The last grand sumo tournament of 2024 wrapped up over the weekend. And it did not disappoint. The 15 day tournament went down to the wire with Kotozakura and Hoshoryu tied on 13-1 records on the final day. In their showdown for the title Kotozakura got the win, earning his first ever top division championship.
Kotozakura realizes potential with epic yusho
Kotozakura got past Hoshoryu to lift the Emperor’s Cup after a fantastic display of defensive sumo. He first defended Hoshoryu’s nodowa (throat thrust) and then blocked an uwatenage (over arm throw). After defending those attacks, Kotozakura seized on an out of position Hoshoryu and pushed him down for the hatakikomi (slap down) victory. Hoshoryu slipped a little in the lead up to the slap down, but Kotozakura more than earned his win.
You can see Kotozakura vs. Hoshoryu below, including a number of highlights showing them wrecking shop on route to their final showdown.
It had been a long time since two ozeki (the rank directly below yokozuna) had fought to expectations and dominated the remainder of the division. It had also been a while since two rikishi were neck-and-neck for the entirety of a tournament.
These factors, and the contrasting styles of Kotozakura and Hoshoryu, made the 2024 Kyushu basho and especially enjoyable tournament for onlookers.
Kotozakura’s winning 14-1 record is his best ever in the top division. Kotozakura’s winning record also extends his streak of kachi-koshi (winning records) to 14 tournaments. This is second only to Hoshoryu, who has banked winning records in 18 straight tournaments.
The 14 wins also mean Kotozakura finishes with the most wins in 2024. His 66 victories across six tournaments is one more than Onosato (who won two titles in his rookie campaign) and five ahead of Hoshoryu.
Kotozakura had been quietly excellent over the past two years, slowly making his way up the rankings. He finally earned his promotion to ozeki after the January tournament. On doing so he changed his shikona (ring name) to Kotozakura (the name his grandfather, the 52nd yokozuna) from Kotonowaka (his father’s ring-name).
Kotozakura has long felt pressure to live up to his father (who is also his stable-master) and grand-father. His title win in Kyushu sees him realize that potential. What happens next might put him on even more of a par with his most famous relative.
Double rope run set for January
Currently there is just one yokozuna in grand sumo. Terunofuji, the sport’s 73rd yokozuna, won two titles this year (January and July), but did not complete any other tournaments (sitting out of two entirely).
The often injured Terunofuji is tipped to retire soon. Prior to this year, it was unclear if any other rikishi would be able to make it to his rank before that happened.
However, with Kotozakura winning in Kyushu and Hoshoryu coming a very close second, we are blessed to have a ‘double rope run’ heading into the new year.
The generally agreed upon criteria for promotion to yokozuna is two back-to-back championships (or equivalent) by an ozeki.
The Japan Sumo Association has signalled that they believe if we have a repeat of this tournament in January, with both Kotozakura and Hoshoryu vying for the title on the final day, both men could be promoted to yokozuna.
Wakatakakage and Abi headline special prize winners
Wakatakakage, Abi and Takanosho received special prizes in Kyushu.
Wakatakakage received the Technique Prize. Abi received the Outstanding Performance prize and Takanosho received the Fighting Spirit prize.
Wakatakakage scored double-digit wins in his third straight basho, going 10-5 in Kyushu. Those three tournaments are his first top division appearances since he recovered from ACL and MCL surgery after an injury he suffered opposite Kotozakura in early 2023.
Abi went 11-4 in Kyushu, beating Hoshoryu and Onosato (below) along the way. This was a rebound performance from his dismal aki basho performance where he went 5-10 and lost his sekiwake rank.
Takanosho went 11-4. He was in the running to win the title until things came unstuck in the last few days of the tournament, where he lost to Kirishima and Kotozakura.
Kirishima banks make-koshi
Former ozeki Kirishima finished his worst year in sumo with a 6-9 record and a demotion from his sekiwake rank. Kirishima’s make-koshi (losing record) was secured on Day 14 after a loss to his rival (and former judo teammate) Hoshoryu via embarrassing tsuridashi (frontal lift out).
