It has been 10 years since a Japanese-born wrestler last won a championship title at a Grand Sumo Tournament, and much of that decade has been riddled with near misses for the man once touted as the sport's next homegrown hope.
Kisenosato was 19 years old and a ninth-ranked maegashira when ozeki Tochiazuma lifted the Emperor's Cup for the third and final time in his career on Jan. 22 at the New Year basho in 2006.
At the time, Kisenosato was being tipped for a bright future in a sport that has been dominated by Mongolian wrestlers in recent years.