FUKUOKA (Kyodo) -- Kotozakura outwrestled fellow ozeki Hoshoryu in the winner-take-all closing bout Sunday at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament to claim his maiden top-division championship with a 14-1 record.

The 27-year-old Kotozakura stayed cool under pressure to win by slap down after Hoshoryu gained the upper hand in the tie-breaking battle between the two remaining contenders at Fukuoka Kokusai Center.

Hoshoryu (13-2) exploded out of the blocks with a thrusting attack and looked to follow with his signature overarm throw, but Kotozakura managed to keep one foot planted and counter with the winning maneuver as his opponent slipped on the sandy surface.

Kotozakura, who carries the ring name of his former yokozuna grandfather, came up short in title bids this January and May. He had also lost 12 of his previous 18 top flight bouts against Hoshoryu, the 25-year-old nephew of Mongolian former yokozuna Asashoryu.

"I had experienced losses, but I was able to persevere and became convinced that I really could grab the championship," said Kotozakura, who had only a blurry recollection of his title-clinching win.

"I felt calm approaching the dohyo but when I went up there I was quite tense and tried to calm myself down. Without thinking of anything else, I thought of doing my own sumo, as I always do. I cannot recall how it went because I was really concentrating."

The Chiba Prefecture native emulated his late grandfather's feat of winning his first title in his fifth meet as an ozeki.

"I only heard that after the bout, but I'm relieved I won it just in time," Kotozakura said. "He became a yokozuna and would tell me not to feel satisfied with this win, so I'll prepare again for the next meet and continue working to emulate him."

Both Kotozakura and Hoshoryu, who won his sole Emperor's Cup as a sekiwake in July 2023, will be candidates for yokozuna promotion at January's New Year tournament, the Japan Sumo Association said.

Rising star Onosato (9-6) wrapped up his ozeki debut on a winning note by pushing out sekiwake Kirishima (6-9), now facing demotion from the three "sanyaku" ranks below yokozuna.

The 24-year-old Onosato rallied for the victory after former ozeki Kirishima had driven him onto the back foot with a strong opening charge.

Having been in the title race until late in the 15-day tournament, No. 6 maegashira Takanosho (11-4) clinched a Fighting Spirit Prize by slapping down second-ranked maegashira and fellow former sekiwake Wakatakakage (10-5), the recipient of a Technique Prize.

Komusubi Wakamotoharu (10-5), Wakatakakage's older brother, picked up an easy thrust-down victory over sekiwake Daieisho (8-7).

The tournament took place without sumo's sole grand champion Terunofuji, who sat out from the opening day for the second straight meet while dealing with knee pain and diabetes symptoms.