More than a generic word for wrestler
Rikishi is the standard Japanese term for a professional sumo wrestler. Its characters mean “strong person,” but English broadcasts often use rikishi and wrestler interchangeably.
Every rikishi belongs to a stable, or heya. The stable provides coaching, training partners, meals, and the structure of daily life. A wrestler's position within that world is set by the banzuke, the official ranking sheet published before each tournament.
Only wrestlers in the top two divisions are salaried sekitori. Wrestlers below Juryo still train and compete professionally, but they live under a different set of duties and privileges. That makes promotion across the Juryo boundary one of the biggest changes in a rikishi's career.