Kakuryu defeated rival ozeki Kotoshogiku to capture his first career championship on the final day of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament Sunday, defying the odds to all but secure his promotion to sumo's highest rank of yokozuna.

The Mongolian-born rikishi won bouts against both yokozuna Harumafuji and Hakuho at the 15-day meet and claimed the Emperor's Cup with a mark of 14-1, one more win than had been asked of him by the powers that be for consideration for the top rank.

With the 10th sell-out crowd at the Osaka meet, Kakuryu only needed a short grappling exchange with Kotoshogiku before changing hand positions to get his right hand on the front of his opponent's mawashi and his left on the back to drive his rival out in textbook fashion.