Asahifuji entered the tournament already as one of the biggest storylines. Having won back-to-back-to-back tournament victories and entering sumo as one of he strongest prospects ever, his legend preceded him. He arrived at makushita 11 East, and finished the regular tournament with six wins and one loss, the first loss of his career. His loss to former Jūryō Nabatame ended his 25-bout winning streak from his debut. Rather than fading away, he rebounded and ended up qualifying for the playoffs when Nabatame lost his last match. Participating in the seven-man playoff, Asahifuji took revenge against Nabatame and defeated Fudōhō and Wakamiyabi to clinch the division championship. This gave Asahifuji four consecutive tournament championships, one ofor each of the lower divisions. This strengthens the belief that he is on a fast track to sekitori status, likely after the Aki tournament.
Kaida acquitted himself well in his first tournament in division 3 (makushita). Wrestling from the bottom of the division (Makushita 58 East), he finished with a 4-3 record, extending the strong start to his professional career. He defeated former top division Daishōmaru on the second day. The rest of his opponents were generally career lower makushita/upper sandanme wrestlers. He will need to continue to improve as the caliber of his opponents will be stronger in Aki 2026.
Sachinofuji unfortunately did not have the opportunity to compete in Nagoya in his Makushita debut. He was absent from the entire tournament, reportedly due to back/neck problems that kept him in Tokyo. This would be a disappointment for him, particularly as this basho would have been an important test of how his technical, undersized style would translate against more polished opponents. I wish him a full and speedy recovery and hope that he will climb back to Makushita once he returns to competition.
Onto the Aki 2026 Makushita rookies:
Tenshōyama (天昇山)
Stable: Tamanoi
Age: 22
Height (cm/feet-inches): 197 / 6’5”
Weight (kg/lbs): 172 / 379
Home country: Batshireet Mongolia
High School: Meitoku Gijuku High
University: Tōyō University
Career Record and notes: 25-3-0 (.893)
Debut: Aki 2025
Notes: Sandanme Yūshō (Nagoya 2026).
Possibility of reaching sekitori: will say 100%.
Tenshōyama is another one of the most intriguing young prospects in professional sumo. Born in Batshireet, Khentii Province, in eastern Mongolia, the Tamanoi-beya wrestler has climbed rapidly through the lower divisions and reached a career-high rank of East Sandanme 3 in his fourth profession tournament in July 2026. Standing 197 cm, he is currently the tallest active rikishi in professional sumo. Out of his three career losses, two were to Asahifuji and one to former sekitori Kiryūkō.
Growing up in rural Mongolia, he played volleyball and practiced Bökh, the country’s traditional wrestling style. Already an imposing 192 cm and 100 kg as a teenager, he attracted the attention of recruiters from Japan. In 2019, at just 14 years old, he moved to Kōchi Prefecture to attend Meitoku Gijuku High School after being recruited by the school’s sumo program. The move reportedly came with the support of former sekiwake Asasekiryū, the Mongolian-born Takasago oyakata and a distinguished alumnus of the school. Although he possessed impressive natural size and athleticism, Tenshoyama did not begin formal sumo training until entering high school.
By his third year, he had advanced to the Top 32 at the National High School Championships. Following graduation, he entered Tōyō University, one of Japan’s premier collegiate sumo programs (some alumni are Mitakeumi, Wakatakakage, Tamanoshima (Hanaregoma Oyakata), and fellow Tamanoi stablemate Tōhakuryū). While he never became one of the headline stars of the university circuit, he steadily improved and broke through as a junior, capturing titles at both the Towada Tournament and the Kariya Tournament.
Rather than finish his university studies, he chose to pursue professional sumo. After competing in the All-Japan Sumo Championship in December 2024, he left the university and joined Tamanoi stable. At the September 2025 new recruit examination he measured 197 cm, immediately drawing attention as the tallest active wrestler in the sport. Upon entering professional sumo he was given the shikona Tenshōyama, meaning roughly “a mountain rising toward the heavens”.
Tenshōyama made his professional debut alongside fellow Mongolian prospect Asahifuji. Their rivalry began immediately. He lost to Asahifuji in maezumo and suffered his only defeat of the January 2026 Jonokuchi tournament against the same opponent, finishing with an impressive 6-1 record. It was the first match of the tournament, and one of the best “opening matches” I have ever seen – more fitting of a bout after the sanyaku soroi-bumi on the final day than a a jonokuchi match. A 6-1 performance in Jonidan quickly established him as one of the most promising young wrestlers in the lower divisions.
He won the Sandanme championship in Nagoya, defeating 4 former sekitori along the way (Asagyokusei, Mienofuji, Mita, and Tochimusashi). Two of his opponents were ranked in Makushita and were undefeated at the time of their match-up. These results indicate that his is still ranked below his ceiling.
For a wrestler of his size, Tenshōyama is versatile. He is comfortable fighting both yotsu-zumo and oshi-zumo. Coaches and observers have noted that he was able to compete effectively against Tamanoi stable’s sekitori from the outset, suggesting that his ceiling is much higher than his current rank. Away from the dohyo, Tenshōyama reportedly enjoys sleeping and watching anime, while his favorite foods are meat and fruit. He jokingly credits his extraordinary height to getting twelve hours of sleep a day as a child. Whether or not that is the secret, the giant Mongolian has all the ingredients of a future sekitori: elite size, proven amateur credentials, growing technical skills, and a willingness to challenge himself by leaving university early for the professional ranks.
Imamura (𫝆村)
Stable: Nishonoseki
Age: 20
Height (cm/feet-inches): 181 / 5’11”
Weight (kg/lbs): 131 / 288
Home prefecture: Hyōgo
High School: Hōtoku Gakuen High
University: —
Career Record and notes: 56-42-0 (.571)
Debut: 2024 Haru
Notes: None
Possibility of reaching sekitori: Unlikely
The Hyōgo native arrived at Nishonoseki-beya in 2024 carrying not only a respectable amateur résumé, but also a longstanding admiration for his oyakata. As a boy, Imamura (currently using his family name as his shikona) watched former Yokozuna Kisenosato’s championship-winning performance at the 2017 Haru Basho from outside Osaka’s prefectural gymnasium after being unable to secure a ticket. Only a few year later, he would meet Kisenosato and shake hands as a new recruit to Nishonoseki stable.
Born in Itami City, he began sumo in the sixth grade after joining a local sumo club under the influence of his sumo-loving father. He later attended Hōtoku Gakuen High School, a school with one of western Japan’s most respected athletic programs. There, he developed an aggressive forward-moving style based on driving through opponents from a low position and achieved steadily improving results culminating in a quarterfinal appearance at the 2023 National High School Selection Tournament and a place in the last sixteen at the National Sports Festival later that year.
Those accomplishments attracted Nishonoseki Oyakata’s attention. The Oyakata reported noted that Imamura possessed exactly the qualities he values most: pressure, determination, and commitment to moving forward. Upon recruiting Imamura, the former Yokozuna remarked that he could feel the youngster’s desire to attack and believed his style was well suited to professional sumo.
Imamura entered ozumo in March 2024 with a straightforward goal: reach the salaried ranks within five years. His early results suggest that ambition was not misplaced. After a brief stay in Jonokuchi and Jonidan, he quickly climbed into Sandanme and established himself there. By July 2026 he had already reached a career-high rank of Sandanme. His July 2026 tournament produced an impressive 6-1 record and renewed momentum after a pair of losing records earlier in the year. Imamura will get a large jump from the Nagoya rank of Sandanme 48 West, and will clearly encounter stiffer competition in Makushita. He had, until the Nagoya tournament, been holding his own in mid-Sandanme against similar competition. We will have to see if the 6-1 record was a real breakthrough or a blip in his career. His sumo is built around pressure and forward movement. Oshidashi is by far his most common winning technique. While he lacks the eye-catching size of stablemate Ōnosato or the amateur pedigree of some university recruits, his attacking mindset should continue to serve him well as he pursues his goal of becoming a sekitori within five years and bringing honor back to his hometown.
Kazemitsuki (風光希)
Stable: Oshiogawa
Age: 19
Height (cm/feet-inches): 176 / 5’9”
Weight (kg/lbs): 134 / 295
Home prefecture: Iwate
High School: Tairadate High School
University: —
Career Record and notes: 26-9-0 (.743)
Debut: 2025 Aki
Notes: None Possibility of reaching sekitori: 50-50
Kazemitsuki (with a shikona combining the Oshiogawa-beya prefix of Kaze with his first name, Mitsuki) may not have arrived in professional sumo with the fanfare of a collegiate champion or high school yokozuna, but few newcomers have climbed the banzuke as quickly. Born in Iwate Prefecture, Kazemitsuki has put together an impressive start to his professional career, rising from Jonokuchi to Makushita in just over a year.
