Musashimaru stunned on
opening day of New Year sumo

TOKYO (AP) - Yokozuna (grand champion) Musashimaru suffered an upset defeat to Wakanosato on Sunday, the opening day of the 15-day New Year Grand Sumo Tournament.

Fighting in the day's final bout at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan, komusubi (junior champion second class) Wakanosato quickly established control, getting a right-hand grip of Musashimaru's belt.

Musashimaru, winner of November's Kyushu Tournament, attempted to knock his opponent off balance but Wakanosato held his ground and drove the Hawaiian grappler out to the delight of the capacity crowd.

Yokozuna Takanohana is sitting out of the tournament due to a knee injury.

Tochiazuma, making his debut as an ozeki (champion), needed little effort in posting his first win of the tournament when top-ranked maegashira (senior wrestler) Akinoshima stumbled to the dirt surface shortly after the face off.

Sekiwake (junior champion) Kotomitsuki absorbed a bone-crushing charge at the face off by Musoyama but then got his hand on the back of the burly ozeki and swatted him down to start the New Year meet with an impressive win.

In other main bouts, ozeki Kaio got a right-arm grip on the belt of Kyokutenho, or Mongolian Tsevegnyam Nyamjav, and knocked the komusubi off balance.

Ozeki Chiyotaikai took control of his bout with No. 1 maegashira Kyokushuzan, or Batbayer Davaa, and spun the Mongolian down in a matter of seconds to post an easy victory.

Sekiwake Asashoryu, or Mongolian Dolgorsvren Dagvadri, deployed a series of powerful arm thrusts to the throat to drive out No. 2 maegashira Tamanoshima.

Earlier, maegashira No. 15 Sentoryu, or American Henry Armstrong Miller, tripped up juryo division wrestler Kitazakura to kick off the New Year tourney on a winning note.

No. 5 juryo grappler Kuniazuma, or Brazilian Vander Ramos, shoved out fourth-ranked juryo Aogiyama for an opening day win.

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RESULTS OF MAIN SUMO BOUTS

TOKYO (AP) - Results of main bouts Sunday, the first day of the 15-day

New Year Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo:

WINNERS	LOSERS
Sentoryu (1-0)	Kitazakura (juryo) (0-1)
Tochisakae (1-0)	Jumonji (0-1)
Hamanishiki (1-0)	Oginishiki (0-1)
Wakanoyama (1-0)	Asanowaka (0-1)
Tokitsuumi (1-0)	Oikari (0-1)
Aminishiki (1-0)	Tamarikido (0-1)
Tamakasuga (1-0)	Kobo (0-1)
Buyuzan (1-0)	Daizen (0-1)
Tosanoumi (1-0)	Otsukasa (0-1)
Tochinonada (1-0)	Kotonowaka (0-1)
Takanowaka (1-0)	Dejima (0-1)
Takanonami (1-0)	Chiyotenzan (0-1)
Kaiho (1-0)	Toki (0-1)
Asashoryu (1-0)	Tamanoshima (0-1)
Tochiazuma (1-0)	Akinoshima (0-1)
Chiyotaikai (1-0)	Kyokushuzan (0-1)
Kotomitsuki (1-0)	Musoyama (0-1)
Kaio (1-0)	Kyokutenho (0-1)
Wakanosato (1-0)	Musashimaru (0-1)

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JURYO DIVISION

Kuniazuma (1-0)

Aogiyama (0-1)

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MONDAY'S MAIN BOUTS

Takatoriki (juryo)	Jumonji
Sentoryu	Hamanishiki
Wakanoyama	Oginishiki
Tochisakae	Asanowaka
Tamakasuga	Tokitsuumi
Oikari	Kobo
Buyuzan	Tamarikido
Aminishiki	Daizen
Takanowaka	Otsukasa
Tosanoumi	Kotonowaka
Tochinonada	Dejima
Kyokushuzan	Chiyotenzan
Takanonami	Kyokutenho
Kotomitsuki	Akinoshima
Kaio	Wakanosato
Kaiho	Tochiazuma
Chiyotaikai	Asashoryu
Toki	Musoyama
Musashimaru	Tamanoshima

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