The following are the events in professional sumo during 2018.
Tournaments Hatsu basho Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 14 January – 28 January 2018 Hatsu basho results - Makuuchi DivisionEastRankWest2-3-10øHakuhōYøKisenosato1-5-911-4-0KakuryūY8-7-0GōeidōOTakayasu12-3-08-7-0MitakeumiSTamawashi6-9-05-10-0TakakeishōKøŌnoshō4-6-54-11-0HokutofujiM1Ichinojō10-5-04-11-0YoshikazeM2Kotoshōgiku7-8-08-7-0ChiyotairyūM3Tochinoshin14-1-07-8-0ShōdaiM4Arawashi8-7-05-10-0OkinoumiM5Endō9-6-08-7-0TakarafujiM6Ikioi4-11-06-9-0ChiyoshōmaM7Chiyonokuni6-9-06-6-3øTochiōzanM8Kaisei8-7-09-6-0ShōhōzanM9Chiyomaru9-6-00-7-8TerunofujiM10Aminishiki3-9-37-8-0KotoyūkiM11Daishōmaru7-8-06-9-0SōkokuraiM12Kagayaki9-6-05-10-0TakekazeM13Daieishō9-6-010-5-0AbiM14Yutakayama9-6-09-6-0IshiuraM15Nishikigi8-7-010-5-0RyūdenM16Asanoyama9-6-08-7-0DaiamamiM17 ø - Indicates a pull-out or absent rankwinning record in boldYusho Winner
Haru basho Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka, 11 March – 25 March 2018 Haru basho results - Makuuchi DivisionEastRankWest13-2-0KakuryūYøHakuhō0-0-150-0-15øKisenosatoY12-3-0TakayasuOGōeidō9-6-07-8-0MitakeumiSTochinoshin10-5-09-6-0IchinojōKChiyotairyū4-11-09-6-0EndōM1Tamawashi9-6-02-13-0ArawashiM2Takarafuji5-10-03-7-5øTakakeishōM3Kotoshōgiku6-9-08-7-0ShōhōzanM4Shōdai7-8-06-9-0ChiyomaruM5øŌnoshō0-0-1512-3-0KaiseiM6Hokutofuji6-9-010-5-0AbiM7Yoshikaze7-8-07-8-0KagayakiM8Daieishō9-6-07-8-0OkinoumiM9Ryūden8-7-09-6-0ChiyoshōmaM10Chiyonokuni7-8-05-10-0TochiōzanM11Yutakayama10-5-07-8-0IshiuraM12Kotoyūki1-13-19-6-0DaishōmaruM13Asanoyama8-7-011-4-0IkioiM14Nishikigi5-10-05-6-4øSōkokuraiM15Myōgiryū6-9-010-5-0DaiamamiM16Hidenoumi3-12-08-7-0AoiyamaM17 ø - Indicates a pull-out or absent rankwinning record in boldYusho Winner
Natsu basho Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 13 May – 27 May 2018 Natsu basho results - Makuuchi DivisionEastRankWest14-1-0KakuryūYHakuhō11-4-00-0-15øKisenosatoY0-0-15øTakayasuOøGōeidō3-6-613-2-0TochinoshinSIchinojō8-7-09-6-0MitakeumiKEndō3-10-28-7-0TamawashiM1Kaisei6-9-08-7-0ShōhōzanM2Abi7-8-05-10-0DaieishōM3Yutakayama2-13-06-9-0ChiyotairyūM4Shōdai9-6-08-7-0KotoshōgikuM5Ikioi8-7-06-9-0ChiyoshōmaM6Takarafuji7-8-03-12-0RyūdenM7Chiyomaru4-11-08-7-0YoshikazeM8Kagayaki9-6-09-6-0DaishōmaruM9øHokutofuji4-7-45-10-0OkinoumiM10Takakeishō10-5-04-11-0DaiamamiM11Chiyonokuni12-3-07-8-0ArawashiM12Asanoyama7-8-06-9-0IshiuraM13Aoiyama8-7-08-7-0SadanoumiM14Takekaze6-9-08-7-0TochiōzanM15Kyokutaisei10-5-010-5-0MyōgiryūM16Aminishiki4-11-010-5-0NishikigiM17 ø - Indicates a pull-out or absent rankwinning record in boldYusho Winner
Nagoya basho Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium, Nagoya, 8 July – 22 July 2018 Nagoya basho results - Makuuchi DivisionEastRankWest3-2-10øKakuryūYøHakuhō3-1-110-0-15øKisenosatoY10-5-0GōeidōOTakayasu9-6-0OøTochinoshin5-2-88-7-0IchinojōSMitakeumi13-2-08-7-0TamawashiKShōhōzan3-12-06-9-0ShōdaiM1øKotoshōgiku3-7-58-7-0IkioiM2øChiyonokuni6-6-36-9-0AbiM3Takakeishō10-5-09-6-0KaiseiM4Kagayaki6-9-05-10-0DaishōmaruM5Yoshikaze2-13-08-7-0EndōM6Chiyotairyū9-6-07-8-0TakarafujiM7Daieishō6-9-04-10-1øChiyoshōmaM8Kyokutaisei6-9-09-6-0MyōgiryūM9Yutakayama12-3-05-10-0ChiyomaruM10Nishikigi6-9-08-7-0AoiyamaM11Ōnoshō10-5-08-7-0SadanoumiM12Arawashi5-10-010-5-0TochiōzanM13Asanoyama11-4-03-12-0KotoekōM14Okinoumi8-7-07-8-0IshiuraM15Ryūden8-7-011-4-0HokutofujiM16Meisei6-9-0 ø - Indicates a pull-out or absent rankwinning record in boldYusho Winner
Aki basho Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, 9 September – 23 September 2018 Aki basho results - Makuuchi DivisionEastRankWest10-5-0KakuryūYHakuhō15-0-010-5-0KisenosatoY12-3-0GōeidōOTakayasu11-4-0OTochinoshin9-6-09-6-0MitakeumiSIchinojō8-7-04-11-0TamawashiKTakakeishō9-6-03-12-0IkioiM1Kaisei8-7-03-10-2YutakayamaM2Chiyotairyū5-10-06-9-0ShōdaiM3Endō3-12-04-11-0ChiyonokuniM4Abi6-9-08-7-0MyōgiryūM5Asanoyama7-8-07-8-0KagayakiM6Ōnoshō4-11-07-8-0ShōhōzanM7Tochiōzan8-7-07-8-0TakarafujiM8Kotoshōgiku7-8-09-6-0HokutofujiM9Daishōmaru5-10-07-8-0AoiyamaM10Daieishō8-7-08-7-0SadanoumiM11øKyokutaisei1-6-88-7-0OkinoumiM12Nishikigi10-5-010-5-0RyūdenM13Takanoiwa10-5-08-7-0TakanoshōM14øChiyomaru6-9-08-7-0ChiyoshōmaM15Yoshikaze11-4-06-9-0KotoyūkiM16Ishiura4-11-0 ø - Indicates a pull-out or absent rankwinning record in boldYusho Winner
