2010 AUTUMN GRAND SUMO TOURNAMENT
(September 12 to 26 Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Arena)

WINNER: HAKUHO
Outstanding Performance Award:
None
Outstanding Technique Award: Tochiozan
Fighting Spirit Award: Yoshikaze, Takekaze

Final day
Takekaze drove out Kotoshogiku to finish this tourney with 12 wins. Yoshikaze lost to Kakuryu ending with 11 wins 4 losses. Kaio refused to face off immediately. In the 2nd try, Aran shifted his position slightly. Kaio failed to get a hold of his belt and was driven out. Baruto shoves Koto-o-shu, loses control, then is instead driven out. It's Koto-o-shu's 10th win. Harumafuji charges into Hakuho. But the yokozuna withstands the shove and easily drives the small ozeki out. Hakuho secures a perfect tourney victory for the 4th time in a row. Congratulating him in person at the awards ceremony, reelected Prime Minister Naoto Kan.

14th day
Yoshikaze and Takekaze both lost, meaning Hakuho's tourney victory has become definite no matter the result this day. Meanwhile the spectators eyes were directed towards a seat in the back. Sylvester Stallone came in accompanied by former ozeki Konishiki. After they settled down a long bout exceeding 2 minutes was performed. It's between Moukonami and Wakanosato. In the end Wakanosato managed to win with a throw. Kaio fought for Kisenosato's belt. He got hold of it with his right as he shoved and won his 8th bout. With this win, Kaio saved himself from losing his ozeki ranking. Baruto gave Harumafuji a series of thrust and drove the Mongolian out. Hakuho pushed Koto-o-shu almost out the ring. The Bulgarian withstood and fought back. But in the end Hakuho drove him out to celebrate his 16th Emperor's Cup.

13th day
Takekaze and Yoshikaze both win to prevent Hakuho from already clinching the Emperor's Cup on this day. Asasekiryu automatically secured a majority as Hakutoriki pulled out. Kaio was cautious of the timing of facing off. When he did he shoved Aminishiki's head, pulling the head and driving Aminishiki down. It's Kaio's 7th win. He needs one more win to keep his ozeki rank. Harumafuji gave Koto-o-shu thrusts and then shifted behind the Bulgarian, forcing him down. With this win, Harumafuji secured a majority win while Koto-o-shu lost his 4th bout. Hakuho shoved Baruto then with his left, threw the big Estonian down. It's Hakuho's 60th consecutive win, a record unheard of in the past 72 years since Futabayama's feat.

12th day
Baruto lost again. This time he was driven out from behind by Aminishiki. Koto-o-shu who fans pinned hope on to stay in the race for the Emperor's Cup lost to Tochiozan's push out, succumbing to his 3rd loss. Harumafuji managed to push down Aran for his 7th win. Hakuho did not allow Kaio to get hold of his belt and was able to drive out the ozeki. Those who are close behind Hakuho in the tourney race are Yoshikaze and Takekaze who each won their 10th bout today.

11th day
Hakuba shifted position and took control of the bout against Koto-o-shu. In the end the Mongolian pushed the Bulgarian ozeki out. It's Koto-o-shu's 2nd loss. Kaio got hold of Harumafuji's arm and forced him down. Both are 6-5. Baruto fell backwards in the bout against Kakuryu losing his 3rd bout. Hakuho extended his winning streak to 58 by throwing Aran on the ring.

10th day
Takamisakari lost to Kotoshogiku succumbing to a majority loss already. Harumafuji gave a strong push of Tokusegawa's throat, forcing him out. Baruto lifted Kyokutenho and took the Mongolian out the ring. Koto-o-shu immediately got hold of Kaio's belt and drove the veteran ozeki down. Hakuho forced Tochiozan out for another win.

9th day
In the juryo division, Toyonoshima is continuing his winning streak as if to show he does not belong there after he was suspended from participating in last tourney. In the makuuchi division, big cheers for Kaio continues. He was shoved in the throat by Baruto. But he pulled that arm and Baruto lost balance. Kaio tried getting around the Estonian, then pushed his side and won. Koto-o-shu dashed forward but lost to Aminishiki's throw. It's the Bulgarian ozeki's first loss. Tochiozan pushed down Harumafuji for his 7th wn. The Mongolian ozeki lsot his 4th bout. Hakuho threw Tokisegawa to improve his winning record to 56.

8th day
It was the 2nd time this tourney to draw a sell out crowd. Tochinoshin and Wakanosato was ordered to redo their bout after the juries declared a tie. In the 2nd time round, the Russian got hold of the lower part of Wakanosato's belt and threw him. It's Tochinoshin's 5th win while Wakanosato succumbed to a majority loss. Baruto gave thrusts and pushed out Tochiozan. Koto-o-shu lifted Aran then drove him out to secure a majority win. Kotoshogiku with his right drove Harumafuji down on the dirt. Both are 5-3. Kaio managed to get hold of Tokusegawa's belt and drive him out to win his 4th bout. Hakuho threw Hokutenho on the ring to improve his consecutive win record to 55.

7th day
A sell out crowd came to witness history being made. Before that, some of the major bouts performed on the day are Takamisakari again losing, driven down by Asasekiryu. Koto-o-shu froced Kyokutenho out the ring, but he himself fell into the spectators. Kakuryu pushed forward, then Harumafuji tried to stop him by grabbing his belt. But the ozeki was thrown down losing his 2nd bout. Kaio was driven out by Kotoshogiku. Baruto slapped Tochinoshin, then with shoves after shoves pushed out the Georgian. Hakuho struggled a bit against Kisenosato but in the end pushed him out. With this win Hakuho exceeded Chiyonofuji's consecutive win record of 53.

