About the show
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.
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Episodes
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293: March Sumo Preview
March 4th, 2026 | 47 mins 37 secs
2026, banzuke, fujiryoga, fujiseiun, march
Leslie and Laurie discuss sumo's latest news and preview the banzuke (ranking chart) for March.
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292: Yobidashi
February 25th, 2026 | 29 mins 33 secs
behindthescenes, japanesetradition, sumolife, sumosecrets, yobidashi
Did you know the yobidashi are the unsung heroes behind the scenes of sumo? 🎌 These guys do way more than just announcing matches—they handle logistics, ceremonies, and even build the dohyo (sumo ring)!
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291: Valentine's Day SWEET & SEXY Sumo Poll RESULTS 2026
February 18th, 2026 | 1 hr 15 mins
sexy, sumo poll, sweet, sweet and sexy sumo
Sumo is sacred, seeped in history... and it's also FUN. This Valentine's Day episode features the results of our Sweet and Sexy Sumo poll, 2026. We're sharing stories, poetry, and song all submitted by listeners, and we're simply celebrating the big boys of sumo.
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290: The Hakuho Cup and Youth Sumo
February 11th, 2026 | 32 mins 25 secs
fuji tournament, hakuho cup, kids in sumo, setsubun, sumo news, sumo traditions, valentine's day, wanpaku
In this episode, we discuss our Valentine's Day poll for the sweetest and sexiest sumo wrestlers, the Fuji Charity Tournament, and the Setsubun festival. We jump into the history and significance of wanpaku, or kids' sumo, and highlight the Hakuho Cup.
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289: Terunofuji's Retirement and How to Buy Sumo Tickets
February 4th, 2026 | 35 mins 28 secs
retirement, sweet and sexy, terunofuji, tickets
The Sweet and Sexy Sumo Poll is open for voting! Today, we're talking about Terunofuji's retirement and the difficulty of purchasing sumo tickets. If you're looking for suggestions on how to get tickets, this is your episode.
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288: Sumo Highlights from Days 9-15 of the January '26 Basho
January 26th, 2026 | 59 mins 30 secs
2026, basho, january, winner
We're talking about highlights from the recent sumo tournament and, of course, focusing on Atamifuji and Aonishiki.
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287: Days 3 - 8 of the January Basho 2026
January 19th, 2026 | 44 mins 41 secs
basho, fujinokawa, january, yoshinofuji
Yoshinofuji! Fujinokawa! Oh there is so much to love about week 1 of this sumo tournament.
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286: Days 1 and 2 of the January Sumo Tournament
January 13th, 2026 | 29 mins 5 secs
ozumo, sumo, sumo body image, sumo wrestler
The sumo is on, and we're watching along with you.
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285: Back At It 2026
January 7th, 2026 | 51 mins 58 secs
2026, asahakuryu, asanoyama, banzuke, hatsuyama, january, oho
Welcome to 2026! The state of sumo affairs looks GOOD.
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284: Ozeki Aonishiki
December 3rd, 2025 | 35 mins 26 secs
aonishiki, ozeki
Some behind-the-scenes stories about becoming an ozeki.
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283: We Loooooooooved This Basho. Days 11-15 of the November, 2025 Sumo Tournament
November 26th, 2025 | 52 mins 50 secs
2025, aonishiki, basho, november, ozeki
As 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.
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282: What We're Loving About Days 4-10 of the November 2025 Basho
November 19th, 2025 | 54 mins 19 secs
2025, basho, november, ozumo
The sumo is HOT, y'all. And can we talk about Fujinokawa?
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281: November Basho Days 1-3
November 11th, 2025 | 34 mins 53 secs
basho, november
The sumo is BACK and we are so very happy about it!
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280: Tomokaze and Oshoumi
November 5th, 2025 | 39 mins 36 secs
bingo, injury, oshoumi, takakeisho, tomokaze
The November basho is about to begin, so who are these two wrestlers in the top division? One wants to be a concert pianist after sumo. Can you guess which one?
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279: Spooky Sumo Stories
October 29th, 2025 | 43 mins 52 secs
halloween, scary story, spooky, stories
Totally made up spooky sumo stories - just for fun! Mwahahahaha
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278: Sumo in London!
October 21st, 2025 | 34 mins 40 secs
grand sumo, jungyo, london, tour, tournament
Grand Sumo at the Royal Albert Hall in London. What a treat!