Nagoya 2025 Rikishi Preview
Here's a look at all 42 Makuuchi wrestlers before the July sumo tournament kicks off.
We’ve got a little over a week until the Nagoya basho kicks off. While you debate what Rikishi to pick for your Day One lineup on Fantasizr, check out our regular preview of all 42 top-division competitors.
01 Yokozuna East Hoshoryu
Hoshoryu Tomokatsu | 豊昇龍 智勝
Tatsunami | Mongolia
Birthdate: May 22, 1999
Height: 188 cm | 6' 2"
Weight: 148 kg | 326 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Yokozuna East
Natsu 2025 Record: 12-3; Jun-Yusho
Hoshoryu rebounded well after his less than ideal Yokozuna debut in March. His back-to-back defeats to Oho and Abi on Days 3 and 4 kept him behind the 8 ball compared to Onosato's dominance. Hoshoryu still had the last laugh by beating Onosato in a meaningless final day match.
02 Yokozuna West Onosato
Onosato Daiki | 大の里 泰輝
Nishonoseki | Ishikawa
Birthdate: June 7, 2000
Height: 192 cm | 6' 4"
Weight: 185 kg | 407 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Ozeki East
Natsu 2025 Record: 14-1; Yusho
Onosato steamrolled over the rest of Makuuchi in May, clinching his yusho on Day 13 with his 13th win. The scariest part for everyone else is that he might have found a new level of sumo by being able to absorb any tachiai. On Day 15, Hoshoryu was still able to throw him, but that just means Onosato is a newly minted Yokozuna with room to grow.
03 Ozeki East Kotozakura
Kotozakura Masahiro | 琴櫻 傑太
Sadogatake | Chiba
Birthdate: November 19, 1997
Height: 189 cm | 6' 2"
Weight: 181 kg | 398 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Ozeki West
Natsu 2025 Record: 8-7
Kotozakura got his 8, which is what keeps him at Ozeki. It's nothing compared to the Yokozuna promotion form he was showing at the end of last year. Perhaps that rikishi is still in there if he can shake the injuries that have been plaguing him since January.
04 Sekiwake #1 East Daieisho
Daieisho Hayato | 大栄翔 勇人
Oitekaze | Saitama
Birthdate: November 10, 1993
Height: 182 cm | 6' 0"
Weight: 164 kg | 361 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Sekiwake East
Natsu 2025 Record: 10-5
Daieisho has become a master at the quietly impressive basho. His 10-5 gives the pusher-thruster a slim chance at an Ozeki promotion in Nagoya if he gets 14 wins. Even if he never makes Ozeki, Daieisho has now gone 7 straight tournaments with a winning record. And he has only had three basho out of Sanyaku since January 2022.
05 Sekiwake #1 West Kirishima
Kirishima Tetsuo | 霧島 鐵雄
Otowayama | Mongolia
Birthdate: April 24, 1996
Height: 186 cm | 6' 1"
Weight: 150 kg | 330 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Sekiwake West
Natsu 2025 Record: 11-4; Technique Prize
Kirishima has occasionally fought like an Ozeki in the past year, but he hasn't put together three tournaments in a row to return to the rank. His 11-4 (with a Technique Prize for good measure) in May was his third 11 win or better performance in the last year. He even beat the Yokozuna in May, and if he gets locked in he may again be among possible title contenders.
06 Sekiwake #2 West Wakatakakage
Wakatakakage Atsushi | 若隆景 渥
Arashio | Fukushima
Birthdate: December 6, 1994
Height: 182 cm | 6' 0"
Weight: 132 kg | 290 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Komusubi West
Natsu 2025 Record: 12-3; Jun-Yusho, Technique Prize
Wakatakakage had a bit of a back-door Jun-Yusho in a tournament where Onosato won handily. He earned victories in his last four matches, and the Arashio man earned a Technique Prize. It's hard not to think he may have made Ozeki if he hadn't gotten injured in 2023, and he's performing well enough to keep threatening it.
