Sumo

Tobizaru Hands Top-Ranked Takakeisho First Loss of New Year Basho

The Flying Monkey took advantage of his speed to swat down the ozeki grappler. Tobizaru evened his record at 1-1 in the 15-day tournament.

by
Jim Armstrong
January 9, 2023

Sumo's Flying Monkey Tobizaru grounded ozeki Takakeisho on Monday, January 9, the second day of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament.

In the day's final bout at Ryogoku Kokugikan, top maegashira Tobizaru did a superb job of moving around the ring as Takakeisho attempted to use his trademark arm thrusts.

The Flying Monkey eventually dodged to his side, sending Takakeisho off balance before he swatted the stunned ozeki down to give both men a record of 1-1.

"It was great to get a win over an ozeki," Tobizaru said. "I had a losing record in the last tournament, so I am determined to do better this time around.”

Tobizaru added, "I'll just try to fight my brand of sumo and take it one day at a time."

With yokozuna Terunofuji sitting out the tourney due to injury, Takakeisho is the highest-ranked wrestler in the 15-day basho. He could get consideration for promotion to grand champion with a 14- or 15-win championship, meaning he has little room for error.

*Hoshoryu (top) defeats Kotonowaka on Day 2. (ⒸSANKEI)*

Determined Hoshoryu Improves to 2-0

In other major bouts, Mongolian Hoshoryu showed why he is one of the most exciting wrestlers in sumo in the day's penultimate bout against Kotonowaka.

The 23-year-old sekiwake was shoved back several steps after Kotonowaka got a grip of his belt. But refusing to be overpowered by his much larger opponent, Hoshoryu used a textbook underarm throw to topple the new komusubi.

Hoshoryu, the nephew of former grand champion Asashoryu, is a master technician and raised his record to 2-0. Kotonowaka, who is off to a sluggish start at the fourth-highest rank, fell to 0-2.

November tournament winner Abi, a No. 3 maegashira, deployed a spectacular thrust-down technique at the edge to defeat new komusubi Wakamotoharu (0-2). Abi is 2-0.

The ringside judges needed to huddle after Abi toppled his opponent to determine that Wakamotoharu's forearm touched the dirt surface first, which was the call of the referee.

Tamawashi Wins for Second Straight Day

Sumo's ironman, Tamawashi, a No. 2 maegashira, used a shove to the neck to dispatch Meisei in a matter of seconds and improve to 2-0. Komusubi Meisei dropped to 0-2.

Former ozeki Mitakeumi took advantage of a superior face-off and then used a rear push-out to send sekiwake Wakatakakage over the straw ridge.

*Mitakeumi forces Wakatakakage to the edge of the raised ring en route to victory. (ⒸSANKEI)*

No. 2 maegashira Mitakeumi remained undefeated at 2-0 while Wakatakakage dropped to 1-1.

Top maegashira Daieisho overpowered sekiwake Shodai with a barrage of arm thrusts to the upper body to quickly force his opponent out and move to 2-0.

Shodai could regain his ozeki rank if he posts 10 wins or more in this meet. But he is off to his usual slow start and fell to 0-2.

Kiribayama manhandles Takayasu, raising his record to 1-1. (ⒸSANKEI)

Mongolian komusubi Kiribayama fought off a forearm to the head at the face-off and used a thrust-down technique at the edge to send Takayasu tumbling off the raised ring. Kiribayama improved to 1-1.

When he went flying off the ring, winless Takayasu took out Takakeisho, who was sitting ringside. But the ozeki escaped unscathed despite the collision with the 182-kilogram grappler.