2026– date –
-
Kadoban: The Rule That Can Cost an Ozeki His Rank
Kadoban is the tournament in which an ozeki's rank is on the line. An ozeki who finishes a tournament with a losing record enters the next one as kadoban. If he posts a winning record there, the flag is cleared and nothing happens. If he... -
Hakkeyoi and Nokotta: What the Sumo Referee Shouts
"Nokotta" means "still in" and "hakkeyoi" is a call to get moving. The referee shouts nokotta, nokotta while the two wrestlers are actively fighting, to tell them the bout is still live and neither has been put out. He switches to hakkey... -
Wakamotoharu: The Onami Brother Who Rose to Sekiwake
Wakamotoharu is a former sekiwake sumo wrestler from Fukushima Prefecture, fighting out of the Arashio stable and best known as the middle of the three Onami brothers, alongside younger brother Wakatakakage. He took 43 tournaments to cli... -
Abi: The Tsuki-oshi Wrestler Who Won the 2022 Kyushu Title
Abi is a thrusting-pushing (tsuki-oshi) sumo wrestler from Shikoroyama stable who won the Emperor's Cup at the November 2022 Kyushu tournament. He fights with rapid-fire thrusts and a high leg-lift in his shiko, and he modeled his style ... -
Wakatakakage: The Sekiwake Champion and His Comeback from Injury
Wakatakakage is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler who fights in the top makuuchi division for Arashio stable, and he has won the Emperor's Cup twice: in March 2022 as a newly promoted sekiwake, the first such title since the legendar... -
Mitakeumi: Three-Time Champion and Former Ozeki
Who is Mitakeumi? Mitakeumi is a former ozeki sumo wrestler from Nagano, Japan, who fights for the Dewanoumi stable. He won three top-division championships, the first as a sekiwake in July 2018, and held the second-longest streak of con... -
Shodai: Career, September 2020 Title, and Ozeki Years
Shodai: The Student-Origin Ozeki Who Won the September 2020 Title Shodai is a former ozeki sumo wrestler from Kumamoto Prefecture, known for winning the September 2020 top-division championship and reaching ozeki straight off that title.... -
Atamifuji: The Isegahama Contender Who Beat Two Yokozuna
Atamifuji is a 23-year-old sekiwake from Atami in Shizuoka Prefecture, fighting out of the Isegahama stable, and at 197 kg he is one of the heaviest men in the top division. He spent two years stuck below the titled ranks, then beat two ... -
Ura: The Acrobatic Sumo Wrestler Who Came Back From Two Knee Injuries
Ura is a Japanese sumo wrestler in the maegashira ranks, fighting out of the Kise stable, and is best known for the acrobatic reversing techniques that make him one of the sport's biggest crowd favorites. He built that reputation before ... -
Kirishima: The Ozeki Who Lost His Rank and Won It Back
Kirishima is a Mongolian-born sumo wrestler who has won three top-division championships, lost ozeki and won the rank back. He competed under the ring name Kiribayama before taking the name Kirishima on his first promotion. He regained t...
