GRAND SUMO: Day 13 of the May 2025 Tournament – GRAND SUMO Highlights
Hello again. Welcome to Grand Sumo Highlights. Day 13 of the summer tournament from the Koko Geekan in Tokyo. Well, I wonder if Onoato is feeling the pressure. The Ozeki leads the way and he can win the Emperor’s Cup today. He won’t get it, but he can win it. It’s a case of beating his opponent Kotto Zakura. He leads from Horyu, Deo, Kirishima, Wakatag, and Asakodu. It’s happened 25 times in the past where someone has won the tournament on day 13. Will it happen today? Fans are supporting their favorite Richie. Let’s get to the opening bout taking on Shaumi. On a real tear this man as he returned to the tournament after five days of missing out with that injury and he’s done well. Five straight wins taking on a man who struggled this time round but he wants to finish with a flourish. Shaumi blasts him with his chest. Comes a pushing and thrusting attack. Leaping to the rear but staying in right at the edge. He flips hooked to Sho with a thrust down toshi but no don’t put it in felt pen yet. We got a monoi the heel of Shaoni. Did he go out? It doesn’t look like it there. Discussion had by the judges. The goji favored Shaoni. We discussed whether Shaoni’s heel had gone out. It’s confirmed the heel had remained inside. The original decision stands. The winner is Shaoni. So he picks up his fourth win. Four and nine. Kotto basically drops now to six and seven. He has to win the last two. Sukioyo toshi Shonumi. Duden and Takosha. Well, there’s a bit of pressure on here. One man going for Katikoshi, the other one trying to avoid Makoshi. And here’s the Makoshi avoider. Five and seven Nuden. Takenosho. Seven and five. History favors Takonosho. He’s won the last four times they’ve met in hard and fast right hand inside by Takosho. Takes Muden out by Oshidashi. And that’s Kaci Koshi for the Mashita 12. Magesa 15. Duden a Makoshi. Another one. Starting to string them together. Oshidashi frontal push out win for Takosho. Stepping up on the dojo. The Tammy Fuji and Kao. Tommy Fuji couldn’t get it yesterday’s Kachi Kushi. He’s going for it today against the newcomer Kaio who’s had a very interesting tournament. Poor start, but he’s really picked things up. Six and six now inside quickly deep with a Monazashi right hand stays inside. He forces Atami Fuji out. Yi Kitty. So he’s up to seven and six. Well, after the first four days, things were not looking good for him, but he’s really rebounded. Natami Fuji. No Kachio again today. Seven and six. Yikitti Kao. Endo going for Kachi Koshi against the other rookie Toi Taikai who already has a losing record. Another first time meeting as was the previous bout. You know what he likes to do? Get that Mitsu grip if he can. He can get a thrusting game going if the opponent like this man likes to push and thrust. Faster away endo. He’s in almost slapped down by Toi Taikai. He starts to slap and pull and slipping to the side. Endo and he slaps down to Taikai for his Kachio. Chi Taikai now double digits in losses. Well done Endo. He’s been working hard for it. wins by a slapdown. Tamaso and Shodai meeting for the first time. Both losing records, but they like to fight it out for the full 15 days. Can affect where they go. Thomaso probably back to Jurio already. Good hit by Thomas. Standing his ground is Shai forced back, but he’ll wait for the chance to get in and he does. Yuri Kitty for Shai. picks up his fourth win. Both men four and nine at the end of 13 days. Another first time meeting here. Both men are going for Kachikosi. One of them is going to be happy. Seven and five may say as the same for Roger. He likes the left hand inside. Ruga the right hand inside. Kenigatu battle here. Left hand in briefly by me. Roger recovers well but the arm is grabbed by me and he wins by Tokati. The armbar throw and he gets Kachikoshi here on day 13. Roger. He’ll have to wait for another day for him hopefully tomorrow. Eight and five may say Roger seven and six. Interesting battle here. Bit of a history between these two. Nishkigi and Midori Fuji. We know Midori Fuji loves to do that kataskashi, the undershoulder swing down. Well, he’s done it a number of times to Nishkigi. In quickly is Midori. Fuji gets