Musashimaru suffers
upset loss, still in lead

TOKYO, Sept. 22 (Kyodo) -- Yokozuna Musashimaru allowed a golden opportunity to take a commanding lead at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament slip away Wednesday when he suffered an upset defeat at the hands of rank-and-file wrestler Minatofuji.

Fighting in the day's final bout at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan, Musashimaru went on the attack shortly after the face-off and attempted to use his weight advantage to shove the No. 5 maegashira out.

But Minatofuji, winless in seven previous bouts against the yokozuna, got an underhand grip of his opponent's belt and forced a stunned Musashimaru out to his second loss against nine wins in the 15-day meet.

Minatofuji, meanwhile, improved to a record of 5-6.

In other bouts, Wakanohana, clearly not in top form after injuring his left leg in Tuesday's bout with Toki, dropped to 7-4 and was no match for No. 4 maegashira Kotonowaka (5-6), who overwhelmed the grand champion with a series of arm thrusts.

Chiyotaikai (7-4) suffered his first loss in eight bouts when No. 3 maegashira Akinoshima fought off a spirited charge and then barreled into the chest of the ozeki, who went tumbling off the raised ring.

With the victory, Akinoshima now sits in a tie for second at 8-3 along with Miyabiyama and Wakanoyama.

No. 5 maegashira Miyabiyama, coming off losses to Chiyotaikai and Wakanohana, suffered his third straight defeat when sekiwake Tosanoumi (5-6) pulled him down in the center of the ring after Miyabiyama survived an attempted arm throw.

No. 7 maegashira Takatoriki (7-4) used a barrage of arm thrusts to the throat to shove out 11th-ranked maegashira Wakanoyama, who was totally overwhelmed by the Futagoyama stable grappler and fell to a record of 8-3.

Sekiwake Kaio (7-4) surprised Dejima by side-stepping the newly promoted ozeki shortly after the face-off and swatting the Musashigawa wrestler down after getting a hand on the back of his head as Dejima fell to 7-4.

Earlier, Mongolian-born No. 2 maegashira Kyokushuzan got a left-hand grip of Chiyotenzan's thigh and lifted the sixth-ranked maegashira out over the straw ridge to improve to 6-5 while Chiyotenzan fell to his sixth loss.

Results from 11th day
of autumn sumo

TOKYO, Sept. 22 (Kyodo) -- Results of makuuchi division bouts Wednesday, the 11th day of the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo (+ denotes juryo division wrestler):

Won Technique Lost
Kinkaiyama 4-7 yorikiri +Daizen 5-6
Hamanoshima 7-4 yorikiri +Kitakachidoki 4-7
Ohinode 6-5 shitatehineri Kyokutenho 6-5
Kotoryu 7-4 tsukiotoshi Tokitsuumi 4-7
Ganyu 4-7 hikiotoshi Higonoumi 5-6
Asanowaka 7-4 oshitaoshi Kaiho 5-6
Aogiyama 6-5 okuridashi Otsukasa 6-5
Takatoriki 7-4 tsukidashi Wakanoyama 8-3
Terao 6-5 tsukiotoshi Shikishima 2-9
Tochinonada 4-7 tsukiotoshi Toki 2-9
Asanosho 4-7 okuridashi Wakanosato 4-7
Kyokushuzan 6-5 watashikomi Chiyotenzan 5-6
Tochiazuma 7-4 yorikiri Musoyama 6-5
Kotonishiki 4-7 oshidashi Tamakasuga 5-6
Tosanoumi 5-6 uwatehineri Miyabiyama 8-3
Kaio 7-4 makiotoshi Dejima 7-4
Akinoshima 8-3 oshidashi Chiyotaikai 7-4
Kotonowaka 5-6 tsukidashi Wakanohana 7-4
Minatofuji 5-6 uwatedashinage Musashimaru 9-2

---

Thursday's bouts

Otsukasa 0 - 0 Hamanoshima
Asanowaka 7 - 5 Kotoryu
Kaiho 1 - 1 Ohinode
Kinkaiyama 0 - 0 Ganyu
Kyokutenho 0 - 0 Aogiyama
Higonoumi 8 - 7 Terao
Tokitsuumi 0 - 1 Wakanosato
Toki 3 - 1 Minatofuji
Wakanoyama 0 - 1 Akinoshima
Kyokushuzan 1 - 8 Takatoriki
Tochinonada 1 - 0 Asanosho
Tochiazuma 1 - 1 Miyabiyama
Tamakasuga 3 - 8 Musoyama
Kotonishiki 7 - 9 Tosanoumi
Chiyotaikai 4 - 2 Shikishima
Dejima 2 - 4 Kotonowaka
Musashimaru 2 - 1 Chiyotenzan
Kaio 13 - 15 Wakanohana

---

Musashimaru suffers
second defeat

TOKYO (AP) -- Hawaii-born yokozuna (grand champion) Musashimaru suffered his second defeat, but kept the sole lead at 9-2 Wednesday with four days left in the 15-day Autumn Grand Sumo tournament.

