Grand Sumo’s 2026 aki basho (fall tournament) wrapped up on Sunday and crowned the latest top-division champion. The 15-day tournament saw wrestlers from Japan’s six organized sumo divisions compete each day as they all hunted for those all-important kachi-koshi (winning records).
Below are the final standings for the top division, as well as some news and notes.
2026 Aki Basho Final Makuuchi Standings
| Record | East | Rank | West | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12-3 | Onosato 🇯🇵 | Yokozuna | Hoshoryu 🇲🇳 | 0-0-15 |
| 8-7 | Kirishima 🇲🇳 | Ozeki | Kotozakura 🇯🇵 | 9-6 |
| 11-4 | Aonishiki 🇺🇦 | Ozeki | ||
| 8-7 | Atamifuji 🇯🇵 | Sekiwake | Fujinokawa 🇯🇵 | 11-4 |
| 5-10 | Hakunofuji 🇯🇵 | Komusubi | Daieisho 🇯🇵 | 5-10 |
| 5-7-3 | Kotoshoho 🇯🇵 | M1 | Kotoeiho 🇯🇵 | 5-10 |
| 7-8 | Takayasu 🇯🇵 | M2 | Yoshinofuji 🇯🇵 | 9-6 |
| 6-9 | Gonoyama 🇯🇵 | M3 | Churanoumi 🇯🇵 | 10-5 |
| 4-9-2 | Takanosho 🇯🇵 | M4 | Fujiryoga 🇯🇵 | 8-7 |
| 6-9 | Roga 🇷🇺 | M5 | Oshoma 🇲🇳 | 6-9 |
| 10-5 | Asanoyama 🇯🇵 | M6 | Ichiyamamoto 🇯🇵 | 4-11 |
| 9-6 | Fujiseun 🇯🇵 | M7 | Nishikifuji 🇯🇵 | 7-8 |
| 9-6 | Takerufuji 🇯🇵 | M8 | Hiradoumi 🇯🇵 | 9-6 |
| 10-5 | Ura 🇯🇵 | M9 | Shishi 🇺🇦 | 7-8 |
| 7-8 | Oho 🇯🇵 | M10 | Kinbozan 🇰🇿 | 9-6 |
| 10-5 | Wakamotoharu 🇯🇵 | M11 | Shodai 🇯🇵 | 3-12 |
| 0-0-15 | Wakatakakage 🇯🇵 | M12 | Asahakuryu 🇯🇵 | 8-7 |
| 9-6 | Asakoryu 🇯🇵 | M13 | Abi 🇯🇵 | 8-7 |
| 4-11 | Tobizaru 🇯🇵 | M14 | Chiyoshoma 🇲🇳 | 5-10 |
| 8-7 | Asasuiryu 🇯🇵 | M15 | Tokihayate 🇯🇵 | 8-7 |
| 0-0-15 | Wakanosho 🇲🇳 | M16 | Toshinofuji 🇲🇳 | 9-6 |
| 3-12 | Shonannoumi 🇯🇵 | M17 |
Onosato Wins First Title in a Year
Onosato, the sport’s 75th yokozuna, won the 2026 aki basho with a dramatic final-day win over ozeki Aonishiki. Onosato had been cruising earlier on in the tournament, getting out to an 11-1 record with a two-win cushion over his competition.
However, on Days 13 and 14, he lost to Kirishima and Kotozakura to open the door to Aonishiki and a handful of other challengers. That meant his win on senshuraku (final day) became a must-win situation for the 26-year-old.
Despite all the pressure on his shoulders and fear of throwing away a yusho (championship) he should have wrapped up early, Onosato blasted through Aonishiki and made quick work of the Ukrainian with a blistering thrusting attack.
There were tears in Onosato’s eyes as soon as he realized he’d won. Then, while waiting for the trophy, he openly wept. This was a rare demonstration of emotion from Onosato (and sumo wrestlers in general). The emotion came pouring out because Onosato has had a horrible year up until this point.
When he burst onto the scene in 2024, he was a can’t-miss prospect, and he fulfilled all that hype by winning most tournaments and quickly advancing up the rankings. He earned the ultimate promotion to yokozuna in 2025. In the last tournament of that year, though, he suffered a separated shoulder.
He has fought hurt since then, resulting in a tournament where he pulled out partway through and then another where he sat out the entire thing. Those were both first-time occurrences for him. In July, he showed flashes of his former dominating self, but still only managed a 9-6 record. A yokozuna is expected to always compete for a title and, at the very least, manage double-digit wins.
