Whenever the next Grand Sumo Tournament eventually gets underway, Asanoyama will become the third straight debutant ozeki to have come from the ranks of amateur sumo.

That’s not a recent pattern, however, as among the 14 men who have been promoted to sumo’s second-highest rank in the past two decades (excluding those who went on to make yokozuna,) only Takayasu and Kaio joined the sport without any significant experience at an amateur level.

Conversely, Asashoryu’s time at Meitoku Gijuku High School sumo club is the only amateur experience found among the histories of the five most recent yokozuna.