Harumafuji continued to display cracks in his armor with a third defeat at the hands of veteran Takekaze, while fellow yokozuna Hakuho and Kakuryu whisked off their respective opponents at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament on Monday.
Hakuho, sumo's premier yokozuna who is gunning for his 30th career title, took the sole lead at 9-0 after dispensing the minimum energy necessary to see off Tamawashi with a textbook "okuridashi" rear shove-out.
Kakuryu stayed one off the pace after beating ozeki Kotoshogiku in the day's final bout. Kakuryu, Kotoshogiku and rank-and-filer Takayasu are at 8-1, while a group of five, including ozeki Kisenosato and sekiwake Goeido, trail at 7-2 with six days remaining.