With his head on the cutting block and ready to roll, Mongolian-born grand champion Asashoryu did a last-ditch Houdini rather than face the disgrace of being fired or asked to voluntarily put an end to his career.

Pressure from the Japan Sumo Association's Yokozuna Deliberation Council was mounting after a committee was set up Monday to investigate Asashoryu's alleged involvement in the assault of a man in downtown Tokyo last month.

On Thursday, the investigation panel only intended to question Asashoryu about the case, in which he reportedly went on a drunken rampage, without taking any punitive action. But the yokozuna council had planned to call an emergency meeting after the board meeting with the intention of pressing JSA Chairman Musashigawa to recommend Asashoryu's retirement and, if push came to shove, his termination.

Once that was made clear at the beginning of the board meeting, where Asashoryu had been summoned along with stablemaster Takasago, he was left with little room to save face.

"I planned to just get a feeling of what was happening," said Asashoryu.

Sumo's perennial "bad boy" did not expect the vitriol that awaited him at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan.

If he had been fired, Asashoryu would possibly have become ineligible to receive his retirement money.

Asashoryu won his 25th career Emperor's Cup at the New Year meet in January. Ostensibly, he has narrowly escaped the nightmare scenario of becoming the first yokozuna ever to be kicked out of sumo.

Asashoryu's bombshell announcement came on the heels of a shakeup in sumo led by reform-minded former yokozuna Takanohana, who was elected to the JSA's 10-member board on Monday.

Tamanoi, former ozeki Tochiazuma who is also a member of the investigation panel, said he was sad to see Asashoryu leave.

"I feel nothing but regret that he has to quit in this way. When I saw his tears at the press conference I also got teary-eyed myself. I cannot talk about the details of the case, but let me just say that I think there were discrepancies in what was reported in the media. I really wanted Asashoryu to continue wrestling," he said.

Takanohana, however, did not offer any comment.

"I have nothing to say on the subject. Please forgive me for not saying anything," said Takanohana.

Makiko Uchidate, an outspoken critic of Asashoryu who recently ended 10 years of service on the yokuzuna council, said, "We were called staunch enemies, but I am relieved that he made this decision. In the future, whether it is in Japan or another foreign country, I would like Asashoryu never to forget to show respect. He lacked respect toward Japan, sumo and his work. If he can learn this he will be praised again."