Ozeki Asashoryu pulled out all the stops against Kotomitsuki on Saturday to claim his second consecutive Emperor's Cup by winning the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament and virtually secure promotion to yokozuna.
In the day's penultimate bout, the jaunty Mongolian got down to business, quickly outmaneuvering his sekiwake nemesis at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan.
Kotomitsuki (8-6) got his right hand under the ozeki's armpit for leverage, but Asashoryu retaliated by whipping the sekiwake's arm around and grabbing a thigh as he plowed him over the edge to move to an insurmountable 13-1 record.