Kyoto Has Its First Sekiwake in 198 Years and a Ukrainian Is Back at Ozeki Before the Tokyo Tournament
The September ranking sheet was published on 31 August and the Aki basho runs 13 to 27 September at the Ryogoku Kokugikan.
The banzuke for the September sumo tournament was published on 31 August. The Aki basho runs 13 to 27 September at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo.
Aonishiki, born in Ukraine, returns to ozeki after two tournaments away, having won the July basho. The Japan Sumo Association counts it as the fourteenth such return to the rank since the Showa era. He held ozeki in May. If he wins in September he becomes the first European-born yokozuna.
The two current yokozuna are Onosato in the east and Hoshoryu in the west, with Hoshoryu's participation reported as uncertain after knee surgery. The ozeki ranks are Kirishima, Kotozakura and Aonishiki.
Fujinokawa was promoted from maegashira 1 to sekiwake in his 22nd tournament, tying the record for the tenth-fastest promotion, and is the first sekiwake from Kyoto in 198 years. Atamifuji is the other sekiwake. Hakunofuji makes his komusubi debut alongside Daieisho, back at the rank for the first time since September 2024.
Asasuiryu and Toshinofuji enter makuuchi; Asasuiryu is the 25th wrestler from Osaka Prefecture to reach the top division. Wakatakakage drops to juryo with thigh compartment syndrome and misses September. Makuuchi holds 42 wrestlers.