The following is an alphabetical list of all active professional sumo wrestlers in the top makuuchi division, and all those currently in lower divisions who have a Wikipedia article. Please refer to professional sumo divisions for more information about the separate divisions.
Ring name | Current rank | Debut | Stable | Birthdate | Hometown | Career and other notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Abi 阿炎 | East Sekiwake 1 | 2013-5 | Shikoroyama | May 4, 1994 | Saitama | one-time sekiwake, known for distinctive tsuppari, won successive lower division championships after a three tournament suspension for repeatedly breaking COVID-19 rules |
Akua 天空海 | East Makushita 5 | 2010-11 | Tatsunami | June 11, 1990 | Ibaraki | best rank maegashira 10, made his makuuchi debut at age 30, known for kakenage move |
Amakaze 天風 | East Makushita 38 | 2007-3 | Oshiogawa | July 7, 1991 | Kagawa | best rank maegashira 13, jūryō champion, former personal attendant to Takekaze |
Aoiyama 碧山 | West Jūryō 11 | 2009-5 | Kasugano | June 19, 1986 | Elhovo | two-time sekiwake, second Bulgarian after Kotoōshū to enter makuuchi and to reach sekiwake |
Asabenkei 朝弁慶 | West Sandanme 79 | 2007-3 | Takasago | February 12, 1989 | Kanagawa | best rank jūryō 7 |
Asagyokusei 朝玉勢 | East Makushita 59 | 2016-1 | Takasago | May 29, 1993 | Mie | best rank jūryō 12 |
Asakōryū 朝紅龍 | West Jūryō 4 | 2021-5 | Takasago | September 24, 1998 | Osaka | best rank jūryō 4, went to same high school as his stablemaster Asasekiryū |
Asanoyama 朝乃山 | East Maegashira 12 | 2016-3 | Takasago | March 1, 1994 | Toyama | former ozeki and makuuchi champion, sandanme tsukedashi, served a 6-tournament suspension for repeatedly violating COVID-19 rules |
Atamifuji 熱海富士 | West Maegashira 1 | 2020-11 | Isegahama | September 3, 2002 | Shizuoka | Best rank maegashira 1, name comes from hometown of Atami, contended for yūshō in first two appearances |
Bushōzan 武将山 | West Maegashira 16 | 2014-1 | Fujishima | December 6, 1995 | Ibaraki | best rank maegashira 14, former Saitama Sakae Captain |
Chiyomaru 千代丸 | East Makushita 6 | 2007-7 | Kokonoe | April 17, 1991 | Kagoshima | best rank maegashira 5, jūryō champion, older brother of former komusubi Chiyoōtori |
Chiyoshōma 千代翔馬 | East Maegashira 15 | 2009-7 | Kokonoe | July 20, 1991 | Ulaanbaatar | best rank maegashira 2, employs a variety of moves |
Churanoumi 美ノ海 | West Maegashira 12 | 2016-3 | Kise | May 6, 1993 | Okinawa | best rank East Maegashira 13, Okinawa native |
Daiamami 大奄美 | West Jūryō 2 | 2016-1 | Oitekaze | December 15, 1992 | Kagoshima | best rank maegashira 11, jūryō champion, makushita tsukedashi |
Daieishō 大栄翔 | East Komusubi | 2012-3 | Oitekaze | November 10, 1993 | Saitama | eight-time sekiwake, one of several sekitori from populous Saitama prefecture, makuuchi championship winner in January 2021 |
Daishōhō 大翔鵬 | East Jūryō 4 | 2013-3 | Oitekaze | August 28, 1994 | Ulaanbaatar | best rank maegashira 9, seven straight winning records in the jūryō division |
Daishōmaru 大翔丸 | East Makushita 8 | 2014-3 | Oitekaze | July 10, 1991 | Ōsaka | best rank maegashira 5, former amateur yokozuna, followed previous year's amateur yokozuna, Endō into Oitekaze |
