Kyushu 2026: Day Five

Andy Kyushu 2026, Kyushu Basho , ,

Day Five in Fukuoka

Wakatakakage and Tamashoho, of all people, continue to run things in Juryo. Asahifuji handled Tomokaze with ease today. It’s bouts like this which make me wonder how Tomokaze is still sekitori when he’s not just a one trick pony. He’s a one trick pony with no knees. He got blasted to the edge and then tries a pathetic slapdown attempt from about a foot in front of the tawara. They might be harsh words but it’s painful to watch him fight and I don’t like fights where it’s painful to watch them. We’ll have a few of them today.

As an aside, if you’re new to sumo and curious about how a gyoji can manage to prevent a wardrobe malfunction, watch the Tobizaru fight. Kazuma’s mawashi came loose so the gyoji made them freeze while he fixed it.

If there’s a real marathon bout that lasts four minutes, they stop the fight like this, too. Except in that case the gyoji will mark where their feet are in the clay and the wrestlers will go down and get some water before coming back to resume the action, in the manner done here. Tobizaru quickly took advantage of the restart and threw Kazuma.

Down in Makushita, Ikarigata is making a strong case for promotion to Juryo. He picked up his third win and remains undefeated. Omori is the buff guy, the “ikemen” who’s making the sujo swoon with his sukuinage win over Sazanami today.

Down in Jonokuchi, Sunamusashi got his third straight win. Let’s see him pick up his kachi-koshi before we start thinking about yusho. Today, he beat Chiyoshinzan. Even though Chiyoshinzan appeared to jump a bit early, Sunamusashi quickly dispatched him. Chiyoshinzan seemed more focused on where he was going to land than tactics.

Your NHK videos are here. As y’all asked in the comments, I am curious if the NHK ever looks at their referral traffic and sees us. We’re probably too small of a website but many of you do go and click through to watch the videos there. I still think they’re great but it was better when they had all of the Juryo fights, too. At least Abema shares a lot of those on Twitter.

Makuuchi Action

Kyokukaiyu (3-2) defeated Onokatsu (1-4). Onokatsu visited from Juryo. His early slapdown attempt failed and moved him a bit closer to the edge. Kyokukaiyu wrapped him up and forced him back to the edge. Onokatsu shuffled along the bales desperately trying an uwatenage but Kyokukaiyu’s grip and footwork were solid as he forced Onokatsu out. Yorikiri.

Daiseizan (1-4) defeated Kitanowaka (1-4). Kitanowaka’s right ankle was taped and he couldn’t put any pressure on it. Daiseizan grabbed Kitanowaka’s belt and easily forced Kitanowaka back and out as Kitanowaka hopped around on the one healthy foot. Another broken rikishi who needs to go kyujo. If that’s what it took for Daiseizan to get his first win, frankly he’s probably broken, too, and maybe hiding a back injury or something. Yorikiri.

Arashifuji (4-1) defeated Tamawashi (3-2). Arashifuji shifted to the left at the tachiai, trying to pull Tamawashi’s arm. Tamawashi adjusted well but Arashifuji went on the attack and shoved Tamawashi out. Oshidashi.

Dewanoryu (4-1) defeated Tokihayate (2-3). Dewanoryu’s right hand ottsuke and left arm inside grip kept Tokihayate from getting his own hold. Dewanoryu chugged ahead and forced Tokihayate out. Yorikikiri.

Ichiyamamoto (3-2) defeated Asasuiryu (2-3). Asasuiryu went low, and apparently too low. It looked like he slid his right leg out to brace against the tawara, which were farther away than expected. Ichiyamamoto slapped him down as he slipped. Hatakikomi.

Asahakuryu (4-1) defeated Toshinofuji (1-4). Hidari-yotsu lean fest. No one could get an advantage so Asahakuryu decided to switch things up and forced a grip change to migi-yotsu. Toshinofuji tried a pull, but it failed. He then tried a trip, but Asahakuryu’s footwork was solid. The trip attempt actually gave Asahakuryu an opening and he forced Toshinofuji back and out. Yorikiri.

Takanosho (4-1) defeated Abi (1-4). Takanosho shoved Abi back and out. Abi looks terrible. He could not generate an offense today. He’s throwing hands but his opponents are just moving through them. Oshidashi.

Oshoma (4-1) defeated Oho (3-2). Oshoma used his left hand uwate to drag Oho around the ring. Oho kept his balance until Oshoma pressed forward. This forced Oho to stand up a bit, and forced him back. When they got close to the edge, Oshoma pulled again on that uwatenage, now with more leverage and Oho off-balance and he successfully threw Oho. Uwatenage.