07 Komusubi East Oshoma
Oshoma Degi | 欧勝馬 出気
Naruto | Mongolia
Birthdate: April 9, 1997
Height: 190 cm | 6' 3"
Weight: 167 kg | 367 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Maegashira #6 East
Natsu 2025 Record: 10-5
Oshoma is 27, so dead in his prime, and he is nearing Sanyaku status bit-by-bit. His overall career top kimarite is still hatakikomi, but May saw Oshoma go forward more often and win by more usual push outs. There's a good rikishi in here, and now the question is how much higher his ceiling really is.
08 Komusubi West Takayasu
Takayasu Akira | 高安 晃
Tagonoura | Ibaraki
Birthdate: February 28, 1990
Height: 188 cm | 6' 2"
Weight: 175 kg | 385 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Komusubi East
Natsu 2025 Record: 6-9
Takayasu completed all 15 days of the Natsu basho, but he sure looked like he was hurt. If he got going backwards, the Old Bear had no recourse to push back on his opponent. It was a real shame coming off his Jun-Yusho in March, but he's still in Sanyaku (somehow) and could be healthy again.
09 Maegashira #1 East Aonishiki
Aonishiki Arata | 安青錦 新大
Ajigawa | Ukraine
Birthdate: March 23, 2004
Height: 180 cm | 5' 11"
Weight: 136 kg | 299 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Maegashira #9 East
Natsu 2025 Record: 11-4; Fighting Spirit Prize
Aonishiki followed up his 11-4 debut Makuuchi basho with another 11-4 and Fighting Spirit Prize. Just 21, the sky is the Ukrainian's limit. In the short term, he is going to get a much heavier dose of the top-ranked opponents. He has largely proven he can manage fellow Maegashira.
10 Maegashira #1 West Wakamotoharu
Wakamotoharu Minato | 若元春 港
Arashio | Fukushima
Birthdate: October 5, 1993
Height: 187 cm | 6' 2"
Weight: 150 kg | 330 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Maegashira #1 East
Natsu 2025 Record: 7-8
Wakamotoharu went 7-8, which was actually quite respectable for someone in upper Maegashira last basho. He stays on the verge of a Sanyaku return. Despite being on the wrong side of thirty and being a late bloomer, doubting him has proved a good way to be wrong.
11 Maegashira #2 East Oho
Oho Konosuke | 王鵬 幸之介
Otake | Tokyo
Birthdate: February 14, 2000
Height: 191 cm | 6' 3"
Weight: 180 kg | 396 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Maegashira #1 West
Natsu 2025 Record: 7-8
Oho held his own against the toughest possible schedule, and he'll face a similar slate in Nagoya despite his losing record. Although obviously eclipsed by his two contemporaries that have recently made Yokozuna, Oho still has some potential. His best sumo is very good indeed, and Oho could be in a yusho race sometime soon.
12 Maegashira #2 West Abi
Abi Masatora | 阿炎 政虎
Shikoroyama | Saitama
Birthdate: May 4, 1994
Height: 186 cm | 6' 1"
Weight: 166 kg | 365 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Maegashira #2 East
Natsu 2025 Record: 7-8
Abi did Abi things in May, flailing his hands at opponents' chests, beating the Yokozuna, and losing his final four matches to end up at 7-8. From match to match, it is unclear how good Abi will do despite having exactly one approach. Overall, though, he usually does end up about even in recent basho.
13 Maegashira #3 East Onokatsu
Onokatsu Kazuhiro | 阿武剋 一弘
Onomatsu | Mongolia
Birthdate: May 5, 2000
Height: 185 cm | 6' 1"
Weight: 167 kg | 367 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Maegashira #8 East
Natsu 2025 Record: 10-5
Onokatsu is basically the same age as Onosato and also was a Makushita Tsukedashi after a great amateur career. By record-setting Yokozuna lights, he is just okay, but otherwise he has been great. Onokatsu could be knocking on the door of Sanyaku soon and should be a top-division mainstay for awhile.
