Sumo

New Year Basho: Hoshoryu Wins Three-Way Playoff to Capture Emperor's Cup

The Mongolian could be promoted to grand champion after his impressive performance on the final day of the New Year Basho in Tokyo.

by
Jim Armstrong
January 26, 2025

Mongolian ozeki Hoshoryu beat two men in a rare three-way playoff on Sunday, January 26 to win his second Emperor's Cup and boost his yokozuna-promotion chances on the final day of the New Year Basho.

After beating Kinbozan in the first playoff, Hoshoryu forced Oho back to the edge but the larger No 3 maegashira was somehow able to break free.

Hoshoryu then attempted an under-shoulder swing-down and managed to maneuver Oho to the edge where he thrust him off the raised ring to secure the title after all three men finished at 12-3 in regulation.

"As I had an opportunity to win I knew I should not lose," Hoshoryu said at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan. "I really wanted to do my own sumo. At the last tournament, I promised myself that I would do my best this time around."

Hoshoryu lost to Kotozakura on the final day of the November 2024 tournament when Kotozakura won his first title in Fukuoka.

Victories over Kinbozan, Oho in the Playoff

In the first round of the three-way playoff, Hoshoryu got an inside position on Kinbozan and drove the man from Kazakhstan off the raised ring to set up a showdown with Oho.

It was the first time there was a three-way playoff since Abi captured the title at the Kyushu Basho in November of 2022.

"I knew this tournament could result in promotion to yokozuna, but I just tried to focus on each and every bout and enjoy the tournament," Hoshoryu said. "That's what my stablemaster told me to do."

While there were some questions before the final day that Hoshoryu may not qualify to be promoted to grand champion as he lost three times to rank-and-filers, his spectacular performance on Day 15 will certainly help his chances.

With fellow Mongolian Terunofuji retiring in the first week of the tournament, sumo officials will be eager to fill those shoes with a new grand champion.

The Japan Sumo Association will meet in the coming days to consider Hoshoryu's promotion to yokozuna.

Hoshoryu had not won a title in eight tournaments since he claimed his first Emperor's Cup in July 2023 when he was a sekiwake.

What Forced the New Year Basho Playoff

Kinbozan could have won the tournament in regulation as he came into the final day's action with a one-win lead over Oho and Hoshoryu.

In their regulation bout, Oho stepped to his side and then used a powerful arm thrust to the neck to prevent No 14 maegashira Kinbozan from wrapping up the title while giving both men a 12-3 record and forcing a playoff.

In his final bout of regulation, Hoshoryu forced a three-way playoff when he fought off an arm throw and got a double-handed grip on the belt of Kotozakura. He then shoved his fellow ozeki out to improve to 12-3.

Kotozakura, who came into the 15-day meet hoping for promotion to yokozuna, finished with a disappointing 5-10 record and will be a relegation-threatened ozeki in the next tournament.

In other major bouts on the final day, ozeki Onosato made quick work of Ura when he used a frontal thrust-out immediately after the face-off to close out with a respectable 10-5 mark.

No 4 maegashira Ura was hoping to finish with a winning record but dropped to 7-8 with the final-day loss.

Kirishima Completes Successful New Year Basho with an 11-4 Record

Top maegashira Kirishima displayed superb footwork when he balanced on the straw ridge and swatted down Takerufuji to finish with an 11-4 record. No 11 Takerufuji closed out with a respectable 10-5 record.

Kirishima took home a Fighting Spirit Prize for his efforts, which included 10 straight wins after losing the first three bouts of the tournament.

Sekiwake Daieisho bulldozed Abi out with his trademark arm thrusts to finish at an impressive 11-4. Abi finished with a losing mark of 7-8, which could see the komusubi fall down the ranks.

No 6 maegashira Ichiyamamoto swatted down Wakatakakage to wrap up a winning record of 8-7. Komusubi Wakatakakage fell to 7-8 and will fall down the ranks for the March tournament.

Down in the juryo division, fourth-ranked Ukrainian Shishi defeated No 6 Tomokaze to win his first championship at sumo's second tier with a 13-2 record.