Yokozuna Terunofuji looked healthy and powerful in his opening day win Sunday at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament, where three wrestlers are competing for promotion to the sport's second-highest rank of ozeki.
Terunofuji, who played the returning conqueror in May, began his pursuit of a ninth career championship with a no-nonsense win over komusubi Abi.
The 31-year-old grand champion withdrew from last September's grand tournament due to injury, then had surgery on both knees and sat out the next three 15-day meets. In May, he delivered a master class, winning his eighth championship with a 14-1 record.