Yokozuna Hakuho improved to 5-0 on Thursday, the fifth day of the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament.
Seeking to extend his record for most career championships with his 40th, Hakuho showed more nerves than usual in dispatching winless No. 2 maegashira Tochiozan. The yokozuna gave the bout a surprise, when he jumped the gun and slammed into his opponent on a false start.
When things got underway for good, the yokozuna looked less poised than usual. He pinned his opponent back with a left hand to the throat before spinning him around and pushing him out. As Tochiozan was teetering at ring's edge, Hakuho delivered an uncharacteristically vicious shove to punctuate his victory.