Ozeki Kotoshogiku thrust down winless Takekaze to take sole possession of the lead at the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament on Thursday.
Kotoshogiku barely broke sweat in a quick-fire win over Takekaze, yanking down the No. 3 maegashira right after the tachiai charge to move top at 5-0 as Kisenosato, Aoiyama, Kaisei and Tochiozan all tasted their first defeats at the 15-day Tokyo basho.
Lone yokozuna Hakuho extended his unbeaten record against struggling Homasho to 13 bouts to stay in the hunt for his 23rd Emperor's Cup at 4-1 with 10 other wrestlers.
The Mongolian firebrand was in total control in the day's final bout at Ryogoku Kokugikan, swinging around Homasho before finishing the job with a pair of well-timed neck thrusts.
Ozeki Kisenosato had no answer to a blistering attack from Myogiryu (2-3), the second-ranked maegashira taking the initiative and following through on his charge for a frontal crush-out victory, while Harumafuji (3-2) was also the victim of an upset defeat, the Mongolian getting barged out by third-ranked Toyohibiki (3-2).
"I just thought I would try and get forward and my tactics went just as planned," Myogiryu said after claiming his second ozeki scalp of the meet. "But this is only the fifth day and I have to take each bout one by one."
Kotooshu crashed to his third loss, the Bulgarian becoming the latest victim of giant-killing komusubi Aminishiki, who prevailed with a beltless arm throw to improve to 3-2.