Sumo- 2018 Kyushu Basho

[jnight]

Day 1-




Japanese grand champion Kisenosato opened the 15-day Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament with a loss to Takakeisho on Sunday.

Kisenosato, who entered a tournament as the sole yokozuna for the first time, chased the 22-year-old komusubi around the ring to get a hold of his belt. Takakeisho, however, fought back and slapped Kisenosato down with his left hand to improve his record against the grand champion to 3-2.

"I was able to give my best in our previous bout (in September) so I tried to do the same here," said Takakeisho, who belonged to the now-defunct Takanohana stable. "I'm just going to perform what I have learned. I'm focused on doing my best every day."

Kisenosato is aiming for his first championship since March 2017, when he made his debut at the sport's highest rank. The 32-year-old will face top-ranked maegashira Myogiryu (0-1), against whom he holds a 16-4 record.

The three ozeki wrestlers had mixed fates on Day 1 at Fukuoka Kokusai Center.

Takayasu posted a quick and easy win over Myogiryu before Goeido, competing in his 26th straight meet in the sport's second-highest rank, defeated top-ranked maegashira Hokutofuji in the day's penultimate bout.

Tochinoshin, who is fighting in his third meet since being promoted, lost to No. 2 maegashira Tamawashi in a bout lasting only three seconds. The Georgian reached for Tamawashi's belt, but was unable to resist Tamawashi's slaps and stepped out of the ring.

"I'm glad. The support from the audience allowed me to beat him. I'm going to stick to the basics here so I think I'll do better than the previous meets," said Tamawashi, who had a 4-11 record in September.

Sekiwake Mitakeumi, who won his maiden championship in July, suffered a loss to No. 2 Tochiozan, who twisted the fan-favorite down for the win. Ichinojo was on the backfoot against No. 3 maegashira Nishikigi but the 227-kilogram sekiwake resisted and edged him out.

[jnight]

Day 2-



Yokozuna Kisenosato suffered his second straight loss at the 15-day Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament after being defeated by top-ranked maegashira Myogiryu on Monday.

Kisenosato, the only yokozuna competing at Fukuoka Kokusai Center following withdrawals by Mongolians Hakuho and Kakuryu, was unable to find an opening against the former sekiwake.

Myogiryu kept his opponent upright throughout the bout and eventually forced the higher-ranked wrestler backwards out of the ring before Kisenosato crashed to the ground.

Despite having only beaten Kisenosato four times in 20 previous bouts, Myogiryu picked up his first kinboshi prize in five years and third overall for defeating the yokozuna.

The 32-year-old Kisenosato, who went 10-5 in his comeback run at the Autumn meet in September, will fight No. 1 maegashira Hokutofuji on Day 3.

The pair have split their two previous bouts.

In earlier matches, Takakeisho pulled off his second straight upset and remains perfect at 2-0 after defeating ozeki Goeido (1-1).

The 22-year-old komusubi, who defeated Kisenosato on Day 1, put Goeido on the defensive from the outset. Takakeisho got his taller opponent off balance and slapped him down to the clay.

Among the other ozeki, Tochinoshin (1-1) chased out No. 3 Nishikigi (0-2) to record his first win, while Takayasu (2-0) endured an all-out offensive from Hokutofuji (0-2) to remain unbeaten.

Mitakeumi (1-1) redeemed an opening loss by forcing out No. 2 Tamawashi (1-1), while his sekiwake counterpart Ichinojo (1-1) was slapped down by No. 2 Tochiozan (1-1).

Brazilian-born wrestler Kaisei, fighting as a komusubi for the first time since 2016, is set to enter the tournament on Day 3 after sitting out the opening matches with a minor leg injury.

[jnight]

Day 3-




The loss against Hokutofuji ratcheted up the pressure on the home-grown yokozuna, who remains winless since starting the 15-day tournament at Fukuoka Kokusai Center as the sole grand champion.

The yokozuna gave his opponent a strong shove at the opening impact, but seemed to lack power from the problematic left side of his upper body as the bout progressed. With both wrestlers thrusting and shoving one another in the center of the ring, Hokutofuji knocked Kisenosato back with a palm to the throat before thrusting him down to the clay. The victory earned Hokutofuji a fifth career "kinboshi" prize for beating a grand champion.

