2026 Natsu Basho: Day 1 results and analysis
Recapping all the top division action from Grand Sumo's 2026 Natsu Basho (spoilers).
Hello all and welcome to Sumo Stomp!
This is an evening post because it’s the weekend (and daytime on the weekend is for family). Monday’s post will also be in the evening, since that’s the day I’m out volunteering. I’ll endeavour to have all other tournament updates coming to you in the AM (Toronto time).
Anyways, we are off and running at Grand Sumo’s 2026 May tournament. Before this one started, we learned that Ōnosato and Aonishiki would be skipping the action due to injury. That’s great news for anyone who is interested in the longevity of those two wrestlers. Even so, their absense leaves a big void in the tournament (since they are both such excellent athletes).
Aonishiki will lose his ōzeki rank after this tournament, due to having a second losing record in a row. All is not lost, though. He can get the rank back if he earns ten or more wins in July. Hopefully he’s healthy and ready to go by then.
Now, there’s a lot going on in this first post of the tournament. Please bear with me.
First off, here I am previewing this tournament (and talking about the March tournament) with my good friend Stephie Haynes on The Level Change podcast.
This is the first tournament, since last July, where I get to cover the action without needing to do school work at the same time. With the luxury of more time comes an opportunity to experiment.
A few tournaments back I covered the jūryō tournament in addition to makuuchi. I really enjoyed that, but it was quite taxing. I’m going to try that again here, but… and it’s a big but… I’m going to paywall that section of these daily updates. So if you are a paid subscriber, you will find — at the bottom of this post — full results for jūryō along with videos and my analysis.
This was a tough action to take, but please hear me out.
I’ve kept my daily tournament updates free for all ever since I started Sumo Stomp! back in January 2023. I’ve viewed these posts as integral for attracting new readers. And I also think these do a great job of introducing people to sumo and helping them understand and enjoy the sport. I don’t want that to change.
However, I do feel like people who support Sumo Stomp! with paid subscriptions (or donations on PayPal) deserve something extra with these posts. Paid subscribers are the reason I can do any of this. Without making supplemental income from Sumo Stomp! it would be very hard to justify the time and mental energy I put into this space.
I don’t know if this will become the norm here, but with the added time I have for this specific tournament, I wanted to try making some sort of premium section in the daily updates.
The big downside to this is that if I put a paywall on something it means that only paid subscribers can comment on the post. Reading and replying to comments are one of my favourite things I get to do with this blog/newsletter. And I hate the idea of cutting off comments from the biggest portion of my readership.
However, I went back and looked through the posts from the past tournament and it looked like the vast majority of people who comment are paid subscribers. So I can live with that, at least for this tournament.
If you want full access to these daily updates (and get my jūryō coverage) and the ability to join the conversation, please consider picking up a paid subscription. I set my subscription prices as low as Substack will let me. This month, subscriptions are even cheaper with my 15% off sale (which gives you a discount for life, by the way).
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OK, thanks for tolerating all that. Please let me know your opinions on these changes. You can do that in the comments or through a personal message.
Today’s bonus gif today is a bemused Hōshōryū.
Oh one more thing and then onto the results — I promise!
I’m wondering about switching the featured images on my posts to static images (not gifs). I’m worried that the gifs on the homepage are making the homepage really slow to load up. I would never ditch the bonus gifs, I just might use something different as the featured image.
I would really value your feedback on this matter, too, so please see the poll below:
Alright! Let’s get to the fun stuff.
SPOILERS BELOW
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Results
Fujiyroga (1-0) def. Ryūden (0-1) by yoritoashi (frontal crush out)
Wakanoshō (1-0) def. Ōshōumi (0-1) by tsukidashi (frontal thrust out)
Tobizaru (1-0) def. Rōga (0-1) by oshidashi (frontal push out)
Mitakeumi (1-0) def. Tamawashi (0-1) by oshidashi
Kotoeihō (1-0) def. Tokihayate (0-1) by uwatenage (over arm throw)*
Kinbōzan (1-0) def. Shishi (0-1) by abisetaoshi (backward force down)*
Ura (1-0) def. Hakunofuji (0-1) by oshidashi
Asanoyama (1-0) def. Nishikifuji (0-1) by yorikiri (frontal force out)
Abi (1-0) def. Asahakūryū (0-1) by oshidashi*
Asakōryū (1-0) def. Ōshōma (0-1) by oshidashi*
Fujiseun (1-0) def. Chiyoshōma (0-1) by yorikiri
Churanoumi (1-0) def. Shōdai (0-1) by oshidashi
Gōnoyama (1-0) def. Wakamotoharu (0-1) by oshidashi
Daieishō (1-0) def. Ōhō (0-1) by oshidashi
Wakatakakage (1-0) def. Hiradoumi (0-1) by tsukiotoshi (thrust down)
Yoshinofuji (1-0) def. Kotoshōhō (0-1) by sukuinage (beltless arm throw) after mono-ii (judges’ review) reverses gyoji (referee) decision*
Ichiyamamoto (1-0) def. Atamifuji (0-1) by hatakikomi (slap down)
Kirishima (1-0) def. Takanoshō (0-1) by hatakikomi
Fujinokawa (1-0) def. Kotozakura (0-1) by tsukidashi*
Takayasu (1-0) def. Hōshōryū (0-1) by uwatenage*
*Must see bouts!
