FUKUOKA (Kyodo) -- Rising talent Yoshinofuji stunned yokozuna Onosato at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament on Tuesday, dropping the title favorite into a two-way tie for the lead with young Ukrainian star Aonishiki at 9-1.

Yokozuna Hoshoryu, meanwhile, closed to within one bout of the leaders after improving to 8-2 and securing a winning record on Day 10 of the 15-day competition at Fukuoka Kokusai Center.

No. 5 maegashira Yoshinofuji, previously known as Kusano, delivered a devastating opening charge on the way to victory in his first meeting with five-time Emperor's Cup winner Onosato.

The 24-year-old from Kyushu's Kumamoto Prefecture came flying out of the blocks at a low angle of attack and pushed the backpedaling Onosato out before he could regroup.

Yoshinofuji, who challenged for the title in his elite makuuchi division debut in July, improved to 7-3 with his first career win over a yokozuna.

"I'm very happy," he said. "My initial charge was good. It was exactly what I was trying to do."

Sekiwake Aonishiki, 21, kept up his pursuit of a maiden makuuchi championship by outmaneuvering 41-year-old Mongolian-born iron man Tamawashi (4-6).

The prodigious grappler from Ukraine, cheered by fans waving towels in the blue and yellow of his country's flag, was strong off the mark and secured a belt grip that he used to force out former sekiwake Tamawashi, now competing as a No. 4 maegashira.

Hoshoryu, beaten by Onosato in a tie-breaking playoff for the September championship, had his hands full early against a fellow Mongolian-born wrestler, No. 4 maegashira Oshoma (3-7), before wrangling him into position for an underarm throw.

Following a slow start in his return from a knee injury, lone ozeki Kotozakura (5-5) achieved his first three-win streak of the tournament by pushing out sekiwake Oho, whose place among the three "sanyaku" ranks below yokozuna is in jeopardy at 4-6.

Komusubi Takanosho, meanwhile, is set to drop from sanyaku after being consigned to a losing record for the tournament at 2-8 with his defeat at the hands of No. 3 maegashira Ura (5-5).