Grand champion Asashoryu brushed off a challenge from Aminishiki yesterday to maintain his perfect record after the third day of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament.
Asashoryu, the only grand champion or yokozuna now competing in sumo -- Japan's national sport -- was calm when Aminishiki tried to sidestep at the faceoff in the day's final bout at Osaka Municipal Gymnasium.
The Mongolian grappler quickly grabbed Aminishiki's right arm, causing his opponent to lose his balance and forcing him over the ring's edge to improve to 3-0 while giving the third-ranked maegashira his second loss against one win.
PHOTO: AP
Ozeki Chiyotaikai downed Iwakiyama to improve to 3-0 at the 15-day tourney. Iwakiyama dropped to 1-2.
In other major bouts, ozeki Kaio picked up his second win against one loss by bulldozing Miyabiyama out in a matter of seconds, handing the komusubi wrestler his second loss against one win.
Ozeki Tochiazuma bounced back from a loss over Aminishiki on the second-day bout, when he charged low before grabbing the belt of second-ranked maegashira Hokutoriki and flipping him out over the raised straw ridge.
Tochiazuma, who won the New Year tournament held in Tokyo in January, is gunning to become the first Japanese yokozuna since Takanohana retired in 2003 and will need at least 12 wins here to be considered for promotion.
Kotooshu of Bulgaria also bounced back from a second-day loss over Miyabiyama when he threw down fourth-ranked maegashira, Futeno, near the ring's edge to pick up his second win against one loss. Futeno dropped to 1-2.
Earlier, sekiwake Hakuho quickly took hold of Russian Roho's belt with a left-hand grip soon after the faceoff, forcing him back and swatting down the komusubi grappler.
Hakuho of Mongolia, who is hoping for promotion to sumo's second-top rank of ozeki, improved to 3-1 while Roho fell to 0-3.
Hakuho would need at least 12 wins to move up a rank.
Sekiwake Kotomitsuki improved to 2-1 when he twisted down top-ranked Kokkai near the center of the ring, handing the wrestler from the former Soviet republic of Georgia his second loss.
On Monday, Tochiazuma was upset by a lower-ranked Aminishiki.
Tochiazuma, who won the New Year tournament in January, initially appeared to easily push Aminishiki backward but the No. 3 maegashira stood firm at the edge of the ring before twisting him down at the Osaka Municipal Gymnasium.
In the day's finale, Asashoryu posted his second win against no losses when he forced his Mongolian compatriot Ama out. No. 2 maegashira Ama fell to 1-1.
Kotooshu was handed his first defeat of the 15-day tourney by Miyabiyama, who improved to 1-1.
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