After a brief news roundup with Sean covering haircutting ceremonies, victory parades, and the hopes of Fukushima, the real show starts as multiple time national champion and world medalist Kellyann Ball joins the show to talk women's sumo, international competitions, and more! Be sure to check out the Mighty Eagle Sumo IG and YouTube and try to catch the Womens Invitational Sumo tournament June 13th at 11AM (WINS)!

https://www.mightyeaglesumo.com/wins

Email Us: [email protected]

0:00 Intro

0:46 News (Takarafuji, Hokutofuji, and more retirements)

4:14 News (Tamawashi to Juryo)

6:55 News (Takayasu and Paris Talk)

11:26 News (Fukushima Sumo)

16:50 Kellyann Ball!!! (How Sumo Hooks You)

19:43 Origins of a Sumotori (Everyone is Welcome on the Dohyo)

26:00 Going International (Ozumo / Amazumo)

37:00 Hakuho Cup and Youth Coaching

42:00 Open Gender Competition

49:41 WINS (Women's Invitational Sumo)

52:08 Supporting Women's Sumo and Amazumo in your Area)

57:10 Outro

Music Queues:

Headline News by BreakzStudios

https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/musical-breaking-news-intro-logo-2-314321/

Champion du Monde by Melodigne

https://pixabay.com/music/beats-champion-du-monde-285652/ 

Festa In Autumn, Folk Okinawa by syntheway

https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/musical-virtual-koto-shamisen-and-shakuhachi-vst-by-shamikoto-festa-in-autumn-folk-okinawa-30255/

Nick is back to talk Komusubi Wakatakakage's playoff championship against Ozeki Kirishima! We also cover the injuries to the san'yaku this tournament, Kirishima's Yokozuna Run, the end of the Enho to Miyagino Dream, and a Gyoji's rejected resignation along with a brief update to our Yung-zeki Sweepstakes and the performances of our two Sekiwake Atamifuji and Kotoshoho. 

Email Us! [email protected]

0:00 Intro

6:25 Championship Playoff

12:50 Kirishima Yokozuna?

18:25 Miyagino Closed, Enho Blocked

26:03 Gyoji Resignation?

31:12 Yungzeki Update

Music Queues:

Headline News by BreakzStudios

https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/musical-breaking-news-intro-logo-2-314321/

Capcom & Street Fighter II "You Win"

Pussycat Dolls - When I grow up https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0K46C82v9o 

Festa In Autumn, Folk Okinawa by syntheway

https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/musical-virtual-koto-shamisen-and-shakuhachi-vst-by-shamikoto-festa-in-autumn-folk-okinawa-30255/

Nick and I will be back next week with a full review of the May 2026 Tournament next week but for now... WOW!!! What a final day! I'll keep this description spoiler free but here's my instant reaction after an exhausting day watching a particularly rowdy sake bar. My voice gave out on me so forgive me but for the rest of the show we've got Sean and I breaking down Dallas Sumo Club and Rollertown Beerworks' 2026 Rollertown Showdown in Frisco Texas with a discussion of how we can grow sumo locally. Thanks for listening everyone, back next week!

Email Us! [email protected]

Music Queues:

Headline News by BreakzStudios

https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/musical-breaking-news-intro-logo-2-314321/

Western by AtlasAudio

https://pixabay.com/music/adventure-western-519642/

Festa In Autumn, Folk Okinawa by syntheway

https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/musical-virtual-koto-shamisen-and-shakuhachi-vst-by-shamikoto-festa-in-autumn-folk-okinawa-30255/

Both Yokozunas are now out after Hoshoryu's pulled hamstring but Ozeki Kirishima is leading the charge to be the next Mongolian Yokozuna! Those stories, a handful of injuries, and a handful of other contenders including Wakatakakage and Tobizaru.

Email Us! [email protected]

Music Queues:

Headline News by BreakzStudios

https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/musical-breaking-news-intro-logo-2-314321/

Chinese Dynasty by Roman Sol

https://pixabay.com/music/china-chinese-dynasty-449721/ 

Festa In Autumn, Folk Okinawa by syntheway

https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/musical-virtual-koto-shamisen-and-shakuhachi-vst-by-shamikoto-festa-in-autumn-folk-okinawa-30255/

Phil has returned to educate us on the prognosis for several injuries playing a role in the May tournament including the absence of Yokozuna Onosato and Kadoban Ozeki Aonishiki (at least to start the basho) and many more (for better or worse).

Email us! [email protected]

0:00 Intro

0:42 News (Onosato and Aonishiki)

13:38 Injury Report (Kirishima, Yoshinofuji, Wakatakakage, Fujinokawa and more)

36:43 Over/Under (days competed for hurt rikishi)

46:33 Outro

Sound Credits:

Headline News by BreakzStudios

https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/musical-breaking-news-intro-logo-2-314321/

Festa In Autumn, Folk Okinawa by syntheway

https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/musical-virtual-koto-shamisen-and-shakuhachi-vst-by-shamikoto-festa-in-autumn-folk-okinawa-30255/

Injury Report Mix:

https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/ambulance-6399/

https://pixabay.com/music/metal-intense-black-metal-instrumental-304729/

Lady of the 80s by Grand_Project:

https://pixabay.com/music/synthwave-lady-of-the-80x27s-128379/

Articles Referenced:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BODCEB5SK4OZU_lBUzIHrfbRh5KkvTwnV_zayaT2FFM/edit?usp=sharing

Nick is back to break down the banzuke and make our dark horse and favorite picks to win the yusho this basho! Is it finally Hoshoryu's time to win a yokozuna yusho? Is Onosato's shoulder finally healthy? Can Kirishima go back to back now that he's returned to Ozeki?