Endō 遠藤 | West Maegashira 14 | 2013-3 | Oitekaze | October 19, 1990 | Ishikawa | four-time komusubi, two-time amateur yokozuna, debuted at a high makushita 10, took championship in his jūryō debut |
Enhō 炎鵬 | West Jonikuchi 13 | 2017-3 | Miyagino | October 18, 1994 | Ishikawa | best rank maegashira 4, fan favorite, known for his short stature and strong underarm throw |
Fujiazuma 富士東 | West Sandanme 14 | 2003-3 | Tamanoi | April 19, 1987 | Tokyo | best rank maegashira 4, first makuuchi wrestler coached by former ōzeki Tochiazuma |
Gōnoyama 豪ノ山 | West Maegashira 3 | 2021-3 | Takekuma | April 7, 1998 | Osaka | best rank East Maegashira 3, former Chuo University amateur, stablemaster is former ōzeki Gōeidō |
Hakuōhō 伯桜鵬 | East Jūryō 13 | 2023-1 | Miyagino | August 22, 2003 | Tottori | best rank maegashira 9, former high school yokozuna promoted to jūryō just one tournament after his professional debut |
Hidenoumi 英乃海 | East Jūryō 9 | 2012-5 | Kise | June 11, 1989 | Tokyo | best rank maegashira 6, faced stablemate Hamaguchi in lower division championship playoffs in two consecutive tournaments, a first in sumo history, suspended one tournament in 2022 for illegal gambling |
Hiradoumi 平戸海 | West Komusubi | 2016-3 | Sakaigawa | April 20, 2000 | Nagasaki | first time komusubi, ring name comes from hometown, island city Hirado |
Hokutofuji 北勝富士 | East Maegashira 13 | 2015-5 | Hakkaku | July 15, 1992 | Saitama | Four-time komusubi, jūryō champion, equalled second-fastest rise to top division since 1958 |
Hōshōryū 豊昇龍 | West Ōzeki 1 | 2017- | 11Tatsunami | May 22, 1999 | Ulaanbaatar | Five-time sekiwake, known for throwing and tripping techniques, the nephew of Asashōryū. |
Ichiyamamoto 一山本 | East Maegashira 11 | 2017-1 | Hanaregoma | October 1, 1993 | Hokkaido | best rank Maegashira 7, jūryō champion, Abi style thrusting skills |
Kagayaki 輝 | East Maegashira 16 | 2010-3 | Takadagawa | June 1, 1994 | Ishikawa | best rank maegashira 4, Ishikawa native along with Endō |
Kaisho 魁勝 | West Makushita 9 | 2013-3 | Asakayama | January 28, 1995 | Aichi | highest rank Jūryō 2, first sekitori from his stable |
Kawazoe 輝鵬 | West Jonidan 23 | 2022-9 | Miyagino | April 10, 1999 | Kumamoto | best rank jūryō 13, amateur yokozuna, first recruit from Miyagino stable since Hakuhō took over the stable |
Kinbōzan 金峰山 | West Maegashira 8 | 2021-9 | Kise | June 24, 1997 | Almaty | best rank maegashira 5, only ever Kazakh rikishi to reach Makuuchi |
Kirishima 霧島 | East Sekiwake 2 | 2015-5 | Michinoku | April 24, 1996 | Dornod | three-time sekiwake, two-time lower division champ |
Kitaharima 北磻磨 | West Makushita 2 | 2002-5 | Yamahibiki | July 28, 1986 | Hyōgo | best rank maegashira 15, took 85 tournaments to reach makuuchi |
Kitanowaka 北の若 | East Jūryō 3 | 2019-3 | Hakkaku | November 12, 2000 | Yamagata | best rank maegashira 14, former high school yokozuna |
Kōtokuzan 荒篤山 | East Makushita 3 | 2009-9 | Arashio | March 11, 1994 | Kanagawa | best rank maegashira 16, born in the Philippines, given name is Jasper |
Kotoshōhō 琴勝峰 | East Maegashira 7 | 2017-11 | Sadogatake | August 26, 1999 | Chiba | best rank maegashira 3, jūryō champ |
Kotozakura 琴櫻 | East Ozeki 1 | 2015-11 | Sadogatake | November 19, 1997 | Chiba | three-time sekiwake, lower division champ, namesake son of former Kotonowaka, who is now his stable head |
