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No shocks for yokozuna,
ozeki at spring sumo

OSAKA, March 12 (Kyodo) - Yokozuna and ozeki were spared embarrassment by lower-ranked wrestlers Monday as they all posted comfortable wins on a rare upset-free day on the second day of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament.

Takanohana sent maegashira top gun Kotoryu packing while fellow grand champion Musashimaru eased out sekiwake Wakanosato as both registered their second wins in as many days in the 15-day meet at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium.

Takanohana showed nifty footwork before using his trusty right- hand grip to twist and shunt Kotoryu (0-2) out of the dohyo ring and Musashimaru followed suit with his trademark neck thrust to crush out Wakanosato, who moved to 1-1.

Joining sumo's Premier League duo with perfect records were ozeki trio Musoyama, Dejima and Kaio while Miyabiyama, the fourth wrestler at the sport's second-highest post, made amends for his opening-day hiccup.

Musoyama completed a clean sweep for the ozeki quartet, charging out of his crouch like raging bull to dump newly promoted sekiwake Tochinonada (1-1) for another comfortable win.

Kaio picked up an easy second win by quickly bulldozing third-ranked maegashira Kotomitsuki out to his second loss before Dejima plowed fifth-ranked Akinoshima (1-1) over the straw bales, leaving him with six more wins to avoid losing his ozeki rank.

Miyabiyama bounced back, if unconvincingly, from Sunday's upset loss to rank-and-filer Chiyotenzan for a hard-fought first win over winless fifth-ranked Mongolian trickster Kyokushuzan.

Meanwhile, both komusubi slipped up against lower-ranked opponents as veteran No. 3 maegashira Takanonami (1-1) bustled out Tochiazuma and fourth-ranked Takanowaka (1-1) slapped down Wakanoyama to leave both grapplers nursing winless records.

Earlier, Mongolian top-ranked maegashira Kyokutenho fell to his second straight defeat at the hands of second-ranked local favorite Chiyotenzan, who improved to 2-0 following his opening-day win over Miyabiyama.

But compatriot sixth-ranked Asashoryu restored some pride for the Mongolian trio by notching his second win of the tourney by thrusting out winless eighth-ranked maegashira Higonoumi

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Results of main bouts on
2nd day of spring sumo

OSAKA, March 12 (Kyodo) - Results of makuuchi division bouts Monday, the second day of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium (+ denotes juryo division wrestler):

Won Technique Lost

+Wakakosho 1-1 oshidashi Daishi 1-1
Aminishiki 2-0 shitatedashinage Jumonji 0-2
Otsukasa 1-1 hatakikomi Minatofuji 0-2
Kinkaiyama 2-0 shitatedashinage Tochinohana 1-1
Terao 2-0 hikiotoshi Tamanoshima 1-1
Hamanoshima 1-1 hatakikomi Takatoriki 0-2
Tosanoumi 2-0 oshidashi Asanowaka 0-2
Kaiho 2-0 tsukiotoshi Tochisakae 0-2
Asashoryu 2-0 tsukidashi Higonoumi 0-2
Kotonowaka 1-1 oshidashi Tamakasuga 1-1
Hayateumi 1-1 yorikiri Tokitsuumi 1-1
Chiyotenzan 2-0 sukuinage Kyokutenho 0-2
Takanonami 1-1 kotenage Tochiazuma 0-2
Takanowaka 1-1 hatakikomi Wakanoyama 0-2
Kaio 2-0 yorikiri Kotomitsuki 0-2
Dejima 2-0 oshidashi Akinoshima 1-1
Miyabiyama 1-1 oshidashi Kyokushuzan 0-2
Musoyama 2-0 oshidashi Tochinonada 1-1
Takanohana 2-0 oshidashi Kotoryu 0-2
Musashimaru 2-0 yoritaoshi Wakanosato 1-1

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Tuesday's bouts

Minatofuji x - x +Hamanishiki
Aminishiki 0 - 0 Terao
Otsukasa 0 - 4 Kinkaiyama
Daishi 0 - 0 Tochinohana
Hamanoshima 0 - 1 Jumonji
Asanowaka 12 - 9 Higonoumi
Tamanoshima 0 - 0 Tochisakae
Tamakasuga 4 - 3 Kaiho
Takatoriki 20 - 18 Kotonowaka
Asashoryu 1 - 0 Tosanoumi
Kyokushuzan 2 - 2 Takanowaka
Akinoshima 0 - 1 Kotomitsuki
Hayateumi 1 - 0 Wakanoyama
Wakanosato 4 - 1 Kotoryu
Tokitsuumi 0 - 0 Musoyama
Kaio 9 - 7 Tochiazuma
Kyokutenho 1 - 2 Dejima
Miyabiyama 3 - 8 Takanonami
Chiyotenzan 2 - 5 Musashimaru
Takanohana 10 - 1 Tochinonada

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Takanohana,
Musashimaru remain
undefeated

OSAKA, Japan (AP) - Takanohana and his fellow grand champion Musashimaru remained undefeated Monday in the second day of the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo tournament.

Ozeki (champion) Dejima also stayed perfect at 2-0, along with ozekis Kaio and Musoyama.

Wrestling at the Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium in western Japan, Takanohana unbalanced No. 1 maegashira Kotoryu with an arm throw before dispatching the senior wrestler from the ring. Kotoryu slipped to 0-2.

Rival yozokuna Musashimaru - Fiamalu Penitani from Hawaii - grabbed sekiwake (junior champion) Wakanosato's belt and forced him out, leaving Wakanosato at 1-1.

In other major bouts, Dejima pushed out No. 5 maegashira Akinoshima, leaving him 1-1.

