GRAND SUMO: Day 11 of the May 2025 Tournament – GRAND SUMO Highlights
Welcome back to Grand Sumo Highlights. This is day 11 of the May tournament. Young Haku Oho has turned in a fine 8 and2 record. He’ll be in the Musubino Ichiban the final match against Yokozuna Hoo. Waka Taka Kag also at 8 and2. He will take on sole leader undefeated Ono Sto. Here’s the full leaderboard. Onoto two steps ahead of the second place Niki which are Huakataka Hakuo and another pack at the Kugan the home of Grand Sumo. We begin with Asakoru and Roga. Both are seven and three. Both going for a kachi koshi. A majority of wins. Asakoru makes up for his lack of size by bodybuilding. This is their first tussle in any division. Kind of a soft tati. Asakoru gets an inside position but Roga with his bigger body moving back. Asakoru Asakoru escapes at the edge and he uses a Kot Nag. What a recovery by compact Asaaku with that Kot Nag arm lock throw. He has his first Kachi Koshi in the top division. This is his third Makuuchi Basho. Here’s another look. Roga wraps up Asakodu. And Asakodu looks to be in a lot of trouble right here. But somehow Asakodu escapes by moving to the side. And then he grabs the right arm of Roga and he uses that for this beautiful Kot Nag. Here’s Koto Sho and Duden. Both have four wins. They slam into each other. Back and forth they go and Uden steps out. So that was over quickly. Nuden suffers his seventh loss with that Cotag arm lock throw. Cotto Sho picks up his fifth victory. Moving right along to Kaio the newcomer versus Sadano Umi the veteran. Sad noi one win away from Kachi Koshi. Kaio at four and six. Rather soft Tati. Kao gets to the rear of Sadani and with one big push wins by Okuridashi. rear push out denying Sadoi his kachi koshi. Kaio improves to five and six. He still has a chance for his kachikoshi. Kao moves well for a big man and he gets behind Sadoi and shoves him out. Here’s the other rookie, Tochi Taikai against Takanosho. Toshi Taiikai and Takosho have never fought before. The rookie just trying to avoid Makoshi today. Big hit by Takosho and he takes rookie Tochi Taikai straight back. A one-sided match there as Takosho improves to seven and four with that Oshidashi push out. So Tochi Taikai getting his first taste of Makui action this tournament and it hasn’t been A very pleasant experience. Here’s Endo and Tamas Shoho. Endo started 4-0 but has slumped since then. He’s five and five overall. Tama Sho just too thin and light to have any staying power in Makunuchi. Another soft tachi. They mix it up and Endo pushes out Tama Shoo and Oshidashi for Endo. He now has a winning record six and five. On the dojo now Sha Nano Uni and Midori Fuji. Big versus small. Sha Nanoi with only three wins, but that must look like a sparkling record for Midori Fuji who’s 1 and nine. Midori Fuji trying to execute some magic. He gets to the rear of Shaani. There’s the technique that we expect from Midori Fuji. He grabs the mashi of Shonanu umi with his left hand and wins by Hataki Ki slapdown. So he picks up his second victory in May. Atami Fuji is going for his Kachi Koshi today. His eighth win. Kim Bzan is known as a pusher thruster but comfortable fighting on the moashi. Stiff arm by Kim Bzan has Atami Fuji going backwards and Kim Bzan with an awesome pushing display wins by Tsukashi thrust out denying Atami Fuji his Kachi Koshi. Both men now at seven and four. Here are Onoatu and Nishiki. Nishiki from five straight wins to five straight losses. Onato’s left ankle has been giving him trouble. Still, he’s won three in a row. Coming in low is Onoatu but getting moved back by Nishikigi. Nishikigi grabs the left arm of Onoatu. Onu with a pretty strong grip with that left arm. Can he take Nishiki over the edge? He sure can. And Onatu with strong fundamental sumo picks up his seventh win. That’s Nishiki’s sixth straight loss. Wonkatu one win away from Kachikoshi. Next up, Toki Hayate and Chudano Umi. Toki Hayate has clawed his way back to an even record. Hard to believe this is the same guy who went 11 and4 in March. Chidanoi. Fast start from the two men. Chanomi pushing around. Toki Hayate. Touki Hayate. Scrambling around. Toki Hayate with a Kotagi grip and he uses that to throw Chunano Umei off the dohillo. An excellent recovery by Toki Hayate. And he’s up to six and five with that arm lock throw. In this match, Churani was pushing Toki Hayate all around the dohillo, but could not push out Toki