J9 – Tir groupé en haut du tableau

A day after suffering his second defeat of the meet to komusubi Tamawashi (1-8), Kisenosato (7-2) gathered his momentum and drove the Georgian ozeki out of the ring.

The sole Japanese yokozuna, fighting for his career after missing an unprecedented eight meets due to a left chest muscle injury, resisted Tochinoshin’s attempt to throw him out and pushed the ozeki over the straw with a right-handed belt grab.

Kisenosato had lost their previous face-off at the July meet last year, but improved his record against Tochinoshin to 17-9.

Tochinoshin (5-4) is competing as a demotion-threatened « kadoban » ozeki and needs at least three more wins to maintain his status at the next grand tournament.

Hakuho beat sekiwake Mitakeumi (6-3), who won July’s grand tournament, in the day’s longest bout lasting 1 minute and 19 seconds, while Kakuryu defeated No. 3 maegashira and fan-favorite Endo (1-8).

Ozeki Takayasu and Goeido, as well as No. 13 Ryuden are trailing the two Mongolian yokozuna by a win.

Takayasu, who suffered his first defeat Sunday, stayed in contention for his first makuuchi division championship by beating No. 4 Chiyonokuni (2-7). A big shove from the ozeki made Chiyonokuni lose his footing and topple out of the raised ring.

Goeido, who was promoted to sumo’s second-highest rank in 2014, grabbed komusubi Takakeisho (3-6) by the neck and bulldozed him out.

No. 13 Ryuden claimed his fourth winning record since joining the top division in January with a win against No. 7 Shohozan (5-4).

Written by Kyodo