Friday, July 9, 2004

NAGOYA (AP) Grand champion Asashoryu was all business Thursday as he drove out Kotoryu to remain undefeated and tied for the lead at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament.

Winners		Losers
Roho	3-2	Tokitenku	2-3
Futeno	3-2	Toki	2-3
Wakatoba	1-4	Toyozakura	4-1
Buyuzan	2-3	Harunoyama	1-4
Tosanoumi	3-2	Otsukasa	3-2
Asasekiryu	4-1	Kinkaiyama	2-3
Hayateumi	3-2	Takanowaka	2-3
Jumonji	3-2	Tochisakae	1-4
Miyabiyama	5-0	Aminishiki	1-4
Tochinonada	3-2	Kaiho	3-2
Takamisakari	3-2	Tokitsuumi	1-4
Kakizoe	2-3	Takekaze	2-3
Hakuho	4-1	Dejima	2-3
Shimotori	3-2	Kotonowaka	1-4
Wakanosato	3-2	Kyokutenho	1-4
Kokkai	4-1	Tochiazuma	4-1
Tamanoshima	2-3	Hokutoriki	0-5
Kaio	3-2	Iwakiyama	3-2
Musoyama	2-3	Kyokushuzan	1-4
Chiyotaikai	4-1	Kotomitsuki	2-3
Asashoryu	5-0	Kotoryu	2-3

Asashoryu got both hands on the back of Kotoryu's belt shortly after the face off and calmly lifted the No. 3 maegashira out to improve to 5-0 in the 15-day meet at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium. Kotoryu saw his record fall to 2-3.

Asashoryu, who is gunning for his fourth straight Emperor's Cup and eighth overall, is tied for the lead with No. 7 maegashira Miyabiyama.

In other major bouts, ozeki Chiyotaikai used his rapid-fire arm thrusts to send Kotomitsuki back after the face off before hauling the komusubi wrestler down by the head to remain one win off the pace at 4-1. Kotomitsuki, who was helpless against the burly ozeki, dropped to 2-3.

Ozeki Kaio bounced back from Wednesday's loss to Kyokutenho when he sidestepped Iwakiyama at the face off and then swatted the top maegashira out to give both wrestlers a record of 3-2.

Musoyama, who needs a winning record to hold on to his ozeki rank, made short work of Mongolian Kyokushuzan when he spun the No. 3 maegashira around after the face off and shoved him out to pick up his second win against three losses. Kyokushuzan fell to 1-4.

Georgian-born Kokkai recovered from a slow start to knock Tochiazuma out of the lead and improve to 4-1.

After a poor face off, No. 2 maegashira Kokkai maintained his composure and forced sekiwake Tochiazuma over the edge, despite never getting a hold on his opponent's belt. Tochiazuma dropped to 4-1.

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