J6 – Kaisei partage la tête du tournoi avec Kakuryu

OSAKA (Kyodo) — Yokozuna Kakuryu remained on top of the heap on Friday, the sixth day of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament, with a solid win over former ozeki Kotoshogiku.

The win left the Mongolian grand champion in a share of the lead with Brazilian No. 6 maegashira Kaisei at Edion Arena Osaka. Due to withdrawals by the other two grand champions, Hakuho and Kisenosato, Kakuryu is the only yokozuna in the 15-day competition.

Kotoshogiku (1-5), now wrestling as a No. 3 maegashira, tried to ram the yokozuna out with a high energy charge, but Kakuryu showed his skill by grabbing hold of Kotoshogiku’s arm and twisting him down with the help of the maegashira’s momentum.

Kaisei remained unbeaten in unusual fashion. His opponent, No. 8 maegashira Daiesho (3-3) lost his footing on the initial collision, and two shoves saw him backpedaling to the straw bales, where he tried but failed to regain his balance and fell backward out of the ring.

Fourth-ranked maegashira Shohozan, who started the day with a share of the lead at 5-0, proved too aggressive for his own good in a loss to ozeki Goeido.

With local fans chanting his name, Goeido, who is from Osaka, set Shohozan up for a fall. Shohozan employed his trademark frenetic slapping attack, but was done in by a well-timed step back by Goeido (4-2), who guided his lunging opponent to the sandy surface.

Ozeki Takayasu also improved to 4-2, patiently outlasting a tenacious assault from winless No. 2 maegashira Takarafuji, who he finally expelled from the ring with a pulling overarm throw.

Sekiwake Mitakeumi suffered his second defeat at the hands of No. 3 maegashira Takakeisho. The maegashira’s charge forced Mitakeumi up onto his heels, and as Takakeisho (3-3) pulled back, the sekiwake lunged forward off balance and was easily shoved out.

The other sekiwake, January champion Tochinoshin, improved to 4-2 with an impressive win over Endo (3-3). After fending off a powerful charge, the top-ranked maegashira and the sekiwake spun around the ring, each clinging to a belt hold. When the merry-go round stopped, Endo shook Tochinoshin’s left hand off his belt but fell victim to a right-handed armlock throw.

Ichinojo improved to 5-1 after weathering a determined, if futile, shoving and slapping attack from rival komusubi Chiyotairyu (1-5). Try as he might, Chiyotairyu made no headway. As the attack lost steam, Ichinojo stepped forward, wrapped up his opponent’s torso and maneuvered him out to his fifth defeat.