14 Maegashira #3 West Kinbozan
Kinbozan Natsuki | 金峰山 晴樹
Kise | Kazakhstan
Birthdate: June 24, 1997
Height: 195 cm | 6' 5"
Weight: 180 kg | 396 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Maegashira #8 West
Natsu 2025 Record: 10-5
Kinbozan won 10 after winning just 6 in March, which came after a 12-3 Jun-Yusho in January. Guessing what the Big Kazakh will do seems like a great way to look silly. What is certain is that he is an absolute load even among top division rikishi, and that can cause problems for anyone.
15 Maegashira #4 East Hakuoho
Hakuoho Tetsuya | 伯桜鵬 哲也
Miyagino | Tottori
Birthdate: August 22, 2003
Height: 181 cm | 5' 11"
Weight: 155 kg | 341 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Maegashira #7 East
Natsu 2025 Record: 8-7
Hakuoho was in the yusho race at 8-1 after 9 days of fighting. Then he hurt his knee and couldn't do anything else. He did keep competing, but he lost every match while looking like all he could do was stumble backwards.
16 Maegashira #4 West Tamawashi
Tamawashi Ichiro | 玉鷲 一朗
Kataonami | Mongolia
Birthdate: November 16, 1984
Height: 189 cm | 6' 2"
Weight: 178 kg | 392 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Maegashira #3 East
Natsu 2025 Record: 6-9
6-9 isn't the best score for a former 2 time yusho winner, but a 6-9 makes the 40-and-a-half year old Tamawashi still in Makuuchi with room to spare. A yusho run before he hangs up the mawashi would be fun, but we need to just be rooting for him to stick around a little longer.
17 Maegashira #5 East Hiradoumi
Hiradoumi Yuki | 平戸海 雄貴
Sakaigawa | Nagasaki
Birthdate: April 20, 2000
Height: 178 cm | 5' 10"
Weight: 139 kg | 306 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Maegashira #3 West
Natsu 2025 Record: 6-9
Hiradoumi is still figuring out how to get back into Sanyaku after falling out. He is barely 25 and goes as hard as anyone in sumo, so expect Hiradoumi to rise up to the named ranks again. Hiradoumi also probably needs to rein it in about 10% overall to be more focused in each match.
18 Maegashira #5 West Meisei
Meisei Chikara | 明生 力
Tatsunami | Kagashima
Birthdate: July 24, 1995
Height: 180 cm | 5' 11"
Weight: 157 kg | 345 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Maegashira #10 East
Natsu 2025 Record: 9-6
The top Ryukyuan in sumo had a decent basho. What's funny about Meisei is that his Sanyaku break through came at 26, then he had an up-and-down last few years when he should be in his prime. He turns 30 in this basho, and maybe old age and veteran savvy will even out his sumo for the better.
19 Maegashira #6 East Takerufuji
Takerufuji Mikiya | 尊富士 弥輝也
Isegahama | Aomori
Birthdate: April 9, 1999
Height: 184 cm | 6' 0"
Weight: 148 kg | 326 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Maegashira #4 East
Natsu 2025 Record: 6-9
Takerufuji somehow got his first losing record as a professional sumotori (when he was fully healthy.) It was bound to happen at some point, and Takerufuji's task now is to figure out how to find his sumo again.
20 Maegashira #6 West Gonoyama
Gonoyama Toki | 豪ノ山 登輝
Takekuma | Osaka
Birthdate: April 7, 1998
Height: 178 cm | 5' 10"
Weight: 164 kg | 361 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Maegashira #2 West
Natsu 2025 Record: 4-11
Gonoyama greatly crumbled in May after looking like he was becoming an upper Maegashira mainstay. He did lose his first six while running the Sanyaku gauntlet,which would throw anyone off. He has such a strong pushing preference that any hint of grappling does seem to throw him off. That's what he needs to work on now.
21 Maegashira #7 East Tobizaru
Tobizaru Masaya | 翔猿 正也
Oitekaze | Tokyo
Birthdate: April 24, 1992
Height: 173 cm | 5' 8"
Weight: 135 kg | 297 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Maegashira #6 West
Natsu 2025 Record: 7-8
Tobizaru has had three straight losing records, although has only gone 20-25 with a Kinboshi in there. He is sliding, but not too quickly. Additionally, Tobizaru is still some of the best viewing in sumo, so him being the designated marker of up-and-comers withstanding Makuuchi should be fun.