EMAIL US! [email protected]

0:00 Intro

0:45 News

14:15 Banzuke Talk

45:45 Picking Favorites

52:00 Outro

Music Queues:

Headline News by BreakzStudios

https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/musical-breaking-news-intro-logo-2-314321/

Bebop Coffee Shop by Alex Morgan https://pixabay.com/music/traditional-jazz-bebop-coffee-shop-517090/

Total War by AudioAtlant

https://pixabay.com/music/adventure-total-war-epic-action-cinematic-trailer-main-513668/

Festa In Autumn, Folk Okinawa by syntheway

https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/musical-virtual-koto-shamisen-and-shakuhachi-vst-by-shamikoto-festa-in-autumn-folk-okinawa-30255/

Could a rikishi make it in the NFL Draft? I'm at the Rollertown Showdown in Dallas, Texas this weekend, but my friend Tyler was kind enough to join us and break down what sumo skills translate to American football and vice versa. What do you think? How would a rikishi fare in NFL or college football and who would you pluck out of American Football to try their hand in the dohyo?

Email us! [email protected]

Check out John Gunning's most recent take on the subject:

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2026/02/11/sumo/sumo-vs-nfl/

Music:

https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/musical-virtual-koto-shamisen-and-shakuhachi-vst-by-shamikoto-festa-in-autumn-folk-okinawa-30255/

https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/musical-knto-015-94499/

Solo episode this week but we have some grumbles about injuries to Onosato, Fujinokawa, and Nishikifuji as well as Chiyomaru's new life post retirement and a couple new recruits (Christopher Lee Bill and Nicolas Tarasenko). Then we switch gears to talk about places you can look if you want to start following sumo news yourself and digress a bit to talk about One Championship's current struggles and how the system Hakkaku and the JSA maintain keep them resilient against similar pressures.

0:00 Intro

0:24 News (Injuries, Chiyomaru, and Debutants)

13:48 How Japanese Papers Cover Sumo

25:37 How the JSA keeps Sumo resilient where other combat sports suffer

31:50 Outro

Email Me! [email protected]

Do you wanna start some kind of Japanese Language / Sumo club?

Have thoughts on something I said? Lemme know!

Audio Sources:

https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/technology-printing-press-506323/

https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/musical-ragtime-logo-standard-version-116100/

https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/people-004846-muay-thai-fight-51548/

https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/musical-virtual-koto-shamisen-and-shakuhachi-vst-by-shamikoto-festa-in-autumn-folk-okinawa-30255/

Not the most joyous episode, but we finally have a verdict on the Isegahama / Hakunofuji violence incident from the JSA. Former Yokozuna Terunofuji has been demoted 2 ranks in the elder pyramid but will not lose his stable. Instead the 5 elders at the stable will administer the stable as a council.

For sumo though, violence still needs to be pushed out of the wrestlers' home lives and with that in mind I was lucky enough to have a friend who happens to be a psychologist specializing in trauma, PTSD, and working with military veterans to talk turn around my negative mentality and start me thinking on positive routes to growth going forward. I hope our free flowing conversation where he guided me from frustrated and despondent to fired up and ready to affect change can help you like it did me.

0:00 Intro

1:43 News (Superstar Tour, Takayasu Healthy, Onosato Practicing)

4:02 Summary of JSA Ruling

10:40 Criticism from Nikkan Sports

13:22 History of Violence in Sumo

16:19 How do you grow past violence and trauma?

Articles:

https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202604090000577.html?Page=3

https://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2026/04/11/articles/20260411s00005000231000c.html

https://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2026/04/11/kiji/20260410s00005000416000c.html

https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202604090000621.html

https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202604090001214.html

https://hochi.news/articles/20260409-OHT1T51139.html?page=1&utm_abtest=C

https://hochi.news/articles/20260411-OHT1T51349.html

Music:

https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-classical-253217/

https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/musical-virtual-koto-shamisen-and-shakuhachi-vst-by-shamikoto-festa-in-autumn-folk-okinawa-30255/

Goose from the Sunday Morning Sumo Show joins us to finally break down the infamous "12 wins is not a yusho" quote from former Yokozuna Kisenosato / current Nishonoseki Oyakata after Kirishima's 12-3 Ozeki repromotion. Before that we do a quick merry go round with the news briefly touching on Enho's prospectus post promotion, a past stars basho, and injuries with the spring tour including Aonishiki's broken toe.

Email Us!!! [email protected] 

Follow Goose and SMSS!

https://www.youtube.com/@SundayMorningSumoShow/streams

Sound FX

https://pixabay.com/music/beats-epic-west-coast-g-funk-type-beat-shake-210671/

https://pixabay.com/music/beats-epic-west-coast-g-funk-type-beat-shake-210671/ 

Effect by freesound_community from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/musical-virtual-koto-shamisen-and-shakuhachi-vst-by-shamikoto-festa-in-autumn-folk-okinawa-30255/