Nishikifuji (3-2) defeated Shishi (0-5). Shishi had a great hold of Nishikifuji and tried to topple him at the edge. But at the last second Nishikifuji broke Shishi’s left hand grip and threw him over the edge. Shishi’s best fight of the tournament, in my opinion. He was competitive but never really close to a win. Uwatenage.

Roga (2-3) defeated Asakoryu (1-4). Roga just overpowered Asakoryu, drove him back and out. Asakoryu pulled, attempting to brace with his right foot and throw Roga. Roga just plowed through. The reason it was so easy was apparent by the way Asakoryu limped back up the hanamichi. His taped right knee is acting up. Why was he trying to brace with the right foot when his right knee can barely handle his own weight? Another broken rikishi who should probably be on the couch for a few days. Kimedashi.

Kinbozan (4-1) defeated Kotoshoho (3-2). Kotoshoho pulled so Kinbozan drove forward and forced Kotoshoho out. Kotoshoho’s twist at the edge was ineffective. Oshidashi.

Halftime

Wakamotoharu (4-1) defeated Hiradoumi (1-4). Hiradoumi charged ahead but Wakamotoharu shuffled to the left at the edge and slapped Hiradoumi down. Hatakikomi.

Gonoyama (3-2) defeated Daieisho (2-3). Daieisho blasted Gonoyama but tired. It looked like he tried to wrap Gonoyama up with a kubinage but the move allowed Gonoyama to rotate Daieisho so his back was to the edge. With Daieisho high, up around Gonoyama’s neck, Gonoyama got low and inside and shoved Daieisho back. Oshidashi.

Fujiryoga (4-1) defeated Takerufuji (2-3). Takerufuji used his right hand uwate grip to pull and drag Fujiryoga back. However, Fujiryoga bulldozed through Takerufuji and blasted him off the dohyo, nearly taking out Atamifuji in the process. Thomas asked on Twitter whether Fujiryoga is the real deal. We won’t really find out until he faces this sanyaku competition on a regular basis. It’s clear you have to have durability as well as power and skill. Yoritaoshi.

Sanyaku

Yoshinofuji (3-2) defeated Churanoumi (1-4). Churanoumi drove into Yoshinofuji and forced him back. However, Yoshinofuji sidestepped left at the edge and pulled Churanoumi forward over the bales. I like Shikimori Kandayu’s robes. The autumn leaves looked like flames to me at first. A few of the earlier gyoji had their Pokeball robes on, so I was initially thinking this was another Pokemon-themed outfit. But a closer view allows you to see the leaves. Then there’s the softer sakura on the other side. Yorikiri.

Atamifuji (5-0) defeated Fujinokawa (1-4). Both men stood at the tachiai. Fujinokawa reached in for a leg pick but Atamifuji quickly wrapped his arms around Fujinokawa and pulled him up. Atamifuji plowed forward and forced Fujinokawa back and crushed him out. Yoritaoshi.

Aonishiki (3-2) defeated Hakunofuji (2-3). The return of the left hand. Aonishiki got his left-hand inside grip, rotated, and chucked Hakunofuji into the front row. Shitatenage.

Kirishima (4-1) defeated Asanoyama (1-4). Kirishima’s patience paid off. Asanoyama had a strong right-hand inside grip. But he wanted to get that left-hand inside. When he tried to switch grips, Kirishima took advantage of the improved leverage and dragged him over the edge, trying an uwatenage. Asanoyama kept his footing but Kirishima continued to pressure him until he forced Asanoyama out. Yorikiri.

Kotozakura (4-1) defeated Takayasu (1-4). Takayasu got a right hand inside grip of Kotozakura’s belt but Kotozakura squared him up and drove him back, regardless. Powerful work from the current Ozeki. Yorikiri.

Fujiseiun (2-3) defeated Hoshoryu (2-3). Fujiseiun overpowered the Yokozuna. Like I said the other day. Hoshoryu is a Kinboshi-flavored Pez dispenser. From what I understand, base on the ancient texts at Ekoin Temple, Kinboshi-flavor is kind of like pineapple. Yorikiri.

Onosato (4-1) defeated Ura (1-4). Onosato pulled and slammed Ura into the ground. Not the prettiest win, not exactly great footwork or overwhelming power but a win is a win. Hatakikomi.

Wrap-up

Tatsunami-oyakata has a goose that lays a golden egg. His preferred method for managing this resource is to open a yakitori restaurant and serve him up until the last of the meat is exhausted. Yes, a Yokozuna’s job is to get out there and win. Hoshoryu’s doing half of it. He’s getting out there. Let’s hope he can win enough to get a kachi-koshi. Tatsunami-oyakata can talk a big game but he’s either going to force Hoshoryu into retirement here in Kyushu or face the music that the knee is not ready and needs rest.

