Hey all, we’re getting closer and closer to the business end of this list, and I’m very excited to continue to detail some of the very best careers ozumo has ever seen!

20. Chiyotaikai (Ozeki, 1997-2010, 1,054 points in 75 basho, 3x Yusho)

The third-highest Ozeki in these rankings, Chiyotaikai brought a level of longevity, consistency, and excellence to the rank that has been matched by only a pair of his peers in all of the Modern Era. Coming from a troubled childhood, Chiyotaikai thrived under the tutelage of the great Chiyonofuji, breaking into the top division at 21 and posting a losing record in only one of his first 9 basho. This consistent winning saw him quickly ascend to Sekiwake, and in January of 1999, he put the cherry on top of his rapid rise by finishing 13-2, winning his first Emperor’s Cup by twice defeating Wakanohana III on the final day (just look at Chiyotaikai’s strength as he manhandles the Yokozuna in both their regulation bout and in the playoff torinaoshi). This victory also sealed his promotion to Ozeki after less than 10 top-division basho, an incredible feat.

Thus began Chiyotaikai’s nearly 11-year-long run at the rank (tied with Kaio for the longest Ozeki tenure all-time), during which he alternated between steady winning performances, injury-induced absences, and occasional flashes of brilliance. Although he was never able to put together a Yokozuna run, he still managed to rack up an additional two yusho and seven runner-up performances. His third and final championship came in March of 2003, when he returned from kyujo to the tune of 12 wins, culminating in his yusho-clinching victory over shin-Yokozuna Asashoryu. To this day, he remains one of only 6 modern Ozeki to have lifted the Emperor’s Cup at least 3 times in their career. Although he largely became a non-factor in yusho races after 2004 (a combination of his age/injuries and the dominance of Asashoryu/Hakuho), he managed to win just enough to hold onto his rank until the end of 2009. Eventually, he could stave off Father Time no longer, and retired after losing his Ozeki rank once and for all. In retirement, however, he has continued to follow in his mentor Chiyonofuji’s footsteps, assuming leadership of one of sumo’s largest stables (Kokonoe) in the wake of the latter’s passing in 2016. Given his remarkable longevity as a rikishi, I have little doubt he’ll remain a relevant figure in the sumo world for years to come.

19. 56th Yokozuna Wakanohana II (1973-1983, 1,077 points in 55 basho, 4x Yusho)

Wakanohana I is remembered for dominating the earliest years of the Modern Era, and his nephew Wakanohana III is an integral part of the story of one of sumo’s most exciting decades (the ’90s) alongside his brother. Often lost in the shuffle, however, is the second Wakanohana, who managed to carve out an illustrious legacy all while fighting under the shadow of the legendary Yokozuna pair of Kitanoumi and Wajima. Breaking into the san’yaku ranks at a mere 21 years of age, then-Wakamisugi quickly established a reputation for technical flair, as he netted three consecutive Gino-sho on his way up the banzuke. After bouncing around the joi for a couple years, he broke through the great barrier by putting together what is perhaps the most by-the-book Ozeki run in history (3 straight 11-4 basho, each with a special prize).

Two basho later, in just his second tournament as an Ozeki, he clinched the first yusho of his career, a tournament that would also serve as the start of a mind-boggling 23-basho streak recording double-digit victories (that’s nearly 4 years!). Part of that streak featured three consecutive jun-yusho (with 13, 13, and 14 wins, respectively), and this level of consistency was deemed worthy of Yokozuna promotion, despite Wakamisugi having only the one Emperor’s Cup at this point in his career. However, he quickly put any doubts about his worthiness of the rope to rest, recording his first career zensho yusho in just his third basho as a Yokozuna. He followed this up with a third yusho triumph just three basho later and remained a consistent contender even in the basho which he didn’t win. Though he lost more often than not against Wajima and Kitanoumi, his consistency against the rest of the banzuke ensured he was always in position to steal a Cup should the two be absent or have an off tournament.

