Sumo Kaboom

297: Atamifuji and Kirishima Revisted

08 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The last time we discussed Atamifuji and Kirishima in depth was 2-3 years ago, so it's time to reviosit their stories and fill in some blanks. Eac...

296: Days 10 - 15 of the March Basho

24 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Our favorite moments of the basho. And, because we're Sumo Kaboom, of course, we also manage to talk about grief, pizza wrestling, gonorrhea, star...

295: March Basho Days 3 -9

18 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This March basho is as unpredictable as ever! We discuss our favorite moments from days 3 - 9 of the March, 2026 basho. BINGO! More about Sumo Kaboom...

294: Days 1 and 2 of the March Tournament

12 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We are watching Aonishiki's yokozuna run, Kirishima's attempt to string together 33 wins over 3 tournaments and regain his ozeki status, risin...

293: March Sumo Preview

04 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Lots to cover this week including sumo news, BINGO, a Sweet and Sexy Sumo banzuke, the real banzuke, and our newest wrestlers to the top division - Fu...

292: Yobidashi

26 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From playing drums to managing the tournament setup, the yobidashi's work keeps sumo running smoothly. They ensure that tradition, logistics, and ...

291: Valentine's Day SWEET & SEXY Sumo Poll RESULTS 2026

19 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is sexiest sumo wrestler of all? We know the answer. Sumo is sacred, seeped in history, and it's also FUN. This ...

290: The Hakuho Cup and Youth Sumo

11 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Every Valentine's, we unofficially crown the Sexiest Sumo Wrestler of the Year and this year, we're also crowning the Sweetest Sumo Wrestler. ...

289: Terunofuji's Retirement and How to Buy Sumo Tickets

04 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Every Valentine's, we unofficially crown the Sexiest Sumo Wrestler of the Year and this year, we're also crowning the Sweetest Sumo Wrestler. ...

288: Sumo Highlights from Days 9-15 of the January '26 Basho

27 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We're chatting about the latest happenings in the world of sumo wrestling, including our own planning for our Valentine's Day episode, the ann...

287: Days 3 - 8 of the January Basho 2026

19 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We're discussing days 3 - 8 of the January sumo tournament in Japan. We thank Yoshinofuji for giving us ALL the thrills on days 3 and 4, and we also w...

286: Days 1 and 2 of the January Sumo Tournament

14 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The sumo is on, and we're watching along with you. Tell us what you are loving! We have some small sumo calendars gifted to us by @sjcurran1 on Instag...

285: Back At It 2026

07 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Filling you in on a month of sumo news first. Then we swing to the January 2026 banzuke - the ranking chart for the sumo tournament which begins on Ja...

284: Ozeki Aonishiki

04 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Some behind-the-scenes stories about becoming an ozeki. From yusho to parade to party to waiting - what it is really like. We're also showing some lov...

283: We Loooooooooved This Basho. Days 11-15 of the November, 2025 Sumo Tournament

26 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As far as sumo tournaments go, you can't get much better than this one. It had all the drama, so we'd like to take a few moments to tell you why we lo...

282: What We're Loving About Days 4-10 of the November 2025 Basho

19 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The sumo is HOT, y'all. Before we get to the sumo, we have members to thank and a little odd news to cover. But, the sumo discussion begins at minute ...

281: November Basho Days 1-3

12 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After a short discussion of BINGO and a Takakeisho merch giveaway, we jump into our favorite moments of days 1 - 3. So much to love. We're also showin...

280: Tomokaze and Oshoumi

05 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We talk about some very adult things in this episode. Not for kiddos.* Tomokaze and Oshoumi are both wrestling in the top division in November, 2025. ...

279: Spooky Sumo Stories

29 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Turn the lights down low. Grab a mug of hot chocolate, and light a candle. It's time for silly, fun, totally made up sumo stories. We started this Hal...

278: Sumo in London!

21 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We talk about our favorite moments of the Grand Sumo Tournament at Royal Albert Hall, London, 2025. Spoiler! It wasn't always the sumo. Huge congratul...

