Kadoban pressure on Dejima, Chiyotaikai at March (Haru) 2001

Yokozuna Takanohana, who won the title at 14-1, goes for back-to-back championships. Yokozuna Musashimaru, who forced a playoff at 14-1 last basho, goes after the cup that slipped away.

Ozeki Kaio went 10-5 last basho and looks to build on it. Ozeki Musoyama went 9-6 last basho and looks to build on it. Ozeki Miyabiyama went 8-7 last basho and looks to build on it.

In the sanyaku ranks, Tochiazuma moves up to Komusubi after going 10-5 at Maegashira 4; Wakanoyama moves up to Komusubi after going 9-6 at Maegashira 3.

• Yokozuna Takanohanalast basho Yokozuna, 14-1
• Yokozuna Musashimarulast basho 14-1
• Ozeki Kaiolast basho 10-5
• Ozeki Musoyamalast basho Ozeki, 9-6
• Ozeki Miyabiyamalast basho Ozeki, 8-7
• Komusubi Tochiazumalast basho Maegashira 4, 10-5
• Komusubi Wakanoyamalast basho Maegashira 3, 9-6

ozeki Dejima, after finishing 7-8 last basho, enters this one kadoban. It is his first kadoban since reaching the rank. The numbers add to the worry: his rating of 2344 sits 153 points below his peak of 2497, just No. 10 in makuuchi — thin for an ozeki. Can he summon the rank's pride anyway?

Meanwhile, ozeki Chiyotaikai, after finishing 2-2-11 last basho, enters this one kadoban. It is kadoban No. 3 — he survived 1 of 2, but fell to sekiwake 1 time. His pre-basho rating of 2422 is 167 points off his peak of 2589 — yet still the No. 5 figure in makuuchi. The ability is there; the question is the record.

• Ozeki Dejimalast basho 7-8 ・ kadoban #1
• Ozeki Chiyotaikailast basho 2-2-11 ・ kadoban #3

Returning to makuuchi: Tamanoshima, Otsukasa, Terao, Jumonji, Aminishiki.

• Maegashira 10 Tamanoshimareturning
• Maegashira 12 Otsukasareturning
• Maegashira 12 Teraoreturning
• Maegashira 13 Jumonjireturning
• Maegashira 15 Aminishikireturning

Takanohana tops the pre-basho ELO chart at 2618. On the numbers, these five headline the title race.

• Yokozuna TakanohanaELO 2618
• Yokozuna MusashimaruELO 2591
• Ozeki KaioELO 2508
• Komusubi TochiazumaELO 2443 ・ Forward Pusher
• Ozeki ChiyotaikaiELO 2422

• Takanohana (Yokozuna) vs Tochiazuma (Komusubi) →head-to-head: Takanohana leads 16-5; the rating model gives Takanohana 73%
• Kyokutenho (Maegashira 1) vs Musashimaru (Yokozuna) →head-to-head: Musashimaru leads 10-1; the rating model gives Kyokutenho 11%
• Kaio (Ozeki) vs Wakanoyama (Komusubi) →head-to-head: Kaio leads 10-4; the rating model gives Kaio 80%