Who are the 13 best sumo wrestlers ever to exist? A ranked list

Sumo wrestling is a traditional form of Japanese wrestling that incorporates grappling and throwing as the primary way to gain victory. It is Japan's national sport and has been practiced since the 8th century. Join us today as we look at some of the best sumo wrestlers in history!

In Japanese, the word 'sumo' can be roughly translated to 'fight.' The term is also common in countries like Mongolia and The Philippines. This article reveals some of the most famous sumo record holders and their highest rank in the sport.

The best sumo wrestlers of all time

Sumo has been popularly depicted in Hollywood martial arts films ever since it became famous in the United States. The highest-ranked sumo wrestler in the sport is given the honorary title of Yokozuna. This article is about the following sumo record holders:

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These sumo wrestlers (rikishi) have only been ranked based on the highest rank each achieved in the sport. Yokozuna is the highest rank in the sport. Meanwhile, the ōzeki, or champion rank, is immediately below Yokozuna in the sumo ranking system.

13. Konishiki Yasokichi - Ozeki

• Full name: Saleva'a Fuauli Atisano'e
• Stage name: Konishiki Yasokichi
• Born: 31 December 1963
• Age: 60 years (as of April 2024)
• Birthplace: Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
• Height: 1.84 m
• Weight: 287 kg
• Spouse: Chie Iijima (2004– present), Sumika Shioda (1992 – 2000)
• Career debut: 1982
• Retirement: 1997
• Makuuchi rank: Ozeki (highest rank achieved - 1987)

Konishiki was the first non-Japanese Sumo wrestler to reach the sumo rank of Ozeki, the second most senior title after Yokozuna. In 81 tournaments over his career, he won 649 bouts. After Konishiki Yasokichi retired from Sumo wrestling, he became a successful TV personality in Japan and America and has been featured in both movies and TV shows.

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12. Chiyonofuji Mitsugu - Yokozuna

• Full name: Mitsugu Akimoto
• Stage name: Chiyonofuji "Wolf" Mitsugu
• Born: 1 June 1955
• Died: 31 July 2016
• Age: 61 years (at the time of death)
• Birthplace: Fukushima, Hokkaido, Japan
• Place of death: Tokyo, Japan
• Height: 1.83 m
• Weight: 126 kg
• Spouse: Kumiko Akimoto
• Career debut: 1970
• Retirement: 1991
• Makuuchi rank: Yokozuna (highest rank achieved - 1981)

Mitsugu was the 58th yokozuna of the sumo sport. Following his retirement as a wrestler, he was the stable master of Kokonoe stable until his death. Chiyonofuji "Wolf" Mitsugu was considered one of the greatest Yokozuna of recent times, winning 31 Yūshō or tournament championships, second only to Taihō.

11. Chad Rowan - Yokozuna

• Full name: Akebono Tarō
• Stage name: Chad Rowan
• Born: 8 May 1969
• Died: April 2024
• Age: 54 years (at the time of death)
• Birthplace: Waimānalo, Hawaii, United States
• Place of death: Tokyo, Japan
• Height: 2.03 m
• Weight: 233 kg
• Spouse: Christiane Reiko Kalina (1998 – 2024)
• Career debut: 1988
• Retirement: 2001
• Makuuchi rank: Yokozuna (highest rank achieved - 1993)

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Akebono was the tallest (2.04 m/6feet 8inches) and heaviest (227kg/501lb) Yokozuna in sumo history. He joined the sport in Japan in 1988 and was trained by pioneering Hawaiian wrestler Takamiyama. Akebono Tarō swiftly rose the rankings, reaching the top division in 1990. After two consecutive Yusho or tournament championships, in November 1992 and January 1993, he made history by becoming the first non-Japanese-born wrestler ever to reach Yokozuna, the highest rank in sumo.

10. Futabayama Sadaji - Yokozuna

• Full name: Futabayama Sadaji
• Born: 9 February 1912
• Died: 16 December 1968
• Age: 56 years (at the time of death)
• Birthplace: Usa, Oita Prefecture, Japan
• Place of death: Japan
• Height: 1.79 m
• Weight: 128 kg
• Spouse: Sumiko Sadaji
• Career debut: 1927
• Retirement: 1945
• Makuuchi rank: Yokozuna (highest rank achieved - 1945)

Futabayama entered sumo in 1927 and became the sport's 35th Yokozuna from 1937 until his retirement in 1945. He won twelve Yūshō or top division championships with a record-winning streak of 69 consecutive bouts. Futabayama Sadaji was one of the first top wrestlers to break away from the tradition of marrying his stablemaster's daughter, instead choosing a young heiress from a rich Kansai family.

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9. Inazuma Raigorō - Yokozuna

• Full name: Inazuma Raigorō
• Born: 1802
• Died: 29 March 1877
• Age: 75 years (at the time of death)
• Birthplace: Inashiki, Ibaraki, Japan
• Place of death: Tokyo, Japan
• Height: 1.88 m
• Weight: 142 kg
• Career debut: 1821
• Retirement: 1839
• Makuuchi rank: Yokozuna (highest rank achieved - 1830)

Inazuma was a 19th-century wrestler who achieved the rank of Yokozuna and held it for nine consecutive years (1830-1839). Inazuma Raigorō was the 7th Yokozuna on record. He was the youngest Yokozuna until Umegatani Tōtarō II was promoted in 1903.

