Yokozunas and Ozekis for January 2026

[Jejima 1,345]

January 2025 will start with four names in the lofty top two ranks - this is the same as for the start of January 2024, but not all the same names.  Will this number increase, decrease, or stay the same for January 2026?

Please leave your actual prediction for the top two ranks for the January 2026 banzuke in the comments below, like this....

Doc     Y1  Happy
Grumpy Y2
Sneezy    O1   Bashful
               O2   Sleepy

etc

- then we can see who came the closest at the end of the year - and it might be used as a 'tie-breaker'.

Previous polls:

2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012 - not polled
2011
2010
2009
2008

[Kintamayama 44,639]

Kotozakura Y Houshouryuu

                   Y Oonosato

Kirishima O Wakatakakage

Takerufuji O

Edited Friday at 22:57 by Kintamayama

[Bunbukuchagama 701]

57 minutes ago, Kintamayama said:

Kotozakura Y Houshouryuu

                   Y Oonosato

Kirishima O Wakatakakage

Takerufuji O

Feeling generous today? 

There is not enough basho in a year to make all of this happen. 

[Reonito 1,382]

5 minutes ago, Bunbukuchagama said:

There is not enough basho in a year to make all of this happen. 

Just for the sake of argument: Hoshoryu beats Kotozakura in a playoff in January, both get promoted to Y. Onosato wins two consecutive basho sometime after January. WTK gets 11 in January, 12 in March, gets promoted to O. Takerufuji gets to upper maegashira in March, san'yaku in May, his run is May-July-Sept with a month to play with. I'm not doing Kirishima. Everyone else eats a lot of losses.

[Bunbukuchagama 701]

Just now, Reonito said:

Just for the sake of argument: Hoshoryu beats Kotozakura in a playoff in January, both get promoted to Y. Onosato wins two consecutive basho sometime after January. WTK gets 11 in January, 12 in March, gets promoted to O. Takerufuji gets to upper maegashira in March, san'yaku in May, his run is May-July-Sept with a month to play with. I'm not doing Kirishima. Everyone else eats a lot of losses.

I am not saying it is mathematically impossible, but any writer daring to propose such a scenario as even remotely plausible would get laughed out of the room. 

[Gurowake 4,011]

I'm going to be boring.

Onosato Y

Hoshoryu O Kotonowaka

That's it.

Aonishiki and Takerufuji will make it in mid-2026

Edited Saturday at 02:50 by Gurowake

[Yarimotsu 548]

Hoshoryu     Y1  Onosato
Kotozakura    O1   Wakatakakage

 

WTK might not make it. I doubt anyone else will make a serious run, but the second half of the year is always hard to predict.

[Kintamayama 44,639]

9 hours ago, Bunbukuchagama said:

Feeling generous today? 

There is not enough basho in a year to make all of this happen. 

Indeed. Reality sometimes beats fantasy. Ozeki after five  bashos in Makuuchi? You gotta be out of your mind..

Anyway, it's a new strategy. It won't be the first time I would be laughed out of the room. (See "Asasohuryuu? Who is that?", laughter and ridicule.)

Edited Saturday at 09:30 by Kintamayama

[Wakawakawaka 146]

Kotozakura Y1

Hoshoryu O1 Onosato

I don't see anyone making an Ozeki run in 2025.

[Bunbukuchagama 701]

On 29/11/2024 at 21:49, Gurowake said:

I'm going to be boring.

Onosato Y

Hoshoryu O Kotonowaka

This is also my prediction.

[Ryoshishokunin 275]

I'm going to go with 
Onosato Y Kotozakura
Hoshoryu O 

(Up to YO rules, but close enough.)

[just_some_guy 263]

Onosato Y Kotozakura

Takerufuji O Hoshoryu

[Fashiritētā 171]

Kotozakura    Y1  Onosato
Hoshoryu    O1   Wakatakakage