Hakuho, Kisenosato raise records to 6-0 at Summer Basho

Mongolian yokozuna Hakuho stands tall as beaten foe Ichinojo stumbles at the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament on Friday. | KYODO

Kyodo

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May 13, 2016

Mongolian yokozuna Hakuho and ozeki Kisenosato maintained their perfect records, but ozeki Goeido slipped to his first defeat on Friday, the sixth day of the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament.

Hakuho improved to 8-1 in his career against second-ranked maegashira Ichinojo (3-3) but was made to sweat, dragging his compatriot toward him with a weak pull down attempt but surrendered a right underarm belt hold in the process. Ichinojo, however, couldn’t capitalize as Hakuho regained his position in the penultimate bout at Ryogoku Kokugikan. Hakuho then thrust down his giant opponent using his left arm.

Kisenosato also labored to win after allowing a firm left underarm grip to komusubi Kaisei (1-5), but managed to recover with an overarm belt hold in each hand. The ozeki then grappled the Brazilian out to end the day’s longest match at 1 minute, 28 seconds, and improve to 8-0 against Kaisei.

Ozeki Goeido lost his unbeaten record after two false starts. The Osaka native was half-hearted on the third tachiai, and sekiwake Kotoyuki (2-4) jostled him out of the ring in a flash.

Mongolian yokozuna Kakuryu bounced back from his lone defeat on Thursday as he pushed out winless No. 2 maegashira Shodai in a solid display, while fellow yokozuna Harumafuji (5-1) came up with a last-ditch rear foot sweep to floor No. 4 maegashira Yoshikaze (2-4).

January champion Kotoshogiku (4-2) was tricked off the tachiai for the second time in three days. The ozeki charged head down as he sometimes does, and No. 1 maegashira Myogiryu (2-4) didn’t hesitate to dodge the charge.

With both knees heavily taped, Mongolian Terunofuji (2-4) had no staying power as he succumbed to his fourth straight defeat after he was forced over the straw bales by in-form Georgian No. 4 maegashira Tochinoshin (5-1), who won five in a row.

New sekiwake Ikioi evened his record after ringside judges overturned the referee’s decision to hand Okinoumi (1-5) the win, the komusubi having put his hand on the ground first on Ikioi’s armlock throw.