The poor start is likely to fuel speculation about another withdrawal for the injury plagued Kisenosato, who made a successful comeback with a 10-5 record at the Autumn Grand Tournament in September.

Ozeki Takayasu stayed perfect with a slap-down win over komusubi Kaisei (0-1-2), who sat out the first two days with a leg injury. Takayasu evaded an attempted belt grip by the big Brazilian before sending him to the ground with a slap to the back.

No. 2 maegashira Tochiozan stayed undefeated by upsetting ozeki Goeido (1-2) with a well-executed beltless arm throw. Tochiozan blocked an attempted shoulder blast at the opening, slipping to the side and using Goeido's momentum to sling him from the ring.

Georgian ozeki Tochinoshin improved to 2-1 with a slap down against No. 1 Myogiryu. The maegashira, who earned a kimboshi for beating Kisenosato on Day 2, wrapped his arms around Tochinoshin's body but was forced to backpedal. The powerful ozeki took control after setting his feet, upending the smaller wrestler in 14.3 seconds.

Giant sekiwake Ichinojo (1-2) lost to fellow Mongolian Tamawashi, dropping to 5-6 head-to-head in their career. No. 2 Tamawashi won by force-out after lodging a hand on his 1.93-meter, 227-kg opponent's neck and driving him back over the straw bales. Ichinojo became the second high-ranked victim of the tournament for Tamawashi (2-1), who defeated Tochinoshin on the opening day.

Komusubi Takakeisho marched to a third-straight win, following impressive victories over Kisenosato and Goeido on Days 1 and 2, respectively. Fighting No. 3 Ryuden (1-2) for the first time in the top division, Takakeisho quickly secured a thrust-out for his easiest win here so far.

Sekiwake Mitakeumi improved to 2-1 with a force-out win against No. 3 Nishikigi. After a hard initial impact, rank-and-file wrestler Nishikigi (0-3) tried to secure a double outside grip but was quickly driven out by the powerful Mitakeumi, whose status as a fan favorite continues to grow since a maiden tournament victory in Nagoya in July.

[jnight]

Day 4-



Grand champion Kisenosato fell to his fourth straight loss on Wednesday, becoming the first yokozuna to suffer four consecutive losses from the start of a grand sumo tournament in 87 years.

Kisenosato, the sole yokozuna competing, logged the unwished-for record in a loss to rank-and-filer Tochiozan at Fukuoka Kokusai Center. The No. 2 maegashira remains one of three undefeated wrestlers in the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament after earning his fifth career "kimboshi" prize for defeating a grand champion.

The Japanese yokozuna put Tochiozan on the defensive from the outset, getting an underarm grip and seesawing him toward the edge of the ring. But as Kisenosato attempted a final shove, Tochiozan executed a last-ditch underarm throw and sent the yokozuna down on his stomach before stepping out of the ring at nearly the same time. After conferring, however, the referees decided in favor of Tochiozan.

On Day 3, Kisenosato became the first yokozuna in 26 years to start a tournament with an 0-3 record following early losses to komusubi Takakeisho, and top-ranked maegashira Myogiryu and Hokutofuji. Asahifuji was the last yokozuna to post three straight losses at a grand tournament. Following his loss on Day 3 of the 1992 New Year meet, the four-time makuuchi division champion and current Isegahama stablemaster announced his retirement.

All three ozeki recorded Day 4 victories. In the day's penultimate bout, Goeido (2-2) ended a two-day losing streak with a win against No. 2 Tamawashi (2-2). Tamawashi, who has racked up wins against an ozeki and sekiwake so far, lost his balance after the initial charge and provided little challenge for the veteran ozeki.

In their first top division bout, Takayasu earned a quick victory against winless No. 3 Nishikigi. The undefeated ozeki drove Nishikigi back on the initial charge and reeled in the maegashira for a textbook slap-down.

Tochinoshin (3-1) overpowered komusubi Kaisei (0-2-2) to earn his third straight win. The Georgian ozeki immediately got his favored right-handed belt grip and showcased his Herculean strength by lifting the second heaviest man in the division over the straw.

