Overview
- Aonishiki, 21, won the November Grand Sumo Tournament in Fukuoka, taking the Emperor’s Cup after a playoff victory over top-ranked Hoshoryu.
- Sumo officials convened an extraordinary meeting after the win, and the judging department meets Wednesday with a board session to follow to finalize the January rankings.
- The sekiwake captured his first top-division championship during his debut tournament at the rank after a record-fast rise through the professional tiers.
- He finished with 12 wins following four straight 11-4 tournaments, a body of results that strongly positions him for promotion to ozeki.
- Aonishiki fled the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, moved to Japan at 18 to train at Kansai University, joined the Ajigawa stable, and now says he aims for the sport’s top rank of yokozuna.