Sumo could have two new ōzeki before Christmas.
That’s the inescapable possibility that jumps off the page when looking at the recently released banzuke rankings for the September tournament.
Wakatakakage’s promotion hopes have already been well documented, but Aonishiki’s outstanding performance at the top of the maegashira ranks in July may also turn out to be the start of an ōzeki run.
While the oft-stated prerequisite for promotion to sumo’s second-highest rank is 33 wins over three tournaments at either sekiwake or komusubi, neither the number or wins nor being in the sanyaku ranks are official requirements.
In the past decade, both Terunofuji and Tochinoshin were promoted to ōzeki after three basho runs that began in the maegashira ranks.
In both cases, it was from an even lower starting point than Aonishiki in July, with Tochinos
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