The question being raised ahead of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament is whether Hakuho's worst-ever performance as a yokozuna was a mere anomaly or has the Mongolian yokozuna really seen his last days as sumo's top breadwinner?
The 27-year-old finished with a personal worst 10-5 mark at the summer meet in May — subpar by Hakuho's superhuman standards.
Countryman Kyokutenho, meanwhile, became the oldest wrestler in the modern sumo era to capture a title at 37 years, 8 months, after beating Tochiozan in a playoff.