Sumo

Abi Upsets Hoshoryu in His Yokozuna Debut on Day 1 of Spring Basho

The Mongolian grand champion was overwhelmed by the komusubi in the final bout of the day at the Spring Basho and never mounted a counterattack.

by
Jim Armstrong
March 9, 2025

Komusubi Abi spoiled Hoshoryu's yokozuna debut on Sunday, March 9, sending the Mongolian grappler backpedaling out of the ring on Day 1 of the Spring Basho.

Abi deployed a powerful arm thrust to the neck of grand champion Hoshoryu immediately after the face-off. The day's final bout at Osaka Municipal Gymnasium was over in the blink of an eye.

"I was able to do my sumo today and concentrate," Abi said. "I wasn't thinking at all about the fact that it was his first tournament as a yokozuna."

Hoshoryu was promoted to sumo's highest rank after winning the New Year tournament in January with a 12-3 record but this was hardly the start he wanted.

On Monday, the Mongolian will regroup and hope for better things in a bout against top maegashira Wakatakakage.

Wakamotoharu Upsets Kotozakura

In the day's first big upset at the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament, top maegashira Wakamotoharu waltzed out demotion-threatened ozeki Kotozakura to start with a win.

Kotozakura forced Wakamotoharu back to the edge after the face-off with a left-handed grip on the belt. But he couldn't finish off his opponent.

Wakamotoharu was 6-9 in the previous tournament and talked about the need to turn things around in the Spring Basho.

"I got off to a good start at the face-off," Wakamotoharu said.

He added, "I didn't have a good result last time out, so it was important for me to get off to a good start today."

After going a disastrous 5-10 in the previous tournament, Kotozakura needs a winning record in this basho to maintain his ozeki status for the next tournament.

A Winning Start for Onosato at the Spring Basho

Ozeki Onosato manhandled top maegashira Wakatakakage with a rare twisting backward knee trip at the edge to post a confidence-boosting Day 1 win.

Mongolian No 2 maegashira Chiyoshoma used a spectacular overarm throw at the edge to send newly promoted sekiwake Oho toppling off the raised ring.

Oho advanced to the three-way playoff in the previous tournament with a 12-3 record and is hoping to contend for the title again in the Spring Basho.

Komusubi Kirishima swatted down sumo's Flying Monkey Tobizaru to open with a strong win.

Third-ranked maegashira Tobizaru started well with an arm thrust to the neck. But he couldn't capitalize and was sent sprawling to the dirt surface.

No 2 maegashira Gonoyama thrust down sekiwake Daieisho to post a win on the opening day.

Takerufuji Triumphs in an All-Maegashira Showdown

Sixth-ranked maegashira Takerufuji got a left-handed grip after the face-off, spun Shodai around and shoved the seventh-ranked maegashira out to start off with a victory.

Takerufuji, who won the 2024 March tournament, went a solid 10-5 in the last tournament in January as a No 11 maegashira to move up the ranks for this basho.

No 6 maegashira Hiradoumi defeated Kinbozan with a frontal push-out to start his March campaign on a winning note.

Fifth-ranked Kinbozan of Kazakhstan was 12-3 last time out and advanced to the three-way playoff where he lost to Hoshoryu.

Local favorite Ura, a No 5 maegashira, gave the home fans a thrill when he used a frontal push-out to defeat fourth-ranked Ichiyamamoto.