Kyokutaisei 旭大星 | East Makushita 19 | 2008-3 | Tomozuna | October 18, 1989 | Hokkaidō | best rank maegashira 8, was the subject of a documentary when first inducted into sumo |
Meisei 明生 | East Maegashira 1 | 2011-5 | Tatsunami | July 24, 1995 | Kagoshima | two-time sekiwake, former jūryō champ, from small island of Amami-Ōshima |
Midorifuji 翠富士 | West Maegashira 10 | 2016-9 | Isegahama | August 30, 1996 | Shizuoka | best rank maegashira 1, jūryō champion, won the technique prize in January 2021 on his makuuchi debut, best known for his katasukashi technique |
Mitakeumi 御嶽海 | West Maegashira 2 | 2015-3 | Dewanoumi | December 25, 1992 | Nagano | former ōzeki, on top ten list for junior sanyaku appearances, makushita tsukedashi entrant with high expectations who has three top division championships, half-Filipino |
Mitoryū 水戸龍 | West Jūryō 3 | 2017-5 | Nishikido | April 25, 1994 | Ulaanbaatar | best rank maegashira 15, makuuchi debut, first foreigner to win the Amateur Yokozuna title, became highest ranking member of his stable upon joining it |
Myōgiryū 妙義龍 | West Jūryō 8 | 2009-5 | Sakaigawa | October 22, 1986 | Hyōgo | seven-time sekiwake, promising rise slowed due to injury in his jūryō debut |
Nishikifuji 錦富士 | East Maegashira 17 | 2016-9 | Isegahama | July 22, 1996 | Aomori | best rank maegashira 3, jūryō champion |
Nishikigi 錦木 | West Maegashira 11 | 2006-3 | Isenoumi | August 25, 1990 | Iwate | two-time komusubi, 2nd member of Isenoumi stable in top division after Ikioi |
Ōhō 王鵬 | West Maegashira 6 | 2018-1 | Ōtake | February 14, 2000 | Tokyo | best rank maegashira 3, son of Takatoriki and grandson of Taihō, one of three brothers in sumo |
Ōnosato 大の里 | West Sekiwake 1 | 2023-5 | Nishonoseki | June 7, 2000 | Ishikawa | at best rank, successful amateur champion on high school and university stages |
Ōnoshō 阿武咲 | East Maegashira 5 | 2013-1 | Ōnomatsu | July 4, 1996 | Aomori | two-time komusubi, only wrestler in makuuchi from once prominent Ōnomatsu |
Ōshōma 欧勝馬 | East Maegashira 9 | 2021-11 | Naruto | April 9, 1997 | Töv | at best rank, former college yokozuna, won a makushita and jūryō championship in the same year |
Rōga 狼雅 | West Maegashira 15 | 2018-11 | Futagoyama | March 2, 1999 | Tuva | again at best rank, first foreigner to claim the title of high school yokozuna, won a jonokuchi and a jonidan championship the same year |
Ryūden 竜電 | East Maegashira 8 | 2006-5 | Takadagawa | November 10, 1990 | Yamanashi | one-time komusubi, has won championships in four lower divisions, suspended for three tournaments in 2021 for repeatedly violating COVID-19 restrictions |
Sadanoumi 佐田の海 | West Maegashira 7 | 2003-5 | Sakaigawa | May 11, 1987 | Kumamoto | best rank maegashira 1, took 11 years to reach makuuchi, repeated father's own feat of earning a Fighting Spirit prize in his top division debut. |
Satonofuji 聡ノ富士 | West Jonidan 95 | 1996-1 | Isegahama | April 15, 1977 | Gunma | best rank makushita 1 |
Shimanoumi 志摩ノ海 | East Jūryō 6 | 2012-5 | Kise | July 11, 1989 | Mie | best rank maegashira 3, won two straight jūryō championships |
Shimazuumi 島津海 | West Jūryō 10 | 2012-3 | Hanaregoma | May 18, 1996 | Kagoshima | best rank maegashira 12, took 10 years to reach sekitori |
