Shishi

Nagoya 2026: Day Twelve

Andy Nagoya 2026, Nagoya Basho , , ,

Day Twelve in Nagoya. No news from the infirmary.

There was a lot of discussion yesterday about whether there was a hairpull in the Aonishiki bout. I’ve seen the replays and I wasn’t able to tell if Aonishiki got his fingers in there or just batted the ginko-leaf around — kinda like a cat with a ball. You all were not the only ones to notice and call it out. Sasaki Ichiro, the popular sumo reporter from Nikkan Sports, wrote about it. He spoke with Onoe-oyakata, head shimpan for that shift. He said that they’d not thought there was a hairpull and they were not notified from the replay booth about it.

There was an eventful day in Juryo today. Shonannoumi improved to (9-3) by slapping Arashifuji (10-4) down. Toshinofuji (9-3) was wrangled down by Shirokuma (9-3), so the Isegahama man remains in second place now joined by Shirokuma and Shonannoumi.

Asasuiryu, Tokihayate, and Dewanoryu won and picked up their kachi-koshi records. Asasuiryu will be picking out his somenuki patterns for Aki and Tokihayate is already likely to join him. Dewanoryu might need another win to seal his promotion but with the dire state of Makuuchi, he might already be heading up. That would be a story in itself as Dewanoryu would overtake Mitakeumi as heyagashira (top wrestler) in Dewanoumi-beya. At this point, I don’t see how that can be avoided. It’s been a tough time for the former Ozeki, who lost his mother earlier this year. I’ll be purchasing a forty of malt liquor this evening, maybe even two so I can actually drink one.

Enho (6-6) beat Sadanoumi (4-8) with a clever little tottari. Meisei (3-9), Nishikigi (6-6), Kagayaki (5-7), Ryuden (2-10), Midorifuji (7-5) and Tamawashi (6-6) all lost. A brutal day for The Old Guard. Ryuden, in particular, looks set to fall deep to the bottom of Juryo, though likely safe from demotion.

NHK videos are here.

Makuuchi Action

Asahakuryu (5-7) defeated Kazuma (3-9). Hidari-yotsu. This was a long, old-school yotsu battle. In the middle of the bout, Asahakuryu had good position and tried an uwatenage. By pivoting and trying the throw, he ended up with his heels at the edge of the ring. Unfortunately, Kazuma did not have the strength to drive Asahakuryu over the edge, so I got the sense this would just be a matter of time, as Kazuma would wear down, Asahakuryu would work him over the edge. Yorikiri.

Asakoryu (7-5) defeated Abi (5-7). Asakoryu henka! Asakoryu leapt to the left and thrust Abi forward to the clay. Tsukiotoshi.

Daiseizan (6-6) defeated Mitakeumi (1-11). Mitakeumi Henka! Full-on desperation from the former Ozeki. Mitakeumi missed with his belt grab and Daiseizan had not rushed forward so he quickly spun around to face Mitakeumi. Another hidari-yotsu battle ensued. Daiseizan cut Mitakeumi’s left-hand hold and pulled up, driving forward and forcing Mitakeumi out. Mitakeumi is likely Juryo-bound. Yorikiri.

Shishi (10-2) defeated Asanoyama (8-4). Migi-yotsu battle. Shishi pivoted and dragged Asanyama down, rotating left along the bales. Shitatenage.

Fujiryoga (8-4) defeated Nishikifuji (8-4). Nishikifuji charged forward but at the edge, Fujiryoga shifted left and pushed Nishikifuji down. Fujiryoga kachi-koshi. Is it me or did he look pissed? It looked like he caught a hand to the throat but I didn’t see anything really untoward from Nishikifuji’s fight. Maybe Fujiryoga was just pumped to get his kachi-koshi? Tsukiotoshi.

Tobizaru (4-8) defeated Onokatsu (2-10). Tobizaru shifted right and slapped Onokatsu down. Hatakikomi.

Takerufuji (10-2) defeated Takayasu (9-3). Henka Takerufuji! I think this henka caught everyone off guard. Well played. Takayasu was a coiled spring and launched himself forward. Takerufuji didn’t need much help as Takayasu flew by but he grabbed Takayasu’s belt with his left hand and helped fling him forward. Uwatenage.

Kinbozan (7-5) defeated Shodai (4-8). With a right-hand nodowa, followed by a head-butt, Kinbozan drained Shodai’s will to compete. Kinbozan drove forward and Shodai did not stop him. Shodai makekoshi. Yorikiri.

