Tosanoumi upset Kaio at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament on Wednesday, dashing any hope the ozeki wrestler had for promotion to sumo’s highest rank.
No. 2 maegashira Tosanoumi sidestepped Kaio at the faceoff and then swatted the struggling ozeki down to improve to 2-2.
Kaio, who needed at least 13 wins in this tournament to get consideration for promotion to grand champion, was handed his third straight loss and fell to an unseemly 1-3.
Touted as a candidate for promotion to yokozuna before the start of the 15-day meet at Ryogoku Kokugikan, Kaio is now struggling just to survive another day.
Elsewhere, Mongolian grand champion Asashoryu remained in the driver’s seat at a perfect 4-0 when he dispatched top maegashira Tochinonada in the day’s final bout.
Asashoryu won five of six tournaments last year and hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down. Lower-ranked wrestlers Asasekiryu and Tamakasuga also stand at 4-0. Tochinonada has a 2-2 record.
Mongolian Hakuho, who upset Kaio on Tuesday, won his third straight bout since losing to Asashoryu on the opening day.
Komusubi Hakuho used a barrage of arm thrusts before getting a grip of Tamanoshima’s belt and lifting the winless No. 3 maegashira out to improve to 3-1.
Wakanosato, who is bidding for promotion to ozeki, was handed his second straight loss when he touched the dirt surface with his hand after forcing fellow-sekiwake Tochiazuma to the edge.
Tochiazuma picked up his third win against a sole loss while Wakanosato fell to 2-2.
Ozeki Chiyotaikai improved to 3-1 when he used his trademark arm thrusts to send No. 2 maegashira Kotonowaka out over the straw ridge for his second loss against two wins.
Bulgarian Kotooshu continued to impress with a hard-fought win over seventh-ranked maegashira Hayateumi.
Kotooshu, a No. 4 maegashira, got a hold of Hayateumi’s belt after the faceoff and spun the smaller wrestler around several times before using a well-timed leg kick to upend his opponent and improve to 3-1. Hayateumi stands at 2-2.
No. 6 maegashira Kaiho improved to 2-2 after he prevailed in a slap-fest against third-ranked maegashira Kokkai, who has yet to post a win.
Earlier, Russian Roho needed two bouts to improve to 2-2.
In the first bout against Kotonowaka, the ringside judges ruled that both wrestlers went over the raised ring at the same time.
In the rematch, Roho, a No. 5 maegashira, made no mistake when he swatted the ninth-ranked maegashira down after the faceoff. Kotonowaka dropped to 1-3.