Kyushu Basho Delivers Excellent Sumo Throughout and Aonishiki continues to make history
Cheeky Chanko December 2025
If you didn't catch the Kyushu Basho, stop reading and watch it now! We're talking competitive from Day 1, jaw-dropping matches, the Waka Bros pulling double henkas (which apparently unlocked Hoshoryu's “Beast Mode”), and Aonishiki made even more history. We'll get to all that madness in a minute—but first, a shoutout to our awesome partnerships!
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Premium Partnerships
We love supporting the Sumo community, and we're thrilled to continue our collaborations with some of the best analysts and fan groups out there!
Sumo Kaboom: We partnered with the wonderful Sumo Kaboom podcast again this basho to sponsor their Most Creative Bingo Board prize. Give their wonderful podcast a listen, wherever it is you listen to your podcasts. They cover all the important Grand Sumo news, highlights, and tidbits. They actually recently interviewed Aonishiki, check it out!
Congratulations to this basho’s Creative BINGO Card winner, Margaret P!
Sumo Stomp! If you're looking for some of the best Grand Sumo analysis around, look no further than Sumo Stomp! They deliver daily write-ups during bashos and comprehensive wrestler-by-wrestler report cards in between. We teamed up with Sumo Stomp! again this basho for their Kyushu Basho Subscriber Giveaway. Sumo Stomp subscribers are entered for a chance to win Cheeky Sumo merch or other great prizes every basho so SUBSCRIBE HERE!
Grand Sumo - Outstanding Kyushu Basho ends with history being made!
Kyodo News via AP
The Kyushu Basho was one of the best I have seen since I started watching sumo. I think that’s because the makuuchi has the most quality wrestlers I’ve seen since I started watching. What an exciting time to be a sumo fan! There were so many good performances! And some not so great ones. (Abi ruined one of my fantasy teams.) I certainly think we can put to bed the “Hosh was promoted too early“ thing. He clearly deserves to be there. I think we could see three Yokozuna by the end of 2026. That brings us to Aonishiki. He’s won his first basho, the first Ukrainian to do so. He’s been promoted to Ozeki. He was the fastest ever to reach the named ranks. The only knock I can see on his Yokozuna rise is that he has yet to beat Onosato in the top division. If he does that on his way to a second yusho, he’ll make the first European Yokozuna in the sport. That’s awesome!
Some other stand out performances from the Kyushu Basho:
1. Yoshinofuji is rocking the name change.
2. Loving the relentless bulldog energy from Fujinokawa, and boy does he to love to get the double inside grip and then go to town.
3. Oshoumi looked a bit out of depth at the beginning of the tournament but settled down and looks like he belongs in the makuuchi.
4. The top of the Juryo is STACKED with talent. Better watch out Ryuden/Shonannoumi/Shishi!
US Sumo - The SRCotS and Consulate Cup
What is the SRCotS, you may ask? Its the Sumo Regional Championship of the South! (Oh, it’ll catch on…) Anyway, it’s a very cool idea that brings the best athletes from across the South to showcase their skill on the dohyō. Champions were eligible for prize packages supporting their journey to the 2026 U.S. Sumo Nationals in Las Vegas! This one was held in Nashville, TN on November 15th and hosted by Tennessee Sumo. Cheeky Sumo thinks this is a great idea and we definitely want to check out the next one!
Consulate Cup action happened on November 8th in Buda, TX. Hosted by Dark Circle Sumo, it featured some great sumo all day! Cheeky Sumo sponsored the event and we hope all the VIPs enjoyed a little Cheeky swag. Check out the stream!
Sumo Tournaments - Kyushu Basho
Zimmin Around the World
The Kyushu Basho is the final of the six major professional sumo tournaments, or honbasho, held annually in Japan. Taking place every November, it is a 15-day event hosted at the Fukuoka Kokusai Center. As the culminating tournament of the year, the Kyushu Basho often carries significant weight for wrestler rankings, promotions, and the overall championship narrative. The atmosphere is electric as top-ranked rikishi compete for the prestigious Emperor's Cup, drawing fans from across the country to witness the intense bouts and traditional pageantry.
Fukuoka, the host city, is a vibrant and historically significant port located on the northern shore of Japan's Kyushu island. For centuries, it served as a primary gateway for trade and cultural exchange with the Korean peninsula and China. Today, it is a bustling economic hub and the largest city on the island, known for its modern architecture, warm climate, and distinct culinary culture, most notably Hakata ramen. The city seamlessly blends its rich history, visible in ancient shrines and temples, with contemporary urban life, making it a dynamic backdrop for the annual sumo spectacle.
Sumo Trivia
Chanko!
Last month’s question: What meat is considered good luck to have in chanko-nabe?
Answer: Chicken! It is considered good luck because they always stay on two feet.
December 2025 Cheeky Chanko Trivia Question:
What year did the Kyushu tour become and official tournament (basho)?
Stay Cheeky!
Till next month!
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