22 Maegashira #7 West Endo
Endo Shota | 遠藤 聖大
Oitekaze | Ishikawa
Birthdate: October 19, 1990
Height: 184 cm | 6' 0"
Weight: 150 kg | 330 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Maegashira #11 East
Natsu 2025 Record: 9-6
Endo bounces back up a bit after earning 9 wins as a Maegashira #11. There is nothing about his sumo that says he could be a secret contender, especially because he frequently looks problematically injured. Nonetheless, his innate ability and range of skills means he can beat most mid-Maegashira on his day.
23 Maegashira #8 East Sadanoumi
Sadanoumi Takashi | 佐田の海 貴士
Sakaigawa | Kumamoto
Birthdate: May 11, 1987
Height: 182 cm | 6' 0"
Weight: 143 kg | 315 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Maegashira #13 West
Natsu 2025 Record: 10-5; Fighting Spirit Prize
Sadanoumi earned a Fighting Spirit Prize! Right after turning 38! If it weren't for Tamawashi's remarkable longevity, we'd all be talking about Sadanoumi a lot more. He is still working on making his Sanyaku debut, so there's more for him to do in sumo.
24 Maegashira #8 West Ichiyamamoto
Ichiyamamoto Daiki | 一山本 大生
Hanaregoma | Hokkaido
Birthdate: October 1, 1993
Height: 188 cm | 6' 2"
Weight: 150 kg | 330 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Maegashira #4 West
Natsu 2025 Record: 5-10
Ichiyamamoto did not have a good May and he will fall into a different section of the Banzuke. That could be good for him, although there's a ceiling to what Ichiyamamoto can do. He will give his absolute all to thrusting both hands at the other guy's chest. Sometimes it works, and oftener it just doesn't.
25 Maegashira #9 East Ura
Ura Kazuki | 宇良 和輝
Kise | Osaka
Birthdate: June 22, 1992
Height: 175 cm | 5' 9"
Weight: 139 kg | 306 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Maegashira #5 East
Natsu 2025 Record: 5-10
5 wins was not a good result for Ura, and at 33 now with his injury history he could be on a steady decline. Of course, he was still fun on the basho. Ura may have even had the best move of the basho by unleashing the tsutaezori, an under-arm forward body drop, on Takayasu on Day 11. However he's performing, he's still fun to watch.
26 Maegashira #9 West Chiyoshoma
Chiyoshoma Fujio | 千代翔馬 富士雄
Kokonoe | Mongolia
Birthdate: July 20, 1991
Height: 184 cm | 6' 0"
Weight: 139 kg | 306 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Maegashira #5 West
Natsu 2025 Record: 4-11
A near 34 year old with a relatively slight build and an over-reliance on tricks shouldn't be doing well, and Chiyoshoma did not during Natsu. The thing about Chiyoshoma is that the utter weirdness of facing him puts him at a small advantage. Seeing a somewhat different slate than last time after his demotion, he may get a winning record.
27 Maegashira #10 East Atamifuji
Atamifuji Sakutaro | 熱海富士 朔太郎
Isegahama | Shizuoka
Birthdate: September 3, 2002
Height: 185 cm | 6' 1"
Weight: 188 kg | 414 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Maegashira #12 East
Natsu 2025 Record: 8-7
Atamifuji stabilized a bit after two bad basho. Going 8-7 from Maegashira #12 isn't really something to write home about for someone who was knocking on the door of Sanyaku a year-and-a-half ago. The good news for Atamifuji is that time is still on his side as he doesn't turn 23 until September.
