Sumo Wrestling
SUMMARY
Sumo is a kind of full-contact wrestling in which a rikishi (wrestler) tries to force his opponent out of a circular ring or to touch the ground with any part of his body other than his feet (usually by throwing, shoving or pushing him down).
Sumo originated in Japan, the only country where it is practiced professionally and where it is considered the national sport. It refers to contemporary Japanese martial arts, yet the sport has a long history. Sumo has kept many historical traditions, and the sport still contains many Shinto ritual components, such as the practice of salt cleansing.
Wrestling is a highly structured sport, with the Japan Sumo Association enforcing strict restrictions. Most sumo wrestlers are expected to live in communal sumo training stables, known in Japanese as heya, where rigid tradition governs every part of their daily existence, from meals to clothes.
From 2008 to 2016, the sumo world was rocked by a series of high-profile controversies and scandals, which had an impact on the sport’s reputation and ticket sales. These factors have also had an impact on the sport’s capacity to recruit new players. Despite this setback, sumo’s popularity and general attendance have revived, thanks to the presence of multiple yokozuna (or grand champions) for the first time in several years, as well as other high-profile wrestlers capturing the public’s interest.
History Of SUMO WRESTLING
Sumo wrestling can be linked back to Japan’s old indigenous religion, Shinto, as previously stated. Wrestling contests were held in honor of the gods in order to ensure a plentiful harvest. Although the earliest documented records of sumo date from the eighth century, it is estimated that the sport is nearly 1,500 years old.
Indeed, sumo prints from the 18th and 19th centuries demonstrate how popular the sport was in the past. Sumo wrestling has recently gained popularity in a number of different countries. For example, Akebono, a Hawaiian-born American, is one of the first non-Japanese champions to reach the highest ranks of the sport’s rankings.
Rules Of SUMO WRESTLING
The primary rule is that if any part of your body other than your feet hits the ground or if you leave the straw ring, the match is finished and your opponent is considered the winner. The following actions are prohibited during the bout:
- Hair pulling
- Eye gouging
- Hitting with closed fists (slapping is permissible)
- Choking (although thrusting with open palms at your opponent’s throat is allowed)
- Grabbing the crotch area of your opponent’s mawashi
There are no weight classifications in this sport. It’s not only about size: quickness may be just as crucial, and smaller rikishi have the benefit of being able to step aside and slip in behind their larger opponent, taking advantage of his great momentum. While sumo has traditionally been a Japanese-dominated sport, foreigners have become more common on the sumo circuit in recent years. In fact, Hakuho Sho, a Mongolian wrestler, is the rikishi with the most major tournament victories.