Ozeki Chiyotaikai overpowered yokozuna debutante Asashoryu on Sunday to win his third Emperor's Cup with a 12-3 record on the final day of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament.
Overnight leader Chiyotaikai, who came into the 15-day meet with his ozeki status on the line, never allowed Asashoryu to get anywhere near him and quickly set about demolishing the saucy Mongolian in the day's finale at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium.
Determined to avoid a defeat that would have given Asashoryu a second bite at the cherry in a championship playoff, Chiyotaikai sent the yokozuna packing with a relentless barrage of slaps and thrusts to secure his first title since last July's Nagoya meet.
"The Osaka basho is the first tournament of the year for me and was a bit worried about being 'kadoban' and didn't expect to do as well as I have done," said Chiyotaikai, who needed eight wins here to stay at ozeki after missing the New Year meet due to an arm injury.