Hoshoryu Defeats Oho, Maintains Yokozuna Promotion Aspirations
In a significant turn of events at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament, Ozeki Hoshoryu halted the impressive run of No. 3 maegashira Oho, handing him his first loss of the tournament on Saturday. This victory keeps Hoshoryu's hopes for promotion to yokozuna alive as he continues to demonstrate his prowess in the ring.
Competing at the iconic Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Hoshoryu showcased a strong start that left Oho momentarily vulnerable. Despite being pushed to the edge of the ring, Oho managed to hold his ground briefly. However, Hoshoryu's relentless pressure proved too much, culminating in a decisive win through a rear push down technique.
Following a stellar 13-2 performance at the previous Kyushu tournament, Hoshoryu is poised to secure a promotion to yokozuna with another championship-worthy display this month.
Since the promotion of Hoshoryu's uncle, Asashoryu, to yokozuna in 2003, the sport has seen a continuous presence of Mongolian-born champions. This trend faces uncertainty following the retirement of Terunofuji earlier in the week.
In addition to Hoshoryu's notable performance, two other contenders, No. 5 maegashira Chiyoshoma and No. 14 Kinbozan, both emerged victorious, maintaining their perfect records at 7-0. Chiyoshoma benefited from a default win when Russian No. 8 Roga withdrew due to ongoing injury issues, while Kinbozan, hailing from Kazakhstan, displayed impressive strength by overpowering No. 17 maegashira Tokihayate.
As the tournament progresses, two more maegashira wrestlers, No. 10 Tamawashi and No. 11 Takerufuji, are closely following the leaders with a record of 6-1 after securing victories on Saturday.
Tamawashi, who rebounded from his first defeat, executed a decisive slap-down against No. 12 maegashira Nishikigi. Meanwhile, Takerufuji, a former makuuchi-division champion, managed to maintain his balance against No. 9 maegashira Oshoma, ultimately pushing him out of the ring.
On a different note, ozeki Kotozakura, having faced a challenging streak, broke his five-match losing run by overcoming Gonoyama. Kotozakura's victory came after a series of intense exchanges, where he managed to thrust down his opponent while precariously balanced on the straw bales.
Ozeki Onosato also had a challenging match but successfully turned the tide against No. 2 maegashira Atamifuji, forcing him out of the ring.
The ongoing tournament continues to unfold as wrestlers vie for top honors, with Hoshoryu's performance particularly noteworthy in the context of his promotion ambitions.