Takakeisho also improved to 4-0 with a convincing win against No. 4 Shodai. The 22-year-old komusubi dug in low and drove his opponent out with a series of inflexible shoves. The first Chiganoura stable wrestler to attain "sanyaku" status as a member of one of the three ranks below yokozuna, Takakeisho has posted winning records at the last three tournaments in his quest for a maiden top-division title.

Both sekiwake wrestlers took losses on Day 4. Mitakeumi (2-2), still fighting for an ozeki promotion, was defeated by Myogiryu (2-2). Mitakeumi took the the No. 1 maegashira to the edge of the straw but Myogiryu recovered, getting ahold of the sekiwake's belt and driving him out for the win.

Ichinojo (1-3) was overpowered by No. 1 Hokutofuji (2-2) despite his 65-kilogram weight advantage. The Mongolian sekiwake repelled several charges from his lighter opponent, but was eventually forced out as Hokutofuji delivered a fatal push.

No. 10 Sadanoumi, who entered Day 3 as the only other undefeated rank-and-file wrestler besides Tochiozan, suffered his first loss at the hands of former ozeki and hometown favorite Kotoshogiku (3-1).

[jnight]

Grand champion Kisenosato withdrew from the ongoing Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament Thursday citing a knee injury, the latest in a string of setbacks that will again raise the prospect of his retirement.

The news comes a day after Kisenosato, the first Japan-born wrestler in 19 years to gain promotion to sumo’s highest rank, suffered his fourth consecutive defeat at the 15-day meet at Fukuoka Kokusai Center where he was the sole yokozuna competing.

“I entered the meet in good condition but sustained a new injury (to my right knee) on opening day,” said Kisenosato, who has struggled to shake nagging injuries to his knee, ankle, and chest and arm muscles.

“I went ahead and competed from the second day onwards but I was in far from my best form, thus the withdrawal. I’m very sorry. I’m disappointed that I couldn’t live up to the expectations,” he said.

After missing eight straight meets, the most ever by a yokozuna, Kisenosato finished with a 10-5 record at the September tournament to quiet fans who had been calling for him to bring his career to an end.

In Fukuoka, Kisenosato became the first yokozuna in 87 years to lose four bouts in a row to open a basho. Miyagiyama, who got off to a dismal 0-4 start in January 1931, was the most recent before him.

Speaking to reporters after his announcement to pull out, Kisenosato repeatedly apologized for not being able to last the full 15 days, while also speaking positively about his next opportunity to compete on the raised ring.

“I do want to put on a good performance again. I’ll have to undergo medical tests (on my knee). First, I have to heal the injury, then I’ll think. My job is to do what it takes to get back on the dohyo,” he said.

The Tagonoura stable wrestler has only completed one full tournament since becoming the 72nd grand champion in sumo history in January 2017.

It is the 10th time in his career he is not going the full distance in a grand tournament. Kisenosato’s fifth-day opponent Tamawashi wins by forfeit.

Two other yokozuna, Mongolians Hakuho and Kakuryu, announced their withdrawals before the Kyushu tourney got underway. Hakuho has yet to recover from last month’s right knee surgery, and Kakuryu is nursing a right ankle injury.

[jnight]

Day 5-



Rank-and-file wrestler Tochiozan beat ozeki Takayasu and earned his fifth-straight win Thursday. With no remaining yokozuna in competition, Tochiozan shares the lead with komusubi Takakeisho. Both wrestlers are seeking their first top-division title.

In the day's final bout, Tochiozan and Takayasu, who both entered the match undefeated, struggled to gain the upper hand. The ozeki got the first opportunity by driving Tochiozan to the edge, but the maegashira circled out of harm's way.

Tochiozan retaliated but Takayasu resisted and forced a standoff in the center of the raised ring. With the pressure mounting, Tochiozan mustered his strength and countered with a mighty underarm throw, heaving Takayasu out to his first loss.

The 31-year-old Tochiozan, a former sekiwake, has already beaten both sekiwake, two of the three ozeki and handed Kisenosato his fourth straight loss on Wednesday. Tochiozan improved to 20-7 against Takayasu.

Takakeisho also remains undefeated after beating sekiwake Ichinojo (1-4). The Mongolian attempted to use his 227-kilogram frame to deflect the komusubi's shoves, but was eventually pushed off balance and out of the ring.