Tomorrow, Hoshoryu is scheduled to face Takayasu in the musubi-no-ichiban. Onosato will fight Hakunofuji. Kirishima will take on the sensation that is Fujiryoga. Aonishiki will fight Churanoumi, Kotozakura will fight Yoshinofuji, Atamifuji will fight Asanoyama, and Fujinokawa will fight Ura. That’s a lot of great looking match-ups, capped off with a pre-retirement party. May the least damaged rikishi win.

Kyushu 2026: Day Four

Andy Kyushu 2026, Kyushu Basho , ,

Day Four in Fukuoka.

No news from the infirmary. I’m not entirely convinced that’s a good thing.

As a general sumo coverage note, Sumosquirrel was right. JME is shutting down on 3/31/2027 and announced it on various Social Media accounts. JME points to Sling, Dish, and Toober (Canada) as alternatives for the North American markets affected.

In Juryo, Wakatakakage and Tamashoho won their bouts to remain undefeated. Asahifuji defeated Wakanosho for his third win. The real surprise is Shodai finally woke up from his slumber and threw poor Tobizaru off the dohyo. I couldn’t believe it, myself, so I posted the evidence below.

Down in Jonidan, Eisei defeated Terutaka (clip below). In Jonokuchi, Sunamusashi beat Kotoryu. Both men improved to 2-0.

Today’s NHK videos are here and include an interview and feature celebrating sumo’s Iron Man, Tamawashi.

Makuuchi Action

Chiyoshoma (1-3) defeated Daiseizan (0-4). Chiyoshoma visited from Juryo. He grabbed Daiseizan’s belt with his left hand, pivoted, and bowled the youngster across the clay. Shitatenage.

Tamawashi (3-1) defeated Kyokukaiyu (2-2). Kyokykaiyu threw an errant right hand thrust that Tamawashi batted to the side, spinning Kyokukaiyu. This exposed Kyokukaiyu’s back so Tamawashi quickly ushered Kyokukaiyu through the ring but Kyokukaiyu put on the brakes at the edge. Wasting no time, Tamawashi slammed into Kyokukaiyu’s chest, toppling him onto his back. Yoritaoshi.

Tokihayate (2-2) defeated Kitanowaka (1-3). Tokihayate had a strong right-hand over arm grip. He tried to drive Kitanowaka back and force him over the bales. Kitanowaka planted his feet on the tawara and refused to back out so Tokihayate pulled with that right hand and rolled Kitanowaka to the ground. Uwatedashinage.

Arashifuji (3-1) defeated Dewanoryu (3-1). Arashifuji repeatedly slammed into Dewanoryu, shoving him back and over the edge. Oshidashi.

Toshinofuji (1-3) defeated Asasuiryu (2-2). Asasuiryu charged low into Toshinofuji but this allowed Toshinofuji to grab the back of Asasuiryu’s belt with his left hand. At the bales, Toshinofuji swung Asasuiryu down to the ground and over the edge. Lots of throws so far today. Uwatenage.

Ichiyamamoto (2-2) defeated Abi (1-3). Abi’s tsuppari dispenser was out-of-order so he pulled three times, each time trying to slap Ichi down while edging closer to the bales. On the third pull, Ichiyamamoto shoved Abi back and out. Oshidashi.

Asahakuryu defeated Takanosho. Takanosho hit Asahakuryu with tsuppari to drive him back but Asahakuryu ducked low and got inside, grabbing Takanosho’s belt. Takanosho pulled and Asahakuryu took advantage, using Takanosho’s momentum to drive him back and out. Yorikiri.

Oho (3-1) defeated Shishi (0-4). Oho slammed into Shishi and reached his right hand inside. When Oho grabbed Shishi’s belt, Shishi pulled. Oho used the momentum to help drive Shishi back and out. Shishi is having a terrible basho. Yorikiri.

Oshoma (3-1) defeated Asakoryu (1-3). Asakoryu ducked inside and got a left-hand inside grip. Oshoma swiftly locked onto Asakoryu’s arm and dragged him, trying a kotenage. Asakoryu stayed up but decided to let go of Oshoma’s belt. He then drove forward with an oshi attack but Oshoma slapped him down. Hatakikomi.

NIshikifuji (2-2) defeated Roga (1-3). Nishikifuji got his right-hand inside and hoisted Roga up and back, off-balance. Nishikifuji kept Roga moving back and forced him over the edge. Yorikiri.

Wakamotoharu (3-1) defeated Kinbozan (3-1). Strong tachiai from Wakamotoharu, stunning Kinbozan. Kinbozan dropped to a knee. The way Kinbozan dropped alarmed Wakamotoharu who immediately checked in on Kinbozan. Good to see that. Kinbozan was fine, though. Just stunned. Tsukiotoshi.

Halftime

Kotoshoho (3-1) defeated Takerufuji (2-2). Kotoshoho used his tsuppari and footwork to thrust Takerufuji over the edge. It looked like a run of the mill Oshidashi to me but they called it a Tsukidashi.

