Could this be the first decade without a dai-yokozuna?

The 2020s have so far been an era of unprecedented parity in sumo, and I’m of two minds about it. In many ways this unpredictability has made the sport a lot of fun—would anyone tune in on Day 1 if we already knew who would be hoisting the Emperor’s Cup on Day 15? Maybe not, but then again, I’m not one of those who reads the end of the book first to find out what happens. I want to be swept along by the ride, and the last several years have been a crazy ride indeed, with surprise champions coming out of the woodwork and yusho races full of twists.

Yet, it is also thrilling to witness greatness, to see athletes strive for perfection and achieve dominance over their competitive peers. Throughout its modern history sumo has been a great sport in this regard. In its modern era (since the institution of the 6-basho calendar in 1958), sumo has produced at least one grand champion every decade who was head and shoulders above the rest, a “dai-yokozuna” who is forever after held up as the face of the sport in his time.

(Side note 1: there were of course dominant champions prior to 1958, but since they wrestled fewer times per year, it’s unfair to compare their records to later greats.)

(Side note 2: the term “dai-yokozuna” is itself highly subjective. There is no statistical benchmark—it’s about vibes, and is typically bestowed upon a dominant yokozuna who embodies a given era in the public perception. For our purposes today, I’m looking to make distinctions by decade, with a threshold of at least 10 yusho (1 per year) within a discrete timeframe.)

Taiho leads the way. The first truly transcendent dai-yokozuna won 30 of his 32 total yusho in the 1960s. His record would stand for 50 years, and his legacy, forever.

Next came Kitanoumi, Mr. “Hatefully Strong.” He would claim 17 of his 24 yusho in the 1970s, besting rival Wajima, who totaled 13 yusho in the same timeframe. Theirs was a fantastic rivalry, perhaps the most evenly matched of any single decade.

The 1980s were owned by “the Wolf,” Chiyonofuji. He claimed 29 of his 31 total yusho in the 80s. His next closest rival was the aforementioned Kitanoumi, who even at the tail end of his career captured 7 more yusho.

The 1990s might be dubbed the “Waka-Taka” era, but it’s the latter man who stands out. Takanohana won 20 of his 22 yusho in this decade, while his chief rival, Akebono, claimed 9.

The 2000s belonged to Mongolia. Asashoryu was nearly invincible at his peak, winning 24 of his 25 yusho in this decade, and who knows what his yusho tally might have been if a certain someone hadn’t come along in the back half to give him some real competition…

Hakuho won 12 yusho in the 2000s, but after Asashoryu’s dismissal in early 2010, sumo became a one-horse race. “The Boss” won 31 of his total 45 yusho in the 2010s, breaking Taiho’s record to cement himself as sumo’s GOAT.

This, at last, brings us to the present. The 2020s started off with promise, as Terunofuji rocketed up the banzuke and laid claim to Hakuho’s vacant throne. And yet, Teru’s injuries held him back from hitting that crucial mark set by his predecessors—10 yusho in a decade (he won 10 total, but only 9 in the 2020s). Coupling that with his frequent absences and relatively short yokozuna tenure means Teru doesn’t quite cut it as this era’s superstar.

Now the question becomes, will anyone? Time is running out. The 2020s are 2/3rds finished, and the candidate closest to the mark, Onosato, will need to first overcome his injuries and then double his yusho count. If you’d asked me a year ago, I’d have called it an inevitability, but his 2026 campaign has been woeful and I now have doubts.

Ozekis Kirishima and Aonishiki, both with 3 yusho, are next in line, but they should focus on simple promotion to the top rank first before thinking about transcending it. Behind them in line are a slew of men with 2 or 1 yusho, but none feel particularly likely. It’s nice to see the wealth (literal and figurative) get spread across the top division, but I would also regard it as a shame if this decade failed to produce a great to add to “the list.”

Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, Serena Williams, Ronda Rousey—greatness inspires, it breathes life into old fans and draws new ones in. It’s just plain cool to watch, and it captures cultural relevance in a way parity will never be able to. For this reason, for the health of the sport, sumo needs its next generational talent to step up.

They better hurry though—there are only 20 basho left in this decade, and it’s not getting any easier to win an Emperor’s Cup.