Roga (6-6) defeated Ura (4-8). Migi-yotsu. Roga pushed Ura to the edge. Ura kept trying to use his shitatenage and tip Roga over but Roga’s position really prevented Ura from securing a left-hand overarm grip. Roga kept driving forward and crushed Ura over the edge. Yoritaoshi.

Chiyoshoma (4-8) defeated Oshoma (5-7). Chiyoshoma pivoted on his left foot and pulled Oshoma down with his left hand inside. Shitatenage.

Halftime

Daieisho (7-5) defeated Fujiseiun (6-6). Daieisho shifted right and slapped Fujiseiun down. Hatakikomi.

Wakamotoharu (6-6) defeated Ichiyamamoto (5-7). Ichi tried to grab Wakamotoharu’s left arm and pull him forward but Wakamotoharu kept his footing and drove Ichiyamamoto off the dohyo. Oshidashi.

Fujinokawa (6-6) defeated Gonoyama (5-7). Fujinokawa got both hands inside for a morozashi, then planted his left foot and hauled Gonoyama over from that right hand hooked under Gonoyama’s shoulder. Sukuinage.

Takanosho (6-6) defeated Hakunofuji (7-5). Takanosho charged ahead behind that right hand nodowa and shoved Hakunofuji out. Sometimes that nodowa looks brutal, other times it’s batted away and Takanosho gets slapped down. Today was one of the brutal days. Oshidashi.

Sanyaku

Hiradoumi (2-10) defeated Yoshinofuji (5-7). Yoshinofuji hauled Hiradoumi to the edge with his sukuinage but couldn’t quite get him over. He followed up with tsuppari blasts as Yoshinofuji tried to shove Hiradoumi out. Hiradoumi slipped to the left and pulled Yoshinofuji over the edge for quite the surprising reversal. Hiradoumi ends a six-day losing streak. Okuridashi.

Churanoumi (5-7) defeated Oho (1-11), easily. Oho tried a half-hearted slapdown and Churanoumi shoved him out. Oshidashi.

Atamifuji (9-3) defeated Kotoeiho (9-3). Migi-yotsu. This was a rather high-octane back and forth as the two men raced around the dohyo trying to shove each other out. Kotoeiho gained the advantage and tried to push Atamifuji out. Atamifuji used his right hand inside Kotoeiho’s shoulder to haul him over. Kotoeiho fell forward as he pushed Atamifuji out. Gunbai Kotoeiho. Mono-ii. The shimpan decided it was too close to call…do it again! In the rematch, Atamifuji charged ahead. Kotoeiho pulled and tried to shift right to counter Atamifuji but Atamifuji dropped him from the dohyo. Yorikiri.

Kotoshoho (5-7) defeated Aonishiki (10-2). Kotoshoho pulled down with his left hand on Aonishiki’s head. This caused Aonishiki to stumble forward. Kotoshoho gave chase and shoved Aonishiki out. Oshidashi.

Kotozakura (7-5) defeated Hoshoryu (7-5). Kotozakura slipped to the left and used his left hand on Hoshoryu’s belt to pull the Yokozuna forward. Uwatedashinage.

Kirishima (10-2) defeated Onoshato (6-6). Kirishima grabbed Onosato’s right arm and dragged him forward, dumping the Yokozuna over the bales. Tottari.

Wrap-Up

Well. That was a day of sumo. Not all of it good but some of it great. Earlier in the tournament, Aonishiki seemed desperate to get that left hand grip as early as possible. Today, it was an after thought as he brawled with Kotoshoho for a bit. The Yokozuna were dreadful, losing quickly to guys who appeared to have a plan. It is helpful to have one. You might want to write that down, guys.

I’m not convinced Onosato will show up tomorrow. We shall see.

Yusho Race

  • 2-Losses: Kirishima, Aonishiki, Takerufuji, Shishi
  • 3-Losses: Atamifuji, Kotoeiho, Takayasu

Well, the Kirishima rope-run storyline comes back into play. Sorry for the delay in posting. The Sumo Association just published the bout list for tomorrow. Hoshoryu will fight Atamifuji. Onosato will face Takerufuji. Kirishima will fight Aonishiki in what will likely be bout-of-the-day. Interestingly, Kotozakura will fight Shishi. I’ve got mixed feelz on that. I mean, come on. Kotozakura fighting M14 to clear his kadoban?!?! I’ve never wanted someone to go down before now. This is just nonsense.

We’ve got Kotoshoho versus Takayasu and Yoshinofuji versus Kotoeiho and Hiradoumi versus the Ghost of Oho. Churanoumi will fight Fujinokawa. Shodai will fight Abi and Mitakeumi will take on Kazuma.

