Co-leaders Takayasu and Wakatakakage remain on top after 12th day in Osaka

OSAKA – Former ozeki Takayasu and new sekiwake Wakatakakage every defeated a title rival to stay tied for the lead because the Spring Grand Sumo Match championship chase reached a fever pitch on Thursday, the twelfth day of the 15-day meet.

At the moment a No. 7 maegashira, Takayasu (11-1) outfought new ozeki Mitakeumi (9-3) in a battle for belt holds earlier than forcing him out to his third loss.

A day after struggling his first loss at Edion Enviornment Osaka, Takayasu was stable from the get-go with a left-overarm maintain. Mitakeumi, January’s champion, vacillated between aggressively going for a belt maintain of his personal and preventing off his opponent’s.

In the long run, the ozeki achieved neither, and when Takayasu bought his proper hand on the entrance of Mitakeumi’s belt, it was recreation, set and match.

Wakatakakage earned his eleventh victory with a tricky however slick win over No. 6 Kotonowaka (9-3). Though he was shoved backward after their preliminary contact, the sekiwake slipped his proper arm underneath Kotonowaka’s left to safe a belt maintain.

Utilizing that, he doggedly foiled one try to pressure him out and one other to twist him down. Wakatakakage then completed off his spent opponent in a yorikiri force-out victory.

Shodai (7-5) moved to inside one win of securing his standing at sumo’s second highest rank for the subsequent tourney after a seemingly easy win over Takakeisho (8-4).

As relegation-threatened kadoban ozeki, after failing to win eight bouts in January, Shodai and Takakeisho every wanted eight wins right here to keep away from relegation to sekiwake for Could’s Summer time Grand Sumo Match.

Takakeisho, who earned his eighth win the day earlier than in opposition to Kotonowaka, bought off the mark extra rapidly. He wrapped up Shodai’s forearms however supplied little resistance as he was pushed backward out of the ring.

Demotion-bound komusubi Takanosho (3-9) brushed apart No. 5 Ishiura (1-5-6), whereas new komusubi Hoshoryu repeatedly outmaneuvered No. 3 Onosho (5-7) earlier than shoving him over backward to even his document at 6-6.

Mongolian No. 2, and former sekiwake, Ichinojo (8-4) bought one of the best of a slapping and shoving battle at hand new sekiwake Abi his sixth defeat.

No. 4 Kiribayama secured his eighth win, beating No. 6 Hokutofuji (6-6) for his first profitable document in three tournaments. No. 9 Wakamotoharu (8-4) beat No. 4 Endo (7-5), and has posted profitable data in every of his two tourneys within the elite makuuchi division.