Now that the news cycle is starting to settle down after the May 2024 Grand Sumo Tournament ended last week, here are the final standings and noteworthy news items post-tournament:
First up, here is the final Hoshitori, or rankings with the final standings of each wrestler, for the top 2 tiers (records are win-loss-absent format, for rankings and tiebreaker purposes an absent is considered a loss):
Makuuchi (top tier):
Yokozuna-Terunofuji (0-2-13)
Ozeki-Hoshoryu (10-5), Kotozakura (11-4), Takakeisho (0-2-13), Kirishima (1-6-6
Sekiwake-Wakamotoharu (4-8-3), Abi (10-5)
Komusubi-Onosato (12-3, Tournament Champion), Asanoyama (Absent, 0-0-15)
Maegashira 1-Atamifuji (7-8), Daieisho (11-4)
Maegashira 2-Hiradoumi (9-6), Gonoyama (6-9)
Maegashira 3-Takayasu (7-3-5), Tobizaru (6-9)
Maegashira 4-Oho (6-9), Ura (7-8)
Maegashira 5-Onosho (7-8), Meisei (10-5)
Maegashira 6-Takerufuji (Absent), Midorifuji (5-10)
Maegashira 7-Nishikigi (5-10), Mitakeumi (8-7)
Maegashira 8-Takanosho (8-7), Kotoshoho (8-7)
Maegashira 9-Tamawashi (7-8), Shodai (7-8)
Maegashira 10-Shonannoumi (9-6), Kinbozan (8-7)
Maegashira 11-Sadanoumi (9-6), Hokutofuji (7-8)
Maegashira 12-Ichiyamamoto (8-7), Nishikifuji (5-10)
Maegashira 13-Mitoryu (2-9-4), Churanoumi (8-7)
Maegashira 14-Ryuden (10-5), Oshoma (10-5)
Maegashira 15-Tokihayate (6-9), Roga (7-8)
Maegashira 16-Tomokaze (2-13), Takarafuji (9-6)
Maegashira 17-Tsurugisho (3-12)
Notes: Kirishima will be demoted from Ozeki due to 2 straight losing tournaments and be at Sekiwake in July. However, he has one chance to earn a quick promotion back to Ozeki if he competes and finishes with at least 10 wins. Takakeisho will again be in kadoban status. Onosato will be promoted to Sekiwake while Wakamotoharu will be demoted out of Sanyaku again. Abi will stay Sekiwake while Daieisho could be promoted back, so possible 4 Sekiwake. Hiradoumi may be Komusubi and possibly Meisei, Daieisho is worst-case. Demotions to Juryo will be Tsurugisho, who mainly showed up the second week despite a knee injury and collapsed after starting 2-1, Tomokaze, Mitoryu, probably Tokihayate, possibly Roga, and reportedly Takerufuji. Asanoyama will take a big drop as well due to being absent (injury). Not a lot of other big movements but mostly .500 records elsewhere put Ryuden & Oshoma in line for big moves up too. Takayasu may stay at his rank despite being the equivalent of 7-8 with injuries, thanks to being 7-2 when he was able to compete. The biggest disappointment of course was Ura, who started 6-0 and was the sole leader at that time but didn’t win again until the final day, and at that point he had demotion clinched. That was pretty much 100% bad luck/misfortune.
Juryo:
Juryo 1-Daiamami (6-9), Myogiryu (3-12)
Juryo 2-Bushozan (9-6), Daishoho (5-10)
Juryo 3-Endo (12-3), Chiyoshoma (12-3)
Juryo 4-Tohakuryu (6-9), Asakoryu (7-8)
Juryo 5-Kagayaki (11-4), Kitanowaka (8-5-2)
Juryo 6-Shirokuma (6-9), Wakatakakage (14-1, Tournament Champion)
Juryo 7-Shishi (5-10), Shimazuumi (5-8-2)
Juryo 8-Hidenoumi (6-9), Hakuoho (5-6-4)
Juryo 9-Chiyosakae (6-9), Tamashoho (8-7)
Juryo 10-Shiden (8-7), Hakuyozan (6-9)
Juryo 11-Shimanoumi (9-6), Aoiyama (7-8)
Juryo 12-Onokatsu (13-2), Tsushimanada (7-8)
Juryo 13-Oshoumi (4-10), Chiyomaru (4-11)
Juryo 14-Tochitaikai (8-7), Kazekeno (7-8)
Notes: Wakatakakage, Endo & Chiyoshoma are all headed back to the top tier in July, Endo just one tournament after demotion while Wakatakakage returns more than a year after being demoted from Sekiwake due to injury. Bushozan has a chance to be promoted back up, as does Kagayaki. As runner-up Onokatsu has a slight chance at top tier promotion but I think he’s going to lose the numbers game and remain in Juryo. Being demoted out of the second tier are newcomer Kazekeno, Oshoumi, Chiyomaru and maybe Myogiryu, Hakuoho is a question mark after missing 5 days due to coronavirus. Kitanowaka saved promotion with an impressive second half, after missing the first 3 days with injury and starting 1-6 he rallied to go 7-1.