In this tournament, Onosato looked more like his old self. There were some stumbles, but they were few. Most of the time, he was either wiping out opponents with his awesome crushing power off the tachiai or fooling them into a thunderous slapdown.
This is Onosato’s sixth career yusho. He was on track to break all the records in the book before he got hurt. If he’s back to full health now, there are plenty of those records still within reach.
Aonishiki Gunning for Yokozuna Promotion in November
Aonishiki came up short against Onosato this weekend, but he is still in a fantastic position to make history.
Aonishiki won the July tournament. And, if he had taken home the cup here, there was a slight chance that he would get promoted to become the sport’s 76th yokozuna. Typically, you need to win two titles back-to-back as an ozeki to earn that promotion. Context is very important, though. Aonishiki’s July yusho came as a sekiwake. However, if he had beaten the yokozuna to get this cup, I can see a scenario where the Japan Sumo Association greenlit his promotion (due to him having won or finished runner-up in most other tournaments this year).
As it stands now, though, with this runner-up spot as an ozeki in the bank, if Aonishiki can win the November tournament, there is an extremely likely chance he gets the promotion. A runner-up finish and a win is what earned Hoshoryu the promotion in January 2025.
Whether it happens this January or not, Aonishiki, who is still only 22, seems destined to become a yokozuna. When that happens, he’ll make history as the first-ever European-born yokozuna.
Kirishima and Atamifuji Disappoint
Kirishima was in a position to earn a yokozuna promotion in this tournament, having finished runner-up in July while ranked ozeki. He also had plenty of good context around his name, too, as the January champion and the most wins of anyone this calendar year heading into the tournament.
Things went off the rails early for Kirishima, though, and things snowballed from there. In the end, he needed to win on the last day to earn a winning record and save his blushes. He got that with a win over fellow ozeki Kotozakura—in what could have been a “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” situation. This 8-7 means he’ll need to regroup and try to get two solid, title-earning, back-to-back tournaments under his belt again. That’s a huge ask with Onosato seemingly back to full health.
Atamifuji was working on his credentials for an ozeki promotion. As a sekiwake, you need 33 wins in three consecutive tournaments to qualify for that promotion. Atamifuji earned 12 wins in July. That’s a very strong start to an ozeki run. However, after getting just an 8-7 record here, that run is over (for now, at least).
Fujinokawa Proves He’s the Real Deal
Fujinokawa earned an 11-4 record in his first tournament as a sekiwake (his highest rank to date). The 21-year-old has been the breakout star of the year in sumo. His fan-friendly, hyperviolent style has seen him unsettle dozens of wrestlers, most of whom are much bigger than him, during his march up the rankings.
I had my doubts about whether he could hang at such a high ranking, but he proved me wrong. He still brought his signature style to every bout, continuing to show zero fear against the biggest names and bodies in the sport. He also showed some fantastic technique in this tournament, including during his wins over Aonishiki, Kirishima, and Kotozakura.
This record means he will keep his rank for November. And, like Atamifuji was before this tournament, he is now on an ozeki run. A double-digit win haul in November will give him a shot at that promotion in January.
Other Aki Basho News and Notes
Hoshoryu, Wakatakakage, and Wakanosho sat out the entire tournament to deal with various (and serious) injuries. They all received 0-0-15 records. Those 15 absences will see Wakatakakage and Wakanosho demoted from the top division. Hoshoryu can only lose his yokozuna rank through retirement.
Former ozeki Shodai and fan favorite Tobizaru are also in danger of demotion to juryo. If they are demoted, that would be their first time in the second division since they first broke into Grand Sumo. Shonannoumi, who won juryo in July, will be demoted also.
Hakunofuji struggled in his debut as a komusubi. His 5-10 record will see him lose that rank. Daieisho will also lose the komusubi rank.
Brothers Kotoshoho and Kotoeiho had tournaments to forget. Kotoeiho looked out of his depth at his highest rank to date. Kotoshoho pulled out of the tournament in the second week after suffering a concussion.
Popular pink-clad wrestler Ura had looked like a surprise contender early on in the tournament. He fell off in the second week, but still locked in one of his best records as of late.
The second division was won by Kitanowaka. He came through a three-way playoff with Kagayaki and Kayo. Kagayaki had been the front-runner throughout the tournament, but collapsed in the final few days.
The third division was won by Inami, who went a perfect 7-0. The big story from the third division was super prospect Asahifuji going 6-1 to secure his promotion to juryo.
Looking Ahead to the 2026 Kyushu Basho
The next Grand Sumo tournament goes down in November in Kyushu, Japan. Combat Press will have news, rankings, and previews for that event next month.
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