A year of survival at ōzeki—then a knee setback
Kotozakura’s 2025 was defined by one constant: he kept his ōzeki rank all year—even as his results swung and his right knee became an increasingly important part of the story.
The year began in difficult fashion at the January 2025 Hatsu Basho, where Kotozakura—ranked ōzeki—finished with a 5–10 record, putting him into kadoban status. That tournament also delivered a major headline for the sport: Hoshōryū won the yūshō (12–3 after a playoff) and was promoted to become the 74th yokozuna.
Kotozakura’s response was immediate and crucial. At the March 2025 Haru Basho, he stayed at ōzeki and ground out an 8–7 kachi-koshi, the result he needed to stabilize his position. The yūshō went to Onosato, a name that would only grow larger as the year progressed.
Steady marks—and a first ōzeki withdrawal
Kotozakura followed Haru with another narrow winning score at the May 2025 Natsu Basho, again posting 8–7 as ōzeki. (That basho belonged to Onosato, who captured the championship with a 14–1 record.)
By July 2025 (Nagoya), the banzuke still listed Kotozakura at ōzeki, underscoring the theme of his year: he remained in sumo’s second-highest rank even without a run of dominant double-digit tournaments.
Then came the turning point. In September 2025 (Aki Basho), Kotozakura withdrew due to right knee ligament damage—notably, his first withdrawal while at ōzeki. Even more telling, he had already secured a winning record before pulling out, suggesting he was fighting not just opponents but the limits of his body. The Aki yūshō was ultimately decided in a playoff, with Onosato defeating Hoshōryū to win (13–2).
Late-season action: London and Kyushu
Kotozakura’s knee remained a storyline into autumn. At the October 2025 London tournament, he pulled out late, finishing 9–5–1 overall while competing with the knee issue. The event’s top result belonged to yokozuna Hoshōryū, who went 5–0.
Back on the regular tour schedule, Kotozakura closed the year at the November 2025 Kyushu Basho still holding the ōzeki rank, finishing 8–7. The tournament champion was Aonishiki (12–3), who became the first Ukrainian champion, a result that added another international thread to sumo’s evolving modern era.
Official JSA news: a new yokozuna era
The Japan Sumo Association’s biggest official announcement of 2025 arrived in late May: Onosato was promoted to yokozuna on May 28, 2025, following a unanimous Yokozuna Deliberation Council recommendation and approval by the JSA board of trustees. He became the 75th yokozuna, and his rise was noted as the fastest promotion in the modern six-tournament calendar era.
With Hoshōryū (74th yokozuna) and Onosato (75th yokozuna) both active, the sport heads into 2026 with a clear top-tier rivalry already established.
Stable notes and injuries: what we can (and can’t) say
There were no additional JSA-specific announcements identified in the available late-2025 sources regarding Kotozakura, his stable, or other stable-level updates. Likewise, beyond Kotozakura’s documented right knee ligament injury and September withdrawal, no other verified injury reports are included in the supplied sources.
Looking ahead to 2026: recovery, rank pressure, and overseas sumo
As of December 2025, Kotozakura remains an active ōzeki but is managing a recurring right knee ligament injury. Based on recent reports, his ability to maintain ōzeki into 2026 will depend heavily on recovery and performance in the early tournaments.
Beyond the dohyo in Japan, the JSA has indicated continued international expansion, with the next overseas Grand Sumo Tournament scheduled for Paris in 2026. Whether Kotozakura can be part of Japan’s front-line representation may come down to the same question that shaped his 2025: how much sumo can that right knee withstand?