Musashimaru
still perfect

TOKYO -- Ozeki Musashimaru showed grand champion form Wednesday, improving to a perfect 4-0 by overwhelming top maegashira Tosanoumi, while yokozuna Wakanohana suffered his second straight defeat at the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament.

Chasing promotion to sumo's highest rank after winning his fourth Emperor's Cup at the spring meet in March, Musashimaru absorbed a hard charge from Tosanoumi, 2-2, before squaring up and barreling him out to stay in a three-way tie for the lead.

Wakanohana became unstuck in the day's penultimate bout at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan by getting sucked into a slapping exchange with No. 2 maegashira Tochinonada, 1-3, who squashed the off-form yokozuna at the edge to send him back to his stable with a 2-2 record.

Still nursing a thigh injury he picked up in Osaka, Wakanohana took his time getting to his feet after the bout and limped back towards the changing rooms.

Meanwhile, yokozuna Akebono silenced the critics by evening his record to 2-2 with a win against komusubi Tochiazuma, 1-3, despite showing poor balance after his initial charge.

Ozeki Takanonami met very little resistance from winless top maegashira Kotonowaka to boost his record to 3-1, while third-ranked Kotonishiki preserved his unbeaten start to the 15-day meet by twisting down sekiwake Akinoshima, who fell to 2-2.

Eighth-ranked maegashira Toki also finished the day on a perfect 4-0 after blasting out veteran Terao, 2-2, in an earlier bout.

Dejima and Kaio salvaged some sekiwake pride with comfortable wins against third-ranked Chiyotenzan, 2-2, and komusubi Takatoriki, 1-3, as both wrestlers improved to 3-1.

Mongolian trickster Kyokushuzan, fighting as a fourth-ranked maegashira, finally broke his duck by sending up-and-coming Miyabiyama, 1-3, skidding across the ring in a one-sided bout.

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Results in Scoreboard

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