Terunofuji’s run as sumo’s only extant grand champion has passed the three-year mark, and while the Mongolian-born veteran remains by far the most successful active wrestler in the sport, whether or not he is still the best is a different matter.

Terunofuji may have lifted the Emperor’s Cup in the last three meets he has finished, but those victories were spread across a span of 16 months with twice as many missed tournaments in between.

While it’s entirely possible that the pattern continues and he adds more silverware to his trophy case, it’s hard to call the yokozuna the sport’s most dominant force in 2024.