Nagoya Basho Preview

With Wakatakakage out, Onosato, Hoshoryu and Aonishiki look to regain form at Nagoya tournament.

By Jim Armstrong

Sekiwake Wakatakakage was hoping to make a push for promotion to ozeki at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament which kicks off on Sunday at IG Arena.

The surprise winner of May’s Summer basho will now have to watch from the sidelines after undergoing emergency surgery for a training injury sustained in the buildup to the July 12 to 26 Nagoya meet.

Wakatakakage was diagnosed with compartment syndrome, a circulatory condition that can lead to irreversible nerve and muscle damage. 

He had surgery on Wednesday, July 1, and remains in hospital in stable condition according to his stablemaster Arashio. 

In the absence of Wakatakakage, the focus shifts to the return of sumo’s elite wrestlers yokozuna Onosato and Hoshoryu and Ukrainian star Aonishiki.

After a meteoric rise up the sumo ranks, Aonishiki was forced to sit out the entirety of the summer meet due to a left ankle sprain. That means he enters the Nagoya basho as a sekiwake.

The 22-year-old Aonishiki earned promotion to ozeki at a record pace at the New Year meet in January by winning back-to-back championships in the top-tier makuuchi division.

But he went just 7-8 in the Spring meet in March, leaving him as a relegation-threatened “kadoban” wrestler for the Summer meet. As he was unable to compete, he was automatically demoted.

If he can recapture the form that made him a potential Yokozuna-promotion candidate, Aonishiki will be a serious contender for the Emperor’s Cup in Nagoya.

With double-digit wins, Aonishiki can secure immediate re-promotion to ozeki.

Mongolian grand champion Hoshoryu withdrew on Day 1 of the Summer tournament due to a leg injury and will be eager to return form in Nagoya.

Hoshoryu has yet to win a top-division tournament at sumo’s highest rank and will no doubt be feeling to the pressure to produce.

Yokozuna Onosato pulled out of the Summer tourney before it started due to rotator cuff damage in his left shoulder that required a month to recover.

Given the severity of that injury he faces an uphill battle as he bids for his sixth championship title.

SportsHub’s coverage of the Nagoya tournament kicks with a report of all the key bouts on Day 1.