In their first top division bout, Nishikigi (1-4) beat ozeki Goeido (2-3) to record his first win of the tournament. Goeido was looking for an easy push-out win and attempted to drive the No. 3 maegashira back towards the straw. But Nishikigi quickly manufactured an underarm lock, spinning at the edge and throwing the ozeki onto his back.

Top-ranked maegashira Hokutofuji (3-2) produced another Day 5 upset by beating ozeki Tochinoshin for the first time in their three top-level meetings. Hokutofuji, who earned his fifth "kimboshi" prize for beating Kisenosato on Day 3, denied Tochinoshin his favored belt hold and kept the Georgian upright. When Tochinoshin switched gears and attempted to pull down his opponent, Hokutofuji landed a well-timed lunge and drove Tochinoshin over the straw.

In the day's first upper rank match-up, Kaisei (1-2-2) defeated sekiwake Mitakeumi (2-3). The Brazilian komusubi entered the meet on Day 3 due to a minor leg injury. Kaisei thwarted Mitakeumi's initial charge and rebounded at the edge of the straw, driving his lighter opponent out at the opposite side to pick up his first win.

Five rank-and-filers stand one win off the pace after Day 5, including No. 5 Chiyotairyu, No. 7 Abi, No. 9 Daieisho, No. 13 Onosho and No. 15 Daiamami. Former ozeki and hometown favorite Kotoshogiku, currently ranked No. 9, fell to 3-2 after losing to Abi. No. 7 Shohozan (2-3), a fellow Fukuoka native, was beaten by Daieisho.

[jnight]

Day 6-



Takakeisho became the only wrestler with a perfect record following his win over fellow komusubi Kaisei on Friday, the sixth day of the 15-day Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament.

Takakeisho grabbed Kaisei's throat before thrusting the Brazilian down to the clay with his left hand at Fukuoka Kokusai Center. Kaisei (1-3-2) had missed the first two days of the tournament due to a left calf injury, and was on the backfoot from the outset.

The 22-year-old Takakeisho, who opened this meet with a win over grand champion Kisenosato, will face sekiwake Mitakeumi (3-3) on Saturday.

Ozeki Takayasu (5-1) bounced back from his Day 5 defeat, beating No. 2 maegashira Tamawashi (3-3). Takayasu is now part of a six-way tie, one win behind Takakeisho.

With all three grand champions out injured, the 28-year-old Takayasu still has an opportunity to claim his maiden top-division championship. Takayasu will face No. 3 maegashira Ryuden (1-5) on Saturday for the first time in the top-makuuchi division.

No. 2 Tochiozan suffered his first loss of the tournament, losing to No. 3 Nishikigi (2-4) after defeating five of the six highest-ranked wrestlers in the tournament. The only elite wrestler to avoid Tochiozan is his Kasugano Stable cohort, ozeki Tochinoshin, whom he won't face -- since stablemates don't face each other except in championship playoffs.

In the day's final bout, Tochinoshin (3-3) was pushed out by No. 4 Shodai (4-2). The Georgian has now lost seven of 12 career bouts against the maegashira.

"My body moved really well. I'm just wrestling the way I always do," Shodai said. "I think I've been wrestling in a good condition here, and hope to continue this until the final day."

In the penultimate bout, Goeido posted his third win by crushing No. 3 Ryuden's hopes of beating an ozeki on his first try. The ozeki resisted Ryuden's attempt at a throw, and forced him backwards as the maegashira collapsed on his back.

The 227-kilogram Ichinojo (1-5) fell to his fifth straight loss, while fellow sekiwake Mitakeumi managed to post a win over Hokutofuji (3-3). The Mongolian mountain Ichinojo resisted top-ranked maegashira Myogiryu's slaps at the edge, but stepped out of the ring while he was reaching for his opponent's belt. Myogiryu improved to 4-2.

[jnight]

Day 7-



The 22-year-old komusubi dropped to 6-1 when he succumbed to a ferocious slapdown against sekiwake Mitakeumi on Day 7 of the 15-day tournament at Fukuoka Kokusai Center.

Mitakuemi (4-3) had the momentum from the opening collision and looked set for a quick pushout before Takakeisho slipped to the side and circled behind the sekiwake. The pair then exchanged a furious series of slaps and pushes at the center of the ring before Mitakeumi slammed Takekeisho to the clay.

