The Japan Sumo Association have released the banzuke (rankings) for the upcoming Kyushu basho (tournament). Within it are some expected, and very significant, changes. There are also some surprises, which is a growing trend with the JSA and their rankings. Read on for a breakdown of what happened and what it all means.
Makuuchi Banzuke (top division sumo rankings)
| East | Rank | West |
| Terunofuji 🇲🇳 | Yokozuna | |
| Kotozakura🇯🇵 | Ozeki | Hoshoryu 🇲🇳 |
| Ozeki | Onosato 🇯🇵 | |
| Kirishima 🇲🇳 | Sekiwake | Daieisho 🇯🇵 |
| Wakamotoharu 🇯🇵 | Komusubi | Shodai 🇯🇵 |
| Oho 🇯🇵 | M1 | Hiradoumi 🇯🇵 |
| Wakatakakage 🇯🇵 | M2 | Ura 🇯🇵 |
| Abi 🇯🇵 | M3 | Atamifuji 🇯🇵 |
| Churanoumi 🇯🇵 | M4 | Oshoma 🇲🇳 |
| Tobizaru 🇯🇵 | M5 | Kotoshoho 🇯🇵 |
| Takanosho 🇯🇵 | M6 | Nishikigi 🇯🇵 |
| Endo 🇯🇵 | M7 | Mitakeumi 🇯🇵 |
| Roga 🇷🇺 | M8 | Gonoyama 🇯🇵 |
| Midorifuji 🇯🇵 | M9 | Takayasu 🇯🇵 |
| Ichiyamamoto 🇯🇵 | M10 | Takarufuji 🇯🇵 |
| Tamawashi 🇲🇳 | M11 | Meisei 🇯🇵 |
| Hokutofuji 🇯🇵 | M12 | Sadanoumi 🇯🇵 |
| Ryuden 🇯🇵 | M13 | Shonannoumi 🇯🇵 |
| Chiyoshoma 🇲🇳 | M14 | Nishikifuji 🇯🇵 |
| Onokatsu 🇲🇳 | M15 | Tokihayate 🇯🇵 |
| Shishi 🇺🇦 | M16 | Takerufuji 🇯🇵 |
| Asakoryu 🇯🇵 | M17 | Bushozan 🇯🇵 |
Onosato promoted to ozeki
24-year-old Onosato took the Emperor’s Cup at the aki basho (autumn tournament) in September. He has been rewarded for that feat by promotion to the rank of ozeki. Onosato’s promotion is unprecedented. Usually, to achieve the storied rank of ozeki (one spot below the ultimate rank of yokozuna) a wrestler must amass 33 victories over three straight tournaments while ranked sekiwake.
Onosato’s rise through sumo has been so meteoric that he amassed the win total, with ease, before he could be ranked as sekiwake in three consecutive tournaments. However, due to him winning the championship in two of his last three tournaments, the JSA decided to fast track him to ozeki. Few could argue that Onosato, who has dominated sumo in 2024, is not worthy of the position.
Onosato made his makuuchi debut in January and went 11-4. In March he went 11-4 again, finishing runner up to Takerufuji. In July he won his first title, going 12-3. In July he had his worse performance to date, going 9-6. Then in September he rebounded and won his second title with a 13-2 record.
Onosato’s next goal will be to become the sport’s 74th yokozuna. To do that he needs to win two tournaments back-to-back. I wouldn’t bet against him doing that as early as next year.
Takakeisho official removed from rankings
This banzuke marks the first time since 2014 that a shikona (ring name) belonging to Sato Takanobu has not been included. The wrestler best known as Takakeisho announced his retirement during the last tournament and thus was left off of this banzuke. Takakeisho, aka ‘The Angry Hamster’, was a long time ozeki who has struggled mightily with injuries over the last few years. During the aki basho Takakeisho was fighting for an immediate promotion back to ozeki, having been demoted after getting a losing record in the previous tournament. However, it became clear that he wasn’t healthy enough to compete in September, so he decided (at 28-years-old) it was time to call it a day.
Takakeisho has acquired elder stock, meaning he will serve as an elder in the JSA, after he has had his official retirement ceremony. On retirement he will be known as Minatogawa.
Popular Bulgarian rikishi Aoiyama and former sekiwake Myogiryu also announced their retirements during the last basho and, as a result, do not feature on the banzuke.
Aoiyama has also secured elder stock. On retirement he will become Iwatomo, a name inherited from his former stablemate who passed away earlier this year.
Myogiryu has also secured elder stock. He will take on the name Furiwake.
Both Aoiyama and Myogiryu will become coaches at their respective stables.
Shodai back in the san’yaku
One of the more surprising details from the banzuke is the promotion of Shodai to komusubi. Komusubi is the lowest of the special upper ranks in the top division. Shodai, a former ozeki, gained the promotion thanks to a 10-5 record in September while ranked maegashira 5. I’m a little surprised he was promoted high enough to rejoin the san’yaku (the collective term for those upper ranks). I would have liked to see the youngster Oho get that promotion. He went 9-6 from a rank two spots higher than Shodai. Former sekiwake Wakatakakage, who went 12-3 and finished runner-up in September, was also a candidate to move up and get that spot.
The other komusubi promotion went to Wakatakakage’s brother Wakamotoharu, who impressed with an 11-4 record at the maegashira 3 position in September.
Hiradoumi and Abi were demoted from the san’yaku due to their losing record in the past tournament.
Takerufuji returns
The November banzuke also saw Takerufuji return to the makuuchi. Takerufuji made history when he won the March tournament this year. He did this as a top division rookie, something which had not been done in over 90 years.
Takerufuji was injured in that historic run, though. That injury forced him to sit out of all the following tournament. That absence resulted in his demotion to the juryo (second division). He sat out most of the following tournament, too. In July he was fully fit and he went 13-2 in juryo, winning the title.
Takerufuji is ranked maegashira 16 now, one spot above where he was when he won the yusho (championship). I’m keen to see if Takerufuji can replicate the success he had last time out. All signs certainly point to him being a special talent and not a flash in the pan. If he gets off to a good start in this tournament we may see him eventually face Onosato (whom he beat on route to his yusho in March).
Shishi becomes first Ukrainian to compete in top division
The other wrestlers promoted to makuuchi are Tokihayate, Chiyoshoma, Shishi and Asakoryu. Shishi and Asakoryu will be fighting in the top division for the first time.
Shishi is the first Ukrainian-born wrestler to ever make it this far in grand sumo. Shishi (birth name Sergey Sokolovsky) is 27-years-old. He was born in Zaporizhia and began competing in 2020. He is following in the footsteps of legendary yokozuna Taiho, who dominated 1960s sumo. Taiho was born on Sakhalin Island, which was then part of Karafuto Prefecture, to a Japanese woman and a Ukrainian father.
It’s possible that we don’t have to wait very long for the second ever Ukrainian-born rikishi to make it to the makuuchi. 20-year-old phenom Aoinishiki (birth name Danylo Yavhusishin) was promoted to juryo in this banzuke. Aoinishiki has been stellar since debuting last year. He’s progressed to the second division after just seven tournaments. During this run he has lost only 4 times.
Asakoryu is likely to be a popular addition to makuuchi in Kyushu. He will be one of the smallest ever rikishi to compete at the top level, weighing in at just 285 lbs (with most of that weight being muscle).
More sumo content on Combat Press
Keep it locked on Combat Press for coverage of the upcoming Kyushu tournament. Here we will provide a tournament preview, a viewing guide, a mid-way results post and a final results post.
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