Mongolian Terunofuji formally took his place among sumo's elite ranks on Monday, when he was named to fight as an ozeki in the official rankings for the upcoming 15-day Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament.
The 23-year-old, whose real name is Gantulga Ganerdene, earned promotion following his first career championship with a 12-3 mark at May's Summer tourney in Tokyo. Terunofuji's jump will see four wrestlers competing at the sport's second-highest rank for the first time in ten basho.
Terunofuji is the first wrestler in 64 years to be promoted to ozeki after spending two tournaments as a komusubi or sekiwake and the first since the season went to six meets in 1958. He is the second wrestler from the Isegahama stable to reach the ozeki rank following Harumafuji — whose breathtaking win over fellow Mongolian yokozuna Hakuho on the final day in May clinched his stablemate's championship.
Kisenosato, who finished one win back of Terunofuji in May, will occupy the top ozeki slot at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium for the tournament, which begins July 12, followed by Goeido, Kotoshogiku and Terunofuji. Kotoshogiku is facing demotion from ozeki for the fifth time in his career following a makekoshi 6-9 record in May and will need to win at least eight bouts.
At the top of the pecking order sits Hakuho.
The winner of a record 34 championships, Hakuho was seeking his seventh consecutive title in May. Kakuryu, who injured his left shoulder in January, is back as the third yokozuna.
At sekiwake, Mongolian behemoth Ichinojo returns to sumo's third highest rank for the first time since January, while Takarafuji will rise to the rank of komusubi for the first time.