Shirokuma 白熊 | East Jūryō 8 | 2022-5 | Nishonoseki | May 25, 1999 | Fukushima | best rank jūryō 5, name means polar bear, yet to have a make-koshi |
Shishi 獅司 | East Jūryō 10 | 2020-1 | Ikazuchi | January 16, 1997 | Melitopol | best rank jūryō 6, first Ukrainian to reach the status of sekitori in the history of the sport |
Shōdai 正代 | East Maegashira 10 | 2014-3 | Tokitsukaze | November 5, 1991 | Kumamoto | former ōzeki, one-time makuuchi champion, rose very quickly through the ranks |
Shōnannoumi 湘南乃海 | West Maegashira 5 | 2014-3 | Takadagawa | April 8, 1998 | Kanagawa | best rank maegashira 5, rose steadily through the ranks. Third tournament in the jūryō division |
Takakeishō 貴景勝 | West Ōzeki 2 | 2014-11 | Tokiwayama | August 5, 1996 | Hyōgo | re-promoted to Ōzeki after injury-caused demotion, three-time makuuchi champ, managed to stay above fray in the multiple Takanohana stable scandals |
Takakento 貴健斗 | West Makushita 44 | 2014-1 | Tokiwayama | February 10, 1996 | Kumamoto | best rank Jūryō 4, former personal attendant to Takakeishō |
Takanoshō 隆の勝 | East Maegashira 6 | 2010-3 | Tokiwayama | November 14, 1994 | Chiba | five-time sekiwake, former runner up for jūryō championship |
Takarafuji 宝富士 | West Maegashira 13 | 2009-1 | Isegahama | February 18, 1987 | Aomori | one-time sekiwake, former amateur at Kinki University |
Takayasu 高安 | East Maegashira 3 | 2005-5 | Tagonoura | February 28, 1990 | Ibaraki | former ōzeki, first sekitori born in the Heisei era, half Filipino |
Takerufuji 尊富士 | East Jūryō 2 | 2022-9 | Isegahama | April 9, 1999 | Aomori | best rank maegashira 6, took championship on makuuchi debut, a feat not achieved in 110 years |
Tamashōhō 玉正鳳 | West Jūryō 6 | 2011-9 | Kataonami | June 27, 1993 | Ulaanbaatar | best rank jūryō 1, second slowest foreign wrestler (68 tournaments) to reach the status of sekitori, has been in five different stables |
Tamawashi 玉鷲 | West Maegashira 9 | 2004-1 | Kataonami | November 16, 1984 | Ulaanbaatar | eight-time sekiwake, at age 34 became second oldest wrestler to win first makuuchi championship, originally studied to work in hotel industry |
Terunofuji 照ノ富士 | East Yokozuna | 2011-7 | Isegahama | November 29, 1991 | Ulaanbaatar | after reaching ōzeki, dropped four divisions due to health problems but fought back up to become 73rd yokozuna in 2021, nine-time makuuchi champion, originally sent to Japan when judo coach, Hakuhō's father, recognized potential |
Tobizaru 翔猿 | East Maegashira 4 | 2015-1 | Oitekaze | April 24, 1992 | Tokyo | 3-time komusubi, known for unorthodox approaches in the ring, younger brother of Hidenoumi |
Tōhakuryū 東白龍 | East Jūryō 5 | 2019-5 | Tamanoi | April 17, 1996 | Tokyo | best rank maegashira 15, former amateur at Toyo University |
Tokihayate 時疾風 | East Jūryō 1 | 2019-5 | Tokitsukaze | August 25, 1996 | Miyagi | best rank maegashira15, Tokyo University of Agriculture graduate, first sekitori from his home prefecture in 18 years |
Tomokaze 友風 | East Jūryō 7 | 2017-5 | Nishonoseki | December 2, 1994 | Kanagawa | best rank maegashira 3, made top division in just 11 tournaments, achieved 13 successive kachi-koshi from debut |
