Musashimaru,
Kaio stay on top

NAGOYA, July 13 (Kyodo) -- Yokozuna Musashimaru and all ozeki were spared embarrassment by lower-ranked wrestlers Friday as all those competing posted comfortable wins on a rare upset-free day at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament.

Ozeki Dejima provided the major talking point of the sixth day of the 15-day tourney as he failed to make his bout against Tochinonada at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium following injury and now is staring demotion to sekiwake in the face.

Musashimaru chalked up his sixth straight win in the day's final bout and looked calm as he quickly disposed of Higonoumi (3-3), muscling the No. 2 maegashira out in a matter of seconds.

Ozeki Kaio (6-0) also stayed in the two-way tie at the top with a perfect record, bulldozing his way through komusubi Asashoryu (2-4).

The ozeki got all over the Mongolian from the charge, preventing the upset-minded grappler from using one of his many throws and easily backed him out of the raised ring.

Dejima (3-3) pulled out from his bout with Tochinonada (3-3) with an inflamed right thigh earlier in the day, handing the No. 3 maegashira the win by default.

The Musashigawa-stable wrestler needs to recover quickly and come back to record a minimum of eight victories to stay at his rank but initial prognosis makes this scenario unlikely, with doctors telling the ozeki he requires 10 days complete rest.

Ozeki Musoyama (5-1) stayed within touch one back from the two leaders, using his strength and balance to steer clear of any potential danger from Hayateumi (1-5), eventually working the top-ranked maegashira back out the ring.

Takanonami (0-6) tried to jump away from the charge of Chiyotaikai (5-1) but the ozeki second-guessed the top-ranked maegashira and quickly muscled the veteran out to keep him in the seven-way tie with komusubi Wakanosato and four rank-and-filers.

Elsewhere, the Mongolian duo in the lower ranks had a bad day at the office, with Kyokutenho (2-4) hitting the dirt against Oginishiki (5-1) and Kyokushuzan (3-3) going down to Tamanoshima (5-1).

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Dejima in danger of demotion

NAGOYA, July 13 (Kyodo) -- Ozeki Dejima's bid to avoid demotion from sumo's second-highest rank hit a major setback Friday as he decided to pull out of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament because of an inflamed right thigh that caused him a high fever.

Although diagnosed as needing 10 days rest, the Musashigawa-stable grappler will decide later whether to reenter the 15-day meet in an attempt to post the eight wins required to retain his rank.

Dejima has apparently picked up a viral infection from the soil on the dohyo ring, adding to his plight just a month after the 27-year-old Ishikawa native underwent surgery on his right ankle.

"He had a temperature of 41 C two days ago (Wednesday) and has been in hospital since last night. We will think about whether he can fight again in this tournament after talking with the doctors," stablemaster Musashigawa said Friday.

Facing the danger of being relegated to the sekiwake rank after going a shocking 5-10 at the summer tournament in May, Dejima opened in Nagoya brightly, chalking up three victories before he suffered back-to-back defeats Wednesday and Thursday.

After making his professional debut at the 1996 Spring Grand Sumo Tournament, Dejima reached sumo's top makuuchi division one year later. He was promoted to ozeki after winning the 1999 Nagoya tourney for his only Emperor's Cup.

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Results

NAGOYA, July 13 (Kyodo) -- Results of makuuchi division bouts Friday, the sixth day of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium (+ denotes juryo division wrestler):

Won -- Technique -- Lost

Tokitsuumi 5-1 -- koshikudake -- Aminishiki 2-4
Oginishiki 5-1 -- yoritaoshi -- Kyokutenho 2-4
Minatofuji 3-3 -- hatakikomi -- Daizen 3-3
Kotoryu 3-3 -- yorikiri -- Wakatsutomu 3-3
Jumonji 1-5 -- oshidashi -- Asanowaka 1-5
Kaiho 4-2 -- yorikiri -- Tamakasuga 3-3
Tochinohana 3-3 -- yorikiri -- Akinoshima 1-5
Tochisakae 4-2 -- oshidashi -- Kitazakura 2-4
Tamanoshima 5-1 -- yorikiri -- Kyokushuzan 3-3
Takanowaka 5-1 -- uwatenage -- Chiyotenzan 2-4
Toki 2-4 -- hatakikomi -- Otsukasa 2-4
Tochiazuma 4-2 -- hatakikomi -- Tosanoumi 3-3
Wakanosato 5-1 -- yorikiri -- Kotomitsuki 2-4
Kaio 6-0 -- yorikiri -- Asashoryu 2-4
Tochinonada 3-3 -- injury -- default Dejima 3-3
Miyabiyama -- 2-4 -- uwatenage Kotonowaka 0-6
Musoyama -- 5-1 -- kirikaeshi Hayateumi 1-5
Chiyotaikai -- 5-1 -- oshidashi Takanonami 0-6
Musashimaru -- 6-0 -- yorikiri -- Higonoumi 3-3

Juryo Division

Terao (3-3) Sentoryu (4-2)
Kuniazuma (6-0) Daishi (3-3)

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Friday's bouts

Minatofuji x - x +Juzan
Wakatsutomu 0 - 0 Oginishiki
Kyokutenho 5 - 4 Asanowaka
Kotoryu 1 - 1 Daizen
Aminishiki 0 - 0 Kitazakura
Kaiho 2 - 5 Chiyotenzan
Tokitsuumi 1 - 0 Tamanoshima
Akinoshima 2 - 0 Jumonji
Tamakasuga 2 - 3 Takanowaka
Kyokushuzan 0 - 3 Tochisakae
Tochinohana 1 - 2 Otsukasa
Hayateumi 2 - 1 Kotonowaka
Tosanoumi 4 - 0 Wakanosato
Asashoryu 1 - 1 Kotomitsuki
Chiyotaikai 6 - 0 Toki
Kaio 11 - 7 Tochiazuma
Miyabiyama 3 - 9 Takanonami
Higonoumi 2 - 7 Musoyama
Tochinonada 1 - 12 Musashimaru

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