Tochinoshin returns to third-highest sumo rank

February 26, 2018

Tokyo- The Japan Sumo Association said Monday it has promoted Tochinoshin to the third-highest rank of sekiwake for the Osaka grand sumo tournament, set to start in the western Japan city on March 11.

It will be the first time in 10 bimonthly tournaments for Tochinoshin to compete as a sekiwake, since the July 2016 tournament.

Tochinoshin clinched the championship at the New Year grand sumo tournament in January as a rank-and-file maegashira wrestler in the highest sumo division of makuuchi. He also became the first wrestler from the former Soviet republic of Georgia to win the Emperor's Cup.

The association announces new ranks for each 15-day tournament on the basis of records in the previous tournament.

In the latest rankings, Kakuryu is listed first among the three yokozuna grand champions, followed by Hakuho, who dropped out of the January tournament due to big toe injuries.

Hakuho will become the longest-reigning yokozuna in history, holding the rank for 64 tournaments, beating the record set by the late Kitanoumi of 63 tournaments.

Hakuho is followed in the latest rankings by yokozuna Kisenosato.

Takayasu, who scored a 12-3 record in the January tournament, remains ozeki, the second-highest rank, with Goeido.

Mitakeumi retained his position as sekiwake.

Ichinojo was promoted to the fourth-highest rank of komusubi, returning to the three top ranks below yokozuna for the first time in 16 tournaments. Chiyotairyu also became a komusubi, back in the upper ranks for the first time in 21 tournaments.

Although no new wrestlers entered the makuuchi division, Myogiryu, Hidenoumi and Aoiyama were promoted back to the top division.

Terunofuji became the fourth former ozeki in history to tumble down from makuuchi to the juryo secondary division.

Although Takanoiwa, who was assaulted by former yokozuna Harumafuji, sat out two tournaments in a row, he was demoted only from the rank of No. 3 juryo to No. 12 juryo, as an exceptional measure by the association. Usually, such consecutive absence would have sent him to the makushita division, a notch lower than juryo.

Harumafuji retired from the sumo world in November last year to take responsibility for assaulting and injuring Takanoiwa at a drinking party. Jiji Press