2026 Hatsu Basho: Final Day results and analysis

Recapping all the top division action from Grand Sumo's 2026 January Tournament (spoilers).

The 2026 New Year basho is in the books and, wow, what a great tournament.

Scroll down to see who lifted the first cup of the year and watch the videos that show how they got there. You’ll also find my analysis and some coverage of juryo and makushita, too, including an early look at the promotions that might happen there.

This has been a rough tournament for me to cover. As many of you know, I am currently in my second stop at college. My first time around was for a TV broadcasting diploma, which I have zero desire to ever use again. This time around I’m training to be a social service worker, something I will be able to register as, with my province, in April. Right now I have classes all day on Monday and then field placement days for the other four days of the week. Add my UFC writing for MMA Mania (which includes live blogging all of Saturday’s event) and my regional MMA writing for Combat Press and… yeah, you might be able to see how pressed for time I’ve been during this tournament.

And then I got sick, too. So, despite my enthusiasm for this tournament being high as ever, my energy has not been there over the last few days where my cold/flu/whatever had its hooks in me. Sorry for the tardiness and lack of precision that resulted in.

If you enjoyed my coverage of this tournament, despite my lax efforts during the final push, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. Time I spend at school and at field placement (and doing all the readings and assignments that go with them) is all unpaid. This newsletter has become a pretty integral part of my monthly income and, frankly, that’s the main reason that convinces me that it’s worth doing (right now). Hopefully after graduation (and the jobs I hope come soon after) this will again become more of a hobby and less of a revenue generator.

But right now, if you can and you want to support me, that would be very rad. Paid subscribers get access to the archives and will be able to read the premium pieces I will start working on shortly (banzuke prediction, report cards, etc.).

Whether you are a free or a paid subscriber, though, thank you so much for choosing Sumo Stomp! as your companion piece to this basho. It makes me giddy to think that I’ve made something that seems to enhance the experience of sumo for others. I love that and I love doing this.

Our bonus gif today is breakout star Oshoumi.

gesundheit.

SPOILERS BELOW

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Results

• Asahakuryu (8-7) def. Sadanoumi (9-6) by yorikiri (frontal force out)

• Kotoeiho (8-7) def. Ryuden (6-9) by yorikiri

• Mitkauemi (7-8) def. Midorifuji (6-9) by oshidashi (frontal push out)

• Tobizaru (7-8) def. Chiyoshoma (6-9) by yorikiri

• Kotoshoho (9-6) def. Hatsuyama (2-13) by tsukiotoshi (thrust down)

• Roga (7-8) def. Tomokaze (4-11) by uwatenage (over arm throw)

• Asakoryu (9-6) def. Gonoyama (7-8) by oshidashi

• Shodai (7-8) def. Asanoyama (9-6) by katasukashi (under shoulder down)*

• Fujinokawa (10-5) def. Tokihayate (8-7) by sukuinage (beltless arm throw)*

• Atamifuji (12-3) def. Oshoumi (10-5) by yorikiri*

• Daieisho (7-8) def. Shishi (9-6) by oshidashi

• Wakatakakage (9-6) def. Hiradoumi (9-6) by katasukashi*

• Ura (4-11) def. Tamawashi (5-10) by hikiotoshi (hand pull down)*

• Yoshinofuji (8-7) def. Oshoma (7-8) by oshidashi

• Ichiyamamoto (4-11) def. Kinbozan (4-11) by yorikiri

• Wakamotoharu (8-7) def. Onokatsu (7-8) by uwatehineri (twisting over arm throw)

• Takanosho (5-10) def. Oho (4-11) by oshidashi

• Churanoumi (9-6) def. Takayasu (8-7) by okuridashi (rear push out)

• Kirishima (11-4) def Abi (10-5) by yorikiri*

• Aonishiki (12-3) def. Kotozakura (8-7) by yorikiri*

• Hoshoryu (10-5) def. Onosato (10-5) by yorikiri*

• Aonishiki (12-3) def. Atamifuji (12-3) by kubinage (headlock throw)*

*Must see bouts!

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Final Standings

• Makuuchi yusho (champion): Aonishiki (12-3)

• Shukun-sho (outstanding performance award): Yoshinofuji (8-7)

• Kanto-sho (fighting spirit prize): Kirishima (11-4), Atamifuji (12-3)

• Juryo yusho: Wakanosho (12-3)

• Makushita yusho: Nobehara (7-0)

Analysis

Aonishiki is our 2026 hatsu basho champion. The Blue Whirlwind, who doesn’t turn 22 until March, tore through the competition (just like he did in November) and again proved how special he is.

Let’s look at how things unfolded last night, which resulted in the second yusho in a row for Danny Sumo.

