Newly promoted Hoshoryu won his first bout as an ozeki Sunday at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan, where the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament got underway in the absence of sole yokozuna Terunofuji.
Hoshoryu was too strong for No. 2 maegashira Abi, but it was not plain sailing for the other ozeki on the opening day, with Takakeisho suffering an upset loss to No. 1 Hokutofuji and Kirishima winning a difficult encounter against komusubi Tobizaru.
The three ozeki are the highest-ranked competitors following Terunofuji's withdrawal from a second straight 15-day tournament while he deals with lumbar disc herniation and symptoms of diabetes.