The Makuuchi demotion picture is becoming clear, and Onokatsu is captain of the barge to Juryo. Kazuma also has a demotable record already, and further losses just dig the hole deeper and push his slide further into the second division. Mitakeumi is next and Wakanosho fourth in line.

Nagoya 2026: Day Eleven

Andy Nagoya 2026, Nagoya Basho , , , , ,

Day Elf in Nagoya. No news from the infirmary today.

Nabatame defeated Fudoho. With Mita falling to Tenshoyama, Nabatame is the lone undefeated wrestler in Makushita and controls his own destiny in the yusho race. It’s his if he wins his final bout on Day 13, or he’ll be a participant in a wider playoff. Tenshoyama is a big dude, by the way. His bout against Mita:

In Juryo, Arashifuji (10-1) continues his charge for the yusho with Toshinofuji right behind at 9-2. Shirokuma defeated Enho. Kayo shocked me with his win, as after running backward around the dohyo he stopped, MOVED FREAKING FORWARD and thrust Hatsuyama over the edge and to the ground. If he has such strength, why in the hell is his first attack always the slapdown? Video of his win is available at the tail end of the NHK videos from today. Enjoy Shirokuma vs Enho, below.

We’re tracking four guys at the moment with possibility of promotion to Makuuchi. No one has locked it in yet but Asasuiryu (7-4), Tokihayate (7-4), Toshinofuji (9-2), and Dewanoryu (7-4), are probably the best promotion cases at the moment.

The NHK videos are here. The NHK usually shows one bout from Juryo during their coverage. That bout is the one that usually shows up at the end of the list. As I mentioned, today, that is Kayo over Hatsuyama.

Makuuchi Action

Daiseizan (5-6) defeated Abi (5-6). Abi struck out at Daiseizan with fierce tsuppari and nodowa, causing Daiseizan to go back to the edge and slip to the left. Daiseizan made a quick escape and grabbed the back of Abi’s belt, pushing him out from behind. Okuridashi.

Asakoryu (6-5) defeated Chiyoshoma (3-8). Chiyoshoma made the fatal mistake of pulling when his opponent was prepared. Asakoryu shoved him to the ground. Chiyoshoma makekoshi. Oshitaoshi.

Takerufuji (9-2) defeated Asanoyama (8-3). Takerufuji made quick work of the former Ozeki, shifting left, grabbing Asanoyama’s belt with his left hand and pulling him toward the bales. He followed up by forcing Asanoyama over the edge. Yorikiri.

Fujiryoga (7-4) defeated Kazuma (3-8). Fujiryoga shoved Kazuma back to the edge and down to the ground with his powerful tsuppari and head-butts. Kazuma is makekoshi and in danger of falling into Juryo. Oshitaoshi.

Roga (5-6) defeated Onokatsu (2-9). Roga drove Onokatsu to the edge with his right hand inside. As the two approached the bales, Roga used that right hand inside, under Onokatsu’s shoulder, to topple his opponent. Onokatsu is first in line on the barge. Sukuinage.

Wakamotoharu (5-6) defeated Kinbozan (6-5). Wakamotoharu let Kinbozan drive him to the edge, he then shifted right and used his right hand inside to pull Kinbozan forward by his shoulder. Kotenage.

Shishi (9-2) defeated Kotoeiho (9-2). A great migi-yotsu battle; Probably the best I’ve seen in some time. Both men tried to gain better position and drive the other over the edge. Shishi finally wore Kotoeiho down and drove him to the ground at the tawara. NHK cameras tracked Shishi as he walked up the hanamichi and pausing on his way back to the shitakubeya, completely gassed. Yoritaoshi.

Fujiseiun (6-5) defeated Mitakeumi (1-10). Fujiseiun finally forced Mitakeumi over the edge with gaburi hip thrusts. Earlier in the bout, Mitakeumi seemed to have the upper hand as he charged ahead with his forearm lodged under Fujiseiun’s chin. You could sense a real urgency from Mitakeumi as he pressed hard into Fujiseiun, aware that he’s in line for a drop to Juryo and needs several wins to avoid the drop. Yorikiri.

Asahakuryu (4-7) defeated Shodai (4-7). Asahakuryu gently ushered Shodai over the edge after Shodai’s useless slapdown attempt. Oshidashi.