Kazemitsuki developed his sumo in one of Iwate’s traditional strongholds for the sport. He attended Tairadate High School, which has produced some division 3 wrestlers (Tokinohira, Akiyoshi). After graduating from high school, he spent roughly six months working for a local company while continuing his training and pursuing his goal of entering ozumo. Oshiogawa stable eventually scouted him in 2025 after monitoring his progress. Upon joining, his stated ambition was straightforward: become a sekitori.
The transition to professional sumo could hardly have gone better. He posted a 6-1 record in Jonokuchi, followed by another 6-1 in Jonidan. He continued his momentum with a 5-2 record in Sandanme in March 2026 and another winning record in May and July, establishing himself as one of the more successful recent Japanese recruits in the lower divisions. The last two tournaments, he has put together those winning records against the typical upper Sandanme/lower Makushita level wrestlers, indicating he has not yet hit his ceiling. He was chosen as the last opponent for Tochimusashi in Nagoya, so the match makers felt he could impact the division’s championship race (a win would have eliminated Tochimusashi from a possible playoff against Tenshōyama).
Physically, Kazemitsuki is almost the opposite of the towering prospect, Tenshōyama. Standing 176 cm and weighing approximately 134 kg, he relies more on balance, power, and technique than overwhelming size. His sumo is well-rounded, with regular wins on the belt and by pushing. His most frequently used kimarite is yorikiri, reflecting a willingness to engage directly and finish opponents at close quarters.
Kazemitsuki’s rapid progress suggests he may have been somewhat overlooked as a recruit, after all, he had to try his hand in the “real world” before joining a stable. Reaching makushita, he now finds himself moving one step closer to the salaried ranks he set as his goal upon joining.
Kōseiryū handled his makushita debut quite well, securing a winning record and showing that he can compete credibly at this level. He opened strongly with a 4‑1 start, highlighted by notable victories over former top-division rikishi Kitaharima and makushita tsukedashi Gyōtoku. He even managed a sotogake win, highlighting his jūdō skills. At his best, he showed good composure – which is a reasonable expectation given his age. However, he dropped his final two bouts, which may highlight some lingering limitations in consistency and adaptability. Even so, he will approach mid-makushita ranks in Nagoya.
Kasshō’s first appearance in makushita was a respectable one given his relatively high debut rank. He finished 3‑4, only slipping to a losing record in his final bout, and generally held his own against a deeper field of opponents. There were encouraging victories along the way, including wins over former Jūryō man Mienofuji and Mongolian prospect Tenrōsei. With some added polish and consistency, he could remain competitive in makushita going forward. He will likely rank in the bottom of the division in Nagoya, and I actually suspect we will see him back in Sandanme before the year is out.
Honoikazuchi showed that he likely belongs in makushita, even if his tournament began on uneven footing. He dropped his first two bouts, the first one via a defensive utchari reversal that got away from him possibly due to nerves, but quickly settled and found his rhythm. From there, he reeled off five consecutive wins, including a solid victory over former Nihon University’s Haruyama. The shift was notable not just in results but in style, as he increasingly leaned into belt work, taking four of those five wins by yorikiri. What began as a shaky debut ultimately turned into one of the more convincing finishes among this group, and he should be around mid-Makushita in Nagoya.
Ōmori delivered one of the standout debuts among the shin‑makushita, pushing all the way into the playoff after compiling a strong record in regulation. His only loss came in a highly anticipated bout against Asahifuji (see below), in a match that felt like an early glimpse of two potential future sanyaku contenders, and he otherwise demonstrated a well-rounded and adaptable skill set. In the playoff, he ultimately fell to the eventual winner Ikarigata, but the overall performance was highly encouraging. He showed a clear proficiency for throws, using a variety of techniques to decisively end bouts, while also proving capable against his direct peers with wins over fellow debutants Tatsubayama and Gōnoshō. Taken together, this was a debut that not only confirmed his readiness for makushita, but also hinted at considerable upside. One thing is clear, he will be a popular rikishi among the fans.
Gōnoshō put together a successful makushita debut, ultimately finishing with a winning record. He came out quickly with three straight victories, including a win over Haruyama, before hitting a mid‑basho slump with three consecutive losses as the competition stiffened. Needing a win in his final bout, he responded well and defeated former top-division veteran rikishi Fujiazuma to secure kachi‑koshi. His sumo leaned heavily on belt work, with three yorikiri wins, complemented by a kimedashi, highlighting his preference for grappling. With this performance, he should find himself in the Makushita 40–45 range.
Tatsubayama also turned in a strong makushita debut, finishing 5‑2 after a 4-0 start and positioning himself firmly in the top half of the division heading into Nagoya. He picked up a notable win over Koseiryū, though he came up short against Ōmori and ultimately missed out on the playoff, falling in his final bout to former Jūryō wrestler Tsushimanada. The results were encouraging, but his sumo still appears to be in the process of refinement. Several of his wins came via reactive techniques (two tsukiotoshi, a hatakikomi, and a hikiotoshi). This left me with some question as to how his style will translate against stronger, more stable opponents higher up the banzuke.
Takahara put together a respectable 4‑3 performance in his makushita debut, including a win over former makushita tsukedashi Fudōhō. He should be ranked in the upper 30s of the division heading into Nagoya. To me, his tournament felt somewhat uneven, with wins and losses coming against what appeared to be similarly matched competition. At his best, he showed the tools to compete effectively, but he was not always able to assert a clear advantage or sustain momentum across bouts. Going forward, the hope is that he can take a step forward in consistency to begin to separate himself from this middle tier as he gains more experience in makushita.
Looking Ahead
Onto the Nagoya 2026 Makushita rookies:
Asahifuji (旭富士)
Stable: Isegahama
Age: 24
Height (cm/feet-inches): 187 / 6’1”
Weight (kg/lbs): 148 / 326
Home country: Ulaanbaatar Mongolia
High School: Asahigaoka High School
University: —
Career Record and notes: 21-0 (1.000)!!
Debut: Aki 2025
Notes: Jonokuchi Yūshō (January), Jonidan Yūshō (March 2026), and Sandanme Yūshō (May 2026). Possibility of reaching sekitori: will say 100%.
Asahifuji arrives in makushita with a level of anticipation rarely attached to a wrestler this early in his career. A native of Mongolia, he followed a now familiar path by attending a Japanese high school (Niigata Asahigaoka, which has some Mongolian success, see below) before joining Isegahama stable in 2021(!). However, his trajectory diverges sharply from the typical prospect. Rather than debuting immediately upon joining the stable, he spent four years in a sort of “enforced limbo” due to the one‑foreigner‑per‑stable rule. This appears to be a delay that, in his case, may have been transformative rather than limiting.
During his high school years, competitive opportunities were somewhat constrained. With Mongolian upperclassmen such as Ōnokatsu and Kyokukaiyū ahead of him, he was not always a central figure in the team’s lineups. The pandemic further reduced his ability to perform in school tournaments at a national level. This left him with only a handful of national appearances. as the leadoff man for Kanagawa. His results at the National High School Championships were more modest, but he did contribute to the team’s top eight finish at the National Sports Festival as a sophomore and finished in the top 32 of the National High School Sumo Championships (losing to current makushita, Nobehara).
What sets Asahifuji apart is what came next. While waiting for his chance to compete professionally, he effectively underwent a prolonged incubation period inside Isegahama stable, training daily alongside high‑level sekitori without the wear and tear of official bouts. Reports from this period include training victories over sekitori (including Kiribayama/Kirishima) added to the growing sense that he was something special. This kind of extended preparation is rare in modern sumo. However, it has clearly produced a rikishi who debuted not as a raw prospect, but as an already polished competitor.
That sense of expectation was formalized when he was granted the shikona Asahifuji, inheriting the name of the 63rd Yokozuna and former Oyakata (currently Miyagino). It is not a name bestowed lightly, and it immediately marked him as a flagship prospect. External hype followed swiftly, with some outlets going so far as to label him the strongest new recruit in recent memory.
Once he finally stepped into the ring, the early results did little to temper that excitement. Back‑to‑back 7‑0 yūshō in Jonokuchi and Jonidan confirmed both his dominance over lower‑division opposition and his readiness for more serious tests. He was able to defeat fellow Mongolian prospect Tenshōyama in each of those first two tournaments and defeated former sekitori Kiryūkō (only low on the banzuke because he is rehabbing from injury) in back-to-back playoffs in for his jonidan and sandanme championships. In his last tournament, he also came up with victories against Fudōhō, Ōmori, and former sekitori Mita. This indicates his skill level is already sekitori caliber. His sumo is built around a fundamentally sound yotsu approach, relying heavily on yorikiri and nage finishes rather than trickery or evasion. He combines size and strength with a composure that is unusual for someone with so little official experience, and he rarely looks rushed or out of position.