Daieisho (2-2) defeated Hiradoumi (1-3). Daieisho did his thing. Forceful tsuppari followed by a pull. When the pull failed, he slammed into Hiradoumi with such force it staggered Hiradoumi and Hiradoumi stumbled back over the edge. Now THAT’s a Tsukidashi.

Gonoyama (2-2) defeated Hakunofuji (2-2). Hakunofuji chose to pull, basically jumping on to the tawara. Cue my confused, “¿Que?” face. He might have been trying for misdirection but ended up with virtual capitulation. Gonoyama followed and slammed into Hakunofuji, shoving him over the bales. Oshidashi.

Sanyaku

Fujinokawa (1-3) defeated Yoshinofuji (2-2). Yoshinofuji grabbed Fujinokawa at the tachiai and drove him back to the bales. At the edge, Fujinokawa escaped to his left, pivoted and thrust Yoshinofuji to the ground. Tsukiotoshi.

Atamifuji (4-0) defeated Churanoumi (1-3). Churanoumi squared up to Atamifuji but Atamifuji wrapped him up and drove him over the edge. Yorikiri.

Kirishima (3-1) defeated Takayasu (1-3). Throughout the bout, Kirishima was focused on corralling Takayasu’s left arm. Takayasu tried to lock on Kirishima’s right and drag him over the edge but he rotated too far, exposing his back to the Ozeki. Kirishima got Takayasu turned and shoved him back from behind. Okuridashi.

Kotozakura (3-1) defeated Asanoyama (1-3). Chest-to-chest, Kotozakura bulled Asanoyama back and over the edge. Let that sink in. The words just don’t seem to fit together that way, do they? It’s so unusual, I’m not entirely convinced that I’m awake. These bizarre dreams are quite unsettling. Yorikiri.

Fujiryoga (3-1) defeated Aonishiki (2-2). Aonishiki got his left hand inside but Fujiryoga did not go quietly over those straw bales. Instead, he piled the pressure on the Ozeki with his own right arm uwate hold, forced him back and crushed him out. Cue fierce Fuji face. He looks like Popeye when he does that. It’s not quite like Kotozakura’s pre-bout Popeye face but close. Uwatenage.

Onosato (3-1) defeated Fujiseiun (1-3). Onosato locked on quickly with his right hand inside. Fujiseiun was in trouble but seemed to have limited options. Onosato started driving back and even briefly managed to get his left hand inside, too. Fujiseiun tried a last gasp throw by shuffling to his left and rotating. Onosato shuffled right with him, though, and dropped Fujiseiun over the edge. Sukuinage.

Ura (1-3) defeated Hoshoryu (2-2). Hoshoryu tried to pull and slap Ura down. Ura justed pressed forward and forced the Yokozuna over the bales. Kinboshi Numero Dos. Hoshoryu’s become a Pez Dispenser. Oshidashi.

Wrap-up

Atamifuji leads the field, alone. Obviously, there’s a whole host of guys at 3-1 but Atamifuji is our lone undefeated rikishi in the top division. I agree with several of y’all who commented on the topic that Atamifuji likely isn’t even the best rikishi in Isegahama but for now he’s got the best record.

Hoshoryu will need to recover quickly. He will face Fujiseiun tomorrow. Onosato will take his turn against Ura. Kotozakura will fight Takayasu, Kirishima will fight Asanoyama, and Aonishiki will take on Hakunofuji. Rounding out Sanyaku, the Sekiwake pair of Atamifuji and Fujinokawa will face off and the Komusubi will take each other on, Yoshinofuji vs Churanoumi.

Hoo Boy. Umm… Is Tatsunami-oyakata looking for a deal on a barber? How quickly the sense of relief after Day One has faded.

Kyushu 2026: Day Three

Andy Kyujo (休場), Kyushu 2026, Kyushu Basho , , ,

Day Three in Fukuoka.

This usually means the start of maezumo but there will not be maezumo at this tournament. There were only four participants in the entrance exam before the basho and two of them were foreigners. The foreigners have to wait for their visas to come through, which will likely be January. One of them is Anatoli, a recruit from Estonia who will join Hidenoyama beya.

As Justin mentioned in the replies, the two Japanese recruits are going to join the same heya and there won’t be any injured rikishi coming back who would participate in maezumo again. So, no maezumo.

We do have a new report from the infirmary today. Kotoeiho is kyujo due to a neck injury that led to numbness in his right hand. Apparently, he’s got a herniated disc in his neck. Yikes. NHK says he’s out for four weeks. Kinbozan will receive the default victory.

Speaking of NHK, your videos are here. Today’s videos include a nice little interview with Shinkomusubi Churanoumi that features his work promoting sumo with kids.

