Sumo
Asashoryu
has first lossFUKUOKA, Nov. 20 (Kyodo) -- Rank-and-filer Tochinonada derailed the Asashoryu express on Wednesday, blowing away the ozeki in a surprisingly one-sided bout to hand him his first loss at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament.
Ozeki Musoyama also had a rough day at the office, falling to Kyokushuzan in the day's final match-up for his fourth loss while Takanonami, Dejima and Akinoshima are now the closest challengers at 8-3 vying for the coveted hardware two wins behind leader Asashoryu.
Asashoryu (10-1) appeared rigid in the pre-match ceremonial proceedings and could gather no momentum once the bout got under way against the No. 6 maegashira at Fukuoka Kokusai Center.
Asashoryu, who normally pummels his opponents with a hailstorm of slaps and relentless drive, slumped to the powerful thrusts of Tochinonada who slammed the stunned Mongolian over the edge with considerable ease. Tochinonada improved to 6-5.
Musoyama (7-4) got Mongolian Kyokushuzan (4-7) backtracking out of the crouch and shoved him to the edge of the raised-ring only to have the fifth-ranked grappler fling him into the seats with an arm-grabbing force-out at the last second.
Musoyama walked from the ring cringing in pain while holding his right hand.
A struggling and relegation-worried Tochiazuma (7-4) took the easy way out to move a victory from retaining his ozeki status when he immediately side-stepped and pulled down fourth-ranked maegashira Gojoro (3-8) as the crowd booed with disapproval.
No. 10 maegashira Dejima, a former ozeki who missed the autumn basho through injury, staved off the attack of veteran 14th-ranked Akinoshima for a strong take-out, leaving both at 8-3.
Fourth-ranked Takamisakari (5-6), a crowd favorite, got both arms wedged in the armpits of Takanonami (8-3), but the top-ranked maegashira veteran wriggled free and twisted him down to the clay with an arm-lock throw.
No. 1 maegashira Tosanoumi (5-6) steamrolled over Mongolian komusubi Kyokutenho (4-7), who quickly recoiled over the bales with little resistance in a frontal force-out.
Results
(+ denotes juryo-division wrestler):
Won Technique Lost +Takanotsuru 8-3 oshidashi Aogiyama 3-8 +Kasuganishiki 8-3 hatakikomi Jumonji 6-5 Tamarikido 5-6 yorikiri Iwakiyama 7-4 Dejima 8-3 yorikiri Akinoshima 8-3 Aminishiki 7-4 yorikiri Asanowaka 4-7 Tochinohana 4-7 oshidashi Kaiho 6-5 Kotonowaka 7-4 uwatenage Tokitsuumi 6-5 Kotoryu 5-6 hatakikomi Buyuzan 3-8 Toki 7-4 hatakikomi Shimotori 6-5 Tamanoshima 3-8 oshidashi Wakanoyama 5-6 Hokutoriki 4-7 tsukidashi Tamakasuga 1-10 Takanonami 8-3 kotenage Takamisakari 5-6 Miyabiyama 5-6 hikiotoshi Takanowaka 7-4 Tosanoumi 5-6 oshidashi Kyokutenho 4-7 Wakanosato 5-6 sukuinage Kotomitsuki 5-6 Tochinonada 6-5 tsukidashi Asashoryu 10-1 Tochiazuma 7-4 hatakikomi Gojoro 3-8 Kyokushuzan 4-7 hikkake Musoyama 7-4
Thursday's bouts
+Kobo x - x Aogiyama Tamarikido x - x +Otsukasa Dejima 0 - 0 Iwakiyama Kotonowaka 18 - 16 Akinoshima Kaiho 8 - 6 Asanowaka Buyuzan 2 - 0 Aminishiki Jumonji 3 - 2 Tokitsuumi Tochinohana 1 - 1 Kotoryu Wakanoyama 0 - 1 Gojoro Tamakasuga 8 - 7 Kyokushuzan Tamanoshima 0 - 2 Hokutoriki Takanonami 2 - 8 Toki Kyokutenho 1 - 4 Miyabiyama Tosanoumi 5 - 4 Takanowaka Wakanosato 3 - 1 Takamisakari Tochinonada 5 - 14 Musoyama Asashoryu 3 - 6 Kotomitsuki Tochiazuma 0 - 0 Shimotori
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