Now entering upper makushita (he will be ranked in the promotion zone, where another 7-0 will result in promotion to jūryō), the picture can become more nuanced. In many ways, he is both ahead of and behind a typical prospect as he is technically advanced and physically prepared, yet still relatively untested in terms of adapting across a full range of opponents and match situations. The key question is not whether he has the tools, but how quickly he can translate them against deeper, more tactically varied competition. His high‑profile meeting with fellow standout Ōmori suggests that he is capable of competing immediately, but also that there will be adjustments required as the margin for error narrows. There is little doubt about the upside. Asahifuji looks like a fast‑track sekitori candidate, and perhaps more. The next phase will determine whether he is simply very good or truly something special.
Sachinofuji (幸乃富士)
Stable: Isegahama
Age: 20
Height (cm/feet-inches): 172 / 5’7”
Weight (kg/lbs): 98 / 215
Home prefecture: Saitama
High School: NHK Gakuen High
University: —
Career Record and notes: 82-60-19 (.577)
Debut: 2022 Nagoya
Notes: Mongolian national
Possibility of reaching sekitori: Unlikely
While he is also from Isegahama stable, Sachinofuji represents a very different kind of prospect from Asahifuji, one whose development runs counter to the typical narratives attached to both foreign imports and elite amateur standouts. Born in Mongolia as Ganzorig Origil, he moved to Japan at the age of five and grew up in Saitama. This meant that, from the perspective of the NSK, he qualified not as a foreigner but as a domestic recruit. Unlike many other Mongolian wrestlers, he was not recruited with a wrestling pedigree or prior exposure to sumo. In fact, he entered the sport with no competitive background at all, beginning his career from a true blank slate.
This helped me, a 30-plus year sumo fan learn the concept of “tatakiage / 叩き上げ”. A tatakiage is actually my favorite type of recruit, one who comes straight from middle school without any prior experience and is “built from scratch” in the stable. You will note above that Sachinofuji attended NHK Gakuen High School, but this is a correspondence-based institution that allowed him to train while forgoing the typical amateur circuit.
The beginning of his sumo career reflected both the challenges and opportunities of that path. Injuries disrupted his initial progress, forcing withdrawals in his first year and slowing what might otherwise have been a smoother ascent. Yet once he found his footing, his advancement has been steady rather than spectacular, marked by incremental improvement rather than sudden breakthroughs. His promotion to Sandanme in 2024 was less a moment of arrival than a confirmation that the underlying development process was working.
Physically, Sachinofuji faces immediate constraints. At around 172 cm and 98kg, he is undersized by modern standards, particularly as he moves into the upper reaches of the lower divisions. Heck, he even weighs less than I did in my famous “Sumo and Sushi” bout (well, at least it is famous in my mind…). His sumo has begun to reflect an adaptation to those limitations. He tends to work from a lower position, relying on balance, leverage, and patience rather than attempting to overpower opponents.
His stylistic influences are also telling. As a tsukebito to Midorifuji, someone who has openly identified as his role model, Sachinofuji has front row seats to see what characteristics are needed for a smaller rikishi to succeed. That is, he needs to work on his precision, persistence, and the ability to exploit positioning rather than to sheer force.
Off the dohyo, his profile reinforces the impression of a grounded, well-integrated heya product. His preferences, karaage, mobile gaming, and a generally understated demeanor, are beginning to give him a small fandom, with some media attention even focusing on his composed and “handsome” presence after bouts. As he makes his makushita debut, the challenge will be significant: opponents will be larger, faster, and less forgiving of technical imprecision.
His ceiling may ultimately be determined by how far his technique can compensate for his size. If he can continue to refine his belt work and sharpen his finishing ability, he has a viable path forward as a technical grinder capable of carving out a role in the division and earning many fans along the way as a “giant killer”. While he did not inherit a shikona, like Asahifuji, his shikona is a combination of the Isegahama ~fuji suffix and the kanji for good fortune/happiness, which we can infer that is something that is hoped for in his professional career.
Kaida (甲斐田)
Stable: Kasugano
Age: 18
Height (cm/feet-inches): 191 / 6’3”
Weight (kg/lbs): 150 / 330
Home prefecture: Tōkyō
High School: Adachi Shinden High School
University: —
Career Record and notes: 11-3 (.786)
Debut: 2026 Haru, Sandanme Tsukedashi
Notes: None
Possibility of reaching sekitori: Likely
Kaida follows the more traditional path into professional sumo, one rooted in early exposure, structured development, and steady accumulation of amateur results. Born in Ōita Prefecture in 2007, he is a second‑generation rikishi, with his father having competed briefly out of Kasugano stable and serving as a tsukebito to current Kasugano Oyakata . While his father’s career topped out in jonidan, it provided Kaida with something arguably more valuable than rank – that is an early familiarity with stable life, its training routines, and the expectations of professional rikishi. That foundation is often difficult to quantify, but it tends to show in the small details. Aside from the family ties to Kasugano, he was scouted by Kiyomigata Oyakata (former Sekiwake Tochiōzan).
Unlike late converts or crossover athletes, Kaida began sumo early in elementary school and progressed in a textbook fashion. By the time he reached Adachi Shinden High School, he was already smoothly operating within a competitive environment. His high school development was steady rather than meteoric, but his final year results marked a clear breakthrough. He finished in third-place at the Inter‑High School Championships and secured a runner‑up performance at the National Sports Festival. This earned him a sandanme tsukedashi status (only the third as I count for high schoolers, following Anhibiki (who rejected it) and Ikarigata). This allowed Kaida to bypass the lowest professional divisions and enter sumo with immediate expectations.
That starting point is significant. Tsukedashi entrants are not just fast-tracked, they are implicitly expected to justify their ranking from the outset. In Kaida’s case, early results suggest that his amateur success was no fluke. He secured winning records right away, indicating that his fundamentals translate effectively against professional opposition. His sumo reflects that background: straightforward and balanced. He is comfortable both pushing and grappling.
Looking ahead, Kaida projects as a steady riser. The combination amateur success and technically complete sumo suggests a wrestler with a higher ceiling, even if it remains to be defined. Makushita will present a more demanding test, but the early indications are that he will not be easily taken out of the ring. Still, he may not overwhelm the division in the way some elite prospects do, and could settle into this division for a few years before breaking out.
Agōra handled his makushita debut about as well as could reasonably be expected given his background and late start. He secured enough wins to remain competitive without ever looking overmatched. There were clear limitations in speed and adaptability against sharper technicians, He will need more experience to hold his own against makushita level opponents, something he will gain via a drop back to Sandanme for Natsu 2026. He defeated fellow rookie Yabugasaki, but lost to Gōhakuun.
Okada’s first makushita appearance was uneven but informative.His style produced early momentum in some matches, particularly when he was able to dictate terms at the tachiai, but more experienced opponents exposed his relative lack of polish once initial attacks stalled. He managed to defeat the Shikoroyama-beya prospect Tenrōsei, and fellow rookie Yabugasaki. He can expect a small jump up the banzuke.
After three straight kachi‑koshi earned his promotion, Gōhakuun just snuck in to Makushita at the bottom rank (60 West). He finished with a losing record and will be back in Sandanme for Natsu. His first victory was a fusen, and even with that he started 1-3. He managed a small comeback, defeating two in a row (including Agōra) before losing to Fudōhō in is last bout., The slide back should provide another opportunity to rebuild momentum.
Yabugasaki finished 2-5, with losses to Okada and Agōra. He also was unable to defeat Tenrōsei. It appeared that he was not yet able to match the speed and strength of his opponents or control his bouts consistently.
I am taking a small time-out here, as there were some questions raised as to why I did not really rank Yabugasaki as a sekitori prospect, despite his rapid ascent up the rankings. There were questions as to how I decided to lump in his chances with those of Okada. Let’s just say that there is little statistical underlying my assessments. It is more of a feeling of how I think each wrestler will progress given the bouts that I have seen and their pedigree.
In this case, Yabugasaki is not a “cream of the crop” high school talent. Many of these high schoolers who are not in the elite tend to peak in mid-to upper makushita unless they make some serious changes. In the matches I saw earlier in his career, he just did not have the “special something” that I see in some real talents. I am happy to be proven wrong. Please remember that my grading style is more of an art form than a science (and I have no official border lines between my subjective judgement calls) and that lots can happen in sumo to alter the trajectory of a career. Anyway, back to Sandanme with Yabugasaki for Natsu.
