Yokozuna contender Onosato moved to 12-0 at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament Tuesday, defeating komusubi Takayasu with an outside arm throw that kept his pursuit of a first championship alive before Ryogoku Kokugikan’s weekday crowd. The win avenged a narrow loss to Takayasu in last year’s November meet and preserved a two-win lead over sekiwake Kotonowaka, who beat maegashira Tobizaru earlier on the card.
Match dynamics
Onosato seized a deep left grip at the tachiai, absorbed Takayasu’s initial thrust, then pivoted with uwatenage—a technique he had drilled after spring technical review. Takayasu stepped out attempting recovery, ending the bout in under eight seconds. Judges confirmed no mono-ii review; slow-motion replays showed Takayasu’s heel on tawara before Onosato’s follow-up shove.
Stablemaster Miyagino declined post-bout interviews, citing focus rules, but assistant coaches said Onosato’s breathing stayed controlled—a contrast with July when late-tournament fatigue produced sloppy edges.
Tournament picture
With three days left, Onosato needs two more wins for outright the Emperor’s Cup; Kotonowaka must win out and hope Onosato stumbles twice—a unlikely but mathematically open path. Ozeki Takakeisho withdrew on day nine with a knee sprain, removing one spoiler from the leaderboard. Hoshoryu, newly promoted ozeki, sits at 8-4 after inconsistent form on injured ribs.
Attendance Tuesday exceeded 7,200, strong for a workday as corporate groups bought blocks tied to client entertainment before fiscal half-year close. Kokugikan ushers enforced no-flash photography rules after viral clips last basho disrupted rikishi concentration.
Historical context
No maegashira-ranked wrestler has finished 15-0 in the modern six-basho era; Onosato’s rise from juryo within two years makes a perfect record narrative seductive for NHK highlight packages. Sumo Association elders caution against premature yokozuna promotion talk, noting durability across four tournaments matters more than one flawless meet.
Broadcast and betting
NHK’s Grand Sumo broadcast carried the bout live with multilingual captions on BS channels. Official fan apps showed win-probability models updated after each bout—entertainment, not gambling, the association stresses, though offshore bookmakers list odds despite Japan’s public stance against sports wagering.
What’s next
Wednesday pairs Onosato with sekiwake Daieisho, whose pushing style tests lower-body stamina. Ticket resale prices for upper-tier seats doubled online within an hour of Tuesday’s result; box office will release a small walk-up pool each morning. For sumo tourists visiting during Asian Games week, combining Nagoya travel with a Ryogoku day trip has become a popular itinerary—if Onosato keeps winning, Thursday seats may sell out before lunch queues form.