2017 Haru Basho banzuke released.

[Swami]

Kisenosato in west slot for debut at Yokozuna

• 
• 

Details
Details
Created on Monday, 27 February 2017 18:33
Written by Kyodo

Kisenosato will start life as sumo’s 72nd yokozuna on the west side as the Japan Sumo Association on Monday released the rankings for the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament.

Kisenosato, after winning the New Year Basho with a 14-1 mark last month, became the first Japanese-born wrestler to be promoted to yokozuna since Wakanohana in 1998.

“On the one hand I am pleased but on the other hand I am bracing myself,” Kisenosato told a packed press conference in Osaka. “I really feel that it (the challenge) starts here and so I kind of can’t truly feel joy in my heart".



“I have to place importance on practice and want to get myself well prepared. My mission is to always be involved in the championship title race. That is an absolute must.”



Kisenosato’s promotion means there will be four yokozuna competing in the elite makuuchi division for the first time since the spring meet in 2000.

“When I used to watch a lot on television, there were four yokozuna and the sumo at that time felt really special,” said Kisenosato. “Hopefully I can help create a similar sort of atmosphere".

Kisenosato is the first homegrown yokozuna on the banzuke list since 2003, when Takanohana, one of sumo’s most popular grand champions, retired.

Pre-ordered tickets for the spring tournament have already sold out ahead of Kisenosato’s yokozuna debut. But he said, “This is not just down to me. It is up to all of us to wrestle with every ounce of strength we have.”

Sumo’s most successful wrestler with 37 Emperor’s Cups, Hakuho, who went 11-4 at the last tournament, returns to the prestigious east yokozuna slot for the first time in four basho.

Fellow Mongolian yokozuna Kakuryu and Harumafuji both return to the raised ring after pulling out during the New Year meet with injuries.

Ozeki Goeido also withdrew during the New Year Basho. Mongolian giant Terunofuji, who finished the last tourney with a 4-11 record, will need at least eight wins to stay at ozeki.

Kotoshogiku, who became the first Japanese-born wrestler to win a championship title in a decade at the 2016 New Year meet, finds himself at sumo’s third-highest rank of sekiwake, dropping down from ozeki after double-figure losing records from his last two outings. He is the first wrestler to be demoted to sekiwake since Kotooshu at the 2014 New Year meet and will need 10 wins in Osaka to return to sumo’s second rank.

Ura is the only newcomer to the makuuchi division.

Swami

 

[Swami]

2017 March Grand Sumo Tournament Banzuke Topics
Yokozuna DebutKisenosato

• Kisenosato was promoted to the 72nd Yokozuna in history, the previous one had been Kakuryu, promoted in March 2014. He is the 41st since Showa Era and the 10th in Heisei Era.
• Kisenosato is the first Rikishi from Tagonoura Beya to reach the top rank in Sumo as well as the 4th from Ibaraki Prefecture, following Inazuma, Hitachiyama and Minanogawa.
• He is the first Japanese born Rikishi to make his Yokozuna debut since the promotion of Wakanohana in July 1998 and the first active Japanese Yokozuna since Takanohana in January 2003.
• He reached the Yokozuna rank in 89 tournaments since his sumo debut, which makes him the 3rd slowest within the 41 Yokozuna since the Showa Era.
• Taking 73 tournaments since his promotion to Makuuchi, he is the slowest within the 41 Yokozuna since Showa Era.
• Taking 31 tournaments since his promotion to Ozeki, he is the 3rd slowest within the 41 Yokozuna since Showa Era.
• Being 30 years and 6 months of age at the time of his promotion, he is the 4th oldest within the 21 Yokozuna who had their sumo debut since 1958.

* For the first time since the 2000 March Grand Sumo Tournament, there are 4 active Yokozuna; Takanohana, Akebono, Musashimaru and Wakanohana.

