OSAKA – Ozeki Aonishiki’s yokozuna promotion bid is all but over after his fourth defeat in seven days at the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament on Saturday, while yokozuna Hoshoyu stayed among the six-man leading pack with one defeat.
In a repeat of the New Year meet’s championship playoff won by Aonishiki (3-4), the Ukrainian sensation had a testing bout with komusubi Atamifuji (4-3), who was pumped up from the off and instantly drove the ozeki to the edge at Edion Arena Osaka.
Aonishiki displayed his usual tenacity to counter before looking to attempt a neck throw, a technique that secured him his second successive Emperor’s Cup two months ago. But Atamifuji was not rattled this time and instead grabbed firm belt holds before flooring Aonishiki with a left overarm throw.
“I’ve watched back the replay countless times,” Atamifuji said of his playoff defeat. “I was able to produce things within my capability. I’m readying myself however the opponent decides to come at me.”
Aonishiki desperately kept his feet on the straw bales but was ultimately unable to overcome the size disadvantage, as what would have been a record-fastest promotion to yokozuna — achievable with a championship-caliber result this month — slipped through his fingers.
Hoshoryu, still without an elite makuuchi-division title as a grand champion, stopped a strong opening drive from Oho (2-5) before charging forward and flooring the No. 3 maegashira with an emphatic frontal crush-out.
A day after his first defeat, sekiwake Takayasu (6-1) overpowered Daieisho (3-4) but found the No. 4 maegashira getting unexpected help from the gyoji referee, who happened to position himself behind the rank-and-filer and accidentally stopped him from getting shoved off.
As the referee was bounced off the raised ring instead, the action continued on the dohyo and Takayasu launched another attack to seal his win by thrusting out Daieisho.
Another sekiwake, Kirishima (6-1), also stayed among the leaders, producing strong pushes followed by a sudden pull-down to defeat No. 3 maegashira Hiradoumi (4-3).
Ozeki Kotozakura (4-3) ended his three-day losing streak by pushing down Fujinokawa (3-4), the 21-year-old No. 2 maegashira who showed plenty of fight and agility while trading shoves but was upended at the edge.
No. 4 maegashira Takanosho, No. 5 maegashira Kotoshoho and No. 10 maegashira Gonoyama all improved to 6-1, but No. 8 maegashira Shodai fell to his second defeat of the 15-day meet.
AloJapan.com