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(2)Musashimaru's retirement ceremony held in Tokyo

TOKYO, Japan - Former Hawaiian-born ozeki Konishiki (R) has a word in the ear of former yokozuna (grand champion) Musashimaru during the latter's retirement knot-cutting ceremony at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan on Oct. 2.

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(1)Taka, Musashimaru win to set up yokozuna showdown

TOKYO, Japan - Yokozuna Takanohana defeated ozeki Kaio with an over-the-arm throw at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan on Sept. 21. Takanohana (12-2) set up a mega-showdown with rival grand champion Musashimaru on the Sept. 22 final day of the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament.

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(2)Taka, Musashimaru win to set up yokozuna showdown

TOKYO, Japan - Yokozuna Musashimaru prevailed over ozeki Chiyotaikai with an elbow-clamp force-out for his 12th win against two losses at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan on Sept. 21. Musashimaru is to face yokozuna Takanohana on the Sept. 22 final day of the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament.

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Musashimaru falls victims to Kaio

TOKYO, Japan - Ozeki Kaio (L) employs an outside leg trip to send the 230-kilogram yokozuna Musashimaru crashing onto his back in the autumn sumo tournament at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan on Sept. 20.

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Musashimaru averts 2nd loss

TOKYO, Japan - Yokozuna Musashimaru (L) employs a well-place arm-lock to flip Mongolian ozeki Asashoryu to his third loss at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan on Sept. 19.

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Asashoryu in lead

TOKYO, Japan - Mongolian ozeki Asashoryu defeats fellow ozeki Chiyotaikai to preserve his share of lead with yokozuna Musashimaru at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan on Sept. 17.

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Musashimaru stung with opening-day loss

TOKYO, Japan - Former ozeki Takanonami (L) gets around behind yokozuna Musashimaru and pushes the grand champion out in the final bout on the opening day of the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan on Sept. 8.

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Chiyotaikai with Emperor's Cup

NAGOYA, Japan - Ozeki Chiyotaikai, surrounded by his supporters, poses with the Emperor's Cup after winning the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament on July 21 by blasting out yokozuna Musashimaru.

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Chiyotaikai beats Musashimaru to win Nagoya sumo

NAGOYA, Japan - Ozeki Chiyotaikai (L) blasts out yokozuna Musashimaru to win his second Emperor's Cup on the final day of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament on July 21.

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Asashoryu defeated by Takanonami

NAGOYA, Japan - Sekiwake Asashoryu is defeated by No. 7 Takanonami, his first loss of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium on July 16. The Mongolian ozeki hopeful now shares the lead at 9-1 with yokozuna Musashimaru and ozeki Chiyotaikai.

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Ozeki Chiyotaikai defeats Takanowaka

NAGOYA, Japan - Ozeki Chiyotaikai bulldozes Takanowaka to the bales to shove the No. 4 maegashira out for an easy win six days into the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium on July 12 to remain a step ahead of yokozuna Musashimaru, in hot pursuit with win No. 5.

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Musashimaru picks up 11th Emperor's Cup with summer sumo win

TOKYO, Japan - Yokozuna Musashimaru (L) ousts ozeki Tochiazuma to win the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament for his 11th Emperor's Cup on the penultimate day of the 15-day meet at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan on May 25.

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Musashimaru dealt 1st loss at summer sumo tourney

TOKYO, Japan - Ozeki Chiyotaikai (L) pushes yokozuna Musashimaru out of the ring at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan on May 24, day 13 of the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament. Musashimaru suffered his first loss in the 15-day tourney.

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Yokozuna Musashimaru suffers 1st loss at summer sumo tourney

TOKYO, Japan - Yokozuna Musashimaru wipes off sweat at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan on May 24 after being beaten by Ozeki Chiyotaikai, his first loss at the 15-day Summer Grand Sumo Tournament.

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Musashimaru celebrates sumo tourney win

OSAKA, Japan - Yokozuna Musashimaru (C), with a big sake cup in his hands, celebrates his win in the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament, along with his stablemaster Musashigawa (L) and others in Osaka on March 24. The grand champion, who clinched the 10th tournament title of his career on the previous day, fell to ozeki Tochiazuma on the final day of the 15-day tourney to finish with a 13-2 record.

