Yokozuna Asashoryu manhandled Tochinonada but ozeki Kaio snapped like a breadstick under pressure as he fell to a first-day defeat to rival Kotomitsuki at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament on Sunday.
The Mongolian grand champion was never in danger in the day's final bout as he gave the komusubi a few fierce shoves to the face and chest before smashing him over the edge at Fukuoka Kokusai Center.
Asashoryu won five straight basho from the New Year meet but saw his winning streak snapped when he finished with a 9-6 record at the autumn basho in September.
"I have to accept the pain of defeat and go out and crush the opponents I lost to," Asashoryu said before the start of the 15-day meet.