6th day
Takamisakari appeared to have won the bout by driving Hakuba out. But while Hakuba was losing balance, Takamisakari stepped out of the ring, and so the referee's verdict was reversed with the bout given to Hakuba.It's the Robocop's 4th loss. Harumafuji shoved Kyokutenho's throat. Even though Kyokutenho resisted by pulling the ozeki's arm toward him, the ozeki won. Tochinoshin changed the position of his hand on Kaio's belt and with that was able to drive Kaio out.It's Kaio's 3rd loss. Baruto gave a thrust then pushed out Aran. Koto-o-shu quickly drove Kisenosato out. Hakuho slapped Kotoshogiku then drove him rolling down on the ring. The yokozuna recorded his 57th win in a row, tying with Chiyonofuji's record.

5th day
Takamisakari had a helpless loss against Tokusegawa. Kaio recorded his 1379th bout in the makuuchi division, exceeding the 2nd place held by Terao. But he could not celebrate the record, taken out by Kakuryu. Baruto slapped Homasho and drove him out. Koto-o-shu gave Wakanosato thrusts then shoved him down as he himself fell off the ring. As Tokitenku pulled back Harumafuji pushed forward and won the bout. Hakuho with his right got hold of Tochinoshin's body and drove the Georgian down.

4th day
Aran forced Kisenosato down and won his first bout. Baruto lifted Kotoshogiku up, put him down and drove him out. Koto-o-shu fought a good bout shoving Tochinoshin and driving the Georgian out. He's the only ozeki with a perfect record. Harumafuji forced Wakanosato on the verge of the ring, but Wakanosato fought back. When Harumafuji repeated the move, Wakanosato walked out. Kaio shoved and shoved an managed to force Tokitenku down as he himself fell. With this bout, he recorded his 1378 bout in the makuuchi division, tying with Terao for 2nd place in modern sumo history. Hakuho struggled a bit but managed to grab Homasho and force him down.

3rd day
Takamisakari was easily taken out the ring by Kyokutenho for his first loss. Kisenosato drove out Kotoshogiku. Harumafuji was forced out the ring by Tochinoshin. Kaio was unable to control the bout as Tochiozan shifted his position and lost his first bout. Koto-o-shu thrust down Homasho. Baruto pushed out Tokitenku. Hakuho recorded his 50th win in a row by driving Wakanosato out the ring.

2nd day
Takamisakari appeared to have been pressured to the edge of the ring. But he remained inside and thrust down Mokonami. Harumafuji and Homasho moved around the ring. In the end, Homasho fell on the ring. Kaio was cautious to time his face off. And when he did face off against Wakanosato, he immediately reached for the belt with his right and with that strong grip, forced Wakanosato out. Baruto pushed forward, but was pushed back by Kisenosato and appeared to have injured further his heavily bandaged knee. Koto-o-shu and Kakuryu moved around the ring, and in the end the Bulgarian won by driving Kakuryu out. Hakuho immediately drove Tokitenku down on the ring.

1st day
At a glance the tourney appeared to have returned to normality. But it did not attract a sellout crowd, or 1700 seats unsold. And in the juryo division there were some of the top notch rikishi fighting. They are those who have been suspended from fighting the last tourney due to their connection to baseball gambling. Miyabiyama and Toyonoshima faced eachother. Toyonoshima went around the former ozeki and threw him down. In the makuuchi division, Tosanoumi whose rankings jumped beat Kyokunankai. So did Tochinonada defeat Tamawashi. Popular Takamisakari pushed out Aminishiki. Tochinoshin shoved and shoved Aran but Aran survived once. However Aran did not survive the next series of shoves and went out the ring. Kaio's both legs was heavily wrapped, due to injuries. It's reported he was unable to practice much against the high rankers. In the bout against Homasho, he went fought aggressively at first, then pulled back. At one point Kaio appeared to have lost balance, but he pulled himself together and shoved down Homasho. Baruto pushed Wakanosato with powerful thrusts and won. Tokitenku attempted and throw with his right hand on Koto-o-shu's belt. But Tokitenku's other hand touched the dirt before the ozeki did, and lost. Harumafuji grabbed the lower part of Kisenosato and threw him. Hakuho and Kakuryu went for eachother's belt. In the end Hakuho managed to drive out his Mongolian competitor.

Pre Tourney highlight
NHK to resume live broadcast
NHK chairman Shigeo Fukuchi announced on Sept 2 that there will be live broadcast of this tourney. That's due to the Japan Sumo Association's commitment to ban connection with crime syndicates. The association's new chairman Hanaregoma was delighted.

Wakanohana I is dead
One of the most famous yokozuna, Wakanohana I died at the age of 82 due to cancer on Sept 1. Dubbed the demon of the ring, he was the elder brother of Takanohana I and the uncle of Takanohana II and Wakanohana III.

Unprecedented movement in rankings
In the list of rankings released on Aug 30, it showed, 9 were promoted to the highest makuuchi division while 7 to the 2nd highest juryo division. Meanwhile 6 fell from makuuchi to juryo. They include those who were suspended from participating in the last tourney due to gambling, as in former ozeki Miyabiyama and up-and-coming Goeido.

Hanaregoma is Japan Sumo Association's new chairman
Former ozeki Kaiketsu was elected to the chairmanship on August 13. He's 62 years old.


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