The Makushita yusho and promotion races are coming down to the wire, with 6 of 7 bouts completed. Let’s check in on what’s at stake in the final round of bouts.

There are at least three open slots in Juryo. There’s Hokuseiho’s spot, of course. J12e Kotoeko (1-10) is all but certain to go down, and J14e Kitaharima (3-8) would not be safe even with 4 more wins and looks headed for a record-tying 9th demotion to Makushita, from where he can try for a record-setting 10th sekitori promotion. Several other incumbents still need one or two wins for safety.

The Makushita yusho race, unusually for this stage, has only one undefeated rikishi. Ms13w Kazekeno bested Ms27e Asahakuryu to advance to 6-0, but Ms43e Wakatakamoto lost to Sd3w Nagamura, who has now knocked three straight Makushita opponents out of the race. Nagamura should return to Sandanme for a likely title decider against Ukrainian sensation Aonishiki (20-0 so far in his career), while Kazekeno will likely face the best-available 5-1 opponent (Onokatsu?), although a creative alternative would be to pit him against Chiyomaru (see below). A win by Kazekeno would give him the title; a loss would throw open the door to a big playoff among 6-1 rikishi on senshuraku!

In the race for sekitori promotion, Kazekeno is still in the running, but he must win his final bout to claim the spot that goes to an undefeated wrestler from the Ms1-Ms15 extended promotion zone. Top-ranked Ms1e Chiyomaru (3-3) likewise must win to go up, which would make a bout between the two a suitably high-stakes affair. As for the rest of the regular Ms1-Ms5 promotion zone, only Ms2w Onokatsu (5-1) already has a clear case for a Juryo debut. Ms3w Kayo (3-3), Ms4w Tsukahara (4-2) and Ms5w Nabatame (4-2) have to try to win their final bouts and hope for losses by Kazekeno, Chiyomaru, and endangered Juryo incumbents. Expect to see a series of cross-division exchange bouts in the closing days.