Resurgent komusubi Terunofuji handed ozeki Asanoyama his first defeat on Monday, the second day of the November Grand Sumo Tournament at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan.
The Mongolian former ozeki quickly seized a left overarm belt hold, kept Asanoyama from doing the same and timed his throw perfectly to swivel the ozeki down in a masterful display.
Terunofuji (2-0) is marking his return to the sanyaku ranks, the three below yokozuna, for the first time in 17 tournaments. The 28-year-old plummeted to near the very bottom of the sport’s hierarchy due to serious knee injuries. In July, he won his second career championship in his return to the elite makuuchi division.
New ozeki Shodai (2-0) let No. 1 maegashira Kiribayama (0-2) make a low initial drive but was undeterred, using his big frame to smother any further moves from the Mongolian before forcing him over the straw bales.
