Ozeki Goeido put maegashira upstart and joint overnight leader Okinoumi in his place to grab sole possession of top spot at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on Saturday.
Goeido improved to 7-0, moving within one win of the eight he needs to retain his place at sumo's second-highest rank for the Kyushu meet in November.
No. 1 maegashira Okinoumi, who had beaten both yokozuna and three ozeki in a sensational start to the tournament, dropped into a three-way tie for second place alongside Mongolian yokozuna Harumafuji and rank-and-filer Endo.
Goeido made a false start after bursting out of the blocks too early, but took total control after the restart.
The ozeki surged forward to put Okinoumi up against the ridge and although Okinoumi briefly rallied to move back to mid-ring, Goeido once again seized the initiative and prevailed with an uwatedashinage pulling overarm throw.
In the next bout, sekiwake Takayasu (5-2) produced the upset of the day with a frontal crush-out win over Mongolian yokozuna Kakuryu (4-3).
But Nagoya champion Harumafuji dug himself out of a hole in the day's finale and got the better of fourth-ranked maegashira Myogiryu (2-5) with an overarm throw to stay in the thick of the title race.
Kisenosato, making another bid at promotion to sumo's top rank of yokozuna, was made to work hard against Takarafuji (3-4), but outlasted the sekiwake to sit among a group of seven wrestlers two wins off the pace.
Kotoshogiku (5-2), who like Goeido came into the basho needing a majority of wins to save his ozeki rank, rebounded from Friday's defeat to Okinoumi by charging out No. 1 maegashira Yoshikaze (3-4).