. He slides that right hand in. Hamashi tries to lock him up. Hamashi in trouble with a double hand inside position for Ono Katu. Ono Katsu wins by Yori Kitty frontal force out. So another front runner. Tamawashi fails to pick up his Kachoshi here on day nine. No Katu goes all out against the Iron Man and captures win number three. [Music] Beating Tamashi for the very first time. Sharp touch eye keeping that distance with Tamawashi. Then he slides that right hand in and finds the left hand in as well. And Morazashi for Ono Katu keeps his head much lower than Tamawashi. Tamashi tries a desperate attempt at the edge but has no more real estate. It’s me three and five fighting Abby. Four wins, four losses. These men both made their Makonochi debut in 2018. Since then, they’ve battled it out here 13 times. And it’s Abby leading 8 to five. Double hand attack by Meay, not by Abby. Abby retracts. He steps to the left and then takes down me. A hataki slap down by Abby. Quite unusual for Abby not to do a double hand attack in the Tati. It was instead his opponent executing that Morozuki. Take a look. Double hand attack by Meay in black. Abby takes on the charge. He backpedals and then shifts to the left to hit the hatakomi. We have Aonishki 6 and two facing Wakamo 2 and six. It’s a first time collision here between the highest ranked Mayash combatants. Ukrainian Aishki continues to take the Nagagoyasho by storm after defeating one Yoko, one Ozeki, two Seekiwake, one in a little faster staying in much lower than. And then he trips him, taking him down with that beautiful twisting underarm throw. A statined maneuver by Aishki. What a move by Aishki doing this over technician Wakamaru. Wakamoto Raharu has been struggling to exert his offense on the mawashi or belt. Still Aonishki having that left hand in deep, staying patient and before Wakamoto extends to capture that right hand outside grip, he shifts and then hits that Hini. Impeccable timing, twisting underarm throw. We have Oshoma two, six losses versus Oho with the same record. Osha broke Oh’s balance by a hyotoic hand pull down last November. So their history is one a piece. O spent a rough first half as the new Komasubi but toppled Zakura yesterday. [Music] Good hit by Oho, taking back the Komasubi. Oshoma fights back. Oo continues to rally, but so does Oho. Oho trying to get an inside position. It’s a slapathon. Ooh, the new kob is to be taken back now. Oho in charge and takes him down. Oho comes out on top by Oshidashi. So Oshoma falls to seven losses after nine days. Oho improves to three and six, snapping his three bout losing streak. Here’s a replay. Double hand attack by Oho. But look at the Komasubi. Oshoma deflecting Oho’s maneuvers. They separate quite a few times and after Oshima tries to go inside. They go for that attacks over and over again. Continue to rally. Oho gets that nice slapping going at the end. Wins by Oshidashi. We move to Hiadomi 5 and three taking on Wakatak four and four. Wakatak is spotless against his foe today taking all four encounters so far. He’s back in equilibrium this tournament after an astonishing Utchari backward pivot throw yesterday to reverse the field against Kim Bozan. Hiadi here is on a roll with five straight victories [Music] trying to find that Left hand shallow grip, but he didn’t really need it. Right hand inside position. And this is Wakatak’s brand of sumo excelling there over Hiadomi who fights in a similar style. Wakatak improves to five wins, four losses. Picture perfect sumo there for the siwake. Right hand in. He went for that left hand by nice attack from the left. We now go to Hakuo. Four wins, four losses, fighting co-leader Kirishima, looking for his Kachkoshi with seven and one. Kirishima pushed out Uno yesterday to grab three wins in a row from day six. Hakoho snatched his very first Kimoshi gold star yesterday after trampling Yokoa. Good hit. Both men they separate. Hakuo getting that left hand inside his favorite and taking back Kirishima. So, another co-leader suffering their second loss here on day nine. Hakuo. Big victory over Yokoa yesterday and today beating Seiwake Kirishima. What a performance by Hakuo at the end. You saw his uh top knot disassembled. Hakuo. They separate trying to break his balance. He gets that left hand inside. Kirishima tries to lock up his arm, but once he pulls, it’s Hakuo hitting the gas and moving back. Kirishima in an instant. Great spirited sumo. We have Koto Zakura the ozaki with five and three fighting Kimzan 1 and seven at the brink of demotion. These combatants born in 1997 have faced off three times. This man Kodak leads two to one in the rivalry. Kim Bzan searching for light out of a seven bout losing streak. In lower is Kim Bzan from Kazakhstan. The Ozaki taken back in trouble. And look at Kim Bzan sending out the Ozaki in convincing fashion. What a performance by Kim Bzan. Hanging from a cliff but still keeping his chances alive for a Kachkoshi. Two and seven and Koto Zakura falls to five and four. Teim Bzan. Outstanding sumo here by the man from Kazakhstan to win by Yodi frontal force out. You kept on moving forward against the Oziki today. Well, I was able to end my losing streak. So, you still have that chance for a kachkoshi this tournament. Well, I just want to keep moving forward and do my style of sumo. We’ll be looking forward to it. Thank you very much. We conclude day nine action with this highlight match between Takayasu 6 and two clashing with New Yokosa Onosato with the same record. Checking their rivalry, Takayasu is ahead 2 to1, but Onosato slapped him down in their last meeting in May. Plus, these men battled it out for the Emperor Cup in a playoff in March when Onos came out on top. The Yoko was in a bit the dust for the second time this basho on day eight looking to regroup. Takayasua eyes to stay one off the pace on the leaderboard. [Music] Good hit by both men. Takayasu taken back by Onos. Onato with his aame here on day nine. Right hand inside position. his favorite and taking back the former Jose in perfect fashion. So, regains his mode of operation. Wins in style. Take a look. Right hand in for Onos using his left when well to block Takayas’s attack. Capasa has that left and outside grip. His center of gravity is just too high. And that’s all for this broadcast of Grand Sumo Highlights. After nine days, it’s just Ichyamoto at the top of the leaderboard and seven men following him, including Onosato and Kirishima. Thanks for watching and make sure you join us again for more action to come on day 10. This was Ransumo Highlights. Wherever you are, do take care and
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Day 9 upper division bouts from the July 2025 GRAND SUMO Tournament.