It was not pretty, but Asashoryu relieved some jitters on his yokozuna debut with a win over komusubi Tosanoumi on the first day Sunday of the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament.
The normally mercurial warrior from Ulan Bator appeared uncharacteristically tepid and stiff as the final bout got under way at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium.
Asashoryu, who was promoted to sumo's ultimate rank after two successive titles with 14-1 records, jerked uncomfortably forward almost losing his footing before he settled down and slapped Tosanoumi to the clay to post his first win as a grand champion.
The 22-year-old Mongolian is aiming for his third straight title as the clear favorite for the Emperor's Cup hardware in the absence of yokozuna Musashimaru, who is skipping his third straight meet due to a nagging wrist injury.