Yokozuna Terunofuji, whose strength, size and resourcefulness have allowed him to outlast a legion of opponents over his career, lost the kind of long battle he usually wins Sunday, the first day of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament.
Terunofuji forced komusubi Nishikigi to the brink of defeat, but simply could not put him away and paid the price as he started the 15-day meet at Edion Arena Osaka with a loss.