Mitakeumi, winner of the Nagoya tournament in July, is aiming to overcome his lackluster start in Fukuoka as he pursues promotion to ozeki. Mitakeumi improved to 5-3 head-to-head against Takakeisho, including victories in their past three meetings.

Rank-and-file wrestlers No. 9 Daieisho and No. 13 Onosho share the lead at 6-1 following wins over No. 7 Abi (5-2) and No. 16 Arawashi (1-6), respectively.

Starting the day one win off the pace, ozeki Takayasu (5-2) was forced out by rank-and-file grappler Ryuden following a 1-minute, 58-second marathon. In their first top-level meeting, No. 4 Ryuden (2-5) secured a strong right-hand grip at the opening collision, but the heavier Takayasu held his ground. As the pair battled for position, Ryuden gripped both hands on Takayasu’s belt, then broke a long stalemate at the center of the ring by driving the ozeki out.

Ozeki Tochinoshin suffered an upset against No. 4 Yoshikaze, dropping to 3-4. The powerful Georgian searched for a belt grip at the opening, but Yoshikaze stayed low to evade the hold. Unable to get a handhold, Tochinoshin tried to initiate a throw but was moved off balance by Yoshikaze (4-3) who reversed the throw and tossed his higher-ranked opponent to the clay.

A Kyushu native, the 36-year-old veteran Yoshikaze received one of the biggest ovations of the day for his victory. “I’m really thankful … the fans really supported me and it gives me power. I will do my style of sumo and try to impress them in my remaining matches,” Yoshikaze said. “I don’t really care who my opponent is, whether maegashira or ozeki. … I have to be mentally strong no matter who, and today it just happened to be against an ozeki,” he said.

Komusubi Kaisei (2-3-2) picked up his second win by forcing out No. 1 Myogiryu (4-3). Both wrestlers looked for a belt grip at the outset, but it was the big Brazilian who secured a hold and pushed his way to victory.

Sekiwake Ichinojo (2-5) picked up his first win since the opening day by pushing out No. 5 Chiyotairyu (5-2).

After starting the tournament with five straight wins, No.2 Tochiozan (5-2) suffered his second loss in as many days, succumbing to a pushout against No. 1 Hokutofuji (4-3).

[jnight]

Day 8-

Takakeisho improved to 7-1 to take over sole possession of the lead at the midway point of the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament on Sunday in Fukuoka.

The 22-year-old komusubi, who entered the day in a three-way tie for the lead at 6-1, didn’t have time to work up a sweat in an easy win over former sekiwake Myogiryu.

The two other men who shared the lead after seven days at Fukuoka Kokusai Center, No. 9 maegashira Daiesho and No. 13 Onosho each suffered his second defeat.

Onosho was forced out by No. 15 Meisei (5-3), while Daiesho fell to his nemesis, Okinoumi (5-3). The loss was Daiesho’s seventh in 10 career bouts against the No. 11 maegashira.

Takakeisho used a subtle move to beat Myogiryu (4-4) for the fourth time in four career bouts. The 32-year-old veteran moved forward carefully and was met by the 22-year-old Takakeisho at in the middle of the ring.

When Myogiryu tried to wrap up Takakeisho’s upper body, the youngster quickly swatted his opponent’s arms way and stepped back with his right foot to get on the maegashira’s right flank.

Although Myogiryu was not moving forward quickly, the slightest of shoves to his back from Takakeisho sent him stumbling from the ring in 1.2 seconds.

Ozeki Takayasu remained one win off the pace at 6-2 in his quest for a first makuuchi division championship. He knocked No. 4 maegashira Shodai backward with his charge and easily shoved him out to his fourth defeat.

No. 2 Tochiozan, who opened the tournament with five straight wins, remained one win back with a victory over No. 2 Tamawashi (4-4).

Takayasu’s ozeki rivals, Goeido and Tochinoshin both won, to improve to 5-3, and 4-4, respectively. Tochinoshin seized the early advantage against No. 3 maegashira Ryuden, but the power he displayed earlier in the year was nowhere to be seen.

The Georgian, who won the year’s first grand tournament and won 37 bouts over this year’s first three tournaments, often hoisting opponents off their feet, was strong enough only to outlast his opponent in the day’s longest bout at 46 seconds.