277: The JSA's 100th Anniversary Event and the Sumo World Championship

15 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Lots to cover, from listener feedback to current events. Laurie covers the World Sumo Championships that happened in September in Thailand and the 17...

276: Days 10-15 of the Aki Basho 2025

01 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We got our yokozuna showdown, and all is right with the world. We enjoyed this basho, and we hope you did, too. We chat BINGO winners, special prize w...

275: Days 4-9 of the Aki Basho

24 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

So much to love. Takanosho and Shodai and Ura! Hoshoryu! Onosato! Aonishiki! Needless to say, we are enjoying the Aki basho. Sumo forever! More about ...

274: Days 1-3 of the Aki basho

17 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

So much to love. 2 strong yokozunas. An in-form ozeki. A strong wrestler going for an ozeki promotion. Let the fun begin! More about Sumo Kaboom and o...

273: Aonishiki Interview

10 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You’ll discover that Aonishiki is very professional and also pretty funny, something that delighted us. We talk sumo, training, living in Japan, and...

272: Hitoshi

03 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Great news in this banzuke! There's a newbie in sanyaku, Aonishiki, and a newbie to the top division, Hitoshi. More about Sumo Kaboom and our BINGO g...

271: Sadanoumi and His Father

27 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Great wrestling can run in families, and and today's episode is about Sadanoumi and his father, Sadanoumi. We resort to calling them Sadanoumi Sr. and...

270: Lucha Libre and Daieisho's Daring Do

20 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes, you just gotta embrace the silliness. How does Lucha libre compare to sumo? And, thank you to Sarah P. for submitting her story about Daiei...

269: Kotoshoho. Who is He?

06 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's a deep dive on Kotoshosho, or at least what we could find. Who he is, where he is from, his sumo background, his personality, and his dad, of cou...

268: Days 11-15 of the July Basho 2025

30 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We had dreams of an Ichiyama-yusho, which didn't happen, but that's ok, because we got to watch so many men fight it out for what would be their very ...

267: Days 4-10 of the July Basho

22 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Chatting day 4 - day 10, and right now, we have NO IDEA who will walk away with this one. For the RAFFLE ---- www.ko-fi.com/sumokaboom $3 for 1 tick...

266: Days 1-3 of the July Basho and a Raffle

16 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After a discussion of both fun games we're hosting, we jump right into the sumo. Which wrestler surprised us? Who is looking dominant? Who is exciting...

265: Banzuke Part 2, Fujinokawa and Kotoeiho

09 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After 5 minutes of discussion on BINGO and sumo news, we jump into part two of our discussion on July's banzuke. If you want to go right to a highligh...

264: Banzuke Part 1 and Kusano

02 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Strange things are afoot in this latest banzuke. We'll tell you all about them and give you an intro to Kusano, one of Hakuho's recruits who is now at...

263: Women of the YDC

25 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Women may not be allowed on Grand Sumo's dohyo, but they can serve on the YDC. To date, three women have served on the Yokozuna Deliberation Council, ...

262: Belly Touching and Sumo Fiction

18 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sumo wrestling features some unique fan events, and belly touching is one of our favorites! We also talk with BuddhatheBard about his book, Hiroshi, T...

261: So. Much. Sumo. News.

11 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Hakuho officially submitted his resignation from the JSA, and it was accepted. There's much to unpack here. Why? Why now? What will he do next? More ...

260: Days 10 - 15 May 2025 Basho

28 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This basho gave us a new yokozuna, something that is rare, so listen up as we tell you how he did it. More about Sumo Kaboom and our BINGO game spons...

259: Days 4 - 9 May 2025 Basho

20 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We jump into our favorite moments of the basho. More about Sumo Kaboom and our BINGO game sponsored by bigsumofan.com at www.sumokaboom.com We play S...

258: May Basho Days 1-3

14 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We jump into our favorite moments of the basho, including bow twirling and audience reactions. More about Sumo Kaboom and our BINGO game sponsored by ...

