Mongolian yokozuna Hakuho avenged his previous loss against technician Aminishiki with a comfortable win in the day's final bout to improve to 3-0 at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament on Tuesday.
The lone yokozuna repaid Aminishiki (0-3) for a defeat on the first day of the Summer Basho in May, while ozeki Kisenosato also stayed among the early leaders with a dismantling of Kyokutenho.
Meanwhile, it was a day of contrasting fortunes for the remaining five wrestlers at sumo's second-highest rank of ozeki.
Hakuho and Kisenosato featured among 10 wrestlers in the early lead at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium.
Hakuho played it cautious with the tricky No. 1 maegashira, knocking him gradually off-balance as he outflanked him with a circling motion before administering a slap down.
Kisenosato was all business with Kyokutenho, stopping the No. 1 maegashira in his tracks with his superior strength before showing his opponent the exit in a frontal force-out maneuver. Kyokutenho, who became the oldest in the modern sumo era to win his first career title, dropped his third straight.
Bulgarian Aoiyama (1-2) stunned Kotoshogiku when the ozeki made an ill-advised charge after absorbing a strong hit with an elbow from his opponent at the tachiai.
No. 2 maegashira Aoiyama dumped Kotoshogiku with an arm-bar technique, sending the ozeki to his first loss.
