For the first time since 2009, the Kyushu Basho, Nov. 11-25, will see two yokozuna featured on the ranking sheet. Hakuho is in the slightly more prestigious east slot, with Harumafuji over on the west side of the banzuke.
Harumafuji will, of course, be the one many want to see in his first tournament as a yokozuna. Rather than let the pressure get to him as many do in their debut at the very top of the sumo rankings, he is predicted to once again be challenging for the yusho come Day 15.
His back-to-back 15-0 victories in the July (Nagoya) and September (Tokyo) tournaments will not soon be forgotten, yet, try as hard as he may to repeat the feat he is now a marked man. Victory against a yokozuna is just that little bit special for any rikishi; against a man new at the rank, the chance to stamp a little authority on future face-offs.
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