Natsu 2026 Day Six
The May sumo tournament moves into its middle section with further trimming of the leaderboard.
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
6 Wins
05 Ozeki #2 East Kirishima
5 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
Kubinage. Arguably, Yoshinofuji won twice by the head-lock throw. In his match with Takanosho, he got pushed back to the tawara and then wrapped his arm around Takanosho’s head to send him down. But a mono-ii made the judges decide they fell together. In the second match, Yoshinofuji more quickly got the head-lock on. However, after the throw he lost the group and Takanosho looked like he might recover before falling forward.
Match of the Day
03 Ozeki #1 East Kotozakura versus 14 Maegashira #3 East Hiradoumi
Hiradoumi just barreled himself into Kotozakura at the tachiai, which definitely made the Ozeki uncomfortable but didn’t give Hiradoumi a clear advantage. Kotozakura got a grip on the back of Hiradoumi’s mawashi while Hiradoumi had a shallow frontal grip. Hiradoumi worked to take Kotozakura all the way to the edge. Kotozakura fully withstood a final shove and turned the match back to the middle of the dohyo with the same grip. Hiradoumi seemed to be backing out at speed, but then did a turn. This finally overpowered Kotozakura for the Ozeki’s critical 4th loss.
Recap
Kirishima is now the sole undefeated rikishi after Kotoeiho fell to Ura in a very typically Ura match. The bout went all over in a flash, and the finish wasn’t clear on the first view. Since there was no mono-ii, the judges seemed to view it better than the cameras. With slightly more pressure, Kirishima won a relatively long match with Oho that once again displayed his patience. Kirishima took awhile to do much, but Oho never had a solid grip or an obvious opening.
Kirishima-Oho capped a day of very entertaining sumo. The day began with Tobizaru rather blatantly henka-ing shin-Makuuchi Wakanosho. An overeager psuher-thruster is a prime candidate to be sidestepped, and few rikishi are as quick and clever as Tobizaru. That kept Tobizaru at 5-1. Three matches later, Fujiryoga put one more strain on Tamawashi’s Makuuchi status to also go 5-1. That was immediately overshadowed by the Kotoeiho-Ura match.
Yoshinofuji’s double kubinage win over Takanosho set up the Sanyaku bouts, which promptly delivered. Wakatakakage and Fujinokawa looked like they should fight forever, as they tried to show who could display more surprising strength out of an inside grip. Then, Gonoyama overpowered Atamifuji, a real feat considering the Isegahama man is one of the widest men in sumo. Kotoshoho continued to show more signs of life and his danger to anyone with a victory over Daieisho. The exciting Kotozakura-Hiradoumi and Kirishima-Oho matches closed it out.
This basho has already been defined by who isn’t fighting, and Mitakeumi might add to the kyujo list with the way he fell against Oshoumi. Day Six was a reminder that there’s plenty of exciting action to be had for Natsu. Too many rikishi are fighting for more than a good record this basho. The 5-1 group has two rikishi at opposite ends of the Banzuke proving they have more to deliver in Tobizaru and Wakatakakage. The other three rikishi with one loss—Gonoyama, Kotoeiho, and Fujiryoga—are all working to take their sumo to the next level.
Kirishima is still the headliner, both as the most recent yusho winner and as the only undefeated rikishi. A dominant yusho also gives the Yokozuna Deliberation Council plenty to think about, although they would likely ask him to win one more yusho or get a yusho equivalent. But this is more than Kirishima. Kotozakura is fighting to avoid kadoban. Atamifuji and Kotoshoho want to keep their Sanyaku rank. Wakatakakage might still have slim hopes for an Ozeki run. And that’s just the Sanyaku men.