Yokozuna Terunofuji looked healthy and powerful in his opening day win Sunday at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament, where three wrestlers are competing for promotion to the sport's second highest rank of ozeki.
Terunofuji, who played the returning conqueror in May, began his pursuit of a ninth career championship with a no-nonsense win over komusubi Abi.
The 31-year-old grand champion withdrew from last September's grand tournament due to injury, then had surgery on both knees and sat out the next three 15-day meets. In May, he delivered a master class, winning his eighth championship with a 14-1 record.
With neither of sumo's two ozeki, veteran Takakeisho or newcomer Kirishima competing on the first day of the 15-day meet at Nagoya's Dolphins Arena due to injury, all eyes were on the three sekiwake wrestlers taking aim at promotion to ozeki -- Daieisho, Hoshoryu and Wakamotoharu.
Daieisho drew a former ozeki, Shodai, for his first bout. Although the No. 2 maegashira showed plenty of energy, and the sekiwake's opening charge missed the mark, Daieisho easily won the shoving-and-slapping free for all that followed and shoved Shodai out.
Hoshoryu, the nephew of Mongolian former yokozuna Asashoryu, caught a break in his win over wily No. 1 Tobizaru.
The sekiwake quickly had the maegashira on the run, chased him around the ring, and was awarded the win when Tobizaru stumbled. Neither the referee nor the ringside judges, however, paid any mind to how Hoshoryu's left hand appeared to brush the surface of the raised ring while Tobizaru was still on his feet.
Wakamotoharu managed a fierce charge from former ozeki Mitakeumi, latching on to his belt with both hands and forcing the No. 2 maegashira to the straw until he fell backward out of the ring.
No. 4 Asanoyama, a former ozeki who went 12-3 in May when he returned to the top division after a lengthy suspension for violating the Japan Sumo Association's coronavirus rules, was overpowered by No. 3 Meisei.
Nineteen-year-old Hakuoho, debuting in the makuuchi division at No. 17, held his ground against much larger Bulgarian No. 17 Aoiyama and shoved him straight out. No. 14 Shonannoumi and fellow 25-year-old No. 13 Gonoyama were also winners in their top flight debuts.
Hakuoho, who went 14-1 as a No. 8 second-tier juryo wrestler in May after an outstanding amateur career, competed in just three tournaments before reaching the top division, tying the record set by No. 16 Endo for quickest promotion to the top flight.
