The last grand sumo tournament of the year is currently going down in Fukuoka, Japan. The Kyushu basho started a week ago and is set to wrap up this Sunday. The 15-day tournament will crown the last makuuchi (top division) champion of the year. And, so far (Day 9), it looks like that title could go to one of the sport’s highest ranked wrestlers.
Full results for the 2024 Kyushu basho
| Record | East | Rank | West | Record |
| 0-0-9 | Terunofuji 🇲🇳 | Yokozuna | ||
| 8-1 | Kotozakura🇯🇵 | Ozeki | Hoshoryu 🇲🇳 | 8-1 |
| Ozeki | Onosato 🇯🇵 | 7-2 | ||
| 3-6 | Kirishima 🇲🇳 | Sekiwake | Daieisho 🇯🇵 | 5-4 |
| 5-4 | Wakamotoharu 🇯🇵 | Komusubi | Shodai 🇯🇵 | 3-6 |
| 3-6 | Oho 🇯🇵 | M1 | Hiradoumi 🇯🇵 | 1-8 |
| 6-3 | Wakatakakage 🇯🇵 | M2 | Ura 🇯🇵 | 2-7 |
| 7-2 | Abi 🇯🇵 | M3 | Atamifuji 🇯🇵 | 4-5 |
| 2-7 | Churanoumi 🇯🇵 | M4 | Oshoma 🇲🇳 | 2-7 |
| 6-3 | Tobizaru 🇯🇵 | M5 | Kotoshoho 🇯🇵 | 2-7 |
| 8-1 | Takanosho 🇯🇵 | M6 | Nishikigi 🇯🇵 | 2-7 |
| 5-4 | Endo 🇯🇵 | M7 | Mitakeumi 🇯🇵 | 5-4 |
| 4-5 | Roga 🇷🇺 | M8 | Gonoyama 🇯🇵 | 6-3 |
| 4-5 | Midorifuji 🇯🇵 | M9 | Takayasu 🇯🇵 | 5-4 |
| 5-4 | Ichiyamamoto 🇯🇵 | M10 | Takarufuji 🇯🇵 | 7-2 |
| 4-5 | Tamawashi 🇲🇳 | M11 | Meisei 🇯🇵 | 6-3 |
| 3-6 | Hokutofuji 🇯🇵 | M12 | Sadanoumi 🇯🇵 | 3-6 |
| 2-7 | Ryuden 🇯🇵 | M13 | Shonannoumi 🇯🇵 | 6-3 |
| 5-4 | Chiyoshoma 🇲🇳 | M14 | Nishikifuji 🇯🇵 | 3-6 |
| 7-2 | Onokatsu 🇲🇳 | M15 | Tokihayate 🇯🇵 | 4-5 |
| 3-6 | Shishi 🇺🇦 | M16 | Takerufuji 🇯🇵 | 7-2 |
| 3-6 | Asakoryu 🇯🇵 | M17 | Bushozan 🇯🇵 | 1-6-2 |
Hoshoryu and Kotozakura leading the way
Hoshoryu and Kotozakura have managed to step out of the shadows of yokozuna Terunofuji and rising ozeki Onosato to be the main characters thus far in the 2024 Kyushu basho (answering a question I had when I wrote my preview for the tournament).
Hoshoryu has earned the most headlines for his performances so far in this tournament. The Mongolian has used his eye-pleasing judo base to throw a number of his opponents over the first nine days of the tournament. Among those victims were Wakatakakage (below), Oshoma and Churanoumi.
Hoshoryu is known for his devastating throws. However, this year he has been conservative with his throwing arsenal, for fear of causing injury. In the July tournament he hyper extended his knee in the midst of throwing the 365 lbs Kotozakura. In this tournament, though, he’s saved his throws for smaller opponents and performed throws that don’t rely on the high leg kick that saw him injure his standing leg.
Currently, he looks like the favorite to win the tournament and take home his second ever top division title.
Tied with Hoshoryu with a record of 8-1 is Kotozakura. Kotozakura has looked very powerful this month, using his incredible size to block opponents’ charges and then his heady grappling game to throw or pull them down or his quick feet to side step them along the boundary. After a loss on Day 3, he’s since reeled off six wins in a row. The 26-year-old Kotozakura is yet to win his first top division title. If he and Hoshoryu keep winning, there’s a chance they will end up fighting each other for the championship on the last day of the tournament. He has an 8-12 record versus Hoshoryu.
Onosato and Takerufuji lurking just behind
Just behind Hoshoryu and Kotozakura are Onosato and Takerufuji. Onosato, who won the previous tournament (his second on the year and in his career) took a surprising loss to Abi on Day 4 and then dropped another bout to Wakatakakage on Day 6. Around those wins he has looked dominating, blitzing opponents off the tachiai (opening clash) and using his size and speed to ram them off the ring.
Takerufuji, whose style is similar to Onosato – minus the size, is also 7-2. Takerufuji is appearing in his first top division tournament since he improbably won the March tournament in his first ever top division appearance. Because of his low ranking (due to an injury lay-off) Takerufuji has fought all lower ranked wrestlers thus far. During his current run he’s lost to Tokihayate and Shonannoumi. Two wrestlers he had previously never lost against.
Surprise package Oshoumi is undefeated in the juryo
The juryo (second division) is currently being led by Oshoumi. The 23-year-old is 9-0 with wins over highly touted prospects Aonishiki, Kotoeiho and Daiseizan. This is only Oshoumi’s fifth appearance in juryo. His nine wins are already a personal record for wins at a tournament.
Other notes
Native Kyushans are having a rough go of it in their home basho (tournament). Shodai, the most popular local rikishi, has managed just a 3-6 record. Shodai had banked back-to-back 10-5 records prior to this tournament, earning a promotion to the special rank of komusubi. Here he is losing to Daieisho on Day 5.
Former komusubi Hiradoumi is also struggling in front of his home town fans. He’s just 1-8. Hiradoumi had been one of the best, and most consistent, young talents in sumo over the past two years as he slowly progressed up the rankings.
Hiradoumi’s stablemate Sadanoumi, one of sumo’s longest serving and winningest rikishi, is also struggling. He’s just 3-6. Churanoumi, from nearby Okinawa, is just 2-7 (after going 10-5 in the previous tournament).
Meisei is the only top division Kyushuan with a winning record thus far. He’s 6-3.
Mongolian former ozeki Kirishima is also faltering in Kyusho. In the September tournament it looked like Kirishima had finally rediscovered his form, going an impressive 12-3 and finishing runner-up. That came after a terrible run of results that saw him lose his ozeki rank and look nothing like the wrestler who won two titles in 2023. In this tournament he lost his first five bouts and, as a result, has seriously jeopardized his chances of getting back his ozeki rank anytime soon.
Top division rookie Shishi, the first Ukrainian born wrestler to compete in the top division, has had a poor start to the tournament, going 3-6. Despite his record, he has earned plenty of fans thanks to his exciting matches.
More sumo content on Combat Press
Combat Press will provide more coverage of the 2024 Kyushu basho. We will have the final results for you after this tournament wraps up on Sunday.
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