Grand champion Asashoryu dodged a bullet and made a winning start in his bid for an unprecedented seventh straight Emperor's Cup by beating fellow-Mongolian Hakuho on the opening day of the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament on Sunday.
No. 2 maegashra Kakizoe pulls down sekiwake Kotooshu on the first day of the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament at Fukuoka Kokusai Center.
Ozeki Kaio and Chiyotaikai also posted victories but Bulgarian sekiwake Kotooshu got off to a nightmare start in the 15-day meet in Fukuoka with a shock loss to second-ranked Kakizoe.
In the day's finale, Asashoryu looked in all sorts of trouble after being barged to ring's edge. But he recovered well, spinning round and charging at Hakuho, who lost his balance and stepped over the straw ridge.