The first bout last night, with title implications on the line, was Atamifuji vs. Oshoumi. Atamifuji needed to win this bout to ensure he would either clinch the yusho (off an Aonishiki loss) or clinch play-off berth (off an Aonishiki win). A loss would have still gotten him to a play-off had Aonshiki lost, but Atamifuji would have gone into this feeling he had to win (given how good Aonsihiki has been).

Despite there being a lot of pressure in this bout, Atamifuji did not crack. And that was wonderful to see. I remember how nervous he looked when he crashed the makuuchi scene in 2023 and got himself into a yusho race in two back-to-back tournaments. His nerves hijacked him during the pivotal days of those tournaments and resulted in emphatic losses to Takakeisho and Kirishima.

He didn’t seem nervous at all last night, though. The 23 year-old (remember he’s still very young, too!) crashed into Oshoumi with confidence in the tachiai. He immediately locked in his favourite hold, migi-yotsu (right arm inside, left arm outside), and then outmuscled the relative newcomer.

Atamifuji didn’t show much emotion after the win. That’s also a great sign from the man who is guilty of sometimes wearing his heart on his sleeve. That’s a wonderful human characteristic, but it gets you into trouble as a rikishi.

This win put the pressure on Aonishiki, who was scheduled to face Kotozakura.

Before I get to that, though. I just want to quickly recognize Oshoumi’s efforts this month. His yotsu-zumo (belt grappling) has been very strong and forceful, albeit lacking in nuance at times. This was a great showing from him. He’s only 24, too.

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Aonishiki has had Kotozakura’s number as of late. However, his dominance over him in 2025 was during a time when Kotozakura could not stay healthy. His nagging knee injury was a factor in all the tournaments they met in last year. Kotozakura had looked improved in this tournament, though still not all the way back to the form that saw him earn the title of winningest wrestler in 2024.

Kotozakura led with thrusts in this bout, probably due to seeing how successful Onosato was with that move against Aonishiki on the previous day. Aonishiki was able to divert and deflect the power from Kotozakura’s thrusts, though, thanks to some hazuoshi (pushes to the armpit). After getting knocked back, Kotozakura went for a slap down, twice. Aonishiki rarely falls for that move. He’s only lost three bouts in his career to hatakikomi. It’s because he’s very comfortable at leaning forwards and knows exactly where to have his feet, at all times, to make sure he can both exert forwards, while bent, while not also being susceptible to getting pushed down.

Kotozakura conceded a lot of ground attempting those slap downs. He ended up right on the straw. That forced him to show off his always surprising mobility, as he circled to the center, while also managing to get a strong outside grip with his left hand. Kotozakura then tried to do something with his other hand. I can’t decide if he was trying to get a second hand on the belt or bring his hand out to try a katasukashi on Aonishiki’s right shoulder. He couldn’t do either of those things, though, due to Aonishiki’s ottsuke (forearm blocking) that pinned Kotozakura’s right hand in no man’s land. Aonishiki’s grip strength and the strength at which he can wedge someone’s wrist between his own forearm and his side, are things that might be unmatched in sumo right now. With his vice lock sunk in, and his head in Kotozakura’s chest, Kotozakura couldn’t escape and was forced to hop back into the seats.

Just with Atamifuji, I couldn’t see anything from Aonishiki here that would convey any sort of nervousness. I felt like I saw him get nervous at Nagoya last year, before his title losing bout to Kotoshoho. I think that’s literally the only time I’ve seen him act nervous on the dohyo, though.

So, that set up our final dance of the basho: Aonishiki vs. Atamifuji for the yusho. Aonishiki won their previous bout, on Day 12, in a manner that looked a lot like his win over Kotozakura on this day. In that first bout Atamifuji tried to get his migi-yotsu early, but Aonishiki denied it.

This time around Atamifuji was able to get his migi-yotsu off the tachiai. However, crucially, Atamifuji was not able to get his inside right hand onto Aonishiki’s belt. Why not? Because of Aonishiki’s ottsuke, trapping Atamifuji’s inside arm higher up his body and out of reach of the silk.

You know who did have a hand on the belt? Aonishiki. The Ukrainian knew, instantly, that Atamifuji had ‘won’ the tachiai, by getting his right arm on the inside. Instead of trying to escape the migi-yotsu, by perhaps reversing and going for a risky slap down, Aonishiki decided to dig his heels in. He decided that he’d take migi-yotsu, too. A better one, though! He slapped his inside hand on the belt to give him some purchase to use in the fight to prevent Atamifuji doing the same.

Aonishiki was winning the grip battle at this point. But he was losing the ground battle. The straw was coming at his heels, fast. This is when he did something quite brilliant (not a shock when it comes to Aonishiki). When you have a firm inside grip on your opponent, the common defence to being forced back is to step the matching foot forwards (right foot if your right hand is inside) and then turn that right hip to try and pull off a shitatenage (underarm throw).

