18 articles
2026 in sumo
2026 in sumo: the six honbasho of Grand Sumo, January 11 to November 22, 2026. Two yokozuna (Hoshoryu, Onosato), Kirishima regains ozeki after the March basho, Aonishiki wins July.
Akebono Tarō (曙太郎)
Akebono Tarō (曙太郎), born Chad Rowan, 64th yokozuna and first foreign-born sumo grand champion, promoted 1993; 11 tournament titles, retired January 2001, later K-1 and pro wrestling; died 2024.
Aonishiki Arata
Aonishiki Arata (安青錦 新大), born Danylo Yavhusishyn, is a Ukrainian ozeki at Ajigawa stable; first Ukrainian makuuchi champion and Emperor's Cup winner (November 2025), promoted to ozeki in 14 tournaments.
Asashōryū Akinori (Долгорсүрэн Дагвадорж)
Asashoryu Akinori (Dolgorsuren Dagvadorj), Mongolian-born 68th yokozuna (2003–2010), won 25 top-division titles including all six tournaments of 2005, and was forced to retire in February 2010 after an alleged nightclub assault.
Emmanuel Yarbrough
Emmanuel "Manny" Yarbrough (1964-2015), American amateur sumo wrestler, 1995 openweight world champion, the only American amateur sumo World Champion; also the largest UFC fighter ever, with a 1-2 MMA record.
Enhō Yūya (炎鵬悠哉)
Enhō Yūya (炎鵬 友哉), real name Yuya Nakamura, born 1994, is a 167 cm, 107 kg Japanese sumo wrestler of Isegahama stable; makuuchi debut May 2019, career-high maegashira 4, and the first former makuuchi wrestler to regain sekitori rank after falling to jonokuchi.
Fujinokawa Seigō
Fujinokawa Seigō (藤ノ川 成剛), real name Seigo Saito, born 2005 in Kyoto, is a Japanese sumo wrestler of Isenoumi stable who debuted in 2023 and reached West Sekiwake in September 2026 with an 11-4 record.
Hakuhō Shō
Hakuhō Shō (白鵬翔), 69th yokozuna, Mongolian-born sumo grand champion born 1985; record 45 top-division titles and 1,187 career wins; retired 2021, left the Japan Sumo Association in 2025.
Kisenosato Yutaka
Kisenosato Yutaka (稀勢の里 豊), born Yutaka Hagiwara in 1986, is a retired Japanese sumo wrestler, the 72nd yokozuna (2017-2019), first Japan-born grand champion since Wakanohana, now Nishonoseki stablemaster who trained yokozuna Onosato.
Konishiki Yasokichi (小錦八十吉)
Konishiki Yasokichi (小錦八十吉), born Saleva'a Atisano'e, Hawaiian-born sumo wrestler, first foreign ozeki (1987), three championships (1989, 1991, 1992), Takasago stable, retired 1997.
Makuuchi (幕内)
Makuuchi (幕内), also makunouchi, is the top division of professional sumo: 42 salaried sekitori ranked yokozuna, ozeki, sekiwake, komusubi, and maegashira #1-16, fighting 15 bouts per grand tournament.
Raiden Tameemon (雷電爲右衞門)
Raiden Tameemon (雷電為右衛門), born Seki Tarōkichi in 1767, was an Edo-period sumo ōzeki with a record 254–10 and 96.2% win rate, yet never promoted to yokozuna; honored in 1900 as the Peerless Rikishi.
Rikishi (力士)
Rikishi (力士) is the Japanese term for professional sumo wrestlers registered with the Japan Sumo Association, ranked on the banzuke, living in stables, with sekitori privileges and documented health risks.
Sumo (相撲)
Sumo (相撲), Japan's national sport, is 1,500-year-old full-contact wrestling in a clay dohyo ring, governed by the Japan Sumo Association with six 15-day tournaments, about 700 rikishi, and the undemotable yokozuna rank.
Taylor Wily
Taylor Wily (Teila Tuli, 1968-2024), Hawaiian actor, sumo wrestler, and first UFC fighter; fought at UFC 1 in 1993 and played Kamekona Tupuola in 171 episodes of Hawaii Five-0.
Terunofuji Haruo (照ノ富士春雄)
Terunofuji Haruo (照ノ富士春雄), 73rd yokozuna, Mongolian-born sumo grand champion of Isegahama stable; 10 top-division titles, promoted 2021, retired January 2025, now Isegahama stable master.
Tochinoshin Tsuyoshi (ლევან გორგაძე)
Tochinoshin Tsuyoshi (栃ノ心 剛史), born Levan Gorgadze (ლევან გორგაძე), Georgian sumo wrestler of Kasugano stable; reached ozeki in 2018, won the January 2018 top-division title as first Georgian yusho winner, retired May 2023, now runs Royal Georgia wine business in Japan.
Ulambayaryn Byambajav
Ulambayaryn Byambajav (Уламбаярын Бямбажав), called Byamba or Daishochi, Mongolian sumo wrestler (1984-2020); makushita 15 in Japan, four-time World Sumo Champion, US Sumo Open dominant wrestler and Hollywood entertainer.