Diminutive journeyman Midorifuji leads the Emperor’s Cup race as the 2023 spring meet moves into its final act.
Although ranked 19 (out of 42) in sumo’s top tier, Midorifuji reached double digits unbeaten in Osaka, before finally falling to Wakamotoharu on Day 11.
The fact that just one other wrestler among the sport’s 20 highest rankers is within a bout of the front-runner only highlights the current lack of quality in sumo’s upper echelons.