As part of their 2-day event yesterday & today in Paris, France, the Grand Sumo Performance Event included a pair of single-day elimination format tournaments. You’d be smart to think the Yokozuna would probably win based on how London went last year. But this time you’d be wrong. Both days’ tournaments have been a sweep as Ozeki Kotozakura won them both-he beat fellow Ozeki Kirishima yesterday and then beat Yokozuna Hoshoryu today. We’ll see if this momentum helps Kotozakura get back out of kadoban stastus in July to avoid demotion. Fellow Yokozuna Onosato did participate, a good sign that he’ll be back for the upcoming July Tournament although they absolutely did not go full-throttle in Paris as it basically was a glorified exhibition tournament and won’t go on their records nor affect rankings.
The participants, most of the top tier wrestlers, will now head back to Japan to prepare for the July Tournament in Nagoya. The Banzuke will be announced in 2 weeks.