Grand Champion Terunofuji Bounces Back With Win Over Takayasu

Lone grand champion Terunofuji bounced back from an opening-day defeat with a confidence-boosting win over Takayasu on Monday, May 9, the second day of the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament. 

In the day’s final bout at Ryogoku Kokugikan, it wasn’t a dominant performance by Terunofuji but he managed to prevail in the end when Takayasu lost his balance and fell to the dirt surface when the yokozuna got an arm lock on the top maegashira.

Takayasu, 12-11 against Terunofuji heading into Monday’s bout, fell to 0-2 while Terunofuji improved to 1-1.

After losing on the opening day to Daieisho, Terunofuji was eager to dispel rumors that he is still suffering from the injuries that forced him to pull out of the March tournament on Day 6.

“I tried to move forward carefully, it was a good bout," Terunofuji said. 

While he hardly overpowered Takayasu, the win should help quash talk that Terunofuji is on the brink of withdrawing.

There were several major upsets on Day 2, including Mongolian komusubi Hoshoryu defeating ozeki Mitakeumi.

Hoshoryu stunned the ozeki with a slap to the head at the face-off and then shoving his opponent out from the side to pick up his first win. It was the first time Hoshoryu beat Mitakeumi, who dropped to 1-1.

“I was able to concentrate and just tried to believe in myself,” Hoshoryu said. “I just want to win as many bouts as possible while not thinking too far ahead.”

Mitakeumi won the New Year Basho but came up short in the March tourney. He came into this meet hoping for a result that will help in his bid to earn promotion to yokozuna this year.

Up-and-coming grappler Kotonowaka toppled ozeki Shodai at the edge to improve to 2-0. The 24-year-old Kotonowaka beat ozeki Takakeisho on the opening day and is looking more and more confident with each passing day.

Both wrestlers fell out of the ring at the same time but the referee correctly ruled that Shodai touched down first.

“I just tried to concentrate,” Kotonowaka said. “It was close at the edge but I saw the ref point in my direction so I knew I had won. I just want to continue this good form. Just like last tournament, I want to keep it going and become stronger and stronger.”

Kotonowaka won the Fighting Spirit Prize in the previous two tournaments with identical 11-4 records and has proven he can compete with the elite wrestlers in the sannyaku ranks.

Shodai, who managed to secure a winning record in the March tournament despite losing his first four bouts, is already at 0-2 in the 15-day summer meet.

Ozeki Takakeisho bounced back from an opening-day loss when he got both arms inside on Kiribayama and forced the No. 2 maegashira out to leave both grapplers at 1-1.

In the day’s first major upset, No. 3 maegashira Tamawashi stepped to his right and thrust down March tournament champion Wakatakakage to improve to 2-0. 

It was the first time ever that 37-year-old veteran Tamawashi beat sekiwake Wakatakakage, who dropped to 1-1. 

Komusubi Daieisho, who upset Terunofuji on Day 1, couldn’t keep the momentum going and was swatted down by fourth-ranked maegashira Takanosho, leaving both wrestlers at 1-1.

Sekiwake Abi used his trademark arm thrusts to send No. 3 maegashira Hokutofuji backpedaling out of the ring and give both wrestlers a 1-1 record.

Sumo’s flying monkey Tobizaru, a No. 5 maegashira, improved to 2-0 when he hauled down sixth-ranked Wakamotoharu (1-1), the older brother of Wakatakakage.

Further down the ranks, 14th-ranked maegashira Oho, the grandson of legendary 48th yokozuna Taiho, picked up his first win of the tournament when he shoved out No. 15 Azumaryu.

Oho made his professional debut in January 2018 and reached the second-highest juryo division in 2021.

In his makuuchi debut in the New Year tourney, he recorded seven wins in his first 10 bouts, but he lost the last five to finish at 7-8.

Author: Jim Armstrong

The author is a longtime journalist who has covered sports in Japan for more than 25 years. You can find his articles here.