Natsu 2026 Day Nine
The May sumo tournament heads into the final week, with changes hitting the Yusho Arasoi.
If you’re wondering where to watch all the action, check out NHK World’s Grand Sumo highlights or with the Grand Sumo App (App Store and Google Play).
Public League Leaderboard
Scores from Fantasizr
Yusho Arasoi
8 Wins
05 Ozeki #2 East Kirishima
7 Wins
08 Komusubi East Wakatakakage
17 Maegashira #4 West Gonoyama
34 Maegashira #13 East Kotoeiho
38 Maegashira #15 East Tobizaru
42 Maegashira #17 East Fujiryoga
Notable Maneuvers
Hatakikomi. Gonoyama did win by slapping down Kotozakura, but with the added difficulty of being backed to the edge as Kotozakura was flying at him. They had to review it, but Gonoyama just kept his feet in.
Match of the Day
05 Ozeki #2 East Kirishima versus 18 Maegashira #5 East Wakamotoharu
After the tachiai, both men had their right arm around the opponent’s left. That led to an awkward interaction, but also won where they both had to work. Wakamotoharu took Kirishima backwards, Kirishima spun the match around, and Wakamotoharu stood his ground at the edge. Then Wakamotoharu tried an utchari, Kirishima decided to just hard tackle him, and hit his head on the dohyo steps as he fell out. Kirishima has his eighth win, but came up slowly with a bloody forehead.
Recap
Kirishima picked up his eighth win, which meant he returned to being the basho’s sole leader. His win also means a kachi-koshi and avoiding going kadoban in July. That’s a secondary concern to lifting the Emperor’s Cup for a second straight basho. The way he fell onto Wakamotoharu and off the dohyo is also a bit of a worry, especially since he looked dazed getting up. Yet it is his basho once again.
Largely, Kirishima has the Tebakari Brothers to thank for taking the lead again. Kotoeiho handed Tobizaru his eighth loss by grabbing the Flying Monkey and controlling their match. Tobizaru got loose, but only enough to allow Kotoeiho to push him out. Kotoshoho continued his dominance over Wakatakakage by simply overpowering the Komusubi. It’s almost like their body shapes are just made to always give Kotoshoho the advantage. Wakatakakage certainly couldn’t move him.
Wakatakakage, Kotoeiho, and Tobizaru are all at 7-2, where they are joined by Gonoyama and Fujiryoga. Gonoyama has just beaten both Ozeki, with the kind of power he hasn’t seemed to have since his first few Makuuchi basho. He also showed the ability to win a match where he didn’t immediately get the advantage on Day Nine. Fujiryoga has largely beaten lower Maegashira (and lost to Juryo man Oshoumi), and his contender status is most likely to pop soon. But he also beat both Kotoeiho and Tobizaru.
There are 6 more days of the basho, so Kirishima could drop enough matches to give the 6-3 sextet hope. Kotoshoho, Yoshinofuji, Churanoumi, Asanoyama, Hakunofuji, and Ura could all leap past the 2-loss rikishi. Kotoshoho and Yoshinofuji are both on five-match win streaks.Yet the basho is just very crowded, and without the two Yokozuna, one Ozeki, and one Sekiwake, the Sanyaku will need opponents.
No one with a good record is sneaking to the final weekend without facing another leader. Kirishima also just needs to keep winning, and he’ll likely get the extra advantage of knocking a direct threat back once or twice. There’s no guarantee he remains above everyone else—he was in a three way tie yesterday—but it’s definitely Kirishima against the field.