Analysis18
Is pushing volatile while belt wrestling is steady?
Conclusion
Tournament-win variation was 2.14 wins for pushing-style rikishi and 2.05 for belt wrestlers. The clearer difference was average performance: belt wrestlers averaged 7.48 wins, compared with 7.24 for pushing-style rikishi.
How to read this number
Variation in tournament wins was 2.14 for pushing-style rikishi and 2.05 for belt wrestlers. Pushing is marginally more volatile, but a gap of 0.09 does not support a strong claim.
The average itself was the more visible difference: 7.48 wins for belt wrestlers against 7.24 for pushing-style rikishi. Style matchups turned out to be an illusion, yet style and the ability to keep winning appear faintly related.
One possible reason is that belt sumo begins by taking hold of the opponent. Once a grip is established the bout can be shaped, which may blunt swings in form. That is interpretation rather than proof, but it fits the gap in average wins.
Methodology
- Period
- Hatsu 2000 through Natsu 2026
- Sample
- WinWinning techniques 30 bouts or more, push type / four type rikishi with 15 bouts completion 8Basho or more
- Sample size
- Pushing style 58 people, Belt wrestling 86 people
- blur
- Default deviation of Bashowins is push 2.14, four 2.05
- average
- Push 7.24 wins, four 7.48 wins. The difference is +0.24 wins
How to read this
Descriptive statistics per rikishi. We did not adjust for differences in era or Banzuke configuration.