257: Two New Men in Makuuchi, Tochitaikai and Kayo

07 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Both pusher thrusters, there are 2 new men in the top division - Tochitaikai and Kayo. If you want nto learn more about them, listen up. One just went...

256: May Banzuke

30 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The banzuke episode. Who is coming up and who is going down. More about Sumo Kaboom and our BINGO game sponsored by bigsumofan.com at www.sumokaboom....

255: Rollertown

23 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Dallas Sumo Club knows how to have a good time. They are hosting their Rollertown Sumo Tournament THIS weekend just outside of Dallas, TX. We're c...

254: Enrique's Sumo Adventure

09 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Someday, you might be fortunate enough to see Japanese sumo wrestling live and in person. If you are REALLY lucky, you might also get to watch morning...

253: SUMO, the Off-Broadway play

03 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What is it like to be an actor in "SUMO" at The Public Theatre in NY? Interviews with actors Ahmad Kamal and Earl T. Kim. The Off-Broadway play "SUMO"...

252: Days 4-11 of the March Basho 2025

26 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Up top: our overall feelings about the basho, thank you's, the new Aonishiki's Fan Club (and how YOU CAN JOIN) sumo poetry and BINGO winners. Congrats...

251: Days 4 - 10 of the March, 2025 Basho

19 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A few exciting moments from days 4 - 10 including Ura's flair, chinks in Onosato's armor, Hoshoryu's elbow, Ichiyamamoto's very good day, and Takayasu...

250: Days 1 - 3 of the March Basho, 2025

12 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's our 250th episode! The long and short if it is that 1. Hoshoryu's dohyo iri is ON POINT, 2. Onosato looks REALLY good, 3. Daieisho's pushes are s...

249: March Banzuke and Aonishiki

05 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Extra! Extra! There's a new yokozuna at the top of the banzuke and a new Ukrainian wrestler near the bottom of makuuchi. We got the scoop on this new ...

248: More Scandal. And Aprons. It's a Weird Mixed Tape of Topics

26 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week features a strange set of stories. First, more scandal news. Then, we trace how a new set of ceremonial aprons goes from donor to yokozuna. ...

247: Sexiest Rikishi

19 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Rap, poetry, haiku - YOUR creativity and love of sumo wrestlers is on display this week. We're sharing YOUR answers to our annual sexiest rikishi poll...

246: News, Tobizaru, and a Meet-Cute

13 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Leslie covers the latest news - the Hakuho Cup, the Fuji Tournament, wedding news, and the Tobizaru news. Laurie shares "Atamifuji's Sugar Cookie Cru...

245: The Wheel Keeps Turning - Retirements and Promotions

05 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Wanna know who won 2nd place BINGO or who wrote the best Sumo Chicken episode? Listen up! Also, our Sexiest Rikishi Poll is open for voting through Va...

244: January Basho Wrap Up

28 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

So much to discuss! Here are just a few tidbits from the final days of the January sumo tournament. More about Sumo Kaboom and our BINGO game sponsor...

243: January Basho days 4 - 11

23 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

So much to discuss! More about Sumo Kaboom and our BINGO game sponsored by bigsumofan.com: www.sumokaboom.com Bigsumofan.com is an online sumo merch s...

242: January Basho Days 1-3

15 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sumo is BACK! And so are the wonderfully random commercials and the retired rikishi visiting the commnetators' booth. So much to discuss! More about S...

241: January Basho News and Tamashoho

08 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

January's sumo tournament looks to be oh so exciting! Plus, Tamashoho is coming in at M16, and we think you'll love him - mainly because of his attitu...

240: Cory Choy and Sumo Chicken

11 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Cory Choy of Silver Sound joins us to talk about his sound studio, his collaborations with Leslie, and his love of Sumo Chicken, an eggcellent series ...

239: Kitanofuji

04 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Yokozuna, sumo coach, sports commentator, snazzy dresser, and so much more - Kitanofuji lived life large. Find out more about the man we lost in late ...

