NAGOYA - One week into the 15-day Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament, the title race remains wide open. Ozeki Kirishima, a yokozuna hopeful, Ukrainian sekiwake Aonishiki and five rank-and-file wrestlers shared the lead at 6-1 on Saturday, with yokozuna Hoshoryu among a large pack chasing at 5-2 and fellow yokozuna Onosato at 4-3.
Here is a digest of the tournament's opening week.
Day 1: Returning yokozuna Onosato loses on Nagoya meet opening day
Sunday, July 12 - Onosato fell to a worrying opening day defeat while his fellow returning grand champion, Hoshoryu, triumphed as the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament began on Sunday.
Day 2: Yokozuna Onosato slumps to 0-2 with upset loss to Fujinokawa
Monday, July 13 - Grand champion Onosato suffered his second straight defeat to start the tournament on Monday, losing to tricky No. 1 maegashira Fujinokawa by thrust down.
Fellow yokozuna Hoshoryu, meanwhile, improved to 2-0 at the 15-day tournament in impressive fashion, hurling No. 1 maegashira Takanosho (1-1) to the clay with a beltless arm throw after the former sekiwake followed a strong opening collision with a thrusting attack.
Day 3: Onosato pushes out Takanosho for 1st win following horror 0-2 start
Tuesday, July 14 - Onosato notched his first win of the tournament following a nightmare 0-2 start, pushing out No. 1 maegashira Takanosho on Tuesday.
Hoshoryu (2-1), meanwhile, became No. 1 maegashira Fujinokawa's latest yokozuna victim on Day 3, a day after the rising star upset Onosato.
Day 4: Yokozuna Onosato sinks to 1-3 with loss to Gonoyama
Wednesday, July 15 - Onosato crashed to 1-3 at the tournament on Wednesday as he was pushed out by previously winless No. 2 maegashira Gonoyama.
Hoshoryu bounced back from his first loss by thrusting down No. 2 maegashira Churanoumi and improving to 3-1 on Day 4 of the 15-day competition.
Day5 : Ozeki Kirishima takes 1st loss, struggling yokozuna Onosato wins 2nd
Thursday, July 16 - 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.
Day 6: Yokozuna Hoshoryu suffers 2nd loss as Shishi takes sole Nagoya lead
Friday, July 17 - Yokozuna Hoshoryu stumbled to his second defeat after six days at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament on Friday as Ukrainian rank-and-filer Shishi became the only wrestler boasting a perfect record.
Another yokozuna Onosato (3-3) secured his first back-to-back victories of the 15-day meet by overwhelming No. 3 maegashira Hiradoumi in a force out, yokozuna promotion-hopeful Kirishima (5-1) got back to winning ways and sekiwake Aonishiki (5-1) needed little time in dispatching Oho.
Day 7: Promotion-chasing ozeki Kirishima wins, in 7-way tie for Nagoya lead
Saturday, July 18 - Yokozuna promotion-chasing ozeki Kirishima joined six other wrestlers at the top of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament leaderboard on Saturday after rank-and-filer Shishi suffered his first defeat after seven days of action.
No. 7 maegashira Takayasu and Kotoeiho also improved to 6-1 along with top-tier makuuchi division-returning Takerufuji, the No. 13 maegashira who has won one Emperor's Cup.
Yokozuna Hoshoryu (5-2) got back to winning ways against Hiradoumi (1-6), albeit backing off slightly at the start, and another yokozuna Onosato (4-3) is showing signs of recovery after sealing his third straight win.
