Open The Forbidden Gate

Here are the quick results from today’s Day 13-Championship Day-of the July 2026 Grand Sumo Tournament in Nagoya:
Key: M-Maegashira, K-Komusubi, S-Sekiwake, O-Ozeki, Y-Yokozuna, J-Juryo, Ms-Makushita

Makuuchi (top tier):
Chiyoshoma (M10) beat Daiseizan (M16)
Kazuma (M15) beat Tobizaru (M9)
Onokatsu (M15) beat Wakamotoharu (M8)
Roga (M8) beat Asakoryu (M16)
Kotoeiho (M7) beat Asanoyama (M10)
Fujiseiun (M6) beat Abi (M12)
Ura (M5) beat Mitakeumi (M11)
Oshoma (M5) beat Kinbozan (M14)
Hiradoumi (M3) beat Ichiyamamoto (M4)
Asahakuryu (M12) beat Gonoyama (M2)
Hakunofuji (M3) beat Churanoumi (M2)
Fujinokawa (M1) beat Nishikifuji (M13)
Fujiryoga (M9) beat Takanosho (M1)
Takayasu (M7) beat Yoshinofuji (K)
Oho (J) beat Shodai (M6)
Atamifuji (S) beat Shishi (M14)
Aonishiki (S) beat Takerufuji (M13)
Daieisho (M4) beat Kotoshoho (S)
Kirishima (O) beat Hoshoryu (Y) by default/withdrawal
Onosato (Y) beat Kotozakura (O)
Leader: Aonishiki (12-2)
WITHDRAWAL: Hoshoryu (Y). Right knee is what the Japanese sumo media hinted at. Tournament over. Will finish the equivalent of 7-8 and his titleless Yokozuna run continues. Kirishima got the (very important for him) fusen as a result.
Of note: It’s Aonishiki’s to lose and it will come down to his final match tomorrow against Atamifuji. If Aonishiki wins, he is the champion. If Atamifuji wins, there will be a playoff rematch. If Atamifuji wins AND Kirishima wins after that, it will be a 3-way playoff.
Yokozuna Watch: Kirishima got a huge free win today, but tomorrow must win (Kotozakura) and Atamifuji must win to force the playoff at 12-3. I think that will be enough. If Aonishiki wins and Kirishima wins, I think it will be a toss-up at best. If Kirishima loses to finish 11-4, promotion likely will not be considered. The series against Kotozakura favors Kirishima 16-9…but…in the last 5 it’s 4-1 Kotozakura including the last 2.

Juryo:
Kayo (J12) beat Fujitensei (Ms3)
Enho (J11) beat Nishinoryu (J9)
Tamashoho (J10) beat Meisei (J7)
Kagayaki (J11) beat Kazekeno (J6)
Hatsuyama (J8) beat Kitanowaka )J5)
Tamawashi (J7) beat Tomokaze (J4)
Toshinofuji (J4) beat Tochitaikai (J14)
Ryuden (J3) beat Tohakuryu (J12)
Shonannoumi (J6) beat Dewanoryu (J3)
Tokihayate (J2) beat Shirokuma (J9)
Sadanoumi (J2) beat Hitoshi (J10)
Asasuiryu (J1) beat Arashifuji (J13)
Kyokukaiyu (J1) beat Midorifuji (J8)
Leader: Shonannoumi (11-3)
Of note: Isegahama Beya may have lost the title today. Or at least Arashifuji did, that’s 3 straight losses. Meawhile, that’s 6 straight wins for Shonannoumi and he’s in position to take the championship and have a chance at a top tier return after 4 tournaments, but he has to beat Tokihayate tomorrow. If he doesn’t, he needs Toshinofuji, Arashifuji and Asasuiryu to all lose. Otherwise there could be up to a 4-way playoff.

Makushita:
Nishikigi (J14) beat Nabatame (Ms3). PLAYOFF!!! That means there will be a SEVEN-WAY PLAYOFF for the Makushita championship! And a second chance for Asahifuji to get his 4th championship in 4 tournaments and potentially Juryo promotion.

Reminder: NHK World Japan will have 90 minutes of LIVE top tier coverage FOR FREE tomorrow, including the final matches, playoff if necessary, awards ceremony and champion’s interview, tomorrow beginning at 12:30 AM PT/3:30 AM ET.

