ELO Ranking

ELO rating expresses a wrestler's relative strength as a single number, weighting the strength of each opponent (originally from chess). Beating stronger opponents raises it more; losing to weaker ones drops it more.

Method: every rikishi starts at 1500; all 749,759 bouts since 1958 are processed chronologically. After each bout the rating shifts by K(32) × (result − expected), winner up / loser down. Retired rikishi show their peak ELO.