Kadoban pressure on Dejima, Kaio at July (Nagoya) 2001

Yokozuna Takanohana, who won the title at 13-2, goes for back-to-back championships. Yokozuna Musashimaru, who forced a playoff at 13-2 last basho, goes after the cup that slipped away.

Ozeki Chiyotaikai went a strong 12-3 last basho and belongs in the title conversation. Ozeki Musoyama went 9-6 last basho and looks to build on it. Ozeki Miyabiyama went 9-6 last basho and looks to build on it.

In the sanyaku ranks, Wakanosato moves up to Komusubi after going 8-7 at Maegashira 1.

• Yokozuna Takanohanalast basho 13-2
• Yokozuna Musashimarulast basho 13-2
• Ozeki Chiyotaikailast basho Ozeki, 12-3
• Ozeki Musoyamalast basho 9-6
• Ozeki Miyabiyamalast basho Ozeki, 9-6
• Komusubi Wakanosatolast basho Maegashira 1, 8-7

ozeki Dejima, after finishing 5-10 last basho, enters this one kadoban. It is kadoban No. 2, but he has fought his way out of his only previous one. The numbers add to the worry: his rating of 2269 sits 228 points below his peak of 2497, just No. 13 in makuuchi — thin for an ozeki. Can he summon the rank's pride anyway?

Meanwhile, ozeki Kaio, after finishing 4-5-6 last basho, enters this one kadoban. It is his first kadoban since reaching the rank. His pre-basho rating of 2481 is 187 points off his peak of 2668 — yet still the No. 4 figure in makuuchi. The ability is there; the question is the record.

• Ozeki Dejimalast basho 5-10 ・ kadoban #2
• Ozeki Kaiolast basho 4-5-6 ・ kadoban #1

Making their makuuchi debut: Kitazakura.

Returning to makuuchi: Oginishiki, Minatofuji.

• Maegashira 9 Kitazakuradebut
• Maegashira 14 Oginishikireturning
• Maegashira 15 Minatofujireturning

Takanohana tops the pre-basho ELO chart at 2650. On the numbers, these five headline the title race.

• Yokozuna TakanohanaELO 2650
• Yokozuna MusashimaruELO 2621
• Ozeki ChiyotaikaiELO 2514
• Ozeki KaioELO 2481
• Sekiwake TochiazumaELO 2457 ・ Forward Pusher

• Asashoryu (Komusubi) vs Musashimaru (Yokozuna) →head-to-head: Musashimaru leads 5-4; the rating model gives Asashoryu 14%
• Chiyotaikai (Ozeki) vs Wakanosato (Komusubi) →head-to-head: Chiyotaikai leads 27-5; the rating model gives Chiyotaikai 72%
• Tochiazuma (Sekiwake) vs Musoyama (Ozeki) →head-to-head: Tochiazuma leads 18-7; the rating model gives Tochiazuma 52%