Oshoma (5-6) defeated Tobizaru (3-8). Oshoma got his hands up behind Tobizaru’s head and drove him into the ground. I approved of this slapdown because he didn’t pull back far at all. He stood his ground and used all of his strength to drive Tobizaru’s head into the clay as if he wanted Tobizaru to get a taste of the dried squid and chestnuts under the dohyo. Hatakikomi.

Halftime

Nishikifuji (8-3) defeated Daieisho (6-5). Henka! Nishikifuji shifted left at the tachiai and slapped Daieisho to the clay to secure his kachi-koshi. Hatakikomi.

Takayasu (9-2) defeated Hakunofuji (7-4). Takayasu forced Hakunofuji over the edge with his hidari-yotsu sumo. He had a left-hand grip inside. But when he was able to shift that grip deeper to the back of Hakunofuji’s belt and pull himself in tight and add that right hand outside grip, he gained the leverage he needed to chug forward and force Hakunofuji out. Yorikiri.

Fujinokawa (5-6) defeated Hiradoumi (1-10). Hiradoumi’s gaburi yotsu ran into a brick wall when Fujinokawa got both hands inside and bear-hugged Hiradoumi. Fujinokawa pressed Hiradoumi toward the edge and toppled him over it with his left arm hooked under Hiradoumi’s armpit. Sukuinage.

Sanyaku

Takanosho (5-6) defeated Oho (1-10). Oho pulled and Takanosho forced Oho out with gaburi-yotsu. Does Oho have the flu or something? Yorikiri.

Churanoumi (4-7) defeated Yoshinofuji (5-6). Churanoumi battered Yoshinofuji with tsuppari and finally shoved him out after Yoshinofuji tired of the assault. Oshidashi.

Aonishiki (10-1) defeated Gonoyama (5-6). Aonishiki quickly seized Gonoyama’s belt with his left hand uwate. Aonishiki then pivoted and tried to slap Gonoyama down. Gonoyama fought to stay up but Aonishiki pushed forward and forced Gonoyama over the edge. With the win, Aonishiki sealed his return to the rank of Ozeki for the September tournament. Yorikiri.

Kotozakura (6-5) defeated Ura (4-7). No! This isn’t butsukari-geiko, you nonce! Kotozakura started sliding back as Ura pressed forward, like a blocking sled. Why in the hell are you moving backwards? You’ve got a 39kg size advantage here!! As if it suddenly occurred to him, Kotozakura slapped Ura hard with his left hand and drove him to the ground. Ay caramba, dude! Yoshitaoshi.

Kirishima (9-2) defeated Ichiyamamoto (5-6). Kirishima hit Ichiyamamoto with tsuppari, driving him out. Ichiyamamoto never had a chance to deploy much of an attack. It seemed like he was set on trying to get a belt grip from the outset and Kirishima didn’t let him. Oshidashi.

Atamifuji (8-3) defeated Onosato (6-5). Guess what? Onosato pulled and lost. He whiffed with the slapdown attempt and Atamifuji shoved him over the bales, picking up his kachi-koshi. Onosato had to sit and wallow in freakish misery at the side of the dohyo, waiting for the final bout so he could go home. The dude in the checkerboard shirt, seated next to the hot gyaru and behind Onosato, basically summed up my thoughts by shaking his head in disappointment. Oshidashi.

Hoshoryu (7-4) defeated Kotoshoho (4-7). Hoshoryu began with a right hand inside and tried to get that left-hand inside to join it as he battled Kotoshoho. Hoshoryu switched to a left-hand uwate and toppled Kotoshoho to the ground. Uwatenage.

Wrap-up

Welp, the pressure is off Aonishiki. He’s locked in his Ozeki rank in September. Kotozakura needs two more wins to do the same. We know that ankle is not 100% and he should probably go kyujo if it weren’t for that pesky yusho race. What a conundrum. He’s fighting so well with one foot, why not keep going? He’s in the driver’s seat. If he takes a couple of losses and falls out of the race, I could see him going kyujo this weekend. But if he keeps winning, he’ll take it all.

My big question is this: if you were Aonishiki, would you go kyujo in September and come back kadoban — but closer to 100% — in Kyushu? My nightmare senario would be competing at Aki, not allowing the ankle to heal, and going kadoban despite participating. So, I would be tempted to sit out Aki. Regardless, I hope he will go kyujo for jungyo. There’s about 30 dates here!

As for giri-giri Kotohachinana’s rank, he will have one more bout against a rank-and-filer but he still has to fight both Yokozuna and then Ozeki Kirishima. He will have to pick off at least one of them in order to preserve his rank. Kotonanahachi is sekiwake.

