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Asashoryu wins again;
Takanohana loses


From staff and wire reports

TOKYO, Jan. 19 (Kyodo) - Yokozuna Takanohana got manhandled Sunday to suffer his second straight defeat while ozeki Asashoryu punished another would-be challenger at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament.

Takanohana, now just a shadow of the wrestler who reigned supreme during the 1990s, appeared confused and lethargic as fourth-ranked maegashira Aminishiki whirled him around the raised-ring at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan in the day's final bout.

Aminishiki, who with the victory is a pitiful 2-6, hemmed up the grand champion's right arm in an arm-lock and immediately tossed the yokozuna over the edge as onlookers gazed in amazement.

Takanohana slipped to 4-3 with one day's rest due to a shoulder injury and, with his chronic knee injury and overall listless sumo, could decide to retire sooner than expected rather than go out in a ball of flames.

Asashoryu, who is on course to become the first Mongolian yokozuna, darted about the raised-ring faster than the Tasmanian Devil before unleashing a deft arm-lock technique on fourth-ranked Tokitsuumi to maintain his immaculate 8-0 record.

Both wrestlers bumped heads in a furious struggle, but a combination of the ozeki's lightening speed, daunting slaps, and quick reflexes finally got the better of Tokitsuumi, who dropped to 3-5.

Meanwhile, third-ranked Dejima, fresh from beating Takanohana on Saturday, rolled like a freight train over komusubi Takanonami (4-4), showing a newfound confidence to keep one adrift of the leader at 7-1.

The former ozeki is now the only wrestler in shooting distance of Asashoryu, with four grapplers following at 6-2.

Elsewhere, ozeki Musoyama (3-5) had another horrible workday, losing to sekiwake Kotomitsuki (5-3), who whipped him about like a rag doll before ousting him from the ring.

In earlier bouts, Takamisakari's exuberant self-motivation tactics came to naught against seventh-ranked Shimotori (4-4), who slammed the No. 9 maegashira to his second loss.

Also, eighth-ranked Kotoryu (6-2) was thrown off-balance and wrenched onto the clay by Hokutoriki (4-4).

No. 13 maegashira Kasugao (5-3) from South Korea dropped to his second straight loss in a lopsided bout with Tochinonada (4-4).

A languid-looking Toki, a No. 2 maegashira, fell to his eighth straight loss after a bout with Iwakiyama (5-3). He faces demotion in March.

Day 8

Won
Technique Lost
+Asasekiryu 6-2 oshidashi Kobo 4-4
+Komahikari 5-3 abisetaoshi Tochinohana 3-5
Jumonji 2-6 yorikiri Tamarikido 5-3
Kasuganishiki 4-4 okuridashi Otsukasa 3-5
Tochinonada 4-4 yorikiri Kasugao 5-3
Akinoshima 2-6 hikiotoshi Gojoro 4-4
Takanotsuru 6-2 hikiotoshi Wakanoyama 3-5
Shimotori 4-4 yoritaoshi Takamisakari 6-2
Hokutoriki 4-4 hikiotoshi Kotoryu 6-2
Tamanoshima 5-3 yorikiri Kyokushuzan 3-5
Kotonowaka 3-5 okuritaoshi Kaiho 4-4
Iwakiyama 5-3 oshidashi Toki 0-8
Dejima 7-1 yorikiri Takanonami 4-4
Wakanosato 6-2 oshidashi Tosanoumi 5-3
Kyokutenho 5-3 yorikiri Takanowaka 4-4
Asashoryu 8-0 kotenage Tokitsuumi 3-5
Kotomitsuki 5-3 yorikiri Musoyama 3-5
Aminishiki 2-6 okuridashi Takanohana 4-3-1



For more sumo information online, try:
Sumo Web
Da Kine Sumo E-zine
Grand Sumo Home Page
Ozumo
CyberSumo
Kyodo News Service


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