Nagoya Basho 2026 - Day 14: the penultimate day

Daiseizan looks to avoid his makekoshi but Chiyoshoma stands him up off the tachiai with two hands thrusting on the shoulders, then uses tsuppari to find an outside right and a big overhand throw that flips Daisei to his losing record.

Tobizaru finds Kazuma's belt right away but the big man breaks the grip and they have a long battle shoving at each other until the Monkey tries a slap down where he backs up to the ropes and the Kazu closes to send him flying with a shove.

Asakoryu starts just a bit early so a restart is called, and on restart gets a right underhook, but Roga does a good job of keeping his right shoulder tight and preventing Asa from using his left or getting deep enough for the belt. Asa switches stance to take a double arm bar on Roga's right but he maintains balance and grabs Asa's belt in the process which he uses to take him across the whole ring and out.

Battle of the 9-4s as Asanoyama clamps down with overhooks on both of Kotoeiho's arms and takes him to the straw, but Koto uses a foot to brace and gets in far enough to get a double belt grip he uses to go back across the ring and force Asa out.

Abi and Fujiseiun go with shoving attacks until Fuji steps in and hooks his left leg outside which he uses to dump Abi back and down with a kirikaeshi trip.

Mitakeumi works arm defense against Ura who eventually decides he doesn't need the belt and goes for a very slow drive that puts Mita over the edge, dropping him to 2-11. He hasn't been doing very well for himself in the past couple years and this will demote to juryo. He dipped down last year but otherwise has been in top division since his debut in 2015.

Kinbozan and Oshoma start with thrusts but Osho switches to using his right overhook for an arm bar throw.

Asahakuryu's henka fails against Gonoyama and they scramble for position until Gono finds a weak inside right belt he uses for a drive. They circle and Gono almost falls but recovers and they have a stalemate Asa breaks using his outside left to drive Gono out and they both fall off the ring.

Hakunofuji wins the tachiai and makes quick work of Churanoumi, shoving him out. It took me until just now to realize Hakunofuji is the former Hakuoho, apparently having changed his name in January this year.

Gyoji stops the first of Nishikifuji's drive, apparently making the rare call to strictly enforce both hands being down. On restart Fujinokawa shows his signature speed and double unders before switching to the belt for the yorikiri. Nishiki was looking to slip an arm back inside but he was out of the ring in 3 seconds.

Fujiryoga and Takanosho switch from tsuppari to a stalemate where they hand fight for position. Taka drives as Fuji goes for a weak pull down and he steps out as Taka's hand hits the clay. Fan goes to Taka but there's a monoii and the replay shows Taka's right foot going over the straw on his drive, so it's overturned for Fuji.

Energetic sumo as Yoshinofuji puts a right hand under Takayasu's armpit and turns him to the side. When he turns back Yoshi steps in and throws an outside leg trip and shoves Papa hard but he plants a foot on the bales and survives Yoshi's drive on one foot, recovering to have a slap battle that Papa finishes by throwing a throat thrust followed by a slap down that drives Yoshi hard to the dirt.

Shishi with the slowest henka in history, so Atamifuji simply redirects his drive and shoves him out with almost zero resistance. Sorry Sergio, not sure if nerves got to him but his first yusho run ends not with a bang but a whimper.

TITLE MATCH INCOMING

Aonishiki finds a left inside but doesn't get the belt against Takerufuji, who grabs an overhand right while Aoni does the same. Take drives but Aoni uses his right to pivot Take to the tawara for a crush out. Solid sumo here from both men but Aoni is just too good.

In an otherwise uneventful match Kotoshoho ends up fighting Daieisho in a slap fight against the straw with a back bend that would make Ura proud, but eventually is forced to step back.

Onosato wins the tachiai and Kotozakura makes a brief defense on the ropes but gets forced out.

Aonishiki on top with 12 and only Atamifuji and Kirishima in the running with 11. Lineup for the final day isn't set yet but Atami and Kiri met on day 8 so they both have the potential to win tomorrow.

Why was Mitakeumi so vertical? Did Ura get a left hand belt grip that we couldn't see?