Yokozuna Terunofuji, who bounced back from surgery on both knees to win May's grand tournament, withdrew Wednesday from the ongoing Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament due to a herniated disk.
The 31-year-old Mongolian-born grand champion won his first day's match Sunday, when the 15-day tourney opened at Nagoya's Dolphins Arena, but a second straight defeat Tuesday raised questions about his fittness.
Terunofuji withdrew during last September's grand tournament and had procedures done on both knees in October. After skipping three straight tournaments, he returned in triumph with his eighth career championship in May.
The withdrawal of the sport's lone yokozuna coincides with the return of newly promoted ozeki Kirishima, who missed his first three bouts at the sport's second-highest rank due to injury. Sumo's other ozeki, Takakeisho, is not expected to wrestle in Nagoya, also due to knee trouble.
Related coverage:
Sumo: Tobizaru hands Terunofuji 2nd straight upset loss in Nagoya
Sumo: Injured new ozeki Kirishima to appear from 4th day in Nagoya
Sumo: No. 1 maegashira Nishikigi stuns yokozuna Terunofuji on 2nd day
