Although yokozuna Hakuho has pronounced himself fit enough to fight, the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament swings into action on Sunday missing two of its elite wrestlers. Hakuho is set to compete despite missing March's tourney — won by fellow Mongolian yokozuna Kakuryu — due to ...
Kisenosato will pull out of the upcoming Summer Grand Sumo Tournament, extending his streak of missed events to a yokozuna-record-equaling seven meets, his stablemaster said Friday. The 31-year-old Kisenosato, the first Japan-born wrestler in 19 years to gain promotion to sumo's highest rank, has missed ...
Yokozuna Kisenosato remains undecided about competing in Summer Basho
Yokozuna Kisenosato skipped morning practice and has yet to decide whether he feels fit enough to compete in the upcoming Summer Grand Sumo Tournament, his stablemaster Tagonoura said Thursday. Tagonoura said he and Kisenosato, who has missed all or part of the last six meets ...
Future without sumo unthinkable for Hakuho
The Summer Grand Sumo Tournament, which gets underway on Sunday, is shaping up to be a make-or-break one for several wrestlers. Takayasu and Kisenosato have seen their respective hopes for a yokozuna run and triumphant comeback dampened by injuries both old and new. Ozeki Takayasu, coming ...
Ancient banzuke adds human touch to sumo
"I can't do this for 10 years. I want to have a normal job. I want to live in a normal house. I want to eat normal food. I want to live a normal life." Those were some of the last words spoken by Takuya ...
Fresh off his victory at March's Spring Grand Sumo Tournament, yokozuna Kakuryu will head into May's summer tourney atop the latest rankings, the Japan Sumo Association announced Monday. After an injury-plagued 2017, the 32-year-old Mongolian has put together two solid tournaments this year despite dealing ...
Powerhouse Nihon University keeps churning out sumo talent
When the rankings for the upcoming Summer Grand Sumo Tournament are released next Monday, Endo should find himself among sumo's top four ranks for the very first time. The Oitekaze Stable man will become the 17th former member of Nihon University's sumo club to make ...
Family legacy weighs heavily on young sumo prospects
Jigjidiin Monkhbat, the father of yokozuna Hakuho, passed away recently. A legendary figure in Mongolian wrestling, the six-time Naadam festival champion was also a silver medalist at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City. Monkhbat's son, if anything, has surpassed his legendary father. Hakuho has 40 ...
Time for sumo to ditch ban on women in ring
Less than a month after International Women's Day, sumo found itself embroiled in a gender-discrimination controversy when a female nurse administering CPR was ordered to leave the ring by an official. The sport's long-standing ban on women entering the ring has periodically come under fire, ...
Osunaarashi trying to navigate post-sumo life
Disgraced former top-division wrestler Osunaarashi appeared on a late-night variety show this week. Head freshly shaven, the big Egyptian hammed it up, participating in sumo bouts with veteran TV personality Bobby Ologun and erstwhile UFC heavyweight champion Josh Barnett. The appearance, coming barely three weeks ...
Quiet man Kakuryu on top after long struggle
Kakuryu won his fourth championship last Sunday. It was the yokozuna's first Emperor's Cup in eight tournaments and the relief on his face was visible as he accepted a stack of kensho (prize money) envelopes after downing Goeido on day 14 to take the ...
Yokozuna Kakuryu said Monday he is relieved he was able to claim a long-awaited fourth championship despite suffering from a right-hand injury he sustained two months ago. A day after the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament concluded at Edion Arena Osaka, the 32-year-old allowed the joy ...