Ryūhō had a higher debut and started with a 4-0 streak before finishing 5-2. His makushita debut further reinforced his status as one of the sport’s elite young prospects. He carried over the maturity and balance that defined his lower‑division run, dispatching experienced opponents with calm grip work and disciplined ring sense. He lost to Sandanme champ (and former sekitori) Nabatame and former Sandanme champ Daimasakari. However, he defeated some high-school prospects (Fujinoyama and Anōshō) as well as former sekitori Kaishō. Unlike the others on this list, he competed quite consistently and convincingly in Makushita and will be in the top half of the division in Natsu. Among this group, he emerged as the clearest near‑term sekitori candidate.
Kinoshita, who received the shikona of Fudōhō (不動豊) got his winning record on the last day against Gōhakuun. He had a bit more trouble against the borderline Makushita/Sandanme wrestlers than would normally be expected of a Makushita Tsukedashi with such a university pedigree His bouts did not show that he was overly ranked, but with wins and losses against opponents of a similar depth, I can say that it was a bit of a disappointing debut. A jump toward the top of makushita will happen as he gains professional seasoning. His shikona was given my his master, intended to convey an “unshakable heart” and with the 豊 coming from the stable’s naming convention. The Fudō is “immovable” or steadfast and is often associated with a symbolizing Buddhist resolve and discipline.
Onto the Natsu 2026 Makushita rookies (and a bonus catch-up):
Kōseiryū (光星竜)
Stable: Otowayama Age: 25 Height (cm/feet-inches): 174 / 5’8” Weight (kg/lbs): 125 / 275 Home prefecture: Tokyo High School: Yasuda Gakuen University: University of Nevada Career Record and notes: 29-8-5 (.784) Debut: Hatsu 2025 Notes: Jonidan Yūshō in January 2026 Father is former Maegashira Akinoshū Possibility of reaching sekitori: I’ll say likely, as it would make a great story.
Kōseiryū has a rather unconventional background and atypical pathway into professional sumo. He is the eldest son of former top-division wrestler Akinoshū (安芸ノ州). However, sumo was not at the forefront of his activities for much of his life. Instead, he excelled in jūdō and his studies, going so far as to get a degree in aerospace engineering in Nevada. In other words, he seemed closer to being a rocket scientist than a master of the dōhyō.
Apparently, he was greatly cherished by his father’s senior stablemate Terao, who was so delighted at Kōsei’s birth that he named him, and even celebrated it as if he were his own child. Despite growing up in the sumo world, he took his competitiveness onto the jūdō mat and became known on the national level – placing third in the National Junior Championships while in 4th grade (only losing to a future Olympic silver medalist). He excelled during his time at Yasuda Gakuen Middle and High School (the alma mater of Terao). He moved to the US and managed to balance his engineering studies.
He first enrolled at Orange Coast College, a community college in Costa Mesa, California where he studied aerospace engineering, served as the president of the Japanese Student Association. In 2022, he won the National Collegiate Judo Championship and the U.S. Open Judo Championships. After graduating from Orange Coast College, he transferred to the University of Nevada to complete his aerospace engineering degree. His goal was to work in rocket manufacturing. He was invited to join the U.S. national judo team, but he declined because it would have required changing his nationality.
The turning point for him came in 2023 when former Sekiwake Terao passed away. Terao had been a great friend of his father, and supposedly helped to even name the newborn Kōsei.. Before his death, Terao supposedly said “I wish I could have seen you in a mawashi” and those words weighed heavily on Kōseiryū as he approached the sumo entrance age limit. He dipped his toes into sumo during the 2024 U.S. Sumo Open, where he finished second in the light heavyweight division.
As the Sumo Association had just allowed inexperienced individuals under 25 to join (after taking a special physical ability test), he quit the US Judo circuit and joined the new Otowayama stable under Kakuryū. Kakuryū belonged to Izutsu stable, the same as Terao and his father. He took the shikona Kōseiryū as a way to honor Terao (by using his given name) and combining it with the dragon (ryū) from his stablemaster. His younger brother attends Chuo University where he is a member of the school’s sumo club.
He describes his sumo as an application of his physics education – applying leverage, balance, center of gravity, and timing to compensate for his lack of traditional sumo training. He favors jūdō-like throws and counters. Following an injury that knocked him back to jonidan, he took the yūshō (despite cracking the middle finger on his left hand on Day 1) and rocketed up the rankings. His promotion to makushita will mark a great test of his abilities against some seasoned vets and upcoming prospects. His hobbies include surfing, golf, baseball, stargazing, building LEGO Star Wars sets, watching comedy, and appreciating art.
Kasshō (滑翔)
Stable: Yamahibiki Age: 23 Height (cm/feet-inches): 176 / 5’9” Weight (kg/lbs): 136 / 300 Home country: Hyōgō High School: Tsushima High University: — Career Record and notes: 110-87-13 (.558) Debut: 2021 Haru Notes: None Possibility of reaching sekitori: Very unlikely
Another name to watch as he settles into the makushita ranks is Kasshō, a Hyōgo native whose rise has been closely followed back home. Hailing from Shinonsen Town (Hamasaka area), Kasshō is celebrated locally as part of a rare trio of active professional rikishi produced by the same small community, alongside Gōhakuun of Takekuma stable (see last post about shin-makushita for Haru 2026) and Daishōki of Oitekaze.
Kasshō’s sumo roots were planted at Hamasaka Junior High School, where he was already active in the sport before moving on to Tsushima High School, a program known for steady national‑level participation. He became a key member of the sumo team, performing well enough in inter‑high and national tournaments to get on the radar of professional scouts. Sumo is very much a family affair as well – his younger sisters (one a university sophomore and the other a high‑school freshman) are both active members of their respective school sumo clubs.
His sumo career came full circle during a spring jungyō two years ago, when Kasshō returned to his old high school while touring as a professional. For a wrestler still early in his career, the visit symbolized both how far he had already come. He started his career with some very good results in 2021-2022, despite missing two tournaments with injury. He was in Sandanme in less than two years from his debut. It took some time for him to settle into the division, where he had been since Haru 2024. He finally settled into the top half of the division in mid-2025 and on the back of two 5-2 records will enter Makushita.
His shikona means to glide (if you look at it on Google, you will see lots of images of hang-gliding). It could also be interpreted as “moving smoothly and effortlessly” and was likely given to him by his stable master as a sort of objective. Additionally, the shikona uses a part of his first name, Hishō.
Honoikazuchi (火雷)
Stable: Ikazuchi Age: 22 Height (cm/feet-inches): 191 / 6’3” Weight (kg/lbs): 166 / 365 Home prefecture: Kanagawa High School: Mukainooka Technical High University: Nippon Sports Science University Career Record and notes: 0-0-0 (.000) Debut: 2026 Natsu, Makushita Tsukedashi Notes: None
Possibility of reaching sekitori: Quite likely
One of the more intriguing new faces to reach makushita is Bill Christopher Lee, a Kawasaki native whose development reflects both a long athletic arc. Growing up, Lee split his time between basketball and karate before committing to sumo at the Kawasaki Sumo Club during elementary school. By high school, his physical gifts were already evident: standing 191 cm, he attended Kanagawa Prefectural Mukonooka Technical High School, a program with deep sumo credentials (and lots of recruits in Futagoyama stable). He helped the team to a third‑place finish at the Inter‑High, putting him as a top level university recruit.
Lee’s true breakthrough came after being recruited to Nippon Sport Science University (NSSU), where the club’s legendary director helped him to use his raw power and develop his own style. Despite his size, Lee was intentionally steered away from reactive or tentative sumo and instead drilled relentlessly in forward‑moving oshi‑sumo, a transformation that paid dividends. By his sophomore year, he finished third at the All Japan Student Sumo Championships, and as a senior he emerged as the team’s captain.
His senior year at NSSU capped his amateur career. Lee finished runner‑up at the National Sports Festival and added another strong finish (3rd place) at the All‑Japan Student Championships. These performances earned him the makushita tsukedashi eligibility. Long an admirer of former NSSU sumo club legend, Ōnosato, Lee has noted that his goal has evolved from simply looking up to the yokozuna to one day testing himself directly against him. Lee enters makushita as a physically imposing, purpose‑built prospect whose ceiling will be measured by how quickly that forward pressure translates against seasoned professional opposition. On April 17, it was announced that his shikona is Honoikazuchi (火雷), with the latter character coming from the stable name.
Despite his English sounding legal name (a result of his mixed heritage), he was born and raised in Japan and will not count as a foreign rikishi. Ikazuchi-beya already has its foreigner slot occupied by the Ukrainain, Shishi.
