NAGOYA - Sekiwake Aonishiki beat yokozuna Hoshoryu to move within one win of his ozeki return on Tuesday as the Ukrainian star stayed in a two-way tie for the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament lead with rank-and-file Kotoeiho after 10 days of action.
Aonishiki (9-1), who missed the entire Summer meet in May with left ankle pain, also hurt his big toe on Sunday. Still, he managed to overwhelm Hoshoryu (6-4) with his agility a day after picking up a win against another grand champion, Onosato.
Having grabbed a left overarm belt hold straight away, Aonishiki also secured a right underarm grip while shifting his body to his left at Nagoya's IG Arena. With Hoshoryu unable to find any opening, Aonishiki upended the yokozuna with an overarm throw.
Aonishiki had suffered a losing record at the Spring meet in March and dropped to sekiwake after his absence in May but can return to ozeki by winning 10 bouts this month.
No. 7 maegashira Kotoeiho (9-1) showed good reflexes to beat Abi (5-5), who slapped the overnight joint leader's face and jumped to his left. But Kotoeiho got on the side of the No. 12 maegashira before flooring him with a twisting backward knee trip.
Grand champion Onosato (6-4) kept himself on the front foot against Daieisho (6-4) and defeated the No. 4 maegashira with a backward force down.
Kirishima (8-2) kept his yokozuna promotion hopes alive while sealing his winning record as the ozeki kept his body position low against Hakunofuji (7-3), grabbed a right overarm belt hold and forced out the No. 3 maegashira in a dominant showing.
After going 12-3 in May's Summer meet, Kirishima could rise to the exalted rank of yokozuna by posting a championship-caliber result this month.
Shishi (8-2) took a step back from the title race as the Ukrainian No. 14 maegashira was bettered at the opening clash before getting forced out by No. 12 maegashira Asahakuryu (3-7).
By improving to 8-2, two former ozeki -- No. 7 maegashira Takayasu and No. 10 maegashira Asanoyama -- secured winning records. No. 13 maegashira Takerufuji, one-time Emperor's Cup winner like Asanoyama, also reached the mark on his return to the top-tier makuuchi division.
Demotion-threatened "kadoban" ozeki Kotozakura (5-5) evened his mark by flooring a hapless komusubi Oho (1-9) with a twisting overarm throw. After a losing record in May, Kotozakura needs eight wins this month to keep himself at the second-highest rank.
