Final day
The great big Konishiki overwhelmed Hamanoshima to secure a majority win of 8-7 on the final day.
In the highest rankings, Wakanohana could not topple Tosanoumi over even though he was attempting an overarm throw.
Instead he was the one to leave the ring.
Waka finished the tourney with a 8-7, keeping his ozeki champion status by a margin.
Musashimaru was totally helpless in his bout against fellow ozeki Takanonami.
The bout to determine the winner of the tourney took place between the 2 yokozuna.
They clashed and reached for eachother's belts immediately.
However, Takanohana was in a lower position, enabling him to twist the giant Akebono and
throw him to the floor. Takanohana marked his 17th grand tourney victory.
14th day
Musashimaru used his right arm effectively to shove Takanohana 's shoulder high, that the yokozuna
could not take control of anything. Maru won the bout quickly.
Yokozuna Akebono drove out Takanonami very fast too.
The 2 yokozuna have tied for first place with 2 losses each.
They will meet on the final day and that bout will determine the winner.
13th day
Terao marked his majority win by attacking Hamanoshima furiously.
Good for him!
Now in the champion rankings, the Hawaiian born wrestlers clashed heavily into eachother.
Musashimaru and Akebono performed a power bout that extended to nearly a minute.
In the end, the yokozuna proved to be the stronger.
Takanohana still has only 1 loss, follwed by Akebono with 2 losses, and Takatohriki is the only one with 3 losses.
12th day
Ozeki Takanonami danced out the ring escorted by Kotonishiki. He is now down to 5 losses.
The major bout of the day was saved for the last.
Yokozuna Akebono faced ozeki Wakanohana.
Wakanohana had a good grip of Akebono's belt with his right hand and he constantly tried to
drive him over. Then finally, near the edge of the ring, he succeeded in doing so,
but by landing on the floor slightly before Akebono.
The top contenders are unchanged from the previous day.
11th day
The 2 ozeki faced eachother this day.
Wakanohana and Musashimaru had to restart their bout twice, because Waka would get up too soon while
Maru took his time. Wakanohana was first in a better position, and he'd try hooking his leg around the opponent's.
Maru handled it all right. Eventually they strolled near the edge of the ring together and Waka is taken out.
Waka is 7 - 4 while Maru is 8 - 3.
Takanohana still leads with one loss. Akebono is the only one following him with 2 losses.
Takatohriki and Musashimaru are tied for 3rd place.
10th day
Again, all ozeki and yokozuna won their bouts.
Maegashira number 1 Takatohriki won too and improved his record to an 8 - 2.
Takonohana remains on top followed. Akebono and Takatohriki are the only ones with 2 losses.
The bout of the day was between the small Mainoumi and Gojoroh.
Gojoroh had been diagnosed with a small rupture in the eardrum as a result of
a severe attack by against Konishiki on the 8th day.
He seemed well though now and shoved Mainoumi along the edge of the ring.
Mainoumi turned his head, ready for the defeat, but Gojoroh, walked passed him out the ring.
It must've been a shock for Gojoroh.
9th day
For the first time, all ozeki and yokozuna have been undefeated in this tournament.
Takanohana has secured a majority win this day by beating Asahiyutaka easily.
He is still the leader of the pack.
The wrestlers with 2 losses have decreased to 3 at the end of the day.
They are Akebono, Takatoriki and Hamanoshima.
8th day
The ozeki who lost this time was Takanonami. Both he and Asahiyutaka attempted to throw eachother out of the ring,
but Takanonami touched the floor first by an inch or so. Takanonami is 4 - 4 while Asahiyutaka is 5 -3.
The other top 2 title holders have won. Takanohana leads with 1 loss.
Akebono, Takatoriki,Ganyu, Tochinonada, Hamanoshima all follow with 2 losses each.
7th day
Wakanohana seems to be in better shape. He knocked Higonoumi forward by shoving him from behind his head.
Fellow ozeki Musashimaru clashed with Takatoriki. Takatoriki then pulled away a little bit.