Mitakeumi (5-3) won his third straight bout, shoving out massive Mongolian and rival sekiwake Ichinojo, who suffered his sixth loss.

[jnight]

Day 9-



Komusubi Takakeisho took out ozeki Tochinoshin on Monday to remain in sole possession of the lead after nine days of action at the 15-day Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament.

In the day's final bout, Takakeisho (8-1) once again showcased the form that has seen him defeat most of the top-ranked contenders at Fukuoka Kokusai Center.

As Tochinoshin (4-5) braced for impact, the 22-year-old komusubi delivered two massive shoves to the powerful Georgian and knocked him straight from the ring in just over two seconds.

Tochinoshin's colleagues Goeido (6-3) and Takayasu (7-2) both went ahead in their respective rivalries against No. 5 Chiyotairyu (5-4) and No. 4 Yoshikaze (4-5).

In the penultimate bout lasting less than a second, Goeido immediately shifted and deflected Chiyotairyu's shove as the maegashira crashed to the clay.

Takayasu, on the other hand, held his ground and issued Yoshikaze a sharp slap before pulling him down. The ozeki remains one win behind Takakeisho.

Meeting in the top division for the first time, Mitakeumi (5-4) was unable to power past No. 3 Ryuden (3-6). After locking up, Mitakeumi attempted to drive his opponent out but Ryuden was able to sidestep around the edge and drive the sekiwake out the other side.

Ichinojo (3-6) faired better and recorded a win against No. 4 Shodai (4-5). The Mongolian sekiwake slapped Shodai's arms down to get the maegashira off balance, and quickly maneuvered into position to push him backwards over the straw.

Tochiozan (6-3) was beaten by komusubi Kaisei (3-4-2) and suffered his third loss of the tournament. The No. 2 maegashira drove right into the Brazilian's grip and allowed Kaisei to swing him around and out.

Among the rank-and-file wrestlers in contention, No. 9 Daieisho, No. 12 Aoiyama and No. 13 Onosho all earned Day 9 victories to stay within one win of the lead. No. 7 Abi lost against No. 8 Ikioi (4-5) and fell to 6-3.

Former ozeki and home favorite Kotoshogiku improved to 5-4 with a win against No. 6 Kagayaki. The No. 9 maegashira stumbled after a strong initial charge but recovered his momentum and charged Kagayaki out of the ring.

No. 7 Shohozan, another Fukuoka native, also collected his fifth win by beating No. 10 Sadanoumi (4-5).

[jnight]

Day 10-



Takakeisho, whose only defeat came on Day 7 to sekiwake Mitakeumi, beat top-ranked maegashira Hokutofuji (5-5) in a one-sided bout on the 10th day of the meet at Fukuoka Kokusai Center.

Takakeisho delivered a series of shoves to Hokutofuji’s chest and did not give his opponent a foothold in the clash, bulldozing the maegashira out of the raised ring in 3.2 seconds.

The 22-year-old Takakeisho is aiming for his first top makuuchi division championship at the 15-day tournament. He beat yokozuna Kisenosato on Day 1 and two ozeki — Goeido and Tochinoshin — to move into the lead. He faces No. 2 maegashira Tochiozan (6-4) on Wednesday.

Ozeki Takayasu remains one win behind Takakeisho following his victory over No. 5 maegashira Chiyotairyu (5-5).

Other ozeki, Tochinoshin and Goeido, both managed to post wins.

Georgian Tochinoshin (5-5) beat the division’s heaviest wrestler, sekiwake Ichinojo (3-7). Both wrestlers got double hand holds on their opponent’s belt, but it was Tochinoshin who outmuscled the 227-kg Mongolian following a brief belly-to-belly stalemate in the center of the ring.

In the shortest bout of the day, Goeido got hold of No. 5 Asanoyama’s belt with his left hand and sent the maegashira into the clay.

Three maegashira wrestlers — No. 12 Aoiyama, No. 13 Onosho and No. 9 Daieisho — are tied with Takayasu after improving to 8-2.

Onosho showed great confidence by charging No. 14 Chiyoshoma (5-5). Onosho competed as a komusubi at the January meet but fell to the juryo second division in May after sustaining a right-knee injury.

