Sumo

Terunofuji Handed 3rd Consecutive Defeat at the Spring Basho

At the 15-day Spring Basho in Osaka, the lone grand champion suffered his fourth loss in six matches. He appears hampered by his chronic knee injuries.

by
Jim Armstrong
March 15, 2024

Grand champion Terunofuji suffered his third straight loss on Friday, March 15, a day when two unheralded rank-and-filers emerged as the co-leaders of the Spring Basho.

Mongolian Terunofuji put up little resistance in the day's final bout against No 3 maegashira Takanosho and dropped to an unflattering 2-4, a record that will almost certainly force the lone yokozuna to pull out of the 15-day tournament in Osaka.

"I just tried to go on the offensive from the outset and it worked out just as I planned," said Takanosho, who improved to 2-4 with the kinboshi win over a yokozuna.

Terunofuji won January's New Year Basho but it now appears back-to-back tournaments on his wonky knees are just too tall an order. He wants to win his 10th Emperor's Cup, but his form in the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament just isn't where it needs to be.

Few would have guessed that Onosato and makuuchi division rookie Takerufuji would be the only two wrestlers who are undefeated at 6-0.

In other major bouts at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, aka Edion Arena Osaka, newly promoted ozeki Kotonowaka fought off a ferocious arm thrust to the neck before shifting to his side and thrusting down Abi to pick up his fourth win against two losses.

Komusubi Abi, who came into Day 6 with a share of the lead, was handed his first loss and stands at 5-1 along with lower-ranked grappler Shonannoumi .

For Onosato, Another Successful Day at the Spring Basho

Rising star Onosato bulldozed No 2 maegashira Meisei out in a matter of seconds to improve to 6-0. Meisei fell to 2-4.

Onosato, a No 5 maegashira, went 11-4 in the January tournament, which was his debut in the elite makuuchi division.

He won a Fighting Spirit Prize for that performance. It looks like he will contend once again in this tournament.

Further down the ranks, makuuchi division debutante Takerufuji, a No 17 maegashira, shoved out No 13 Churanoumi (3-3) to hold on to a share of the lead at 6-0.

Shonannoumi used an arm barring force-out to defeat fellow rank-and-filer Endo (2-4) to stay one win off the pace at 5-1.

No 4 maegashira Tobizaru ensured all four ozeki didn't win when he bulldozed Hoshoryu out to even his record at 3-3. Ozeki Hoshoryu fell to 4-2.

Struggling ozeki Kirishima used a hand pull-down to defeat Oho, who simply lost his balance. It was the second win in a row for Kirishima, who improved to 2-4.

No 3 maegashira Oho, who posted the biggest win of his career the previous day over Terunofuji, dropped to 2-4.

Takakeisho Improves to 4-2

Ozeki Takakeisho shoved out Hiradoumi to move to 4-2, halfway to the eight wins he needs to maintain his ozeki status for the next tournament. Hiradoumi, a fourth-ranked maegashira, slipped to 3-3.

Atamifuji, a No 2 maegashira, deployed a superb overarm throw at the edge to defeat top maegashira Asanoyama for the first time and improve to 4-2. Asanoyama lost his second straight bout and fell to 2-4.

Top maegashira Ura attempted to grab the leg of sekiwake Daieisho but stepped out in the process, a result that gave both wrestlers a record of 3-3.

Sekiwake Wakamotoharu used a frontal crush-out to defeat Nishikigi for his fourth win against two losses. Komusubi Nishikigi was handed his fifth loss.