Yokozuna Kisenosato bounced back from defeat and posted a victory over ozeki Tochinoshin on Monday at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament.
Fellow yokozuna Hakuho and Kakuryu both survived scares and remain undefeated after the ninth day of action at the 15-day tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan.
A day after suffering his second defeat of the meet, against komusubi Tamawashi (1-8), Kisenosato (7-2) gathered his momentum and drove the Georgian ozeki out of the ring.
The sole Japanese yokozuna, fighting for his career after missing an unprecedented eight meets due to a muscle injury on the left side of his chest, resisted Tochinoshin's attempt to throw him out and pushed the ozeki over the straw with a right-handed belt grab.
Kisenosato lost their previous encounter, at the July meet last year, but improved his record against Tochinoshin to 17-9.
Tochinoshin (5-4) is competing as a demotion-threatened kadoban ozeki and needs at least three more wins to maintain his status at the next tournament.
Hakuho beat sekiwake Mitakeumi (6-3), who won the Nagoya Basho in July, in the day's longest bout (1 minute and 19 seconds), while Kakuryu defeated No. 3 maegashira and fan-favorite Endo (1-8).
Ozeki pair Takayasu and Goeido, as well as No. 13 maegashira Ryuden are each one win behind the two Mongolian yokozuna.
Takayasu, who suffered his first defeat Sunday, stayed in contention for his first makuuchi division championship by beating Chiyonokuni (2-7). A big shove from the ozeki made Chiyonokuni lose his footing and topple out of the raised ring.
Goeido, who was promoted to sumo's second-highest rank in 2014, grabbed komusubi Takakeisho (3-6) by the neck and bulldozed him out.
Ryuden claimed his fourth winning record since joining the top division in January with a win against Shohozan (5-4).