[jnight]

Day 11-



The 22-year-old komusubi switched gears in a fight against No. 2 maegashira Tochiozan to earn his 101st top division victory. Ozeki Takayasu, along with maegashira Daieisho and Aoiyama, remains one win behind the leader at Fukuoka Kokusai Center.

After Tochiozan (6-5) repelled several of the komusubi’s shoves, Takakeisho changed his strategy and slipped to the side of his opponent. With Tochiozan off guard, Takakeisho easily slapped him down to the clay.

Takakeisho is seeking his first makuuchi championship and trying to become the first komusubi since Kaio in 2000 to win a top-division title. On Thursday he faces No. 2 Tamawashi, against whom he holds a 4-2 record.

In the final bout on Day 11, Takayasu (9-2) stayed in the race by narrowly defeating sekiwake Ichinojo (3-8). The pair went into the bout with a 5-4 record in favor of the ozeki.

Takayasu tried pushing out and then pulling down the 227-kg Mongolian, but was instead forced to the edge by an unstoppable charge. With the contest in the balance, Takayasu teetered on the straw as Ichinojo’s momentum forced him to step out of the ring first.

Goeido (8-3) survived a scare against Kaisei (3-6-2) and secured a winning record. The Brazilian komusubi initially resisted Goeido’s attempt to throw him out, but took a fall while in pursuit of the ozeki.

Tochinoshin (6-5) got a much-needed win against No. 5 maegashira Chiyotairyu (5-6). The Georgian put up a wall against his opponent’s relentless attack, and Chiyotairyu collapsed on his knee when he ran out of gas.

Mitakeumi (5-6) suffered his third straight loss and now has a losing record. The sekiwake, who had been gunning for an ozeki promotion after earning his first top division title, lost his balance trying to fend off an attack from No. 4 Yoshikaze (6-5).

Among the rank-and-filers, No. 9 Daieisho and No. 12 Aoiyama both remain in contention after improving to 9-2. Aoiyama slapped down No. 10 Yutakayama (4-7) to claim his ninth straight win, while Daieisho pushed out No. 6 Kagayaki (3-8).

No. 13 Onosho (8-3) was defeated by home favorite No. 7 Shohozan (7-4) and fell further off the pace. No. 11 Okinoumi (8-3) secured a winning record by beating No. 14 Chiyoshoma (5-6).

[jnight]

The 32-year-old wrestler from Sakaigawa stable posted his eighth win a day earlier on the 11th day of the 15-day meet at Fukuoka Kokusai Center, but had struggled for form after sustaining the injury in his seventh-day bout against rank-and-filer Shodai.

"He was fighting with pain after the seventh day, but we can no longer allow him to bring shame to the name ozeki with an unsightly performance," stablemaster Sakaigawa said. "It's extremely disappointing. I sincerely apologize to the sumo association and to the fans."

All three yokozuna are absent from the Kyushu meet. Mongolian grand champions Hakuho and Kakuryu pulled out before the first day, and Japan-born Kisenosato withdrew on the fifth day.

Goeido is the fifth wrestler in the top makuuchi division to be listed among the injury withdrawals, including komusubi Kaisei who returned to action on the third day. Goeido's withdrawal leaves two ozeki left in the tournament, Tochinoshin and Takayasu.

According to Sakaigawa, he and Goeido decided to withdraw Thursday morning after the wrestler had trouble lifting his right hand Wednesday evening and was forced to use his left hand to eat.

Goeido was diagnosed with a tear to his right pectoral muscle where it attaches to his upper arm and is expected to need six weeks of rest in order to recover. This is the eighth time Goeido has had to withdraw from a tournament, and Sakaigawa said the wrestler will likely to skip the winter regional tour which starts Dec. 2.

[jnight]

Day 12-



Takakeisho maintained his one-win lead after beating rank-and-filer Tamawashi on Thursday, the 12th day of the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament.

Takakeisho made little headway against Tamawashi (7-5) with several of the sharp shoves he is known for, but quickly slipped beside the Mongolian and thrust him out as Tamawashi lunged and stumbled out of the raised ring. On Friday, Takakeisho faces No. 12 Aoiyama, whom he has beaten twice in as many bouts.