Before we hop to the top division action, let’s check in on our former makuuchi wrestlers in Juryo. Wakatakakage and Tobizaru continue to fight for their return, joined by Kayo, Enho, and Tamashoho at 3-0. Enho is always dangerous with his leg picks as Sadanoumi discovered today.

In Makushita, Fujinokawa’s brother, Ikarigata Chugo is making a case for rapid promotion. He tood down Asahifuji’s old nemesis, Tenshoyama, today. Ikazuchido picked up his first win of the tournament against Kyokumizuno and Kaki got his second win. Naya picked off Kiryuko. Hikarumusashi won his first bout of the basho against Ryutsukasa. Eisei and Sunamusashi had the day off. Apologies for the truncated early division action but there’s a lot of great action to focus on in Makuuchi today.

Makuuchi Action

Kyokukaiyu (2-1) defeated Arashifuji (2-1). Solid tachiai from Kyokuakiyu. As Kyokukaiyu recoiled, Arashifuji stumbled forward and touched the clay with his hand. Kimura Shozaburo didn’t see, so he tried to play it off and the fight continued briefly before Kokonoe-oyakata, the head shimpan, alerted the gyoji. “Yo, Arashifuji touched, dude.” That’s an awesome name, “Shou-ZA-buro.” I could say that all day. Tsukite.

Tamawashi (2-1) defeated Daiseizan (0-3). Daiseizan has not looked ready for this tournament. Tamawashi blasted into him at the tachiai, leading with a fierce clash of heads. Tamawashi followed with tsuppari and drove Daiseizan out. Oshidashi.

Dewanoryu (3-0) defeated Kitanowaka (1-2). Kitanowaka tried to use his right hand ottsuke to displace Dewanoryu’s left-hand inside grip. He briefly broke Dewanoryu’s hold but Dewanoryu quickly locked back on again. He used that strong hidari-yotsu hold and dragged Kitanowaka over to the edge, pivoted and threw Kitanowaka to the ground with his right-hand overarm grip. After my Day One snafu with his shikona, Dewanoryu’s message to Andy is, “Learn my name, Dude.” Yes, sir. He’s been fighting really well to start this tournament and looks like he belongs in the division. Kitanowaka, Toshinofuji, and Daiseizan are not quite as persuasive here. Uwatedashinage.

Tokihayate (1-2) defeated Toshinofuji (0-3). While Toshinofuji leaned over Tokihayate’s back and fumbled for a belt grip, Tokihayate charged into Toshinofuji and blasted him from the ring. Oshidashi.

Asasuiryu (2-1) defeated Abi (1-2). Abi’s back, ankle wrapped up with about sixty feet of tape there. Asasuiryu did not take it easy on him and bulldozed Abi back and out. Will he grind it out and pray for leniency from the Banzuke committee? Oshidashi.

Takanosho (3-0) defeated Ichiyamamoto (1-2). The men traded tsuppari, Ichiyamamoto advancing steadily. As Takanosho reached the edge of the dohyo, he shifted left and slapped Ichiyamamoto down. Hatakikomi.

Oho (2-1) defeated Asahakuryu (2-1). Oho moved forward! He forced Asahakuryu back to the edge where Asahakuryu tried to shift right and thrust Oho down to the side. But Oho had his wits about him, adjusted to Asahakuryu’s shift and plowed ahead. “Call Mr. Plow. That’s my name. That name again is Mr. Plow.” I like this version of Oho. Yorikiri.

Oshoma (2-1) defeated Shishi (0-3). Shishi tried to lumber forward and get in for his left hand grip but Oshoma kept shoving him away. Eventually, Shishi grew so tired (or bored) that he fell asleep and flopped into the middle of the ring. YAWN. Again, terrible footwork from Shishi. He’s stumbling all over. And Oshoma demonstrated the less creativity than a kindergarden art class. Hatakikomi.

Nishikifuji (1-2) defeated Asakoryu (1-2). Nishikifuji’s tachiai woke me up. He hit Asakoryu with a shoulder blast and followed with steady thrusts. Asakoryu barely had time to try any counter attack before he was being driven over the bales. Yorikiri.

Wakamotoharu (2-1) defeated Roga (1-2). Wakamotoharu got a left-hand grip deep at the back of Roga’s mawashi. He drove ahead and forced Roga out quickly. Yorikiri.

Kinbozan (3-0) default win over Kotoeiho (1-2).

Halftime

Kotoshoho (2-1) defeated Hiradoumi (1-2). Kotoshoho battered Hiradoumi with head shots out the gate. Hiradoumi shifted to avoid and tried to re-engage from the side but Kotoshoho slapped him down. Hatakikomi.