the right hand inside. He’s now retreating. He’s got the right hand in under, but it’s it’s actually stuck in there and he’s bending on it. He releases the hand, shows his back to Midori Fuji and gets pushed out from the rear or Kuridashi. Very unusual. Nishki knew what Midori Fuji wanted to do. What he does do is pick up his fourth straight win to look a relatively respectable four and nine after losing the first nine in a row. And no joy for Nishkigi. He drops to six and seven. So he’s got to win the last two days to get Kachi Koshi. Watch this hand get caught aimed under the armpit there as he tries the kataskashi but squeezing on it is Nishigi bending the wrist. Got to get that out. That hurts. And he eventually pulls the hand out. At the same time he has the back of Nishigi. Oh, could he does? You don’t see that every day of the week. Now, Saturnumi and Kim Boza, both men already with Katikoshi, the veteran, really fired up in this tournament. He’s doing well. He has 399 top division wins going into this bout. takes on pusher thruster Kim Bzan. Good start. Kim Bzan rocks Saturnumi back. He retreats, but he dives to the left. Now he’s got a moashi hold. His favorite grip. Kim Boszan, it’s not his go-to. He’s okay on the moashi, but he’s got those long arms and long legs. So Satanudi can’t control it. Now he lifts him up, holds him high, and takes him out. Yiki Kitty 400 top division wins for a very happy veteran Saturni Kim Bozan 8 and five Saturni up to 9 and four still life in the 38-year-old enjoying his sumo. We take a look now at Onatsu and Toki Hayate. Only met once before in the top division. Tokihayate was the winner. He’s six and six. Needs two more for his Kachi Koshi. Onatsu already has it. The Mashida eight with an eight and four record. Bang. Slamming in and a thrusting attack by Onukatu. He likes the moashi hold. He doesn’t get his favorite grip yet. thrusting away at Tokihayate who retreat but now he’s in trouble grabbed by the man that finally got his favorite grip onu to pick up his ninth win against Toki Hayatech drops to six and seven good tournament forkatu shishi and Chironumi just Fighting for pride now. Two and 10 the Mashita 11 three and nine the Mashita 7 one meeting be in the past and Shishi was the winner. Faster away Chironi awkward position initially thrusting and slapping at each other pounding away one trying to get inside briefly does but now that grip is lost. Constant battering by both men. They’re really up for it here. Thrusting and pushing. Shishi’s in trouble. He recovers. Gets back in the middle of the doghoo. Churoni keeps up the pressure. Pounding into Shishi. Now he’s inside with a grip. Shishi tries to cotton locked up in the middle of the dogh. The pressure is maintained and Shishi wins. What a battle. Tremendous encounter. Both men giving it their all. And as I said earlier, they fight for pride each and every day regardless of their record. And Shishi picks up his third win. And now both men are three and 10. But they both deserve a big round of applause. Brought back to bow correctly. I don’t know if he did then either, but a bit tired, I think. Real scrap. Now the first of our bouts of the day featuring two men who were pushed up to meet top rankers yesterday. They fight each other today. Both having a good tournament. Haku Oho and Aishki. Only met once before. Aishki was the winner in March. Good hit forward, Aku. Oh, outside grip by Aishki. And that’s the winning move. Yikitti, he’s up to 9 and four. And Haku Oho, eight and five. Two young men that we’re going to see a lot of in the future in the top division of Sumo. the man from Ukraine. Nine and four now. Good start by Haku. Oho. Both scrapping and thrusting away at each other. Then gets deflected. Solid left hand grip. He thinks so quickly for a relative newcomer, the Zishki. The next men to step up are Tamawashi and Chio. History between the two does favor the veteran. He’s won six of their eight meetings. They’re both four and eight. Losing tournament towards the records, but let’s see how they finish off here. Well, the thrusting attack which kind of missed initially, but he eventually gets it done. Tamawashi Oshidashi and that puts him in 10th place with Terra overall