Confident Musashimaru
takes sole lead
at autumn sumo

Kyodo News Service

TOKYO -- Yokozuna Musashimaru continued to display the composure of a grand champion Tuesday with an easy victory over Kotonowaka to take sole possession of the lead at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament.

Fighting in the day's penultimate bout, Musashimaru wasted little time in grabbing hold of the No. 4 maegashira's belt with his right hand shortly after the face-off and quickly forced Kotonowaka (4-6) out of the ring to improve to 9-1 in the 15-day meet.

Meanwhile, Miyabiyama, who entered the day's action at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan tied with Musashimaru, suffered his second straight defeat in a battle with ozeki Chiyotaikai (7-3), who racked up his seventh consecutive victory.

After a crushing blow at the face-off, Chiyotaikai got both hands on the back of Miyabiyama's neck and shoved the No. 5 maegashira down to the dirt surface and a record of 8-2.

In a controversial bout, yokozuna Wakanohana needed a second chance to dispose of third-ranked maegashira Toki (2-8) after ringside officials were unable to determine a clear winner in the first bout when both wrestlers appeared to touch down at the same time.

Nursing a tender left leg, Wakanohana stayed in contention when he spun Toki around near the edge of the ring and shoved the larger wrestler out from behind to improve to 7-3.

Newly promoted ozeki Dejima took control of his bout with Minatofuji (4-6) from the outset and forced the fifth-ranked maegashira to the straw ridge where he crumbled under the weight of Dejima, who is among the four wrestlers at 7-3.

In earlier bouts, No. 11 maegashira Wakanoyama improved to 8-2 when he fought off an attempted arm throw by Ohinode (5-5) and then got both hands on the back of the 15th-ranked maegashira and shoved him down to the dirt surface.

Third-ranked maegashira Akinoshima had little trouble forcing out top maegashira Tamakasuga (5-5) to remain in the hunt at 7-3.

Mongolian-born grappler Kyokushuzan got a hold of Tosanoumi's belt shortly after the face-off and managed to turn the sekiwake around and shove him out from behind to improve to an even 5-5 while Tosanoumi fell to 4-6.

Results from 10th day of autumn sumo

Kyodo News Service

TOKYO -- Results of makuuchi division bouts Tuesday, the 10th day of the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo (+ denotes juryo division wrestler):

Won -- Technique -- Lost

Kinkaiyama 3-7 -- kakenage -- +Kitakachidoki 4-6
Otsukasa 6-4 -- yorikiri -- Kyokutenho 6-4
Hamanoshima 6-4 -- oshidashi -- +Daizen 5-5
Wakanoyama 8-2 -- hatakikomi -- Ohinode 5-5
Kaiho 5-5 -- hatakikomi -- Kotoryu 6-4
Higonoumi 5-5 -- okuridashi -- Tochinonada 3-7
Asanowaka 6-4 -- okuridashi -- Aogiyama 5-5
Takatoriki 6-4 -- oshidashi -- Tokitsuumi 4-6
Terao 5-5 -- hikiotoshi -- Chiyotenzan 5-5
Wakanosato 4-6 -- sukuinage -- Ganyu 3-7
Tochiazuma 6-4 -- yorikiri -- Shikishima 2-8
Akinoshima 7-3 -- yorikiri -- Tamakasuga 5-5
Musoyama 6-4 -- oshitaoshi -- Kotonishiki 3-7
Asanosho 3-7 -- yoritaoshi -- Kaio 6-4
Kyokushuzan 5-5 -- okuridashi -- Tosanoumi 4-6
Chiyotaikai 7-3 -- hatakikomi -- Miyabiyama 8-2
Dejima 7-3 -- yoritaoshi -- Minatofuji 4-6
Musashimaru 9-1 -- yorikiri -- Kotonowaka 4-6
Wakanohana 7-3 -- okuridashi -- Toki 2-8

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Results in Scoreboard

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Kyodo News Service