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Musashimaru falls to Tochiazuma on final day of spring sumo

OSAKA, Japan - Ozeki Tochiazuma (L), coming into the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament as a candidate for yokozuna, closes out a disappointing 15 days of bouts with an upset win over grand champion Musashimaru at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium on March 24. Musashimaru, who wrapped up his 10th tournament title the previous day, ended with a 13-2 record.

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(3) Musashimaru wins 10th Emperor's Cup in spring sumo

OSAKA, Japan - Yokozuna Musashimaru shakes hands with his stablemate ozeki Musoyama after beating ozeki Chiyotaikai for his 13th win at the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament on March 23 at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, assuring himself his 10th career championship with one day remaining in the 15-day event.

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(1) Musashimaru wins 10th Emperor's Cup in spring sumo

OSAKA, Japan - Yokozuna Musashimaru slaps down ozeki Chiyotaikai for his 13th win at the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament on March 23 at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, assuring himself his 10th career championship with one day remaining in the 15-day event.

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(2) Musashimaru wins 10th Emperor's Cup in spring sumo

OSAKA, Japan - Yokozuna Musashimaru walks proudly after beating ozeki Chiyotaikai for his unbeatable 13th win at the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament on March 23 at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, assuring himself his 10th career championship with one day remaining in the 15-day event.

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Musashimaru downs Kaio, 1 win away from spring sumo crown

OSAKA, Japan - Yokozuna Musashimaru shoves down ozeki Kaio for his 12th win at the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium on May 22, day 13 of the 15-day tourney.

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Ozeki Kaio beats ozeki Chiyotaikai

OSAKA, Japan - Ozeki Kaio (foreground) forces ozeki Chiyotaikai out of the ring on the 12th day of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium on March 21. Kaio and No. 11 maegashira Takanowaka follow yokozuna Musashimaru in the 15-day tourney with 10 wins and two losses.

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Kaio beats Musoyama

OSAKA, Japan - Ozeki Kaio (L), the defending champion at the spring tourney, slips around behind fellow ozeki Musoyama and slaps him down for his ninth win at Osaka Prefecture Gymnasium on March 20 to move to within a win of catching yokozuna Musashimaru.

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Kaio beats Otsukasa on day 9 of spring sumo

OSAKA, Japan - Ozeki Kaio (background) beats No. 5 maegashira Otsukasa with a forearm throw to remain just one win behind grand champion Musashimaru on the ninth day of the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium on March 18.

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Tochiazuma on pole for yokozuna promotion at spring sumo

OSAKA, Japan - Ozeki Tochiazuma, who won the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament in January, smiles at his stable lodging facility in Osaka on Feb. 25 after the Japan Sumo Association released the sumo ranking list for the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament to be held at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium from March 10 to 24. The JSA officially awarded Tochiazuma the No. 3 spot among active wrestlers behind yokozuna duo Musashimaru and Takanohana in its rankings for the spring tourney.

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Tochiazuma promoted to ozeki

FUKUOKA, Japan - Sekiwake Tochiazuma (C) accepts his promotion by the Japan Sumo Association to the rank of ozeki in Sue, Fukuoka Prefecture, on Nov. 28, 2001. The 25-year-old Tokyo native, who posted a 12-3 record as sekiwake and finished runner-up to yokozuna Musashimaru at the just-ended 15-day meet tournament in Fukuoka, became the first wrestler to reach sumo's second-highest rank since Kaio was promoted in July 2000.

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Kaio rains on Musashimaru's parade at Kyushu sumo

FUKUOKA, Japan - Yokozuna Musashimaru is sent off the ring by ozeki Kaio in the final match of the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament at Fukuoka Kokusai Center on Nov. 25, 2001, 24 hours after clinching his ninth Emperor's Cup the previous day. The Samoan-born giant was hoping to put the icing on the cake with a 14th win, but Kaio turned up to gatecrash the party.

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(2)Musashimaru gets win in Kyushu sumo tournament

FUKUOKA, Japan - Ozeki Kotomitsuki (foreground) is forced out of the ring by No. 2 maegashira Tosanoumi at Fukuoka Kokusai Center on Nov. 11, the first day of the 15-day Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament.

