In Juryo, after J10w Wakatakakage won and J8e Asakoryu lost today, the yusho race is right back where it was when we last checked in on Day 6, with the duo tied at 8 wins apiece. Trailing them is J7w Daishoho (7-2) and 3 rikishi with 6 wins, among them leading promotion contender J2w Mitoryu. Tomorrow’s bouts could shake up the race, as Wakatakakage is matched with Daishoho and Asakoryu fights Mitoryu. Checking in on a few other notable names, J1e Tokihayate (5-4) is 3 wins away from a Makuuchi debut, J1w Takarafuji is further back at 4-5, and J13w Hakuoho (5-4) has continued to struggle, losing to J11w Aoiyama (3-6) today.

There likely will be at least three open slots in Juryo. There’s Hokuseiho’s spot, of course. J12e Kotoeko (1-8) would probably need to win out from here to save himself, and if he had that in him, he wouldn’t be 1-8; similarly, J14e Kitaharima (3-6) seems unlikely to pick up the 5 wins he needs from safety and looks headed for a record-tying 9th demotion to Makushita, from where he can try for a record-setting 10th sekitori promotion.

The Makushita yusho race is down to 3 undefeated rikishi: Ms13w Kazekeno, Ms27e Asahakuryu, and Ms43e Wakatakamoto. It’s 3 and not 4 because Sd3w Nagamura (5-0) has now knocked two Makushita opponents out of the race. It should be Kazekeno vs. Asahakuryu and Wakatakamoto vs. Nagamura on Day 11. If Wakatakamoto wins, we’ll have a straightforward title decider on Day 13 between him and the winner of the other semifinal. If Nagamura can make it 3-0 against Ms opposition, I would expect the winner of the other semifinal to face the best-available 5-1 opponent instead, either taking the title or throwing open the door to a big playoff among 6-1 rikishi on senshuraku. I know which outcome I’m rooting for!

The race for sekitori promotion is also getting clearer. Kazekeno is still in the running, but he must win out to claim the spot that goes to an undefeated wrestler from the Ms1-Ms15 extended promotion zone. In the regular Ms1-Ms5 promotion zone, only Ms2w Onokatsu already has a promotion claim at 4-1, though he could use another win to ensure a Juryo debut. Ms1e Chiyomaru (3-2) can ensure an immediate sekitori return with one more win. Ms1w Tenshoho (2-3) and Ms2e Yuma (2-3) would have a good chance of going up by winning out, but each would be eliminated with a single loss. Finally, we have three rikishi at 3-2: Ms3w Kayo, Ms4w Tsukahara and Ms5w Nabatame. Each needs to record at least one more win, ideally two, and hope for favorable results elsewhere. The only relevant action on Day 10 is Tsukahara visiting Juryo to try to ensure Kotoeko’s demotion; expect a series of similar cross-division potential exchange bouts down the stretch.