On the final day of the 2022 July (Nagoya) Grand Sumo tournament, Ichinojo won his first top-division championship. No playoff settled it. Ichinojo had finished his work at 12-3, and the title was sealed when the yokozuna Terunofuji lost the final bout of the day. It came at the end of a meeting badly disrupted by COVID-19, with individual wrestlers and entire stables pulling out.
This account comes from the ringside reporting of Michihiro Taguchi, the site’s writer-photographer, who watched the closing day unfold and shot it from the edge of the ring.
A tournament shaken by withdrawals
COVID-19 ran through the meeting from start to finish. Many wrestlers withdrew, and so did whole stables. The damage showed up even in the crowds: attendance ended up heaviest on the final day, then day 13, day 14, and day 8, with the day-14 figure pulled down by the sheer number of withdrawals.
On the final day itself, a COVID-19 outbreak surfaced in the Hakkaku stable. Its two top-division men, Hokutofuji and Okinoumi, withdrew. The chairman, Hakkaku — the former Hokutoumi — had been delivering the final-day greetings, but he could not present the championship trophy. Mutsu, the former Kirishima and the business-department head, stepped in to present it instead. It was an astonishing turn.
Ichinojo dispatches Ura
Ichinojo’s final-day opponent was Ura, who stood at seven wins and seven losses and had a name for being tenacious and hard to read. At the charge, Ichinojo quickly took a firm left outer grip and brought their chests together. Ura crouched low, but Ichinojo drew him in by the outer grip and drove him out.
That gave Ichinojo his 12th win. With his own day done, he was left to wait on Terunofuji’s result.
The yokozuna falls, and the title is sealed
The last bout of the day put the yokozuna Terunofuji against the ozeki Takakeisho. After the initial clash, Takakeisho moved to his right and shook Terunofuji. A fierce exchange of thrusting, power sumo followed, and Terunofuji stepped out over the front edge of the ring.
It was a quick finish. Terunofuji had entered the final day also carrying three losses; his defeat dropped him to 11-4, and that left Ichinojo with the championship outright at 12-3. No playoff was needed. A meeting shaken throughout by stable-wide COVID withdrawals had finally reached its end.
Key Takeaways
- Ichinojo won his first top-division championship on the final day of the 2022 July (Nagoya) tournament.
- The title was decided on the standings, with no playoff: Ichinojo finished 12-3 and Terunofuji finished 11-4.
- Ichinojo reached his 12th win by beating Ura, taking a firm left outer grip and driving him out.
- In the day’s final bout, Takakeisho beat Terunofuji, which confirmed Ichinojo’s title.
- COVID-19 disrupted the meeting throughout, with individual wrestlers and entire stables withdrawing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the 2022 July (Nagoya) tournament?
Ichinojo won it. The final-day result gave him his first top-division championship, at 12-3.
Was the championship decided by a playoff?
No. Ichinojo took the title outright on the standings. Both he and Terunofuji had carried three losses into the final day, but Ichinojo won his bout to reach 12 wins while Terunofuji lost his and finished 11-4, so no playoff was needed.
How did COVID-19 affect the tournament?
It disrupted the meeting throughout, with many wrestlers and whole stables withdrawing. On the final day, an outbreak in the Hakkaku stable forced out Hokutofuji and Okinoumi, and the chairman, Hakkaku, could not present the trophy, so Mutsu presented it instead.
How did Ichinojo win his final-day bout?
He faced Ura, who stood at 7-7. At the charge, Ichinojo quickly took a firm left outer grip and brought their chests together; Ura crouched low, but Ichinojo drew him in by the outer grip and drove him out for his 12th win.