That got Maru off balance and he fell. The Hawaiian born wrestle is now 4 to 3.
The 2 yokozuna achieved an easy win.
6th day
No days have gone without an ozeki or a yokozuna losing.
It was no exception this day. Takanonami lost to Higonoumi.
Akebono was about to shove Tamakasuga out, but suddenly the new sekiwake got around and toppled Akebono out the ring.
The spectators were in an uproar and threw their cushions toward the ring.
One other news this day was that Daishi pulled out.
He has been diagnosed with a serious case of Meniere's disease.
It's a problem with the ear that makes one fell dizzy.
Konishiki was matched up with Daishi, so he automatically was given a win.
5th day
Wakanohana, at last, won his 2nd bout of the tourney. He shoved the undefeated Asahiyutaka in a way that his
right hand touched the floor.
However, the other ozeki, Musashimaru lost to Kotonowaka who pulled him down from behind the neck.
Takanonami, Akebono and Takanahana all won.
4th day
What is wrong with Wakanohana. Musoyama toppled him with his strong arms.
Wakanohana will be demoted from the ozeki ranking if he finishes with a majority loss this tourney.
He's lost his 3rd bout already.
Hawaiian born Musashimaru, who has been the only one among the highest of high with a perfect record,
lost to new sekiwake or junior champion Tamakasuga.
Thank goodness, the 2 yokozuna won.
3rd day
The high rankings were in a turmoil. It began with ozeki Takanonami.
He was taken out by Musoyama. Wakanohana lost again. This time to the up and coming Tochiazuma.
Takatoriki didn't have to even act aggressively as he always does toward Akebono.
Akebono, after giving him a thrust, suddenly lost balance and fell over.
Aogiyama who defeated Wakanohana the previous day, faced younger brother Takanohana.
His sumo was even more powerful this day. The great yokozuna virtually flew out of the ring.
Musashimaru is the only ozeki with a perfect 3 win record.
2nd day
Wakanohana was the only upset of the day.
It was as if the ozeki was deliberately backing off while Aogiyama attacked him.
Another member of the comeback team, Terao had his first win of the tourney. He beat Hawaiian Yamato.
The 2 small wrestlers, Mainoumi and Mongolian Kyokushuzan faced eachother for the first time.
They didn't even try touching eachother for the first couple of minutes, just like Mainoumi's bout the day before
with Konishiki. Then, they took fierce action, going round and round, trying to take control from behind,
then attacking eachother's legs. At last, both of them tried to pull eachother down onto the ring.
Kyokushuzan went down first. So Mainoumi was found to be superior.
1st day
Popular wrestlers Ozeki Wakanohana and Terao are both back for this tourney.
It celebrates the 40th year of the grand tourney in Nagoya and 8500 spectators were handed out an "ooiribukuro" or the bag
symbolizing a fullhouse.
The bag is usually distributed to those involved with the grand tourneys.
Unfortunately, Terao easily lost to Kitakachidoki in front of the sellout crowd.
Wakanohana had a strong fight against veteran Tochinowaka. Tochinowaka was thrown forward onto the ring.
Another champion ranker, Musashimaru pushed out Kotonishiki.
But ozeki Takanonami's advantageous position was reversed by Tochiazuma who withstood his shoves on the verge of the ring.
The 2 yokozuna won their bouts.
The bout of the day was certainly the one between the big Konishiki and small Mainoumi.
In the beginning, both stood up in their starting positions for 5 seconds or so just looking at eachother.
Then Konishiki quickly took the struggling Mighty Mouse out.
Pre Tourney highlight
Popular sumo wrestler Terao trained hard to rev up for the Nagoya tourney.
He had been rehabilitating in his hometown in Kagoshima, southern Japan until being fully ready.
During practice in Nagoya, he wore a silicon supporter on his big toe,
the one he fractured during the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament.
The supporter was worn for protection by Hanshin Tigers baseball players before,
but for the first time by a sumo tori.