Sekiwake (関脇) is the third plus high ranking of the fight Sumo, it is one of the 3 rows measuring with compasses the sanyaku, it is a required passage for promotion with the row of ôzeki.

The row of sekiwake is more the high ranking which a fighter can atteintre while realizing of simple the kachi-koshi (more victories than of defeats over a tournament); beyond that, for promotion with the rank of ôzeki, then of Yokozuna, it is necessary to carry out performences of high level particularly. The promotion of a rikishi to the rank of sekiwake depends either on the retrogradation of old a sekiwake, thus releasing a place, or of a performence at least equal to 10 victories for 5 defeats with the immediately lower row of komusubi. Put at share of the exeptionnelles circumstances and contrary at the higher rows of ôzeki and yokozuna, a makekoshi (majority of defeats) with the rank of sekiwake involves a fall with the row of will maegashira in general, in Komusubi sometimes.

There are at least 2 sekiwake in the Banzuke (the classification of the fighters), sometimes 3,4, even 5 because a komusubi carrying out an important score is promoted, of the ôzeki can be retrogressed and simple a kachikoshi is already enough with the sekiwake in place to be maintained. A concordence of these events can involve a surcharche sekiwake. The record on the matter is 5, at the time of the Nagoya bashô 1972, with Wajima (8-7), Takanohana (12-3), Mienoumi (5-2-8), Kaiketsu (10-5), Hasegawa (5-10). The chance factor intervenes much less for promotions with the row of sekiwake that for those with the row of komusubi.

There are currently 2 sekiwake:

• Aminishiki Ryūji, Ajigawa-beya
• Asasekiryū Tarō, Takasago-beya