About this podcast
Sumo Kaboom! A weekly podcast dedicated to our favorite sport - sumo wrestling. We chat about tournaments, current events, history and our favorite wrestlers. We are performers, improvisers, and creators and have absolutely no sumo training. But, we are huge sumo fans. Having lived in Japan, Leslie loves the history and traditions of sumo. She also has a deep love for sumo karaoke singers. Laurie is fascinated by sumo wrestler fandom, the sumo training regimen and physicality of the sport. Together, we serve up exciting sumo treats for sumo-curious fans. We share an enthusiasm for sumo and like all sisters, we work amazingly well together. All of the time. There are never any issues. Ever. We also occasionally send out sumo related content. It is NOT hard-hitting sumo journalism and is usually very silly. If you want to receive our writing about all things sumo or receive notification when Sumo BINGO cards are available, join our Substack below. We won't ever share your info, because we hate spam, too.
Episodes
The newest 50 of 325 episodes
- 325: Days 1 - 3 November Sumo Tournament 2026 · 35 minSumo Kaboom’s favorite bouts of days 1-3. The basho has begun, and we are knee deep in sumo! Tamawashi is back in the top division! Wakatakakage is back! Fujinokawa is having a…
- 324: Kyokukaiyu, Arashifuji, and Dewanoryu · 35 minThree new wrestlers join the top division for November - two are from Mongolia; one from Japan. And per usual, we learn a lot about while researching them. Each wrestler…
- 323: Churanoumi Plus a Mouse Sumo Story · 34 minChuranoumi makes his sanyaku debut in November, so we decided to research him and discover a bit more about his past. Find out what makes him unique. Plus, enjoy a short holiday…
- 322: Underperforming Yokozuna. Futahaguru and Yoshibayama · 40 minToday's episode is full of strange history - a yokozuna who never won a top division yusho, another yokozuna whose career was affected by war wounds, sumo arenas used for…
- 321: Sumo Under Pressure · 46 minAll sumo wrestlers deal with injury. But when you're at the top, the pressure to get back in the ring and win is enormous. Both yokozuna, Onosato and Hoshoryu, feel that…
- 320: Days 11-15 of the September Sumo Tournament · 47 minThe thrill of close competition. The way it all came down to the final match. The emotions of it all. We start by reading a little something from our Sumo BINGO winners. And…
- 319: Days 5-10 of the September Sumo Tournament · 49 minYeah. You could call this the Atamifuji, Aonishiki, and Fujinokawa hour, because they are all so exciting to watch! We take our sumo seriously. We seriously love it. Though all…
- 318: Sumo Is Back! Days 1-4 of the September Basho · 43 minSUMO IS BACK! And, we are here to discuss it all - from bloody noses to explosive tachiais. From excellent leverage to incredible buns. We take our sumo seriously. We seriously…
- 317: September Banzuke Overview · 45 minBINGO! More about Sumo Kaboom and our BINGO game at http://www.sumokaboom.com We play Sumo BINGO every basho, and it's always free. We give away sumo merch to our winners with…
- 316: Asasuiryu and Toshinofuji · 44 minAsasuiryu likes to clean toilets daily during a basho. Toshinofuji likes Bruno Mars. I mean, could these two be any more unique? Both are new to the top division, so we took deep…
- 315: Chiyoshoma · 26 minHe's a wrestler from Mongolia, and he has connections to yokozuna Chiyonofuji. Chiyonofuji had VERY nice things to say about Chiyoshoma, and Chiyoshoma still reads notes from…
- 314: Nishikifuji. Who is he? · 21 minHe's a wrestler in the Isegahama stable, and he did well in July's tournament, so what can we expect from him? We know random things about this sumo wrestler - dad of twins…
- 313: News and a Sweet Rivalry - Wakatakakage and Ichiyamamoto · 31 min0-15:00 Sumo News. Financial bonus for rikishi, ticket price changes for Tokyo tournaments, health updates, and retirement news 15:00 - 31:00 This week, we’re revisiting a…
- 312: End of the July Sumo Tournament · 47 minOh the drama. Oh the playoff of my dreams. We adored this tournament, and we know you did too. Sumo. So full of inspiration. BINGO! More about Sumo Kaboom and our BINGO game at…