Here are the quick results from today’s Day 13-Championship Day-of the July 2026 Grand Sumo Tournament in Nagoya:
Key: M-Maegashira, K-Komusubi, S-Sekiwake, O-Ozeki, Y-Yokozuna, J-Juryo, Ms-Makushita, Sd-Sandanme, Jd-Jonidan, Jk-Jonokuchi

Makuuchi (top tier):
Onokatsu (M15) beat Asshaluryu (M12)
Mitakeumi (M11) beat Kazuma (M15)
Kinbozan (M14) beat Chiyoshoma (M10)
Tobizaru (M9) beat Daiseizan (M16)
Asakoryu (M16) beat Wakamotoharu (M8)
Nishikifuji (M16) beat Fujiseiun (M6)
Abi (M13) beat Shodai (M9)
Asanoyama (M10) beat Oshoma (M5)
Fujiryoga (M9) beat Ura (M5)
Roga (M8) beat Ichiyamamoto (M4)
Gonoyama (M2) beat Hakunofuji (M3)
Daieisho (M4) beat Takanosho (M1)
Churanoumi (M2) beat Fujinokawa (M1)
Hiradoumi (M3) beat Oho (K)
Yoshinofuji (K) beat Kotoeiho (M7)
Kotoshoho (S) beat Takayasu (M7)
Kotozakura (O) beat Shishi (M14)
Aonishiki (S) beat Kirishima (O)
Onosato (Y) beat Takerufuji (M13)
Atamifuji (S) beat Hosboryu (Y)
Leader: Aonishiki (11-2)
Of note: It’s now Aonishiki’s to lose but he can’t win the championship tomorrow because there are 4 at 10-3 including two Isegahama men. And it looks like that’s his final path be he faces Takerufuji tomorrow. It looks like that will be a first-time meeting. Atamifuji faces Shishi (also likely first-time) and Kirishima gets Hoshoryu (2-2 in the last 4 tournaments but Kirishima has won the last 2).
Elsewhere, getting his 8th win today means Kotozakura is out of kadoban status and will remain a full Ozeki in September. At the bottom, Kazuma will be demoted back to Juryo after a tough top tier debut but I expect he’ll be back up by November or, at worst, January. There are also rumors that Oho’s disastrous record this time may be due in large part to injuries
Yokozuna Watch: The path is very narrow now but still there-Kirishima must win his last 2 and needs Aonishiki to lose at least once because Kirishima needs to at least force a playoff, ideally at 12-3, to have any chance for promotion. Championship is best-case. But if Kirishima was going to lose bis chance at promotion it would have been today, he only has one win vs. Aonishiki.

Juryo:
Tochitaikai (J14) beat Tokifudo (Ms2)
Tanji (Ms1) beat Kayo (J12)
Tamashoho (J10) beat Hitoshi (J10)
Kagayaki (J11) beat Nishinoryu (J9)
Shonannoumi (J6) beat Shirokuma (J9)
Kitanowaka (J5) beat Nishikigi (J14)
Togakuryu (J12) beat Toshinofuji (J4)
Tomokaze (J4) beat Enho (J11)
Dewanoryu (J3) beat Arashifuji (J13)
Hatsuyama (J6) beat Ryuden (J3)
Meisei (J7) beat Sadanoumi (J2)
Tamawashi (J7) beat Tokihayate (J2)
Kyokukaiyu (J1) beat Kazekeno (J6)
Asasuiryu (J1) beat Midorifuji (J8)
Leader: Arashifuji, Shonannoumi (10-3)
Of note: The Isegahama stranglehold on the championship is gone. Arashifuji still leads but Shonannoumi now has a share of the lead and Toshinoffuji fell to 9-4, part of a group of 4. The co-leaders already met yesterday with Shonannoumi winning so a playoff is the only way there will be a rematch. Shonannoumi has won 5 straight to get here. At the bottom, Enho took another loss to fall to 6-7 and needs to win his last 2 to avoid demotion, but I believe his Juryo spot is safe even with 6-9. Tanji, the Makushita man up for the day, won to clinch promotion and should make his Juryo debut in September along with the returning Nabatame, meaning if Nishikigi loses one more match whether or not his reputation spares him demotion again may depend on how Tochitaikai finishes (also 6-7) and if Oshoumi, who will be equal to 0-15 due to withdrawal, gets demoted or not (Hakuyozan will be demoted from J13 as he missed the tournament). So it looks right now like a 2 for 2 exchange as Tokifudo’s loss probably means he misses out on Juryo despite promotion from Ms2 as he’s 4-3.

