Yokozuna Terunofuji overcame a severe challenge from No. 4 maegashira Wakamotoharu on Sunday to join the leading pack with his sixth win at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament.
The eighth day's final bout at Dolphins Arena proved to be a show-stopper.
Seven-time champion Terunofuji endured more than two minutes of action in the ring punctuated by a 10-minute break after Wakamotoharu's silk "mawashi" belt came undone, forcing the referee to pause the fight.
Terunofuji retreated under pressure from Wakamotoharu's opening charge, but seized a left-handed belt hold and nearly threw his opponent from the ring in the opening seconds. But the maegashira fought back and a two-minute stalemate ensued.
With the wardrobe malfunction repaired and the wrestlers returned to their previous positions, Terunofuji, refreshed by the break, needed less than 20 more seconds to swing his opponent out to his fourth loss with a left-handed underarm throw.
Former sekiwake Ichinojo (6-2) lost for the second straight day to surrender his sole lead, muscled out by fellow No. 2 Kotonowaka (6-2), who joined the seven-man leading pack at the 15-day event.
The day's biggest applause was heard for struggling ozeki Shodai. As a "kadoban" ozeki needing eight wins to avoid relegation from the sport's second-highest rank, Shodai has found a second wind after losing his first three matches in Nagoya.
A day after refusing to back down to the giant 211-kilogram Ichinojo and handing him his first loss, Shodai (4-4) was driven back to the straw by veteran Mongolian No. 3 Tamawashi (3-5), but once more stood tall.
The ozeki backed his heels against the straw, and weathered his opponent's furious efforts. When Tamawashi ran out of gas, Shodai drove him quickly back across the ring and out.
No. 6 Tobizaru shook off his second loss the day before to rejoin the leading group. He toppled No. 9 Kotoeko (4-4) with a "kekaeshi" minor inner foot sweep, knocking his opponent's right leg out from under him.
Ozeki Takakeisho kept his title hopes alive by getting the better of No. 5 Endo (2-6) on the opening charge and slapping him down. He is joined at 5-3 by two other members of the three "sanyaku" ranks below yokozuna, sekiwake Wakatakakage and komusubi Abi.
Wakatakakage pushed rival sekiwake Daieisho (4-4) from the raised ring, while Abi dispatched No. 5 Sadanoumi (2-6). The other komusubi, Hoshoryu, improved to 4-4 with a win over a fellow Mongolian, No. 1 Kiribayama (3-5).
