Grand Sumo’s latest tournament, the 2026 natsu basho (summer tournament), wrapped up on Saturday. The tournament crowned its latest winner, through a play-off. The event itself started poorly, with three of the biggest names in the sport pulling out due to injury within the first 48 hours. However, the second week of the 15 day tournament was extremely captivating with almost a dozen different wrestlers looking like they had a chance to grab the cup. On the final day there was even the possibility of a six-way play-off for the title.
Scroll down for the complete results from the makuuchi (top division) and some key takeaways.
2026 Natsu Basho top division final standings
| Record | East | Rank | West | Record |
| 0-2-13 | Hoshoryu 🇲🇳 | Yokozuna | Onosato 🇯🇵 | 0-0-15 |
| 3-9-3 | Kotozakura🇯🇵 | Ozeki | Aoinishiki 🇺🇦 | 0-0-15 |
| 12-3 | Kirishima 🇲🇳 | Ozeki | ||
| 9-6 | Atamifuji 🇯🇵 | Sekiwake | Kotoshoho 🇯🇵 | 9-6 |
| 12-3 | Wakatakakage 🇯🇵 | Komusubi | Takayasu 🇯🇵 | 2-2-11 |
| 7-8 | Fujinokawa 🇯🇵 | M1 | Takanosho 🇯🇵 | 7-8 |
| 11-4 | Yoshinofuji 🇯🇵 | M2 | Ichiyamamoto 🇯🇵 | 6-9 |
| 7-8 | Hiradoumi 🇯🇵 | M3 | Oho 🇯🇵 | 9-6 |
| 7-8 | Daieisho 🇯🇵 | M4 | Gonoyama 🇯🇵 | 8-7 |
| 5-10 | Wakamotoharu 🇯🇵 | M5 | Shodai 🇯🇵 | 6-9 |
| 9-6 | Churanoumi 🇯🇵 | M6 | Fujiseun 🇯🇵 | 7-8 |
| 5-10 | Chiyoshoma 🇲🇳 | M7 | Asakoryu 🇯🇵 | 3-4-8 |
| 8-7 | Oshoma 🇲🇳 | M8 | Asahakuryu 🇯🇵 | 5-10 |
| 5-10 | Abi 🇯🇵 | M9 | Nishikifuji 🇯🇵 | 5-10 |
| 7-5-3 | Asanoyama 🇯🇵 | M10 | Hakunofuji 🇯🇵 | 11-4 |
| 10-5 | Ura 🇯🇵 | M11 | Kinbozan 🇰🇿 | 6-9 |
| 6-9 | Shishi 🇺🇦 | M12 | Tokihayate 🇯🇵 | 4-11 |
| 10-5 | Kotoeiho 🇯🇵 | M13 | Tamawashi 🇲🇳 | 2-13 |
| 8-7 | Mitakeumi 🇯🇵 | M14 | Roga 🇷🇺 | 9-6 |
| 9-6 | Tobizaru 🇯🇵 | M15 | Oshoumi 🇯🇵 | 4-11 |
| 9-6 | Wakanosho 🇲🇳 | M16 | Ryuden 🇯🇵 | 5-10 |
| 10-5 | Fujiryoga 🇯🇵 | M17 |
Wakatakakage earns his second top division yusho
Wakatakakage outlasted a wide field of competitors in this tournament to take home his second career top division title. Wakatakakage was trailing Kirishima, who won in March, for much of this tournament.
After Wakatakakage drew alongside Kirishima, to share the lead at around the midway point, he lost to Kirishima to drop one space back. However, since that loss on day eleven, Wakatakakage was lights out, dominating all of his opponents.
On the following days he quickly beat Gonoyama, Tobizaru, Kotoeiho and Fujiryoga. All those men were part of that packed field of contenders. The win over Fujiroyga on senshuraku (the final day of the tournament) set up his play-off with Kirishima.
Wakatakakage showed he had learned from his day eleven loss to Kirishima and did an amazing job of defending against the grip Kirishima used in the past bout. After blocking Kirishima from his belt, he was able to force Kirishima out with two strong forearm chops to the chest.
