It’s that time once again-with 2 weeks to go until the tournament begins, the Japan Sumo Aasociation has announced the official Banzuke (rankings) for the September 2024 Grand Sumo Tournament. Here is the full ranking for the top 2 tiers and other notables:
Makuuchi (top tier):
Yokozuna-Terunofuji (July Champion)
Ozeki-Kotozakura, Hoshoryu
Sekiwake-Abi, Onosato, Kirishima, Takakeisho
Komusubi-Daieisho, Hiradoumi
Maegashira 1-Takanosho, Tobizaru
Maegashira 2-Atamifuji, Oho
Maegashira 3-Mitakeumi, Wakamotoharu
Maegashira 4-Shodai, Kotoshoho
Maegashira 5-Ura, Shonannoumi
Maegashira 6-Meisei, Gonoyama
Maegashira 7-Wakatakakage, Churanoumi
Maegashira 8-Endo, Midorifuji
Maegashira 9-Ichiyamamoto, Oshoma
Maegashira 10-Tamawashi, Roga
Maegashira 11-Sadanoumi, Kagayaki
Maegashira 12-Bushozan, Kinbozan
Maegashira 13-Hokutofuji, Nishikigi
Maegashira 14-Ryuden, Onokatsu
Maegashira 15-Takayasu, Takarafuji
Maegashira 16-Shirokuma (July Juryo Champion), Kitanowaka
Maegashira 17-Nishikifuji
Notes: As usual Terunofuji is currently questionable for the tournament, as he’s missed parts of the August tour with back issues & diabetes, par for the course. Takakeisho was demoted from Ozeki after 5 years but has a chance for re-promotion with 10 wins…the last time this happened he beat the odds & pulled it off, but there are rumors if that doesn’t happen this time Takakeisho will retire rather than be further demoted. Kirishima starts his efforts to regain Ozeki all over after only managing 8 wins last time, while Onosato has a chance at Ozeki promotion. A second championship should do it but double-digit wins also give him a chance (12 puts him at the ideal-but not mandatory-magic number of 33 wins over 3 tournaments). The glut of Sekiwake with Takakeisho’s demotion did Hiradoumi no favors as it means he’s stuck at Komusubi-an impressive 10 wins and Special Price in his first Sanyaku campaign should have been enough for promotion. Below them, the higher ranks being mostly demoted and lower ranks mostly promoted made for big moves in both directions, such as Mitakeumi jumping up to M3, Shodai to M4 and Oho to a career-best M2. Wakatakakage took a big step back to returning to Sekiwake, leaping up to M7 after double-digit wins in his top tier return. Endo also made a nice move up to M8, and his first top-tier winning record took Roga all the way up to M10. A Juryo championship with 12 wins gets Onosato stablemate Shirokuma into the top tier for the first time at M16 while despite a losing record Nishikifuji again holds on to the last spot at M17.
Juryo:
Juryo 1-Chiyoshoma, Onosho
Juryo 2-Tokihayate, Shishi
Juryo 3-Tamashoho, Asanoyama
Juryo 4-Shimanoumi, Shimazuumi
Juryo 5-Daiamami, Hakuoho
Juryo 6-Hidenoumi, Shiden
Juryo 7-Tsurugisho, Mitoryu
Juryo 8-Asakoryu, Hakuyozan
Juryo 9-Daishoho, Myogiryu
Juryo 10-Tohakuryu, Fujiseiun
Juryo 11-Tomokaze, Takerufuji
Juryo 12-Daiseizan (July Makushita Champion), Kiryuko
Juryo 13-Aoiyama, Chiyosakae
Juryo 14-Kayo, Oshoumi
Early notes: Asanoyama will not compete due to injury and is expected to be out the rest of the year, so he’ll probably be demoted to Makushita for September although that depends on what happens during the tournament. The big question was would 2 wins mid-tournament before pulling out again-plus the unspoken Isegahama clout-keep March Makuuchi Champion Takerufuji in Juryo and save his salary a little longer? The answer, as I thought it would be, is yes. And at a seemingly-high J11 given he was the equivalent of 2-13 at J2 (2-1-10 officially). Shishi missed out on a top tier debut because while he also won 12 from J8, he lost the championship to Shirokuma. Chiyoshoma & Onosho were both demoted from the top tier after deadling with injuries in July (Onosho was the equivalent of 0-15 after an early withdrawal, Chiyoshoma missed the first 5 days and did manage a decent 5-5 after joining late).
The Shin-Juryo rikishi, making their second tier debuts this time, are Daiseizen & Kiryuko, the former having won the Makushita Championship in July and becoming among the first if not the first rikishi from China to reach the rank (he’s also billed as being from Inner Mongolia but the JSA lists him as from China). Kiryuko has been close before but finally breaks through. Oshoumi is Sai-Juryo, returning to the second tier after previously being demoted.
Lower tier notes:
There is one Kaimei rikishi in Makushita who has a new shikona (ring name change)-Kanzaki, who moved up to Ms26 this tournament, has changed his name to Gojinyu. Tochitaikai was demoted to Makushita 1 alongside Isegahama prospect Satorufuji, who is now one step below Juryo. Chiyomaru was demoted back down from Juryo and is at Makushita 3, just above fast-rising prospect Aonishiki, who at Makushita 4 is gaining quickly on countryman Shishi and looking to become the second rikishi from Ukraine in recent memory to make Juryo and higher. Ishizaki, who debuted at Makushita 60 in July, saw his 6-1 debut performance move him all the way up to Makushita 29, halfway to joining his brother Asakoryu in Juryo. Fellow provisional Ms60 Kusano, who saw his tournament end in a scary injury moment in his final match when he was knocked out in the ring, moved up to Ms49 as he earned 4 wins before having to pull out, enough for a promotion. As now-usual there are 90 rankings in the Sandanme, while the Jonidan is once again under 100 ranks which is concerning because it means dwindling wrestler numbers (only 98 ranks including end-of-day regular bow twirler Satonofuji at Jonidan 98-he gets the call unless Terunofuji is out). In his second tournament back post-injury, Enho will try to continue his climb up the rankings from Jonidan 31, meaning a promotion with ideally 5 or more wins can get him back to the Sandanme in September. In the Jonokuchi, a total of 34 among 17 ranks begin their careers or look to continue theirs, notably including 30-year veteran Itakozakura at Jonokuchi 1, competing in what will be his 182nd career tournament.
And finally, Tamawashi is expected to officially clinch the “Iron Man” all-time record for most career tournaments since debuting without missing a match in the first couple days of the tournament. He had missed 2 days a couple years ago due to coronavirus protocols, but those absences have been expunged since they were due to prevautionary guidelines and he was not actually sick or injured. With those 2 absent removed, his streak is at 1629 straight matches and counting. He should be recognized as the recordholder by Day 4 if all goes as planned.
The September Tournament begins on 9/8 at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo.
