Hooked on Sumo: Insights & Analysis 　(by 小柳公寿)

Hoshoryu secured the championship in a Tomoesen ※ Tomoesen means three-way playoff The road to Hoshoryu’s championship began with Kinbozan’s loss to Oho. While Kinbozan was defeated, it appeared that he was still able to execute his usual style of sumo. He didn’t seem to falter under pressure or fail to demonstrate his strength. Oho skillfully timed a slap down on Kinbozan’s thrusting hand and quickly followed up with a rapid attack. His thrusts extended well, successfully raising Kinbozan’s upper body. Until now, Oho’s sumo hasn’t typically been associated with speed, but this match showcased a rare sense of quickness and urgency in his movements. When Kinbozan lost, I was confident that Hoshoryu would claim the championship. It was unthinkable that Hoshoryu would lose to Kotozakura in this tournament. All that remained was the tomoesen (three-way playoff) against an opponent he had already defeated decisively in the regular match. With the championship and Yokozuna promotion with...

Shishi Moves One Step Closer to the Championship Shishi faced Kotoeiho in a crucial bout between championship contenders. The match featured a fierce battle of tactics, as Kotoeiho aimed for moro-zashi (a double inside grip), while Shishi focused on thoroughly blocking it. At one point, Kotoeiho managed to insert his left hand and attempted to Makikae his right hand for a full moro-zashi. However, Shishi skillfully used his left hand to neutralize the attempt. When Kotoeiho, now in a tight position, broke away and withdrew his left hand, Shishi quickly capitalized. He inserted his right hand and, with a swift scooping motion, lifted Kotoeiho’s left arm high, leaving him vulnerable. Shishi then secured the victory with a yori-kiri (frontal force-out). Although Shishi is often seen as a power-focused rikishi, this match demonstrated his ability to execute precise and technical sumo. If he wins tomorrow, he will clinch the championship. Aonishiki Showed Steady Sumo Shirokuma is not an...

 Shishi Wins Clash of One-Loss Rikishi in Historic Match In the Juryo division, the bout between Aonishiki and Shishi drew significant attention as a showdown between two frontrunners in the yusho (championship) race. This was also the first-ever matchup in professional sumo history between two wrestlers from Ukraine. Aonishiki maintained a strong forward-leaning posture, using harite (slaps) while driving Shishi upward from underneath and pressing forward. Although Shishi was pushed back all the way to the tawara (edge of the ring), he kept his composure and watched his opponent carefully. The decisive moment came when Aonishiki charged headfirst, and Shishi capitalized with a tsuki-otoshi (thrust-down). At that critical moment, Aonishiki’s face was pointed downward, and he wasn’t watching his opponent, which led to his defeat. In the Juryo division, Wakaikari, who lost to Shishi yesterday, has withdrawn from the tournament due to a left arm injury. It’s unfortunate. Kirishima Dom...

 A Thrilling Battle Between Two In-Form Rikishi Excites the Kokugikan In the Juryo division, the highly successful Wakaikari and Shishi, both with only one loss, faced off in a fierce bout filled with offensive and defensive exchanges. From the initial charge, Wakaikari showed great speed, using shitatenage  (underarm throw) to destabilize his opponent, followed by a low posture to push forward and seize the initiative. However, Shishi did not resort to pulling or slapping. Instead, after breaking Wakaikari’s balance with a right-hand slap, Shishi swiftly circled around and launched a counterattack. After a tense and intense battle, Shishi won by yorikiri (force-out). At the moment when Wakaikari attempted sukuinage(beltless armthrow), it was unclear whether Shishi had intentionally released his grip on the left side or if it had slipped away. In any case, this resulted in Wakaikari’s throw losing its power, ultimately leading to Shishi’s victory. Oho Maintains His Two-Loss Re...

 Hoshoryu Loses—Yokozuna Hopes Fade Hoshoryu, now in a position where he cannot afford another loss in his quest for Yokozuna promotion, faced Hiradoumi in a crucial match. Up until now, Hoshoryu had never lost to Hiradoumi. However, in this pivotal moment, he suffered a painful defeat. Perhaps due to nerves, Hoshoryu’s footwork was off. His feet didn’t split front-to-back properly but instead became parallel, leaving him vulnerable. As a result, with just a slap to his hands, he lost his balance and fell forward. Kinbōzan Maintains Perfect Record with Sheer Determination Kinbōzan, who has been in excellent form this tournament, faced off against another strong contender, Takerufuji. The two were teammates during their university days, and according to Kinbōzan, they had an intense rivalry characterized by "bachi-bachi" (a Japanese onomatopoeia for sparks flying or fierce practice sessions). However, this marked their first-ever meeting in professional sumo. Before the match,...

