Associated Press
Yokozuna Takanohana, facing the camera, sends komusubi
Kotonishiki flying on his way to push the komusubi down Monday,
July 6, 1998, the second day of the 15-day Nagoya Grand
Sumo Tournament in Nagoya

Akebono, Takanonami
tumble in Nagoya

NAGOYA, July 6 (Kyodo) - Yokozuna Akebono and ozeki Takanonami were upset victims only two days into the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament on Monday, while grand champion brothers Wakanohana and Takanohana posted impressive victories.

Akebono, facing long-time nemesis Takatoriki at the Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium, got off to a shaky start at the initial charge and was backed to the edge of the ring by the pesky former sekiwake.

As Akebono battled to get back into the center of the ring, the top maegashira snapped him to the ring's surface to raise his record to 15-23 against the towering Hawaiian-born yokozuna.

Wakanohana and Takanohana, wrestling in subsequent bouts, had an easier time in securing their second wins.

Top maegashira Oginishiki attempted to cross up Wakanohana at the start of the bout by jumping to the left. Wakanohana, however, took control of Oginishiki's right arm, spun him around and shoved him out of the ring from behind.

Takanohana weathered a frenzied attack from veteran Kotonishiki and watched as the komusubi slipped on the ring's sandy surface and belly-flopped at center-ring.

In Monday's other major upset, one-time ozeki candidate Musoyama took control of the bout by locking onto the knot of Takanonami's sash.

When the ozeki attempted his favorite counter arm throw, however, Musoyama, wrestling as a No. 2 maegashira, was ready and moved away from the throw and dropped the ozeki at his feet.

After watching his stablemate upset Takanonami, Musashimaru was nearly toppled at the face-off with Tochinonada. The ozeki kept his feet, however, and after nearly three minutes of working for better control of the belt, dropped the No. 2 maegashira out of the ring.

In an earlier bout, Terao appeared in his 1,170th makuuchi division bout to tie Ozutsu for third on the all-time list for bouts in sumo's uppermost division. Takamiyama, now sumo elder Azumazeki, holds the record at 1,430.

In the bout, Terao pulled down No. 8 maegashira Asahiyutaka by the back of the belt to even his mark at 1-1.

Also, Kyokushuzan, an 11th-ranked maegashira from Mongolia, threw over veteran Kotoinazuma with the help of an inner thigh sweep on the right side to notch his first win of the tourney.

Mongolian compatriot, No. 15 maegashira Kyokutenho, however, got both of his arms trapped inside on the belt of No. 13 maegashira Mitoizumi and was levered out of the ring.

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