Here is how our previous debutants did in Kyushu:
Kazeeidai was overranked after his 6-1 record at Sandanme propelled him to Makushita 38. He finished 2-5, and will likely be at a rank more around his current ability for Hatsu. Still, he defeated former top division’s Daishōmaru and prospect Yonezawaryū (by non-technique tsukihiza). He did have a tough schedule, facing former Makuuchi Akua and former Jūryō Tsushimanada, though.

Kyokumizuno similarly leaped up the banzuke from his 6-1 record at Sandanme 23 to be ranked Makushita 44 and pulled out a 4-3 record. He defeated former top division Daishōhō and some Makushita veterans for his kachi-koshi.

The new year starts with eight 3rd division debuts and one catch-up for me. There is a good mix of former collegiate wrestlers, high schoolers, and few young prospects entering Makushita at the age of 17 – already reaching this level with many more years of potential development ahead of them! Let’s hope for their bright futures. However, lets start with some age before beauty!

Mukaida (向田)

Stable: Naruto
Age: 27
Height (cm/feet-inches): 186 / 6’1”
Weight (kg/lbs): 141 / 309
Home prefecture: Hyōgō
High School: Yanagi Gakuen
University: —
Career Record and notes: 157-143-8 (.523)
Debut: Natsu 2018
Notes:

Possibility of reaching sekitori: Very unlikely

Mukaida has taken seven years to reach Makushita, despite almost reaching it in Kyushu 2021 (ranked Sandanme 2). While typically a lower Sandanme wrestler, he has improved over the 2025 to settle into the top half of the division and reach Sandanme 3 in Aki 2025.

Mukaida had no sports experience until high school. He started Judo at Yanagi High (now Sōkai High) and managed to get to the top 16 of the over 90kg category at the prefectural high school championships his junior year. After graduating, he secured a job on Awaji island but decided to pursue his dream of entering the sumo world. As a child he had been fascinated watching sumo on TV, so after a year of slogging it out in the private sector he entered the sumo world.

He joined Naruto stable, led by his idol – former Ōzeki Kotoōshū. He remarked that even after many years in retirement, he can hardly push his master out of the ring. His current shikona is his family name.

BUCKCHULUUN (ブフチョローン) – proper shikona TBD

Stable: Kasugano
Age: 24
Height (cm/feet-inches): 182 / 5’11”
Weight (kg/lbs): 126 / 277
Home country: Mongolia
High School: Nittaidai affiliated Kashiwa High
University: Nittai Daigaku (Nihon Sports Science University – NSSU)
Career Record and notes: 0-0
Debut: 2026 Hatsu – Makushita Tsukedashi

Possibility of reaching sekitori: Likely

Buckchuluun (Buck, for now) is the 2024 Student Yokozuna. He had to sit out the requisite time as a foreigner before securing his work visa and only took the new entrant exam in Kyushu. It has been a while, as he entered Kasugano as a trainee in February 2025. As a university Yokozuna and winner of the National Student Championships he qualified for special dispensation to enter at the bottom of Division 3. At his entrance exam he expressed his impatience to join “I feel like the moment has finally come. I want to work hard and aim for the top.” We do not yet know his shikona.

He first came to Japan at the age of 16 as a wrestler. Shortly after this, his father passed away. His father, a former Mongolian wrestler, had urged him to become a sumo wrestler. Thus, he is working to honor his late father’s words by growing stronger and taking the path of a sumo wrestler. After becoming a high school wrestling champion in freestyle wrestling – 92 kg (Inter-High, National Sports Festival, National High School Selection), he joined the Nittaidai sumo club with confidence. He is following in the path of fellow Mongolian, Ōshōma, by making the transition from high-school “regular” wrestler to sumo after joining the university.

During his time at the university, he was known for his powerful throwing techniques. As a freshman, he weighed in the 90kg range and debuted in the East Japan Student Rookie Tournament, losing in the second round. The next year, however, he made a name for himself – helping Nittaidai win the East Japan Student Championship and claim its 3rd consecutive team title. In the final match he (as a Sophomore). He faced Nihon University’s Kawakami (current Oitekaze-beya’s Ryūshō) and defeated him with an uchi-muso (inner thigh grab). Following that, he won two consecutive open weight titles at the National Student Weight-Class Championships.

His Junior Year, he was 3rd at the Wakayama University/Corporate tournament, 3rd at the East Japan Studen Championship, he won the 115kg weight class at the National College Sumo Individual Weight-Class Championship taking on Kusano (current Yoshinofuji) in the open-weight class division – the first match was too close to call, and a rematch was called, where Buck defeated Kusano with a kake-nage, and 3rd at the National Student Championship.

