Sumo: Onosato Wins Narrowly, Criticized for Risky Move

Yokozuna Onosato narrowly won a difficult bout on day two of the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament, drawing criticism from a television commentator for the technique he used.

Onosato, who holds yokozuna, sumo's highest rank, faced Fujiryoga and secured the win, though the match put him in a precarious position.

Onosato relied on a hikiwaza, a backward-pulling technique, to escape the tight contest, a move that can leave a wrestler vulnerable near the edge of the ring.

Kasugano, a former top wrestler who now serves as an oyakata, or sumo stable master, offered commentary on NHK and openly criticized the move.

Kasugano said such a technique was "something you should not do," suggesting that a yokozuna is expected to win through more forward, decisive sumo rather than relying on evasive tactics.

The criticism reflects longstanding expectations in sumo that top-ranked wrestlers should demonstrate dominant, straightforward styles, given their status as the sport's standard-bearers.

Elsewhere on the same day, yokozuna Hoshoryu overwhelmed Asanoyama to secure his second consecutive victory of the tournament, in sharp contrast to Onosato's narrow escape.

Asanoyama, a former ozeki, sumo's second-highest rank, lost the bout but expressed satisfaction at competing in the day's closing match, the musubi-no-ichiban.

Asanoyama remarked that he felt happy, adding that the match confirmed his place back among the sport's elite competitors.

Notably, it marked Asanoyama's first meeting with a yokozuna in 16 tournaments, underscoring how far his career had fallen before this recent return to prominence.

The contrasting results on day two highlighted the pressures faced by sumo's top-ranked wrestlers, who are expected not only to win but to do so in a manner befitting their rank.

With the Kyushu tournament still in its early stages, both yokozuna will look to solidify their positions as the competition progresses toward its later, more decisive days.