Sumo

Kyushu Basho: New Ozeki Onosato Bounces Back with a Convincing Win Over Atamifuji

Onosato was all business against Atamifuji and is one win back of the Kyushu Basho lead after five days of competition in Fukuoka.

by
Jim Armstrong
November 14, 2024

Newly promoted ozeki Onosato bounced back from a loss on the previous day to defeat Atamifuji on Thursday, November 14 and stay one win off the pace at the Kyushu Basho.

Onosato was handed his first loss of the tournament on Wednesday when he was upset by No 3 maegashira Abi.

But the September tournament champion was back to his winning ways on Day 5 when he got a grip on the belt of Atamifuji shortly after the face-off and shoved the No 3 maegashira out to give both grapplers a 4-1 record.

Onosato is among six wrestlers who trail ozeki Hoshoryu and rank-and-filers Takanosho and Onokatsu, who are all at a perfect 5-0, by one win.

Hoshoryu Stays Unbeaten at the Kyushu Basho

In the day's final bout at Fukuoka Kokusai Center, Mongolian Hoshoryu deployed a perfect forearm throw at the center of the ring to defeat No 2 maegashira Wakatakakage, who dropped to 3-2.

Also Thursday, ozeki Kotozakura calmly brushed aside No 2 maegashira Ura by using several powerful thrusts to send the Kise stable trickster toppling off the raised ring in a matter of seconds.

Kotozakura stayed in the chase pack at 4-1 while Ura fell to 1-4.

Abi also stayed one win off the pace when he thrust out fourth-ranked Churanoumi to move to 4-1. Churanoumi fell to 1-4.

Top maegashira Hiradoumi (1-4) finally picked up his first win when he came bursting out of the face-off and shoved Wakamotoharu out in a matter of seconds. Komusubi Wakamotoharu dropped to 3-2.

Kirishima's chances of returning to the ozeki rank he once held took another setback when he suffered his fifth straight defeat after being hauled down by top maegashira Oho.

At 0-5, sekiwake Kirishima will be lucky to just get a winning record in this tournament. Oho improved to 2-3.

A Birthday Victory for Takanosho

Sixth-ranked maegashira Takanosho celebrated his 30th birthday on Thursday when he fought off a grip to the belt and swatted down fourth-ranked Oshoma (1-4) to stay tied for the lead at 5-0.

Further down the ranks, No 15 maegashira Onokatsu of Mongolia got a left-hand grip on the belt of Bushozan and waltzed the winless No 17 maegashira to also improve to 5-0.

Rank-and-filers Mitakeumi and Gonoyama are also at 4-1 after winning their Day 5 bouts.

March tournament winner Takerufuji, a No 16 maegashira, was swatted down by Shonannoumi to fall to his second loss against three wins. No 13 Shonannoumi also stands at 3-2.

Ukrainian Shishi gave it his all in a bout against Ryuden (2-3) but was eventually forced out by the No 13 maegashira. Shishi suffered his third consecutive loss and fell to 2-3 in his makuuchi division debut as a No 16 maegashira.