Ozeki Asashoryu pulled another rabbit out of his hat to overcome No. 2 maegashira Miyabiyama for his seventh win on Saturday, preserving his spotless record heading into the second week of the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament.
Ozeki Musoyama and sumo's elder statesman Akinoshima both won comfortably to stay one win behind the cocky Mongolian but ozeki Chiyotaikai saw his title hopes dented after being handed a shock defeat to second-ranked maegashira Hokutoriki.
Ticket sales at Fukuoka Kokusai Center have plummeted following the withdrawal of yokozuna Musashimaru and Takanohana and local favorite Kaio, but Asashoryu did his best to entertain the crowd by producing yet another Houdini act in the day's finale.
Asashoryu, wrestling in only his second tournament at sumo's second-highest rank, looked odds-on favorite to become the second ozeki to fall victim to Miyabiyama after being quickly bulldozed up against the straw bales.