The banzuke for Grand Sumo’s March tournament is out!
The banzuke is a document that ranks all the wrestlers within the Grand Sumo system, placing them in ranks and divisions based mainly on their performance in the last tournament (the 2026 January tournament in this instance). The top division is the makuuchi, which is home to the highest ranked wrestlers in the sport.
The wrestlers in the makuuchi will be competing for 15 days straight in mid-March to try and earn the top division yusho (championship). In addition to that, most wrestlers will also be trying to earn winning records to improve their ranking in the next banzuke.
Below are the rankings for the makuuchi and a few points of interest.
Grand Sumo Top Division Rankings
| East | Rank | West |
| Hoshoryu 🇲🇳 | Yokozuna | Onosato 🇯🇵 |
| Aoinishiki 🇺🇦 | Ozeki | Kotozakura🇯🇵 |
| Kirishima 🇲🇳 | Sekiwake | Takayasu 🇯🇵 |
| Wakamotoharu 🇯🇵 | Komusubi | Atamifuji 🇯🇵 |
| Wakatakakage 🇯🇵 | M1 | Yoshinofuji 🇯🇵 |
| Fujinokawa 🇯🇵 | M2 | Churanoumi 🇯🇵 |
| Hiradoumi 🇯🇵 | M3 | Oho 🇯🇵 |
| Daieisho 🇯🇵 | M4 | Takanosho 🇯🇵 |
| Abi 🇯🇵 | M5 | Kotoshoho 🇯🇵 |
| Ichiyamamoto 🇯🇵 | M6 | Onokatsu 🇲🇳 |
| Oshoma 🇲🇳 | M7 | Hakunofuji 🇯🇵 |
| Ura 🇯🇵 | M8 | Shodai 🇯🇵 |
| Tokihayate 🇯🇵 | M9 | Tamawashi 🇲🇳 |
| Gonoyama 🇯🇵 | M10 | Roga 🇷🇺 |
| Shishi 🇺🇦 | M11 | Oshoumi 🇯🇵 |
| Asakoryu 🇯🇵 | M12 | Asanoyama 🇯🇵 |
| Tobizaru 🇯🇵 | M13 | Fujiseun 🇯🇵 |
| Chiyoshoma 🇲🇳 | M14 | Nishikifuji 🇯🇵 |
| Midorifuji 🇯🇵 | M15 | Mitakeumi 🇯🇵 |
| Asahakuryu 🇯🇵 | M16 | Kinbozan 🇰🇿 |
| Fujiryoga 🇯🇵 | M17 | Kotoeiho 🇯🇵 |
Atamifuji debuts in the san’yaku
Atamifuji is ranked komusubi in this banzuke. That is the lowest special named rank within the san’yaku section of the banzuke. This is a career high for the 22 year-old. Atamifuji earned this promotion thanks to his fantastic showing in the January tournament.
Atamifuji, fighting from the maegashira 4 rank, ended up as the runner-up of that tournament, losing to Aonishiki in a play-off for 2026’s first silverware. He amassed a 12-3 record in that tournament (a personal best) and also beat both yokozuna (Onosato and Hoshoryu).
Atamifuji came close to beating Aonishiki on the final day, but the Ukrainian was just too slippery for him. Despite falling at the final hurdle, this was an excellent tournament for Atamifuji. He showed a lot of heart and grit in this tournament, which is something we can’t say about his past showings (especially when he previously came close to winning a cup).
In addition to being one of the best young wrestlers around, Atamifuji is also very popular in Japan (due to his quite cute demeanour).
Fujinokawa’s baptism of fire
The most violent man in sumo has been given a big promotion for March. Fujinokawa, who only just turned 21, will compete at maegashira 2 in March. That spot is within the joi (M1-4). The joi has a fearsome reputation since the wrestlers there will face a murderers’ row of opponents in the first week of the tournament (including all the named ranks [yokozuna, ozeki, etc.]). Fujinokawa is from the small Isenoumi stable, so he won’t have any teammates ranked around him either. You don’t fight teammates in sumo (unless it’s a play-off) so Fujinokawa won’t be able to skip any bouts against the sport’s cream of the crop.
Do you think any of that is going to bother him, though?
Since reaching the top division last July Fujinokawa has been must-see TV and a breath of fresh air. The diminutive rikishi (wrestler) looks like he’s fighting for his life in every bout. He’s been able to shock much bigger and more experienced wrestlers with his intensity and that has lead to him putting together a very nice run of results this year.
In March he’s going to be facing a number of elite wrestlers for the first time ever. I can’t wait to see how he handles it. He might not win those matches, but he’s going to give it his all (I don’t think he knows any other way).
Career highs for Oshoumi, Tokihayate and Asakoryu
Along with Atamifuji and Fujinokawa, there are three other young wrestlers who reached career highs with this most recent banzuke.
Oshoumi was the surprise package of the January tournament. He went 10-5 in just his second ever top division tournament. He’s up to maegashira 11 for March.
Tokihayate banked just an 8-7 record in January. That was enough to move him up a single rank. In January he was competing at his previous highest ever rank. In sumo, any winning record while at your career high, is a good tournament.
Asakoryu had a decent tournament in January, too, and has been rewarded with a generous promotion. He’s struggled in the past when placed around this territory, though.
Fujiryoga debuts
Teammates Fujiryoga and Fujiseun were promoted to makuuchi for this tournament. Fujiseun was the winner of January’s juryo (second division) tournament. Fujiryoga won that tournament in November (during his first ever juryo tournament). Fujiryoga is an interesting prospect. He’s only been in the Grand Sumo system since March 2025. As a result he’ll be competing with slicked back hair (since his hair isn’t long enough yet for the traditional chonmage [top knot].
Fujiseun will also be debuting in the top division. This is the first time we’ll see teammates compete together in their rookie makuuchi tournament.
Kotoeiho is the only other wrestler who was promoted for this tournament. His brother, Kotoshoho, won a shock top division title last summer. Kotoeiho was in makuuchi once before, but was immediately demoted. Kotoeiho is the owner of the sport’s most impressive shiko stomp, though.
Other notes
Due to how results shook out across the top division, a number of wrestlers who were highly ranked in January were given very lenient demotions. Ichiyamamoto was demoted five ranks off seven net losses (it’s usually one for one). Ura was demoted six ranks off seven net losses, Oho was demoted 3.5 ranks off seven net losses and Takanosho was demoted just 1.5 ranks off five net losses.
Those lenient demotions were partly due to there not being enough winning record wrestlers directly below them (to put in front of them) and partly because the Japan Sumo Association is usually a little kind with wrestlers who had losing records while competing in the joi or san’yaku.
The wildly popular Enho will be competing high up in the makushita (third division) in March. That will give him a great chance of being promoted to juryo for May. The tiny Enho has had a number of injuries in the past year and the time spent recovering forced him to slide down into sumo’s deep lower divisions.
More Sumo on Combat Press
Combat Press will provide more Grand Sumo coverage in the coming weeks. We’ll have our own power rankings and then a preview and viewing guide for the Haru basho.
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