Defending champion Shoma Uno will face an uphill battle against American "Quad God" Ilia Malinin when he attempts to win his third consecutive world figure skating title in March.
"I know I have to deliver the best performance of my career, otherwise I can't win," Uno said during a news conference on Monday in Nagano, looking ahead to the world championships in Montreal.
Uno's comments came a day after he claimed his sixth career national title, holding off his rival and fellow Beijing Olympics medalist Yuma Kagiyama.