Takerufuji (2-1) defeated Gonoyama (1-2). Gonoyama charged ahead but Takerufuji slid to the left and pulled Gonoyama down. Tsukiotoshi.

Hakunofuji (2-1) defeated Takayasu (1-2). Hakunofuji reminded me of a weatherman assigned to hurricane duty. He withstood a shoulder blast tachiai followed by a torrent of tsuppari from Takayasu. The only respite came from wrapping his arms around a tree (Takayasu) and waiting for the storm to die down. Hakunofuji then pressed forward and forced Takayasu out with an extra shove to make sure Papayasu was good and out. Yorikiri.

Sanyaku

Atamifuji (3-0) defeated Daieisho (1-2). Atamifuji read the brief. He blocked as much of Daieisho’s incoming blasts as he could and watched out for Daieisho’s sudden shifts. Daieisho eventually shifted himself too close to the edge and Atamifuji charged ahead. Daieisho tried to run away and shift again but shifted himself out. Oshidashi.

Churanoumi (1-2) defeated Fujinokawa (0-3). Fujinokawa was on edge and jumped the gun twice. Churanoumi got a strong left-arm uwate and dragged Fujinokawa down with a forceful throw. I’m sorry, did Churanoumi pull a tooth out, all nonchalant-like, while walking back down the hanamichi? I hope that was just some broccoli. Uwatenage.

Kotozakura (2-1) defeated Fujiseiun (1-2). Now this was Ozeki zumo. Kotozakura forced his way forward until he got that big left-hand grip at the back of Fujiseiun’s belt. Then, he pivoted and dragged Fujiseiun down. Fight like this from now on, Zakura-seki! Can I call you, Zack? No? Wise choice. Uwatenage.

Aonishiki (2-1) defeated Ura (0-3). I didn’t know what Ura had planned and Aonishiki likely didn’t either. We all knew what Aonishiki had planned. Left-hand inside. Ura, it turns out, let him go for that because he was counting on it. He bum-rushed the Ozeki and drove forward, seizing Aonishiki’s belt with his right hand outside as the Ozeki got his favored hold. Ura then suddenly pulled and tried a forceful uwatenage. It would have been a spectacular move but Aonishiki maintained his composure and used his excellent footwork to move inside, wrapping up Ura with both arms and forcing him back and out. Excellent sumo from both men. Good try, Ura-zeki. Yorikiri.

Yoshinofuji (2-1) defeated Kirishima (2-1). Yoshinofuji got his right hand uwate early. Kirishima tried to use his left-hand inside hold to throw Yoshinofuji. Yoshinofuji countered by wrapping his leg around Kirishima and using the added leverage to make his overarm throw work. Fantastic move! Kirishima had a wry smile of appreciation as he got himself back up from the ground. Uwatenage.

Fujiryoga (2-1) defeated Hoshoryu (2-1). Fujiryoga exposed the vulnerability of Hoshoryu’s knee. Hatsu-kinboshi. Hoshoryu pivoted and pulled, clutching for that right hand uwate. It never came. Fujiryoga recovered and charged at the Yokozuna, forcing him back to the edge and then bull-rushing him back onto his ass. “Das ist nicht gut.” Oshitaoshi.

Onosato (2-1) defeated Asanoyama (1-2). Asanoyama got his left-hand uwate but could not quite get that right arm inside. Undeterred, he planted his foot and pulled hard on the Yokozuna’s belt, dragging him toward the edge. Onosato used his footwork and his own solid inside belt grip to keep Asanoyama centered, crushing the former Ozeki backward and out. Asanoyama may have lost but he left his mark. Onosato got up with a bloodied mouth. I’m not sure if it was from the fierce tachiai or the fall. I wouldn’t be surprised if Onosato will be looking for some late-night dental work. Yoritaoshi.

Wrap-up

I’ve got a serious question. Who is better, Yoshinofuji or Atamifuji? Which Isegahama wrestler is destined for higher office, more accolades, more titles, more hardware? Right now, Atamifuji has the Heyagashira title. I mean, it’s staggering to think of Hakunofuji and Takerufuji as the “B-Team” at Isegahama-beya but here we are.

Now, turning to the Fujishima Boys, Fujiryoga draws first blood, claiming his first kinboshi. Both of these guys have burst onto the scene and are becoming quite the duo. I look forward to seeing these guys develop. Fujiseiun will get his chance at a kinboshi tomorrow as he will fight Onosato. Fujiryoga will take on Aonishiki and both are first-time meets.

Hoshoryu looked shaky today on that knee. He will fight Ura tomorrow. We’ll see how he recovers from today’s loss. It will be very important to pick up these early wins. He can’t be scrambling for a kachi-koshi in the final days, or we’ll see his final days on the dohyo sooner rather than later.

