Makuuchi

The Makuuchi Division (Japanese幕 内) is the highest league in Japanese Profisumō. As only one of the six divisions is further subdivided into individual ranks, in descending order, are the yokozuna, ozeki, sekiwake, komusubi and maegashira. The latter make up the vast majority of the 42 Makuuchi fighters.

The name of the league, the " behind the curtain " literally means, reminiscent of the early days of sumo, as the fighters of the division were waiting before the fight in a hidden curtains of the arena.

Makuuchi Division and juryo Division together form the sekitori ranks, in which the fighters receive fixed monthly salaries; in the leagues below there is only one kind of spending money. If a lower -ranking maegashira reached a make- koshi (fewer wins than losses in a tournament ), it can be downgraded to juryo Division. With a kachi- koshi (more wins than losses in a tournament ) increases a fighter in the ranks, however, and can thus reach the San'yaku ranks.

Before the fighters of the Makuuchi Division fighting in a tournament, they jointly carry out the dohyō -iri. This is a ritual in which the sumo wrestlers are called one by one and then circular in dohyō up (Ring) to perform a short ceremony. Only the yokozuna has its own yokozuna dohyo - iri, in which he performs only a slightly longer ceremony. For preparation ceremony and struggle always four minutes are provided in the Makuuchi division. With up to 21 battles in the elite league per tournament therefore almost two hours are required.