Wakatakakage’s victory in the just-completed Summer Grand Sumo Tournament gave Japan’s national sport something it rarely sees — a komusubi as champion.
Of the five named ranks in the top division (yokozuna, ōzeki, sekiwake, komusubi and maegashira), it is the fourth-highest that has seen the fewest Emperor’s Cup winners to date.
Wakatakakage is just the 11th man since 1931 to claim sumo’s most important prize while ranked at komusubi.