Asanoyama will fight Kotozakura, whom he leads in the rivalry with a 3-0 record. However, their first head-to-head was more than 10 years ago, way back in Sandanme and both were fighting under their real names: Ishibashi vs. Koto-Kamatani. They would fight again two years ago when Asanoyama was making his first comeback. We’ll see how it goes this time. With Kotozakura fighting well, this could actually be a really good bout.

Kirishima will fight Takayasu in yet another highlight bout. Atamifuji will fight Churanoumi and Fujinokawa will take on Yoshinofuji. It’s amazing Fujinokawa is still winless. Can he turn this around and save his potential Ozeki run? Or will it wither on the vine? Yoshinofuji leads the head-to-head with a 6-1 advantage.

Kyushu 2026: Day Two

Andy Kyushu 2026, Kyushu Basho ,

Day Two in Fukuoka.

Hitoshi is kyujo with a broken eye socket and bleeding in his eye, injuries suffered in his Day One bout against Tanji. He will likely join Shirokuma in Makushita in January. Brutal sport.

It will be a while before we have a yusho race to follow in Juryo but Tobizaru and Wakatakakage are making an early case for their return to the top division. Wakatakakage defeated Nabatame and Tobizaru took out Onokatsu. Shodai gave it his all against Kayo (that was sarcasm, he basically gave up) and Enho wrangled Tomokaze. Asahifuji got his first win, and so did Eisei, down in Jonidan. Unfortunately, Hikarumusashi couldn’t outmaneuver Ikazuchihayate in Sandanme.

I am gutted to see the comment from sumosquirrel that JME will shutter in the spring of 2027. Sorry I didn’t notice that first; must’ve been asleep at the wheel but I’ll see if I can find more details. Sumosquirrel pointed to Sling as an option. I don’t mean to rant but I hate cable with a passion and I see Sling as another iteration of cable. These silly packages charge for things which are free, over-the-air, and/or just lame as hell. I wasn’t just watching sumo on JME. I’d watch news, documentaries, Japanese dramas, etc. So, I am sad to see it coming to an end.

It looks like the base Sling package is ESPN, Disney, and some worthless freebies. Grit? I’ve got that free with my digital antenna and it’s only worth watching when A Fistful of Dollars happens to be on. You still have to put up with five minutes of ads for gold and reverse mortgages for every 10 minutes of actual programming. And I’m not going to subsidize the talking heads on Cable TV. We won’t get into the reasons I think they’re the worst thing to happen to Western Civilization since Autotune.

Say what you will about NHK, I actually really respect the quality of their news when compared to what we have in the States. They actually cover the world and don’t waste time with silly viral videos and irrelevant garbage or “human interest.” Anyway, I hope I’ll be able to find a new service and I’ll keep you all up-to-date on my search. /Rant

NHK videos are here. Today’s videos include interviews with our newly promoted tate-gyoji pair, Shonosuke and Inosuke.

Makuuchi Action

Arashifuji (2-0) defeated Daiseizan (0-2). Forward sumo defeated Backward sumo. Both men attacked each other with tsuppari. However, Arashifuji advanced behind his blasts while Daiseizan tried to pull and use side-to-side shifting to catch Arashifuji off guard. The storm was never caught off-guard. Oshidashi.

Kitanowaka (1-1) defeated Kyokukaiyu (1-1). Kyokukaiyu tried to duck under Kitanowaka’s blasts to get inside. Eventually, he could only wrap him up with a desperate kubinage. Then he tried Bill Murray’s love-making move from the movie Scrooged, wrapping his leg around Kitanowaka. Kyokukaiyu’s awkward position allowed Kitanowaka to get behind him and blast him off the dohyo and into the third row. Okuridashi.

Tamawashi (1-1) defeated Tokihayate (0-2). Good Old Tom O’Washi brawled with Tokihayate and battered the poor lad until he kicked him out the pub. With the win, Tamawashi moves ahead of Kisenosato into seventh place, three wins behind Kotoshogiku on the all-time makuuchi win list. Tsukidashi.

Dewanoryu (2-0) defeated Asasuiryu (1-1). Play silly games, win silly prizes. Asasuiryu tried to play with Dewanoryu before the tachiai as if he were Hoshoryu. Dewanoryu quickly wrapped him up and rushed him out. Yorikiri.

Ichiyamamoto (1-1) defeated Toshinofuji (0-2). Ichiyamamoto caught Toshinofuji when Toshinofuji tried to pull. Ichiyamamoto blasted forward with tsuppari and shoved him out. I must say, these opening bouts have been much more entertaining than yesterday’s.  Oshidashi.

Asahakuryu (2-0) defeated Abi (1-1). Well, this wasn’t entertaining and was actually quite concerning. Abi may have rolled his right ankle as he braced against the tawara. He crumpled awkwardly under pressure from Asahakuryu, had difficulty getting up and limped his way back up the hanamichi. He’s now on kyujo watch. At this rank, he would be Barge Captain. Oshitaoshi.