- 311: Days 4 - 10 of the July Sumo Tournament, 2026 · 52 minShishi is he's having his best tournament yet. He has defied expectations and we are cheering him on! Another exciting rikishi - Wakanosho, who displayed his powerful thrusting…
- 310: Days 1 - 3 of the July Basho. · 40 minWe're on injury alert. We're feeling alllll the feelings. The competition is fierce, and it's only day 3. We may not make it. BINGO! More about Sumo Kaboom and our BINGO game at…
- 309: Banzuke Review and Wakatakakage News · 48 minWakatakakage. Big news. We wanted to see him in the mix for July, but that's not going to happen. Find out why. Then, we quickly discuss the rest of the banzuke in preparation…
- 308: Kazuma and Daiseizan · 41 minThe July banzuke came out. We are discussing Kazuma and Daiseizan, two men who join the top rank of pro sumo for the first time. The antici...pation is high. 0 - 9:00 News and…
- 307: Rivalry- Hoshoryu vs Takayasu · 36 minThe sumo fights between these two men are exciting - from the epic sumo staredowns to the finish - every single time. Their win/loss records against each other match right now…
- 306: The Paris Sumo Tour and WINS · 28 minSumo wrestlers at the Eiffel Tower! Sumo wrestlers eating baguettes and cheese! Sumo wrestlers dancing, answering questions from French students, and shopping. It's truly all we…
- 305: Sumo News and Kitanoumi · 39 minListener stories, sumo news, and a bit of sumo history. Sumo is headed to France for a sumo tour, and we are awaiting all the Eiffel Tower rikishi photos. Until they start to…
- 304: Breakdown of Days 11 - 15 of the May 2026 Basho and a Wakatakakage Love Fest · 47 minThe Exciting World of Sumo: Highlights from the May 2026 Basho Discover the thrilling moments from the May 2026 Basho, including poetry, bingo winners, and sumo insights…
- 303: Days 5 - 10 Breakdown of the May 2026 Basho · 53 minDays 5 - 10! Days 5 - 10! So. Many. Injuries. And ANYONE could win this one. BINGO! More about Sumo Kaboom and our BINGO game at http://www.sumokaboom.com We play Sumo BINGO…
- 302: Days 1 - 4 of the May Sumo Tournament · 43 minSumo Kaboom highlights the latest news, the best fights, and the biggest delights of pro sumo's latest sumo tournament, days 1 - 4. And, because we are who we are, sometimes we…
- 301: Banzuke Preview and Wakanosho · 40 minA quick preview of the May banzuke and a highlight on Wakanosho, the newest wrestler to the top division. The top of the banzuke sure looks exciting, although there are injuries…
- 300: A Huge Sumo-Sized Thank You · 41 minWe are here because YOU are here, so this is a big thank you to YOU, the sumo community. We discuss the Rollertown Sumo Tournament and some of our favorite moments from the last…
- 299: Onosato and Takayasu Revisited · 47 minWe're reviting some fellas at the top of the banzuke. Why? Because we want to! We haven't focused on these guys in a while, and they deserve some attention. Need a reminder about…
- 298: Sewanin and Wakaimonogashira Do What? · 35 minWhen Mr. Sumo himself (Chiyomaru) retired, he became a wakaimonogashira, and we were stumped. What the heck does that mean?? This week, we jumped into the internet to discover…
- 297: Atamifuji and Kirishima Revisted · 52 minThe last time we discussed Atamifuji and Kirishima in depth was 2-3 years ago, so it's time to revisit their stories and fill in some blanks. Each has much more coverage to…
- 296: Days 10 - 15 of the March Basho · 56 minOur favorite moments of the basho. And, because we're Sumo Kaboom, of course, we also manage to talk about grief, pizza wrestling, gonorrhea, stare downs, bow ties, and more…
- 295: March Basho Days 3 -9 · 48 minThis March basho is as unpredictable as ever! We discuss our favorite moments from days 3 - 9 of the March, 2026 basho. BINGO! More about Sumo Kaboom and our BINGO game at…
- 294: Days 1 and 2 of the March Tournament · 38 minWe are watching Aonishiki's yokozuna run, Kirishima's attempt to string together 33 wins over 3 tournaments and regain his ozeki status, rising stars like Fujiseiun, Fuijiryoga…
