The first grand sumo tournament of 2022 was in need of some tension, but Takakeisho’s stumble out of the starting blocks robbed made that less likely.
The 25-year-old withdrew from the New Year Basho on Day 4 citing a foot injury.
The title race remains more-or-less unaffected as the ozeki would have needed to equal his career-best record (13-2) to have any hope of lifting the Emperor’s Cup.