Kisenosato will be looking to turn pressure into power when he takes his first crack at promotion to sumo's top rank of yokozuna at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament getting under way at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium on Sunday.
The surly ozeki, who turned 27 on Wednesday, had an outstanding Summer Basho, remaining unbeaten until the penultimate day, when he fell out of his dead heat with yokozuna Hakuho, the eventual champion. Kisenosato's other defeat was on the final day, to rival ozeki Kotoshogiku.
The two consecutive defeats notwithstanding, the Yokozuna Deliberation Council, a powerful advisory body to the Japan Sumo Association, has deemed him worthy of a shot at yokozuna, though he is expected to face a rigorous test that might require him to win the title, or at least come very close.