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Takanohana to go overseas for knee treatment

NAGOYA, Japan - Yokozuna Takanohana (file photo), whose knee injury forced him to sit out the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament, will receive treatment outside Japan, officials of his Futagoyama stable say in Nagoya on July 23. Takanohana sustained a damaged kneecap and partially dislocated his right knee in a bout against ozeki Musoyama on the 14th day of the summer tournament in May before winning his 22nd Emperor's Cup in a playoff victory over yokozuna Musashimaru the following day.

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Kaio is all smiles after Nagoya tourney victory

NAGOYA, Japan - Ozeki Kaio is all smiles after beating yokozuna Musashimaru with a right-arm throw to win the Emperor's Cup at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium on July 21, the 14th day of the 15-day Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament. In the day's final bout, Kaio downed Musashimaru to secure his third career title. Kaio notched an unbeatable 13-1 record over three wrestlers -- Musashimaru, ozeki Chiyotaikai and No.5 maegashira Tamanoshima -- who were 11-3 with only one day left.

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Kaio downs Musashimaru to secure 3rd Emperor's Cup

NAGOYA, Japan - Ozeki Kaio (R) beats yokozuna Musashimaru (L) with a strong right-arm throw to win the Emperor's Cup on July 21, the penultimate day of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament. In the day's final bout between the two leading wrestlers at the 15-day tourney, Kaio dumped the Samoan-born grand champion at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium to secure his first Cup since the spring meet in March and his third career title. Kaio notched an unbeatable 13-1 record over three wrestlers -- Musashimaru, ozeki Chiyotaikai and No.7 maegashira Tamanoshima -- who were 11-3 with only one day left.

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Kaio shares lead with Musashimasu

NAGOYA, Japan - Ozeki Kaio (L) sends fellow ozeki Miyabiyama out of the ring to stay in the two-way tie at the top with yokozuna Musashimaru at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium on July 19.

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Musashimaru maintains Nagoya sumo lead

NAGOYA, Japan - Yokozuna Musashimaru (R) sends Mongolian Kyokushuzan out of the ring on the 10th day of the 15-day Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament in Nagoya on July 17. Musashimaru has performed perfectly so far, followed by ozeki Chiyotaikai and Kaio and No. 7 maegashira Tamanoshima at 9-1.

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(2)Musashimaru blazes ahead, Kaio falls at Nagoya sumo

NAGOYA, Japan - Ozeki Kaio (R) is thrust out by No. 1 maegashira Takanonami and suffers his first loss against eight wins at the 15-day Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament at the Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium in Nagoya on July 16.

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(1)Musashimaru, Kaio power on at Nagoya sumo

NAGOYA, Japan - Ozeki Kaio (L) forces No. 3 maegashira Tochinonada out of the ring to remain unbeaten (8-0) at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium on July 15.

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Ozeki Kaio remains perfect at Nagoya sumo meet

NAGOYA, Japan - Ozeki Kaio (L) muscles sekiwake Tochiazuma out of the ring for his seventh straight win in the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium on July 14. Kaio and yokozuna Musashimaru are the only unbeaten wrestlers in the 15-day meet.

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Kaio stays at the top with perfect record

NAGOYA, Japan - Ozeki Kaio bulldozes his way through komusubi Asashoryu, staying in the two-way tie at the top with with yokozuna Musashimaru on the sixth day of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium on July 13.

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Ozeki Kaio stays unbeaten

NAGOYA, Japan - Ozeki Kaio overpowers top-ranked maegashira Hayateumi to remain tied for the lead with yokozuna Musashimaru on the fifth day of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium on July 12.

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Musoyama upsets Takanohana to set up showdown at summer sumo

TOKYO, Japan - Ozeki Musoyama (L) saddles yokozuna Takanohana (R) with his first loss of the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament in Tokyo on May 26, spoiling the yokozuna's chance to claim an early victory in the 15-day tourney and giving stablemate Musashimaru a chance to win it all on May 27.

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Kaio throws over Musoyama to secure spring sumo crown

OSAKA, Japan - Kaio kicks over ozeki rival Musoyama (foreground) for his 13th win of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament on March 25 and later claimed his second Emperor's Cup when yokozuna Takanohana lost to Musashimaru at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium.

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Musashimaru denies Takanohana a chance at Emperor's Cup

OSAKA, Japan - Yokozuna Musashimaru (right) shoves Takanohana out of the ring at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium on March 25 to deny his rival a chance for the Emperor's Cup at the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament. Both grand champions finished the 15-day tourney with 12-3 records while ozeki Kaio took home the trophies with a 13-2 mark.

