Grand Sumo’s Hatsu basho (new year tournament) wrapped up on Sunday. This was the first tournament of the year for Grand Sumo and the winner is the same person who won the 2025 curtain closing tournament; Aonishiki, the 21 year-old former Ukrainian refugee who has taken the sport by storm.
Aonishiki was the last man standing on Sunday after a thrilling 15 day tournament. Scroll down for the full final standings from Grand Sumo’s makuuchi (top division) and some key takeaways from the tournament.
2026 Hatsu Basho top division final standings
| Record | East | Rank | West | Record |
| 10-5 | Hoshoryu 🇲🇳 | Yokozuna | Onosato 🇯🇵 | 10-5 |
| 8-7 | Kotozakura🇯🇵 | Ozeki | Aoinishiki 🇺🇦 | 12-3 |
| 11-4 | Kirishima 🇲🇳 | Sekiwake | Takayasu 🇯🇵 | 8-7 |
| 4-11 | Oho 🇯🇵 | Komusubi | Wakamotoharu 🇯🇵 | 8-7 |
| 4-11 | Ichiyamamoto 🇯🇵 | M1 | Yoshinofuji 🇯🇵 | 8-7 |
| 4-11 | Ura 🇯🇵 | M2 | Wakatakakage 🇯🇵 | 9-6 |
| 5-10 | Takanosho 🇯🇵 | M3 | Hakunofuji 🇯🇵 | 5-8-2 |
| 7-8 | Daieisho 🇯🇵 | M4 | Atamifuji 🇯🇵 | 12-3 |
| 5-10 | Tamawashi 🇲🇳 | M5 | Churanoumi 🇯🇵 | 9-6 |
| 9-6 | Hiradoumi 🇯🇵 | M6 | Onokatsu 🇲🇳 | 7-8 |
| 7-8 | Oshoma 🇲🇳 | M7 | Fujinokawa 🇯🇵 | 10-5 |
| 7-8 | Shodai 🇯🇵 | M8 | Kinbozan 🇰🇿 | 4-11 |
| 7-8 | Gonoyama 🇯🇵 | M9 | Roga 🇷🇺 | 7-8 |
| 8-7 | Tokihayate 🇯🇵 | M10 | Kotoshoho 🇯🇵 | 9-6 |
| 6-9 | Chiyoshoma 🇲🇳 | M11 | Nishikifuji 🇯🇵 | 6-6-3 |
| 6-9 | Midorifuji 🇯🇵 | M12 | Abi 🇯🇵 | 10-5 |
| 7-8 | Tobizaru 🇯🇵 | M13 | Tomokaze 🇯🇵 | 4-11 |
| 9-6 | Shishi 🇺🇦 | M14 | Mitakeumi 🇯🇵 | 7-8 |
| 6-9 | Ryuden 🇯🇵 | M15 | Asakoryu 🇯🇵 | 9-6 |
| 9-6 | Asanoyama 🇯🇵 | M16 | Oshoumi 🇯🇵 | 10-5 |
| 8-7 | Asahakuryu 🇯🇵 | M17 | Hatsuyama 🇯🇵 | 2-13 |
Aonishiki repeats
Aonishiki went back-to-back with top division yusho (championships) last weekend, following up his 2025 Kyushu championship with the 2026 New Year championship. He won the title on a drama filled final day after a play-off win over Atamifuji.
Aonishiki and Atamifuji came into the final day tied on 11-3 records. Aonishiki was scheduled to meet Kotozakura, his fellow ozeki (the rank directly below yokozuna). Atamifuji had Oshoumi (a shock contender this month fighting in only his second top division tournament).
Atamifuji went first and confidently dispatched of Oshoumi. That put the pressure on Aonishiki, who needed to win to force a play-off. A loss would have handed the title to Atamifuji. Aonishiki wouldn’t let that happen, though. He beat Kotozakura to set up the epic play-off.
In the play-off Atamifuji won the opening exchange and was able to get his favourite hold on Aonishiki. But Aonishiki dug in and then used his unrivalled creativity to swivel and catch Atamifuji with a surprising kubinage (headlock throw) for the win.