OzekiTerunofuji

• Once again after the November Grand Sumo Tournament 2016 and personally for the 4th time, Terunofuji is Ozeki Kadoban and faces a possible demotion. Following Kotoshogiku in the last tournament, this is in total the 139th time since the 1969 July Grand Sumo Tournament.

* For the first time since July 2014, there are 2 active Ozeki (Kisenosato and Kotoshogiku).


* For the first time since July 2007 the number of Ozeki decreased by 2 people; Hakuho (promoted to Yokozuna) and Tochiazuma (Retired).

SekiwakeTamawashi

• Tamawashi holds the Sekiwake Rank for the 2nd tournament in a row and stays in Sanyaku for the 3rd.

Sekiwake ReturnTakayasu

• Takayasu has been re-promoted to Sekiwake after 2 tournaments and is in Sanyaku for the 5th consecutive time.

Sekiwake Kotoshogiku

• Kotoshogiku has been demoted to Sekiwake after 33 tournaments. Returning to the rank he held in September 2011.
• He is the first Ozeki demoted to the Sekiwake Rank since Kotooshu in January 2014. Since the Showa Era, this has been recorded 30 times from 25 Rikishi. Concerning the official rule changes regarding the demotion of Ozeki in 1969, a Rikishi of Ozeki Rank demoted to Sekiwake Rank is recorded 19 times from 16 Rikishi.

* For the first time since March 2014, there are 3 active Sekiwake (Goeido, Kotooshu, Tochiozan).


* For the first time since the Spring Tournament in 1949, (where Azumafuji had been promoted to Yokozuna while Ozeki Shionoumi had been demoted to Sekiwake), we have a Yokozuna promotion and demotion of an Ozeki in the same tournament.

Komusubi ReturnMitakeumi

• Mitakeumi is re-promoted to the Komusubi Rank after 2 tournaments.

KomusubiShodai

• Shodai, who had his Sekiwake debut in the last tournament, had been directly promoted from the Maegashira Rank, skipping Komusubi. He is now demoted to Komusubi, holding this rank for the first time. This previously happened to Kotoyuki in July last year.

Makuuchi DebutUra

• Ura is the 6th Rikishi from Kise Beya to make his Makuuchi debut since the present Shisho founded it on the first of December 2003.
• The previous, Akiseyama, debuted in March last year. He is the 21st Rikishi from Osaka post WWII, following Daishomaru's promotion in March last year.
• Ura is the first ever former student of Kwansei Gakuin University as well as 89th former Japanese student sumo amateur following Hokutofuji and Ishiura, both promoted in November last year, reaching the first league.
• Taking only 7 tournaments since his sumo debut (excluding Makushita Tsukedashi) he ties the record of the 7th fastest since 1958.

Makuuchi ReturnDaieisho

• Daieisho returns to Makuuchi after 3 tournaments following his demotion in September.

Makuuchi ReturnKyokushuho

• Kyokushuho returns after 2 tournaments.

Makuuchi ReturnTokushoryu

• Tokushoryu returns to Makuuchi after 3 tournaments following his demotion in September.

Juryo DebutAsanoyama

• Asanoyama is the first Rikishi from Takasago Beya to be promoted since Asabenkei who was promoted in November 2015.
• He is the 9th Rikishi from Toyama Prefecture post WWII to reach the Juryo Division.The previous was Komafudo in November 1988.Kotogaume was the last active Sekitori from Toyama Prefecture in May 1997.
• He is the 11th Rikishi from Kindai Univeristy following Shimanoumi who was promoted in July last year.
• Asanoyama is also the 121st Rikishi successful in Amateur Sumo as a student, the previous being Daiamami, promoted in the last tournament.
• Following Oyanagi's promotion in November 2016, he is the second Sandanme Tsukedashi to reach Juryo.

Juryo ReturnKitaharima

• Kitaharima returns to Juryo after 2 tournaments.

Juryo ReturnFujiazuma

• Fujiazuma returns to Juryo after 3 tournaments after his demotion in September.

Swami