His senior year, he was 3rd again at the Wakayama tournament, 3rd at the East Japan Championship, 2nd at the Kanazawa University Selection tournament and then – he won the open-weight title his senior year. Finally, he earned the title of University Yokozuna at the National Student Sumo Championship in 2024. His championship match was the first ever for the National Student Championship between two foreigners (he took on Delgerbat, a NSSU freshman).

He is the fifth foreign born student Yokozuna, the first since Chojil (current Ōnokatsu). He said he wants to follow in the paths of Ōshōma. Ōnosato, and Ōnokatsu who all came from NSSU and earned their Makushita Tsukedashi qualification.

Kaki (可貴)

Stable: Oitekaze
Age: 23
Height (cm/feet-inches): 190/ 6’2”
Weight (kg/lbs): 139/ 306
Home prefecture: Ishikawa
High School: Kanazawa Gakuin Associated High
University: Kanazawa Gakuin Daigaku
Career Record and notes: 20-1 (.952)
Debut: Natsu 2025
Notes: Jonokuchi Yusho (Nagoya 2025), Jonidan Yusho (Aki 2025), Sandanme Yusho (Kyushu 2025)

Possibility of reaching sekitori: Likely

Kaki, a Kanazawa Gakuin University graduate is from Oitekaze stable and likely an uchi-deshi of fellow-Ishikawa home-towner Kitajin Oyakata (former Endō). Endō specifically scouted Kaki to join Oitezake stable. Known for his deep stance and use of his 190 cm height, he has notable achievements such as a third place team finish at the National Junior High School Championships, and runner-up at the National High School Usa Tournament. After high school, Kaki enrolled at Kanazawa Gakuin University and was a member of the school’s sumo club, finishing runner-up in the under-135 kg category at the National Student Weight Class Championships and third in the Western Japan Student Championships. He became the third wrestler from Kanazawa Gakuin University, following current makushita wrestlers Enhō and former makushita Yoshiyasu. His shikona is currently his family name.

He has won three-straight lower division titles since becoming pro – exactly like his senior Enhō. He has been receiving excellent advice from recently retired Endō saying “I’m grateful to Kitajin stablemaster for watching my training, and I hope this victory is a small way to repay him” as Oitekaze Oyakata was hospitalized at the end of the tournament and was unable to provide last minute support before the championship match on Day 13. I recall him suffering an ankle injury in his last official Jonokuchi bout, but he came back to win a tomoe-sen against Kyoda (Futagoyama stable) and Yabugasaki (Yamahibiki stable).

Rakanji (羅漢児)

Stable: Nishonoseki
Age: 21
Height (cm/feet-inches): 178/ 5’9”
Weight (kg/lbs): 130/ 287
Home prefecture: Oita
High School: Nakatsu Higashi High School
University: – –
Career Record and notes: 84-70 (.545)
Debut: Haru 2022
Notes: Yumitori shiki performer

Possibility of reaching sekitori: Unlikely

Rakanji is already known among sumo fans even though he has only wrestled so far in Division 4 and below. This is because he performs the bow twirling ceremony at the end of each day. Traditionally, the one who performs the bow twirling ceremony (yumitori shiki) is from the same stable as the top ranked (and participating) Yokozuna. Being part of Nishonoseki stable, he typically is performing following a win by stable-mate Ōnosato. He only began performing this ceremony in August, and was already able to join the London tour and perform internationally a few weeks later. As performer of the yumitori shiki, he is already able to wear his hear in the ōichō style during the tournament and to wear a keishō mawashi (of the Nihon Sumo Kyokai). He is already asked for autographs, which he must decline as he is not a sekitori.

His motto is “different strokes for different folks” coming from a 4-kanji combo literally meaning 10-people, 10 colors. His shikona comes from a historic zen temple in Nakatsu City (Oita). Rakan means one who has attained enlightenment. Since he is still a trainee, the suffix “ji”, meaning child, was added.
He appears to be a solid case for a “poached” uchi-deshi, something that I think happened during the time Nakamura Oyakata was a part of Nishonoseki stable. Nakamura Oyakata is from Oita, fought at the same sumo club and attended the same high school – so he is his senpai. He was the first from this high school since Yoshikaze in 18 years (another was just recruited and was in mae-zumo last tournament).

