Sole yokozuna Terunofuji's poise was on full display as he battled back from a poor start on Wednesday to earn his third win and remain one back of the leaders on the fourth day of the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament.
No. 2 maegashira Meisei twice got around the yokozuna's left side only for Terunofuji to spin out of his grasp and certain defeat. When the yokozuna locked up his opponent's arms, Meisei leaned backward and lifted Terunofuji off his feet.
Once more, however, Meisei was unable to capitalize on his brief advantage. Before he could twist the yokozuna out of the ring, Meisei's knees buckled and he fell over backward to defeat.
No. 3 Tamawashi, the highest ranked of four maegashira wrestlers with perfect records at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan, was quicker out of the blocks than ozeki Shodai (1-3), who was pushed onto the back foot and quickly forced out by the Mongolian iron man.
Ozeki Takakeisho (3-1) dealt harshly with a defiant performance from No. 2 Kotonowaka (1-3). After failing to drive his foe out at the start, Takakeisho resorted to left-handed throat shoves and ferocious round-house right-handed slaps to turn the tide and shove his opponent out.
Mitakeumi, wrestling as a demotion-threatened "kadoban" ozeki, fell to 2-2, forced out by Tobizaru (2-2). The No. 1 maegashira outclassed the ozeki on the opening charge, seized a hold of the ozeki's belt and took control of the bout.
Mitakeumi needs eight wins at the 15-day tourney to continue wrestling as an ozeki in the next grand tournament in November.
New sekiwake Hoshoryu (3-1) forced out komusubi Kiribayama (2-2), ending his fellow Mongolian's resistance with a vicious throat shove.
Komusubi Ichinojo, July's champion, evened his record at 2-2 by shoving Daiesho (1-3) out from behind after the sekiwake botched an attacking move for the second straight day.
Sekiwake Wakatakakage earned his first win the hard way, outlasting and slapping down top-ranked maegashira Midorifuji (1-3) in a high-speed battle of quick, wiry wrestlers.
Once more, No. 3 Ura (3-1) electrified the crowd, turning his back on his opponent, squatting low and lodging his shoulder under winless Takarafuji's arm pit. Driving upward with his powerful lower body, Ura lifted his opponent up and over his back.
"He got the better of me really well," Takarafuji said after losing by way of the rare "tsutaezori" underarm forward body drop technique.
Related coverage:
Sumo: Yokozuna Terunofuji bounces back from 1st defeat in Tokyo
Sumo: Tobizaru pushes and thrusts to upset win over Terunofuji
Sumo: Former yokozuna Hakuho to hold retirement ceremony in January