Kyushu basho Fukuoka Kokusai Center, Kyushu, 11 November – 25 November
2018 Kyushu basho results - Makuuchi DivisionEastRankWest0-0-15øHakuhōYøKakuryū0-0-150-4-11øKisenosatoY8-4-3øGōeidōOTakayasu12-3-0OTochinoshin8-7-07-8-0MitakeumiSIchinojō6-9-013-2-0TakakeishōKøKaisei3-9-38-7-0MyōgiryūM1Hokutofuji7-8-08-7-0TochiōzanM2Tamawashi9-6-08-7-0NishikigiM3Ryūden6-9-08-7-0ShōdaiM4Yoshikaze7-8-07-8-0ChiyotairyūM5Asanoyama6-9-06-9-0TakanoiwaM6Kagayaki5-10-06-9-0AbiM7Shōhōzan10-5-06-9-0IkioiM8Takarafuji7-8-010-5-0KotoshōgikuM9Daieishō9-6-07-8-0SadanoumiM10Yutakayama5-10-05-10-0ChiyonokuniM11Okinoumi11-4-011-4-0AoiyamaM12Endō9-6-011-4-0ŌnoshōM13Takanoshō4-11-07-8-0ChiyoshōmaM14Daishōmaru6-9-07-8-0DaiamamiM15Meisei9-6-01-12-2øArawashiM16Chiyomaru4-11-1 ø - Indicates a pull-out or absent rankwinning record in boldYusho Winner
News
January
6: The highest ranked referee, Shikimori Inosuke, is reported in the Japanese media to have apologized for sexually harassing a junior referee in a hotel in Okinawa Prefecture on December 16 last year, while drunk. 9: The three current yokozuna, Hakuhō, Kakuryū and Kisenosato, perform the traditional New Year dohyo-iri ceremony at the Meiji Shrine. 14: The Sumo Association suspend Shikimori Inosuke for three tournaments. He has already submitted his resignation, but it will not take effect until after the suspension ends in May 2018. With the other top referee title (Kimura Shonosuke) currently vacant, this will be the first time since the March 1994 tournament that neither of the head referees (tate-gyōji) will be available. 11: Kakuryū and Kisenosato, both of whom have missed some or all of the preceding four tournaments, each confirm that they will enter the forthcoming Hatsu basho. 22: Egyptian juryo division wrestler Ōsunaarashi withdraws from the tournament after reports emerge that he was involved in a rear-end motor collision at the Yamanouchi, Nagano ski resort town on January 3. Osunaarashi apparently defied the Sumo Association's ban on wrestlers driving cars, and also did not have a valid licence. He initially told police that his pregnant wife was driving and he switched seats to protect her, but back-tracked when confronted with security video evidence. 25: A lawsuit against Kasugano Oyakata and a former member of Kasugano stable who had been convicted of assault, is publicly revealed for the first time. The victim, another former wrestler from the stable, alleges that Kasugano failed to prevent the attack and delayed medical treatment. 27: The championship is won by maegashira Tochinoshin, who defeats Shōhōzan to move to an unassailable two-win lead of 13 wins against just one loss. It is the first championship by a maegashira since Kyokutenhō in 2012. 28: On the final day of the Hatsu Basho, Tochinoshin wins again to finish on 14–1, two wins ahead of ōzeki Takayasu on 12–3. Kakuryū, the only yokozuna to complete the tournament, stops a run of four straight defeats by beating ōzeki Gōeidō to finish with a respectable 11–4 record on his comeback. Tochinoshin receives special prizes for Outstanding Performance and Technique to go with his first Emperor's Cup, while the Fighting Spirit Award is shared between top division debutants Ryūden and Abi, who both score 10–5. The jūryō division championship is won by Myōgiryū for the third time, after a playoff with Hidenoumi. Retiring this tournament are former maegashira Shōtenrō, Kitataiki and . 31: Seven promotions to the jūryō division for the March tournament in Osaka are announced. There are two newcomers, Enhō (who ties the record for fastest postwar promotion to jūryō at six tournaments) and Takayoshitoshi (meaning he and Takagenji have become the first identical twins to both be ranked as sekitori) while Yago, Terutsuyoshi, Shimanoumi, Tobizaru and Akiseyama return.