Yusho race

  • 1-Loss: Aonishiki
  • 2-Losses: Kirishima, Takayasu, Kotoeiho, Takerufuji, Shishi

Hoshoryu will fight Kotozakura tomorrow and Onosato will have to fight Kirishima. Onosato does not have an easy path to kachi-koshi, either. He will have to fight the Sadogatake pair and Hoshoryu in the final three days after the Kirishima bout tomorrow. He needs to squeeze two wins out of that schedule or be the first Yokozuna since Wakanohana to come up short. That was the final time Wakanohana “went the distance” and competed all 15 days before intai. I’m not suggesting Onosato will retire soon but I do wonder if he will go kyujo with another loss. He may even go kyujo now. All of that pressure which had been on Aonishiki is now on Onosato.

Speaking of Sadogatake beya, the brothers have some big fights tomorrow. Atamifuji will fight Kotoeiho tomorrow and Kotoshoho will fight Aonishiki. Yoshinofuji will take on Hiradoumi and Oho will fight Churanoumi as he tries to end his seven-bout losing streak and save something from this tournament.

In the rank-and-file, Takayasu will fight Takerufuji and Shishi will fight Asanoyama. I imagine if Shishi wins, he might then fight Takayasu. I’m eager to see how this yusho race shakes out. A lot of guys will be in contention for special prizes, even if they fall short on the yusho. Well, I don’t know about y’all but I’ll be watching tomorrow.

Nagoya 2026: Day Nine

Andy Nagoya 2026, Nagoya Basho , ,

Asahifuji’s winning streak came to an end tonight against Nabatame. He was defeated by a steady stream of tsuppari, and a clever arm grab. Asahifuji appeared ready to charge forward but Nabatame seized his left arm and yanked him forward. That forced Asahifuji to pull back while Nabatame kept up his tsuppari and drove him out.

Nabatame likely sealed his return to Juryo with the win. Asahifuji is guaranteed another tournament in Makushita. Any delusions of invincibility are gone. Despite the hype, we knew he would eventually lose a bout. Fitting that it came with, arguably, his first real test against a former sekitori aiming for his own return to Juryo. My message to those who are ready to crown him Yokozuna, “slow your roll.” Let’s see how he handles full-time sumo and he isn’t even there yet. Fighting every day for 15 days is a huge change. We now know that change will not be at Aki.

In Juryo, Arashifuji locked in his kachi-koshi by beating Shirokuma, who has dropped three in a row. I think his right leg is injured. Arashifuji is being chased by Asasuiryu, and two stablemates, Toshinofuji, and Midorifuji. Another stablemate, Enho beat Hatsuyama to improve to 5-4. Arashifuji will fight Tamashoho tomorrow.

NHK videos are here.

Makuuchi Action

Takerufuji (7-2) defeated Asakoryu (4-5). Asakoryu pulled for a slapdown attempt but Takerufuji stayed up long enough to usher him out. Yorikiri.

Shishi (8-1) defeated Abi (5-4). Abi tried a similar strategy as Asakoryu and met a similar fate. Shishi picked up his kachi-koshi! Oshidashi.

Kinbozan (6-3) defeated Asahakuryu (2-7). Kinbozan used solid yotsu sumo and overwhelming strength to power through Asahakuryu and force him over the edge. Yorikiri.

Onokatsu (2-7) defeated Mitakeumi (1-8). Onokatsu timed his slapdown perfectly. Mitakeumi just began to charge forward so Onokatsu pivoted and slapped him down. Mitakeumi make-koshi. Hatakikomi.

Chiyoshoma (3-6) defeated Kazuma (3-6). After a brief flurry of harite and tsuppari, Chiyoshoma slipped his left hand back inside to Kazuma’s belt and yanked forward, pulling Kazuma down. Katasukashi.

Asanoyama (7-2) defeated Daiseizan (3-6). Asanoyama latched on to Daiseizan’s belt with his left hand and immediately used the grip to steer Daiseizan toward the exit. Daiseizan tried to switch up his grip, Asanoyama got his right hand around Daiseizan’s trunk and drove him over the edge. Yorikiri.