Aonishiki tried this twice, but Atamifuji didn’t budge. This forced Aonishiki to be creative. He wasn’t going to keep trying to roll Atamifuji in the expected direction (over to Atamifuji’s right), he was going to do the opposite instead. So Aonishiki switched his stance, putting his left foot forwards and then ran his left arm up around Atamifuji’s head and turned him towards the left (the opposite direction Atamifuji had been bracing for). That switch in focus caught Atamifuji totally off guard and all the power he was using to brace against getting turned right worked against him in helping Aonishiki turn him to the left and ultimately down onto the dirt.

I would love to know whether Aonishiki had this drawn up before hand; that if he got caught in migi-yotsu, use ottsuke to prevent a belt grab, play for shitatenage and switch to kubinage if he won’t budge. Or did Aonishiki come up with this on the fly? I’m not sure which is more impressive, but either way, here’s your winner — the most creative and difficult to plan for man in the business.

This is a back-to-back yusho for Aonishiki. But I doubt this means he ascends to become the 76th yokozuna (just yet). His first yusho was at sekiwake and it would be an extreme rarity for the JSA to move him to yokozuna under these conditions. Had Aonishiki dominated this tournament and won without the need of a play-off, perhaps with wins over both yokozuna, then I could see the JSA taking a special measure to recognize a special talent/career to date. With how this went down, though, impressive as it was, I think Aonishiki is going to have to get his rope the old fashioned way. Don’t worry, though, that’s just a question of when, not if.

Atamifuji’s win earlier in the evening erased the chances of a wild five man play-off. The winner of Kirishima and Abi would have been in that play-off. Despite being off the table, these two put on a hard fought bout with Kirishima using yotsu-zumo to quiet down Abi and force him out. Kirishima finishes on eleven wins, which is a fine start to an ozeki run.

We had our yoko bowl last night, too. Had Atamifuji and Aonishiki lost, Onosato would also have been able to get in on the play-off (if he could beat Hoshoryu). With that scenario no longer an option, though, these two were just fighting for pride.

And it was Hoshoryu who got to be the most proud after this one. He got a fully locked migi-yostu on Onosato and was able to push him back, turn him and eventually bundle him out.

Hoshoryu now has an 8-2 record over his fellow yokozuna.

Right now we have a fascinating rock, paper, scissors situation with our yokozuna and the man who will certainly join them in that rank sooner rather than later. Hoshoryu beats Onosato, Onosato beats Aonishiki and Aonishiki beats Hoshoryu. I wonder how long this trend is going to last. Right now Aonishiki has zero wins over Onosato and Hoshoryu has zero wins over Aonishiki.

What an amazing era of sumo we have ahead of us, with this triumvirate of maturing greatness. I’m so happy that we get to this three-way dance potentially play out over the next decade.

Juryo jolt!

Wakanosho is our juryo champion. He clinched the title with an aggressive push out on November’s champ Fujiryoga. Wakanosho’s stable is about to be inherited by former ozeki Takakeisho (now known as Minatogowa, that will also be the new name of the Tokiwayama stable).

Despite being the champ, Wakanosho will not be promoted to makuuchi for March (he’s too low ranked).

Kotoeiho won his call up against Ryuden last night and that will secure his promotion to makuuchi. Sadanoumi lost to Asahakuryu to confine himself, most likely, to another tournament in juryo.

Fujisuen will be getting promoted off his 11-4 record. His stablemate Fujryoga is the next most likely candidate for a promotion. He might miss out, though, given there weren’t a lot of bad records in the makuuchi basement this month.

Makushita Minute!

The makushita yusho was determined a few days ago when Nobehara beat Enho. Due to their ranks, neither of them will go up to juryo despite how well they did. Toshinofuji was called up to juryo a few days ago and won. That will lead to him being promoted to sekitori status (for the first time in his career).

Last night Shimazuumi was called up to face Hidenoumi. He won and that likely earns him a promotion, too. Same goes for Fukuzaki, who came up and beat Kotokuzan. Takakento was called up to face Hakuyozan. He lost that bout and that probably blows his chances of returning to juryo in March.

Here are the top five makushita matches from last night:

This video shows Tochimaru beating Gonoumi with a slap down, Fujisodai beating Hokutenkai by yorikiri, Tokunomusashi throwing down Daiyusho, Otsuji throwing down Hanaoka and finally Mienofuji throwing down Toseiryu.

That’s all folks! Thank you for reading, commenting, sharing and showing your support. It was a great tournament and I can’t wait to do it all again in March (starting the day before my birthday!).

In the meantime, take care, be kind and FIGHT WITH SPIRIT!

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