No longer crowing like a cock on a dung heap, Asashoryu has arrived at the last-chance saloon.
With a victory at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament in Tokyo, back will come the trademark smile-cum-scowl, the swagger and the nonchalance that irks and amuses sumo watchers in equal measure.
Blow it and there is unlikely to be any time added on for stoppages in Asashoryu's illustrious career that has been blighted by out-of-the-ring shenanigans.