J3 – Kakuryu s’impose sans effort

Yokozuna Kakuryu picked up another victory on Tuesday to remain undefeated on the third day of the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament.

Kakuryu (3-0) got the better of the initial charge against top-ranked maegashira Tamawashi (2-1), shoving his fellow Mongolian into a backwards slide and slapping him down for a third-straight win at Edion Arena Osaka.

The grand champion, who has been suffering from pain in his right fingers since January’s New Year tournament, is the only yokozuna competing in the tourney after withdrawals by Hakuho and Kisenosato.

January’s champion Tochinoshin (2-1), fighting as a sekiwake for the first time since July 2016, came back from his first defeat on Monday to beat No. 3 maegashira Kotoshogiku (1-2).

The Georgian, who went into the match having won just six of their 30 career encounters, nearly lifted the 178-kilogram several times before forcing the former ozeki from the ring.

Komusubi Ichinojo (3-0) also notched his third win after a long standstill with winless Takarafuji (0-3). The No. 2 maegashira just couldn’t budge the hulking Mongolian, and Ichinojo used his 47-kg weight advantage to slowly inch Takarafuji from the ring.

A day after giving Kakuryu a scare, top-ranked maegashira Endo (2-1) scored a quick victory over Mitakeumi (2-1), slapping the charging sekiwake down in a moment of unbalance to hand him his first loss.

After giving Chiyotairyu (0-3) a sharp slap before colliding, Osaka-native Goeido (2-1) got a solid arm hold on the recently-promoted komusubi and quickly thrust him down for the ozeki’s second win at his home venue.

No. 2 Arawashi (0-3) nearly escaped a third straight defeat when Takayasu (1-2) almost toppled after a charge. But the ozeki maintained his footing and issued a shove that sent his opponent over the straw bales.

Takayasu, who went 12-3 in January’s tourney, earned his first win here and a fourth in four career meetings with the Mongolian.

Five other wrestlers are still undefeated after the third day, including, No. 4 Shohozan, No. 6 Kaisei, No. 10 Chiyonokuni, No. 14 Ikioi and No. 17 Aoiyama.

In the second-tier juryo division, Takanoiwa, the wrestler who suffered head injuries in an October assault by former yokozuna Harumafuji, suffered his first defeat and sits at 2-1.

Written by Kyodo