ABEMA Releases Exclusive Interview Videos of 19 Top-Division Sumo Wrestlers for the Grand Sumo May Tournament! Announces 'Childhood Dream Jobs Ranking' on Official X Account to Coincide with 'Children's Day'!
ABEMA, 'The New Future TV,' announced that it will broadcast all matches of the Grand Sumo May Tournament live and for free starting May 10, 2026. In conjunction with this, they released exclusive interview videos with 19 top-division sumo wrestlers and also published a 'Childhood Dream Jobs Ranking' on their official X account, featuring 12 wrestlers, to coincide with Children's Day.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 9, 2026 at 01:00
- 🔍 Collected: May 8, 2026 at 16:32
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 8, 2026 at 17:51 (1h 19m after Collected)
ABEMA, 'The New Future TV,' will broadcast all matches of the Grand Sumo May Tournament, held at Ryogoku Kokugikan from Sunday, May 10, 2026, live and for free. To mark the upcoming May Tournament, we conducted exclusive interviews with 19 top-division sumo wrestlers and have now released all their videos. Furthermore, on the official ABEMA Grand Sumo X account (@abema_sumo), we compiled and announced a ranking of the 'childhood dream jobs' of 12 top-division wrestlers, based on what they shared in their interviews.
■ 'Childhood Dream Job Ranking' Announced for 'Children's Day'! Ichiyamamoto, a former civil servant, praised as 'making dreams come true'
Coinciding with 'Children's Day' on May 5, the official ABEMA Grand Sumo X account (@abema_sumo) compiled and announced a ranking of the 'childhood dream jobs' of 12 top-division wrestlers. The top spot, accounting for nearly half of the total, was 'Sumo Wrestler' (5 wrestlers: Atamifuji, Takanosho, Gozan, Asakoryu, Asanoyama). While these wrestlers made their childhood dreams come true, Atamifuji surprisingly responded, 'What I want to do now is a band. My fingers are thick, so I want to play drums.' Asakoryu spoke powerfully, 'I never dreamed I would be fighting in the top division. This isn't the goal, so I want to keep striving.' Takanosho sent a message to sumo-loving children, saying, 'What you can't do in practice, you can't do in a real match. Practice is the most important thing.'
In second place, 'Sports Player' (3 wrestlers: Kotozakura, Takayasu, Wakanosho), Takayasu, who played hardball baseball in little league during elementary school, smiled and said, 'I was confident in my batting and dreamed of becoming the best slugger in Japan, but that dream didn't come true (laughs).' When asked about his own soccer experience, Kotozakura, who answered professional soccer player, humorously interjected himself, saying, 'Just for a moment!' and 'Which position do you think I played?!'
And in fourth place, which caught the attention of sumo fans, 'Others / Unique Personalities,' included Ichiyamamoto's 'Civil Servant' and Kotoeimine's 'Ophthalmologist.' Ichiyamamoto, who has a background working at a town office in Hokkaido, laughed as he reflected, 'I was a child without dreams, so stability is wonderful.' He revealed his unusual career path, having, in a sense, fulfilled that dream before transitioning to the sumo world. Social media was filled with exclamations like, 'Ichiyamamoto is amazing for making his dream come true,' 'He's the type who can make good on his word,' and 'It's hilarious that there was actually a former civil servant.' There were also many reactions to the unexpected true faces of the wrestlers, such as 'Kotoeimine's ophthalmologist is surprising,' 'Kotozakura wanted to be a soccer player?!,' 'Takayasu was a baseball player! How cute,' and 'Kirishima's policeman is cool.'
[ABEMA Grand Sumo Official X] 'Childhood Dream Job Ranking' Post
https://x.com/abema_sumo/status/2051497108075884758?s=20
■ Ozeki-returning Kirishima: 'It was the best thing to be able to keep my promise as a father.' An anecdote with his beloved daughter and a pledge for victory
Kirishima, who made a magnificent return to Ozeki with his victory in the previous tournament. In his interview, he spoke of his strong feeling that his victory in the Yokozuna match was significant. Regarding the 'Banzai' prayer he showed for his beloved daughter during the victory parade, he showed a relieved expression, saying, 'It was the best thing to be able to keep my promise as a father.' About the widely discussed topless parade, he joked, 'Next time I win, I'm told not to parade naked, so I'll try my best not to parade naked.'
He also revealed that his childhood dream of becoming a 'policeman,' which ranked third, was something he often imitated in his hometown of Mongolia. On the other hand, his beloved daughter reportedly said she 'wants to be a doctor' at her kindergarten graduation ceremony. Given that Kirishima's mother and wife are medical professionals, he shared an anecdote that made one feel the family bond, saying, 'I think she might have heard it somewhere.' He smiled gently, saying, 'You just have to support your child's dreams.' With gratitude in his heart for his mother, who is a significant presence to him, he powerfully expressed his enthusiasm for this tournament, saying, 'More than anything, I want to show filial piety' and 'I want to do my best to win until the very end.'
