Yokozuna Hakuho finished his championship run at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament on Sunday with a victory over ozeki Takakeisho at Fukuoka Kokusai Center.
In a bout that was preceded by a long staring contest before the start, Hakuho quickly gained the advantage and forced his 23-year-old opponent to the straw's edge. But with his back to the straw, Takakeisho froze, and the two wrestlers waited for over a minute to see who would make the next move.
Hakuho eventually put an end to the human statue competition, hoisting Takakeisho (9-6) up by the belt and forcing him out. The yokozuna, who had extended his record for career championships to 43 on Saturday, finished with a 14-1 record.