The recently released rankings from the Japan Sumo Association show the upcoming New Year Grand Sumo Tournament will be the weakest lineup for top ranked competitors since 1993. After a poor performance at the last tournament in November, Shodai was demoted from ozeki, the sport's second highest rank, which leaves only a single ozeki, Takakeisho, and sumo's lone yokozuna (grand champion), Terunofuji.

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The last time a tournament was contested with so few competitors from sumo's top two ranks was the January 1993 tournament when no yokozuna was present, only the two ozeki, Akebono and Konishiki. It's being reported the exact configuration of only one yokozuna and one ozeki hasn't been seen in a tournament since 1898. The New Year tournament begins on January 8.