Estonia-born Baruto launched his bid for promotion to sumo's ultimate rank on full octane on the opening day of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament Sunday, the first anniversary of the devastating earthquake and tsunami that ravaged Japan.
A full crowd was in attendance at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium for the first spring basho to be held in two years after last year's tourney was cancelled due to a match-fixing scandal, and Baruto was ever the showman in a ransacking of Georgian komusubi Gagamaru.
Baruto, who won his first career title with an impressive 14-1 record at the New Year meet in January, held Gagamura at bay with a grip on the mawashi before dumping his opponent with a powerful overarm throw.