The 2024 Aki Basho continues to deliver thrills on the dohyo. On Day 13 the most exciting action came with the pivotal match-ups between Onosato and Kotozakura and Kirishima and Hoshoryu. Other important matches on the day were Daieisho vs. Takayasu, Wakatakakage vs. Oshoma and Nishikigi vs. Hiradoumi.
Outside of those bouts, this day also gave us the all chaos match-up between Ura and Tobizaru. That’s one of my favourite match-ups in the sport (along with Hoshoryu vs. Kirishima).
All the action is below the spoiler warning. There are lots of videos there and my analysis of what happened.
Yesterday we also received news that Takakeisho is officially retiring at just 28-years-old. Takakeisho pulled out of this tournament on Day 3 citing a herniated disc. He’s been plagued with back and neck problems over the past year. Takakeisho has now secured the elder stock Minatogawa.
Bonus gif today is Takakeisho winning his last ever yusho (in controversial fashion) at last year’s aki basho.
SPOILERS BELOW
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Results
Takarafuji (9-4) def. Shirokuma (4-9) via fusen (default)
Onokatsu (5-8) def. Tamashoho (5-8) via oshidashi (frontal push out)
Ryuden (7-6) def. Bushozan (4-9) via uwatedashinage (pulling over arm throw)
Sadanoumi (7-6) def. Kinbozan (4-9) via uwatenage (over arm throw)*
Midorifuji (6-7) def. Kagayaki (1-12) via katasukashi (under shoulder swing down)*
Endo (8-5) def. Nishikifuji (6-7) via yorikiri (frontal force out)*
Churanoumi (8-5) def. Kitanowaka (5-8) via hatakikomi (slap down)*
Wakatakakage (10-3) def. Oshoma (8-5) via hikiotoshi (hand pull down)*
Gonoyama (5-8) def. Roga (7-6) via yorikiri*
Meisei (4-9) def. Tamawashi (6-7) via oshidashi
Ichiyamamoto (7-6) def. Shonannoumi (3-10) via oshidashi
Wakamotoharu (9-4) def. Oho (8-5) via yoritaoshi (frontal crush out)*
Mitakeumi (4-9) def. Atamifuji (5-8) via tsukiotoshi (thrust down)
Ura (9-4) def. Tobizaru (4-9) via hatakikomi*
Shodai (9-4) def. Takanosho (3-10) via oshidashi
Nishikigi (10-3) def. Hiradoumi (6-7) via hatakikomi*
Daieisho (8-5) def. Takayasu (10-3) via oshidashi*
Abi (4-9) def. Kotoshoho (6-7) via oshidashi
Hoshoryu (7-6) def. Kirishima (10-3) via kirikaeshi (twisting backward knee trip)*
Onosato (12-1) def. Kotozakura (7-6) via yorikiri after torinaoshi (replay)*
*Must see bouts!
Leaderboard
Se2 Onosato: 12-1
S1e Kirishima, M7e Wakatakakage, M12w Nishikigi, M15e Takayasu: 10-3
Analysis
We were treated to some incredible drama in the last bout of Day 13.
Enjoy Kotozakura vs. Onosato, in its entirety, below:
Kotozakura did everything right in the first bout here. He forced Onosato into a yotsu (grappling) battle, an area of sumo where he is currently superior. Off the tachiai Kotozakura was able to pin Onosato’s arms to prevent his thrusts and then he secured a sashite (under arm belt grip) with his right arm. Onosato then had to battle Kotozakura for control of the left side of his body. Kotozakura wanted to lock onto his belt, to give him two handholds there. As Onosato hand-fought Kotozakura on his left side, Kotozakura seized on his right side, turning for an attempted uwatenage (over arm throw). Onosato was able to turn his body and use inside knee position to block the throw. Onosato then tried to use his own sashite for a force out. However, as they came to the boundary Kotozakura executed a sukuinage (beltless arm throw).
Unfortunately for Kotozakura, he planted his foot down outside the ring at the exact moment as Onosato did.
