Do rikishi relax after kachi-koshi?

Conclusion

The rate drops after an eighth win, but it is too early to call it complacency. Late in a basho, the schedule increasingly pairs rikishi with strong records. Those who reached kachi-koshi by Day 10 still won 58.0% afterward.

Methodology

Period

2000 Hatsu Basho～2026 Natsu Basho

Sample

Makuuchi Kuniorikishi reached his 8th win during Basho and had bouts after that.

Sample size

Number 8,270 after 8 wins. After reaching 10 days, number 4,026

Calculation

Win rate 52.7% after 8th win. The same rikishi to reach is 65.4%

comparison

Rikishi's winning record by Day 10 is 58.0%.

How to read this

After a winning record, there is an effect of combining good records. This number is not just a measure of psychological ``looseness.''