A trio of upstarts are adding spice to a tournament that lacks luster with the withdrawal of all three yokozuna.
Upstart komusubi Takakeisho easily finished off top maegashira Hokutofuji to bag his ninth win and maintain his lead in Day 10 action at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament on Tuesday in Fukuoka.
A pair of rank-and-filers in their 20s -- No. 9 maegashira Daieisho and No. 13 maegashira Onosho -- stayed one win behind Takakeisho, as did ozeki Takayasu and veteran maegashira Aoiyama.
The 22-year-old Takakeisho overwhelmed Hokutofuji with a sharp jump-off, and rushed forward to push his opponent out of the ring.
Daieisho, 25, also demonstrated powerful sumo, quickly pushing out No. 13 maegashira Takanosho. Onosho, 22, forced out No. 14 maegashira Chiyoshoma to pick up his crucial kachikoshi eighth win.
"Recently, I feel like I've been making progress mentally," Daieisho said in a postmatch TV interview. "I want to keep striving until the end."
Takayasu gave a solid performance to force out No. 5 maegashira Chiyotairyu, while No. 12 Aoiyama slapped down No. 8 Takarafuji.
In other action, ozeki Goeido beat No. 5 maegashira Asanoyama to improve to 7-3, while fellow ozeki Tochinoshin forced out sekiwake Ichinojo to even his record at 5-5.
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