Grand sumo’s latest tournament, the 2024 aki basho (autumn tournament), is heading into its final stretch. The 15-day tournament will end on Sunday. At this time of writing, Day 10’s bouts have concluded.
See the results for the makuuchi (top division) below. This is followed by analysis on all the big stories and lots of videos showing top action from the dohyo.
Sumo results (as of Day 10 of the Aki Basho)
| Record | East | Rank | West | Record |
| 0-0-10 | Terunofuji 🇲🇳 | Yokozuna | ||
| 7-3 | Kotozakura🇯🇵 | Ozeki | Hoshoryu 🇲🇳 | 6-4 |
| 2-8 | Abi 🇯🇵 | Sekiwake | Onosato 🇯🇵 | 10-0 |
| 8-2 | Kirishima 🇲🇳 | Sekiwake | Takakeisho 🇯🇵 | 7-3 |
| 5-5 | Daieisho 🇯🇵 | Komusubi | Hiradoumi 🇯🇵 | 6-4 |
| 3-7 | Takanosho 🇯🇵 | M1 | Tobizaru 🇯🇵 | 3-7 |
| 4-6 | Atamifuji 🇯🇵 | M2 | Oho 🇯🇵 | 6-4 |
| 3-7 | Mitakeumi 🇯🇵 | M3 | Wakamotoharu 🇯🇵 | 6-4 |
| 6-4 | Shodai 🇯🇵 | M4 | Kotoshoho 🇯🇵 | 5-5 |
| 6-4 | Ura 🇯🇵 | M5 | Shonannoumi 🇯🇵 | 2-8 |
| 2-8 | Meisei 🇯🇵 | M6 | Gonoyama 🇯🇵 | 3-7 |
| 8-2 | Wakatakakage 🇯🇵 | M7 | Churanoumi 🇯🇵 | 6-4 |
| 7-3 | Endo 🇯🇵 | M8 | Midorifuji 🇯🇵 | 4-6 |
| 4-6 | Ichiyamamoto 🇯🇵 | M9 | Oshoma 🇲🇳 | 7-3 |
| 4-6 | Tamawashi 🇲🇳 | M10 | Roga 🇷🇺 | 5-5 |
| 5-5 | Sadanoumi 🇯🇵 | M11 | Kagayaki 🇯🇵 | 1-9 |
| 4-6 | Bushozan 🇯🇵 | M12 | Kinbozan 🇰🇿 | 4-6 |
| 6-4 | Hokutofuji 🇯🇵 | M13 | Nishikigi 🇯🇵 | 8-2 |
| 6-4 | Ryuden 🇯🇵 | M14 | Onokatsu 🇲🇳 | 4-6 |
| 8-2 | Takayasu 🇯🇵 | M15 | Takarufuji 🇯🇵 | 6-4 |
| 3-7 | Shirkouma 🇯🇵 | M16 | Kitanowaka 🇯🇵 | 4-6 |
| 4-6 | Nishikifuji 🇯🇵 | M17 |
We are entering the Onosato era
24-year-old Onosato is dominating the aki basho. The sekiwake ranked wrestler (the third highest rank in the sport) is 10-0. And he’s barely looked tested during the first ten days of the tournament.
Onosato has won most of his bouts due to his incredible speed and size, blitzing his opponents from the tachiai (starting contact) and then forcing them out quickly with either yorikiri (frontal force out) or oshidashi (frontal push out) kimarite (winning techniques).
See below how he handled Hiradoumi, a wrestler who is one of very few to have top division wins over him.
With five days left Onosato has a shot at a rare zen-yusho (a 15-0 record and championship). If he wins this tournament it will be his second career top division yusho (championship).
Amazingly, Onosato is only competing in his fifth ever top division tournament (and only ninth ever pro sumo tournament). He debuted in the top division in January and went 11-4, finishing as a runner up to yokozuna Terunofuji. In March he went 11-4 and was runner-up again, to Takerufuji. And in May he went 12-3 and won his first career yusho. In July Onosato had a slightly down tournament, going 9-6.
Here at the aki basho Onosato has looked better than ever. And, at 24, he’s only going to get better.
