All Three New Maegashira Win: Kyokukaiyu, Arashifuji and Dewanoryu
Kyushu's three makuuchi debutants all won on Day 1. Kyokukaiyu, 26 (Oshima), beat returning Daiseizan, 26 (Arashio), by yorikiri and told NHK he was glad to win opening day because 'the cheering was completely different from juryo.' Local Fukuoka product Arashifuji, 22 (Isegahama), pushed out returning Kitanowaka, 25 (Hakkaku), and said he was glad to show something good to his mother, who had come to watch.
Dewanoryu, 25 (Dewanoumi), then beat returning Tamawashi — whose latest makuuchi comeback at 41 years and 11 months is a record age since the Showa era, per Sponichi — by yorikiri after taking the initiative. 'The last two, in Nagoya and Aki, I was more on the receiving end, so today I wanted to attack first,' he said, adding that the first two newcomers' wins made him think, 'All right, me too.' Sports Hochi notes Kyokukaiyu, a Nihon Taiiku University classmate of yokozuna Onosato, said he is aiming for a kachi-koshi and double-digit wins.
Source: Yahoo! Japan Sports