Sekiwake Wakanosato upset ozeki Chiyotaikai on Sunday to give leader Asashoryu some breathing room in the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament.
Chiyotaikai entered Sunday's bouts at Ryogoku Kokugikan one win back of the Mongolian grand champion but fell two wins off the pace after being bulldozed out by Wakanosato.
Wakanosato delivered a crushing blow at the face off and kept Chiyotaikai from using his trademark arm thrusts to give both wrestlers a record of 6-2.
Yokozuna Asashoryu remained unbeaten and improved to 8-0 with a comprehensive win over towering No. 4 maegashira Kotonowaka, who fell to 5-3.
Asashoryu exploded out of the tachiai face-off and drove Kotonowaka out in a matter of seconds in the day's final bout. A group of six wrestlers trail Asashoryu by two wins.
The 22-year-old Asashoryu is wrestling in his second tournament as yokozuna after being promoted to sumo's top rank earlier this year. He failed to capture the Emperor's Cup in his debut as grand champion.
Ozeki Tochiazuma improved to 4-4 when he slapped sekiwake Dejima down shortly after the face-off. Dejima dropped to 5-3.
Ozeki Kaio remained two wins off the pace at 6-2 when he got both arms around Kaiho and waltzed the smaller No. 4 maegashira out for his sixth loss.
Earlier, No. 3 maegashira Tamanoshima shoved out Musoyama to send the struggling ozeki to his fifth loss. Tamanoshima improved to 5-3.
Musoyama needs a winning record in the 15-day summer tourney to maintain his ozeki status in the next tournament.
In a marathon bout, komusubi Kyokutenho of Mongolia tripped up veteran Takanonami to improve to 4-4. Takanonami, a No. 2 maegashira, had Kyokutenho at the edge several times but eventually stepped out to fall to 2-6.
No. 11 maegashira Toki (6-2) shoved out Takanotsuru, sending the No. 14 maegashira to his eighth straight loss.