One victory behind Musashimaru at 8-3 are three wrestlers -- No. 3 maegashira (senior wrestler) Akinoshima, No. 5 maegashira Miyabiyama and No. 11 maegashira Wakanoyama.

Yokozuna Wakanohana suffered his fourth defeat against seven victories along with two ozekis (champions), Dejima and Chiyotaikai.

In the day's final bout at the Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Arena in downtown Tokyo, No. 5 maegashira Minatofuji charged Musashimaru, or Fiamalu Penitani, with arm throw attempts and sent him out for his fifth victory against six defeats.

No. 4 maegashira Kotonowaka attacked Wakanohana with a series of hand thrusts against his foe's throat and thrust him out for his fifth victory against six defeats.

In other major bouts, sekiwake (junior champion) Tosanoumi charged No. 5 maegashira Miyabiyama with arm throw attempts and twisted him down mid-ring for his fifth victory against six defeats.

No. 3 maegashira Akinoshima pushed out ozeki Chiyotaikai after fighting off Chiyotaikai's pulling attempt.

No. 7 maegashira Takatoriki thrust out Wakanoyama for his seventh victory against four defeats.

Sekiwake Kaio grabbed Dejima's belt and threw him down, leaving both wrestlers at 7-4.

No. 2 maegashira Kyokushuzan, or Mongolian Batbayar Davaa, crushed out No. 6 maegashira Chiyotenzan for his sixth victory against five defeats. Chiyotenzan is 5-6.

No. 15 maegashira Ohinode twisted down No. 12 maegashira Kyokutenho, or Mongolian Tsevegnyam Nyamjav, leaving both wrestlers at 6-5.

In the juryo division, just below the senior makuuchi division, No. 10-ranked Hoshitango, or Argentine Imach Marcelo Salomon, was driven out by No. 8-ranked Hayatoumi for his fifth defeat against six victories. Hayatoumi is 9-2.

No. 10-ranked Sentoryu, or American Henry Armstrong Miller, pulled down No. 3-ranked Tomonohana for his sixth victory against five defeats. Tomonohana is 4-7.

In makushita, the top junior division, No. 6-ranked Wakaazuma (1-5), or Yoshinobu Kuroda from Brazil, was slapped down by No. 5-ranked Torafusuyama.

In sandanme, the second-highest junior division, No. 7-ranked Kyokutenzan (4-1), or Mongolian Enkhbat Batmunkha, twisted down No. 6-ranked Komanofuji at the ring's edge.

No. 37-ranked Azumaoh (4-2), or Brazilian Yasuto Morita, toppled No. 40-ranked Masutaka with a leg trick.

Wrestlers in junior divisions have only seven bouts during the 15-day tournament.

---

Results of main sumo bouts

TOKYO (AP) -- Results of main bouts Wednesday, 11th day of the 15-day Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Arena:

Winners Losers

Kinkaiyama (4-7) Daizen (juryo) (5-6)
Hamanoshima (7-4) Kitakachidoki (juryo) (4-7)
Ohinode (6-5) Kyokutenho (6-5)
Kotoryu (7-4) Tokitsuumi (4-7)
Ganyu (4-7) Higonoumi (5-6)
Asanowaka (7-4) Kaiho (5-6)
Aogiyama (6-5) Otsukasa (6-5)
Takatoriki (7-4) Wakanoyama (8-3)
Terao (6-5) Shikishima (2-9)
Tochinonada (4-7) Toki (2-9)
Asanosho (4-7) Wakanosato (4-7)
Kyokushuzan (6-5) Chiyotenzan (5-6)
Tochiazuma (7-4) Musoyama (6-5)
Kotonishiki (4-7) Tamakasuga (5-6)
Tosanoumi (5-6) Miyabiyama (8-3)
Kaio (7-4) Dejima (7-4)
Akinoshima (8-3) Chiyotaikai (7-4)
Kotonowaka (5-6) Wakanohana (7-4)
Minatofuji (5-6) Musashimaru (9-2)

---

Juryo Division

Hayateumi (9-2) Hoshitango (6-5)
Sentoryu (6-5) Tomonohana (4-7)

---

Junior Divisions:

Makushita

Torafusuyama Wakaazuma (1-5)

Sandanme

Kyokutenzan (4-1) Komanofuji
Azumaoh (4-2) Masutaka

(Junior division wrestlers have only seven bouts during the tournament. Records of foreign wrestlers' opponents were not available.)

---

Thursday's main bouts:

Otsukasa Hamanoshima
Asanowaka Kotoryu
Kaiho Ohinode
Kinkaiyama Ganyu
Kyokutenho Aogiyama
Higonoumi Terao
Tokitsuumi Wakanosato
Toki Minatofuji
Wakanoyama Akinoshima
Kyokushuzan Takatoriki
Tochinonada Asanosho
Tochiazuma Miyabiyama
Tamakasuga Musoyama
Kotonishiki Tosanoumi
Chiyotaikai Shikishima
Dejima Kotonowaka
Musashimaru Chiyotenzan
Kaio Wakanohana

---

Results in Scoreboard

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