This tournament does not feature the last tournament’s winner Terunofuji. He’s out injured. With the yokozuna out, this was a great opportunity for other wrestlers to hold the spotlight. Given how Onosato’s performing, it seems extremely likely that he will be a yokozuna himself relatively soon (perhaps before his hair is long enough for the traditional ginkgo leaf top-knot).
Anyone watching sumo in 2024 can not deny that Onosato has been the greatest rikishi in the sport this year. And it would take an extreme amount of doubt to believe Onosato will not be the sport’s top star over the coming decade.
Rejuvenated Kirishima is a joy to watch
Kirishima has been closest to Onosato all tournament. The former ozeki (one rank below) yokozuna is 8-2 having lost to Onosato on Day 10. Kirishima has looked back to his best this tournament, exhibiting his exciting brand of sumo – one that combines brute strength with high-level grappling/trickery.
Kirishima’s performances have reminded us of how he performed in 2023, back when he wrestled under the name Kiribayama. He was the best wrestler in the sport that year, winning two titles and securing his promotion to ozeki.
Since March, though, it’s been a different story for the Mongolian. A persistent neck injury and some upheaval at his stable has lead to records of 5-10, 1-6-8 and 8-7. Those records meant he was demoted from ozeki and then failed to secure an immediate promotion back to that rank.
The injury and stable situation have improved greatly for Kirishima. After his longtime stable closed in the summer and his oyakata (stablemaster retired), Kirishima joined the new Otowayama stable. Its oyakata is Kirishima’s close friend, the former yokozuna Kakuryu.
Hoshoryu and Kotozakura faltering
Our two ozeki Kotozakura and Hoshoryu have struggled this tournament and, at this time of writing, both seem incapable of catching Onosato for this month’s yusho. Kotozakura started well, going 4-0 and winning his bouts with ease. But after losses to Oho, Wakamotoharu and Ura (below) he’s now 7-3 and very much on the outside looking in at Onosato and Kirishima.
Hoshoryu has fared even worse this month. He lost his Day 1 bout to Takanosho and then lost to Atamifuji, Tobizaru and Oho (below).
Hoshoryu has regrouped and is currently on a four bout winning streak. But at 6-4 he is one Onosato win away from his chances of winning the title being mathematically impossible.
Both Kotozakura and Hoshoryu have struggled to impose themselves as the highest ranked men in the tournament. They are both now at risk at being surpassed by Onosato, not only in this tournament, but in the sumo landscape as a whole.
Sumo veterans are getting it done
Some popular veterans have been able to put down good markers over the first ten days of this competition. Former ozeki Takayasu, former sekiwake Wakatakakage and former komusubi Nishikigi are all on 8-2, tied with Kirishima.
Takayasu and Wakatakakage have been feasting on lower ranked opposition. Both are ranked low only because of injuries. Takayasu has struggled to stay fit over the last two years, completing only three of the past ten tournaments thanks to various injuries. Wakatakakage spent eight months on the sidelines after he tore his ACL in a match last March. He only returned to the top division in July. Nishikigi has fought through an injury over the past year, which has resulted in losing records in all but one of the past six tournaments.
Below are this trio getting big wins in this tournament.
With match-making switching from rankings to records, these three are all due to get stiffer assignments over the next five days. If Onosato suffers some hiccups over that time, we could see one of them challenge for the title.
Tamawashi claims sumo’s ironman record
History was made on Day 3 of the tournament. When he entered the ring for his bout with Kagayaki (above), Tamawashi took sole possession of the record for most consecutive sumo bouts. His record, which today stands at 1638 consecutive bouts, represents that the 40 year old has never missed a bout due to injury since he started competing in 2004. The only absences on his record are three days missed in 2022 due to a COVID outbreak at his stable. The Japan Sumo Association has ruled that those absences, which were beyond Tamawashi’s control, do not count against his streak of consecutive bouts.
Tamawashi won his record-claiming bout over Kagayaki. However, it’s been tough going for the oldest man in the division. He’s currently 4-6 and at risk of getting a make-koshi (losing record) this month.
More sumo coverage on Combat Press
Combat Press will provide the final results of the 2024 aki basho early next week. If you’d like daily results, videos and analysis from the tournament you can subscribe to Sumo Stomp! for free on Substack.