FUKUOKA (Kyodo) -- Ozeki Kotozakura and Hoshoryu are set for a final-day, head-to-head title showdown after both improved to 13-1 with solid wins Saturday at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament.

Kotozakura, who turned 27 this week, will be bidding for his first Emperor's Cup on Sunday, while the 25-year-old Mongolian-born Hoshoryu, the nephew of former yokozuna Asashoryu, will seek his second title after his first at last year's July meet in Nagoya.

Following an evenly matched opening clash, Kotozakura quickly grabbed a left overarm belt hold against new ozeki Onosato (8-6) at Fukuoka Kokusai Center. After backpedaling to the edge of the raised ring, he timed his throw perfectly to swing the Autumn meet champion to the edge and out.

Hoshoryu, meanwhile, produced a right-handed slap to the face of sekiwake Kirishima (6-8), his fellow Mongolian-born wrestler, before grabbing firm underarm belt holds and emphatically lifting the former ozeki out.

After jointly leading the title race, No. 6 maegashira Takanosho (10-4) fell to his third straight defeat when the former sekiwake was thrust down by sekiwake Daieisho (8-6).

Another former sekiwake, Abi, improved to 11-3 after crushing out fellow No. 3 maegashira Atamifuji (7-7), while No. 8 maegashira Gonoyama (10-4) was outlasted and forced out by komusubi Wakamotoharu (9-5).