NAGOYA, Japan — Mongolian Hakuho is on the brink of winning his seventh Emperor's Cup after defeating Chiyotaikai on Thursday at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament.

Grand champion Hakuho fought off an arm thrust from Chiyotaikai and calmly forced the ozeki out in the day's final bout at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium to improve to a perfect 12-0. Chiyotaikai fell to 8-4.

Hakuho, who has a three-win lead over Kotomitsuki and Toyohibiki, can wrap up the title on Friday with a win over ozeki Kaio.

In other major bouts, ozeki Kotomitsuki kept his slim title hopes alive and improved to 9-3 in the 15-day meet when he overpowered fourth-ranked maegashira Goeido, who dropped to 6-6.

No. 13 maegashira Toyohibiki shoved out Kimurayama in an earlier bout to improve to 9-3.

Ozeki Kaio spun Wakanosato around after the faceoff and shoved the No. 4 maegashira to improve to 8-4. Wakanosato fell to 5-7.

Mongolian sekiwake Ama got a hold of Kotooshu's arm and flung the Bulgarian ozeki off the ring to pick up his eighth win against four losses.

Kotooshu, who came into the tournament looking for promotion to grand champion, was handed his fourth loss of the tournament and will have to wait for another chance to reach sumo's highest rank.