Grand Sumo’s autumn tournament (the aki basho) is in two weeks’ time. As always, ahead of the tournament, the Japan Sumo Association (JSA) has released its latest banzuke (rankings document). That document organizes the hundreds of wrestlers in the Grand Sumo system into ranks and divisions. These rankings are determined by performance in the previous tournament (specifically, a wrestler’s win-loss record). The makuuchi is the top division in Grand Sumo, and that is home to 42 wrestlers.
Below are the rankings for that top division, as well as some commentary on points of interest.
Grand Sumo Top Division Rankings
| East | Rank | West |
|---|---|---|
| Onosato 🇯🇵 | Yokozuna | Hoshoryu 🇲🇳 |
| Kirishima 🇲🇳 | Ozeki | Kotozakura 🇯🇵 |
| Aonishiki 🇺🇦 | Ozeki | |
| Atamifuji 🇯🇵 | Sekiwake | Fujinokawa 🇯🇵 |
| Hakunofuji 🇯🇵 | Komusubi | Daieisho 🇯🇵 |
| Kotoshoho 🇯🇵 | M1 | Kotoeiho 🇯🇵 |
| Takayasu 🇯🇵 | M2 | Yoshinofuji 🇯🇵 |
| Gonoyama 🇯🇵 | M3 | Churanoumi 🇯🇵 |
| Takanosho 🇯🇵 | M4 | Fujiryoga 🇯🇵 |
| Roga 🇷🇺 | M5 | Oshoma 🇲🇳 |
| Asanoyama 🇯🇵 | M6 | Ichiyamamoto 🇯🇵 |
| Fujiseun 🇯🇵 | M7 | Nishikifuji 🇯🇵 |
| Takerufuji 🇯🇵 | M8 | Hiradoumi 🇯🇵 |
| Ura 🇯🇵 | M9 | Shishi 🇺🇦 |
| Oho 🇯🇵 | M10 | Kinbozan 🇰🇿 |
| Wakamotoharu 🇯🇵 | M11 | Shodai 🇯🇵 |
| Wakatakakage 🇯🇵 | M12 | Asahakuryu 🇯🇵 |
| Asakoryu 🇯🇵 | M13 | Abi 🇯🇵 |
| Tobizaru 🇯🇵 | M14 | Chiyoshoma 🇲🇳 |
| Asasuiryu 🇯🇵 | M15 | Tokihayate 🇯🇵 |
| Wakanosho 🇲🇳 | M16 | Toshinofuji 🇲🇳 |
| Shonannoumi 🇯🇵 | M17 |
Aonishiki Back at Ozeki
Ukrainian superstar Aonishiki is back at the rank of ozeki for the September tournament. He earned his way back to this rank thanks to getting double-digit wins in the last tournament (the Nagoya basho in July). He also won that tournament, beating now-fellow ozeki Kirishima and sekiwake Atamifuji in a three-way playoff.
Aonishiki managed to get back his ozeki rank thanks to the fact that the Nagoya basho was his first tournament since being demoted from that rank. Demoted ozeki have one chance to get the rank back with a 10-win-or-more record in their immediate next tournament. If they miss out on that, then they have to go back to the regular method of becoming an ozeki (33 wins over three consecutive tournaments).
Aonishiki being an ozeki again means he is just one rank away from becoming a yokozuna. If he were to reach that ultimate goal, he would become the first-ever European-born yokozuna. Winning this upcoming tournament might be enough to clinch that and make history.
Fujinokawa Debuts at Sekiwake
Fujinokawa benefited from a bumper promotion from maegashira 1 to sekiwake for September. He gets that promotion despite lodging just an 8-7 record in July. He was advanced up to the esteemed rank of sekiwake thanks to the previous sekiwake Kotoshoho and both komusubi (Yoshinofuji and Oho) doing so poorly in July. Him beating both yokozuna in July (repeating what he did in March) also helped.
This is the first time Fujinokawa has ever appeared in the san’yaku ranks (the name given to the komusubi and sekiwake spots). He’s still only 21, and the September tournament will be just his eighth top-division tournament (and only 22nd total).
Fujinokawa has gotten very popular since joining the top division. He’s one of the smaller men in the sport, yet he fights with tremendous heart … and violence.
Three Sets of Brothers in the Top Division
The September tournament will feature three sets of brothers ranked in the top division.
The highest-ranked pair of siblings are Kotoeiho and Kotoshoho, who sit across from each other at the maegashira 1 ranks. Kotoshoho was the shock winner of last year’s Nagoya tournament. Kotoeiho, who is younger, has been one of the surprises of 2026, going close to competing for a title in two of four tournaments. Kotoeiho is also owner of the best shiko stomp in the top division.
The well-tenured Waka Bros. Wakamotoharu and Wakatakakage remain in the top division, too. They’ve shared the top division for much of the past decade. But both are in trouble of losing their place there. Wakamotoharu had an awful July tournament, and that has seen him slip to M11, a rank he hasn’t been since he first burst onto the scene. Wakatakakage is one rank below him, after he sat out the entire July tournament due to complications from compartment syndrome in his thigh. Wakatakakage was reportedly lucky to save his leg, let alone his career, as a result of that. He is likely going to sit out all of the September tournament, too, and will thus end up demoted to juryo (the second division).
Our third set of brothers is Asakoryu and Asasuiryu. Asakoryu was ranked dead last in makuuchi in July but saved his top-division skin with a 9-6 record. Asasuiryu lost out on the juryo championship in July, but his record was good enough to promote him to the top division for the first time in his career.
None of these brothers will face each other in the tournament, though. Brother vs. brother bouts are strictly forbidden in Grand Sumo.
Toshinofuji the Other Newcomer
Toshinofuji, along with Asasuiryu, is the only other man making his top-division debut in September. The big Mongolian finished a runner-up (along with Asasuiryu) in juryo in July. He was recruited into sumo by the GOAT Hakuho. Toshinofuji’s grandfather coached Hakuho’s father in bokh (Mongolian folk wrestling). Hakuho’s father, Jigjifiin Monkhbat, is regarded as one of the finest bokh wrestlers ever.
Toshinofuji was initially part of Hakuho’s Miyagino stable. However, he—along with everyone else—was absorbed into the Isegahama stable as a result of a hazing scandal (which did not involve Toshinofuji). He’s one of six Isegahama wrestlers in the top division this month. That’s far more than any other stable has there.
Other Notes
Shonannoumi and Tokihayate are the other wrestlers promoted to the top division. Shonannoumi won the juryo tournament in July. Tokihayate finished the tournament with a good record and returns to makuuchi after just one tournament away.
Daieisezan, Kazuma, Mitakeumi and Onokatsu make way for them after being sent down to juryo.
Wakanosho was spared a demotion to juryo, despite going 5-2-8 in July (after he blew out his knee on day six). He has been demoted just five places on those 10 net losses (it’s often one-for-one).
The joi ranks (M1 to M4) for September include Takayasu, Yoshinofuji, Gonoyama, Churanoumi, Takanosho and Fujiryoga (alongside the Koto Bros.). This is a first joi appearance for Fujiryoga, who impressed in his hometown Nagoya tournament in July.
Hakunofuji, another Isegahama wrestler, has been promoted to komusubi for September. That’s a career high for him.
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 aki basho.
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