Atamifuji - maybe this year?

[Jejima]

Atamifuji is 22 years old. He had a good year in 2023 (including a Juryo yusho, and two Makunouchi jun-yushos), but 2024 was 'average' to say the least - although he was always ranked in the joi-jin. He will start 2025 in the joi-jin.

Will 2025 be his year?

Please make a comment below, with as much information as possible (including your prediction for his Jan 2026 rank), in case a tie-breaker is required.

Edited December 29, 2024 by Jejima

[Fashiritētā]

Consistently high joi-jin, only double digit wins from M8 and lower, needs to make big improvements if he wants a Yusho and double digits in the Joi/Sanyaku, otherwise hes a steady upper megashira.

[just_some_guy]

Would love to be proven wrong but I predict another year of single digit wins and single digit losses within (or just outside of) the joi. Put him at M4W for Jan 2026.

[Godango]

Joi mainstay for the year, with a sanyaku debut thrown in. One tournament where he's in the yusho race until day 10-11 then falls off a cliff at the end.

[Kintamayama]

Sekiwake East

[Wakawakawaka]

I predict much stagnation. Consistently 6-9 to 8-7 as has been, will not make Sanyaku but will drop out of the joi for a basho and score a 10-5.

[Morty]

I'm putting him at Sekiwake with a successful year, but not spectacular enough to go higher. Given how young he is I think he can afford a gentle rise, and I see this as a learning year with Ozeki in 2026

[Athenayama]

"He will be ranked higher on the January 2025 banzuke than Oho. " (I guess you meant 2026!)

Ranked M1W in January 2026. No special prizes, decent performances though.

[Jejima]

Komusubi (finally) for next January, after a year of so-so records keeping him in or around joi-jin.

[Jejima]

Bump - last chance to vote!

[Jejima]

19 people voted here.

All of us think that Atamifuji will be ranked in the 'sausage-grinder' a year from now - in either the joi-jin or the lower sanyaku ranks.

Almost half of us think that he will get just one double digit KK this year.

Over half of us think that he will ranked higher than Oho in January 2026. He gets fewer than half the votes for the other statements - although special mention should be given to his chances of winning the Shukun-sho and Kanto-sho.  

[Jejima]

Atamifuji's 2025 looked like this:-

Jan: M2W 5-10
Mar: M8E 6-9
May: M12E 8-7
Jul: M10E 11-4 Jun-Yusho
Sep: M3E 5-10
Nov: M6E 8-7

(Jan 2026: M5E?)

Q1: I am guessing that he will be ranked (probably) at M5 - which nobody predicted - with a possibility of making M3-M4 with banzuke luck. just_some_guy, rokudenashi and Godango all predicted this lower joi-jin level.

Q2: Atamifuji had just the one double digit KK, as predicted by Fashiriteta, Yarimotsu, Ryoshishokunin, just_some_guy, Wakawakawaka, Jejima, Ack! and I am the Yokozuna

Q3: Out of 10 (Q11 does not really count - only there for players who vote 'no' to everything).

4/10 - Kintamayama
5/10 - Benihana, Kyokufuji, 
6/10 - Ryoshishokunin, Sumo Spiffy, Kotoroiwa, Pitinosato, I am the Yokozuna, rokudenashi
7/10 - Morty, Yarimotsu, Ack!, Bunbukuchagama, Wakawakawaka, just_some_guy, Godango
8/10 - Shatsume, Jejima, rokudenashi

So, the yusho is between Jejima, just_some_guy and rokudenashi.....

....and it goes to just_some_guy .... Jun-yusho is more tricky to award, but I am going to give it to  rokudenashi .

Jejima will be given the Fighting Spirit Special Prize , partly for competing for the yusho, and partly for being just one-of-two who predicted Atamifuji's two wins over Kotozakura!  

 

[just_some_guy]

I would like to thank Tommy Fuji for predictably not living up to the hopes I once had for him and thereby bringing me this yusho.