Link: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2026/03/11/sumo/onosato-spring-basho-injury/

The context here is that Onosato's stablemaster is Kisenosato, who became the first Japanese yokozuna in 2017 following Wakanohana's retirement in 2000. He won his first basho as yokozuna, but sustained shoulder and chest injuries that he would never fully recover from. After a series of losses and absences he had one final winning record (going 10-5) in 2018, and then retired during the January basho of 2019.

Onosato is a Yokozuna.

He can and should take a reasonable amount of time to get healthy and back in competitive shape.

He's earned the right to do that without being demoted to sandanme.

Fuck the idiotic yoko council.

I agree. Every time a wrestler fights a Yokozuna they should know that they're meeting a top wrestler who's in the best possible health, i.e. the greatest challenge available. If not, why even have that rule where they can't be demoted?

btw I'm unclear on who exactly decides whether the Yokozunas fight or not... I thought it was up to the stable masters? I think they're the ones who decide to submit a report of injury? I could be mistaken about that tho...