for total wins. Five and eight now. Tamashi four and nine. Chio Shoma. The first push misses past the ear of Chio Sharma. The next one doesn’t though. He follows up quickly. Chio Sharma tries to retreat but nowhere to go but out. Yeah. Well, he’s been treated that way many times by Tamashi in the past and he does it again today. Tobaru Gornoyama. Six and six Tobisaru. Three and N Gornoyama. History heavily favoring Gonoyama. He’s won six of their seven. Wants to improve his sumo from yesterday. Little bit embarrassed by his tati. Slammed into today by Gornoyama who’s straight forward. Now inside briefly, very briefly it was Tobiizu and a thrust down win. He seemed to hurt the ankle there being flung down to Zaru. Not sure if he was injured on the Touada or in the action of the throw. Anyway, it’s a thrust down win for Goloyama. Starts really well. Hard to tell where the injury occurred in briefly, very briefly. Might have been right there when he lost his balance. Stepping up on the clay, Abby and Hiadoomi. They’ve met six times. Hi’s won four of them. And an interesting battle here. Abby going for Kachikoshi. Hi try to avoid Makushi in hard and fast. Hi. Left hand in, right hand in. Morizashi moves forward. Has Abby going back and going out. Nice speedy sumo inside claw by Hirodumi to pick up his sixth win. So no Kachikoshi for the Mashita to Abby today, but they both still have chances the remaining days. Look how quick Hadumi is. He gets the left hand in. Abby couldn’t get his extension going then the right hand in. Really hug and chug from this point on. tries to squeeze down on that elbow, but keeping that right hand on the moashi was so important for Hiroi on the clay. Ur and oh the pusher thruster four and eight three and nine Ura oh so popular but he’s only had one kachikoshi in the last nine tournaments fast away low away is Ura but that doesn’t phase oho who starts thrusting and pushing inside briefly and then slapped down by Oho Hataki Komi. Double digits in losses for the Migosa 5 and Ohoo moves up to five and eight. Wakamoto Hararu and Tak Fuji. The Mashida won at six and six. Takuji four and eight. We’re expecting so much more from him, but you can’t always get what you want. They met twice before, a win each. Takuji away fast. Bit of a pause there by Wakamotaro. He’s in and under deep and out goes Wakamoto. So that’s we know what he can do and he did it well today. Takuji picks up his fifth win. And Wakamoto well just got a bit harder. He drops to six and seven. He needs two more with a chance of being promoted back to Syaku. Yikitti win for Takuji who was so quick out of the blocks and covers well. Makamaru is very good at pivoting at the edge. He did try a desperation throw, which he’s been known to do successfully in the past, but there was no wiggle room here. Block with that right hand. Now, Asakodu. Yeah, Asakodu. Mashida 17 up against Akomasubi cuz he’s had such a fine tournament. Both men are nine and three. They met once in Jurio and Asakorti won. Fast inside. Asakortio retreats and that was not the thing to do because Wakatag is so swift and he wins his 10th Cu 9 and four fine tournament for the Masita 17. The Komasumi 10 and three now. They seize on mistakes, the good ones. And here, Asakodu pulls there. And that’s the mistake. And Waka Tag is in really tight to win easily. Oshidashi. You’re going to see a lot more of us at Cordu. He’s got a lot of fighting spirit, a lot of talent. Speaking of talent, this man today making his way down the Hanamichi as he enters the arena and fans, the expectations, the buzz around the sumo world has been very evident today. If he wins his bout, he wins the tournament and as a result will be the next Yokazuna. Takayasu and Ichiamamoto, Komasubi and Masuda 4 had previous five meetings. Takayasu has won three of them and the last time they met. Mashidita four. He needs to get his thrusting going. Well, up with the thrust, but they don’t last long because Takayasu’s got the hand under the armpit. He starts thrusting himself to keep Yamamoto away. Yamamoto not getting a lot of say here being controlled by Takayasu who’s taken back. He’s got that left hand inside but not doing anything with it. He prefers the left hand inside grip