Kaio fought off No. 3 maegashira Kotomitsuki's attempt to twist the ozeki down, while Musoyama overpowered sekiwake Tochinonada, dropping him to 1-1.

Ozeki Miyabiyama, who suffered an upset defeat on Sunday, picked up his first win by stopping winless No. 5 maegashira Kyokushuzan, or Mongolian Batbayar Davaa, with a flurry of arm thrusts.

No. 2 maegashira Chiyotenzan improved to 1-1 by throwing down winless No. 1 maegashira Kyokutenho, or Mongolian Tsevegnyam Nyamjav.

No. 6 maegashira Asashoryu, or Mongolian Dolgorsvren Dagvadrj, thrust out winless No. 8 maegashira Higonoumi for his second victory against no defeats.

Ozeki Miyabiyama climbed to 1-1 by sending out winless No. 5 maegashira Kyokushuzan, or Mongolian Batbayar Davaa.

In the 26-member juryo division, just below the senior makuuchi division, No. 10-ranked Tomonohana threw down No. 9-ranked Sentoryu, or American Henry Armstrong Miller, leaving both wrestlers at 1-1.

No. 7-ranked Kuniazuma (1-1), or Brazilian Vander Ramos, forced out No. 9-ranked Komahikari (0-2).

In makushita, the top junior division, No. 13-ranked Hoshitango (1-0), or Argentine Imach Marcelo Salomon, pushed out No. 14-ranked Fukuzono.

No. 26-ranked Kyokutenzan (1-0), or Mongolian Enkhbat Batmunkha, forced out No. 26-ranked Ryuho.

No. 32-ranked Asasekiryu (1-0), or Mongolian badaarch Dashunyam, crushed No. 33-ranked Shinmei.

In sandanme, the second-highest junior division, No. 64-ranked Azumao (1-0), or Brazilian Yasuto Morita, pushed out No. 65-ranked Wakakengo.

No. 77-ranked Okamoto threw down No. 77-ranked Ryuo (0-1), or Mongolian Erkhem Ochirsanchirbold.

In jonidan, the third-highest junior division, No. 43-ranked Daibanjaku (1-0), or Mongolian Batsukh Khaidavmunkh, slapped down No. 42-ranked Onochikara.

No. 74-ranked Kitakasuga (1-0), or Mongolian Tsolmonbayar Munkhbat, defeated No. 73-ranked Toshi by default

No. 89-ranked Fuinawa forced out No. 89-ranked Orora (0-1), or Russian Mikhakhanov Anatolivaleryevich.

No. 106-ranked Hoshizakura (1-0), or Mongolian Myagmar Altangerel, twisted down No. 106-ranked Izumifuji.

In jonokuchi, the lowest junior division, No. 29-ranked Ama (1-0), or Monglian Davaanyam Byambadorj Yam, sent out No. 30-ranked Bontensho (0-1), or Mongolian Haidav Bayarhvv.

No. 31-ranked Daionami (1-0), or Mongolian batbaa Taruugandayav, threw down No. 32-ranked Ako (0-1), or Mongolian Gandold Batundral.

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

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Results of main sumo bouts

OSAKA, Japan (AP) - Results of main bouts Monday, the second day of the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium:

Winners Losers

Wakakosho (juryo) (1-1) Daishi (1-1)
Aminishiki (2-0) Jumonji (0-2)
Otsukasa (1-1) Minatofuji (0-2)
Kinkaiyama (2-0) Tochinohana (1-1)
Terao (2-0) Tamanoshima (1-1)
Hamanoshima (1-1) Takatoriki (0-2)
Tosanoumi (2-0) Asanowaka (0-2)
Kaiho (2-0) Tochisakae (0-2)
Asashoryu (2-0) Higonoumi (0-2)
Kotonowaka (1-1) Tamakasuga (1-1)
Hayateumi (1-1) Tokitsuumi (1-1)
Chiyotenzan (2-0) Kyokutenho (0-2)
Takanonami (1-1) Tochiazuma (0-2)
Takanowaka (1-1) Wakanoyama (0-2)
Kaio (2-0) Kotomitsuki (0-2)
Dejima (2-0) Akinoshima (1-1)
Miyabiyama (1-1) Kyokushuzan (0-2)
Musoyama (2-0) Tochinonada (1-1)
Takanohana (2-0) Kotoryu (0-2)
Musashimaru (2-0) Wakanosato (1-1)

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Juryo Division

Tomonohana (1-1) Sentoryu (1-1)
Kuniazuma (1-1) Komahikari (0-2)

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Junior Divisions:

Makushita

Hoshitango (1-0) Fukuzono
Kyokutenzan (1-0) Ryuho
Asasekiryu (1-0) Shinmei

Sandanme

Azumaoh (1-0) Wakakengo
Okamoto Ryuo (0-1)

Jonidan

Daibanjaku (1-0) Onochikara
Kitakasuga (1-0) Toshi by default
Fujinawa Orora (0-1)
Hoshizakura (1-0) Izumifuji

Jonokuchi

Ama (1-0) Bontensho (0-1)
Daionami (1-0) Ako (0-1)

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

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Tuesday's main bouts:

Minatofuji Hamanishiki (juryo)
Aminishiki Terao
Otsukasa Kinkaiyama
Daishi Tochinohana
Hamanoshima Jumonji
Asanowaka Higonoumi
Tamanoshima Tochisakae
Tamakasuga Kaiho
Takatoriki Kotonowaka
Asashoryu Tosanoumi
Kyokushuzan Takanowaka
Akinoshima Kotomitsuki
Hayateumi Wakanoyama
Wakanosato Kotoryu
Tokitsuumi Musoyama
Kaio Tochiazuma
Kyokutenho Dejima
Miyabiyama Takanonami
Chiyotenzan Musashimaru
Takanohana Tochinonada

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