“What year is this?”
The final words spoken in the groundbreaking television series “Twin Peaks” — the magnum opus of recently deceased director David Lynch — could easily be applied to the 2025 January Basho.
Just when it seemed sumo was about to enter a new era and have at least two yokozuna on the banzuke, with its championship races returning to being the sole preserve of the highest ranks, along came maegashira pair Kinbozan and Oho.
The Kazakhstani-born top-tier returnee and the grandson of legendary yokozuna Taiho, respectively, made the start of this year feel like most others since 2018, with unexpected title challenges coming from the division’s rank and file.
Despite their best efforts, however, it was last tournament’s runner-up Hoshoryu that eventually emerged victorious after a hard-fought three-way playoff between the ozeki and two maegashira.
Hoshoryu first gained a measure of revenge for November’s title deciding loss by downing fellow ozeki Kotozakura in regulation to force his way into the playoff, then overpowered Kinbozan and Oho in quick succession to earn a second career Emperor’s Cup.
It was a remarkable turnaround for the ozeki who at 6-3 after nine days of action was three wins behind Kinbozan with just six bouts remaining.
The big question now is whether Hoshoryu’s 12-3 title win combined with his 13-2 runner-up showing in November will be enough to get the nod for yokozuna promotion.
The fact that the Mongolia native was able to step up his game when there was no further margin for error and take down all the highest ranked wrestlers, and those on the hottest streaks, is significant.
This was no simple championship procession. Hoshoryu had to do things the hard way, and demonstrating an ability to rise to the occasion will count in his favor.
Terunofuji’s sudden retirement one third of the way through the just-completed meet also gives Hoshoryu’s promotion hopes a huge boost, as few people in the sport want to see sumo without a yokozuna.
Had Kotozakura made the playoff, or Terunofuji soldiered on, Hoshoryu likely would not be in consideration for promotion, but, as with the banzuke rankings, bigger picture considerations often play a large role.
The ozeki’s opponents in the playoff played a major role in ensuring the first tournament of 2025 was a thrilling one.
Kinbozan tore through the first nine wrestlers he faced, before hitting a couple of speed bumps when matched against higher level competition.
Even so, the former Nihon University standout took down two of the three ozeki he faced and only barely lost out on glory after a playoff.
Oho, for his part, ensured that a playoff would take place with victory over Kinbozan in a do-or-die final day regulation bout.
The 24-year old had been solid if unspectacular since making his top division debut three years ago, but has looked increasingly comfortable over the past year when facing the sport’s higher ranks.
Overall, the meet was a roller coaster ride of a tournament in which fans certainly got their money’s worth.
Obviously the retirement of Terunofuji brought a touch of sadness to proceedings, while the white rope-chasing Kotozakura, falling to a losing record was extremely disappointing.
Word around the sport on Sunday, however, was that there likely will be discussions over Hoshoryu’s promotion credentials.
At 25 years old and showing continued growth, the ozeki, while unlikely to match the achievements of his famous uncle, former yokozuna Asashoryu, or other Mongolian predecessors, is a good bet to rise to the challenge and step his game up even more, should he be promoted.
Three weeks ago sumo looked like it could have three yokozuna in March, while one week ago it seemed likely there would be none at all Right now the odds are good for one, and if that’s the result of what happened in the January meet, then few can argue against it being a successful basho.
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