The fifth competition day of the prestigious Kyushu Basho-2026 sumo tournament has concluded in the Japanese city of Fukuoka. The event runs until November 22nd, with each participant scheduled to contest 15 bouts. The highlight of the day for Ukrainian fans was the victory of Ozeki Daniil Aonishiki Yavgusishin over Japan's Hakunofuji: the Ukrainian representative defeated his opponent with a shitate-nage throw, returning to the winning path and breaking a two-match losing streak.
Third win and improved personal stats
For Aonishiki, this victory marks his third in the current tournament. Previously, the Ukrainian had lost to Hiroki Asanoyama and Fujirogi, but managed to defeat Yoshinofuji and Ura. Thus, after completing a third of the tournament path, he holds a record of three wins and two losses after five bouts. The result carries special weight given the history of personal meetings: heading into this bout, Aonishiki had won six of seven matches against Hakunofuji, and has now further improved that record by extending his winning streak against this rival.
Shishi Masaru continues to search for his first victory
Another Ukrainian sumo wrestler, Sergei Sokolovsky, competing under the name Shishi Masaru, failed to break his losing streak. On the fifth day of competition, he faced Japanese opponent Nishikifuji and was once again defeated, marking his fourth loss at the start of the tournament. Previously, he had lost to Asakoryu, Takano, and Ogo. After five days, his record remains winless, and the next bout will be another attempt to end the prolonged slump.
Day highlights: Hoshoryu's setback and Atamifuji's perfect score
Among other Day 5 results, it is worth noting another setback for Mongolian Yokozuna Hoshoryu, who lost to Japan's Fujiseyun, marking his third consecutive defeat. Another Yokozuna, Onosato, secured his fourth tournament win by overcoming Ura. Ozeki Kirishima proved stronger than Asanoyama, and Kotozakura defeated Takayasu. The only wrestler to maintain a perfect record after five days remains Japanese Sekiwake Atamifuji, who defeated Fujinokawa.
What's next
The Kyushu Basho-2026 tournament will continue until November 22nd, with ten more bouts ahead for the Ukrainian representatives. Aonishiki's task is to consolidate his return to form and accumulate points in key matches, while Shishi Masaru must urgently seek his first win to avoid finishing the entire tournament without a single point. Previous issues of the publication have already reported on Aonishiki's attainment of elite status and his standing in the updated sumo rankings.
