Japan has heralded the arrival of Onosato as the newest Grand Champion (Yokozuna) in professional sumo wrestling, marking the first Japanese wrestler to ascend to this vaunted rank since 2017, a period largely characterized by the dominance of Mongolian-born rikishi.

Daiki Nakamura, a 24-year-old behemoth of a man weighing in at 191 kilograms and known in the ring as Onosato, ascended to the zenith of professional sumo wrestling, earning promotion to the highest rank following his triumphant victory at the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament, sanctioned by the Japan Sumo Association.

Hailing from Ishikawa Prefecture, a region devastated by the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami of 2024, the newly inaugurated Yokozuna has vowed to leverage his elevated status as a beacon of hope and resilience for his afflicted compatriots, imbuing them with a renewed sense of purpose in the face of existential adversity.

His ascendance to the rank of yokozuna has engendered a compelling rivalry with fellow Mongolian-born grand champion Hoshoryu, culminating in a highly anticipated clash at the Nagoya basho in July.