Kirishima was 2023’s best wrestler. He won two titles that year and received his ozeki promotion (which prompted a name change from Kiribayama to Kirishima). A neck injury and a change of stable affected Kirishima’s 2024. After going 11-4 to start the year he went 5-10 and 1-6-8. Those two losing records cost him his ozeki promotion. He then failed to win back immediate promotion by only going 8-7 in his next tournament.
At September’s aki basho he looked more like his old self, going 12-3 and finishing a runner-up to Onosato. However, in November he got off to an 0-5 start and simply could not recover.
Nightmare tournament for locals
Wrestlers from the island of Kyushu fared especially poorly at the Kyushu basho, which is held in Fukuoka. Shodai (Kumamoto), Hiradoumi (Nagasaki), Sadanoumi (Kumamoto) and Churanoumi (Okinawa) all ended their tournaments with 4-11 records, much to the dismay of the Kyushan fans who were willing them on.
Above: Shodai loses to Wakatakakage.
Meisei, who hails from Kagoshima, was the only Kyushan to bank a positive result at the tournament. He scraped by with an 8-7 record.
2024 Kysuhu basho full results
| Record | East | Rank | West | Record |
| 0-0-15 | Terunofuji 🇲🇳 | Yokozuna | ||
| 14-1 | Kotozakura🇯🇵 | Ozeki | Hoshoryu 🇲🇳 | 13-2 |
| Ozeki | Onosato 🇯🇵 | 9-6 | ||
| 6-9 | Kirishima 🇲🇳 | Sekiwake | Daieisho 🇯🇵 | 8-7 |
| 10-5 | Wakamotoharu 🇯🇵 | Komusubi | Shodai 🇯🇵 | 4-11 |
| 6-9 | Oho 🇯🇵 | M1 | Hiradoumi 🇯🇵 | 4-11 |
| 10-5 | Wakatakakage 🇯🇵 | M2 | Ura 🇯🇵 | 5-10 |
| 11-4 | Abi 🇯🇵 | M3 | Atamifuji 🇯🇵 | 8-7 |
| 4-11 | Churanoumi 🇯🇵 | M4 | Oshoma 🇲🇳 | 4-11 |
| 9-6 | Tobizaru 🇯🇵 | M5 | Kotoshoho 🇯🇵 | 3-11 |
| 11-4 | Takanosho 🇯🇵 | M6 | Nishikigi 🇯🇵 | 5-10 |
| 7-8 | Endo 🇯🇵 | M7 | Mitakeumi 🇯🇵 | 7-8 |
| 7-8 | Roga 🇷🇺 | M8 | Gonoyama 🇯🇵 | 11-4 |
| 7-8 | Midorifuji 🇯🇵 | M9 | Takayasu 🇯🇵 | 8-7 |
| 8-7 | Ichiyamamoto 🇯🇵 | M10 | Takarufuji 🇯🇵 | 8-7 |
| 8-7 | Tamawashi 🇲🇳 | M11 | Meisei 🇯🇵 | 4-11 |
| 7-8 | Hokutofuji 🇯🇵 | M12 | Sadanoumi 🇯🇵 | 8-7 |
| 4-11 | Ryuden 🇯🇵 | M13 | Shonannoumi 🇯🇵 | 6-9 |
| 11-4 | Chiyoshoma 🇲🇳 | M14 | Nishikifuji 🇯🇵 | 6-9 |
| 9-6 | Onokatsu 🇲🇳 | M15 | Tokihayate 🇯🇵 | 6-9 |
| 5-10 | Shishi 🇺🇦 | M16 | Takerufuji 🇯🇵 | 10-5 |
| 6-9 | Asakoryu 🇯🇵 | M17 | Bushozan 🇯🇵 | 3-8-4 |
Want more sumo coverage?
Our next sumo tournament will be the hatsu basho (New Year tournament) in the middle of January. We’ll cover that tournament with previews and results posts here on Combat Press.
If you want to get your sumo fix between then, subscribe to my substack Sumo Stomp! for report cards and deep dives on the wrestlers who featured in Kyushu. This month you can also enter a giveaway to win a tegata (hand print) from former ozeki Takakeisho (aka The Angry Hamster).