Hayate. Toki Hayate grabs the arm of Chudanoi and that was the key. He grabs that arm and doesn’t let go until he has Churanoi down. A dynamic Kot Nag win for Tokihayate. Here’s Shishi and Toby Zadu. A left thigh injury on opening day has ruined Shishi’s tournament. Toby Zadu fighting Shishi for the first time ever. Toadu with a right hand inside grip. Shishi is trying for a Kot Nag but it doesn’t work. They separate. Shishi has had very little power in his lower body and once again he loses his balance. Tobisadu feeling that effect, feeling the effects of that Kotag attempt by Shishi, but he picks up the victory. So, he’s up to six and five. Here are Ooma and Me. Both Rickshi are at seven and three. So, the winner will earn a kachikoshi. Oshoma loves Hataki Kcomi slapdown. About a third of his wins come by that technique. Me has won four in a row. Hitting and shifting is O. Now they mix it up with the Tati and O follows it up with a push down of me. They call it a Hataki Ki slap down. In any case, Oshoma has his kachi koshi. Eight and3 record for that man. So, Ooma in the end wins by his signature technique, a slap down. Here’s another look. A third of his wins come by that technique. Up next, it’s Shai and Chio Shoma. Both men with poor records. One more loss for Shodai and he’ll have his fourth straight. Mak Koshi Chio already with a losing tournament. Chio rams Shodai but Shai comes back briefly and the Goombai goes to Chio. So another lackluster effort by Shai and he has his fourth straight losing tournament. Chio at three and eight. Chio runs into Shoddai, but Shai blocks that Tachi and moves forward. But then the Katasukashi move by Chio and under swing down. Here are Abby and Gonoyama. Abby on a nice roll. He’s won six of his last seven matches. Gonoyama has won three of his last four. Inside position by Gonoyama, but with way too much forward lean. Abby sensing that Goyama was a bit too overextended going with the Uat Nag overarm throw. So a clever counterattack by Abby as he picks up his seventh victory. Gonoyama three and eight. Mak Koshi as usual. Gonoyama with a lot of energy at the tati but he lunges at Abby and Abby uses that uate nag. Abby absorbs the hit from Gonoyama and then gets the right hand outside grip. Here are Tamawashi and Oho. They have an identical three and seven record. So the loser will have a Mak Koshi. This bashel started off great for Oho had he had three straight wins over Sanakuru Dikshi, but that has devolved to seven straight losses. 40-year-old Tamawashi at three and seven. Kamawashi pushing with all his might, but he can’t back up. Oho. Oho fights back and he drops Tamashi. It’s a Hiko Toshi hand pull down by Oho. Tamashi started off great but could not maintain his balance. So he has Maki Koshi while Oho improves to four and seven. Here’s another look. Tomashi looking good right here. Good angle in his pushing attack, but Oho is able to dig in and hold his ground. He moves to the side and that seems to get Tamawashi offkilter and Oho is the winner. Here are Wakamoto Hadu and Hiadu Umei. Bothshi are four and six. Wakamoto Hadu has gotten through the toughest part of his schedule. Hi umi hasn’t been able to budge bigger, stronger opponents. They lock up at the center of the dojo. Wakamoto Haru surging forward and he pushes out Hado Umei. So Wakomoto looking a lot better in the second week as his schedule has lightened up. He’s now at five and six with that Oshidashi win. That’s a push out. Hi Umi on the small side just isn’t able to hold his ground against Wakamoto Hadu. It results in a Oshidashi win for Wakamoto Hadu. on the dojo now. Takayasu and Uda both at 2 and eight. Both have a m Koshi. So fighting for pride here for Takayasu. The joy of returning to Syaku has been wiped out. Uda has had a hard time maneuvering. They start off fast. Uda with an inside position. Nice tubati by Takayasu, but he can’t finish off Uda. Uda trying to get some sort of inside position. Uda still in there. Takayasu running out of gas now. Uda wraps up Takayasu. Caught at an awkward angle as Uda his head is trapped under the arm of Takayasu. But Uda’s using his amazing flexibility. Is it uh tutzori? An underarm forward body drop. Believe it or not, that’s the same technique that Uda used against Takayasu in January. It’s a rare technique, but Uda does it to the same opponent that he did in January. Zori, an underarm forward body drop. I think Uda is about the only guy who