Komusubi Wakatakakage claimed the May 2026 Grand Sumo Tournament title after defeating ozeki Kirishima in a playoff at Tokyo’s Ryogoku Kokugikan. Both wrestlers finished the 15-day Tokyo Grand Sumo Tournament (Natsu Basho) with 12-3 records, forcing a final championship match to decide the Emperor’s Cup.
Wakatakakage won the playoff by oshidashi, a frontal push-out, completing one of the most meaningful comeback stories of the tournament. It was the second top-division championship of his career and his first since the 2022 Osaka Grand Sumo Tournament.
Wakatakakage Finishes Strong
On the final day, Wakatakakage first defeated maegashira Fujiryoga, moving to 12-3 and taking the provisional lead. Kirishima then beat Ura in the final scheduled match, also finishing 12-3 and forcing a championship playoff.
In the deciding match, Wakatakakage took control and drove Kirishima out of the dohyo. The victory also earned him the Technique Prize, underlining the quality of his sumo across the tournament.
For Wakatakakage, the result carries extra meaning. After winning his first Emperor’s Cup in March 2022, he later suffered a serious knee injury and dropped as far as the makushita division. His return to the top of the sport has been gradual, but this championship confirms that he is once again a major force in the upper ranks.
Kirishima Falls Just Short
Kirishima entered the tournament with major momentum after winning the 2026 March Osaka Grand Tournament and returning to the rank of ozeki. He looked like the man to beat for much of the May tournament, but his Day 14 loss to Hakunofuji opened the door for Wakatakakage to catch him.
Even so, Kirishima still reached the playoff after defeating Ura on the final day. Falling one match short of back-to-back championships will be disappointing, but a 12-3 runner-up performance in his first tournament back at ozeki keeps him firmly among the strongest wrestlers in sumo.
A Tournament Shaped by Absences
The Tokyo May Grand Sumo Tournament was also defined by the absence of several top-ranked wrestlers. Yokozuna Onosato and ozeki Aonishiki were absent from Day 1, while yokozuna Hoshoryu withdrew from Day 2. Ozeki Kotozakura later pulled out from Day 12, adding to a tournament already missing much of its highest-ranked power.
Those absences created an unusually open title race, but Wakatakakage still had to beat the wrestlers in front of him. His championship came through consistency, pressure on the final weekend, and a decisive playoff win over the tournament’s other 12-3 wrestler.
Special Prize Winners
The Japan Sumo Association named two Fighting Spirit Prize winners: maegashira Yoshinofuji and maegashira Hakunofuji, who both finished 11-4. Hakunofuji’s win over Kirishima on Day 14 was one of the key results that changed the shape of the title race.
Wakatakakage also received the Technique Prize, adding another achievement to a tournament that ended with the Emperor’s Cup.
Looking ahead to Nagoya
The next Grand Sumo Tournament will take place at IG Arena in Nagoya from July 12 to July 26. After a May tournament shaped by injuries and withdrawals, the biggest question is how complete the top ranks will look when sumo moves to Nagoya.
Hoshoryu and Onosato will be looking to return after missing most or all of the May tournament, while Kotozakura will need to recover from the injury that forced him out from Day 12. Aonishiki’s sitation is especially important: after entering May in kadoban status (an ozeki rank wrestler who is at risk of demotion) and missing the tournament, he is expected to face Nagoya from a much more difficult ranking position, with pressure to prove he can quickly return to ozeki-level form. He needs to achieve 10 wins to restore his ozeki’s title.
That makes Nagoya a major test for the whole upper division. Wakatakakage will arrive as the latest tournament champion, Kirishima will be trying to answer after falling short in the playoff, and the returning top-ranked wrestlers could completely change the balance of the title race.
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