This is a list of prominent past wrestlers (either retired or deceased) in the sport of professional sumo. They are listed in order of the year and tournament month that they made their professional debuts. The information listed below was gleaned from the wrestlers' individual articles; refer to their links for more details.
List {| class="sortable wikitable" style="font-size: 100%" |- !Shikona|Ring name !Entered !Retired !width="80" |Highest rank !Stable !class="unsortable"|Career and other notes |- |Akashi Shiganosuke |1624? |1643? |aYokozuna |N.A. |yokozuna status conferred centuries later, historical existence disputed |- |Ayagawa Gorōji |1715? |1745? |aYokozuna |N.A. |yokozuna status historically conferred, actual yokozuna license never proven |- |Maruyama Gondazaemon |1735? |1749-11 |aYokozuna |Nanatsumori |yokozuna status historically conferred, died while an active wrestler |- |Miyagino Nishikinosuke |1766-10 |1796-3 |cSekiwake |Sanoyama |oldest top division wrestler at the age of 52, first Miyagino stablemaster |- |Tanikaze Kajinosuke |1769-4 |1794-11 |aYokozuna |Isenoumi |streak of 63 wins held for 150 years, died while active |- |Onogawa Kisaburō |1779-10 |1798-10 |aYokozuna |Tamagaki |first yokozuna to perform dohyo-iri along with Tanikaze |- |Raiden Tameemon |1790-11 |1811-2 |bŌzeki |Urakaze (Isenoumi) |considered one of the best wrestlers ever, but never promoted to yokozuna, likely for political reasons |- |Kashiwado Risuke |1806-10 |1825-1 |bŌzeki |Isenoumi |rejected a yokozuna license to avoid conflict between prominent families |- |Tamagaki Gakunosuke |1806-10 |1824-8 |bŌzeki |Tamagaki |like Kashiwado, a yokozuna strength wrestler who had to reject a license |- |onomatsumŌnomatsu Midorinosuke |1815-3 |1835-11 |aYokozuna |Takekuma |was often criticized for number of false starts |- |Inazuma |1821-2 |1839-11 |aYokozuna |Sadogatake |received yokozuna licenses from Gojo family and Yoshida family |- |Tsurugizan Taniemon |1827-3 |1852-2 |bŌzeki |Onomatsu |offered a yokozuna license but rejected it |- |Hidenoyama Raigorō |1828-3 |1850-3 |aYokozuna |Hidenoyama |shortest yokozuna ever, wrestlers outside his stable once staged a strike against his authority |- |Shiranui Dakuemon |1830-11 |1844-1 |aYokozuna |Urakaze |coach of Shiranui Kōemon |- |Unryū Kyūkichi |1847-11 |1865-2 |aYokozuna |Oitekaze |unryū dohyō-iri style named for him |- |Jinmaku |1850-11 |1867-11 |aYokozuna |Hidenoyama |erected monument to former yokozuna, first time first 3 yokozuna recognized |- |Shiranui Kōemon |1850-11 |1869-11 |aYokozuna |Sakaigawa |considered the actual innovator of the unryū dohyō-iri style |- |Kimenzan Tanigorō |1852-2 |1870-11 |aYokozuna |Takekuma |at 43 oldest wrestler ever to be promoted to yokozuna |- |Sakaigawa Namiemon |1857-11 |1881-1 |aYokozuna |Sakaigawa |a number of dubious yokozuna titles were awarded in his period, diluting the integrity of the title, his title is the only one from his time still recognized |- |Takasago Uragorō |1863-07 |1873-12 |eMaegashira 1 |Chiganoura |one of the first great reformers of professional sumo, and founder of Takasago stable |- |Umegatani I |1871-3 |1885-5 |aYokozuna |Ikazuchi |died at 83, longest-lived yokozuna after retirement, helped build first Ryōgoku Kokugikan |- |Nishinoumi Kajirō I |1882-1 |1896-1 |aYokozuna |Takasago |first wrestler actually listed on banzuke at the rank of yokozuna |- |Konishiki Yasokichi I |1883-5 |1901-1 |aYokozuna |Takasago |although competitive, never won a championship as yokozuna |- |ozutsumŌzutsu Man'emon |1885-1 |1908-1 |aYokozuna |Oguruma |strength greatly declined after fighting in Russo-Japanese War |- |Onigatani Saiji |1886-1 |1907-1 |dKomusubi |Ikazuchi |retired from active sumo aged 51 |- |Wakashima |1891-5 |1907-1 |aYokozuna |Tomozuna Nakamura |first official yokozuna from Osaka sumo, retired young due to a cycling accident |- |Hitachiyama |1892-6 |1914-5 |aYokozuna |Dewanoumi |last wrestler to win over .900 of his bouts in top