Ozeki Harumafuji won the first final-day showdown between an unbeaten ozeki
and yokozuna–and the first duel of unbeaten wrestlers on the final day in 29
years–by pushing Mongolian compatriot Hakuho out of the ring at the Nagoya
Grand Sumo Tournament on July 22.

The win gives Harumafuji his third championship title and ends one of the
most exciting 15-day rivalries in recent memory. Harumafuji won his first
tournament three years ago and his second last year. Hakuho had been aiming for
his 23rd title, and if he had won on July 22 that also would have been his
ninth perfect finish, a summit that no one has ever reached before.

Though evenly matched at the face-off, Harumafuji got inside first and took
a hold on Hakuho”s belt with both hands. Hakuho never quite recovered from
that, as Harumafuji bulled forward and thrust him over the edge with a surge of
victorious gusto.

The last time that two unbeaten wrestlers had squared off to decide the
title 29 years ago was between two yokozuna and this was the first such
showdown between a yokozuna and an ozeki. Seeing the excitement the wrestlers
were creating as they kept piling on the wins, sumo officials deliberately put
off their showdown, which could have been fought as early as July 20.

“I put everything I had into the match,”” Harumafuji said, as his
family looked on from the spectator seats. “I owe my win to my fans and
all the people who have supported me.””

The ozeki said he would devote himself “wholeheartedly”” to winning
again in September, which would earn him promotion to yokozuna.

Though overshadowed by the Mongolian winning streaks, the other ozeki fared
pretty well on the final day.

Slamming out with his head first, Bulgaria”s Kotooshu pounded Kisenosato
hard at the face-off, lost his momentum momentarily and then charged ahead once
again to finish at 9-6. The face-off was possibly the most energetic of the
whole tournament. Kotooshu hit Kisenosato so powerfully that the sound of the
impact echoed throughout the arena. Kisenosato ends with an impressive 10 wins.

Mongolia”s Kakuryu also ended on a high note with a fine throw that sent
fellow ozeki Kotoshogiku onto his back. While the two ozeki had a spotty record
that kept them from being contenders for the title, they both close with strong
numbers. Kakuryu, in his second tournament at sumo”s second-highest rank,
marked nine wins and Kotoshogiku got 10.

Baruto benefitted from a relatively easy draw on the final day, taking out
Russian No. 5 maegashira Aran (9-6) with his much more powerful and better
placed thrusts. Despite coming in with high expectations, the Estonian ozeki
came up short this tournament after starting off extremely well–he won his
first seven bouts, but then won only two more.

Sekiwake Tochiozan, fighting with a heavily taped left shoulder, drove out
No. 5 maegashira Takayasu (6-9) for his fourth win. The injury sucked away
Tochiozan”s will to fight and he is likely glad this tournament is over. He
will still have to fight his way back up the ranks, though, since a demotion is
almost certain.

Komusubi Myogiryu kept the pressure on No. 4 maegashira Takekaze (7-8) to
get his all-important eighth win, along with the special technique prize.
Myogiryu was struggling earlier on at his new ranking, but managed to keep it
together well enough to get by. He”s never won more than three bouts in a row,
however, so that”s something he can work on.

Demotion-facing komusubi Toyonoshima goes home with five wins after
defeating lowly No. 10 maegashira Tamaasuka, who closes out at 2-13. Top
maegashira Kyokutenho, who shocked sumo fans by taking the championship the
last time as the better wrestlers melted down, won his second bout in a row,
but that of course was also only his second victory of the whole 15-day
competition. That goes down in the sumo books as one of the worst performances
ever to follow a championship effort.

Lower down, No. 2 maegashira Aoiyama won his eighth bout, over No. 9
maegashira Tokitenku. That puts him in good position for a promotion into the
titled ranks come September.