[Video] Kirishima | Interview before May Tournament
https://abema.tv/video/episode/394-72_s10_p1962
■ Enho Returns to Top Division from Spinal Cord Injury. Grueling Convalescence, Minatogawa Oyakata's Golden Words, and the 'Phoenix's' Resolve
Enho, who finally returned to the top division after a long absence due to injury. He confessed to a grueling convalescence after suffering a severe spinal cord injury, saying, 'Even painkillers stopped working, and gradually my hands started moving on their own,' 'I couldn't even tell the temperature of the bath,' and 'Honestly, I thought it was over.' He spoke of the days he was mentally cornered, being asked about surgery every hour by nurses, 'Have you made up your mind?', and the little-known fact that his mother was distraught and crying.
■ 'Childhood Dream Job Ranking' Announced for 'Children's Day'! Ichiyamamoto, a former civil servant, praised as 'making dreams come true'
Coinciding with 'Children's Day' on May 5, the official ABEMA Grand Sumo X account (@abema_sumo) compiled and announced a ranking of the 'childhood dream jobs' of 12 top-division wrestlers. The top spot, accounting for nearly half of the total, was 'Sumo Wrestler' (5 wrestlers: Atamifuji, Takanosho, Gozan, Asakoryu, Asanoyama). While these wrestlers made their childhood dreams come true, Atamifuji surprisingly responded, 'What I want to do now is a band. My fingers are thick, so I want to play drums.' Asakoryu spoke powerfully, 'I never dreamed I would be fighting in the top division. This isn't the goal, so I want to keep striving.' Takanosho sent a message to sumo-loving children, saying, 'What you can't do in practice, you can't do in a real match. Practice is the most important thing.'
In second place, 'Sports Player' (3 wrestlers: Kotozakura, Takayasu, Wakanosho), Takayasu, who played hardball baseball in little league during elementary school, smiled and said, 'I was confident in my batting and dreamed of becoming the best slugger in Japan, but that dream didn't come true (laughs).' When asked about his own soccer experience, Kotozakura, who answered professional soccer player, humorously interjected himself, saying, 'Just for a moment!' and 'Which position do you think I played?!'
And in fourth place, which caught the attention of sumo fans, 'Others / Unique Personalities,' included Ichiyamamoto's 'Civil Servant' and Kotoeimine's 'Ophthalmologist.' Ichiyamamoto, who has a background working at a town office in Hokkaido, laughed as he reflected, 'I was a child without dreams, so stability is wonderful.' He revealed his unusual career path, having, in a sense, fulfilled that dream before transitioning to the sumo world. Social media was filled with exclamations like, 'Ichiyamamoto is amazing for making his dream come true,' 'He's the type who can make good on his word,' and 'It's hilarious that there was actually a former civil servant.' There were also many reactions to the unexpected true faces of the wrestlers, such as 'Kotoeimine's ophthalmologist is surprising,' 'Kotozakura wanted to be a soccer player?!,' 'Takayasu was a baseball player! How cute,' and 'Kirishima's policeman is cool.'
[ABEMA Grand Sumo Official X] 'Childhood Dream Job Ranking' Post
https://x.com/abema_sumo/status/2051497108075884758?s=20
■ Ozeki-returning Kirishima: 'It was the best thing to be able to keep my promise as a father.' An anecdote with his beloved daughter and a pledge for victory
Kirishima, who made a magnificent return to Ozeki with his victory in the previous tournament. In his interview, he spoke of his strong feeling that his victory in the Yokozuna match was significant. Regarding the 'Banzai' prayer he showed for his beloved daughter during the victory parade, he showed a relieved expression, saying, 'It was the best thing to be able to keep my promise as a father.' About the widely discussed topless parade, he joked, 'Next time I win, I'm told not to parade naked, so I'll try my best not to parade naked.'
He also revealed that his childhood dream of becoming a 'policeman,' which ranked third, was something he often imitated in his hometown of Mongolia. On the other hand, his beloved daughter reportedly said she 'wants to be a doctor' at her kindergarten graduation ceremony. Given that Kirishima's mother and wife are medical professionals, he shared an anecdote that made one feel the family bond, saying, 'I think she might have heard it somewhere.' He smiled gently, saying, 'You just have to support your child's dreams.' With gratitude in his heart for his mother, who is a significant presence to him, he powerfully expressed his enthusiasm for this tournament, saying, 'More than anything, I want to show filial piety' and 'I want to do my best to win until the very end.'
[Video] Kirishima | Interview before May Tournament
https://abema.tv/video/episode/394-72_s10_p1962
■ Enho Returns to Top Division from Spinal Cord Injury. Grueling Convalescence, Minatogawa Oyakata's Golden Words, and the 'Phoenix's' Resolve
Enho, who finally returned to the top division after a long absence due to injury. He confessed to a grueling convalescence after suffering a severe spinal cord injury, saying, 'Even painkillers stopped working, and gradually my hands started moving on their own,' 'I couldn't even tell the temperature of the bath,' and 'Honestly, I thought it was over.' He spoke of the days he was mentally cornered, being asked about surgery every hour by nurses, 'Have you made up your mind?', and the little-known fact that his mother was distraught and crying.