Shortly after winning his fourth and final yusho in September of 1980 (defeating both Wajima and Kitanoumi along the way, no less), Wakanohana began to suffer from various ailments, snapping his double-digit win streak and sidelining him more than ever before in his career. During this time, he was also experiencing difficulties in his personal life, and this combination eventually led him to retire in early 1983, after only a little over 9 years in the top division and not yet even 30 years of age. Unfortunately, his post-retirement career was not much smoother, as Wakanohana was subject to health scares and the loss of his wife while also finding himself in the midst of scandal on multiple occasions. Though these latter instances have complicated his legacy somewhat, his performance on the dohyo is well worth remembering, especially when placed in the context of the competition he faced in his prime. As we approach the one-year anniversary of his passing, I hope this short blurb gives his career a spotlight he was so often denied as the forgotten Wakanohana.

18. 51st Yokozuna Tamanoumi II (1964-1971, 1,086 points in 46 basho, 6x Yusho)

It may come as a surprise to those unfamiliar with Tamanoumi II’s career, given he achieved the rank of Yokozuna and won 6 top-division championships, to hear that he remains one of sumo’s all-time greatest “What If?” stories. Cracking the top division shortly after his 20th birthday, he quickly worked his way up the banzuke, finishing off an Ozeki run within 3 years of his Makuuchi debut. Because of his lack of experience, it took him a while to adjust to the pressures of the rank and the level of the competition (he joined an existing corps of 4 Yokozuna, including Taiho, and 2 Ozeki). However, after a year of middling scores, then-Tamanoshima found his footing among the elite and began to consistently crack double digits. In May of 1968, he took advantage of a basho where Taiho and Kashiwado were absent so nab his first Emperor’s Cup, downing 3 of his fellow Ozeki in the final 3 days to clinch the title.

Although he was unable to follow up his yusho with another performance worthy of a Yokozuna promotion, he remained a consistent contender, racking up 8 jun-yusho during his Ozeki stint. In late 1969, he began perhaps the most unconventional Yokozuna run of the Modern Era by winning his second yusho, followed by a 10-5 record and then a 13-2 jun-yusho (falling in a playoff to his friendly rival Kitanofuji). Following the tournament, with aging Taiho the sole remaining Yokozuna from the ’60s, both Kitanofuji and Tamanoshima (now Tamanoumi) were given the rope. Both men were up to the task of contending with the legend in his final years, splitting 8 of the next 10 yusho with 4 apiece to Taiho’s 2. And from the one-year period from September 1970-July 1971, Tamanoumi was the class of the field. Over those 6 basho, he recorded a staggering 84-6 record, eclipsed 14 wins 5 times, won 4 yusho, and finished as runner-up in the 2 basho he didn’t win. This run culminated with his lone zensho yusho in July, a performance capped by a thrilling final-day victory over Kitanofuji.

It looked as though Kitanofuji and Tamanoumi would dominate the world of sumo for years to come, though that was set to change all too suddenly. Despite needing an appendectomy after his July victory, Tamanoumi postponed the procedure so as to not miss the September basho (he somehow put up 12 wins through the pain). This delay would cost him his life, and he passed from complications less than a month after mounting the dohyo for the final time. He was only 27 years old. His death sent the sumo world into shock and changed the course of the decade, but the resume he crafted during his brief stint as Yokozuna can stand up to any of his peers. During his 10 basho at the rank, he averaged an astonishing 13 wins per basho, earned 4 yusho and 5 jun-yusho, and won 87% of his bouts without missing a single day of competition. There is little doubt that had he survived, he would have been able to achieve even more, but his legacy is not predicated merely on what could have been. Despite his story being one of the greatest “What If?”s, his greatness was such that it has earned him immortality for what he did accomplish.

17. Konishiki (Ozeki, 1984-1997, 1,112 points in 81 basho, 3x Yusho)

Next up is the second-highest ranked Ozeki on our list, the record-breaking trailblazer that was Konishiki. Konishiki was a man of superlatives, earning the title of heaviest rikishi ever (since surpassed by Orora) and becoming the first foreign-born wrestler to ever attain promotion to Ozeki. He was quickly revealed to be a transcendent talent, rocketing up the ranks to make his Makuuchi debut in just 12 basho. And that skill translated into the top division immediately: in just his second basho, he went 12-3, finished runner-up in the yusho race, earned two sansho, and nabbed two kinboshi after stunning both Chiyonofuji and Takanosato. Unfortunately, his massive frame made him more prone to injury, and his frequent absences hampered his ability to make a complete Ozeki run, even as he regularly posted double-digit scores and contended for yusho. In late 1986, however, a run of good health saw him finally clinch promotion to Ozeki.

