Ozeki Kisenosato came one step closer to becoming yokozuna as he twisted down hard-shoving Mongolian yokozuna Hakuho on Sunday, the final day of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament.

The win was the icing on the cake for Kisenosato (14-1), who had secured his maiden championship the previous day, and gave an added boost to the 30-year-old Ibaraki Prefecture native's chances of reaching sumo's pinnacle rank.

The Yokozuna Deliberation Council, an advisory panel to the Japan Sumo Association on yokozuna promotion, is scheduled to meet Monday, and the association's board of directors will hold an extraordinary meeting Wednesday to discuss Kisenosato's case.