Aonishiki’s Fierce Win Sparks a Three-Way Showdown in Kyushu
Here’s how things unfolded in Fukuoka — and trust me, the drama at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament couldn’t have been scripted better.
So, Aonishiki, the 21-year-old Ukrainian sensation, stepped into Day 14 with everything on the line. Just a day earlier, he had slipped from the top of the leaderboard after losing to Onosato. But Saturday brought a different mood entirely. He was up against yokozuna Hoshoryu, and this matchup has always leaned in Aonishiki’s favor. That trend continued, and in emphatic style.
The bout was ignited the moment the referee’s call echoed. Aonishiki launched himself low and fast — exactly the way he likes to operate — and Hoshoryu had no time to mount a counter. Before anyone realized, the yokozuna had been pushed straight out. It was clean, controlled, and dominant, and it pushed Aonishiki to 11-3, reclaiming his share of the lead. That also extended his personal record against Hoshoryu to three wins in three meetings.
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What made this victory even bigger was what happened just before it. Onosato, the overnight leader, faltered badly. He came chest to chest with ozeki Kotozakura, and once the ozeki secured a powerful belt grip, Onosato was driven out without much resistance. That loss not only tightened the leaderboard but also snapped the possibility of a clean head-to-head decider between the two yokozuna on Sunday. Suddenly, the title race opened wide.
Now, with all three — Aonishiki, Hoshoryu, and Onosato — locked at 11-3, the final day is set up with razor-thin stakes. If Aonishiki manages to defeat Kotozakura on Sunday, he’ll force a playoff against whichever yokozuna wins their bout. But if he slips, the Emperor’s Cup automatically goes to the victorious yokozuna. Everything rests on that one last performance, and Aonishiki knows it. Even after Saturday’s win, he stayed calm and focused, saying he wasn’t thinking too much about the pressure and only wanted to deliver his best sumo on the final day.
Elsewhere in the ring, there were a few crucial survival battles. Komusubi Takayasu fought off the dreaded eighth loss by defeating Atamifuji, keeping his hopes alive for maintaining rank. Wakamotoharu secured his eighth win, nudging himself into contention for a return to the sanyaku ranks. Meanwhile, his younger brother Wakatakakage wasn’t as fortunate, dropping to 6-8 after being pushed out by Churanoumi.
But truly, the spotlight belonged to Aonishiki. On one of the most intense days of this tournament, he managed to shift the entire storyline with a single burst of power. Now all eyes turn to the final day, where every grain of sand on the dohyo could decide whether history will be written.
Let’s see how this dramatic finish unfolds.
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