THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
January 16, 2020 at 17:35 JST
Yokozuna Kakuryu pulled out of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament on Jan. 16, making it the third tournament to have all yokozuna on the sidelines since last year’s New Year tournament.
Mongolian Kakuryu, 34, who started with three losses to rank-and-file wrestlers and one win, submitted his withdrawal to the Japan Sumo Association on the fifth day of the 15-day tournament.
The other yokozuna, Hakuho, dropped out of the tourney at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo’s Sumida Ward due to injuries on Jan. 15.
Injury-plagued Kakuryu’s withdrawal marked the third straight tournament he has dropped out. He has won six Emperor's Cups, with his last coming in July 2019 at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament.
Maegashira No. 2 Mitakeumi, who was scheduled to face Kakuryu on Day 5 of the New Year's tournament, will win by default.
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Maegashira No. 1 Myogiryu, left, beats yokozuna Kakuryu by frontal push out on Day 4 of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo’s Sumida Ward on Jan. 15. (Kazuhiro Nagashima)