Makushita:
Hananouni (Ms56) beat Asagyokusei (Sd2)
Mita (Ms41) beat Shimazuumi (Ms49)
Wakamiyabi (Ms36) beat Goseizan (Ms42)
Fudoho (Ms30) beat Omori (Ms26)
Ryuho (Ms17) beat Anhibiki (Ms32)
Asahifuji (Ms11) beat Himukamaru (Ms6)
No match for sole leader Nabatame (Ms3) at 6-0 because he will be in Juryo tomorrow. But here’s what today means-if Nabatame wins tomorrow, he is the champion. If he loses, there will be a 7-way playoff. Which will include stablemate Mita and a chance for revenge for Asahifuji because Nabatame handed the Isegahama super-rookie his first career loss earlier this week.

Sandanme:
Tochimusashi (Sd29) beat Kazemitsuki (Sd16)
Tenshoyama (Sd3) beat Ohata (Sd12). PLAYOFF!!! This means Tochimusashi-Tenshoyama on Sunday for the championship. Had Tochimusashi lost the Tenshoyama-Ohata match would have been for the championship.

Jonidan:
Kakizoe (Jk16) beat Asahabataki (Jd88). KAKIZOE JONOKUCHI YUSHO!!! 1st championship in debut tournament.
Hakugetsuro (Jd6) beat Nakazawa (Jd38). HAKUGETSURO JONIDAN YUSHO!!! 2nd career championship, 1st Jonidan in 2 tournaments. Kakizoe’s win also meant Hakugetsuro-Nakazawa was for the championship.

Jonokuchi: See Jonidan above

Reminder: NHK World Japan will have 50 minutes of LIVE top tier coverage FOR FREE tomorrow beginning at 1:10 AM PT/4:10 AM ET. You can also watch all of the present day’s matches LIVE and on demand on Jme, which has a 5-day free trial for new subscribers.

UPDATE: There are reports on social media that Wakatakakage, the May champion who was hospitalized early this month due to a left thigh injury (compartment syndrome) that nearly became career and life-threatening, was discharged today. According to stablemaster Arashio, Wakatakakage is expected to make a full recovery and should be able to compete again, but is expected to be out of the September tournament. If that is the case, he likely will be demoted from Sekiwake to Juryo and hopefully can return in November.

UPDATE 2: Nikkan Sports reports Hoshoryu has WITHDRAWN ahead of Day 14. Unsure why but Hochi Sports suggests right knee. This is massive because the fusen tomorrow goes to Kirishima. His Yokozuna hopes will now depend on the final day.

Here are the quick results from today’s Day 12 of the July 2026 Grand Sumo Tournament in Nagoya:
Key: M-Maegashira, K-Komusubi, S-Sekiwake, O-Ozeki, Y-Yokozuna, J-Juryo

Makuuchi (top tier):
Asahakuryu (M12) beat Kaxuma (M15)
Asakoryu (M16) beat Abi (M15)
Daiseizan (M16) beat Mitakeumi (M11)
Shishi (M14) beat Asanoyama (M10)
Fujiryoga (M9) beat Nishikifuji (M13)
Tobizaru (M9) beat Onokatsu (M15)
Takerufuji (M13) beat Takayasu (M7)
Kinbozan (M14) beat Shodai (M6!
Roga (M8) beat Ura (M5)
Chiyoshoma (M10) beat Oshoma (M5)
Daieisho (M4) beat Fujiseiun (M6)
Wakamotoharu (M8) beat Ichiyamamoto (M4)
Fujinokawa (M1) beat Gonoyama (M2)
Takanosho (M1) beat Hakunofuji (M3)
Hiradoumi (M3) beat Yoshinofuji (K)
Churanoumi (M2) beat Oho (K)
Atamifuji (S) beat Kotoeiho (M1)
Kotoshoho (S) beat Aonishiki (S)
Kotozakura (O) beat Hoshoryu (Y)
Kirishima (O) beat Onosato (Y)
Leader: Kirishima, Aonishiki, Takerufuji, Shishi (10-2)
Of note: Thanks to Kotoshoho it’s now wide open as he handed Aonishiki only hos second loss, which means 4 are now tied for the lead and 3 are not quite out yet at 9-3 the big change comes tomorrow-they finally stop feeding Shishi bottom rank guys and will test him with Kotozakura, who needs one more win to get out of kadoban status and remain Ozeki. Onosato is officially out of title contention now at 6-6 while Hoshoryu is out of it at 7-5 due to tomorrow’s matches between co-leaders, meaning 11 wins will be the minimum for the championship. This also has allowed Takerufuji to get into a share of the lead as he chased his second championship and first since his top tier debut, when despite a last day withdrawal due to injury he held on for the Emperor’s Cup before falling down the ranks.
Yokozuna Watch: It almost certainly comes down to tomorrow for Kirishima-the eagerly-awaited match against Aonishiki. A win and Kirishima stays in the title lead at 11-2. A loss and he would have to get to 12-3 and force a playoff for any real chance at promotion. History is not on the Ozeki’s side though-they have met 5 times before and Aonishiki has won 4.
Ozeki Watch: Since he reached 10 wins yesterday Aonishiki will get re-promoted even if he loses out.