 Hoshoryu Defeated by Shodai—A Painful Second Loss Hoshoryu suffered his second loss of the tournament at the hands of Shodai. As a rikishi who never relies on henka (sidestepping with tachi-ai) and always meets his opponent head-on at the tachi-ai (initial charge), Shodai seemed like the kind of opponent Hoshoryu could confidently and aggressively face without hesitation. With Hoshoryu’s sharp tachi-ai and relentless attacks that have been his hallmark this tournament, I expected him to overwhelm Shodai. However, at the moment of impact at the tachi-ai, Shodai didn’t budge an inch, which was surprising. Soon after, Hoshoryu launched a series of thrusts and pushes, forcing Shodai to retreat, and it looked as though Hoshoryu might secure the win. But Shodai skillfully used his right hand to push up under Hoshoryu’s armpit, causing Hoshoryu to lose his balance and completely shift the momentum of the match. In the end, Shodai secured victory with a oshi-taoshi (frontal push down). Af...

 The Most Anticipated Bout of the Day: Ōhō vs. Hōshōryū The highlight of today’s matches was undoubtedly the clash between Ōhō, undefeated with six straight wins, and Hōshōryū, trailing with just one loss. The result was a decisive victory for Hōshōryū. Hōshōryū outclassed Ōhō in every aspect—spirit, sharpness at the tachiai, and speed. From the tachiai, Hōshōryū applied pressure with his thrusts, pulled Ōhō's arm to turn him sideways, and immediately maneuvered behind him to deliver a clean okuri-taoshi (rear push down). This seamless sequence epitomized the principle of "sen-te hisshō" (the first move guarantees victory). Every movement was precise and purposeful, highlighting Hōshōryū's well-rounded form and dominance in the ring. Takerufuji vs. Ōshōma In a bout where Ōshōma attempted a kote-nage (armlock throw), Takerufuji quickly turned to face his opponent and closed the distance. To neutralize the kote-nage, he used a series of technical maneuvers, such as twis...

 On Day 2 of this tournament, Terunofuji expressed, "I gave it everything I had, thinking, 'If this doesn’t work out...'" This statement revealed that he had stepped onto the dohyo with his future in sumo hanging in the balance. After suffering his second loss on Day 4, bringing his record to 2-2, he decided to withdraw from the tournament due to severe pain in his right knee and back(waist). This marked his third consecutive tournament withdrawal. And today, his retirement was officially announced. Terunofuji faced extraordinary challenges, including severe knee injuries and diabetes, which made competing in sumo nearly impossible. Despite falling from the rank of Ozeki all the way down to Jonidan, he persevered through grueling rehabilitation and staged a remarkable comeback, ultimately reaching the pinnacle of the sport as a Yokozuna. Terunofuji's career on the dohyo was truly one of a kind, inspiring and encouraging countless fans. I became a fan of Terunofuji...

 It was an excellent bout and very enjoyable to watch.  TAKANOSHO - HOSHORYU  Hoshoryu had a strong tachi-ai (initial charge) and maintained good flow throughout the match. However, Takanosho showed remarkable determination, refusing to back down even when in a disadvantageous position. The pivoting movement he made when he was cornered against the tawara (bales on the edge of the dohyo) on the far side was particularly impressive. This turned the tide of the match in Takanosho’s favor. In the end, though, Hoshoryu secured the victory with his incredible athleticism and the exceptional strength of his lower body, snatching the win in dramatic fashion. TAKAYASU - URA Wow, that was surprising! A tsutaezori (Under arm forward body drop)—and not just any tsutaezori, but one executed so beautifully! Watching the match, it was clear that Ura was aiming for a sori-waza (Backwards body drop). Still, I thought, “There’s no way this will work against Takayasu.” But this was truly a...

Abi dominated Kotozakura, handing the Ozeki his first loss as he aims for Yokozuna promotion. KOTOZAKURA - ABI Yesterday, I wrote about Kotozakura’s performance using terms like "stiff movements," "nervousness," "a mindset of not wanting to lose," and "caution." While it’s possible that Kotozakura wasn’t able to demonstrate 100% of his abilities, the result should be attributed more to Abi’s outstanding performance. Abi’s initial charge and forward momentum were reminiscent of his form during his championship-winning tournament. OHO -WAKATAKAKAGE   Ōhō dominated Wakatakakage, who had defeated Terunofuji just yesterday. In the past, Ōhō was often criticized for being slow to attack, hesitating even when in an advantageous position, and sometimes giving up too easily when under pressure, resulting in disappointing losses. However, in recent tournaments, he has shown a significant transformation. He now initiates swift and aggressive attacks and cou...

 The Grand Sumo January Tournament has finally begun! This tournament is packed with highlights. Especially among the top-ranked wrestlers, every match is thrilling, with fans eagerly anticipating who will win and what kind of bouts will unfold. The spotlight for sumo fans this tournament is undoubtedly on Kotozakura and Hoshoryu, as they aim for promotion to Yokozuna. Now, let’s look back at their performances on the opening day. KIRISHIMA - HOSHORYU Hoshoryu chose to use a hari-zashi approach at the tachi-ai (initial charge). It seems his intention was to stop his opponent's movement first and secure a grip on the mawashi. Honestly, I think his tachi-ai wasn’t particularly good. His upper body rose too much, and his grip on the uwate (overhand hold) was too deep. Still, he managed to secure both grips on the mawashi before his opponent, which allowed him to move forward. Importantly, he didn’t rush to finish the bout. Instead, he lowered his center of gravity, pulled his rig...