The final bout of Day 12 featured an ozeki showdown between Takayasu (10-2) and Tochinoshin (6-6), with the Ibaraki Prefecture native coming out on top and taking a two-win lead in their 18-match rivalry. After a shocking collision, both wrestlers locked up in their favored grips. But Takayasu struck first to stay one win back of Takakeisho, pivoting and flinging the Georgian out by his belt.

The two rank-and-file wrestlers who went into the day tied with Takayasu, No. 9 Daieisho and No. 12 Aoiyama, each sustained a loss to fall to 9-3, two wins behind in a four-way tie for third place.

Daieisho went all-out against No. 13 Onosho but was repelled and thrust down by his opponent, who joined the wrestlers in third place.

Aoiyama remained grounded after a beltless arm throw attempt from No. 9 Kotoshogiku (7-5), but in front of his hometown crowd, the former ozeki changed course and drove out the 197-kg Bulgarian.

In other top level bouts, Mongolian sekiwake Ichinojo (4-8) bounced back from a loss on Wednesday with a win against No. 3 Ryuden (4-8), while komusubi Kaisei (3-7-2) was pushed out by No. 3 Nishikigi (6-6).

Among other rank-and-filers, No. 11 Okinoumi (9-3) remains two wins shy of the lead after beating No. 15 Meisei (7-5). No. 7 Shohozan (8-4) was the only wrestler to secure a winning record on Day 12, following a victory against No. 5 Chiyotairyu (5-7).

[jnight]

Day 13-

Komusubi Takakeisho set himself up to seal his first championship by earning his 12th win on Friday, the 13th day of the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament.

The 22-year-old owned most of his bout against 197-kilogram Bulgarian Aoiyama, seizing the initiative early before winning when the No. 12 maegashira's heavily taped right knee buckled. With the defeat, the 32-year-old was knocked from championship contention with his fourth loss.

Takakaisho (12-1) can now wrap up the championship with a win over Takayasu on Saturday. The ozeki, who remained one win off the lead with a win over Daieisho, holds a 4-2 record against Takakeisho. A win by Takayasu will see them enter Day 15 with identical 12-2 records.

Takayasu had the No. 9 maegashira off balance from the start with a blow to the throat. Daiesho, who suffered his fourth loss, quickly found the ozeki on his flank. Takayasu twice tried to slap him down, but the maegashira was able to stagger away before finally stumbling backward out of the ring.

Ozeki Tochinoshin (7-6), whose form here has been a shadow of the dominance he showed in the year's first three grand tournaments, caught a break when Takanoiwa's legs gave out. The 150-kg No.6 maegashira was trying to get leverage underneath the 175-kg Georgian to shove him out, but his feet lost traction and the Mongolian collapsed under Tochinoshin's bulk. The loss left the 28-year-old Takanoiwa with a 6-7 mark.

Sekiwake Mitakeumi's progress toward the ozeki rankings suffered a setback with his seventh defeat as he lost a wild skirmish with No. 5 maegashira Chiyotairyu (6-7). The two took turns charging and dodging each other. Chiyotairyu charged and missed but was able to put on the brakes. When Mitakeumi lowered his head to ram Chioytairyu from the ring, the maegashira stepped aside, and slapped his out-of-control opponent down.

No. 9 maegashira Kotoshogiku made a great escape to secure his eighth win and all but quash 22-year-old Onosho's title aspirations with a fourth defeat. Kotoshogiku, a 34-year-old former ozeki, was forced back onto the straw bales, but bounced back. The Fukuoka native pushed the No. 13 Onosho back a step, wrapped up his opponent's arms, marched him to the straw and rammed him out of the ring with a series of belly thrusts.

No. 11 Okinoumi avoided his fourth loss by overturning No. 7 Shohozan (8-5) with a slick beltless arm throw.

No. 15 maegashira Meisei, competing in the makuuchi division for the second time, earned his first winning record in the top flight with a win over fellow 24-year-old No. 7 Abi (6-7). Popular No. 12 Endo secured his first winning record since July by pushing out No. 6 Kagayaki (4-9).

Each No. 2 maegashira earned his eighth win. Tochiozan marked his fourth straight tournament with a winning record by beating No. 5 Asanoyama (5-8), while Tamawashi handed top-ranked maegashira Hokutofuji his eighth loss.