NAGOYA - Ozeki Kirishima's unbeaten start at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament came to an end on Thursday, while struggling yokozuna Onosato secured his second win to improve to 2-3.
Among the sport's top-ranked wrestlers, Kirishima, yokozuna Hoshoryu and sekiwake Aonishiki sit one win behind the leaders at 4-1 following Day 5 of the 15-day tournament.
No. 11 maegashira Wakanosho and No. 14 maegashira Shishi remain unbeaten with a 5-0 record in the elite makuuchi division at IG Arena in central Japan.
Kirishima was forced out by No. 3 maegashira Hirodoumi (1-4) after attempting to sidestep his opponent's opening charges several times.
Coming off a 12-3 record in the previous meet in May, a strong championship-caliber performance in Nagoya could still see the Mongolian-born ozeki promoted to the highest rank of yokozuna.
Onosato, who withdrew from the past two meets due to pain in his left shoulder, won by frontal push out after fending off the charges of No. 2 maegashira Churanoumi (1-4).
Hoshoryu, who also sat out the May tournament with a hamstring injury, held off No. 2 maegashira Gonoyama (1-4) with an arm-bar throw in the final bout of the day.
Ukrainian-born star Aonishiki pushed out demotion-threatened "kadoban" ozeki Kotozakura (3-2), who needs at least eight wins to remain in his rank.
Sekiwake Atamifuji (3-2) and sekiwake Kotoshoho (3-2) were defeated by No. 1 maegashira Takanosho (1-4) and No. 1 maegashira Fujinokawa (3-2), respectively.