February 1: Nishiiwa Oyakata, the former sekiwake Wakanosato, branches out from Tagonoura stable and establishes his own Nishiiwa stable, taking two low-ranked wrestlers with him from the parent stable. 2: Elections to the 10 man Board of Directors of the Japan Sumo Association are held. Isegahama Oyakata (ex-Asahifuji) and Nishonoseki Oyakata (ex-Wakashimazu) do not run for re-election. The eleven candidates running are Kasugano, Sakaigawa, Dewanoumi and Yamahibiki from Dewanoumi ichimon, Oguruma and Shibatayama from Nishonoseki ichimon, Kagamiyama from Tokitsukaze ichimon, Hakkaku from Takasago ichimon, Takashima from Isegahama ichimon, and Takanohana and Ōnomatsu from Takanohana ichimon. The man to miss out is Takanohana, who receives only two votes from the 101 elders who participated. He had been dismissed from the board at the end of December following his lack of co-operation with the Sumo Association's investigation into the Harumafuji assault on Takanoiwa last year. 3: Sōtairyū's danpatsu-shiki or official retirement ceremony is held at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan with around 300 guests. Sōtairyū is leaving the sumo world. 4: Former sekiwake Asasekiryū, who retired last May, has his danpatsu-shiki at the Kokugikan. He is now officially Nishikijima Oyakata. 8: An outside committee led by a former prosecutor general, Keiichi Tadaki, is formed and will interview all 900 wrestlers in the Sumo Association in response to a series of incidents since Harumafuji's retirement. Tadaki says, "Our goal is the preservation of sumo. It is important to grasp the reality." 11: The 42nd Fuji TV Grand Sumo Tournament takes place at the Kokugikan. A knock-out format exhibition with a 2,500,000 yen prize for the yusho, it is won by Tochinoshin who defeats Ikioi, Hakuhō (who he has never beaten in official competition in 25 attempts), Hokutofuji, Okinoumi and finally Tamawashi.
March 9: Ōsunaarashi is asked to retire by the Sumo Association over his involvement in the vehicle collision and driving without a license. He had been fined 500,000 yen ($4700) by a court over the incident in Nagano Prefecture in January. Ōsunaarashi agrees to the request. 18: New juryo Takayoshitoshi withdraws from the Osaka tournament after admitting he struck a junior wrestler who was acting as a personal attendant several times in the dressing room after his Day 8 bout. Takayoshitoshi was reportedly angry that the attendant had not informed him when he was due to enter the arena, making him late for his match. 23: Takanohana indicates that he will drop his legal complaint against the Sumo Association and admits responsibility for Takayoshitoshi's behavior, as his stablemaster. 25: On the final day Takayasu defeats Kakuryu after a re-match to finish one win behind the yokozuna on 12–3. Kakuryu had clinched his fourth championship the previous day, and his only other defeat was to Tochinoshin, who wins the Outstanding Performance Award. Brazilian Kaisei is a surprise joint runner-up with Takayasu on 12–3 and wins the Fighting Spirit Prize. The Technique Award goes to Endō, who for the first time gets a winning record at the top maegashira rank. The jūryō championship is won by Sadanoumi after a playoff with Akiseyama while veteran takes the makushita title. Retiring is , who spent two tournaments in jūryō in 2013. 29: Takanohana is demoted two further ranks in the Sumo Association hierarchy, to the lowest rank of toshiyori. Takayoshitoshi is suspended from the next tournament in May.
April 1: Futagoyama Oyakata, the former ozeki Miyabiyama, branches out from Fujishima stable and establishes his own Futagoyama stable, taking five low ranked wrestlers with him. The spring regional tour visits the following locations: 1: Ise Shrine Honozumo, Mie Prefecture 2: Nakatsugawa, Gifu Prefecture 3: Sakai, Osaka Prefecture