8. Musashimaru Kōyō - Yokozuna

• Full name: Musashimaru Kōyō
• Born: 2 May 1971
• Age: 52 years (as of April 2024)
• Birthplace: American Samoa
• Height: 1.92 m
• Weight: 235 kg
• Career debut: 1989
• Retirement: 2003
• Makuuchi rank: Yokozuna (highest rank achieved - 1999)

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Musashimaru Kōyō, initially named Fiamalu Penitani, is another non-Japanese sumo champion. He was born in American Samoa but moved to Hawaii as a child. Kōyō achieved the rank of Yokozuna in 1999, though injuries forced him to retire in 2002 aged just 31. He was the 67th Yokozuna.

7. Wajima Hiroshi - Yokozuna

• Full name: Hiroshi Wajima
• Born: 11 January 1948
• Died: 8 October 2018
• Age: 70 years (at the time of death)
• Birthplace: Nanao, Ishikawa, Japan
• Place of death: Tokyo, Japan
• Height: 1.85 m
• Weight: 130 kg
• Career debut: 1970
• Retirement: 1981
• Makuuchi rank: Yokozuna (highest rank achieved - 1973)

Hiroshi Wajima was a dominant wrestler in the late 20th century. He was crowned the sport's 54th Yokozuna in 1973. He was also the only collegiate athlete to become Yokozuna. He passed away in 2018 due to cancer.

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6. Tanikaze Kajinosuke - Yokozuna

• Full name: Tanikaze Kajinosuke
• Born: 8 September 1750
• Died: 27 February 1795
• Age: 44 years (at the time of death)
• Birthplace: Wakabayashi Ward, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
• Place of death: Miyagi, Japan
• Height: 1.88 m
• Weight: 169 kg
• Career debut: 1769
• Career end: 1795
• Makuuchi rank: Yokozuna (highest rank achieved - 1789)

Tanikaze was an 18th-century Yokozuna. He was the first sumo wrestler to be recognized with the title while still alive. Additionally, Tanikaze Kajinosuke was officially recorded as the 4th ever Yokozuna, and there is a statue of him in Sendai, Japan.

5. Asashōryū Akinori - Yokozuna

• Full name: Asashōryū Akinori
• Born: 27 September 1980
• Age: 43 years (as of April 2024)
• Birthplace: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
• Height: 1.84 m
• Weight: 154 kg
• Spouse: Tamiraa Gombosuren (2002 – 2009)
• Career debut: 1999
• Retirement: 2010
• Makuuchi rank: Yokozuna (highest rank achieved - 2003)

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Akinori was born in Mongolia under the name Dolgorsürengiin Dagvadorj. He dominated sumo wrestling in the early 21st century, with his spell as Yokozuna lasting from 2004 to 2007. Asashōryū Akinori was the sport's 68th Yokozuna and the first Mongolian to achieve that rank. He was known for being controversial and retired in 2010 after being accused of assault outside a Tokyo nightclub.

4. Harumafuji Kōhei - Yokozuna

• Full name: Harumafuji Kōhei
• Born: 14 April 1984
• Age: 40 years (as of April 2024)
• Birthplace: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
• Height: 1.86 m
• Weight: 133 kg
• Spouse: M. Battuul (2011 – present)
• Career debut: 2001
• Retirement: 2017
• Makuuchi rank: Yokozuna (highest rank achieved - 2012)

Harumafuji, previously known as Ama Kōhei, was the sport's 70th Yokozuna and had five years of dominance between 2012 and 2017. Being lighter than most sumo wrestlers would enable him to use his superior technique and skills against the best opponents. Harumafuji Kōhei resigned in 2017 after admitting to physically assaulting another wrestler at a regional meet. His father was a Mongolian wrestler, holding a rank roughly equivalent to sumo's sekiwake.

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3. Taihō Kōki - Yokozuna

• Full name: Taihō Kōki
• Born: 29 May 1940
• Died: 19 January 2013
• Age: 72 years (at the time of death)
• Birthplace: Sakhalin, Russia
• Place of death: Shinjuku City, Tokyo, Japan
• Height: 1.87 m
• Weight: 153 kg
• Career debut: 1956
• Retired: 1971
• Makuuchi rank: Yokozuna (highest rank achieved - 1961)

Taihō Kōki was born to a Japanese mother and a Ukrainian father. After World War 2, when the Soviet Union took over the Sakhalin Islands, his family was split up, and he moved to Japan with his mother. He became the 48th Yokozuna in 1961, aged just 21. Taihō Kōki passed away in 2013. Kōki won 32 tournament championships between 1960 and 1971, an unequalled record until 2014.

