Professional Snowboarder Yuto Totsuka to Join ABEMA’s Grand Sumo May Tournament Day 7 Broadcast as Guest Commentator

ABEMA, the “new future television” service, announced that professional snowboarder Yuto Totsuka will appear as a guest commentator on Day 7, May 16, of the Grand Sumo May Tournament, which opened at Ryogoku Kokugikan on May 10, 2026. Totsuka, from Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, is a professional snowboarder known for his exceptional amplitude and highly difficult tricks. In the 2020-2021 season, he delivered dominant performances and high scores across competitions, winning every event he entered, including the world-class X Games, and securing his third overall World Cup title by discipline. In February this year, he won gold in the men’s snowboard halfpipe at an international competition in Milan, landing a series of extremely difficult tricks, including triple cork 1440s. Having overcome injuries and defeats on the international stage before reaching the top, Totsuka is expected to bring the perspective of a world-class athlete to sumo bouts fought under extreme pressure and decided in split-second exchanges. The Grand Sumo May Tournament is drawing attention for Kirishima, who returned to ozeki after winning his third championship and first in 14 tournaments at the previous meet, as well as Enho, who has made a spirited return to the sekitori ranks. ABEMA will stream every bout live for free, from jonokuchi through the final match of the day. Totsuka said, “In both sumo and snowboarding, you have to bring out everything you have built up in a single instant,” and will analyze the wrestlers’ bouts from the unique standpoint of a fellow competitor. In his comments, Totsuka said he was initially somewhat unsure when he heard about the guest commentary role, as he had not had many chances to watch sumo closely. However, he added that sumo is a Japanese traditional culture known to everyone, and he is excited to watch it in person. He also noted that while halfpipe and grand sumo are different sports, they share the need to perform explosive movements under intense pressure and to understand how the body reacts and tenses in high-stakes moments. Asked how he manages pressure on major stages, Totsuka said he values sticking closely to routines, including what he does after waking up, the music he listens to, and his movements immediately before a run. Following each step as planned helps him relax. Regarding sumo wrestlers he is interested in, he said he is not particularly knowledgeable about specific wrestlers yet, but he is looking forward to watching sumo properly for the first time and is impressed by the core stability of all wrestlers. ABEMA Grand Sumo 2026 May Tournament will air from May 10 to May 24, 2026. The Day 7 broadcast is scheduled for May 16 from 3:40 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., featuring Masaru Hanada as exclusive commentator, Kosei Fujii as play-by-play announcer, Akatsu as commentary guest, and Yuto Totsuka as special guest. During the May Tournament, Hanada’s virtual commentary will be available on weekends only. Broadcast schedules, content, and formats are subject to change without notice. ABEMA is a video streaming service positioned as “new future television” and will mark its 10th anniversary on April 11, 2026. It offers registration-free, basically free internet television, with around 25 channels broadcasting 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, including news, original dramas, romance reality shows, variety programs, anime, and sports. The service also offers films, domestic and international dramas, anime, sports broadcasts, and online live events. To commemorate its 10th anniversary, ABEMA will roll out special programming and campaigns throughout the year, including the ABEMA 10th Anniversary Free Thanksgiving Festival.