Ukrainian Aonishiki Wins the Emperor’s Cup in Sumo: What We Know About Him
26 July 23:19
Ukrainian sumo wrestler Danylo Yavgusyshyn, who competes in Japan under the name Aonishiki, won the Nagoya Basho tournament and claimed the prestigious Emperor’s Cup for the third time in his career. This was reported by Sport RBC.UA, citing the official results of the 15th day of the Nagoya Basho, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
Aonishiki’s Path to Victory
Going into the final day of competition, the 22-year-old Ukrainian had 12 wins and two losses to his credit. In the decisive bout of the main tournament, he lost to the Japanese wrestler Atamifuji, which meant that three wrestlers finished the tournament with the same record—12-3. Mongolian ozeki Kirishima also advanced to the playoffs.
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In the playoff bouts, Aonishiki first took revenge on Atamifuji, and then defeated Kirishima in the final to win his third Emperor’s Cup. The Ukrainian won his previous two titles in November 2025 and January 2026.
In addition to his victory at the Nagoya Basho, Yavgusyshyn regained his ozeki status—the second-highest rank in professional sumo after yokozuna. He had previously lost this status due to an ankle injury that forced him to withdraw early from the March tournament and miss the May competition.
For the Vinnytsia native, this title marks yet another historic milestone. Aonishiki remains the first Ukrainian to win the Emperor’s Cup, and he has now done so for the third time. The Ukrainian sumo wrestler’s next major goal is to attain the highest rank in Japanese sumo—yokozuna.
What is known about Danylo Yavgusyshyn
Danylo Yavgusyshyn was born on March 23, 2004, in Vinnytsia. He began practicing sumo at the age of seven, while also training in judo and freestyle wrestling.
At the junior level, he became the 2019 European champion and a bronze medalist at the Junior World Championships. He has also won the Ukrainian championship multiple times.
After Russia launched its full-scale invasion, he left Ukraine, first for Germany and later for Japan, where he began his professional sumo career.
In Japan, he competes under the name Aonishiki Arata. The nickname translates to “blue brocade”: the color blue is a reference to the Ukrainian flag, and the word “brocade” symbolizes nobility and honor. The athlete chose the second part of his name in honor of his Japanese friend Arata Yamanaka, who helped him launch his career in Japan.
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