The win for Wakatakakage comes a few years after he suffered a devastating knee injury. The recovery time for that injury resulted in Wakatakakage losing his sekiwake rank (two below yokozuna) and being demoted all the way down to the makushita (third division). He’s scratched and clawed his way back up to the top division since then.
Had the 31 year-old not suffered that injury, he might have become an ozeki or yokozuna by now. He’s still young enough to make perhaps one last push for those fabled positions and this tournament win will certainly help that.
Surprise contenders across the board
Kirishima and Wakatakakage were most favoured to win this tournament after their hot starts and the injury pull outs of Onosato, Aonishiki and Hoshoryu. And it turned out that they were worthy favourites, meeting each on the final day after all other contenders had been dealt with.
However, on the final day of this tournament Ura, Hakunofuji, Yoshinofuji, Kotoeiho and Fujiryoga all had a mathematical chance of forcing a play-off. A few days earlier in the tournament, Tobizaru and Gonoyama were also among the front-runners.
Very few would have picked any of those characters to feature heavily in the title run this month.
Ura and Tobizaru are two of the most popular wrestlers in the sport, but not because they win a lot. Ura, aka The Peach Prince, is famed for his highly unorthodox style of sumo, which often leads to highlight reel and viral finishes. Tobizaru, aka The Flying Monkey, is known for his chaotic style of sumo, which includes lots of movement and often Tobizaru flying into the seats (on both wins and losses).
Ura and Tobizaru being in a yusho (championship) hunt was thrilling for longtime watchers, who had always considered these two prime entertainment, but not title contenders.
The other names mentioned above are all young wrestlers still looking to make their mark. Kotoeiho was competing in only his third top division tournament. Fujiryoga was only in his second.
Tamawashi struggles
Sumo’s Iron Man had a terrible tournament and that was very depressing for fans of the sport. Tamawashi is the oldest man in the top division (41), by some way, and last year he clinched the record for most consecutive bouts without sitting out due to injury. Tamawashi has, remarkably, never declared himself absent for a bout. Tamawashi’s ability to stay active, paired with his formidable nodowa (throat thrust), has put him across a number of all time record books.
Tamawashi is currently a couple of top division tournaments away from surpassing sumo’s GOAT Hakuho for second on the all-time list for most top division tournaments competed in. He’s also close to advancing within the top tens on various lists for most wins.
In this tournament, Tamawashi fought on an injury right leg. And that resulted in a 2-13 record. Tamawashi has never looked this compromised due to an injury and seeing him fight like this was a shock, since he has such an air of indestructibility.
The 2-13 record means Tamawashi is very likely to be demoted from the top division in the next rankings list (for the July tournament). That would mark the first time he has been ranked in the second division since 2013. The prospect of a demotion has many fans wondering if this might be the last we see of the Mongolian veteran.
Other news and notes
Kotozakura joined the long list of injury pull outs at this tournament on day twelve. That left him with a 3-9-3 record. The losing record means he will be kadoban (in a corner) at the July tournament. A losing record there will cost him his ozeki ranking, something he’s held since 2024.
Aonishiki was kadoban for this tournament. Him missing the tournament, and thus banking a 0-0-15 record, means he will lose his ozeki ranking in July. The Ukrainian phenom earned that rank after winning the November tournament. He can get the ozeki rank back if he scores ten or more wins in July.
The giant Kazuma won the second division title this month. However, he might miss out on a promotion to makuuchi due to how well a number of other wrestlers did who were ranked ahead of him.
The fourth division was won by Asahifuji. Asahifuji is perhaps the hottest prospect in sumo. Asahifuji has now won all three of his senior tournaments with a 7-0 record. The 24 year-old Mongolian was named Asahifuji by his stablemaster Isegahama (former yokozuna Terunofuji). The name belonged to Terunofuji’s stablemaster (and also a former yokozuna). Awarding a young wrestler with such a historic shikona (ring name) is a sign that big things are expected of you.
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