division, considered to be the most honorable yokozuna ever by many, did much to increase the popularity of sumo |- |Umegatani II |1892-6 |1915-5 |aYokozuna |Ikazuchi |youngest ever yokozuna at that time |- |Araiwa Kamenosuke |1894-1 |1909-1 |bŌzeki |Oguruma |had a winning average of over .800 |- |Takamiyama Torinosuke |1895-6 |1913-5 |cSekiwake |Takasago |won first officially recognized sumo top division championship |- |Tamatsubaki Kentaro |1897-1 |1916-1 |cSekiwake |Ikazuchi |at 158 cm, the shortest wrestler in history |- |onishikidŌnishiki Daigorō |1898-11 |1922-1 |aYokozuna |Asahiyama |active in Osaka sumo |- |okidoŌkido Moriemon |1899-9 |1914-1 |aYokozuna |Minato |only yokozuna who spent his whole career in Osaka sumo |- |Nishinoumi Kajirō II |1900-1 |1918-5 |aYokozuna |Izutsu |oldest wrestler to be promoted to yokozuna in the 20th century, committed suicide later in life |- |Tachiyama |1900-5 |1918-1 |aYokozuna |Tomozuna |never had a losing tournament in 18-year career, only lost 3 bouts as a yokozuna |- |otoritŌtori Tanigorō |1903-5 |1920-5 |aYokozuna |Miyagino |has a monument built for him in Inzai, Chiba |- |Ryōgoku Yūjirō |1909-6 |1924-1 |cSekiwake |Dewanoumi |only wrestler to win the top division on his first attempt since the 1909 yusho system was established |- |onishikiuŌnishiki Uichirō |1910-1 |1923-1 |aYokozuna |Dewanoumi |reached yokozuna after only 5 top division tournaments which is an all-time record, trained under Hitachiyama |- |Nishinoumi Kajirō III |1910-1 |1928-10 |aYokozuna |Izutsu |promoted to yokozuna without winning any championships, which caused controversy |- |Tsunenohana |1910-1 |1930-10 |aYokozuna |Dewanoumi |attempted suicide as a sumo elder after being blamed for JSA troubles |- |Miyagiyama |1910-6 |1931-1 |aYokozuna |Takadagawa |achieved fame in Osaka, helped save integrity of much maligned Osaka sumo by achieving success in Tokyo after Osaka sumo was disbanded |- |Tochigiyama |1911-2 |1925-5 |aYokozuna |Dewanoumi |lost only 3 bouts in rise to top division, ended the 56-victory streak of Tachiyama |- |Toyokuni Fukuma |1915-1 |1930-10 |bŌzeki |Izutsu |only had two losing tournaments in his rise to ōzeki, had two makunouchi championships |- |Shimizugawa |1917-1 |1937-5 |bŌzeki |Hatachiyama |won three top division championships, but never promoted to yokozuna |- |Hitachiiwa Eitarō |1917-5 |1931-3 |bŌzeki |Dewanoumi |his only tournament championship caused great controversy |- |Tamanishiki |1919-1 |1938-12 |aYokozuna |Nishonoseki |one of very few top division wrestlers who did not walk out in a strike, later brought great success to Nishonoseki stable as head |- |Tenryū Saburō |1920-1 |1931-10 |cSekiwake |Dewanoumi |also an accomplished scholar, after being expelled as a leader of the Shunjuen Incident started an independent Ōsaka sumo group, and later became a pioneer in Aikido |- |Kagamiiwa Zenshirō |1922-5 |1939-5 |bŌzeki |Kumegawa |discovered and mentored future yokozuna Kagamisato |- |Minanogawa Tōzō |1924-1 |1942-1 |aYokozuna |TakasagoSadogatake |popular with public but won no championships at yokozuna rank |- |Dewanohana I |1925-1 |1940-7 |eMaegashira 1 |Dewanoumi |went on to become chairman of the Japan Sumo Association from 1968–1974 |- |Musashiyama Takeshi |1926-1 |1939-5 |aYokozuna |Dewanoumi |promotion considered controversial by some, had only one kachi-koshi at yokozuna rank |- |Futabayama |1927-3 |1945-11 |aYokozuna |Tatsunami |won 69 consecutive bouts, the longest run in the history of sumo, after retirement admitted was blind in one eye |- |Dewaminato I |1928-3 |1944-11 |cSekiwake |Dewanoumi |took the championship in the same tournament Futabayama's winning streak was ended |- |Maedayama |1929-1 |1949-10 |aYokozuna |Takasago |former head of Takasago stable |- |Akinoumi Setsuo |1932-2 |1946-11 |aYokozuna |Dewanoumi |ended the 69-bout win streak of Futabayama |- |Nayoroiwa |1932-5 |1954-10 |bŌzeki |Tatsunami |stablemate of Futabayama, fought until age forty, established Kasugayama