Takayasu (7-2) defeated Nishikifuji (6-3). Nishikifuji began to pull backward to slap Takayasu down when the gyoji, Yonosuke, decided to get in on the action and inexplicably moved behind Nishikifuji. He’d been fine off to the right side. I don’t know why he moved. Takayasu lowered his shoulder and blasted Nishikifuji from the dohyo, narrowly avoiding Yonosuke. Gunbai Nishikifuji??The boys climbed back onto the dohyo, unaware of what the gyoji’s decision was. Thank God for Kisenosato. He raised his hand when he saw Yonosuke signal to the head shimpan, for about the fourth time, “I’m going to give the kensho to Nishikifuji. Is that right?” Nishonoseki-oyakata, who was sitting behind the dohyo, was alert to Yonosuke’s quandry, “Qué?” and raised his hand. Thankfully the replay team got the right call and the gunbai was reversed. I think Yonosuke got mixed up and thought Takayasu was on the other side. Watashikomi.

Kotoeiho defeated Fujiryoga. Kotoeiho latched on with his left hand inside and right hand outside, then pulled Fujiryoga up and droce him out of the ring. Kachi-koshi. Yoritaoshi.

Fujiseiun defeated Tobizaru. Fujiseiun forced Tobizaru to the edge. Tobizaru tried to pivot and topple Fujiseiun by twisting to his right. Fujiseiun avoided the throw and steamrolled through Tobizaru, crushing him out over the edge. Yoritaoshi.

Oshoma (4-5) defeated Roga (3-6). Oshoma tried really hard to shove Roga’s head into the clay. Roga stayed up but Oshoma shoved him out. Oshidashi.

Halftime

Ura (3-6) defeated Wakamotoharu (3-6). Wakamotoharu is lost. He pulled and Ura slipped away and pushed him out. Oshidashi.

Daieisho (6-3) defeated Shodai (4-5). Daieisho thrust his right hand into Shodai’s throat making Shodai reconsider his life-choices. Shodai moved back and Daieisho thrust him from the dohyo. Tsukidashi.

Gonoyama (4-5) defeated Takanosho (3-6). Takanosho pulled and Gonoyama shoved him out. Oshidashi.

Sanyaku

Fujinokawa (4-5) defeated Oho (1-8). Oho let Fujinokawa get a morozashi. He thought he could kimedashi the smaller wrestler, overwhelm him with his considerable size advantage. Instead, Fujinokawa used his two-handed belt grip to heave Oho clear of the dohyo and then pitch him over the side. Oho needed help to get back up and seemed to be cradling his right arm. Oho make-koshi. Sukuinage.

Kotoshoho (4-5) defeated Hiradoumi (1-8). Kotoshoho used tsuppari to force Hiradoumi back to the edge. Hiradoumi charged forward and Kotoshoho shifted left and slapped him down. Tsukiotoshi.

Atamifuji (6-3) defeated Ichiyamamoto (4-5). Atamifuji charged ahead with overwhelming force and shoved Ichiyamamoto from the dohyo. Oshidashi.

Hakunofuji (7-2) defeated Kotozakura (4-5). Kotozakura began by pulling and tried to topple Hakunofuji with his right hand uwate at the edge. Life on the edge is perilous and Kotozakura seemed to understand that so he pressed forward to the center of the ring. While the two leaned into each other, at the center of the ring, Hakunofuji pulled and used his own right-hand overarm grip to heave Kotozakura to the ground. Uwatenage.

Churanoumi (3-6) defeated Kirishima (7-2). Churanoumi reached down with his left hand to get the front of Kirishima’s belt. So, Kirishima grabbed Churanoumi’s arm and appeared ready to bludgeon him with it. Churanoumi pulled his arm free, moved back and slapped down Kirishima. Gunbai Churanoumi. Mono-ii. The video replay booth checked to see if Churanoumi’s foot touched out. Gunbai upheld. Tsukiotoshi.

Aonishiki (8-1) defeated Onosato (5-4). Aonishiki shifted subtlely to his left, and used his left hand uwate to pull Onosato forward. Onosato stepped out as Aonishiki hopped on that injured left foot to stay in bounds. Uwatedashinage.

Yoshinofuji (5-4) defeated Hoshoryu (6-3). Yoshinofuji won this bout when Hoshoryu decided to pull. Yoshinofuji had a firm hold, both hands inside. Yoshinofuji’s left hand was at the back of Hoshoryu’s belt and his right was square under Hoshoryu’s shoulder. When Hoshoryu pulled back, Yoshinofuji charged ahead and cast him from the dohyo. Yorikiri.

Wrap-Up

Yusho Arasoi:

  • 1-Loss: Aonishiki, Kotoeiho, Shishi
  • 2-Losses: Kirishima, Hakunofuji, Takayasu, Asanoyama, Takerufuji

Hoshoryu will fight Aonishiki tomorrow. That’s a huge bout, obviously. Onosato will try to bounce back against Daieisho. Kirishima will take on a hungry Hakunofuji. Kotozakura will fight Oho, Atamifuji will take on Churanoumi and Kotoshoho will fight Ichiyamamoto. Yoshinofuji has faced the gauntlet and come out with a winning record. He’ll battle Gonoyama tomorrow and his schedule will be full of rank-and-filers from here out. I can imagine he might be testing Kotoeiho or Shishi if their runs continue.

