FUKUOKA, JAPAN – Sunday marked the opening of the final Grand Sumo Tournament of 2018 and it was a day that included two key upsets among the 20 total Makuuchi level matches.
Most notably, yokosuna Kisenosato fell by hatakikomi to komusubi Takakeisho.
Fighting as the only komusubi in the tournament after the Brazilian born Kaisei dropped out after suffering a torn right calf muscle earlier in the week, the victory could be crucial in a potential promotion to ozeki for Takakeisho following the tournament. The win marks Takakeisho’s second win over Kisenosato this year, another opening day victory in what was a disappointing 5-10 record during January’s tournament that saw Takakeisho demoted from the komusubi rank until September.
The 32-year-old Kisenoato is the only yokozuna participating in the tournament as Hakuno and Kakuryu recover from injury. Kisenoato only returned to action on September, posting a 10-5 record after a January shoulder injury saw him withdraw from the New Year’s tournament and abstain from the following three tournaments as well.
Ozeki Tochninoshin also suffered an upset, a quick oshidashi at the hands of maegashira #2 Tamawashi. The Georgian-born Tochninoshin put up a respectable 9-6 record in September after bowing out with an injury in July, but he now finds himself with a tough road to duplicate his cinderella tournament victory in January and his 13-2 prize-winning effort in May.
