Returning yokozuna Terunofuji continued his winning start at the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament with his third victory Tuesday, when ozeki promotion-chasing sekiwake Kiribayama suffered his first defeat.
Terunofuji (3-0) briefly grabbed Endo (0-3) by the right arm and spun the No. 2 maegashira around before following it up with an attack toward the edge of the raised ring in a push-out win at Ryogoku Kokugikan.
A seven-time champion, Terunofuji missed all of the last three tournaments after undergoing surgeries to both knees in October.
Ozeki Takakeisho (2-1), needing eight wins this month to retain his place at the second-highest rank, showed his poise in dealing with the nimble and feisty drives from Midorifuji (0-3) before pushing out the diminutive No. 1.
Kiribayama withstood fierce shoves from Abi (1-2) and pressed forward, but was unable to push his opponent out as the No. 1 moved away along the ring's circular edge before pulling down March's Spring meet champion.
Sekiwake Hoshoryu (2-1) also fell, No. 3 Tobizaru (1-2) immediately moving to his right from the jump to slap the sekiwake down to his first defeat.
Debutant sekiwake Wakamotoharu (3-0) upended komusubi Shodai (1-2) with a last-ditch thrust down, while sekiwake Daieisho (3-0) recovered to push out Nishikigi (0-3) after the No. 4 initially withstood the sekiwake's charge.
Komusubi Kotonowaka (3-0) floored No. 3 Nishikifuji (0-3) with an overarm throw, while No. 6 Meisei also won to remain unbeaten.
Former ozeki Asanoyama, currently a No. 14, won his third straight despite getting thrust down at the edge by No. 12 Kotoeko (1-2), who was initially ruled the winner.
Ringside judges, however, overturned that decision. Although both wrestlers seemed to hit the sandy surface outside the ring simultaneously, the judges deemed Kotoeko's body to have been well outside the ring before he touched down.