After spending a couple of nondescript years at the rank, Konishiki finally began to come into his own as an Ozeki and make a case for Yokozuna promotion. In November 1989, after 6 career runner-up finishes, he finally won his maiden Emperor’s Cup to the tune of a 14-1 record (look at how he makes even the legendary Chiyonofuji seem helpless), and as the late-’80s Yokozuna corps fell prey to injury, he became an even more consistent contender. In the winter of 1991-92, he sandwiched his second and third career yusho around another 12-3 record, which warranted discussion about whether he had done enough to become the first non-Japanese Yokozuna. Some measure of controversy ensued when he was denied promotion (despite not having a conclusive, textbook Yokozuna run, some of the recent Yokozuna promotions had come after subpar runs), which is unfortunately too complicated to tease out here. Regardless, he would never have another opportunity at the rope, as health issues and age-related decline saw him eventually lose his Ozeki rank and spend the last few years of his career bouncing around among the rank-and-file. Nevertheless, his influence cannot be understated, as he paved the way for future foreign-born rikishi (7 of the last 10 Yokozuna have been gaijin) and remains one of the most successful/longest-tenured Ozeki in history (one of only 3 in the Modern Era to win 3 yusho as an Ozeki). In retirement, he’s continued to be a popular figure in Japan involved in a variety of non-sumo activities, ensuring his story both on and off the dohyo is truly larger-than-life.

16. 61st Yokozuna Hokutoumi (1983-1992, 1,135 points in 53 basho, 8x Yusho)

The final rikishi in today’s installments is another familiar face to modern sumo fans, with Hokutoumi serving as chairman of the JSA since 2016. However, many may not be aware of just how successful he was in the ring, serving as the successor to Kitanoumi and Takanosato as Chiyonofuji’s chief rival over the latter half of the 1980s. After making his Makuuchi debut at just 20 years old, it took Hokutoumi (then fighting under his birth name Hoshi) only two basho to crack the san’yaku, and he would spend the next few years adjusting to joi-level competition and preparing to take his sumo to the next level. His breakout basho came in March of 1986, when he rattled off 13 consecutive victories to win the yusho from sekiwake, outpacing 5 Ozeki who were eager to pounce on a Chiyonofuji kyujo. Capitalizing on this momentum, he put together two more solid basho to seal a promotion to Ozeki, where he immediately continued his winning ways.

Ultimately, Hokutoumi would spend less than a year as an Ozeki, earning promotion to Yokozuna after he paired a second yusho with a 13-2 jun-yusho; he was still only 24 years old when he was awarded the rope. He quickly made good on his promotion, capturing his third Emperor’s Cup in just his second basho at the rank and scoring 11+ victories in each of his first 6 tournaments. Unfortunately, a severe injury would sideline him for 8 months, halting his strong form and leaving fans to wonder if he would be able to return to the ring. Fortunately, he returned looking stronger than ever, triumphing in his first basho back by felling Asahifuji in a dramatic playoff. Two basho later, he repeated the feat, capturing his 5th title in another playoff with Asahifuji.

Over the next few years, Hokutoumi remained a consistent player in the yusho race in more basho than not, accumulating 3 more Emperor’s Cups and a slew of jun-yusho (perhaps his most dramatic victory was a 3-way playoff with Konishiki and Kirishima that required 4 bouts to decide a winner). Unfortunately, he was unable to avoid the rash of injuries that plagued the his fellow Yokozuna of the day (Chiyonofuji, Onokuni, and Asahifuji), as all 4 retired within one year of each other, leaving sumo without a Yokozuna on the banzuke for the first (and only) time in the Modern Era. Nevertheless, as mentioned above, he’s remained an influential figure in the sumo world since his retirement, winning re-election as chairman of the JSA yet again last year. One of the greatest oshizumo specialists to ever grace the dohyo, Hokutoumi excelled in a hyper-competitive era and has etched his name into the history books both as a rikishi and in retirement.

As always, thanks for reading; I’ll catch you here next time as we encounter two of the greatest rikishi from this century!