September 26, 2012
Mongolian wrestler Harumafuji has been promoted to sumo's highest rank, becoming the 70th grand champion in the history of the sport.
September 23, 2012
In the best final-day showdown in years, Mongolia's Harumafuji outlasted arch-rival Hakuho to win his second straight tournament with a perfect 15-0 record and assure himself of promotion to sumo's highest rank--ending Hakuho's two-and-a-half year run as the sport's only yokozuna.
September 22, 2012
Undefeated ozeki Harumafuji and lone yokozuna Hakuho, who is one loss behind, both won their bouts on Sept. 22, setting up a final-day showdown to decide the championship of the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament.
September 21, 2012
Ozeki Harumafuji captured a crucial win on Sept. 21 against Kisenosato at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament to hold onto his undefeated lead after 13 days and put himself even closer to promotion to the sport's highest rank.
September 20, 2012
Ozeki Harumafuji blasted through his 12th victim at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on Sept. 20 to maintain an unbeaten lead and add more momentum to his quest to become the next grand champion.
September 19, 2012
Mongolia's Harumafuji moved one step closer to a promotion to yokozuna on Sept. 19 with a win that keeps him undefeated and in sole possession of the lead with just four days left in the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament in Tokyo.
September 18, 2012
Ozeki Harumafuji moved into the sole lead of the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on Sept. 18 in Tokyo as yokozuna Hakuho slipped and fell to his first loss, and rank-and-filer Kyokutenho was also sent out to defeat.
September 17, 2012
Ozeki Kisenosato fell to a big upset on Sept. 17 at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament, leaving Mongolians Hakuho, Harumafuji and Kyokutenho in the lead with unbeaten records after nine days of competition.
September 16, 2012
Mongolian co-leaders Hakuho and Harumafuji struggled just a bit but pulled through for their eighth-straight wins at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on Sept. 16, while ozeki Kisenosato demolished his opponent, and two rank-and-filers also held the pace.
September 15, 2012
Mongolia's deadly duo of Hakuho and Harumafuji demolished their opponents on Sept. 15 to stay unbeaten seven days into the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament, with homegrown ozeki Kisenosato and two rank-and-filers also keeping their slates clean.
September 15, 2012
Sumo wrestlers from overseas come to Japan ready to tackle a mountain of cultural barriers, and their success in the arena--the last 38 grand sumo tournaments have been won by foreign-born rikishi --stands as testament to their fearsome determination.
September 14, 2012
The Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament is shaping up into a three-way show of skills between yokozuna Hakuho, defending champion Harumafuji and homegrown ozeki Kisenosato--who all won their bouts with flying colors on Sept. 14 to stay unbeaten and in the lead with two rank-and-file wrestlers.
September 13, 2012
Defending champion Harumafuji and lone yokozuna Hakuho cruised to their fifth wins at the Autumn Grand Sumo Touranment on Sept. 13 as ozeki Kisenosato turned up the heat after a weak start to keep his record spotless as well.
September 12, 2012
Defending champion Harumafuji sailed to yet another win and yokozuna Hakuho demolished his fourth opponent to hold on to his share of the lead at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on Sept. 12 in Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan.
September 11, 2012
Defending champion Harumafuji and lone yokozuna Hakuho kept their records clean with third-day wins at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament in Tokyo on Sept. 11, as three ozeki wrestlers fell to upset defeats.
September 11, 2012
With foreign sumo wrestlers walking away with one Emperor's Cup after another, Japan is banking on a new type of native-born rikishi to break the Japanese grand tournament victory doldrums: college-educated wrestlers.
September 10, 2012
Mongolian ozeki Harumafuji--gunning for a repeat of his perfect finish the last time out--downed his second opponent in as many days on Sept. 10 as the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament marked a day without upsets.
September 09, 2012
Yokozuna hopeful Harumafuji blasted his way to an opening-day win as the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament got under way on Sept. 9 in Tokyo, with lone grand champion Hakuho and all the ozeki except Baruto--the victim of a controversial call--also coming out on top in their first bouts of the 15-day competition.
September 08, 2012
The Ryogoku Kokugikan walls are adorned with framed photos of the winners of the 32 most recent grand sumo tournaments. All of the faces now are of foreign-born wrestlers.
September 07, 2012
These are dark days for Japan's national sport.