Yokozuna Hakuho rebounded from his first loss at the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament in the best way he knows how. With a dominant win.
Hakuho quickly blasted komusubi Hokutofuji out of the ring -- and into the second row of the spectator-less stands at Edion Arena Osaka -- on Wednesday to remain tied for the lead with No. 13 maegashira Aoiyama at 10-1.
Yokozuna Kakuryu, sekiwake Asanoyama and two others who started the day one win off the lead all remained in that position with victories.
Kakuryu weathered the slapping attack of sekiwake Shodai before pushing him out of the ring for his 13th win in 13 career meetings between the two. Shodai fell to 5-6.
Asanoyama, with little wiggle room in his bid for promotion to ozeki, picked up a valuable ninth win and stayed in the title chase when he used a classic left-hand belt hold to force out No. 5 maegashira Ryuden.
No. 3 maegashira Mitakeumi also improved to 9-2 when he snatched a victory from the jaws of defeat against No. 1 maegashira Daieisho. Mitakeumi was all but out of the ring when he suddenly reversed the situation and only had to give Daieisho a nudge to send him out and end his seven-match winning streak.
No. 9 maegashira Takanosho also remained one win behind the leaders when he pushed out No. 12 maegashira Ishiura for his ninth win.
Ozeki Takakeisho, the lone wrestler at the second-highest rank, moved closer to a losing record and a stint in kadoban status for the next tournament when he was shuffled out by No. 4 maegashira Abi, leaving both wrestlers at 5-6.
Earlier, Aoiyama started the action in the uppermost makuuchi division by picking up his 10th win to assure he would end the day with at least a piece of the lead. The 193-kilogram Bulgarian kept his base in an exchange of pushes with No. 18 maegashira Kotonowaka before working him back to the edge and over.
In a bout that would have sent the crowd into a frenzy, popular No. 4 maegashira Enho used his wiles to defeat No. 2 maegashira Tokushoryu and avoid a makekoshi eighth loss. Easily pushed to the edge by the 188-kilogram Tokushoryu -- the surprise winner of the previous New Year tournament -- Enho stepped aside at the last second, then balanced on the bales as Tokushoryu flopped to his belly.
Meanwhile in the second-tier juryo division, former ozeki Terunofuji hit a bump in his historic attempt to regain a place in the makuuchi division.
The Mongolian, who had fallen to the second-lowest jonidan after a series of injuries and illnesses and is currently ranked at No. 3 juryo, was dealt his third loss in four days when he was forced out by No. 5 juryo Kyokushuho to drop to 7-4. He won the juryo division title at the New Year tournament.
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