A pair of wrestlers from war-torn Ukraine made big strides at the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament, providing a captivating storyline for the 15-day event that finished Sunday in Osaka.
Youngster Aonishiki made a stunning debut in the elite makuuchi division, racking up 11 wins against four losses, while fellow rank-and-file wrestler Shishi also impressed on his way to a 9-6 record.
Aonishiki, who turned 21 on Sunday, came close to matching the feat of Takerufuji, who in March 2024 became the first wrestler in 110 years to win a championship in his top-division debut.
Aonishiki (L) and Sadanoumi wrestle on the third day of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament at Edion Arena Osaka on March 11, 2025. (Kyodo)
The 15th-ranked maegashira from Vinnytsia, western Ukraine, fittingly kept alive his title hopes until the final day by overpowering fellow rank-and-filer Takerufuji on Day 14.
The 182-centimeter, 136-kilogram Aonishiki wrapped up his campaign with a win over sekiwake Oho and earned a Fighting Spirit Prize.
“It’s a good birthday gift for myself,” the Ajigawa stable wrestler said of his final-day victory.
“I think I was able to fight my style of sumo with confidence throughout the tournament. I’ll try to become a wrestler who is loved by everyone.”
Aonishiki, whose real name is Danylo Yavhusishyn, left Ukraine following the Russian invasion in February 2022 and first took refuge in Germany before coming in April that year to Japan, where he had made connections through his involvement in sumo.
While competing at the 2019 world junior sumo championships in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, he had befriended older wrestler Arata Yamanaka and maintained contact with him via social media.
Yamanaka would field frequent questions about sumo from the future Aonishiki and resolved to help the youngster make his way in the sport.
After going 2-3 in the first five days at Edion Arena Osaka, Aonishiki won seven consecutive matches until being stopped by sekiwake Daieisho.
Shishi (top) and Wakamotoharu wrestle on the 12th day of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament at Edion Arena Osaka on March 20, 2025. (Kyodo)
Aonishiki started his seven-bout winning streak with a win over No. 13 maegashira Shishi in an all-Ukrainian meeting on Day 6.
Shishi, 28, secured a winning record on Day 12 in his second makuuchi tourney.
When he made his top-flight debut last November, he could only manage five wins and dropped back down to the second-tier juryo division in January.
The Ikazuchi stable wrestler from Melitopol, southern Ukraine, whose real name is Serhii Sokolovskyi, is trying to improve his technique by watching the videos of wrestlers such as Baruto, the giant former ozeki from Estonia.
Shishi and Aonishiki will continue striving to become the first Ukrainian top-division champion from the next grand tournament in May.
Related coverage:
Sumo: Onosato wins, Takayasu loses to tie for lead ahead of final day
Sumo: Takayasu on verge of 1st Emperor’s Cup after Onosato loss
Sumo: Hoshoryu feels weight of responsibility ahead of yokozuna debut
AloJapan.com