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Kaio tripped, but retains lead

OSAKA, Japan - Ozeki Kaio (R) suffers his first loss of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament in a bout against yokozuna Musashimaru on March 23. But Kaio, now at 12-1, still remained on course for a second Emperor's Cup after yokozuna Takanohana bit the dust in the day's final bout.

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Kaio still top of the leaderboard at spring sumo+

OSAKA, Japan - Ozeki Kaio quickly locks onto the arm of top maegashira Kotoryu and dumps him out of the ring at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium on March 16 for his sixth straight win of the 15-day tournament. Kaio preserved his unbeaten record six days into the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament, while yokozuna pair Takanohana and Musashimaru kept the pressure on the leader with their fifth wins.

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Two yokozuna keep two-way lead at New Year sumo

TOKYO, Japan - Yokozuna Takanohana (R) puts on another convincing display Jan. 18 against ozeki Miyabiyama, who has little choice but to surrender after making the mistake of letting the grand champion's powerful right hand take control of his sash. Taka and his rival yokozuna Musashimaru both registered solid wins to preserve their two-way tie for the lead on 12-0 with three days remaining at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament.

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Two yokozuna still on top at New Year sumo

TOKYO, Japan - There was no change at the top of the leaderboard Jan. 17 as Musashimaru and Takanohana both preserved their unbeaten 11-0 records to stay two wins clear of ozeki Kaio heading into the home stretch of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament. In the photo, Musashimaru elbows out struggling sekiwake Kotomitsuki (2-9) to gain revenge against the Sadogatake stable wrestler, who ousted the Samoan-born giant on his way to a runner-up 13-2 record at last year's Kyushu tourney.

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Kotomitsuki upsets Musashimaru

FUKUOKA, Japan - No. 9 maegashira Kotomitsuki throws down grand champion Musashimaru Nov. 15 to pull off a giant-killing act and join yokozuna Akebono in a two-way lead at 10-1 in the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament. Musashimaru slipped into a tie with yokozuna Takanohana and ozeki duo Kaio and Chiyotaikai, who all posted victories to remain one win off the pace at 9-2 with four days left of the 15-day meet at Fukuoka Kokusai Center.

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Musashimaru, Miyabiyama tangle in pre-tourney tuneup

TOKYO, Japan - Yokozuna Musahimaru (R) and ozeki Miyabiyama (L) tangle in a pre-tournament training session before the Yokozuna Deliberation Council on Aug. 24 at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo. The Samoan-born grand champion and his Musashigawa stable mate were getting ready for the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament opening in Tokyo on Sept. 3.

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Miyabiyama, Musoyama beam as they see sumo rankings

TOKYO, Japan - Newly promoted ozeki Musoyama (R) and sekiwake Miyabiyama, both of the Musashigawa stable, beam as they look at the new rankings released April 24 by the Japan Sumo Association. Musoyama joins yokozuna Musashimaru and ozeki Dejima in the elite ranks for the May 7-21 Summer Grand Sumo Tournament at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan. Miyabiyama could become the Musashigawa stable's third ozeki if he posts 10 or more wins.

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Dejima promoted to ozeki

TSUSHIMA, Japan - Nagoya sumo tourney winner Dejima shakes hands with yokozuna Musashimaru at after his promotion to the sport's second highest rank of ozeki July 21. Both Dejima and Muzashimaru belong to the same Musashigawa stable.

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Kaio throws down Musashimaru in Nagoya sumo

NAGOYA, Japan - Sekiwake Kaio (R) throws over yokozuna Musashimaru on the ninth day, July 12, of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium. Musashimaru's hand touched out of the ring first for his third loss in the 15-day tourney, leaving him two steps behind leaders yokozuna Akebono, ozeki Chiyotaikai and sekiwake Dejima. Kaio is 3-6.

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Chiyo exacts some revenge in Nagoya sumo

NAGOYA, Japan - Ozeki Chiyotaikai (L) gained a measure of revenge against Musashimaru (R) by bumping off the newly promoted yokozuna on July 11 in the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament. Chiyotaikai, knocked out of the spring tourney in March with a broken nose suffered at the hands of Musashimaru, sent the Samoa-born grand champion out with a determined series of thrusts in their bout at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium.