Yokozuna Terunofuji started his title quest with a victory on the first day of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament. This took place on Sunday, July 9. As the highest-ranked wrestler in sumo, he faced komusubi Abi and emerged triumphant by pushing him out of the ring.
Yokozuna Terunofuji, a contender for his ninth Emperor’s Cup, dominated the bout from the beginning. He successfully defended against Abi’s initial attacks and utilized his superior strength to drive the komusubi out of the ring.
This win marked Terunofuji’s first triumph in Nagoya since 2020. In 2021, he was forced to withdraw from the tournament due to injury and subsequently missed the entire 2022 season.
Among the yokozuna wrestlers participating in the Nagoya tournament, Terunofuji stands alone. The other two yokozuna, Kakuryu and Hakuho, have retired in recent years.
The Nagoya tournament holds significance as the penultimate event of the sumo season. The final tournament of the year is scheduled to take place in Tokyo in November.