Ōmori (大森)
Stable: Oitekaze Age: 22 Height (cm/feet-inches): 185 / 6’0” Weight (kg/lbs): 120 / 264 Home prefecture: Ishikawa High School: Kanazawa Gakuin High University: Kanazawa Gakuin University Career Record and notes: 0-0-0 (.000) Debut: 2026 Natsu, Makushita Tsukedashi Notes: ..
Possibility of reaching sekitori: Quite likely
Ōmori enters grand sumo with a Strong amateur background. From Ishikawa prefecture, he began sumo in the first grade inspired by watching the legendary Chiyonofuji with his father. He continued with sumo through elementary school, but then quit during middle school to join the baseball club.
At the end of middle school, he resolved to return to sumo and “become strong”. He left his hometown to live in the dorm at Kanazawa Gakuin High School. By the time he was a junior, he had become a national level contender in tournaments, finishing as runner-up in both individual and team competitions at the Inter-High High School Championships and the Kanazawa High School Sumo Tournament. He proceeded up the direct pipeline from the attached high school to Kanazawa Gakuin University.
As a freshman, he won the West Japan Rookie title. As a Junior, he won the individual and team championships at the 78th National Sports Festival in Saga. Suffering from a dislocated shoulder as a senior (one that required surgery), he was still 2nd at the All-Japan Sumo Championships. This earned him the coveted makushita tsukedashi status he now takes advantage of.
He is quite lighter than many others coming in via the tsukedashi route, with his sumo built on speed, balance, and forward pressure. His technical grounding and versatility should enable him to make an immediate impact on the dohyo. He was persuaded to go professional though his hometown ties to Kitajin Oyakata (former Endō) and has expressed a desire to represent his earthquake-impacted hometown on the national stage. Like Kaki, he is likely an uchi-deshi of Endō and may branch out, should Kitajin decide to open his own stable. There has not yet been any media reporting of a proper shikona and my feeling is that he will start under his family name.
Gōnoshō (豪ノ勝)
Stable: Takekuma Age: 20 Height (cm/feet-inches): 189 / 6’2” Weight (kg/lbs): 144 / 318 Home prefecture: Saitama High School: Saitama Sakae High School University: – – Career Record and notes: 36-20-0 (.643) Debut: 2024 Kyushu Notes: Brother is Gōseiryū
Possibility of reaching sekitori: Unlikely
Gōnoshō is a steadily developing rikishi from Aomori prefecture, who has followed his elder brother, Gōseiryū, into sumo. He began sumo at age four, influenced by his older brother. He continued through school, appearing in elementary, middle, and high school All-Japan tournaments.
He attended powerhouse Saitama Sakae High School (which is the fishing grounds for former alumn Takekuma Oyakata). Under his high school coach, he developed a technically grounded style that heled his team win the Kantō High School Championship and qualify the team for the Inter-High. Individually, he finished in the top eight at the All-Japan High School Tournament and the top 16 at the National Sports Festival (Kokutai). This reveals that he is a competitive prospect, but not quite the level of a breakout star.
Many college recruits tried to lure him to their programs, including NSSU and Nihon University. Nevertheless, he opted to become pro right after high school on advice from his father that he would develop quicker and more rounded through regular professional keiko rather than amateur competition. He selected Takakuma stable, to join his brother. He had also been impressed by Takekuma’s training regime during his visits.
He has made steady progress through the lower divisions. He made it to mid-Sandanme before his first make-koshi. His 6-1 record in March from Sandanme 44 was a nice breakout tournament that earned the promotion to Makushita. At this point in his career, Gōnoshō is a clear yotsu‑zumo specialist, favoring belt engagement over extended pushing exchanges. He shows a preference for a right‑hand inside grip and forward‑moving sumo, with yorikiri as his most common winning technique. Gōnoshō already possesses the size expected of a future sekitori, but his career profile to this point suggests a longer‑horizon development path rather than an immediate rise. His Shikona from oyakata, his first name, and 豪ノ勝 literally means “mighty victory” or “victory through strength.”
Tatsubayama (龍葉山)
Stable: Tokitsukaze Age: 20 Height (cm/feet-inches): 189 / 6’2” Weight (kg/lbs): 153 / 336 Home prefecture: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia High School: Meitoku Gijuku High School University: — Career Record: 23-3-2 (.885) Debut: Natsu 2025 Notes: Jonokuchi Yūshō Nagoya 2025
Possibility of reaching sekitori: I believe so, from what I have seen so far – provided injuries do not derail him
Born in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, as Buyantogtokh Munkh‑Erdene, Tatsubayama began athletic training in Mongolian wrestling (Bökh) as a child. That background provided a natural foundation for his eventual transition to Japanese sumo. Tatusbayama was scouted at age 15 and moved to Japan to attend Meitoku Gijuku High School, one of the strongest amateur sumo programs in the country and famously the alma mater of Yokozuna Asashōryū. He became a regular presence on the national stage. During his high‑school career, he appeared in major tournaments, steadily building experience against elite domestic competition.
In his third year (2024), he served as a key pillar of the team, helping his high school team to secure a top‑eight finish in the team competition at the Inter‑High School Championships. Individually, he reached the later rounds of several major national events, including the National High School Sumo Invitational Tournament in Umi and the Kanazawa High School Sumo Tournament, and represented Kochi Prefecture at the National Sports Festival (Kokutai), advancing into the final stages of the individual competition. At the Inter‑High School Sumo Championships, he reached the quarterfinals, finishing one win short of qualifying for sandanme tsukedashi.
Tatsubayama was recruited into Tokitsukaze stable by Tokitsukaze oyakata (former maegashira Tosayutaka) and, with special permission, he began training at the stable while still completing his high school studies, to help him transition into professional life. Although initially cleared to debut in May 2025, his professional start was delayed by an early setback: in January 2025, he underwent surgery to address a recurring dislocation of his right shoulder, postponing his entry into ozumō until the 2025 Nagoya basho.
He was given the shikona “Tatsubayama”, a name explicitly designed as a tribute to two of the sport’s greatest figures. The “Tatsu (dragon)” (龍) is taken from Asashōryū, his high‑school senior at Meitoku Gijuku, while “bayama” (葉山) comes from Futabayama, the legendary 35th yokozuna and founder of his Tokitsukaze stable.
In his first official tournament in September 2025, he went 7–0 to claim the jonokuchi yūshō, displaying composure and physical dominance despite recently recovering from surgery. In the November 2025 tournament, he was 6-0 and ready to go into the final bout to force at least a playoff (if not take the championship outright) but was forced to withdraw after contracting cellulitis, which required eight days of hospitalization and resulted in a loss of roughly 10 kilograms.
Still only 20 years old, Tatsubayama profiles with a high ceiling. He is a technique‑reliable prospect whose amateur pedigree, physical readiness, and early professional results point toward an easy transition to makushita in the near term. The key question ahead is not whether he belongs above sandanme, but whether his deliberate, grip‑centric style can continue to hold up against heavier, more tactically disruptive opponents as the margin for error narrows.
Takahara (髙𠩤)
Stable: Futagoyama Age: 19 Height (cm/feet-inches): 173 / 5’8” Weight (kg/lbs): 116 / 254 Home prefecture: Kanagawa High School: Asahigaoka High School University: — Career Record and notes: 22-6 (.786) Debut: Nagoya 2025 Notes: —
So much optimism this time – as I think its likely!
Takahara is a Kanagawa‑born prospect whose profile blends long‑term competitive sumo training with explosive athleticism and an unusually strong mental drive. Takahara began practicing sumo in elementary school, starting in the 5th grade. Takahara attended Odawara Municipal Izumi Junior High School, where his development accelerated. He achieved an individual third place result in a regional tournament and helped his middle school team qualify for the national middle‑school championships, a first for his school. They finished in the top 32 nationally.
In parallel with sumo, Takahara pursued full‑contact karate at Sōtenjuku. His results were very impressive as he was a national runner‑up in 2020 and won a national championship in 2021. His dual‑sport background is widely credited with contributing to his explosive tachiai, body control, and speed. These are all traits that distinguish him from more orthodox amateur sumo prospects.
Takahara continued his sumo career at Shinmei Gakuen Asahigaoka High School, one of the stronger sumo programs (that of prospect Asahifuji). His high‑school achievements include winning the Kanagawa Prefectural Inter‑High qualifier in the open‑weight division and advancing to the top 32 nationally at the 2024 Inter‑High School Championships. As a sophomore, he won the Kantō Select Tournament and in 2024 he won the Kanagawa Prefecture individual open‑weight title. His sumo club coach provided good direction, technical instruction, and connections to the professional world. Takahara entered the “Mita connection”, a loose but influential pipeline of wrestlers developed under the guidance of the father of Mita (Futagoyama-beya). Mita’s father is a respected figure in amateur sumo training and one who has been influential in channeling his pupils to Futagoyama‑beya. Recruitment came directly and personally, as Futagoyama Oyakata visited Takahara’s school after being impressed. He joined Futagoyama stable immediately after high school despite suffering a significant setback: a shoulder surgery during his last year of high school.