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Leaderboard
Too early!
Analysis
I lied.
This first section of my analysis is not fun at all.
Hōshōryū lost to Takayasu last night and, in the process, it appears as though he may have suffered a tournament-ending injury.
Before things got sad, these two gave us a fun little repeat of their epic staredown from the past tournament. There’s been quite a rivalry between these two, as of late. And I think it stems from Takayasu’s relationship with Ōnosato. A few tournaments back, when Hōshōryū and Ōnosato were neck-and-neck heading down the stretch, it felt like Takayasu was especially aggressive in his bout with Hōshōryū; as if he was trying to clear the way for his friend (who is not his stablemate). Ever since then, Hōshōryū has appeared especially ornery in their matches.
After their stare-off, Takayasu got an early jump on Hōshōryū (another sign that there’s a lot at stake in this match-up). This meant Hōshōryū didn’t have time for any of his usual opening moves. Instead, after bracing for contact, he flapped at Takayasu’s belt and then attempted a makki-kae (switch from outside position to inside position) with his right hand.
Veteran readers of these posts know that this is a high risk move. When Hōshōryū swam his hand to the inside, Takayasu circled off and then pushed Hōshōryū down in the direction he was reaching. That forced Hōshōryū into a split position. Takayasu then added an extra push to flatten him out, hyper-extending Hōshōryū’s right leg. Hōshōryū immediately clutched at his hamstring and then got up, very slowly, before hobbling off the ring.
That looked like a hamstring tear to me. If that’s true, then there’s no way he can fight on that. So we might be down two yokozuna and an ōzeki after just one day of bouts. Not great.
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Ōnosato, Aonishiki and now probably Hōshōryū all being out opens the door to plenty of other wrestlers who are targeting a yushō this month.
Kirishima, fresh off his March triumph and ōzeki promotion, is one of those. He looked just like he did in March last night, sending Takanoshō down with a graceful side-step and slap down. He used that combo, repeatedly, during his successful title run.
It’s still ultra early, but you have to fancy Kirishima being among the leaders this month given who else is missing at this point.
Kotozakura could also take advantage of the power vacuum forming at the top of the banzuke at this tournament. He faltered on day one, though. He was pushed around by the Little Monster (Fujinokawa).
Fujinokawa evaded an early slap down attempt from Kotozakura and then just mad dogged the bigger man. His pressure, and violence, was too much for Kotozakura who was ran out of the eastern side of the dohyō.
Wakatakakage got off to a winning start last night. Though, he used some dark arts to do so.
He hit Hiradoumi with a half-henka. I think I might of heard the Japanese commentator use a portmanteau on the broadcast with kachiage (opening elbow strike) and henka. It sounded, to me, like kachi-henka. I can’t say for sure that this is what he said, but I like it.
Ura was also a winner last night. He powered out Hakunofuji, who was wearing a fetching new bronze mawashi. Hakunofuji is nursing an injured foot. He took a big fall off the ring here, but I think he landed on his healthy foot.
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Tobizaru also won last night (though he didn’t put any mileage on my trample counter). He was also sporting a new mawashi. His was a fine royal blue. He’s shed some bandages since the last tournament, so he must be feeling a lot better. His movement and activity was too much for Rōga.
Tonight Hōshōryū is due to meet Fujinokawa. There’s no way he suits up for that, though. I’m expecting Fujinokawa to get the fusenshō (default win) tonight and thus hold a very cheap 0-2 record over the 74th yokozuna.
Kirishima has a tough early test with Yoshinofuji (who beat Kotoshōhō with the help of a mono-ii last night). He’s 2-1 against him. Kotozakura meets Wakatakakage. They have a 9-9 record against each other.
Keeping count!
Henka counter: 0.5
Tobi trample counter (rows): 0
And now something extra…
If you are a paid subscriber, below you will find results, videos and analysis for jūryō.
