Kakuryu chases the rope at March (Haru) 2014

Yokozuna Hakuho, who won the title at 14-1, goes for back-to-back championships. Yokozuna Harumafuji, who sat out the entire tournament last time, returns looking to make amends.

Ozeki Kotoshogiku went 9-6 last basho and looks to build on it.

In the sanyaku ranks, Toyonoshima moves up to Komusubi after going 8-7 at Maegashira 1; Shohozan moves up to Komusubi after going 9-6 at Maegashira 5.

• Yokozuna Hakuholast basho Yokozuna, 14-1
• Yokozuna Harumafujilast basho Yokozuna, 0-0-15
• Ozeki Kotoshogikulast basho Ozeki, 9-6
• Komusubi Toyonoshimalast basho Maegashira 1, 8-7
• Komusubi Shohozanlast basho Maegashira 5, 9-6

After going 9-6 two basho ago, ozeki Kakuryu forced a playoff at 14-1 last basho, only to see the cup slip away. A championship — or a 13-win basho — here would meet the two-basho standard and make the rope real. Fifteen days begin in which he can hardly afford a single loss.

Meanwhile, ozeki Kisenosato, after finishing 7-8 last basho, enters this one kadoban. It is his first kadoban since reaching the rank. His pre-basho rating of 2657 is 155 points off his peak of 2812 — yet still the No. 4 figure in makuuchi. The ability is there; the question is the record.

• Ozeki Kakuryulast basho 14-1 ・ runner-up ・ yokozuna bid
• Ozeki Kisenosatolast basho 7-8 ・ kadoban #1

Making their makuuchi debut: Terunofuji, Chiyomaru.

Returning to makuuchi: Jokoryu, Azumaryu, Tenkaiho.

• Maegashira 10 Terunofujidebut
• Maegashira 12 Chiyomarudebut
• Maegashira 13 Jokoryureturning
• Maegashira 14 Azumaryureturning
• Maegashira 15 Tenkaihoreturning

Hakuho tops the pre-basho ELO chart at 2943. On the numbers, these five headline the title race.

• Yokozuna HakuhoELO 2943 ・ Thrower
• Yokozuna HarumafujiELO 2783
• Ozeki KakuryuELO 2728 ・ Pulling Pusher
• Ozeki KisenosatoELO 2657
• Sekiwake TochiozanELO 2621 ・ Forward Pusher

• Hakuho (Yokozuna) vs Shohozan (Komusubi) →head-to-head: Hakuho leads 15-0; the rating model gives Hakuho 94%; Thrower vs Forward Pusher — style matchup slightly favors Hakuho
• Toyonoshima (Komusubi) vs Harumafuji (Yokozuna) →head-to-head: Harumafuji leads 36-11; the rating model gives Toyonoshima 15%
• Kakuryu (Ozeki) vs Endo (Maegashira 1) →head-to-head: Kakuryu leads 13-4; the rating model gives Kakuryu 91%; Pulling Pusher vs Belt Grinder — style matchup is even