Inside the stable, Takahara has quickly developed a reputation for intensity. He is frequently featured in Futagoyama‑beya’s YouTube channel, where he stands out for his go‑getter attitude, willingness to push himself during training, and visible competitiveness. Despite saying he is naturally shy, those around him note a clear “switch” that flips during training, marked by heightened focus, aggression, and decisiveness. He has also spoken openly about his admiration for senior stablemate Nabatame. His victories in mae-zumo against Tatsubayama (see above) and Nishimura (Ryūhō, see last entry) solidified him as a prospect among keen sumo watchers like Kintamayama – who automatically added him to the coveted “lover division celebs” list. His long‑term objective is explicit and ambitious: to reach sekitori status by the age of 20, a goal he has stated publicly and framed as a personal benchmark.
Takahara is a high‑energy, high‑intent prospect whose ceiling will depend on how effectively his athleticism can be integrated into the more punishing, tactically complex environment of Makushita. He represents one of Futagoyama stable’s most intriguing prospects.His shikona is currently his family name, but he uses kanji variants for both the Taka (like Takayasu) and the Hara characters.
Ōkaryū (大花竜)
Stable: Tatsunami Age: 24 Height (cm/feet-inches): 178 / 5’9” Weight (kg/lbs): 159 / 31349 Home prefecture: Aomori High School: Sanbongi Agricultural High University: Kinki University Career Record and notes: 57-27-0 (.679) Debut: Natsu 2024: Sandanme Tsukedashi Notes: —
Possibility of reaching sekitori: 100%
I should miss a few of these entries more often. I was too busy with work to make the Kyushu 2024 update of this series and missed two “future” sekitori – both Toshinofuji (see last entry) and Ōkaryū. Maybe skipping these posts is good luck for new makushita aiming for the salaried ranks?
Ōkaryū’s rise to sekitori status has been built on elite amateur credentials, physical density, and a notably efficient transition from student sumo to the professional ranks. He comes from a deep sumo lineage. Like both his grandfather and father, he is an alumnus of the Sanbongi Agricultural High School Sumo Club, one of Aomori’s most productive amateur pipelines. He distinguished himself early at the national level: as a freshman, he placed third at the National Selection Hirosaki Tournament; as a sophomore, he reached the top eight at both the National Selection Towada Tournament and the National Sports Festival (Kokutai); and in his junior year, he placed third in the All‑Japan Weight‑Class Junior Heavyweight Division (100 kg+), and again reached the top eight at the Towada national selection event.
After graduating high school, Ōkaryū enrolled at Kinki University (Kindai). His breakthrough came in his third university year, when he captured the National Student Individual Weight‑Class Championship in the 135 kg+ division, defeating Ōnosato of Nippon Sport Science University (who was already amateur Yokozuna) in the final. This victory was Ōkaryū’s first national individual title and established him as one of the leading heavyweights in university sumo. As a senior, he served as vice‑captain of the Kindai team that won the National Student Sumo Championship, ending a prolonged team title drought for the school. Individually, he advanced to the round of 16 at the National Sports Festival (Kokutai), a result that secured him sandanme tsukedashi eligibility. Over the course of his university career, he accumulated four major amateur titles. Through ties that included junior teammate Kiryūkō at Sanbongi High, he elected to join Tatsunami stable upon graduation.
On his professional debut as a Sandanme tsukedashi in May 2024, he took the shikona Ōkaryū (大花竜). The meaning of his shikona blends family symbolism with ambition. The character “花” (flower) was chosen deliberately, as it appears in the names of both of his sisters, while “竜” (dragon) reflects the aspiration to rise powerfully and continuously. At his first professional bout, the name was repeatedly misread aloud as “Daikaryū”. In his debut, he finished 6-1, with his only loss coming to Kyokukaiyū.
Technically, Ōkaryū is a fundamentals‑heavy yotsu specialist. His most frequent winning technique is yorikiri, though he is equally comfortable finishing with oshidashi or capitalizing on overextensions via hatakikomi. His sumo is built around absorption and control rather than speed, a style that has translated particularly well as the quality of opposition has risen.
Here is how our last tournament debutants did: Mukaida, debuting in makushita under the shikona Awanoumi (淡の海)—with “Awa” taken from his hometown of Awaji—struggled at the higher level. He finished 2–5, with wins only over lower makushita and upper sandanme opponents. A return to sandanme next tournament should place him in a more comfortable competitive range.
Buckchuluun, now competing as Wakanofuji (和歌ノ富士)—taking “Waka” from his shishō Tochinowaka—largely met expectations. The former university champion posted an excellent 6–1 record. His lone loss came on Day 7 against sandanme Tsurubayashi, but otherwise he dispatched experienced makushita journeymen and mid‑tier prospects. A mid‑makushita rank next tournament should better clarify his short‑term ceiling.
Kaki turned in a strong showing at Makushita 21, finishing 5–2 and positioning himself squarely in the promotion zone. His wins included former collegiate wrestlers Shiroma and Osanai, as well as former sandanme tsukedashi Ikarigata, demonstrating that he can compete effectively at this level.
Rakanji avoided bow‑twirling duties this tournament due to Hōshōryū being the highest‑ranked active yokozuna, placing that role with Tatsunami stable. Unfortunately, an early injury derailed his campaign, and he finished 1–3–3. He did manage a win over fellow rookie Awanoumi but lost to Wakanofuji. His climb through makushita will have to restart next tournament.
Sōma ended at 3–4 and is likely to sit near the makushita/sandanme boundary next time out. He defeated Daihishō but struggled against former collegiate wrestlers Shimizuumi and Asashiyū, as well as makushita veterans Sadanohikari and Kaigō. This next rank should be a useful proving ground as he looks to stabilize his form.
Seiyū rebounded well after a 1–3 start, finishing with a winning record. His victories over Nihonyanagi, Kirinryū, and former sekitori Tsushimanada and Yago underline that he belongs at the makushita level and should take confidence from this performance.
Yumenofuji also recovered from an 0–3 start to secure a winning record. His wins mostly came against lower makushita and upper sandanme opposition, confirming basic competence at this tier, though further development will likely be needed for upward movement.
Uzumasa, just 17 years old, recorded a winning record in makushita against notably tougher opposition. His victories included Anhibiki (former sandanme tsukedashi qualifier), Gōseizan (former high‑school standout), Daimasakari (former sandanme champion), and Chiyodaigo. His losses came against more experienced opponents such as Shimizuumi, Fukai, and Tosamidori. Compared to Yumenofuji, Uzumasa clearly faced—and defeated—higher‑caliber competition, making his performance particularly encouraging.
Agōra (安強羅)
Stable: Ajigawa Age: 26 Height (cm/feet-inches): 185 / 6’0” Weight (kg/lbs): 160 / 353 Home prefecture: Gifu High School: Tōnō High School University: Nagoya University of Economics Career Record and notes: 65-59-2 (.524) Debut: Hatsu 2023 Notes: None
Possibility of reaching sekitori: Very Unlikely
Agōra was born in Gifu Japan, to parents who are both Brazilian nationals. His father is of Japanese and Brazilian descent, while his mother has French and Italian roots. Agōra acquired his Japanese citizenship prior to entering sumo. Rather than coming up through the traditional amateur sumo system, he initially focused on rugby, joining the Nagoya Economics University rugby team as a forward. In rugby, he learned strength, balance, and body positioning.
While at university, he was introduced by an acquaintance to Ajigawa-oyakata (former Aminishiki). With encouragement from the stablemaster and his mother, he made a rather unusual decision for such a late age to pursue a career in sumo. However, his university did not have an established sumo program. Thus, to meet eligibility requirements for experienced amateurs, Agōra founded a sumo club during his senior year while training with Aichi Gakuin University’s sumo club. This allowed him to compete in events such as the West Japan intercollegiate open-weight event and the All-Japan Amateur Championships, clearing the pathway for his entry into professional sumo.
He initially competed under his family name – Iima (which sounds like the Japanese word, Ima (今) – meaning “now” or “the present time”). To reflect both his Brazilian heritage, and to incorporate the “A/安” character associated with his stable and stablemaster, he chose the shikona “Agōra”. Agora is the Portuguese word meaning “now”. So he has a very meaningful shikona.