- 293: March Sumo Preview · 48 minLots to cover this week including sumo news, BINGO, a Sweet and Sexy Sumo banzuke, the real banzuke, and our newest wrestlers to the top division - Fujiryoga and Fujiseiun…
- 292: Yobidashi · 30 minFrom playing drums to managing the tournament setup, the yobidashi's work keeps sumo running smoothly. They ensure that tradition, logistics, and even plumbing are in place — all…
- 291: Valentine's Day SWEET & SEXY Sumo Poll RESULTS 2026 · 1 h 15 minMirror, mirror on the wall, who is sexiest sumo wrestler of all? We know the answer. Sumo is sacred, seeped in history, and it's also FUN. This Valentine's Day episode features…
- 290: The Hakuho Cup and Youth Sumo · 32 minEvery Valentine's, we unofficially crown the Sexiest Sumo Wrestler of the Year and this year, we're also crowning the Sweetest Sumo Wrestler. We need YOU to vote for your choice…
- 289: Terunofuji's Retirement and How to Buy Sumo Tickets · 35 minEvery Valentine's, we unofficially crown the Sexiest Sumo Wrestler of the Year and this year, we're also crowning the Sweetest Sumo Wrestler. We need YOU to vote for your choice…
- 288: Sumo Highlights from Days 9-15 of the January '26 Basho · 60 minWe're chatting about the latest happenings in the world of sumo wrestling, including our own planning for our Valentine's Day episode, the announcement of bingo winners, and a…
- 287: Days 3 - 8 of the January Basho 2026 · 45 minWe're discussing days 3 - 8 of the January sumo tournament in Japan. We thank Yoshinofuji for giving us ALL the thrills on days 3 and 4, and we also want to thank Fujinokawa for…
- 286: Days 1 and 2 of the January Sumo Tournament · 29 minThe sumo is on, and we're watching along with you. Tell us what you are loving! We have some small sumo calendars gifted to us by @sjcurran1 on Instagram that we will give away…
- 285: Back At It 2026 · 52 minFilling you in on a month of sumo news first. Then we swing to the January 2026 banzuke - the ranking chart for the sumo tournament which begins on Jan. 11th. Need a little…
- 284: Ozeki Aonishiki · 35 minSome behind-the-scenes stories about becoming an ozeki. From yusho to parade to party to waiting - what it is really like. We're also showing some love to our monthly…
- 283: We Loooooooooved This Basho. Days 11-15 of the November, 2025 Sumo Tournament · 53 minAs far as sumo tournaments go, you can't get much better than this one. It had all the drama, so we'd like to take a few moments to tell you why we loved it. We're also showing…
- 282: What We're Loving About Days 4-10 of the November 2025 Basho · 54 minThe sumo is HOT, y'all. Before we get to the sumo, we have members to thank and a little odd news to cover. But, the sumo discussion begins at minute 10:00. We're also showing…
- 281: November Basho Days 1-3 · 35 minAfter a short discussion of BINGO and a Takakeisho merch giveaway, we jump into our favorite moments of days 1 - 3. So much to love. We're also showing some love to our monthly…
- 280: Tomokaze and Oshoumi · 40 min• We talk about some very adult things in this episode. Not for kiddos.* Tomokaze and Oshoumi are both wrestling in the top division in November, 2025. Tomokaze has wrestled in…
- 279: Spooky Sumo Stories · 44 minTurn the lights down low. Grab a mug of hot chocolate, and light a candle. It's time for silly, fun, totally made up sumo stories. We started this Halloween tradition a few years…
- 278: Sumo in London! · 35 minWe talk about our favorite moments of the Grand Sumo Tournament at Royal Albert Hall, London, 2025. Spoiler! It wasn't always the sumo. Huge congratulations to the JSA and the…
- 277: The JSA's 100th Anniversary Event and the Sumo World Championship · 41 minLots to cover, from listener feedback to current events. Laurie covers the World Sumo Championships that happened in September in Thailand and the 17 members of the US team…
- 276: Days 10-15 of the Aki Basho 2025 · 53 minWe got our yokozuna showdown, and all is right with the world. We enjoyed this basho, and we hope you did, too. We chat BINGO winners, special prize winners, and of course, who…
