Author: Admin

It’s the end of an even month which means that wonderful time for sumo fans is here once again-the Japan Sumo Association has released the official Banzuke (rankings) for the July 2025 Grand Sumo Tournamernt. Here are the full rankings for the top 2 tiers and other notes:

Makuuchi (top tier):
Yokozuna-Hoshoryu, Onosato (May Tournament Champion)
Ozeki-Kotozakura
Sekiwake-Daieisho, Kirishima, Wakatakakage
Komusubi-Oshoma, Takayasu
Maegashira 1-Aonishiki, Wakatakakage
Maegashira 2-Oho, Abi
Maegashira 3-Onokatsu, Kinbozan
Maegashira 4-Hakuoho, Tamawashi
Maegashira 5-Hiradoumi, Meisei
Maegashira 6-Takerufuji, Gonoyama
Maegashira 7-Tobizaru, Endo
Maegashira 8-Sadanoumi, Ichiyamamoto
Maegashira 9-Ura, Chiyoshoma
Maegashira 10-Atamifuji, Roga
Maegashira 11-Takanosho, Tokihayate
Maegashira 12-Midorifuji, Asakoryu
Maegashira 13-Churanoumi, Shodai
Maegashira 14-Kusano (May Juryo Champion), Fujinokawa
Maegashira 15-Kotoshoho, Hidenoumi
Maegashira 16-Kayo, Mitakeumi
Maegashira 17-Kotoeiho, Shishi
Notes: First up, there is a kaimei rikishi in the top tier as Wakaikari, who was to make his top tier debut this tournament, has a new shikona (ring name change) and is now Fujinokawa. That aside, this is the first time in a number of years there are 2 Yokozuna at the top following Onosato’s promotion after the May Tournament, thus only one Ozeki in Kotozakura and now 3 Sekiwake again. May’s mostly-demoted top half means a big top half and Sanyaku shakeup that sees Oshoma up to Komusubi for the first time and Takayasu staying in Sanyaku despite what should have been a 6-9 demotion (but the top 5 Maegashira ranks were all demoted on both sides) as well along with Wakatakakage returning to Sekiwake. Aonishiki is on the verge of joining them as his second straight Fighting Spirit Prize in May helps him leap up to M1. The other demotions helped keep Iron Man Tamawashi’s demotion to just one rank from May as he’ll keep his streak going as it’s now at over 1700 for his career and his current top tier run is at just over 12 years. After winning his second straight Juryo championship, Kusano debuts on the lower end of where I thought he would in the top tier, starting at M14-I had him potentially being as high as M12. Kotoeiho, the real-life brother of Kotoshoho, makes his top tier debut and Shishi just hangs on to his spot while Mitakeumi also returns to the top tier after one tournament. (One more late Tamawashi note-he’ll tie Terao and move up another spot on the consecutive top tier appearance rankings as long as he competes on Day 1 and will move up another spot if he makes it to Day 4)

Juryo:
Juryo 1-Nishikigi, Ryuden
Juryo 2-Shonannoumi, Tomokaze
Juryo 3-Oshoumi, Tamashoho
Juryo 4-Tochitaikai, Shirokuma
Juryo 5-Tohakuryu, Hakuyozan
Juryo 6-Hitoshi, Daiseizan
Juryo 7-Kagayaki, Takarafuji
Juryo 8-Kazekeno, Fujiseiun
Juryo 9-Nishikifuji, Tsurugisho
Juryo 10-Mitoryu, Nabatame
Juryo 11-Shiden, Mita
Juryo 12-Shimanoumi, Otsuji (May Makushita Champion)
Juryo 13-Hatsuyama, Daiamami
Juryo 14-Kotokuzan, Miyanokaze
Notes: The top 2 ranks are all top tier demotions as Nishikigi’s 7-year top tier run ends after another collapse following a strong start and Ryuden is back down after one tournament back up. Shonannoumi has dealt with potential injury issues while Tamashoho couldn’t replicate relative Tamawashi’s top tier success in his first try. Takarafuji keeps plugging along after I thought he might retire but since he didn’t get the Isegahama stablemaster position (it went to Terunofuji who is now Isegahama, the former Isegahama is now Miyagino as he gets another 5 years elder stock as a former Yokozuna to replace the now-departed Hakuho) so I’m thinking he’ll try and hang on until January when ex-Terunofuji may leave to start his own stable. Mita clinched promotion in May before an injury cost him the last couple days and left his status uncertain while Miyanokaze gets a second chance at Juryo despite what should have been demotion.
There were no Shin-Juryo rikishi this time but Otsuji & Kotokuzan are Sai-Juryo, returning after prior demotions with Otsuji coming back after winning the Makushita Championship in May.

Lower tier notes:
Someone is desperate to get Asanoyama back up, they put him all the way up at Makushita 1 which is quite a bit higher than I had him potentially being after 6-1 in May. Enho was demoted to Ms16 after not only his first not 6-1 finish in his comeback from injury, but his first demotion in that time so it seems November is now best-case for a potential Juryo return. Wakanosho was demoted to Ms6 from Juryo after an early May injury but is expected to try and return in July. The Sandanme is again at it’s further slimmed-down 80 rankings, while the Jonidan is at 106 rankings with 212 total wrestlers. Finally, the Jonokuchi is at its biggest in some time that I can remember with 26 rankings and 52 total wrestlers with likely double-digit debutants and veteran Moriurara, now taking the old-timers torch for himself with fellow 47-year-old Satonofuji having retired after May with the record of most closing-day ceremonies performed in history (first for Asahifuji, the former Isegahama, and more recently for Terunofuji among others). Apparently Satonofuji decided to retire alongside the former Isegahama, who had to step down due to reaching the mandatory retirement age in sumo-65, which really isn’t in cases like his. Moriurara, who just turned 48, is entering his 22nd year as a wrestler and will continue serving as a gatekeeper of sorts in Jonokuchi-in fact, since after the July 2023 Tournament when he was last demoted from Jonidan he’s only been above Jonokuchi once. And, as far as records I can find show, never above Jonidan in his career.

The July Tournament starts on 7/13 and runs through 7/27 at the new Aichi International Arena aka IG Arena in Nagoya. All tickets are now sold out. The venue has a reported maximum capacity of 17,000 although I don’t know what the setup for sumo will be.