Historic victory: Ukrainian Yavgusyshyn wins the Emperor’s Cup in Japanese sumo
25 November 2025 10:12
Ukrainian sumo wrestler Danylo Yavgusyshyn won the prestigious Kyushu Basho tournament in Fukuoka and won the Emperor’s Cup, the main trophy of Japanese sumo.
This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian" with reference to Nikkan Sports.
How the Ukrainian won the trophy
The sumo calendar includes six major tournaments every year – basho. The final start of 2025 took place from November 9 to 23 in Fukuoka. Ukraine was represented by two athletes – Shishi Masaru (real name: Serhiy Sokolovsky) and Aonishiki Arata (Danylo Yavhusyshyn).
At Kyushu Basho, each wrestler has 15 bouts. Yavhusyshyn won 12 victories and reached the championship playoffs, where his rival was the Mongolian athlete Hosoryu Tomokatsu (Sugarragchaagiyin Byambasuren).
In the decisive fight, the 21-year-old Ukrainian won thanks to a technical okurinage throw, defeating the favorite for the fourth time in his career.
What is the significance of the victory?
Yavgusyshyn’s victory is a landmark for world sport. The European won an elite sumo competition for the first time in eight years.
Danylo is the first Ukrainian to become the champion of the elite division tournament. He is also the fourth youngest champion in history (21 years and 8 months old).
Ukraine became only the seventh country to have a player win the Emperor’s Cup.
The Ukrainian played only 14 tournaments in his career before winning the most prestigious trophy. Only Japanese player Mikiya Takerufuji managed to do it faster – after 10 tournaments.
Who is Danylo Yavhusyshyn?
the 21-year-old athlete is from Vinnytsia. He became interested in sumo at the age of seven, and practiced judo and wrestling at the same time.
He won three gold medals at the 2021 Ukrainian Sumo Championships (under 100 kg, in the absolute weight category, and in the team). He also won the European Championships and was a bronze medalist at the World Junior Championships (2019).
After the outbreak of a full-scale war, Yavhusyshyn and his family were forced to leave for Germany.
In April 2022, the athlete moved to Japan at the invitation of Arata Yamanaka, captain of the Kansai University team, whom he met at the 2019 Junior World Cup in Osaka.
At first, he practiced sumo at the student level at Kansai University. Later he became a professional, joining the Ajigawa team.
