Asashoryu produced a classy win over Kotooshu and zeroed in on his 25th Emperor's Cup on Friday after fellow grand champion Hakuho was sentenced to a shock second defeat in a row at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament.

Asashoryu pulled a rabbit out of the hat in the day's penultimate bout at Ryogoku Kokugikan, the Mongolian magician breaking free from a mid- ring stalemate and deploying a rare "kainahineri" two-handed arm twist down technique to send the Bulgarian ozeki Kotooshu crashing to the clay surface. "It was a shrewd move, wasn't it?," Asashoryu said of his winning technique. "You don't get a second chance using that technique. It was all or nothing"

Asashoryu is two wins clear of Hakuho at 12-1 and he can now secure the title on Saturday by beating countryman Harumafuji. Kotooshu dropped to 8-5. "I just have to stay focused and continue producing my brand of sumo," said Asashoryu. "I think I am quick on the attack and being aggressive."

Hakuho entered the 15-day meet as the favorite but the Mongolian grand champion returned to the locker room nursing a crushing third defeat after losing the plot in the final bout against record-breaking ozeki Kaio.

Kaio, who set the record for the most wins in sumo's top makuuchi division earlier in the tournament, outfoxed Hakuho (10-3) at the tachi-ai and took control to barge out the grand champion for a seventh win. "It affected me a little bit today I think," Hakuho said, referring to Thursday's loss to Harumafuji.

In other bouts of note, sekiwake Baruto (10-3) moved into double digits by bulldozing out sixth-ranked Aminishiki (9-4) at the second time of asking. The Estonian giant ought to have been awarded victory in the first bout after television replays showed Aminishiki's hand touch the dirt first as both went tumbling out of the ring, but ringside judges felt it was too close to call and ordered a rematch.

Baruto, who has been in impressive form here and is looking more and more like ozeki material, was in the thick of the title race until he suffered consecutive losses to Toyonoshima and Asashoryu.

In the following bout, ozeki Harumafuji wasted no time in ramming out fourth-ranked Kakizoe and also improved to 10-3. Kakizoe dropped to 6- 7.

At sumo's fourth rank of komusubi, Mongolian Kakuryu was outmuscled by third-ranked Kisenosato, who secured a majority of wins to move to 8- 5, but Kotoshogiku came through unscathed and staved off a losing mark for another day by yanking down second-ranked Miyabiyama (3-10).