Aonishiki now waits to hear whether these back-to-back titles will be enough to see him promoted to become the sport’s 76th yokozuna (and the first ever yokozuna born in Europe). He’s likely to not get that promotion right now. The usual criteria for a yokozuna promotion is two back-to-back titles as an ozeki. Aonishiki’s November victory was at the slightly lower sekiwake rank. Had Aonishiki dominated this tournament and finished with an extremely gaudy record (something like a 14-1) with no need for a play-off, the Japan Sumo Association might have been convinced to give this unprecedented talent an unprecedented promotion. However, with Aonishiki getting this yusho through a play-off, he’ll probably be forced to wait a little longer for that ultimate promotion.
If he wins the next tournament, in March, or finishes as the runner-up, he will almost certainly become a yokozuna.
The yokozuna play second fiddle
As Aonishiki soared, along with Atamifuji and a number of surprising contenders, our two yokozuna Hoshoryu and Onosato stumbled. They both finished on 10-5 records, which is the bare minimum expectation for a yokozuna. Both came into the tournament dealing with injuries and that was noticeable in a few of their bouts (especially with Onosato, who winced through most of this tournament due to a reported separated shoulder).
Both yokozuna had early losses in this tournament and they were playing catch-up to Aonishiki and the other leaders for most of the two week period. At times it felt like both were close to pulling out of the tournament, citing their injuries and thus avoiding taking an embarrassing losing record.
They both preserved, though, and showed that they are still awesome wrestlers even while not at full strength.
They met on the final day and it was Hoshoryu who got the win. He’s now 8-2 in that match-up. He’s the only man in the sport who Onosato can’t beat on a consistent level. Interestingly, Hoshoryu seems incapable of beating Aonishiki right now. And Aonishiki has never beaten Onosato. This rock, paper, scissors dynamic by the, far and away, best three rikishi (wrestlers) in Grand Sumo right now is fascinating and will lead to a lot of interesting duels between these three over the coming years.
Kirishima, Abi among other stand outs
Former ozeki Kirishima had his best tournament since 2023, when he won two yusho and earned his promotion to the second highest rank. He finished with an 11-4 record in this one, just one win behind Aonishiki and Atamifuji. Kirishima looked slick and confident throughout January and scored some big wins over Hoshoryu and Aonishiki (a career first). Kirishima is now working on a promotion back to ozeki. That requires 33 wins over three consecutive tournaments while a sekiwake. Starting off with 11 wins is a fantastic start for him.
Abi, who was wallowing in the lower ranks this month, looked back to his usual self here. ‘Machine Gun Arm’ used his ferocious tsuppari (rapid palm striking) to beat up the opponents ranked close to him. He was only ranked this low due to poor records last year that came due to injury. At full strength, Abi was simply too good for his ranking and he was able to hold his own down the stretch (after the matchmaking shifted to records over ranks).
Yoshinofuji, who won a fighting spirit award, finished with an 8-7 record. That alone isn’t very impressive, but his record included wins against both yokozuna (known as a kinboshi when done from the rank of maegashira 1 and lower).
The top division’s other Ukrainian, Shishi also had a great tournament. He went 9-6 to match his career best record. There was a time when he was among the leaders in the tournament. His title contender status fell off when the match-making got harder in the second week, though.
Veterans struggle in the joi
Ichiyamamoto and Ura finished with 4-11 records at this tournament. Takanosho also went 5-10 and Daieisho went 7-8. All of those vets were ranked in the joi (maegashira ranks 1-4). Wrestlers in the joi receive a murderers’ row of opponents in the first week of the competition, including both yokozuna and ozeki. It’s very hard for anyone to get off to a good start when ranked there. The only wrestlers who managed winning records among these ranks were Yoshinofuji, mentioned above, runner-up Atamifuji and the veteran Wakatakakage, who seemed to shake off his difficult end to 2025 (where he lost his chance at an ozeki promotion).
Other news and notes
Former ozeki Asanoyama, who was appearing in the top division for the first time since blowing out his ACL in 2023, finished with a very good 9-6 record. He was also among the leaders at one point in this tournament.
The diminutive Fujinokawa ended with a 10-5 record and continued to wow fans by taking out much larger opponents with his highly aggressive style.
Kotozakura, Takayasu and Wakamotoharu all managed the bare minimum kachi-koshi (winning record) to keep their places as ozeki, sekiwake and komusubi.
Wakanosho won the juryo yusho (second division championship). Though, his low ranking means he likely won’t get promoted to the top division for the March tournament.
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