The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun
Abi wins 1st Emperor’s Cup
It took three wins on the day, including two in a rare three-way playo , but No. 9 maegashira Abi came away from the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament in Fukuoka on Sunday with his rst Emperor’s Cup. Abi defeated No. 1 maegashira Takayasu and ozeki Takakeisho in consecutive bouts of the playo to add a
rst makuuchi division championship to the two he had won at the second-tier juryo division and three at third-tier makushita.
“I’m on a real high,” Abi said. Earlier, Abi set up the playo and denied Takayasu the championship outright when he fought o a slapping attack, reversed course with a sti -arm to the throat and sent the top-ranked maegashira tumbling backward out of the ring to leave both wrestlers at 12-3.
From that point, the two had to wait for the nal bout on Sunday’s card to see if ozeki Takakeisho would make the playo into a threesome. Takakeisho did just that, using a nasty slapping attack to put sekiwake Wakatakakage on the defensive, then eventually slapping him down to also nish at 12-3.
It was just the seventh three-way playo in modern sumo history, and the rst since Akebono prevailed among a trio for the Spring title in 1994.
In the playo , Abi rst quickly defeated Takayasu with a bit of trickery, leaping up as his opponent charged forward and quickly forcing him to put his hands to the sand. Takayasu was slow to get up, apparently su ering an injury during the exchange.
“His jump-o was so powerful, I felt like I was sent ying,” Abi said.
Against Takakeisho, Abi took the fight directly to the ozeki, straightening him up from the jumpoff and pushing him to the edge. He kept his base as Takekeisho tried to slip out of the predicament, but there was no escape and he soon went out of the ring.
“I only tried to stay low and quickly attack,” Abi said. (Nov. 28)