Apparently, Rakanji even used Yoshikaze as the subject matter for a speech that won a national-level high school competition. So, it is curious that he did not join Nakamura stable when it branched out. Let’s not also forget that Yoshikaze is a NSSU graduate that has (had?) a lot of strong connections to the university, bringing in fellow alumni Tomokaze and Miyanokaze. He also likely played a strong role in recruiting Ōnosato, Shirokuma, and Kayō to Nishonoseki – but somehow only managed to “keep” Kayō. My suspicion is that neither Rakanji nor Ōnosato would be in Nishonoseki without Nakamura Oyakata – yet they did not join him when he was able to branch out for some reason. Just another piece of bad luck for Nakamura Oyakata?

Sōma (相馬)

Stable: Futagoyama
Age: 21
Height (cm/feet-inches): 179/ 5’10”
Weight (kg/lbs): 146/ 321
Home prefecture: Tochigi
High School: Kurobane High School
University: – –
Career Record and notes: 66-46 (.589)
Debut: Haru 2023
Notes: Three-brother combo

Possibility of reaching sekitori: Unlikely

Sōma is one of three bothers in Futagoyama stable.  The first to join in 2018 is Kotakiyama, the chanko-cho of the stable.  The younger brother, Shunta, joined Futagoyama stable last spring.  Currently, the only brother using the family name as his shikona, Sōma may have the biggest prospects.  He began with sumo in elementary school. He was part of Tochigi Prefecture’s first-ever national junior high school team championship in 2019 and helped Kurobane high school reach the Top 8 at the Interhigh before becoming a pro. He is one of the Tochigi-Futagoyama pipeline, along with fellow Kurobane High graduate Mita and fellow former sekitori, Nabatame. Futagoyama had been repeatedly pleading for Sōma to join the sumo world.

Following on the outstanding performance to lead Tochigi’s junior high team to the championship, he joined Kurbane High school. He helped them to enter the top 8 for the first time in over a decade in the 2022 Interhigh.  He also finished consecutively in third place at the Kanto High School Individual Competition’s open weight division.

All this time, he trained under coach Naoki Mita – who is the father of Mita – Sōma’s stablemate at Futagoyama and one who has channeled the Sōma trio, his own son, and Keiga to Futagoyama. 

One final family connection to sumo – the Great Grandfather of the three brothers was also apparently a former sumo wrestler called Kotakiyama. Apparently, they were able to use their Great Grandfather’s keisho mawashi for their introduction to the sumo world.

Kiyonohana (清の花)

Stable: Dewanoumi
Age: 20
Height (cm/feet-inches): 178/ 5’9”
Weight (kg/lbs): 104/ 229
Home prefecture: Fukushima
High School: – –
University: – –
Career Record and notes: 105-88-3 (.544)
Debut: Haru 2021
Notes: Another three-brother combo

Possibility of reaching sekitori: Very Unlikely

Taking a moment out of the newbies to catch up on one of my missed basho (I did not submit this report for Hatsu 2025, when Kiyonohana made his division 3 debut). He is returning now to division 3, so this is a time to catch up with him. Kiyonohana is another 1/3 of a set of brothers at his stable, Dewanoumi. He joins Kiyota and Kiyonoyama. Kiyota is 22, and joined in 2019. The youngest is 17-year-old Kiyonoyama.

All three are the sons of former Makushita wrestler Kiyonoumi (not the current Kiyonoumi). Like the Ōnami brothers are heroes in their local community, the three Kiyota brothers wish to become well known in Fukushima and to encourage the local community. His shikona comes from his name (Kiyota) with a typical Dewanoumi ending of “nohana”, like the Oyakata former Oginohana.

Kiyonohana joined at the age of 15, so he does not have any high school sumo experience. He likes ramen, baseball, and café-au-lait. He wants to visit China. He was very skinny when he joined and could not do proper splits (matawari). He has gradually been building his weight and working on his uwatenage. For just being now over 100kg, he has steadily climbed the ranks to reach division 3 in his teens. He has managed three 6-1 records over his career and, despite a large jump in rank from Sandanme 42 to Makushita 55 in Hatsu 2025, he still managed a 3-4 record. He spent the past year in division 4, and may be at a point where he can become a lower division 3 regular.