In the rematch Onosato’s cardio won out. We’ve seen Kotozakura tire in long matches this basho (possibly because he is carrying an injury). After the first bout, and the all the ceremony required for the second bout, Kotozakura just didn’t have much gas left in the tank.
In round two, Onosato was able to block Kotozakura’s sashite attempt off the tachiai (by putting a hand in his armpit) and then drive him back for the yorikiri (frontal force out).
The win for Onosato means if he wins on Saturday (against Takayasu) he is our champion.
Onosato’s magic number of wins needed to clinch the cup shrank to just one thanks to Kirishima losing to Hoshoryu earlier in the night. The two great friends and rivals had a judo bout on the dohyo, which is pretty fitting since they once trained judo together in Mongolia.
Kirishima opened with a high thrust off the tachiai. Hoshoryu tried to use that for a pull through, but Kirishima recognized the danger and pulled back. Hoshoryu then established a perfect hidari-yotsu grip (left arm inside, right arm outside) with both hands on the belt. Kirishima knew he was in trouble then. He tried to match grips, but could not get his right hand on Hoshoryu’s belt. Failing that, he went for a shitatenage (under arm throw), but that’s very difficult to do when someone has two hands on your belt. Hoshoryu was able to block, thanks to that grip and hooking the inside leg. Hoshoryu then switched defense to offense, in an instant, to send Kirishima over the knee of his defending leg and down to the clay.
Takayasu also lost on Day 13. Had he won he would have forced Onosato to need two wins to clinch the cup. He fought a thrusting battle with Daieisho and came off second best after Daieisho managed to get two hands on his chest.
Nishikigi managed to give himself an outside shot at challenging Onosato. He beat Hiradoumi in what has to be considered an upset given both men’s recent form. Nishikigi is showing us more mobility than we’ve seen from him in over a year (when he came close to winning the 2023 Nagoya basho). Against Hiradoumi he pulled off a surprising back hop for the hatakikomi (slap down).
Like Nishikigi, Wakatakakage also has an outside shot at title contention. He has that thanks to this win over Oshoma (who lost his outside shot with the loss). Wakatakakage pushed Oshoma back off the tachiai and then caught him on the rebound for a routine hikiotoshi (hand pull down).
Ura vs. Tobizaru delivered its promised excitement. The Peach Prince got the win over The Flying Monkey this day. He’s only 4-9 against Tobizaru in their head-to-head record. Both men are extremely creative and versatile. Tobizaru is the better wrestler at range and Ura is better in the clinch. In this long bout Ura was able to drop Tobi with a hatakikomi off the clinch.
Wakamotoharu vs. Oho was another fantastic match from Day 13. In it Wakamotoharu evoked his brother’s win over Onosato, as he survived with his feet on the straw before turning his opponent and tossing them down.
Midorifuji scored another pretty win on Day 13. He took down the lumbering Kagayaki with his trademark katasukashi (under shouldeer swing down).
Atamifuji got his make-koshi (losing record) on Day 13. It’s been a disappointing tournament for the 22-year-old, who was runner-up here last year. He survived a Mitakeumi henka on Day 13 only to get side-stepped along the straw.
This tournament could be decided tomorrow. If he wants to win with one day to spare Onosato will need to beat Hoshoryu. That’s no easy task and something he’s only managed once in their four match-ups.
Kirishima and Takayasu will face-off in an elimination match. If Onosato loses, the winner of this one will be just one win behind him on the final day.
Wakatakakage and Nishikigi need Onosato to lose the final two bouts for a shot at getting themselves into a play-off. To do that they’ll also need to win their Day 14 bouts. Wakatakakage will face Daieisho (they’re 6-6 against each other) and Nishikigi will meet Oho (he’s 1-4 against him).
Fun stuff!
Another great day of bouts. What you said yesterday about having to get the Waka brothers into the front row to make sure they're out was proven again by Wakamotoharu. I swear you can bend those guys backwards almost in two, but as long as their heels are on the ropes they can still come back and beat you.
Sorry to see Papa Yasu drop back, but he's had a great tournament and proven that when unhurt he's always a contender. I think he stands a good chance against Kirishima.
Here's hoping Horshoya defeats Onosato, just to keep it exciting,