Shodai's promotion to ozeki headlines the latest rankings published by the Japan Sumo Association on Monday, but the September champion's new status is just one of the interesting developments to come ahead of the November Grand Sumo Tournament in Tokyo.

At 28 years and 10 months old, Shodai became the seventh-oldest wrestler to reach the sport's second-highest rank and took his place behind the other two members of his cohort — top east ozeki Takakeisho and west ozeki Asanoyama — for the 15-day meet starting on Nov. 8.

The tournament, normally held in Fukuoka, will be the third straight held at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan to limit travel during the coronavirus pandemic. Concern over the outbreak caused the March meet to be held behind closed doors in Osaka, the May tourney to be canceled and July's meet be held in the Japanese capital instead of Nagoya.