July 2018 Banzuke & Preview

YOKOZUNA: KAKURYU (Mongolia/Izutsu) went 14-1 in May, winning his second consecutive championship. HAKUHO (Mongolia/Miyagino) finished the May tournament with an uncharacteristic 11-4 record. KISENOSATO (Ibaraki/Tagonoura) did not compete in May. It was the seventh consecutive tournament that he did not complete. Rumor has it that he will be asked to retire if he cannot complete the July tournament.

OZEKI: GOEIDO (Osaka/Sakaigawa) went 3-6-5 in May, pulling out on day 9. He will be kadoban for the seventh time. TAKAYASU (Ibaraki/Tagonoura) was injured in training before the tournament, and did not compete in May. He will be kadoban for the second time in July. TOCHINOSHIN (Georgia/Kasugano) went 13-2 in May as a sekiwake, and was awarded both the Fighting Spirit and Technique prizes.

SEKIWAKE: ICHINOJO (Mongolia/Minato) went 8-7 as a sekiwake in May. MITAKEUMI (Nagano/Dewanoumi) returns to the rank of sekiwake after a one tournament stint as a komusubi in May, where he went 9-6.

KOMUSUBI: TAMAWASHI (Mongolia/Kataonami) went 8-7 at maegashira 1 in May. SHOHOZAN (Fukuoka/Nishonoseki) went 8-7 at maegashira 2, earning a kinboshi and an Outstanding Performance prize.

MAEGASHIRA 1: SHODAI (Kumamoto/Tokitsukaze) spent the May tournament at maegashira 4, where he went 9-6. KOTOSHOGIKU (Fukuoka/Sadogatake) went 8-7 at maegashira 5 in May.

MAEGASHIRA 2: IKIOI (Osaka/Isenoumi) went 8-7 at maegashira 5. CHIYONOKUNI (Mie/Kokonoe) collected a Fighting Spirit prize, as he went 12-3 at maegashira 11 in May.

MAEGASHIRA 3: ABI (Saitama/Shikoroyama) went 7-8 in May, but earned a kinboshi. TAKAKEISHO (Hyogo/Takanohana) went 10-5 at maegashira 10 in May.

MAEGASHIRA 4: KAISEI (Brazil/Tomozuna) finished the May tournament at 6-9. KAGAYAKI (Ishikawa/Takadagawa) had a 9-6 record at the end of the May tournament.

MAEGASHIRA 5: DAISHOMARU (Osaka/Oitekaze) went 9-6 in May. YOSHIKAZE (Oita/Oguruma) went 8-7 in May.

MAEGASHIRA 6: ENDO (Ishikawa/Oitekaze) drops down from komusubi after pulling out of the May tournament, finishing 3-10-2. CHIYOTAIRYU (Tokyo/Kokonoe) finished the May tournament 6-9.

MAEGASHIRA 7: TAKARAFUJI (Aomori/Isegahama) went 7-8 in May. DAIEISHO (Saitama/Oitekaze) finished 5-10 in May.

MAEGASHIRA 8: CHIYOSHOMA (Mongolia/Kokonoe) went 6-9 in May. KYOKUTAISEI (Hokkaido/Tomozuna) went 10-5 and earned a Fighting Spirit prize in his makuuchi debut in May.

MAEGASHIRA 9: MYOGIRYU (Hyogo/Sakaigawa) had a clutch 10-5 performance at maegashira 16 in May. YUTAKAYAMA (Niigata/Tokitsukaze) went 2-13 in May.

MAEGASHIRA 10: CHIYOMARU (Kagoshima/Kokonoe) went 5-10 in May. NISHIKIGI (Iwate/Isenoumi) finished with a mirror 10-5 record.

MAEGASHIRA 11: AOIYAMA (Bulgaria/Kasugano) finished the May tournament at 8-7. ONOSHO (Aomori/Onomatsu) won the juryo championship in May with a 12-3 record.

MAEGASHIRA 12: SADANOUMI (Kumamoto/Sakaigawa) went 8-7 at maegashira 14. ARAWASHI (Mongolia/Minezaki) had a mirror 7-8 record at maegashira 12.

MAEGASHIRA 13: TOCHIOZAN (Kochi/Kasugano) went 8-7 at maegashira 15 to stay in the division. ASANOYAMA (Toyama/Takasago) drops one spot after finishing with a mirror 7-8 record at maegashira 12.

MAEGASHIRA 14: KOTOEKO (Miyazaki/Sadogatake) went 11-4 in May at juryo 2. OKINOUMI (Shimane/Hakkaku) went 5-10 in May.

MAEGASHIRA 15: ISHIURA (Tottori/Miyagino) finished 6-9 in May. RYUDEN (Yamanashi/Takadagawa) drops from maegashira 7, after a 3-12 record in May.

MAEGASHIRA 16: HOKUTOFUJI (Saitama/Hakkaku) went 4-7-3 in May after pulling out on day 11. MEISEI (Kagoshima/Tatsunami) will make his makuuchi debut after a 10-5 performance in May at juryo 4.