Terunofuji took the first step toward a third-straight championship by defeating komusubi Daieisho in a dogged effort on Sunday, the opening day of the 15-day New Year Grand Sumo Tournament.
In the day's final bout at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan, Terunofuji, coming off the first 15-0 record of his career in November, was under pressure from the get-go. But
Daieisho knocked the yokozuna back on the initial charge, latched onto Terunofuji's extended right arm but failed to yank him down. The winner of last year's New Year meet pressed his advantage and drove the yokozuna to the straw bales but could not finish him off.