28 Maegashira #10 West Roga
Roga Tokiyoshi | 狼雅 外喜義
Futagoyama | Russia
Birthdate: March 2, 1999
Height: 185 cm | 6' 1"
Weight: 154 kg | 339 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Maegashira #14 West
Natsu 2025 Record: 9-6
Roga bounced back from an injury-induced one basho trip to Juryo by earning nine wins. He is certainly more of a mid-Maegashira, but he's also 26 and in his theoretical prime. Whether he can go higher is an open question, as his solidity and functionality doesn't scream "Sanyaku.""
29 Maegashira #11 East Takanosho
Takanosho Nobuaki | 隆の勝 伸明
Tokiwayama | Chiba
Birthdate: November 14, 1994
Height: 184 cm | 6' 0"
Weight: 173 kg | 381 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Maegashira #12 West
Natsu 2025 Record: 8-7
A bare winning record isn't a great record for Takanosho at Maegashira #12, considering he is a former Sanyaku man. He has been a top-division mainstay for six years now, and he did manage to keep more breathing room between him and Juryo.
30 Maegashira #11 West Tokihayate
Tokihayate Hideki | 時疾風 秀喜
Tokitsukaze | Miyagi
Birthdate: August 25, 1996
Height: 179 cm | 5' 10"
Weight: 131 kg | 288 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Maegashira #13 East
Natsu 2025 Record: 8-7
Tokihayate has officially stabilized himself in Makuuchi, which didn't look like a certainty after his debut last year. Since he's small for a sekitori, he needs to be perfect with his throws to win.
31 Maegashira #12 East Midorifuji
Midorifuji Kazunari | 翠富士 一成
Isegahama | Shizuoka
Birthdate: August 30, 1996
Height: 174 cm | 5' 9"
Weight: 114 kg | 251 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Maegashira #9 West
Natsu 2025 Record: 6-9
Midorifuji's basho started with 9 straight losses, with him looking completely lost out there. Then he finished his basho with a six-match win streak. That was accompanied by an easing of his strength of schedule, but six in a row is always impressive.
32 Maegashira #12 West Asakoryu
Asakoryu Takuma | 朝紅龍 琢馬
Takasago | Osaka
Birthdate: September 24, 1998
Height: 177 cm | 5' 10"
Weight: 125 kg | 275 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Maegashira #17 West
Natsu 2025 Record: 10-5
Asakoryu kept his Makuuchi spot by the thinnest of margins in May, but he ended up showing well. His 10 wins puts him well away from a potential Juryo drop. He is one of the functionally smallest Maegashira (Kayo is shorter and Midorifuji weighs less, but Asakoryu gets the combo). Whether his get-sideways-and-try-a-throw sumo keeps working is the big question going forward.
33 Maegashira #13 East Churanoumi
Churanoumi Yoshihisa | 美ノ海 義久
Kise | Okinawa
Birthdate: May 6, 1993
Height: 177 cm | 5' 10"
Weight: 145 kg | 319 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Maegashira #7 West
Natsu 2025 Record: 4-11
Churanoumi had a basho to forget after a banner tournament in May. Such is life for a sumotori who jumped way up the Banzuke. There is nothing spectacular about Churanoumi, and his solidity may do him a better favor after a demotion.
34 Maegashira #13 West Shodai
Shodai Naoya | 正代 直也
Tokitsukaze | Kumamoto
Birthdate: November 5, 1991
Height: 184 cm | 6' 0"
Weight: 170 kg | 374 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Maegashira #10 West
Natsu 2025 Record: 6-9
Shodai is, remarkably, at his lowest ever Makuuchi rank since he debuted at Maegashira #12 in January 2016. Over the last 9 years, Shodai hasn't always been the most consistent, but he has been one of the best. Hanging around still in Makuuchi at this point of his career is a sign of the former Ozeki's outstanding sumo talent.
35 Maegashira #14 East Kusano
Kusano Naoya | 草野 直哉
Isegahama | Kumamoto
Birthdate: June 25, 2001
Height: 183 cm | 6' 0"
Weight: 151 kg | 332 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Juryo #1 West
Natsu 2025 Record: 13-2
Kusano is the back-to-back Juryo champion, and Makuuchi should be watching out.Those were also his only Juryo basho after entering as a Makushita Tsukedashi last May. He's an absolute powerhouse of a sumotori who is equally comfortable with yorikiri and oshidashi.
