Full Breakdown
Yokozuna Onosato Ends Year-Long Title Drought with Emperor’s Cup Victory
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Championship Decider at the Autumn Basho
On Sunday September 27, the sole yokozuna competing in the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament secured his sixth career Emperor’s Cup by defeating ozeki Aonishiki in the final bout at Tokyo’s Ryogoku Kokugikan. Both wrestlers entered the Day 15 showdown with identical 11-3 records; Onosato’s victory gave him a 12-3 finish, while Aonishiki ended at 11-4. The win marked the first tournament triumph for a yokozuna in the 2025-2026 sumo year and the first sole yokozuna title since former yokozuna Terunofuji captured the Nagoya tournament in July 2024.
Road to Recovery and Tournament Progress
Onosato’s path to the championship was shaped by a lingering left-shoulder injury that forced him to withdraw from the March Spring Basho after an 0-3 start and to skip the May Summer Basho entirely. The injury-free comeback began with a 9-6 showing at the July Nagoya Basho, followed by a strong showing on September 20, when a win over maegashira Takanosho lifted him to 7-1 and gave him the outright lead.
Late-stage setbacks occurred on September 25 and September 26, when Onosato suffered consecutive defeats to ozeki Kirishima and ozeki Kotozakura, dropping his record to 9-3 and allowing Aonishiki to draw level. Despite these losses, Onosato rallied with an eight-match winning streak to force the title-deciding match on the final day.
Aonishiki, a 22-year-old Ukrainian from Ajigawa stable, had also mounted a comeback, winning eight straight bouts after an early 3-3 start and entering the final day on a momentum surge that could have secured consecutive Emperor’s Cups and bolstered his case for promotion to yokozuna.
Data & Statistics
- Onosato: 12-3 record, sixth career championship.
- Aonishiki: 11-4 record, runner-up.
- Kirishima: 8-7 record, victory over Kotozakura on the final day.
- Kotozakura: 9-6 record.
- Fujinokawa (sekiwake): 11-4 record, earned Fighting Spirit Prize.
- Ura, Wakamotoharu, Asanoyama, Churanoumi: each finished with ten or more wins; no Technique Prize awarded.
- Juryo division: Kitanowaka claimed the championship after a three-way playoff among wrestlers with 11-4 records.
Official Statements & Responses
Onosato credited his stablemaster, former yokozuna Kisenosato, for emotional support during the tournament, noting that Kisenosato served as a ringside judge on the championship day. The wrestler also highlighted the significance of the victory for his personal comeback, describing the moment as a chance to “enjoy this view again.”
Kyodo News reported that Onosato expressed gratitude for overcoming the injury-induced doubts that had plagued him since the previous year’s shoulder problem.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I was injured last year, and I couldn't do the sumo I wanted,” — Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan. Onosato
- “I just wanted to get to enjoy this view again,” — Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan. Onosato
What’s Next
The sumo calendar will move to the Kyushu Basho in Fukuoka, scheduled to begin on November 8. The tournament will be the final grand sumo event of 2026, offering other top-ranked wrestlers an opportunity to challenge Onosato’s renewed dominance.