Fujiseiun will fight Asanoyama, Kotoeiho will fight Abi, Takayasu will take on Tobizaru, Chiyoshoma will fight Takerufuji and Shishi is set against Asahakuryu.

I have a feeling this leaderboard will change dramatically over the next few days. It’s a very interesting list, I’ll say that, and it’s promising to be a thrilling Week Two.

Nagoya 2026: Nakabi

Andy Nagoya 2026, Nagoya Basho , , ,

Day 8, the “middle day” in Nagoya. No new kyujo to report.

On Nakabi, the Kyokai displays its new Jonokuchi wrestlers. If you’ve been under a rock, or ignored the maezumo coverage earlier this basho, this cohort includes Eisei, a recruit in Minato-beya from Hull, in the UK.

In Jonokuchi, Kakizoe, son of Ikazuchi-oyakata, is in 4-0 tie with Miyafuji. However, he will fight Chiyoaoi, who is 3-1. In Sandanme, Hikarumusashi got his first win of the tournament against Kenshin. Big bout in Makushita tomorrow as Asahifuji will take on Nabatame. Well, one of several big bouts as the 4-0 competitors square off but that Asahifuji-Nabatame bout is about promotion implications, as well as the yusho race.

In Juryo, Enho got both arms up in Kazekeno’s shoulders, pivoted and hauled him down to the ground. Sukuinage. Arashifuji lost to Nishinoryu, ending his winning streak and preventing him from securing a kachi-koshi. He is still alone in the lead because Shirokuma lost again, and now joins four other guys in the chase group. So, the Juryo yusho race is Arashifuji on one loss and Asasuiryu, Tokihayate, Toshinofuji, Midorifuji, and Shirokuma on two.

NHK videos are here.

Makuuchi Action

Asakoryu (4-4) defeated Daiseizan (3-5). Asakoryu got his left hand deep on Daiseizan’s belt, pivoted, and pulled Daiseizan down. Shitatenage.

Shishi (7-1) defeated Kinbozan (5-3). Kinbozan opened with a flurry of tsuppari. Shishi was able to push through and get a left hand uwate grip. This forced the fight to shift to a yotsu grapple. Shishi showed his strength by overpowering Kinbozan and forcing him over the edge. Yorikiri.

Kazuma (3-5) defeated Nishikifuji (6-2). Kazuma’s right hand over arm grip helped him resist Nishikifuji’s initial dirve. Nashikifuji pulled backward but Kazuma used the change in momentum to attack. He thrust Nishikifuji off-balance and forced him to fall to the dohyo. Tsukiotoshi.

Mitakeumi (1-7) defeated Takerufuji (6-2). Mitakeumi needed a change. He shot forward after the tachiai and forced Takerufuji to the bales. Takerufuji resisted and countered Mitakeumi. After pressing Mitakeumi back, he tried to pull Mitakeumi by his belt but Mitakeumi launched forward and shoved him out. Oshidashi.

Asanoyama (6-2) defeated Onokatsu (1-7). Asanoyama used his left-hand inside grip to drive forward and force Onokatsu over the bales. Yorikiri.

Abi (5-3) defeated Chiyoshoma (2-6). Chiyoshoma tried to pull but Abi just chugged forward with his tsuppari and forced him out. Oshidashi.

Tobizaru (3-5) defeated Asahakuryu (2-6). Tobizaru connected with a kick at Asahakuryu’s lead right foot, forching him to fall. The crowd always enjoys a good kick or trip. Kekaeshi.

Shodai (4-4) defeated Fujiryoga (5-3). Shodai pivoted after the tachiai, catching Fujiryoga off-guard and deflecting his momentum toward the bales. Fujiryoga stopped just short of the edge and re-engaged with Shodai. But Shodai grabbed his belt with his right hand, dragged him around the dohyo and threw him. I want to see more of this Shodai. Why don’t we see this Shodai every day? Uwatenage.

Roga (3-5) defeated Fujiseiun (4-4). Roga used his left hand over-arm grip to pull Fujiseiun forward and throw him to the ground. It was a really beautiful throw in a well-contested back-and-forth battle. Uwatenage.

