OSAKA -- Sumo's trio of wrestlers born in 1976 -- the year of the dragon -- kicked off their bids for promotion to the yokozuna and ozeki ranks with convincing wins Sunday at the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament.
Ozeki Tochiazuma marched out komusubi Wakanosato and ozeki Chiyotaikai shoved out top maegashira Buyuzan at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium while sekiwake Kotomitsuki muscled out third-ranked maegashira Tochinonada.
Tochiazuma and Chiyotaikai, who met in a playoff for the title in the New Year tourney in January, are hoping a championship campaign in Osaka will net them the title of yokozuna.