 Despite unexpectedly defeating "yokozuna" Asashōryū on the opening day of the September 2005 tournament (his only win against a "yokozuna") he was unable to retain the rank, posting a 5-10 score.In the following tournament in November he tore ligaments in his right ankle, forcing him to withdraw from the tournament, and he never managed to return to "komusubi".A series of mixed results in 2007 left him a middle-ranked "maegashira" for most of the year.