238: Days 11 - 15 of the November Basho

27 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Oh my - what a finish. It all came down to day 15. Why does this almost always happen? Here we go talking about photo finishes, pre-bout rituals, slip...

237: Days 4 - 10 of the November Tournament

20 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We're in the thick of the November basho, 2024, and it is exciting as ever. This sport has highs and lows, and we are down for it. More about Sumo Kab...

236: Days 1-3 of the November Basho

13 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We get right into the sumo and break down our favorite moments of days 1 - 3. Poor Kirishima. Amazing Onosato. The Waka brothers keeping it exciting. ...

235: The Banzuke, Asakoryu and ShiShi

06 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The November basho looks EXCITING! This one's full of new energy. We've got guys going for promotions and newbies to watch - ShiShi and Asakoryu. Thes...

234: Spooky Sumo Halloween Stories

29 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Grab some hot chocolate, turn the lights low, and settle in for two real silly sumo related Halloween stories: The Cursed Mawashi and Crazy Eyes. To j...

233: The Way of Sumo

23 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

After some poetry, corrections and news, we jump right into a chat with photographer and author David Rios. His book The Way of Sumo: The American War...

232: The Physical Toll of the Jungyo

16 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is more of a discussion about the jungyo, a recent article by John Gunning, and what changes might be made to preserve wrestlers' health....

231: Sweet Saitama & Tottori High

09 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

CORRECTION We try our best to do thorough research, but sometimes we fail. After this episode aired, we received this correction from John Traill of t...

230: Onosato the Ozeki and the Hairiest Yokozuna

02 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Heads up: there's adult humor in this episode! There's a lot of news to cover up front - from raffles and retirements to cysts and hilariously terribl...

229: Our Japan Trip and BINGO

25 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We did ALL the sumo things at the Kokugikan in Tokyo! We stood in very neat and orderly lines. We met retired wrestlers and took photos with them. We...

228: September Banzuke

04 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Talking through the most recent banzuke. Because, we can hardly remember who won the last tournament. We need reminders! More about Sumo Kaboom and o...

227: Shirokuma and Onokatsu

28 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Oh these two are exciting! Wanna learn more about these two? More about Sumo Kaboom and our BINGO game: www.sumokaboom.com Big Sumo Fan sponsors our ...

226: Female Samurai

21 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There were female samurai, and they were dangerous! And beautiful! And rode horses well! And were excellent spies! And rode on the front lines of batt...

225: Dai-Yokozuna

14 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome back for another sumo-related discussion, this time about what makes a dai-yokozuna. We also tell you about a shrine in Fukuoka where you can ...

224: Oyakatas Part 4 - Oitekaze and Hakkaku

07 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We never even SAID Hakkaku's ring name in this episode, but it's Hokutoumi! Learn about the coaches of Oitekaze and Hakkaku heyas. Whoa re they? Why a...

223: Days 11-15 of the July 2024 Basho

31 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The last 5 days of the tournament were a rollercoaster and filled with excitement. In this episode, we tell you about our 2 BINGO winners and then jum...

222: July Basho Days 4 - 10

24 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Breaking down the sumo from days 4 - 10. How is sumo consistently this good? More about Sumo Kaboom and our BINGO game: www.sumokaboom.com Big Sumo Fa...

221: July Basho, Days 1 - 3

17 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today's discussion of sumo includes references to samurai, Barry White and the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders. Go figure! More about Sumo Kaboom and our B...

220: The Banzuke for July 2024

10 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Is it just me, or has it felt like FOREVER since we had a basho? Can't wait to watch this line up go for the huge trophy. More about Sumo Kaboom and o...

219: Oyakatas Part 3 - Tokiwayama

03 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you want to learn more about Tokiwayama, you are in the right place. He seems to have most of the personality in the Tokiwayama stable, and he wres...

