No. 15 Maegashira Kotoshoho Seizes Chance, Secures 1st Title at Nagoya Tournament

Yomiuri Shimbun

2 days ago

For just the second time in his modest career, No. 15 maegashira Kotoshoho had a title within reach. This time he made sure not to let it get away.
Kotoshoho captured his first makuuchi-division championship with a victory over No. 1 maegashira Aonishiki on the final day of the Nagoya Grand Tournament at IG Arena on Sunday, making him the first maegashira-ranked wrestler to win a title in eight tournaments.
'My emotions still haven't caught up with me, but I'm happy,' Kotoshoho said in the post-victory ceremony interview.
The 25-year-old Kotoshoho finished with a 13-2 record for a two-win margin over a quintet of runners-up that included yokozuna Onosato, whom Kotoshoho eliminated from title contention by beating him on Day 13.
'It was the day before yesterday that I became aware that I could win,' Kotoshoho said.
With the victory, Kotoshoho also gains the distinction of becoming the first champion in the newly opened IG Arena, which replaced the Aichi Prefectural Gym that had hosted the tournament for the past 60 years. It marks quite a contrast with the inaugural champion at Aichi Gym back in 1965 — the legendary yokozuna Taiho.
But that doesn't imply Kotoshoho was not deserving of the Emperor's Cup. After two straight losses left him at 3-2 after five days, the Chiba Prefecture native reeled off 10 straight wins. For his efforts, Kotoshoho also shared the Outstanding Performance Award and the Fighting Spirit Prize.
Kotoshoho went into Sunday's match against Aonishiki with a one-win lead over the Ukrainian. A Kotoshoho win would secure the title outright, while a loss would have resulted in a playoff between the two, with No. 14 maegashira Kusano, whose bout was up next, potentially making it a three-man affair.
But Kotoshoho settled the matter quickly, driving hard from the jump-off, then pulling back at just the right moment to cause Aonishiki to fall forward onto his hands, much to the delight of the crowd that included his father, wife and young son.
'I'm not sure where they are, but I think they saw a decent performance,' Kotoshoho said about having his family on hand.
It was the second time in his career that Kotoshoho, who has never risen above the rank of No. 3 maegashira and temporarily dropped to the juryo division, went into the last day with a chance to walk off with the Emperor's Cup. At the 2023 New Year tournament, he came up short in a winner-take-all showdown with ozeki Takakeisho.
'I thought just to go out as hard as I could,' Kotoshoho said in comparing the two tournaments.
Kusano, who was poised to set up a three-way playoff had Kotoshoho lost, instead ended up losing himself to komusubi Takayasu to end the tournament with a still impressive 11-4 record. He shared the Technique Prize with Aonishiki, while also sharing the Fighting Spirit Prize with Kotoshoho and No. 15 maegashira Fujinokawa.
Takayasu, a former ozeki, used a rapid-fire slapping attack to force out Kusano and finish at 10-5, a record that will leave no doubts about him at least retaining the komusubi rank.
Takayasu had moved up to the fourth highest rank for the preceding Summer tournament, and although he ended with a 6-9 record, was allowed to keep his spot based on the circumstances of others. It was the first time such a 'non-demotion' had occurred since the 15-day tournament system was established in 1949.
For newly promoted yokozuna Onosato, his disappointing debut at the sport's highest rank ended with a victory over ozeki Kotozakura, leaving him among the fivesome at 11-4 after having already securing an ignominious place in sumo history.
Onosato, who had stormed into Nagoya riding back-to-back titles that propelled him to the top rank, suffered all four of his losses to maegashira-ranked wrestlers, the most-ever in a yokozuna debut in modern sumo history.
For the first time in five years, there were two yokozuna competing in the same tournament, and hopes were high of a late showdown between Onosato and fellow yokozuna Hoshoryu. But Hoshoryu pulled out on the fifth day after suffering three straight losses, and in the end, it was the rank-and-filers who supplied the fireworks.
Kotozakura, by finishing 8-7, has now failed to notch double-digit wins in four consecutive tournaments since he won the Kyushu tournament in November 2024 with a 14-1 record.
In a battle between the two sekiwake, Wakatakakage slipped to the side at the jump-off, then shuffled Kirishima out of the ring to close with a 10-5 mark. Kirishima finished at 8-7.
Also receiving the Outstanding Performance Award was No. 4 maegashira Tamawashi, who finished up an 11-4 record with a victory over komusubi Oshoma (3-12). At 40 years 8 months, he becomes the oldest ever recipient of one of the three post-tournament prizes.