stable after retirement |- |Haguroyama |1934-1 |1953-9 |aYokozuna |Tatsunami |longest serving yokozuna in history until surpassed by Hakuhō in 2019 |- |Saganohana |1934-5 |1952-1 |bŌzeki |Kumegawa→Nishonoseki |defeated four yokozuna in one tournament, coached Taihō, among other sumo greats |- |Terukuni |1935-1 |1953-1 |aYokozuna |Isegahama |youngest yokozuna ever until Taihō |- |Masuiyama Daishirō I |1935-1 |1950-1 |bŌzeki |Dewanoumi |father of ozeki Masuiyama Daishiro II, coach of Kitanoumi |- |Azumafuji Kin'ichi |1936-1 |1954-9 |aYokozuna |Takasago |first yokozuna to turn to pro-wrestling after retiring |- |Bishūyama |1936-1 |1955-3 |cSekiwake |Isegahama, Araiso |winner of the 1945 Summer tournament cut short due to Allied bombings |- |Mitsuneyama |1937-5 |1960-1 |bŌzeki |Takashima |later head coach of Takashima stable |- |Tamanoumi Daitaro |1937-5 |1961-1 |cSekiwake |Nishonoseki |first wrestler to wear a brightly colored mawashi, flouting JSA rules and won first championship with 15-0 record while wearing it, had 9 gold stars in career |- |Kotonishiki Noboru |1938-1 |1955-5 |dKomusubi |Nishonoseki |founder of Sadogatake stable, trained yokozuna Kotozakura |- |Toyonishiki |1938-1 |1945-11 |fMaegashira 17 |Dewanoumi |first Japanese-American to reach the top division |- |Yoshibayama |1938-5 |1958-1 |aYokozuna |Takashima |though successful, he overall ability was hindered by injuries from World War II before he entered sumo |- |Tochinishiki |1939-1 |1960-5 |aYokozuna |Kasugano |known for small size and his tenacity, once fought back from seven straight losses to win his kachi-koshi |- |Kitanonada |1940-1 |1962-3 |cSekiwake |Tatsunami | won ten career kinboshi, retired at age 39 |- |Rikidōzan |1940-5 |1950-9 |cSekiwake |Nishonoseki |after retiring, moved on to become "the father of pro-wrestling in Japan"
|Tokitsuyama |1940-5 |1961-3 |cSekiwake |Tatsunami |makuuchi champion, known for using a variety of rare techniques |- |Kagamisato |1941-1 |1958-1 |aYokozuna |Tokitsukaze |died at age 80, one of the longest-lived former yokozuna |- |Matsunobori |1941-1 |1961-11 |bŌzeki |Oyama |head of small Oyama stable after retirement |- |Chiyonoyama |1942-1 |1959-1 |aYokozuna |Dewanoumi |founded Kokonoe stable |- |Dewanishiki |1942-1 |1956-11 |cSekiwake |Dewanoumi |had 10 gold stars, held komusubi rank 9 times before reaching sekiwake |- |Wakabayama |1942-1 |1961-1 |dKomusubi |Tokitsukaze |earned four gold stars, three grandsons all became rikishi |- |ouchiyamaŌuchiyama |1944-1 |1959-3 |bŌzeki |Tokitsukaze |one of the tallest wrestlers ever at 202 cm |- |Kotogahama |1945-11 |1962-11 |bŌzeki |Nishonoseki |five times a top division tournament runner-up, turned down opportunity to run Sadogatake stable |- |Wakanohana |1946-11 |1962-5 |aYokozuna |NishonosekiShibatayamaHanakago |former head of JSA, one of lightest yokozuna, older brother of Takanohana Kenshi |- |Toyonobori |1947-6 |1954-9 |fMaegashira 15 |Izutsu |went on to become a well-known professional wrestler |- |Tsurugamine |1947-6 |1967-7 |cSekiwake |Tomozuna |holds record for most technique prizes at 10, had ten gold stars |- |Asashio III |1948-10 |1962-1 |aYokozuna |Takasago |former head of Takasago stable |- |Wakahaguro |1949-10 |1965-3 |bŌzeki |Tatsunami |died of stroke after retiring at age 34 |- |Annenyama |1950-1 |1965-3 |cSekiwake |Tatsunami |former head of Tatsunami stable, earned 10 gold stars |- |Fusanishiki |1952-1 |1967-1 |cSekiwake |WakamatsuNishiiwaWakamatsu |former head coach of Wakamatsu stable 1979–1990 |- |Oikawa |1952-1 |1962-5 |fMaegashira 10 |OnoeTakasago |two-time jūryō champion |- |Tochihikari |1952-5 |1966-1 |bŌzeki |Kasugano |member of Kasugano stable, an ōzeki for 22 tournaments |- |Iwakaze |1952-5 |1965-9 |cSekiwake |WakamatsuNishiiwaWakamatsu |jūryō champion |- |Wakakoma |1952-5 |1962-3 |eMaegashira 8 |NishonosekiShibatayamaHanakago |jūryō champion |- |Kanenohana |1952-5 |1967-9 |dKomusubi |Dewanoumi |jūryō champion |- |Maedagawa |1952-9 |1967-5 |cSekiwake