Ura (2-6) defeated Takayasu (6-2). Ura pressed forward after the tachiai instead of sliding back like butsukari. The two settled into a lean at the center of the dohyo as they felt each other out. Takayasu’s lead left leg got dangerously close to Ura and Ura noticed. Ura made Takayasu freak out when he tried to get that leg. Takayasu suddenly spun away, but spun himself right over the bales. “At least I kept my leg.” Oshidashi.

Halftime

Oshoma (3-5) defeated Wakamotoharu (3-5). Wakamotoharu chased Oshoma around the ring with tsuppari but tired and settled for a lean. He then lost the second he decided to pull as Oshoma chased him out. Oshidashi.

Kotoeiho (7-1) defeated Ichiyamamoto (4-4). Ichiyamamoto immediately went into pull mode and tried to slap Kotoeiho down. But Kotoeiho blitzed forward and forced him out. Oshidashi.

Churanoumi (2-6) defeated Gonoyama (3-5). Churanoumi blasted Gonoyama with powerful thrusts. A straight-forward win for the big Okinawan. Oshidashi.

Sanyaku

Yoshinofuji (4-4) defeated Fujinokawa (3-5). It was rather crazy to see Fujinokawa wrap his leg around Yoshinofuji. It looked like he was trying to climb a tree there. Yoshinofuji returned the tactic and wrapped his right leg around Fujinokawa’s left, while yeeting Mighty Mouse backward. Fatality. This is where the Instagram screen goes black-and-white and the skull emoji pops up in your face. Sotogake.

Aonishiki (7-1) defeated Takanosho (3-5). Both men traded tsuppari as Aonishiki tried to get his left hand inside. Takanosho pulled at just the right time and Aonishiki lost his balance and stumbled across the ring…but Takanosho had stepped out. I think he lost his sense of where he was in the ring. But Uh-oh. Aonishiki tumbled down the dohyo and had a real hard time getting back up. Grimaced in pain and everything. Dude’s ankle seems to be just held together with duct tape at this point. The worst part is that he’s got Onosato on tap for tomorrow. Oshidashi.

Hakunofuji (6-2) defeated Kotoshoho (3-5). Hakuno-Henka! Hakunofuji jumped to his left and Kotoshoho flopped forward. The crowd did not appreciate that one but I sure did. Beautiful form. I like it because I think Hakunofuji is thinking, “Yusho.” He’s in the race and wants to win the whole thing. And honestly, I hope Aonishiki was watching and got some inspiration…not for his bout against Onosato but against Hoshoryu. I think Hoshoryu will fall for it but Onosato won’t. Tsukiotoshi.

Kirishima (7-1) defeated Atamifuji (5-3). Atamifuji pulled himself right out of the dohyo. Frankly, he lost this one moreso than Kirishima won it. Kirishima was still trying to find a grip and an attack. Oshidashi.

Kotozakura (4-4) defeated Hiradoumi (1-7). Kotozakura’s first pull didn’t work but his second did. One thing I liked from Kotozakura here was the way he delayed his second pull-down attempt. He was about to try again but he knew Hiradoumi was ready and would run him out. So he leaned back into Hiradoumi and adjusted his grip and his weight. Then, he pulled Hiradoumi from the shoulder. If you’re going to win by pulling, be an artiste. Hikiotoshi.

Hoshoryu (6-2) defeated Daieisho (5-3). Daieisho committed to the pull and Hoshoryu committed to the win. Hoshoryu’s footwork was solid as he charged forward into Daieisho and forced him from the dohyo. Oshidashi.

Onosato (5-3) defeated Oho (1-7). Oho put his left hand up and tried to pull Onosato down. Onosato adjusted his charge by a few degrees to the right and charged Oho out. Denshamichi. Yorikiri.

Wrap-Up

Yusho Arasoi

  • 1-Loss: Kirishima, Aonishiki, Kotoeiho, Shishi
  • 2-Losses: Hoshoryu, Hakunofuji, Takayasu, Asanoyama, Nishikifuji, Takerufuji

Hoshoryu will fight Yoshinofuji. Onosato will battle Aonishiki, if the latter doesn’t go kyujo. Kirishima will take on Churanoumi and Kotozakura will face Hakunofuji.

Atamifuji will fight Ichiyamamoto, Kotoshoho will take on Hiradoumi, and Oho gets Fujinokawa.

Down in the rank-and-file, Kotoeiho will fight Fujiryoga and Shishi will fight Abi. Takayasu will fight Nishikifuji, Asanoyama faces Daiseizan, and Takerufuji will fight Asakoryu.