Tsurugishō 剣翔 | West Jūryō 5 | 2014-1 | Oitekaze | July 27, 1991 | Tokyo | best rank maegashira 6, Nihon University graduate, jūryō champion |
Tsushimanada 對馬洋 | West Jūryō 12 | 2016-11 | Sakaigawa | June 27, 1993 | Nagasaki | best rank jūryō 9, first wrestler from his hometown to be promoted sekitori in 45 years |
Ura 宇良 | West Maegashira 4 | 2015-5 | Kise | June 22, 1992 | Ōsaka | first time komusubi, a fan favorite, won gold medal at World Combat Games as amateur, has had two extended absences due to knee injuries, has won five lower division championships |
Wakamotoharu 若元春 | East Maegashira 2 | 2011-11 | Arashio | October 5, 1993 | Fukushima | 3-time sekiwake, middle of three brothers in the same stable |
Wakatakakage 若隆景 | East Maegashira 14 | 2017-3 | Arashio | December 6, 1994 | Fukushima | 4-time sekiwake with 1 makuuchi championship, youngest of three brothers in the same stable, sandanme tsukedashi |
Yago 矢後 | East Makushita 16 | 2017-5 | Oshiogawa | July 8, 1994 | Hokkaidō | best rank maegashira 10 |
Yoshiazuma 芳東 | West Jonidan 16 | 1996-1 | Tamanoi | May 26, 1977 | Kumamoto | best rank maegashira 12, third-slowest rise ever to makuuchi |
Sumo is a form of competitive full-contact wrestling where a rikishi (wrestler) attempts to force his opponent out of a circular ring (dohyō) or into touching the ground with any body part other than the soles of his feet.
Makuuchi (幕内), or makunouchi (幕の内), is the top division of the six divisions of professional sumo. Its size is fixed at 42 wrestlers (rikishi), ordered into five ranks according to their ability as defined by their performance in previous tournaments.
A honbasho, or Grand Sumo Tournament in English, is an official professional sumo tournament. Only honbasho results matter in determining promotion and relegation for rikishi on the banzuke ranking. The number of honbasho held every year and their length has varied; since 1958 there are six tournaments held over 15 consecutive days in four locations every year. Since 1926 the honbasho are organized by the Japan Sumo Association, after the merger of the Tokyo and Osaka sumo associations.
Miyabiyama Tetsushi is a former sumo wrestler from Mito, Ibaraki, Japan. A former amateur champion, he turned professional in 1998. With the exception of two tournaments, he was ranked in the top division of professional sumo from 1999 until the end of his career in 2013, holding the second highest rank of ōzeki from 2000 to 2001. He won eight special prizes and was runner-up in four top division tournaments. He wrestled for Fujishima stable, where he worked as a coach until opening his own Futagoyama stable.
Nishinoumi Kajirō I was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Sendai, Satsuma Province. He was the sport's 16th yokozuna, and the first to be officially listed as such on the banzuke ranking sheets, an act which strengthened the prestige of yokozuna as the highest level of achievement in professional sumo.
Kashiwado Tsuyoshi was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Yamagata Prefecture. He was the sport's 47th yokozuna, fighting at the sport's highest rank from 1961 to 1969. After his retirement he became an elder of the Japan Sumo Association and ran his own training stable from 1970 until his death.
