New Year Basho arrives with yokozuna absent and virus concerns rising
The first grand tournament of 2021 is scheduled to begin Sunday despite the announcement of a state of emergency in parts of the greater Tokyo area.
The Mongolian-born grand champion is the latest to have been infected in the lead-in to the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament.
Takakeisho, a first-time candidate for promotion to yokozuna, leads the three ozeki in the rankings released by the Japan Sumo Association.
Takakeisho's rise, Terunofuji's rebound? Thrills await fans in 2021
Professional sumo closed out the thrill ride that was 2020 with one final flourish. Comeback king Terunofuji pulled off an emphatic win against ozeki Takakeisho in the last regulation bout of the year, only to lose in a playoff for the Emperor’s Cup against the ...
Grand champions Hakuho and Kakuryu told to heal themselves before next tournament
The unusually stern warning came after both grand champions ended the year having only managed to complete one tournament each.
Yokozuna Hakuho withdraws from November Basho with knee injury
The 44-time champion has been unable to recover from his August surgery and will miss a second straight grand tournament.
Healthy yokozuna Hakuho looks ready to reclaim throne
The Miyagino stable man is in position to extend his championship record and pick up an incredible 45th Emperor’s Cup.
New ozeki Shodai among headliners for intriguing November Basho
The tournament, normally held in Fukuoka, will be the third straight held at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan to limit travel during the coronavirus pandemic.
Sumo experiencing extreme period of parity in final stages of Hakuho's legendary reign
With four former ozeki and an incredible ten wrestlers with championship experience still active in the top division, sumo is the very definition of parity right now.
Sumo's two highest-ranked wrestlers have struggled with injuries and will sit out the September tournament when it begins on Sunday at Ryogoku Kokugikan.
Hakuho may be on path to becoming great stablemaster if latest recruit pans out
With Hokuseiho, the yokozuna may have stumbled upon someone worthy of taking up his mantle.
The 44-time champion's exit due to injury puts ozeki Asanoyama in a solid position to claim his second Emperor's Cup with an 11-1 record heading into the final stretch.
