It’s a day later than usual because today (yesterday Japan time) is/was a national holiday in Japan, but the Japan Sumo Association has now announced the Banzuke (rankings) for the March 2025 Grand Sumo Tournament. Here’s how it looks for the top 2 tiers and other notables:
Makuuchi (top tier):
Yokozuna-Hoshoryu (January Champion)
Ozeki-Onosato, Kotozakura
Sekiwake-Daieisho, Oho
Komusubi-Kirishima, Abi
Maegashira 1-Wakatakakage, Wakamotoharu
Maegashira 2-Gonoyama, Chiyoshoma
Maegashira 3-Tobizaru, Takanosho
Maegashira 4-Takayasu, Ichiyamamoto
Maegashira 5-Ura, Kinbozan
Maegashira 6-Hiradoumi, Takerufuji
Maegashira 7-Shodai, Tamawashi
Maegashira 8-Atamifuji, Oshoma
Maegashira 9-Hakuoho, Endo
Maegashira 10-Nishikigi, Shonannoumi
Maegashira 11-Midorifuji, Meisei
Maegashira 12-Takarafuji, Onokatsu
Maegashira 13-Nishikifuji, Shishi (January Juryo Champion)
Maegashira 14-Ryuden, Churanoumi
Maegashira 15-Aonishiki, Sadanoumi
Maegashira 16-Asakoryu, Kotoshoho
Maegashira 17-Mitakeumoi, Shirokuma
Maegashira 18-Tokihayate
Notes: With no Terunofuji in the rankings after almost 15 years following his January retirement (he’s now an Oyakata and it appears will be taking over Isegahama Beya once the current stablemaster must retire this summer, with rumors he could be leaving next year to start his own stable), we have a new Yokozuna at the top as Hoshoryu makes his Grand Champion debut after his playoff championship. Kotozakura is in kadoban status this tournament, meaning he must win at least 8 matches or he will be demoted from Ozeki. Playoff runner-up Oho gets rewarded by making his Sanyaku debut at Sekiwake, now just 2 steps below the rank held by his grandfather, legendary Yokozuna Taiho, alongside Daieisho who will be trying to set up for an Ozeki push in May (it could happen here but he’ll all but have to win the championship). Kirishima gets back to Komusubi along with Abi, who stays Sanyaku despite demotion from Sekiwake. The lower ranks expanded with the Terunofuji retirement and those at the bottom benefitted, but first the top-the Wakas are both M1 as Wakamotoharu was demoted again from Sekiwake while Wakatakakage had his first proper demotion in roughly 4 years (the last time he was demoted was due to injury). Chiyoshoma & Gonoyama reach new career high ranks at M2, while January playoff runner-up Kinbozan makes a big leap up to M5 following a fantastic injury bounce-back run and nearly his first championship. Takerufuji climbs back to M6 as he returns to the site of his debut Emperor’s Cup last year while the bottom finally fell out for Atamifuji as he tumbles to M8. Iron Man Tamawashi is right in the middle at M7 as his streak will keep going, he should reach 1689 by the end of the 15 days. Hakuoho makes a big move up as well to M9 while most of the lower ranks are filled with debuts & returns-Shishi returns at M13 after winning the Juryo Championship and fellow Ukranian Aonishiki gets to make his top tier debut this time at M15, reaching the top division in just his 9th career tournament (his career record so far is an incredible 60-12). Ryuden, Asakoryu & Sadanoumi all return from demotion to Juryo while Mitakeumi & Kotoshoho barely hang on to their top tier positions along with Tokihayate. Notably demoted is Hokutofuji for the first time in nearly a decade as he missed January due to injury. Roga also went down too after only making a couple appearances due to injury and finished the equivalent of 0-15.
(Additional notes: Aonishiki is now in a 3-way tie for the fastest promotion to the top tier ever from debut, as Jokoryu & Takerufuji also both needed just 9 tournaments. Also, Hoshoryu is the 5th fastest ever to go from debut to Yokozuna, excluding Makushita debuts, at 42 tournaments-just 7 years. The fastest? Uncle Asashoryu at 25. If Makushita debuts are included, Wajima is the record-holder at 21)
Juryo:
Juryo 1-Tamashoho, Kagayaki
Juryo 2-Kayo, Kitanowaka
Juryo 3-Roga, Tochitaikai
Juryo 4-Shiden, Oshoumi
Juryo 5-Nabatame, Fujiseiun
Juryo 6-Mitoryu, Hidenoumi
Juryo 7-Tomokaze, Kotoeiho
Juryo 8-Hokutofuji, Hakuyozan
Juryo 9-Wakaikari, Tohakuryu
Juryo 10-Daiseizan, Shimanoumi
Juryo 11-Tsrugisho, Wakanosho
Juryo 12-Hitoshi, Kiryuko
Juryo 13-Hatsuyama, Kazekeno
Juryo 14-Otsuji, Kosano
Notes: As noted above, Hokutofuji & Roga are the big names here after both took big drops after January due to injury absences and equivalent of 0-15 tournaments. Most of the top 5 wrestlers are/were top tier demotion although Kayo again failed to clinch promotion late and goes down a rank after a 7-8 effort. While partly due to injury, Kitanowaka is demoted after once again failing to get his first winning record in the top tier. At J4, Oshoumi continues his steady climb up after a championship bid in November derailed by an untimely injury and now sits at a career high rank with the top tier in reach. Nabatame made the most of his second chance in Juryo after staying J14 following a 7-8 November effort, as his 11 wins shot him up to J5. The bottom ranks are filled out by the Shin-Juryo and Sai-Juryo wrestlers including the returning Hitoshi & Kazekeno alongside newcomers Otsuji and Kusano, the latter being the latest of the top Hakuho-Isegahama super-prospects. Getting a coveted Ms60 debut ranking for amateur accolades, Kusano needed just 5 tournaments to reach Juryo.
Lower tier and other notable notes:
As expected, Enho was promoted back to Makushita and is right in the middle at Ms30, meaning he probably will need at least 2 more tournaments to get to Juryo. 7-0 with a championship would probably get in into the top 4-5 rankings. Asanoyama, attempting his second comeback in recent years (this time from injury), will start from the Sandanme at Sd21. The Jonidan is at 100 ranks with 200 total wrestlers while the Jonokuchi has 19 ranks with 38 total wrestlers. And now seemingly done with the end-od-day bow-twirling due to Terunofuji’s retirement, Satonofuji keeps chugging along at Jonidan 89 (Hoshoryu gets to choose now so when he’s active it’ll probably be someone from Tatsunami Beya, if he’s out the honor will go to someone probably from Nishinoseki Beya as Onosato is the #1 Ozeki this time).
The March Tournament runs from 3/9-3/23 at Osaka Prefectural Gym in Osaka. All advance tickets are sold out.
