this post was submitted on 25 May 2025
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Sumo May 2025 tourney Day 15 videos - LAST DAY! (slrpnk.net)
submitted 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) by Sergio@slrpnk.net to c/sumo@lemmy.world
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Videos:

  • All top-tier (Makuuchi) matches with English commentary by NHK - youtube copy. ~~probably won’t be posted til Monday. NHK posts a video with English language commentary after a delay of a day or so, it will be linked here when they do. I think you can watch it stream on their web site at various times per day - here's a schedule - and at some point they make it "video on demand".~~
  • Best 10 bouts in the top tier (Makuuchi), with post-fight notes in English by Don Don
  • All top tier bouts listed in Japanese with Japanese commentary by NHK: first half, second half
  • Videos of the top ranks of the top tier listed in Japanese and without commentary, posted by the JSA - look for the ones that say "15日目" or "5月25日"

More Info:

Intro to Sumo

SPOILERS IN COMMENTS OK!

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[–] clay_pidgin@sh.itjust.works 4 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

I really enjoyed these, but I'm not well versed on sumo. I watched the Intro video, and I hope you don't mind some questions!

Does the Shinto guy (priest?) have a role like an umpire or referee? I noticed that one of them shouted through the match.

Nobody had more than ~15 Wins+Losses. I take it those were their records in this tournament, rather than career?

Are wrestlers generally expected to only use traditional techniques? There doesn't seem to be that much variety in technique. I saw that there are a number of recognized WINNING techniques.

Is (western style) sportsmanship not practiced in Sumo, or in Japanese sports generally? I would have expected them to help each other up. Is it not allowed or a tradition of the sport?

[–] Sergio@slrpnk.net 4 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Some great answers by @tigeruppercut@lemmy.zip to your questions.

Nobody had more than ~15 Wins+Losses. I take it those were their records in this tournament, rather than career?

Yes, those results are only for the tournament. If you want to explore their full careers, sumodb is a good place to look.

Are wrestlers generally expected to only use traditional techniques? There doesn’t seem to be that much variety in technique.

Yes, the most common technique is just "shove the other guy". But even then, there's a lot of subtlety. Sumo is all about balance bc if a huge muscular guy is just standing there, it's really hard to move him. But the minute he starts moving you can start trying to get him off balance. Then there are questions like: do you just shove, or do you grab the belt or leg or arm, or strike him (with open palm) to disorient, or do you just block his grabs/strikes for a while and/or dodge? Everything's happening really fast too. That's why I like those DonDon best 10 videos, they point out a lot of stuff I missed.

Is (western style) sportsmanship not practiced in Sumo, or in Japanese sports generally? I would have expected them to help each other up. Is it not allowed or a tradition of the sport?

Sumo has traditions of "dignity and grace" especially at the highest level. If you knock down your opponent, you're expected to return to your position just like a western boxer. You're not supposed to show any emotion or celebrate. I've heard that helping up an opponent is a little condescending -- it suggests they couldn't get up by themselves.

[–] clay_pidgin@sh.itjust.works 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Thank you very much. It's a fun sport on the occasions that I have watched it. Hell, it looks like it would be really fun to play as an amateur too.

[–] Sergio@slrpnk.net 3 points 3 weeks ago

Yeah it's totally awesome as an amateur. if you're in the US check out this listing of sumo clubs: https://www.ussumo.org/map There are others besides this, just do a couple searches on the web or social media.

[–] tigeruppercut@lemmy.zip 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

The wins/losses listed are for the tournament. There are 15 days and everyone has 1 match per day (at the top two divisions. Below that there are only 7 matches).

Does the Shinto guy (priest?) have a role like an umpire or referee?

Like the guy standing in the ring with the two wrestlers? That's the gyoji, who is the ref for the match. He shouts instructions and information to the wrestlers, like telling them to put their hands down at the beginning and calling out during the match to tell them that it's still live and no one has yet lost. He also determines the winner of the match, though if one of the five (along with two others watching from the replay booth) ringside judges, or shimpan, thinks they saw something that would run counter to the call from the gyoji he can call for a discussion where everyone meets in the ring and they talk about who should win.

Are wrestlers generally expected to only use traditional techniques? There doesn’t seem to be that much variety in technique.

There are 82 winning techniques, called kimarite, recognized by the sumo association, along with 5 more that are winning non-techniques (such as when a wrestler accidentally steps out of the ring without his opponent attacking). You tend to see the same ones over and over because some are simply easier to do than others. It's much easier to grab a belt and push or smack someone repeatedly until they're out of the ring than it is to pick someone up and throw them behind you. Here's a brief stylized video promoting a HS tournament that shows a very quick rundown of the techniques, but there are more detailed vids of course.

Is (western style) sportsmanship not practiced in Sumo

You do see wrestlers sometimes catch their opponents after they've been pushed out to prevent them from falling off the ring, but I think you don't see them usually offering a hand up from the ground because if they're ok they don't really need help getting up, and if they're hurt they don't want to exacerbate any injury.

[–] clay_pidgin@sh.itjust.works 3 points 3 weeks ago

Thank you!

About the techniques, I was wondering if they are limited to those by rules or tradition, or if they are allowed to try something else.

[–] TurtleMelon@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Glad to have stumbled across this community. This was my first time watching a basho, and what a great one it was! Already counting the days till July. Seeing all the ceremonies was very interesting, I feel like I learned a lot about the sport and its history across the 15 days.

I really wanted to see Onosato achieve perfection, but man, what an incredible performance either way.

[–] Sergio@slrpnk.net 4 points 3 weeks ago

Glad you joined us! Every upvote was another reason to keep posting.

[–] Diplomjodler3@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I'm glad I found this community. I used to watch sumo when it was on Eurosport but they stopped airing it over ten years ago. Then occasionally searched YouTube for sumo content but there was never really anything very good. Those NHK daily summaries really hit the spot.

[–] Sergio@slrpnk.net 2 points 3 weeks ago

Well, I hope I'm posting direct links 2 months from now, but just in case, you can look here:

Text Info:

[–] Sergio@slrpnk.net 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Looks like Kirishima took the Technique Prize and Aonishiki took the Fighting Spirit Prize, according to The Mainichi.

That top bout between Hoshoryu and Onosato was probably the best possible outcome. Plus, it was just a good fight.

Down at the bottom... aw, Shishi had another bad match... I think he's looking at relegation to Juryo, right? Either way I'm still cheering for him next tourney. Everyone has a bad tourney, bro! Don't let it get you down!

[–] giantpuffball@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Really wanted to see a zensho-yusho today but glad that Hoshoryu was able to prove that he deserves his title.

[–] Sergio@slrpnk.net 3 points 3 weeks ago

Yeah, really the only bad outcome woulda been a henka or an injury. This outcome sets up a credible rivalry between the two Yokozuna.