When we last left things, journeyman Ms47w Chiyoarashi was the last undefeated Makushita rikishi at 6-0, which meant that he would face a 5-1 opponent on Day 13, who needed to win to force a big Day 15 playoff the likes of which we have not seen since Hatsu 2021. The task fell to former co-leader Ms27w Asahakuryu, and to the delight of everyone except Chiyoarashi fans (are there Chiyoarashi fans?), he pulled it off. This means that we have seven, count them, seven rikishi tied with 6-1 records. They range from Ms3w Hitoshi, who is headed for a Juryo debut, to Ms53w Onojo. The format here is that they will draw lots, one wrestler will get a bye directly into the semifinals, the other six will be paired up randomly, and then the winners of those bouts and the rikishi who got the bye will again be randomly drawn into two semifinals, with the winners facing off for the title.

The Juryo promotions are settled. Precisely three rikishi in the Ms1-Ms5 promotion zone have winning records: Ms1w Yuma (4-3), Ms2e Hidenoumi (4-2), and Ms3w Hitoshi (6-1). Two spots in Juryo are open due to Wakatakakage’s absence and J13e Kiho’s (4-8-1) withdrawal. J10w Hakuyozan (3-10) is already demotable and would be the last man out as things stand today, but he could yet save himself by winning out, combined with losses by others.