FUKUOKA -- Yokozuna Musashimaru notched a comfortable win over komusubi Kaiho on Sunday, but ozeki Kaio and ozeki hopeful Kotomitsuki got off on the wrong foot with upset losses at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament.
The Samoan-born grand champion quickly disposed of Kaiho, using his towering stature to crush the smaller wrestler to the ring's surface at Fukuoka Kokusai Center and open the 15-day tourney with a win.
Musashimaru, who notched a disappointing 9-6 at the autumn tourney, is still looking for his first title of the year. He made a tentative lunge at the face-off but settled down using his huge arms to mash the komusubi into the dirt for an easy win.