The first day of the Grand Sumo Spring Tournament will be held on the 10th, and new ozeki Kotonowaka will face 21-year-old Atami Fuji.
Kotonowaka participated in the championship battle at the first tournament in January this year, had a good record of 13 wins and 2 losses, and was promoted to ozeki after the tournament.
On the first day of the spring tournament as a new ozeki, Kotonowaka will face Atamifuji, who was involved in the championship battle at last year's autumn tournament and the Kyushu tournament, and who will be competing at the second maegashira tournament this year.
Kotonowaka has won two matches in a row since last year's Kyushu Tournament, where they met for the first time.
For Kotonowaka, the key is to be able to deliver a right hand to a pressured opponent without getting hit or defeated, in order to get into an advantageous position first.
Atami Fuji, on the other hand, has a sharp stance and continues to attack forward in sumo, and if he pulls the mawashi, he has a chance to win.
In addition, Yokozuna Terunofuji, who won the previous tournament, will compete against Nishikigi, who has returned to Komusubi, aiming for his 10th championship.
In terms of past match results, Terunofuji has an advantage of 4 wins and 1 loss, and if he can lock up his favorite right four in tachiai, his advantage will not change.
For Nishikigi, he would like to make use of his characteristic heavy hips to withstand Yokozuna's attacks, and use his throwing techniques to shake things up and find opportunities, like he did when he won the gold star at the Nagoya tournament last year.
Other ozeki players other than Kotonowaka will be Kirishima, who has returned to Komusubi, against Aen, Toyoshoryu, who will play against Ura, who has experience in Sanyaku, and Takakeisho, who will be playing Kakuban, will play against Asanoyama, who has experience in Ozeki.