Mongolian yokozuna Hoshoryu defeated fellow grand champion Onosato on the final day of the London Grand Sumo Tournament, a five-day exhibition spectacle, in the UK capital.
Much to the delight of the sold-out crowd of 5,400, both sumo wrestlers entered the dohyo on Sunday, October 19 with unbeaten records at Royal Albert Hall.
Hoshoryu, 26, showcased his strength against his yokozuna rival, outmuscling him in the last bout of the tourney and closing out the match with a forceful shove. The Mongolian secured the upper hand with a textbook tactic ― a firm belt grip helping him seize control.
After winning the title at the Japan Sumo Association's first overseas tour in London since 1991, Hoshoryu expressed relief that he wasn't hurt during the competition.
"I'm just glad to have got through the five days with no injuries," Hoshoryu was quoted as saying by Reuters.
In his post-victory interview on Sunday, Hoshoryu revealed he wants to return to London in the future.
"I had such a great time in London," he said, according to the BBC. "If I get the opportunity to come again, I will."
Onosato told the crowd during the closing ceremony that he enjoyed spending time in the UK.
"Hello everyone," Onosato said in English in his farewell greeting, Kyodo News reported. "London is great. Thank you and see you again. Goodbye."
Entering the final day of the London tourney, Hoshoryu, Onosato and Tobizaru, aka Sumo's Flying Monkey, were tied for the lead at 4-0.
Komusubi Takayasu, an ex-ozeki who had a disappointing 7-8 record at September's Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament in Tokyo, spoiled Tobizaru's title hopes with a Day 5 win.
A Golden Opportunity to Promote the Sport
Winning the title was, of course, the top objective for Tobizaru and other wrestlers. That said, rising Ukrainian star Aonishiki, thought the London event was an ideal opportunity for sumo to increase its fan base outside of Japan.
"I want to show people the good things about sumo," Aonishiki said earlier in the week, according to Agence France-Presse. "You only usually see sumo in Japan, so there aren't any people walking around Europe with topknots and kimonos. I hope it will be a good chance to interact with people."
During the JSA's previous London tour in 1991, then-yokozuna Hokutoumi was the tournament winner. Observing the competition and related activities this past week in the British city, the Japan Sumo Association chairman, now known as Hakkaku, was pleased with how everything turned out.
"It was even better than I expected," Hakkaku was quoted as saying by Kyodo News.
"I'm overwhelmed with emotion. It feels like sumo has been broadcast to the world."
In addition to greeting fans at the iconic Royal Albert Hall, sumo wrestlers had opportunities to experience British culture during their UK visit.
"The wrestlers have been seen across London since their arrival, posing for pictures in front of the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace, riding Lime bikes and even eating hot dogs on Westminster Bridge," the London Standard reported.
Final Results in London
Among the 40 men who competed at Royal Albert Hall, Hoshoryu was the only unbeaten wrestler. For Hoshoryu, the title-winning performance came only a few weeks after a frustrating finish for him in Tokyo.
Hoshoryu faced Onosato on September 28, the final day of the Autumn Basho. On that day, Onosato won his third Emperor's Cup of the year, conquering Hoshoryu in a playoff at Ryogoku Kokugikan.
Eight wrestlers finished with 4-1 records in London. In addition to Onosato, Takayasu, Tobizaru, Aonishiki, Wakamotoharu, Sadanoumi, Mitakeumi and Shishi were one victory off the pace.
Only fifth-ranked maegashira Ichiyamamoto had an 0-5 record in London.
A Colossal Undertaking
To transform Royal Albert Hall, which opened in 1871, into a suitable venue for sumo, meticulous preparations were made.
This included "shipping 11 tons (about 10,000 kg) of clay from Japan to construct the ring," CBS News reported.
In order to help the audience gain a greater understanding of what was happening in the ring, audio and visual aids were a part of the plan. Organizers provided "in-ear English language commentary" and "video replay screens to describe and explain the bouts," according to the American broadcaster.
Did You Know?
The first of 14 JSA overseas tours was held in 1961 in the Soviet Union ― with stops in Moscow and Khabarovsk. And in 2005, the JSA held its most recent tour, a three-day competition in Las Vegas.
A two-day tournament is scheduled to be held in Paris in June 2026.
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Author: Ed Odeven
Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.
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