Lone ozeki Takakeisho outmuscled Abi, one of the overnight co-leaders, to grab a share of first place at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament on Friday.
The result leaves eight wrestlers tied for the lead at 5-1 through Day 6 of the 15-day meet at Ryogoku Kokugikan, with Takakeisho the only one from the elite sanyaku ranks below yokozuna.
The highest-ranked competitor in the absence of recuperating yokozuna Terunofuji, Takakeisho avoided his sixth straight defeat to No. 3 maegashira Abi, who won a playoff against the ozeki to claim his first Emperor's Cup in November.