Hōmashō Noriyuki, is a former sumo wrestler. He turned professional in March 2004 and reached the top makuuchi division in May 2006 as the first sekitori from Shikoroyama stable, without any losing scores on his record. His highest rank was komusubi. He earned seven special prizes in his top division career and was a runner-up in three tournaments. In March 2014 he took the championship in the jūryō division. Hōmashō was a popular wrestler among sumo fans, and was noted for his deep and graceful bow at the end of a match. Upon his retirement in January 2015 he became an elder of the Japan Sumo Association under the name of Tatsutagawa.
Kakizoe Tōru, is a former sumo wrestler. A former amateur champion, he turned professional in 2001 and reached the top division in 2003. His highest rank was komusubi, which he held for just one tournament. He won one special prize, for Technique. After injury problems he fell to the third makushita division in 2011 and retired in April 2012, becoming a sumo coach. He was part of ex-yokozuna Musashimaru's Musashigawa stable from 2013 until 2020, when he moved to Irumagawa stable. He is now a sumo elder, under the name Ikazuchi (雷).
Professional sumo as administered by the Japan Sumo Association is divided into six ranked divisions. Wrestlers are promoted and demoted within and between these divisions based on the merit of their win–loss records in official tournaments. For more information, see kachi-koshi and make-koshi. Wrestlers are also ranked within each division. The higher a wrestler's rank within a division is, the stronger the general level of opponents he will have to face becomes. According to tradition, each rank is further subdivided into East and West, with East being slightly more prestigious, and ranked slightly higher than its West counterpart. The divisions, ranked in order of hierarchy from highest to lowest, are as follows:
Takekaze Akira is a former professional sumo wrestler from Akita Prefecture, Japan. A former amateur sumo champion, he turned professional in 2002, reaching the top makuuchi division the following year. He was a runner-up in one tournament, earned two special prizes for Fighting Spirit, and one gold star for defeating a yokozuna. Takekaze is in first place for the slowest promotion from makuuchi debut to the third highest sekiwake rank in history. Aged 35 years and two months, he is in first place for the eldest to make his sekiwake debut post World War II. He was a member of Oguruma stable. He retired in January 2019 to become an elder of the Japan Sumo Association under the name Oshiogawa-oyakata.
The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan.
A banzuke (番付), officially called banzuke-hyō (番付表) is a document listing the rankings of professional sumo wrestlers published before each official tournament (honbasho). The term can also refer to the rankings themselves. The document is normally released about two weeks before the tournament begins.
Yūshō is the term for a championship in Japanese. This article focuses on championships in the sport of professional sumo.
Aran Hakutora is a Russian former sumo wrestler. He began his professional career in January 2007 and made the top division in a record eleven tournaments. The highest rank he reached was sekiwake. He was runner-up in consecutive tournaments in May and July 2010 and earned two sanshō or special prizes for Fighting Spirit. He wrestled for Mihogaseki stable.
The following are the events in professional sumo during 2009.
Sasshūnada Yasutaka is a former sumo wrestler from Ibusuki, Kagoshima, Japan. He made his professional debut in January 1976, and reached the top division in September 1986. His highest rank was maegashira 1. He retired in September 1992. As of 2023 he is an elder in the Japan Sumo Association under the name Tatsutayama.
The following were the events in professional sumo during 2016.
Meisei Chikara is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Setouchi, Kagoshima. He debuted in sumo wrestling in July 2011 and made his makuuchi debut in July 2018. His highest rank has been sekiwake. He wrestles for Tatsunami stable. Unusually for a top-class sumo wrestler, he uses his given name as his shikona.
Kamikaze Shoichi was a sumo wrestler from Higashikagawa, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan. He made his professional debut in May 1937 and reached the top division in May 1942. His highest rank was sekiwake. He won six gold stars against grand champion yokozuna in the course of his career. Upon retirement from active competition he became an elder in the Japan Sumo Association under the name Kataonami. He left the Sumo Association in September 1952.