Sumo
FUKUOKA, Nov. 11 (Kyodo) - Yokozuna Musashimaru shrugged off injury worries to start his Emperor's Cup defense with back-to-back victories after a comfortable win over rank-and-filer Takamisakari on the second day of the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament on Monday. Musashimaru wins second in
a row to tie for first place
Star-Bulletin wire servicesHowever, ozeki Chiyotaikai, considered the biggest threat to Musashimaru's campaign in the absence of injury-plagued yokozuna Takanohana, fell victim to the only upset of the day at Fukuoka Kokusai Center.
Musashimaru is the only yokozuna in the tournament because Takanohana withdrew.
Musashimaru (2-0), wrestling with a sore left wrist, utilized the power of his healthy right hand to bulldoze fourth-ranked maegashira Takamisakari (1-1) out of the ring with little trouble.
Only a couple of well-weighted shoves were enough to convince his rivals that Musashimaru is the favorite to claim the last of this year's six titles -- a career 13th for the Samoan-born grand champion.
Musashimaru extended his career total of wins in the makuuchi top division to 699 after his opening-day victory moved him past Takanohana into fourth on the all-time list.
Musashimaru will meet Tamakasuga, who lost to Wakanosato to drop to 0-2 today, for the first time in a year tomorrow.
Musashimaru is 13-3 lifetime against Tamakasuga, but has a losing streak against him. Musashimaru lost to Tamakasuga by oshidashi last fall after beating him the previous six times.
Chiyotaikai (1-1) found himself rolling in the middle of the ring straight after the face-off after komusubi Takanowaka jumped to his right and put a light touch on the back of the ozeki's head for the win with a rare "sokubiotoshi" technique.
Ozeki Asashoryu (2-0) showed the flair that has elevated him to the second highest rank of sumo, sending fellow Mongolian Kyokutenho (0-2) down to the dohyo surface on all fours after their bout had a brief mid-ring lull following an opening exchange of fierce slaps.
Local favorite Kaio and Musoyama are the other ozeki who kept their clean sheets while Tochiazuma rebounded from Sunday's loss to record his first win of the tournament.
Backed by a raucous name-chanting, hand-clapping crowd, Kaio shoved and thrust his way to a convincing victory over No. 2 maegashira Miyabiyama (1-1), who flew backward off the ring after backpedaling along the bails with little resistance.
Musoyama survived a late scare and toppled third-ranked Tamakasuga (0-2) after Tochiazuma, who needs to get at least eight wins to retain his status, rebounded from Sunday's loss to claim an easy force-out win against Tamanoshima (0-2), also a No. 3 maegashira.
Day 2
(+denotes juryo-division wrestler)
Won Technique Lost +Senshuyama 1-1 okuridashi Aogiyama 0-2 Asanowaka 1-1 oshidashi Tamarikido 0-2 Jumonji 2-0 yoritaoshi Tochinohana 1-1 Akinoshima 2-0 okuridashi Buyuzan 0-2 Dejima 1-1 oshidashi Tochisakae 0-2 Kaiho 1-1 okurinage Iwakiyama 1-1 Aminishiki 2-0 shitatedashinage Ushiomaru 1-1 Kotonowaka 1-1 uwatenage Toki 1-1 Tochinonada 2-0 oshidashi Wakanoyama 1-1 Tokitsuumi 1-1 uwatenage Kyokushuzan 1-1 Gojoro 1-1 tsukidashi Kotoryu 0-2 Shimotori 1-1 tsukidashi Hokutoriki 0-2 Takanonami 1-1 kimedashi Wakanosato 1-1 Tosanoumi 1-1 yoritaoshi Kotomitsuki 1-1 Kaio 2-0 oshitaoshi Miyabiyama 1-1 Tochiazuma 1-1 oshidashi Tamanoshima 0-2 Musoyama 2-0 yoritaoshi Tamakasuga 0-2 Asashoryu 2-0 shitatedashinage Kyokutenho 0-2 Takanowaka 1-1 sokubiotoshi Chiyotaikai 1-1 Musashimaru 2-0 yorikiri Takamisakari 1-1
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