Unbeaten yokozuna Kakuryu is primed to win his fourth makuuchi division championship after capturing an 11th straight victory with a massive effort Wednesday at the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament.

In one of his more challenging bouts of the competition so far, Kakuryu held fast against hulking komusubi Ichinojo to maintain his perfect record and push his fellow Mongolian further down the ranks.

Ichinojo, whose 215-kg frame has helped him garner eight victories here, used his bulk to put the 155-kg yokozuna on the back foot as the two wrestlers quickly slumped together into a standstill.