2. Kitanoumi Toshimitsu - Yokozuna

• Full name: Kitanoumi Toshimitsu
• Born: 16 May 1953
• Died: 20 November 2015
• Age: 62 years (at the time of death)
• Birthplace: Sobetsu, Hokkaido, Japan
• Place of death: Fukuoka, Fukuoka, Japan
• Height: 1.79 m
• Weight: 169 kg
• Career debut: 1967
• Retired: 1985
• Makuuchi rank: Yokozuna (highest rank achieved - 1974)

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Kitanoumi was the youngest ever sumo wrestler to be made Yokozuna, earning the achievement in 1974 at the age of 21 years and two months. He was the sport's 55th Yokozuna and later became the president of the Japanese Sumo Association. Kitanoumi Toshimitsu passed away in 2015.

1. Hakuhō Shō - Yokozuna

• Full name: Hakuhō Shō
• Born: 11 March 1985
• Age: 39 years (as of April 2024)
• Birthplace: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
• Height: 1.92 m
• Weight: 154 kg
• Career debut: 2001
• Retirement: 2021
• Makuuchi rank: Yokozuna (highest rank achieved - 2007)

Shō is considered the most outstanding sumo wrestler ever. Born Mönkhbatyn Davaajargal in Mongolia, he first became Yokozuna in 2007. He is well known for his longevity and consistency, only retiring in 2021 after a twenty-year sumo wrestling career. Hakuhō Shō also holds the annual Hakuho Cup in Japan for upcoming sumo wrestlers.

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Who are the top 10 best sumo wrestlers?

Below are some of the most famous sumo wrestlers who held the Yokozuna title, the highest rank in sumo wrestling, and the years they were promoted to that position:

• Tanikaze Kajinosuke - 1789
• Inazuma Raigorō - 1830
• Futabayama Sadaji - 1945
• Taihō Kōki - 1961
• Hiroshi Wajima - 1973
• Kitanoumi Toshimitsu - 1974
• Musashimaru Kōyō - 1999
• Asashōryū Akinori - 2003
• Hakuhō Shō - 2007
• Harumafuji Kōhei - 2012

Who's the greatest sumo wrestler in history?

Hakuhō Shō is considered the greatest sumo wrestler with the most tournament wins in history. He was promoted to the Yokozuna title in 2007 and retired in 2021. He also has the highest top-division win ratio (84.6%) of anyone in the modern era.

Who is the strongest sumo wrestler of all time?

Hakuhō Shō is considered the strongest sumo wrestler, with 16 undefeated championships and 45 championship winnings.

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Who is the greatest sumo wrestler of all time in the record of Ragnarok?

Raiden Tameemon, also known as Peerless Rikishi, is considered one of the greatest rikishi in history, even though he was never promoted to Yokozuna.

Was Raiden the most powerful sumo wrestler?

Many consider Tameemon Raiden the greatest sumo wrestler of all time because he was believed to have extraordinary strength that must be suppressed at all times to survive. He still managed to ingrain his name into history as the greatest sumo wrestler ever, even with limited access to his full strength.

Who was the largest Yokozuna?

Akebono Tarō, alias Chad Rowan, was the tallest (2.04 m/6feet 8inches) and heaviest (227kg/501lb) Yokozuna in sumo history. He was born on 8 May 1969 in Hawaii and became the first foreign rikishi to be promoted to the top rank of Yokozuna in January 1993.

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Who has the longest winning streak in sumo history?

Futabayama Sadaji (born in 1912—died in 1968) achieved a legendary 69-match winning streak from 1936 to 1939. As a result, he is considered one of the greatest sumo wrestlers of all time.

Who were the most famous sumo wrestlers in the 1990s?

Musashimaru Kōyō and Akebono Tarō were the sumo record holders in top division championships in the 1990s. Kōyō won 12 official championship titles between 1994 and 2002, while Tarō won 11 official championship titles between 1992 and 2000.

Who is the Yokozuna?

Yokozuna is the highest rank in sumo wrestling. The name means "horizontal rope" and comes from the most visible symbol of their rank, the rope (tsuna) worn around the waist.

How much do Yokozuna make?

Yokozuna is the highest rank in sumo wrestling, and title holders earn about $20,000 monthly salary. The top division wrestlers can earn additional money for winning tournaments, special prizes, and sponsored matches.

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How long does it take to become a Yokozuna?

Modern sumo wrestling requires one to win two consecutive tournament championships or an "equivalent performance" at the ōzeki level, which is the minimum requirement to be promoted to Yokozuna. The longest serving Yokozuna ever was Hakuhō Shō, who was promoted in 2007 and retired in 2021.

Can you lose Yokozuna rank?

A Yokozuna cannot be demoted, but expectations are very high for it during tournaments. Any wrestler holding this title is expected to win or at least be a severe contender for championships regularly.

Can sumos marry?

Sumo warriors can get married and have a family until retirement at 30. The usually move to the stable for training at 15 after completing their primary education. After that, they spend time training and rising to the top two divisions.

The sport of sumo wrestling continues to garner more attention and popularity worldwide. To be a champion and one of the world's best sumo wrestlers requires skill, strength, technique, and discipline.

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