Kyoda Naoki 許田 直希 · きょだ なおき

Kyoda Naoki (許田 直希) is a 23-year-old professional sumo wrestler from Yokohama, Kanagawa, competing for Futagoyama Stable. His sumo story is one of significant promise, a painful setback, and now a determined comeback — a narrative arc familiar to many wrestlers who reach the upper amateur or lower professional ranks before injury intervenes.

Standing 176cm and weighing 159kg, Kyoda has a compact but powerful build — dense muscle mass that makes him difficult to shift from the center of the dohyo. He debuted professionally in November 2020 and progressed steadily through the lower divisions, reaching a career-high of Makushita 40 in 2023 and demonstrating real potential for the salaried ranks.

In November 2024, Kyoda suffered a serious left knee injury that required surgery and an extended period of rehabilitation. He was absent from competition for nearly three tournaments — a significant absence in a sport where rankings fluctuate rapidly. When a wrestler withdraws from competition due to injury, they receive a 0-0 fusensho (walkover) record if they cannot compete, and their ranking drops accordingly. After nearly three basho lost to recovery, Kyoda returned at West Jonidan 55 in January 2026 — a dramatic fall from his former Makushita heights.

The subsequent climb back has been encouraging. From Jonidan 55 in January 2026, he reached West Jonidan 15 by March 2026, rising 40 ranks in just two tournaments. This type of rapid re-ascent after recovery — often called a "comeback climb" by sumo fans — is exciting to follow, and Kyoda's trajectory suggests he retains the ability that carried him to Makushita before the injury.

Current rank: East Sandanme 35 for the May 2026 Natsu Basho. Career high: Makushita 40.

Trajectory: Strong 6–1 in March returned him to upper Sandanme after long-term injury layoff. The next-step target: rebuild toward his career-high Makushita 40; consecutive winning records at upper Sandanme typically restore Makushita rank within 2-3 basho.

Kyoda has stated on camera that he was personally scouted by Futagoyama Oyakata while still in school. His May 2026 banzuke jump from absent / lower ranks back to East Sandanme 35 reflects a comeback that the stable's videos have followed closely.

Source: Self-introduction, New Year resolution, debut interview and Q&A videos on Futagoyama Stable's official YouTube channel 'Sumo food' (2024–2025), transcribed from on-screen captions.

From Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture. A perseverer who returned after long-term injury layoff. His hobby is 'saving money' — unusual at Futagoyama. Asked what he'd do with a 1-million-yen lottery win, he split it: 700,000 yen to his parents, 300,000 yen for himself — a notably devoted son. When asked his dream overseas trip he answered candidly that he doesn't want to go anywhere — 'foreign countries seem a bit dangerous.'