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| Shodai Tosses Harumafuji For Win |
The carnage wasn’t as bad as
on the opening day, but the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament once again saw a
number of high-ranked wrestlers bite the dust.
Yokozuna
Harumafuji and two of the three ozeki were dealt their second defeats,
while yokozona Hakuho continued his march toward the all-time wins
record on Monday, the second day of action at Aichi Prefectural Gym.
No. 1 maegashira Shodai notched his first career kinboshi, awarded for a
win over a yokozuna, when he sent Harumafuji out of the ring with a
well-timed twist after being backed to the edge in the final bout of the
day.
On the first day, two yokozuna and all three ozeki
suffered defeats, and it looked like some semblance of normalcy might
have returned when newly promoted ozeki Takayasu chalked up his first
win and then three yokozuna reeled off victories in succession.
But Harumafuji’s loss showed that the first week, when other wrestlers
are normally fodder for the yokozuna, will be anything but normal.
Yokozuna Kisenosato, recovering from an upper left arm injury, bounced
back from his first-day defeat by slapping down No. 1 maegashira
Takakeisho, but even that win was slightly unusual. Still unable to grab
his favored left-handed belt hold, Kisenosato was forced to get into a
mutual and prolonged slapping attack. Eventually, Takakeisho extended
himself too far and was knocked to the ground.
Hakuho avoided the
upset bug when he forced out a determined No. 2 maegashira Tochinoshin.
After the two locked up mutual belt holds, Hakuho worked Tochinoshin
over the edge. Hakuho now has 1,038 wins as he bids to top Kaio’s record
of 1,047.
Yokozuna Kakuryu kept his slate clean with a win over
winless komusubi Kotoshogiku, whose feet slipped out from underneath
him as he pressed forward.
Takayasu chalked up his first win as
an ozeki when he forced out No. 3 maegashira Ikioi, who ran out of ring
as he tried to backpedal and push down on a charging Takayasu’s head.
That remains the only victory among the three ozeki after both Terunofuji and Goeido were handed second losses.
Terunofuji was forced out by sekiwake Tamawashi (2-0). Amid an intense
mutual slapping attack, Tamawashi worked the ozeki to the edge before
applying the final shove.
Goeido fell prey to the quickness of
komusubi Yoshikaze, who had knocked off Harumafuji on the opening day.
After a head-on collision, Yoshikaze gained an angle on Goeido, then
planted his face in his opponent’s chest and powered him out.
In
a clash between two of Sunday’s giant-killers, sekiwake Mitakeumi made
short work of No. 2 maegashira Hokutofuji, coming out powerfully from
the jump-off and quickly bulling him out.
Yomiuri
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