Third-ranked maegashira Ichinojo will not compete in the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament starting Sunday due to lower back pain, his stablemaster said Friday.
The 23-year-old Mongolian, who will be missing a tourney for the first time since he made his debut in the third-tier makushita division in January 2014, may still enter the meet at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan midway through, according to sumo elder Minato.
Ichinojo has been resting since Aug. 25, when he hurt his lower back while on the summer regional tour, Minato said.