Since turning professional, he has progressed steadily and slowly though the lower divisions. He earns his promotion to Makushita following strong 6-1 record at Sandanme 41. He had previously reached Sandanme 8 before consecutive 1-6 records sent him into Jonidan. This career path reflects his challenges of his late start and his gradual technical development. Agōra is primarily a yotsu-sumo wrestler, preferring belt engagement and forward pressure. His most frequent winning technique is yorikiri (force out), reflecting his background in rugby.
Okada (岡田)
Stable: Takadagawa Age: 23 Height (cm/feet-inches): 172 / 5’7” Weight (kg/lbs): 162 / 357 Home country: Shimane High School: Ikuei High School (Kobe) University: Tōkai University Career Record and notes: 33-15-1 (.688) Debut: 2024 Kyushu Notes: None
Possibility of reaching sekitori: Unlikely
Okada was born in Shimane Prefecture. He began practicing judo at the age of five and developed as a heavyweight competitor through his school years. During junior high school, he placed fifth in the +90 kg division at a national‑level junior‑high tournament, while his school team advanced to the round of 16 in the boys’ team competition.
Okada later attended Tokai University, enrolling in the Faculty of Physical Education (Martial Arts Department) and joining the university’s highly regarded men’s judo club. Competing in the +100 kg class, he appeared regularly in national‑level collegiate tournaments. His best result came at the 2022 Tokyo Student Judo Weight‑Class Championships, where he finished third in the over‑100 kg division.
In October 2024, Okada announced his decision to enter professional sumo by joining Takadagawa stable, becoming the first member of Tokai University’s judo club to transition into professional sumo. His move was influenced by Aaron Wolf, the Olympic gold‑medalist judoka and senior alumnus of the same judo club. Through training visits arranged in connection with Wolf’s YouTube and keiko sessions, Okada was introduced to life and training at the stable.
Reflecting on his decision, Okada explained that he often struggled in judo because he was slow to execute techniques, sometimes losing by penalties or marginal decisions. By contrast, he found sumo appealing because matches are decided quickly and clearly, a competitive environment he felt better suited his strengths. He also noted that he had long watched sumo with his grandfather, and that experiencing the sport firsthand during repeated training visits convinced him to pursue it seriously, with the goal of eventually reaching the top division.
Competing under his family name, Okada has established himself as an oshi‑sumo wrestler, favoring aggressive forward pressure and pushing attacks rather than extended belt battles. His early success has come primarily through oshidashi (push out), with hatakikomi (slap down) also featuring among his common winning techniques—an approach consistent with his judo background.
Gōhakuun (豪白雲)
Stable: Takekuma Age: 20 Height (cm/feet-inches): 173 / 5’8” Weight (kg/lbs): 136 / 298 Home prefecture: Hyōgo High School: Saitama Sakae University: — Career Record and notes: 72-58-3 (.554) Debut: 2022 Kyushu Notes: None
Possibility of reaching sekitori: Very Unlikely
Gōhakuun is an alumnus of Saitama Sakae High School, one of Japan’s premier high‑school sumo programs and a prolific producer of sekitori, including his stablemaster, former ōzeki Gōeidō. Like many wrestlers at Takekuma stable, his shikona begins with the character “Gō” (豪), reflecting the stable’s naming convention in deference to its founder and coach. Gōhakuun is from Hyōgo Prefecture and the latter part of his shikona, “White Cloud” (白雲), echoes a local place name and hot‑spring area in his home region.
Before high school, he developed as a sumo wrestler at Hamasaka Junior High School, where he was coached by Tatsuya Yamada, the twin brother of Michinori Yamada, the long‑time head coach of Saitama Sakae High School. This background helped pave his path into the powerhouse program. At Saitama Sakae, Gōhakuun competed as a member of the school’s sumo club and was part of the 2022 team that finished runner‑up at the National High School Sumo Championships. Individually, he also achieved success at the regional level, placing second in the 115‑kg division at the Kantō High School Sumo Championships. In his third year of high school, Gōhakuun chose to turn professional rather than pursue a university career, explaining that he wanted to “go pro and see how far I could go.”
He rose quickly to Sandanme 29 before getting a make-koshi. After almost two years in sumo, he reached his career high rank of Sandanme 7 before a few winless tournaments helped him settle into the middle of the sandanme division. He is coming off of three consecutive kachi-koshi to gain promotion to Makushita. Stylistically, Gōhakuun favors a yotsu‑sumo–oriented approach, seeking inside grips and sustained belt contact rather than immediate pushing exchanges. His most frequent winning technique is yorikiri (frontal force out), followed by oshidashi (push out) and yoritaoshi (frontal force down).
Yabugasaki (藪ヶ﨑)
Stable: Yamahibiki Age: 19 Height (cm/feet-inches): 180 / 5’10” Weight (kg/lbs): 168 / 369 Home prefecture: Hyōgo High School: Minoshima High School University: – – Career Record and notes: 22-6 Debut: 2025 Natsu Notes: No make-koshi in his career to date. Brother is Hakuōnada.
Possibility of reaching sekitori: Unlikely
Yabugasaki is a young and rapidly rising rikishi, also from Hyōgo Prefecture, a region that has long supplied Yamahibiki stable with technically polished lower‑division talent. He entered sumo with a solid amateur background. Yabugasaki entered professional sumo with a solid amateur background. As a child, he began training at Kamehama Dōjō, where he showed early promise. In 2015, he won the individual third‑grade division at the 6th Maido Osaka Sumo Tournament. He continued his development at Minoshima High School, where he was a regular member of the school’s sumo team. Individually, he competed in Inter‑High qualifying events, and as part of the Minoshima squad, he contributed to a top‑eight finish at the national Inter‑High championships.
Turning professional in May 2025, he joined his older brother Hakuōnada (白旺灘) at Yamahibiki stable. Like his brother, they have wrestled under their family name to start. From his very first basho, Yabugasaki made an immediate impact. He posted winning records in each of his first four professional tournaments, including three consecutive 6–1 performances, carrying him from jonokuchi through jonidan and rapidly into sandanme. By January 2026, he had already reached West Sandanme 5, an unusually fast ascent for a teenage rikishi and notably quicker than his older brother’s progression through the banzuke.
Physically, Yabugasaki already possesses the frame of a classic oshi‑specialist: at 180 cm and nearly 168 kg, he combines mass with forward momentum. Unsurprisingly, his sumo is built primarily around pushing and thrusting attacks, with oshidashi (push out) accounting for the largest share of his victories, followed by okuridashi (rear push out). He remains very much a work in progress, but his early results already mark him as one of Yamahibiki stable’s most promising recent recruits.
Ryūhō (竜鳳)
Stable: Otowayama Age: 18 Height (cm/feet-inches): 175 / 5’8” Weight (kg/lbs): 150 / 329 Home prefecture: Kyōtō High School: Tottori Johoku High School University: – – Career Record and notes: 19-2 (.905) Debut: 2025 Nagoya Notes: Jonidan Yūshō – Kyushu 2025. No make-koshi yet in his career.
Possibility of reaching sekitori: Likely
Ryūhō hails from Uji City, Kyoto Prefecture, and his path to sumo was shaped as much by imagination as by physical talent. In early childhood, he was deeply influenced by his grandfather’s love of historical period dramas, developing a powerful admiration for samurai and warriors—an image of disciplined strength that would later resonate strongly with sumo. His father, who had played baseball at the corporate (industrial league) level, initially encouraged his energetic and mischievous eldest son to pursue baseball. However, Nishimura himself gravitated naturally toward combat sports, particularly sumo and judo. Beginning in the first grade, he attended the Kyoto Sumo Training School, and by the third grade, he had also taken up judo at a local dojo.
His judo talent proved exceptional. Recognized early on, he transferred to the prestigious Ōishi Dōjō in Aichi Prefecture, committing to a punishing routine that involved a three‑hour round trip from home. The effort paid off: he made his national judo debut in the fourth grade and went on to place third nationally in the fifth grade. During this period, his daily routine often consisted of sumo training in the morning and judo practice in the afternoon.
Upon entering middle school, however, Nishimura confronted the limits of time and stamina. A series of encounters pushed him toward a decisive choice. Through long‑standing training connections, he regularly interacted with wrestlers from Minato stable, who used local facilities during Osaka tournaments. Among them was Ichinojō, then active in the top division, who offered advice that would prove pivotal: “There are excellent instructors in Tottori. If you’re going to commit fully to sumo, why not take the plunge and challenge yourself?” The decision soon crystallized. By sixth grade, Nishimura already weighed around 110 kg, and his judo coaches began urging weight reduction to preserve speed and endurance. He loved eating, felt increasingly constrained by judo’s weight expectations, and sensed that sumo better suited both his body and temperament. Though his judo coaches regretted the choice, he resolved to pursue sumo exclusively.