Juryo:
Hitoshi (J10) beat Kayo (J12)
Tohakuryu (J12) beat Nishinoryu (J9)
Tochitaikai (J14) beat Meisei (J7)
Shonannoumi (J6) beat Arashifuji (J13)
Kazekeno (J6) beat Nishikigi (J14)
Tomokaze (J4) beat Kagayaki (J11)
Shirokuma (J9) beat Toshinofuji (J4)
Tamashoho (J10) beat Ryuden (J3)
Dewanoryu (J3) beat Kitanowaka (J5)
Tokihayate (J2) beat Midorifuji (J8)
Enho (J11) beat Sadanoumi (J2)
Asasuiryu (J1) beat Tamawashi (J7)
Kyokukaiyu (J1) beat Hatsuyama (J8)
Leader: Arashifuji (10-2)
Of note: It’s still an Isegahama title to lose but both lost today so Shirokuma & Shonannoumi join Toshinofuji at 9-3. There will be a potential eliminator tomorrow between Shonannoumi & Shirokuma, Toshinofuji faces Tohakuryu and Arashifuji gets Dewanoryu, who clinched promotion today and now has a chance to reach the top tier with probably at least 2 more wins. Elsewhere, Enho spoiled Sadanoumi’s promotion hopes with a win to get to 6-6, meaning his Juryo rank is likely safe even if he loses out. He faces Tomokaze tomorrow. Asasuiryu has likely clinched promotion to the top tier as he finally got bis 8th win today which could mean 4 Takasago men up there in September (if Asahakuryu & Asakoryu can stay up there, Asanoyama has already clinched promotion). Tokihayate also has a chance at a top tier return now with promotion secured but probably needs one more win. Also, Tamawashi’s Iron Man streak is now at 1805, meaning tomorrow he will move into sole possession of 3rd place on the all-time appearances list. He is 6-6 so if he keeps going in September he will remain in Juryo even if demoted from J7.
The Makushita men will start coning up again tomorrow for the final days, with Ms1 Tanji & Ms2 Tokifudo up first. Tanji will be promoted to Juryo with a win at 3-3 while Tokifudo already has promotion at 4-2 but would make it certain with a win.

Lower tier notes: Tomorrow is Championship Day in the lower tiers. Here’s how everything looks: In the Makushita…unusually, it won’t be. Nabatame is the sole leader at 6-0 but, in a first time occurrence since I have been following sumo, has no match tomorrow. But we will know one thing-if Nabatame loses his last match there will be a playoff and after tomorrow we’ll know how many could be involved. It’s guaranteed to be a 6-way playoff if it happens and could be 7. And that could include Asahifuji and/or Mita, meaning Asahifuji could still have a chance at Juryo promotion. Kiryuko, who will be demoted due to withdrawing earlier at 1-1 at the time, will return tomorrow to try and get a second win. In the Snadanme there are 3 left at 6-0 so there are two scenarios: First ip is Tochimusashi. If he beats Kazemitsuki (5-1), there will be a playoff as he would face the Tenshoyama-Ohata winner. If Tochimusashi loses, Tenshoyama-Ohata is for the championship. There is a similar scenario in the Jonidan, which also has 3 at 6-0. First, Asahabataki faces Kakizoe, who is up as the Jonokuchi leader. If Asahabataki wins, there will be a playoff as he would face Hakugetsuro-Nakazawa winner and there will be a Jonokuchi playoff which could be a 3-way playoff. If Kakizoe wins, he is the Jonokuchi champion and Hakugetsuro-Nakazawa will be for the Jonidan championship.