36 Maegashira #14 West Fujinokawa
Fujinokawa Seigo | 藤ノ川成剛
Isenoumi | Kyoto
Birthdate: February 22, 2005
Height: 176 cm | 5' 9"
Weight: 117 kg | 257 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Juryo #5 West
Natsu 2025 Record: 12-3
Fujinokawa (formerly Wakaikari) is making his top-division debut as a 20-year-old, which is pretty special. He's small, but has a bag of tricks from a platform of pushing and thrusting. This is a possible future star, although his size will always be against him.
37 Maegashira #15 East Kotoshoho
Kotoshoho Yoshinari | 琴勝峰 吉成
Sadogatake | Chiba
Birthdate: August 26, 1999
Height: 191 cm | 6' 3"
Weight: 172 kg | 378 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Maegashira #14 East
Natsu 2025 Record: 6-4-5
Kotoshoho missed the first five days with a bicep injury, which is usually a recipe to go far down into Juryo. Instead, he came back and won more than he lost. He still has not figured out how to be calm and in control.
38 Maegashira #15 West Hidenoumi
Hidenoumi Takuya | 英乃海 拓也
Kise | Tokyo
Birthdate: June 11, 1989
Height: 185 cm | 6' 1"
Weight: 157 kg | 345 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: 9-6
Natsu 2025 Record: Juryo #2 East
Hidenoumi comes back to Makuuchi after three-and-a-half-years and a minor gambling scandal. (He and stablemate Shiden visited an illegal gambling club and made small bets.) Now 36 and never one who was an overwhelming talent, Hidenoumi should probably be thankful he gets one more top division basho.
39 Maegashira #16 East Kayo
Kayo Yasutoki | 嘉陽 快宗
Nakamura | Okinawa
Birthdate: July 14, 1999
Height: 171 cm | 5' 7"
Weight: 168 kg | 370 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Maegashira #16 East
Natsu 2025 Record: 7-8
Kayo just held on to his Makuuchi slot during his debut basho, although with a bare losing record. Kayo is one of the more noticeable silhouettes on the dohyo, being built like a square. His thrusting is more of the interesting "Where we will he hit him?" vibe than the boring "There he goes again" form as well.
40 Maegashira #16 West Mitakeumi
Mitakeumi Hisashi | 御嶽海 久司
Dewanoumi | Nagano
Birthdate: December 25, 1992
Height: 182 cm | 6' 0"
Weight: 172 kg | 378 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Juryo #1 East
Natsu 2025 Record: 9-6
Mitakeumi pops right back up into Makuuchi after a 9-6 from Juryo's top slot. Don't exactly expect the former Ozeki to be shooting up the Banzuke. He isn't really any healthier or younger plus he didn't dominate Juryo. Still. it's good to have him back.
41 Maegashira #17 East Kotoeiho
Kotoeiho Taiki | 琴栄峰 太希
Sadogatake | Chiba
Birthdate: July 8, 2003
Height: 184 cm | 6' 0"
Weight: 131 kg | 288 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Juryo #7 West
Natsu 2025 Record: 11-4
Kotoeiho joins older brother Kotoshoho in the top division after 11 wins from mid-Juryo. He looks a lot like his older brother, both facially and on the dohyo. This is a good, young, and talented rikishi, but Kotoeiho might need a few chances to really stick in Makuuchi.
42 Maegashira #17 West Shishi
Shishi Masaru | 獅司 大
Ikazuchi | Ukraine
Birthdate: January 16, 1997
Height: 193 cm | 6' 4"
Weight: 170 kg | 374 lbs
Natsu 2025 Rank: Maegashira #11 West
Natsu 2025 Record: 4-11
Shishi is a very large human, but that is less of an advantage than it seems in Makuuchi. Shishi needs to figure out something besides being big and planting his feet. Of course, having that means he can hang around Maegashira to figure it out--as long as he does better than 4 wins this time.