TOKYO - Yokozuna Onosato captured his sixth career championship at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on September 27, defeating Ukrainian ozeki Aonishiki in a winner-takes-all showdown at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan to finish the 15-day competition with 12 wins and three losses, ending a year-long title drought after a dramatic final weekend.
The 26-year-old wrestler from Ishikawa Prefecture defeated Aonishiki with a powerful thrusting attack in the tournament's final bout. Both men entered the contest with identical records of 11 wins and three losses, making their meeting a direct battle for the Emperor's Cup.
Onosato took control from the initial charge, extending his arms to prevent Aonishiki from securing a grip on his belt. He then drove his opponent backward with a series of forceful thrusts before pushing him out of the ring.
The victory brought Onosato his first championship in six tournaments and his sixth overall, while Aonishiki finished with 11 wins and four losses, missing an opportunity to claim consecutive championships.
The result also marked the first time a yokozuna had won a tournament this year. Onosato became the first sole yokozuna to capture the Emperor's Cup since Terunofuji won the Nagoya tournament in July 2024.
Onosato was visibly emotional during the championship ceremony, wiping away tears as the national anthem was played. Speaking afterward, he said he had worked hard to return to the winner's podium and was delighted to have finally achieved his goal.
The championship capped a difficult period for Onosato, who had struggled with a left shoulder injury and the demands of competing at sumo's highest rank. He returned to complete all 15 days at the July tournament in Nagoya but managed only nine wins and six losses, leaving him outside the championship race.
His previous title had come at the Autumn tournament in September 2025, making this year's victory a return to the scene of his last major success.
Onosato entered the September tournament determined to regain his form, but his campaign was far from straightforward. He suffered an early defeat to Takayasu on the fourth day before recovering with eight consecutive victories.
By the closing stages of the tournament, he appeared to be moving toward a comfortable championship. However, consecutive defeats to ozeki Kirishima on September 25 and ozeki Kotozakura on September 26 transformed the title race.
The defeat against Kotozakura was particularly costly. Onosato had moved forward aggressively from the initial charge, only to be caught by a sudden thrust-down that sent him to the ground.
His second consecutive loss left him with three defeats and allowed Aonishiki to draw level at the top of the standings heading into the final day.
Aonishiki had recovered from three defeats during the opening six days of the tournament to mount a remarkable comeback. The 22-year-old, competing for Ajigawa stable, won eight consecutive bouts from the seventh through the 14th day, setting up the championship decider against Onosato.
The Ukrainian wrestler entered the tournament following his victory at the Nagoya tournament in July, where he secured the Emperor's Cup through a three-way playoff. Another championship in September would have given him consecutive titles and strengthened his case for promotion to yokozuna.
However, Onosato's decisive victory brought Aonishiki's winning streak to an end and ensured that the championship remained with the yokozuna.
The championship race had also involved former ozeki Asanoyama, who remained in contention until the penultimate day. Competing as a sixth-ranked maegashira, Asanoyama accumulated 10 victories but suffered defeats in both of his final two bouts, finishing with a 10-5 record.
New sekiwake Fujinokawa was another prominent contender. The 21-year-old produced one of the tournament's strongest performances, defeating three ozeki and remaining in the championship race until the latter stages. He finished with 11 wins and four losses after defeating fellow sekiwake Atamifuji with a scoop throw on the final day.
Fujinokawa's performance earned him his second Fighting Spirit Prize. Churanoumi also received the award after defeating Daieisho on the final day to finish with 10 wins and five losses.
Takayasu, who had defeated Onosato earlier in the tournament, was a candidate for the Outstanding Performance Prize but missed out after losing his final bout to Fujiryoga. The defeat left him with seven wins and eight losses. No wrestler received the Technique Prize.
Among the other leading wrestlers, Kirishima secured a winning record on the final day by defeating fellow ozeki Kotozakura with an overarm throw. Kirishima finished with eight wins and seven losses, while Kotozakura ended the tournament with nine wins and six losses.
Kirishima's victory was particularly significant because it allowed him to avoid entering the November tournament in danger of demotion from the ozeki rank.
Atamifuji also finished with eight wins and seven losses, while Wakamotoharu recorded 10 wins and five losses despite losing his final bout to Gonoyama. Ura reached double figures with a victory over Tobizaru, completing the tournament with a 10-5 record.
Fellow yokozuna Hoshoryu was absent from the tournament, leaving Onosato as the sole wrestler competing at sumo's highest rank.
In the second-tier juryo division, Kitanowaka claimed the championship after a three-way playoff against Kagayaki and Kayo. All three finished the regular tournament with 11 wins and four losses, forcing a playoff to determine the champion. Kitanowaka defeated both opponents to secure the title.
The September tournament also highlighted the growing competition among younger wrestlers challenging sumo's established stars. Aonishiki's continued success at ozeki and Fujinokawa's strong debut at sekiwake demonstrated the depth of emerging talent in the upper ranks.
For Onosato, however, the tournament represented a significant personal comeback. A year after his previous championship and following months of injury problems and inconsistent results, he overcame two damaging late defeats to secure the Emperor's Cup in the final bout.
The tournament concluded with Onosato celebrating his sixth championship in a victory parade, bringing an emotional end to 15 days of competition in Tokyo.
Source: Kyodo
