September Tournament, Day 5 · Thursday, September 17, 2026 · Pre-bout preview
Kayo, Kagayaki, Kitanowaka and Daiseizan enter Day 5 with four wins from four bouts. For today’s three Juryo picks, let’s watch where the arms go, how high the shoulders are, and the first step after the opening charge. You don’t need to follow everything at once.
The matchups, ranks and records were checked against the Japan Sumo Association’s official Day 5 listings and bout sheet on the morning of September 17, Japan Standard Time (JST). All records are through the end of Day 4. The questions below are things to look for while watching, not predictions or descriptions of bouts that have already happened.
Jump to: Ryuden vs Enho / Kitanowaka vs Midorifuji / Daiseizan vs Mitakeumi / All bouts
Ryuden vs Enho: what comes after getting low?
Ryuden 2–2 / Enho 2–2
Both Ryuden and Enho finished Day 4 with two wins and two losses. In this bout, let’s watch where their arms settle if Enho gets in low.
The Association’s profiles list Ryuden’s strengths as morozashi and yori: getting both arms inside and driving an opponent back. Enho’s are a left-hand-inside grip and the underarm throw. Morozashi means placing both arms inside the opponent’s arms. Can Enho keep his left arm inside, or will Ryuden get both of his in? After the opening charge, watch the arms as their chests come closer.
If they separate, notice their posture as they close the gap again. Rather than trying to guess the finishing move, a simple question can make even a very short bout easier to follow: “Which wrestler looks more comfortable getting a grip right now?”
Official profiles (Japanese): Ryuden / Enho
Kitanowaka vs Midorifuji: keep an eye on shoulder height
Kitanowaka 4–0 / Midorifuji 3–1
Unbeaten Kitanowaka meets Midorifuji, who has three wins and one loss. Their official profiles list them at 191 cm and 174 cm respectively. Height alone does not tell us who has the advantage, so let’s watch the height of their shoulders and hips once they make contact.
Kitanowaka’s listed strengths are repeated thrusts, a right-hand-inside grip, driving forward and the overarm throw. Midorifuji’s are pushing and katasukashi, the under-shoulder swing down. If Kitanowaka tries to work his right arm inside, where will Midorifuji’s shoulder be? As their arms change position, watch whether their feet move with them.
There is no need to wait only for a katasukashi because it is Midorifuji. His forward pushing is worth watching too. Today’s little viewing note: how does the difference in shoulder height change as the two get closer?
Official profiles (Japanese): Kitanowaka / Midorifuji
Daiseizan vs Mitakeumi: four wins in, watch the first step
Daiseizan 4–0 / Mitakeumi 1–3
Daiseizan is 4–0 and Mitakeumi is 1–3. Their records look different, but the first thing to watch today is simple: whose feet move forward after the opening charge?
The official profiles list pushing, a right-hand-inside grip and forward driving for Daiseizan, and thrusting and pushing for Mitakeumi. Can Daiseizan make enough time to bring his right arm inside? If Mitakeumi begins pushing, can he keep his feet moving while maintaining space between them? Those few steps before a grip is established may be especially interesting.
The wrestler who starts by pushing may end up trying to get a grip. Keep watching beyond the first impact, through the moment when the gap between them narrows. That makes it easier to notice how a bout changes.
Official profiles (Japanese): Daiseizan / Mitakeumi
All 14 Juryo bouts on Day 5
Listed in the official bout order, with East on the left and West on the right. Records are shown as wins–losses through the end of Day 4; they are not today’s results. East and West identify the sides for these bouts, while the rank shown is each wrestler’s tournament rank.
| Order | East | West |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tochitaikai Juryo 14 · 2–2 |
Nishikigi Juryo 14 · 1–3 |
| 2 | Tochikodai Makushita 3 · 0–2 |
Kayo Juryo 12 · 4–0 |
| 3 | Tamashoho Juryo 12 · 1–3 |
Tokifudo Juryo 13 · 3–1 |
| 4 | Kagayaki Juryo 11 · 4–0 |
Meisei Juryo 13 · 2–2 |
| 5 | Nabatame Juryo 10 · 2–2 |
Tanji Juryo 10 · 3–1 |
| 6 | Hitoshi Juryo 11 · 2–2 |
Tohakuryu Juryo 9 · 1–3 |
| 7 | Ryuden Juryo 8 · 2–2 |
Enho Juryo 9 · 2–2 |
| 8 | Hatsuyama Juryo 8 · 0–4 |
Tomokaze Juryo 7 · 1–3 |
| 9 | Kitanowaka Juryo 6 · 4–0 |
Midorifuji Juryo 7 · 3–1 |
| 10 | Shirokuma Juryo 6 · 2–2 |
Arashifuji Juryo 5 · 2–2 |
| 11 | Kazekeno Juryo 4 · 3–1 |
Sadanoumi Juryo 5 · 1–3 |
| 12 | Daiseizan Juryo 2 · 4–0 |
Mitakeumi Juryo 4 · 1–3 |
| 13 | Abuakatsu Juryo 3 · 2–2 |
Kyokukaiyu Juryo 1 · 1–3 |
| 14 | Dewanoryu Juryo 1 · 2–2 |
Kazuma Juryo 2 · 1–3 |
Tochikodai, ranked Makushita 3, is appearing in a Juryo bout today. In the Japanese version, his name does not take the honorific “-seki,” which is used for wrestlers in the two salaried divisions.
Useful links for today
Day 5 viewing timetable / All 20 Makuuchi bouts / Articles from Instagram
Official sources checked
Japan Sumo Association: Day 5 bouts (Japanese) / Day 5 bout sheet PDF (Japanese) / Withdrawals and absences (Japanese)
Matchups and the running order may change. Please check the official information again shortly before watching. The illustrations were created with AI as viewing imagery; they are not photographs of the wrestlers or actual bouts.