Pre-tournament predictions of healthy top-rankers battling it out for the Emperor’s Cup took all of three days to burn to ash in Nagoya’s fierce heat.
Anticipation of an exciting July meet took an early hit when both ozeki withdrew just before the tournament got underway, and things quickly went downhill from there as Terunofuji followed up an opening-day win with two straight losses.
Sumo’s top three rikishi having a grand total of one victory as Day 4 action got underway wasn’t the start sumo fans were hoping to see.