2026 Natsu Basho: Day 4 results and analysis
Recapping all the top division action from Grand Sumo's 2026 Natsu Basho (spoilers).
Hello all!
We are now four days into this injury ravaged tournament. Despite those high profile absenses, though, there’s still plenty of intriguing characters on the clay this month.
Scroll down to see who won and lost last night in both the makuuchi and juryo (if you’re a paid subscriber).
Down there you’ll also see lots of videos and my analysis.
Our bonus gif today is the highest ranked member of the All Violence Team. I guess that makes him the captain.
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SPOILERS BELOW
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Results
Daiseizan (4-0) def. Ryūden (0-4) by yorikiri (frontal force out)
Fujiryoga (3-1) def. Tobizaru (3-1) by oshitaoshi (frontal push down)
Wakanoshō (3-1) def. Mitakeumi (1-3) by okuridashi (rear push out)
Rōga (3-1) def. Ōshōumi (1-3) by shitatenage (underarm throw)*
Tokihayate (1-3) def. Tamawashi (0-4) by yorikiri
Ura (2-2) def. Shishi (1-3) by shitatenage*
Kotoeihō (4-0) def. Kinbōzan (2-2) by shitatenage*
Abi (2-2) def. Asanoyama (2-2) by oshidashi
Ōshōma (2-2) def. Nishikifuji (2-2) by oshidashi
Hakunofuji (3-1) def. Asahakūryū (2-2) by yorikiri*
Fujiseun (3-1) def. Asakōryū (2-2) by tsukiotoshi (thrust down)
Churanoumi (3-1) def. Wakamotoharu (1-2) by oshidashi
Chiyoshōma (2-2) def. Shōdai (1-3) by katasukashi (under shoulder swing down)
Gōnoyama (3-1) def. Hiradoumi (2-2) by hikiotoshi (hand pull down)
Wakatakakage (4-0) def. Daieishō (2-2) by oshidashi*
Ōhō (2-2) def. Takayasu (2-2) by fusen (default)
Takanoshō (2-2) def. Atamifuji (1-3) by oshidashi
Fujinokawa (3-1) def. Kotoshōhō (1-3) by tsukiotoshi
Kotozakura (2-2) def. Yoshinofuji (0-4) by oshidashi*
Kirishima (4-0) def. Ichiyamamoto (1-3) by hatakikomi (slap down)*
*Must see bouts!
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Leaderboard
Too early!
Analysis
It’s steady as she goes for Kirishima. He’s now 4-0 after beating Ichiyamamoto last night.
Ichiyamamoto was undone on the previous night by his attempts to use yotsu-zumō (belt grappling). He’s improved in that department, but last night he went with his bread-and-butter oshi-zumō (pushing/thrusting). That’s smart, considering Kirishima is one of the premier yotsu practitioners in the sport.
And Kirishima did a great job of deflecting Ichiyamamoto’s early oshi attack and, after slapping the hands away, forcing Ichiyamamoto to fight in close (by using his favourite left arm inside position). At that close range, it didn’t take long for Kirishima to cuff the back of Ichiyamamoto’s neck and bring him down for his second hatakikomi of the tournament.
Kirishima is yet to put a foot wrong in this tournament and I’ll be shocked if he’s not among the contenders this time next week.
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Wakatakakage is also looking like a contender. He’s 4-0, too, after coming through a bruising encounter with Daieishō.
Daieishō hit hard on the tachiai, putting his paws on either side of Wakatakakage’s face. He threw a lot of palms at Wakatakakage’s face and Wakatakakage just bit down and took it. He left his face open, to get smacked, so he could focus on Daieishō’s armpits. As Daieishō frantically tried to force Wakatakakage to blink or step back, Wakatakakage worked his hands snug into the pits and then pushed Daieishō out with hazuoshi (armpit thrusting).
This performance really sums up what I love about Wakatakakage. He was willing to accept getting smacked in the face, repeatedly, in order to secure the position he knew he could use for a win. He knew this decision would put him under a lot of pressure and cause some pain, but he also knew he was too tough to let that beat him. What a bad ass.
I doubt Kotoeihō is among the leaders a week from now, but stranger things have happened. He’s 4-0 after a very nice win over Kinbōzan.
The first time Kotoeihō was in the top division he seemed to have a notable lack of upper body strength. Guys were tipping him over and throwing him around left and right. But in March, and now here, he looks completely different.
And against Kinbōzan he kept his hips low and showed a lot of arm strength to keep Kinbōzan under wraps and then sling him over.
Kotoeihō’s brother, Kotoshōhō, didn’t fare as well last night.
His much hyped (by me) All Violence match was a dud. He and Fujinokawa looked like they were both up for a brawl, but Kotoshōhō’s opening thrust sent Fujinokawa half way across the ring. I think that surprised both men. As a result, there wasn’t anyone home when Kotoshōhō went for his follow up thrust. He was already on the way down, when Fujinokawa stepped sideways and added the lightest of touches.
Kotoshōhō, last tournament’s runner-up, is now 1-3 and exhibiting just why Murray Johnson called him the chocolate box (because you never know what you’re going to get from him). Shout out to Alan.
Kotozakura, stablemate of both Kotoshōhō and Kotoeihō, scored a big win last night. He looked ferocious with his thrusting, much to the dismay of Yoshinofuji. Yoshinofuji is now 0-4. Maybe his new chonmage (topknot) is cursed!
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Like Yoshinofuji, Tamawashi is also 0-4. The Iron Man is looking very banged up in this tournament. He has a lot of strapping around his ankle and calf and he seems incapable of pushing off from that foot with any kind of power. Tokihayate was able to force him out last night, for his first win of the tournament.
Could this be the first time Tamawashi bows out of a tournament due to injury? If he does that, I wonder if he’ll come back.
Hakunofuji endured a lot of pain last night to get a win over Asahakūryū.
Hakunofuji got a moro-zashi (double inside position) early in this bout and Asahakūryū countered that exactly how you’re supposed to; with the dreaded kimedashi (arm barring force out). That was one of the trademark moves of Hakunofuji’s oyakata (stable master) Isegahama (the former Terunofuji). I have a feeling Hakunofuji has been put in this position by Terunofuji on more than one occasion behind closed doors. Maybe that helped Hakunofuji fight through this one?
Asahakūryū had Hakunofuji all the way to the straw, but Hakunofuji was able to hang on — using his foot at one point to hook around one of Asahakūryū’s legs. After that last ditch defense, Asahakūryū’s energy sagged. Hakunofuji then used a burst of strength, and cardio, to reverse the position and score the immensely impressive victory.
Ura and Shishi had a very fun bout last night. Shishi had the early advantage, pushing Ura back to the boundary. But Pink Magic then pulled off a fantastic head fake to side-step, which baited Shishi into a lunge and then made sure he was out of the way when that happened.
We had more bad news last night Takayasu did not come out for his bout with Ōhō. He injured his foot after Hiradoumi launches him off the ring on the previous night.
That means we are now down four wrestlers and they are all in the special upper rankings.
Kirishima’s perfect start will be testing by Hiradoumi tonight. He’s 6-3 against him. Wakatakakage meets Takanoshō. They are 10-9 in that match-up.
Kotoeihō will need to beat Roga to stay undefeated. He lost their only ever bout together, in jūryō last year.
Keeping count!
Henka counter: 1
Tobi trample counter (rows): 0*
*So close! Tobizaru was bounced off the ring by Fujiryoga last night, but he was able to put on the brakes before going into the seats.
And now something extra…
If you are a paid subscriber, below you will find results, videos and analysis for jūryō.