218: Oyakatas Part 2 - Asakayama and Sakaigawa

25 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

You've probably seen one of these men ringside during sumo tournaments, or perhaps you've run across his IG account that features his poodles and his ...

217: Oyakatas of the Futagoyama and Arashio Stables

19 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, we're exploring the oyakatas, or head coaches, of two popular sumo rooms - Futagoyama and Arashio stables. Futagoyama is the stab...

216: What Happens After Retirement?

12 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Leslie tackles what happens to sumo wrestlers in lower ranks after they retire. Where do they work? What businesses do they start? And how can we supp...

215: Kotoeko and a Whole Lotta Retirement Goin’ On

05 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Kotoeko announced his retirement, and his fans are heartbroken. Akiseyama and Ishiura had their retirement ceremonies, and we are loving their new h...

214: Days 10-15 of the May Basho

29 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Congratulations to our BINGO winners, Rafael (and family) and Peter, who came in super fast with BINGOs on day 11 and 13. After BINGO and a little ne...

213: Days 4-9 of the May Basho

22 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

So. Many. Injuries. We never like seeing this. But, we may have a first-time winner at this basho. And, for a few days there, we could say that Ura wa...

212: Days 1-3 of the May Basho 2024

15 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This discussion of the May basho moves from great sumo to unfortunate and confusing sumo. What was he thinking? How did he do that? And, wow what an u...

211: The May Banzuke, Tokihayate and Oshoma

08 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We have two brand new men in the top division! Wanna know who they are and little bit about them? More about Sumo Kaboom and our BINGO game: www.sumo...

210: Sumo Content Creators To Follow

01 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We reached out to several people making quality sumo content for English speakers - Sarah, Patricia, Emilien, and Tobias. Curious about who these folk...

209: Sumo Wrestlers Sing!

24 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We were treated to a charity sumo event recently. Not only did the wrestlers do sumo for us, THEY SANG. And, our hearts always go pitterpat when these...

208: A Tribute to Akebono

17 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Akebono was the very first foreign-born man to reach the level of yokozuna. He remains a bridge between cultures and will be remembered for his feroci...

207: Sumo Media for Beginners

10 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We get two questions ofen. 1. I'm new to sumo. Where do I watch it? 2. How do you do all that research? Where do you go for your info? We're peeling ...

206: All Roads Lead to Isegahama

03 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Terutsuyoshi just announced his retirement, and he was an Isegahama wrestler. The winner of the March basho, Takerufuji, was a a rookie wrestler from ...

205: Days 11-15 of the March Basho

27 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Unpacking the last few days of the March basho - our favorite moments and fights. And, our BINGO winners this time come from the US and Canada, so we'...

204: Days 4 - 10 of the March Basho

20 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The March basho is turning out to be a surprising one! We've got people going out with injuries. Others simply aren't performing up to their own stand...

203: Days 1 - 3 of the March Basho

13 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We're fans of sumo. We're watching sumo. Sometimes we get technical, and sometimes we don't. Sometimes we make up dramatic storylines. It's all fun :)...

202: Takerufuji and the Banzuke

06 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The March basho begins on March 10th, so who is the newest man at M17? We'll also give you a beginner-friendly rundown of the banzuke. More about Sumo...

201: Hokuseiho and the Miyagino Stable

28 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, sumo fans were surprised to hear about an abrupt retirement of a top-level sumo wrestler. So, what happened? Why would a 22 year-old wrestl...

200: Favorite Moments from 200 Episodes

21 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

After 200 episodes, we've learned a few things about sumo. But that's not often what we remember and love about running this podcast. We're chatting i...

199: Sexiest Rikishi of 2024

14 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Happy Valentines Day! In honor of love (or maybe lust?), it is time to reveal who YOU think is the sexiest sumo wrestler of 2024. We ask our listeners...

198: Kotonowaka, Kotozakura, and Honusumo

07 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We have a new ozeki, "fluffy" Kotonowaka, and he's been talking a LOT about his grandfather recently. Why? Who was he? And, what was their relationshi...