Spring Basho provided unique experience but raised concerns
The just-finished Spring Grand Sumo Tournament has left us writers with a wealth of storylines. Inside the ring there was plenty of action to focus on. Yokozuna Hakuho stormed out of the gates, hit a rough patch, then came from behind to take the title. Asanoyama, likewise, ...
Veteran Masutoo still seeking promotion to top division
A photo taken of the winner's podium at the 2004 Junior Sumo World Championships has received a lot of attention over the past couple of years. Two of the four young men standing on the ring in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, that day (Tochinoshin and Goeido) ...
Takakeisho pulled off a big win at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on Wednesday, defeating ozeki Tochinoshin to remain in a tie for the lead in his bid to get re-promoted and win a second top-division title. The young sekiwake earned his fourth-straight win of ...
Okinoumi suffered his first loss of the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on Monday and fell into a two-way tie for the lead with fellow rank-and-filer Meisei. The No. 8 maegashira saw the longest winning streak of his top-division career come to a sudden end and ...
A mishap involving a referee left maegashira Okinoumi in the sole lead of the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on Friday, the sixth day of competition. No. 8 maegashira Okinoumi started the day at Ryogoku Kokugikan with a 5-0 record along with sekiwake Takakeisho. But Takakeisho ...
Yokozuna Kakuryu kept his share of the lead at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on Wednesday, defeating rank-and-filer Ichinojo in the day's final bout at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan. The Mongolian yokozuna, gunning for his second straight championship, sits in a tie with sekiwake Takakeisho and ...
Yokozuna Hakuho suffers upset on opening day of Autumn Basho
Hakuho suffered a big upset at the hands of rank-and-filer Hokutofuji on Sunday, the first day of the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament. Starting his first tournament as a Japanese citizen, Hakuho was immediately put on the back foot by top-ranked maegashira Hokutofuji, who has now ...
Emperor's Cup up for grabs at Autumn Basho
Since the beginning of 2018, sumo fans have been spoiled for entertainment with one dramatic event after another hitting the sport. Multiple first-time tournament winners, incredible comebacks, promotions, demotions and repromotions have made the action in the ring compulsory viewing over the past couple of ...
Rikishi pulling their weight in buildup to RWC in Japan, but rugby's gain could be sumo's loss
The 2019 Rugby World Cup is less than two months away. The tournament, which is the world's third-largest sporting event, undoubtedly will have a major impact, not just on rugby in Japan, but on many other sports in the host nation. What those effects will be ...
Yokozuna Kakuryu tops rankings for Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament
Kakuryu will head into next month's Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament in pole position as east yokozuna while summer basho winner Asanoyama moved into the No. 1 maegashira slot, according to rankings published by the Japan Sumo Association on Monday. The fast-rising Asanoyama, who clinched his ...
Sumo 101: Controversial decisions
Friday's controversial overturning of an apparent Tochinoshin win has people up in arms. Irate fans flooded social media with photos, videos and gifs that they felt proved the burly Georgian was hard done by. There is even a change.org petition to have the ruling reversed. That ...
Rank-and-file wrestler Asanoyama seized the sole lead at the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament on Friday with a controversial win over sekiwake Tochinoshin, as Kakuryu dropped off the pace by losing to ozeki Takayasu. Yokozuna Kakuryu, who is aiming for a sixth top-level championship, dropped to ...