At just 13 years old, he left his parents’ home to attend Tottori (Tōhaku) Junior High School, immersing himself in strict training and dormitory life. The results were immediate and emphatic: in his third year of middle school, he won the National Junior High School Athletic Meet, earning the title of “Junior High Yokozuna,” and also captured individual victory at the Hakuho Cup, establishing himself as the country’s top talent in his age group.
He continued on to Tottori Jōhoku High School, one of Japan’s premier sumo powerhouses. As a freshman, he finished runner‑up at the National High School Inter‑High, becoming only the fourth freshman ever to reach the final, the most recent precedent being Ōnosato. In his second year, he won both the National High School Kanazawa Tournament and the National High School Selection Tournament in Towada, effectively claiming a high‑school double crown. After his second year, facing what official sources describe as “various circumstances,” Nishimura withdrew from high school and chose to enter professional sumo. He joined Otowayama stable, newly established by former yokozuna Kakuryū, who recognized both his talent and his need for a stable, family‑like environment.
Initially competing under his family name Nishimura—using a rare kanji variant for “Nishi”—he later adopted the shikona Ryūhō. The name combines “Ryū” (dragon) from his stablemaster Kakuryū’s ring name and “Hō” (phoenix) from the Phoenix Hall (Byōdō‑in) in his hometown of Uji. Both are auspicious symbols, and seeing the two characters together, he felt they mirrored his own journey and sensed a feeling of destiny.
Ryūhō’s start in professional sumo has been nothing short of spectacular. He debuted in July 2025, went 6–1 in jonokuchi, followed by a perfect 7–0 jonidan championship, and then posted another 6–1 to reach Sandanme 33 by January 2026, compiling a 19–2 career record across his first four tournaments. Still only 18 years old, Ryūhō already displays a mature, well‑rounded style, blending belt control inherited from judo with confident forward pressure. His early trajectory places him firmly among the most promising young rikishi.
Kinoshita (木下)
Stable: Tokitsukaze Age: 23 Height (cm/feet-inches): 183 / 6’0” Weight (kg/lbs): 160 / 352 Home prefecture: Nagasaki High School: Isahaya Agricultural High School University: Tokyo University of Agriculture (Tōnōdai) Career Record and notes: 0-0-0 Debut: Haru 2026 Notes: Makushita Tsukedashi
Possibility of reaching sekitori: Let’s see his debut first, but odds are good given his pedigree.
Kinoshita hails from Nagasaki Prefecture, and his rise through the amateur ranks followed one of the most established and reliable pathways into professional sumo. He attended Isahaya Agricultural High School, a program with deep regional ties to elite amateur sumo and a long‑standing reputation as a recruitment zone for Sakaigawa stable. During his time there, Kinoshita was a core member of a high‑school sumo team that collected numerous prefectural titles, marking him early as a top‑tier prospect.
After graduating high school, Kinoshita advanced to the Tokyo University of Agriculture, one of the most storied institutions in collegiate sumo. The university boasts producing multiple sekitori and maintains an especially close relationship with Tokitsukaze stable, to the point that it is often informally referred to as a Tokitsukaze pipeline. Indeed, the majority of Nōdai graduates who turn professional enter sumo through Tokitsukaze, a tradition stretching back decades.
At university, Kinoshita established himself as one of the most dominant heavyweights. Competing primarily in the 135 kg‑and‑over division, he amassed an exceptional list of achievements. He captured the regional East Japan Student Sumo Championship (135 kg+) and, on the national stage, his success continued. He won the All‑Japan University Invitational Tournament in Uwajima, one of the key proving grounds for elite student rikishi, and followed that by claiming the National Student Sumo Weight‑Class Championship (135 kg+), confirming his status as one of Japan’s top collegiate heavyweights. Kinoshita also proved that his skills translated beyond weight‑class competition.
In open‑weight events, he reached the quarterfinals of the All‑Japan Sumo Championship, placing himself among the nation’s best amateurs regardless of size. Most notably, he finished runner‑up at the National Collegiate Sumo Championship, falling just one bout short of the coveted University Yokozuna title. In recognition of his accomplishments, Kinoshita was also awarded the Nagasaki Prefecture Special Sports Award, honoring his success as one of the region’s most accomplished amateur athletes.
These cumulative achievements earned Kinoshita the prestigious Makushita Tsukedashi dispensation, allowing him to bypass the lower professional divisions. The Japan Sumo Association formally approved his tsukedashi status in January 2026, at the same time confirming his entry into Tokitsukaze stable. Stylistically, Kinoshita built his collegiate reputation around a powerful, low tachiai and an aggressive forward‑moving approach. Rather than relying on finesse or reactive sumo, he consistently sought to seize the initiative at the tachiai. This style proved especially effective in the heavyweight division, where his combination of mass, balance, and commitment to forward pressure overwhelmed many opponents before extended grappling could develop.
Entering sumo as a makushita tsukedashi, Kinoshita arrives not as a developmental project but as a fully formed amateur champion. His background places him squarely within the traditional Tokitsukaze lineage of university‑trained rikishi, and his early professional progress will be closely watched as a test of how quickly elite collegiate success can translate to the professional ranks.
Bonus – catch up on one I missed – and who makes his sekitori debut this time!
Toshinofuji (寿之富士)
Stable: Isegahama Age: 25 Height (cm/feet-inches): 195 / 6’4” Weight (kg/lbs): 141 / 310 Home prefecture: Mongolia – Ulaan-Baatar High School: Tottori Johoku High School University: Dōshisha University Career Record and notes: 54-23 (.701) Debut: Hatsu 2024 Notes: Jonidan Yusho (Nagoya 2024)
Possibility of reaching sekitori: 100%
Toshinofuji, formerly known as Seihakuhō (聖白鵬), hails from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and comes from a distinguished lineage in bökh (Mongolian wrestling). Both his father and great‑grandfather were celebrated bökh champions, and his great‑grandfather was among the early coaches of Hakuhō’s father, establishing a multigenerational connection between the two families. Through these ties, the young Toshinofuji developed a close relationship with the future yokozuna from an early age.
At Hakuhō’s suggestion, he moved to Japan in 2017 and enrolled at Tottori Jōhoku High School (see above) as a second‑year student. Despite having no prior experience in sumo, he joined the school’s prestigious sumo club and began learning the sport from the ground up at an age when most elite prospects are already deeply seasoned. Tottori Jōhoku’s environment—closely linked to Hakuhō’s own scouting network—proved formative in accelerating his technical and physical development.
After graduating high school, he advanced to Dōshisha University, enrolling in the Faculty of Theology. During his university career, he recorded steady results at the national level, including third‑place finishes at the West Japan Student Sumo Championships in multiple seasons. His breakthrough came in his senior year, when he captured individual victory at the All‑Japan University Selection Sumo Tournament in Kanazawa, establishing himself as a credible top‑tier amateur despite his late start in the sport. In January 2023, he received a singular honor when he was selected as one of the final opponents in Hakuhō’s intai‑zumo (retirement ceremony)—a role reserved for individuals of deep personal and symbolic significance to the yokozuna.
Upon graduating from Dōshisha, he entered professional sumo under his mentor at Miyagino stable. He was given the ring name Seihakuhō, derived partly from the meaning of his Mongolian given name—“holy sea”—and partly from the exceptionally high expectations placed upon him as a direct disciple of Hakuhō. After completing a required training and visa period, he made his professional debut in March 2024, with age‑limit exemptions applied due to his late start.
His early professional ascent was swift. In July 2024, competing in the jonidan division, he captured a perfect‑record championship, signaling his readiness for upper‑division competition. He climbed rapidly through sandanme and into makushita, reaching Makushita 28, where he recorded his first—and to date only—losing record. Following the closure of Miyagino stable, he transferred along with his stablemates to Isegahama stable. As part of a formal, stable‑wide renaming announced for the January 2026 tournament, he adopted the ring name Toshinofuji, aligning with Isegahama’s traditional naming conventions.
Entering the January 2026 basho ranked West Makushita 2, Toshinofuji posted a 5–2 record, highlighted by a decisive victory over a jūryō‑ranked wrestler in a de facto promotion bout. The result secured his advancement into the salaried jūryō ranks, marking a major milestone in a career that began unusually late but has shown remarkable consistency. A tall, technically inclined yotsu‑sumo wrestler, Toshinofuji relies on balance, reach, and belt control—favoring force‑outs and throws over pushing attacks, His style shows clear influence from Mongolian wrestling fundamentals, particularly in his comfort with throws once grips are established. He has been working on a gradual refinement to his technique, with fewer forced attacks, improved patience at the edge of the ring, and a greater willingness to reset grips instead of overcommitting.