Takanosho (2-0) defeated Shishi (0-2). Takanosho’s tsuppari attack was too powerful for Shishi but in all honesty Shishi’s footwork was terrible. He staggered all over the edge of the ring as if he’d been out late with Good Ole Tom. I don’t know how he didn’t break his ankles. Yorikiri.

Oho (1-1) defeated Asakoryu (1-1). Oho used his mass to stop Asakoryu’s initial charge. As Asakoryu pressed forward, Oho quickly slapped him down. Hatakikomi.

Roga (1-1) defeated Oshoma (1-1). Oshoma got a good left-hand overarm grip and tried to pull Roga over the edge. Roga was able to resist the uwatenage and forced action back to the center of the ring. Oshoma decided to pull and Roga took advantage, forcing him over the edge. Yorikiri.

Kinbozan (2-0) defeated Nishikifuji (0-2). Another half-assed pull attempt gone wrong. Nishikifuji tried to pull and shift but Kinbozan kept him well-centered and shoved him off the dohyo. Oshidashi.

Halftime

Kotoeiho (1-1) defeated Gonoyama (1-1). Kotoeiho got his left-hand inside and Gonoyama freaked out, rearing backward. That wasn’t wise as Kotoeiho shuffled with Gonoyama’s momentum and forced him out. Yorikiri.

Takerufuji (1-1) defeated Daieisho (1-1). Takerufuji didn’t get caught leaning too far forward today. He weathered Daieisho’s initial advance and pressed forward when Daieisho reverted to his “reverse” mode. Oshidashi.

Hakunofuji (1-1) defeated Hiradoumi (1-1). Hakunofuji stood up to Hiradoumi, drove him back and powered him out. Hiradoumi tried the pull-and-shift out of desperation but Hakunofuji rode him out. Yorikiri.

Sanyaku

Takayasu (1-1) defeated Fujinokawa (0-2). Takayasu got Fujinokawa’s right arm and did not let go until Fujinokawa was flying off the dohyo. Kimedashi.

Atamifuji (2-0) defeated Ura (0-2). Ura just stood up instead of charging forward. He tried to figure out a way to sneak inside on Atamifuji but Atamifuji drove Ura back to the edge. Ura planted his feet in the bales and wouldn’t go over. So Atamifuji backed across the ring and pulled Ura down. Gunbai Atamifuji. No mono-ii. Ura looked around hoping Atamifuji had stepped out and the judges would confer but they made the right call. Ura was down. Kotenage.

Aonishiki (1-1) defeated Yoshinofuji (1-1). It’s back! It’s been a while since we’ve seen this move from Aonishiki. He last did it here in Fukuoka last year against Kotozakura on his way to the yusho. Aonishiki got his left-hand grip and then chopped at Yoshinofuji’s forward left knee with his right hand while pulling with the left. Uchimuso.

Kirishima (2-0) defeated Fujiseiun (1-1). I wouldn’t allow an Ozeki to get both hands inside. Unfortunately for Fujiseiun, that’s exactly what he did. Kirishima wrapped him up and forced him out. Elementary. Yorikiri.

Kotozakura (1-1) defeated Churanoumi (0-2). Kotozakura shifted left as Churanoumi was pressing forward and that was all she wrote as Churanoumi’s momentum forced him to flop to the clay, with some help from Kotozakura’s slapdown. Hatakikomi.

Onosato (1-1) defeated Fujiryoga (1-1). STOP RUNNING AWAY! Oh, yay, he stopped. Now he’s pressing forward and easily forcing Fujiryoga out. The Yokozuna pressed forward, hooked his arms inside Fujiryoga’s arms and bodied him out. Yorikiri.

Hoshoryu (2-0) defeated Asanoyama (1-1). Not only do these guys have matching knee braces and foot wraps, they have matching orange budgies. Damn. Hoshoryu seized Asanoyama’s belt with his right hand inside, swung him around to the edge and then slammed him back on his butt. Yoritaoshi.

Wrap-up

No more yelling from me today. And I swear, no more griping about cable tv or autotune. I’ve got that out of my system, so thank you for indulging me. But I will fill you all in on whatever I find as an alternative over the course of the next few months.

As we turn to tomorrow’s bouts, we’ve got some real barnstormers. Onosato will fight Asanoyama in the musubi-no-ichiban and Hoshoryu will fight Fujiryoga. Both are first time match-ups, if you believe it.

As we turn to the Ozeki, Kirishima will fight Yoshinofuji, Aonishiki will fight Ura, and Kotozakura will take on Fujiseiun. To close out sanyaku pairings, Fujinokawa will fight Churanoumi and Atamifuji will battle Daieisho.