July 2026 Grand Sumo Final Stretch Preview: Contenders, Disappointments, Who's in Danger of Demotion

The Nagoya basho is wide open. After 12 days, four wrestlers have a share of the lead with three more right on their heels. In this update, I break down the yusho race for the July 2026 Grand Sumo tournament, Kirishima's bid to become yokozuna, Aonishiki's return from injury, Takerufuji's dominant comeback to makuuchi and whether Shishi can overshadow his fellow Ukrainian and shock the sumo world with one of the biggest Cinderella stories in recent sumo history. Plus: A look at how yokozuna Hoshoryu and Onosato have been faring, Kotozakura's fight to escape kadoban, who's in danger of dropping to juryo and more. 🔗 Visit my website: https://www.sumojojo.com 🎵 Music: "Overdrive" by Corbyn Kites 🎵 Music: "Space Navigator" by Sarah, The Illstrumentalist #sumo #NagoyaBasho #GrandSumo #sumowrestling #nagoyabasho2026