can pull off that kind of move given his flexible body. Let’s take another look at that move at the end. It’s a Tupati battle and Takayasu is getting the best of it. Uda being battered around but he gives himself a chance by moving around the doho and then he can sense that Takayasu is getting fatigued so he gets an inside position but then his head is trapped under the left arm of Takayasu but he uses this amazing bend and he bends backwards for the sutay zori. Oh what an amazing move by Uda at the end. For the second time this year, here’s Ichi Yamamoto and Kirishima. Ichi Yamamoto struggling at Magasha 4. Kirishima says he’s serious when he says he wants to get back to Ozaki. Off they go. And Kirishima calmly absorbs the thrusting attack of Ichiyamoto and then drops Ichiyamoto. Hataki Ki slap down win for Kirishima. He has a Kachi Koshi as a Seiwake. Nice start by Ichyamoto, but Kirishima is a clever ridi and he steps slightly to the side for the win. Here are Dao and Takeru Fuji. Seekwake Disho is going for a Kachi Koshi today. Taku Fuji has a bright future ahead of him, but he has been getting beaten up by the top rankers. Takuji blasts Dao but Disho responds with some nice thrusting and then the slap down Hataki Ki. So Taku Fuji down to four and seven while Daisho picks up his Kachi Koshi and eighth win for the seiwake. Pretty good tachi by Takito Fuji, but Daisho shows his Sakiwake strength. Here’s Anishki and Koto Zakura. The young Ukrainian fighting an Ozaki for the first time in his brief career. Koto Zakura has a 6 and4 record but has looked vulnerable. Anishki as he usually does gets an inside position. He has Koto Zakura at the edge but Koto Zakura grabs the arm of Anishki and uses that to plant Anishki. Kot Nag by the Ozaki arm lock throw and puts dirt on Aishki. It’s Anishki’s third loss. Moto Zakura got a scare from the young Ukrainian, but he did not panic. He dug in at the edge and then responded with a Cot Nag win. So, another learning experience for Anishki. He starts off well and gets his favorite position, keeping his head down and getting inside on the Ozaki. But the Ozeki has an answer. He grabs the arm of Anishki and uses that for a Cot Nag arm lock throw. Our first bout of the day. Soul leader Ono Zato against Kusubi Waka Taka Kag. Onato has been perfect, but this is his stiffest test yet. They’ve met in each of the last four tournaments, splitting those matches size, strength, and agility versus Waka Tak’s grappling skills. Who is going to win this fifth meeting? Waka Taka Kag immediately to the chest of Onos moving back. Onoto wakatak with a left hand inside but he runs out of room. It looked like Ono Sato with his 55 kg weight advantage leaned on Waka Tak and Waka Takag just did not have enough room to execute that underarm throw. But what a spirited bout between these two. Onos remains undefeated 11 and0 one step closer to Yokoa promotion. A Yawoshi frontal crush out. Wakataka Kag with a nice tachi and he has the advantage right here. He moves back Ono Sato, but Onosato has that right hand outside grip and he squeezes Waka Taka Kag at the edge putting his full weight on Waka Taka Kag and Waka Taka Kag cannot stay on his feet. Our second bout of the day is the final bout on day 11. Yoko Shyu versus Mashida 7 Hakuoho. Both are at 8 and2. They met in July 2023 which was Hakuho’s top division debut and when Hoyu was still a Siwake and he won his first Yu show in that tournament. It’s the final match. Fast start. Hakuo has the Yokozuna in trouble, but he bends a knee. Hakuo. Hakuo had a great start, but looked a bit overeager. And the Yokozuna prevails with a Koshi Kudake. inadvertent collapsed by Hakuo. Frustration for young Hakuo. He had the Yokozuna on the run but could not stay on his feet. He bends a knee and the Yokozuna wins. Another look Koshi Kudake. Inadvertent collapse by Hakuo. So, Onosato still two steps ahead of the rest of the pack. Hold in second place and seven Nigi tied for third place. It promises to be an exciting final four days of this May tournament. So, please tune in to Grand Sumo Highlights.
Watch more GRAND SUMO on NHK WORLD-JAPAN!
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/ondemand/program/video/sumo/?cid=wohk-yt-2505-gsRecapDay11-hp
Learn more about GRAND SUMO here!
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/tv/sumo/?cid=wohk-yt-2505-gsRecapDay11-hp
Day 11 upper division bouts from the May 2025 GRAND SUMO Tournament.