The Osaka Basho, which gets underway on Sunday, is arguably the most wide-open tournament sumo has seen in years.

With three of the last four meets crowning first-time champions, guessing who will be hoisting the Emperor's Cup on March 24 is like trying to predict who will ultimately be sitting on the Iron Throne, back at the start of series one of "Game of Thrones."

Right now, taking recent history, form, age, and injuries into account, you can make a solid case for any one of up to five or six rikishi being in pole position for the title.