News:
The Shin-Juryo rikishi, making their second tier/salaried ranking debuts in July, will be Kayo and Nabatame, while Makushita Champion Fujiseiun will be Sai-Juryo, returning to the second tier after being demoted previously. Kayo & Nabatame went 5-2 at Makushita 1 & 2, respectively while Fujiseiun went 7-0 at Makushita 11. Which means, despite going 5-2 at Makushita 3 and having a chance to be promoted, Kiryuko will not make Juryo.
There were also some rumblings that, following his first championship in his Sanyaku debut, Onosato could be promoted from Komusubi to Ozeki and skip Sekiwake. At this point, with no further news or rumors about it I think it’s not going to happen and he’ll be Sekiwake in July. That means he’d probably need to win again to become Ozeki but with a runner-up finish maybe he’ll earn a quick promotion. Additionally, there also were reports that Takerufuji, absent after winning the March tournament due to injury, will be demoted back to Juryo.
There were 13 total retirements with 12 post-tournament in addition to Kotoeko, who retired after Day 7 and was absent to that point due to injury. Having reached a highest rank of Maegashira 4, he will now become Ogurumu oyakata and remain active as a coach. The only other retirement at Makushita or above is a semi-notable one: Hokaho, who quits after 17 years and was former Yokozuna Hakuho’s (now Miyagino) loyal assistant. It’s been hinted at he partially quit in protest over the stable being closed and wrestlers plus Hakuho being absorbed into Isegahama Beya for now as disciplinary sanctions over the Hokuseiho bullying scandal (Hokuseiho was forced to retire as punishment), but part of it is the other stablemasters just plain don’t like Hakuho because he’s far and away the greatest sumo wrestler ever (he almost always won). Hokaho came very close to reaching Juryo on a couple occasions but just missed out. He did not compete in May and only returned at the end of March for one match (he won) and has a final record of 360-321-27.
There has been a split in Nishonoseki Beya as one of the former Yokozuna Kisenosato’s former coaches is leaving to start his own stable, believed to be called Nakamura Beya, and may take over the former Michinoku Beya space (Michinoku closed in April because the current stablemaster was forced to retire due to turning 65-the mandatory retirement age in sumo-and there was no successor of plan). He took roughly 8 Nishonoseki wrestlers with them, notably not among them was Onosato (but Kayo is among those going). Tomokaze, who will be demoted to Juryo from the top tier, also is going to Nakamura.
Finally, Terunofuji has seemingly been given another reprieve by the Yokozuna Deliberation Council, reportedly given until the end of the year to get healthy and be competitive-namely finish tournaments-before possibly beginning the road to compelled retirement. There are hints the yokozuna may be holding on to being active long enough to earn more elder stock or be able to cash in what he has, moreso with the current Isegahama on his way out sometime next year (retirement age). In May Terunofuji showed up for the first day, lost then withdrew.
6/3/24 UPDATE: Chiyonoumi has retired. Ranked at Makushita 8, he reaches a career high rank of Juryo 8 before being demoted to Makushita for the last time in September. He was 0-5-2 this tournament. He retires with a career record of 237-208-47 and 3 championships (1 Sandanme, 1 Jonidan, 1 Jonokuchi). He does not qualify for elder stock as he only made the top 2 tiers for a total of 15 tournaments (you need at least 30 to qualify).