Takayasu Ichi Yamamoto not known on the moashi. He’s just fending off the former Ozaki. Now Komasubi and now it’s a case of thinking on your feet to make a move to upset the opponent. Yamamoto not a lot of leeway here. Takayasu decides to go back. That could be a losing move. So trying to raise up Takyasu gets taken one way and now Takyasu takes him the other. Hiko Toshi pulled out and once again a very appreciative crowd at the Tokugan today. Four wins for the Komasubi. Both men are four and nine. We take a look now at Osha and Kirishima. Both with winning records meeting for the first time. Oshama 8-4, Kirishima 9 and3 heading towards Syaku maybe in the next couple of tournaments. Kushima is already there and staying there at Seekwake in with his favorite left hand grip. Koshima wants the right as well. He’s got that just like yesterday. Tries a soak leg trip to the edge and over. Well, two days in a row, Kilosima’s got the perfect start from the Tati, getting his favorite grip and he picks up win number 10. Drops Oshima to eight and five. Can he eventually make his way back to Ozeki? Left hand in straight away and it’s a case of getting the right shallow and he gets that next and Oshama could not retreat enough. No escaping from that position. Yikitti win for Kirishima. Well, bout of the day more like bout of the tournament and for Onoto maybe the bout of his life. Because if he wins this, he wins his fourth Yu, but it would almost guarantee him promotion to the highest possible rank of Yokuzuna. He takes on Kotazakura today. An even rivalry, four and four. This man’s never had a losing record in 13 tournaments in Suma. He takes on Kotto Zakuro who has an 8-4 record. He last beat Onoto in November. Onosato has been impeccable in his sumo. Big slam by Kotto Zakura takes him back briefly but now he rallies. Onos you show. Win number 13. Back-to- back emperor Cups on day 13. Onos the Ozeki. It’s not official, but he will be the next Yokazuna next week. The announcement will be made and he’s just blown away the fellow Ozeki and the realization is with him. taking in the breaths. Good touch by Kotto Zakur. Slams in, tries to use the right hand. Nothing with the left. He’s trying to block the outside grip, inside grip, right hand, and it’s all over. The win goes the way of Ono Sato. He’s just been flawless the whole tournament. There was some hesitation in a couple of his bouts, but then you realized later on that he was just waiting to move in at the right time. And today he took the charge. He took the win. Now the Empress Cup. The final bout here on day 13. Horseshoe and Datio. Can he bounce back and pick up his 10th win? Disho. Can he finish strong? History favors Porsche. He grabs the arm of Datio. Dato tries thrusting, but he’s lost his advantage. And now he’s to the edge and out. Yori Kitty Pori win number 10. Datio drops to nine and four. A valiant effort, but they’d fought 17 times before. For shorty had won 13 of them and eight in a row, now nine in a row. So it’s a big task for Dio to beat Horodu. Now it’s a case of the last two days. Can he go Zeno Yusho 15 straight. You secured backto-back championships at Ozi. How you feeling? Well, honestly, I’m very happy going into today’s match knowing that a win would clinch the title. What was on your mind? I just focused on taking it one bout at a time. Nothing special, just as usual. I know there are still two days left. How have you been handling the pressure of possibility being promoted to Yokazuna? Well, the tournament isn’t over yet, so I’m just focusing on tomorrow. I’ll do my best. You said you were happy when you won, but did it feel any different from usual? Yes. Deciding the championship on day 13 so early does make me happy, but at the same time, I remember reflecting on how things went when I clinched the title day 14 back in September. So, I’ll stay focused and give it up my all over the next two days. And NHK World Japan will have live coverage of Day 14 on May 24th from 5:10 p.m. Japan time. Don’t miss the 50 minutes of live action of Grand Sumo. Join us tomorrow though for Grand Sumo highlights.
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Day 13 upper division bouts from the May 2025 GRAND SUMO Tournament.