Seiyū (誠雄)

Stable: Hidenoyama
Age: 20
Height (cm/feet-inches): 173/ 5’8”
Weight (kg/lbs): 128 / 282
Home prefecture: Fukuoka
High School: Omuta High School
University: – –
Career Record and notes: 46-24 (.657)
Debut: Haru 2024
Notes: None

Possibility of reaching sekitori: 50/50

The first Makushita wrestler out of the newly formed Hidenoyama stable is Seiyū. He initially joined Sadogatake stable, but as an uchideshi of former Kotoshōgiku, he branched out when Hidenoyama stable started. His initial ring-name, Kotokōguchi (the Sadogatake koto prefix plus the family name) was changed to his first name “Seiyū” when the new stable was formed.

He has connections to Kotoshōgiku, being that they are both from Yanagawa City, Fukuoka. He had experience as a sumo wrestler as a child. During his time at Higashi-Miyanaga Elementary School—also the Oyakata’s alma mater—he excelled in sumo tournaments. He was scouted out of Omuta High School, where he was Vice-Captain of the judo club. In his senior year, he helped his team place third in the team competition at the Kinshuki High School Judo Tournament.

Despite being primarily a judoka at high school, he has returned to his sumo roots. Although his coach hoped he would continue judo at university, after Seiyū expressed his determination, the coach gave him a warm send-off. Seiyū says, “when you think of Yanagawa, you think of sumo. I had wanted to become a wrestler since childhood, but I was advised, ‘Start with judo first,’ so I pursued judo for a while. Later, when my stablemaster decided to open a new stable, I joined.”

Koguchi admired the way Hidenoyama did sumo head-on, and that he did keiko without compromise. Although fairly small in stature at 173cm and 128kg, Hidenoyama believes Seiyū has a solid foundation in judol, and wants him to use it.

Yumenofuji (夢之富士)

Stable: Isegahama
Age: 17
Height (cm/feet-inches): 183/ 6’0”
Weight (kg/lbs): 151 / 333
Home prefecture: Ehime
High School: – –
University: – –
Career Record and notes: 60-45-7 (.571)
Debut: Haru 2024
Notes: None

Possibility of reaching sekitori: I think so.

The first of the two young 17-year-olds making their Makushita debut is Yumenofuji. Taking his shikona from his first name (Yumejiro) and the “nofuji” suffix of Isegahama stable, the young lad from Ehime is poised to become a force at an already powerful stable. Not too humble, upon joining he said his dream (yume) is to become Yokozuna. He started sumo in 4th grade. In middle school, he finished 5th in a national tournament where he was noticed by an Isegahama stable supporter who referred him to join. He had originally planned to go to Nomura high school but elected the sumo world instead.

He already has picked up a large following on social media (for those who scour the lower divisions for talent). In his debut tournament, he blew away his opponent with two thrusts. Sumo fans commented that he had “so much presence!” and asked that he “go easy on” his fellow division 6 opponents. His size and aura already seemed out of place in the lower divisions and may be more of a fit in Makushita.

Yumenofuji has been on a tear to get to Makushita. After muddling around in jonidan for a year and a half (despite his aura), he was injured and fell back to jonokuchi. Since, he has been on a 6 bashō winning streak – moving from Jonokuch 11 to Sandanme 7. His best record was a 6-1 performance at Sandanme 61 in September. The kachi-koshi record of 4-3 from Sandanme 7 will bring him into lower Makushita to start 2026.

Uzumasa (太秦)

Stable: Isenoumi
Age: 17
Height (cm/feet-inches): 183/ 6’0”
Weight (kg/lbs): 128 / 282
Home prefecture: Kyōtō
High School: – –
University: – –
Career Record and notes: 44-26 (.629)
Debut: Haru 2024
Notes: None

Possibility of reaching sekitori: Yes!

The second of the 17-year-old phenoms to make Makushita is Uzumasa. A Kyōtō native, possibly scouted by former Maegashira (and Uzumasa’s idol) Ōikari, he uses the shikona “Uzumasa” from the name of his middle school. Uzumasa also is a place name in Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City where there was a clan temple of the Hata family. The Hata family was given the title of “Uzumasa” because were so rich they could pile silk ‘in high heaps.’ Later in history, this many film companies flocked to the area, and Uzumasa came to be called ‘Japan’s Hollywood.

This Uzumasa is the third of four brothers. He started sumo in the second grade of elementary school and reached the best 32 at the national middle school championships before joining the sumo world. He aims to become like Kabutoyama-oyakata.

While Yumenofuji already had a career setback (injury that sent him back to division 6), Uzumasa has only had two tournaments with losing records and appears to be gaining power and skill with each passing bashō. His 6-1 record from Sandanme 18 will see him firmly into mid-Makushita.