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Outside Japan, sumo wrestling is often viewed as a comedic spectacle—large men in traditional attire clashing to entertain onlookers. Yet, it is a discipline deeply rooted in tradition, demanding immense skill and commitment. The realm of sumo rikishi (wrestlers) is brimming with intriguing details, from their voracious eating habits to controversial ties with the Japanese underworld.
10. Absence of Japanese Yokozunas
The title yokozuna represents the pinnacle of achievement in sumo wrestling. Unlike other martial arts with defined belt rankings, there are no fixed criteria to earn the yokozuna title. Instead, it symbolizes a combination of athletic prowess and elegance. For decades, foreign wrestlers (or gaijin) were barred from reaching this rank, including the immensely popular Konishiki, a Hawaiian native. Konishiki holds the record as the heaviest sumo wrestler ever, weighing 287 kilograms (633 lb) and standing 184 centimeters (6’1/2″) tall. However, in 1993, another Hawaiian-born giant, Chad Rowan (pictured above), known as “Akebono,” broke the barrier, becoming the first non-Japanese yokozuna. Rowan stood 203 centimeters (6’8″) tall and weighed over 227 kilograms (500 lb).
Despite comprising a small fraction of the total wrestlers, gaijin now dominate sumo, with no Japanese yokozuna in over ten years. Mongolian and Eastern European wrestlers have claimed the majority of victories, often overpowering Japanese opponents with their distinct styles and sheer physical strength. Currently, all three active yokozunas are from Mongolia.
9. Canada’s Lone Sumo Competitor
While Canada is renowned for ice hockey, it has also produced a notable sumo wrestler, John Tenta. Born in British Columbia, Tenta attended Louisiana State University, excelling in wrestling, football, and rugby. After encountering a sumo wrestler during a visit to Canada, Tenta was invited to Japan to pursue the sport.
Tenta achieved considerable success, competing under the name “Kototenta” (meaning “Tenta the Harp”). However, the demanding sumo lifestyle proved challenging for him. Additionally, continuing his career would have required painful skin graft surgery to remove a large tiger tattoo—his alma mater’s mascot—from his arm. Tenta left sumo but transitioned smoothly into professional wrestling, joining the WWF as “Earthquake,” a formidable antagonist who clashed with legends like Hulk Hogan. To illustrate his size, the above clip shows him standing nearly as tall as Andre the Giant. Tragically, John Tenta passed away from bladder cancer in 2006 at just 42 years old.
8. The Sumo Marathon Challenge
Marathon runners typically share a similar physique—tall, lean, and muscular, built for endurance. Completing 42 kilometers (26 miles) is a monumental task for most, let alone a sumo wrestler. Yet, in 2011, Kelly Gneiting, a 180-kilogram (396 lb) rikishi, achieved the unimaginable by finishing the LA Marathon. The journey was grueling—Gneiting jogged the first 13 kilometers (8 miles) but had to walk the rest. His time of 9 hours, 48 minutes, and 52 seconds was so lengthy that the streets had reopened, forcing him to navigate sidewalks and wait at traffic signals.
Gneiting described feeling “delirious” after the first 16 kilometers (10 miles), yet he persevered through harsh conditions. The final stretch was particularly punishing. He later said, “I was really struggling in the last five miles, but I told myself, ‘If I have to crawl, I will.’ ” His determination earned him a Guinness World Record as the heaviest person to complete a marathon, surpassing the previous record holder, who weighed 125 kilograms (275 lb).
7. Referees and the Tradition of Seppuku
In sports like football, soccer, and basketball, referees are often the most unpopular figures on the field. Their decisions can make or break a game, and a single error can alter the outcome. While instant replays have reduced the impact of poor calls in many sports, the consequences for referees are usually limited to fan criticism.
In sumo, however, referees (known as gyoji) take their responsibilities far more seriously. They carry knives as a symbolic gesture of their willingness to perform seppuku (ritual suicide) if they make a mistake. While no referee has actually followed through, a significant error traditionally leads to the referee submitting their resignation to the governing body.
The role of a gyoji can also be perilous. Typically smaller in stature to contrast with the massive wrestlers, referees sometimes face physical risks. In a notable incident in January 2012, referee Shozaburo Kimura was thrown from the ring and rendered unconscious, as seen in the video above.
6. The Sumo Diet
While diets like Atkins and South Beach aim to help people shed weight, sumo wrestlers follow the opposite goal—gaining as much mass as possible. Unlike many combat sports, sumo doesn’t use weight classes, meaning a larger competitor has a significant advantage over smaller opponents. The process of weight gain is meticulously planned to maximize size and strength.
Rikishi start their day at dawn, training on an empty stomach to slow their metabolism and make calorie burning more difficult. By lunchtime, they feast on a protein-packed stew known as chankonabe, filled with meat, vegetables, and rice, accompanied by multiple side dishes. Wrestlers eat until they feel sick, followed by a long nap to allow the calories to settle. In the evening, they wake for another massive meal before ending their day.
5. Match-Fixing Scandals
Sumo’s popularity has waned in recent years, with younger audiences favoring baseball, soccer, or golf. However, one unexpected group has taken an interest in the sport—the yakuza, Japan’s organized crime syndicate. The yakuza has been involved in extorting wrestlers, particularly those who engage in illegal sports betting. In 2010, prominent wrestler Kotomitsuki was expelled from sumo after confessing to betting on baseball games.
Rikishi have also faced allegations of match-fixing within their own sport. Rumors of cheating have circulated for years, with the 2005 book Freakonomics highlighting statistical evidence of widespread corruption. This often involves collusion, such as a wrestler with an 8-6 record intentionally losing to a 7-7 opponent to keep both records favorable. The losing wrestler would later return the favor in a rematch. In 2011, wrestlers admitted to fixing matches, orchestrating payouts, and scripting bouts like professional wrestling. This scandal led to the Japan Sumo Association canceling the March grand tournament, marking the first cancellation since 1946.
4. Pavel Bojar: The Slim Sumo Wrestler
Not every sumo wrestler is massive; some, like Pavel Bojar from the Czech Republic, rely on speed and skill rather than size. Competing under the name “Takanoyama,” Bojar weighed just 98 kilograms (216 lb) at 185 centimeters (6’1″) tall. His struggle to gain weight led to a 2011 incident where he was caught using insulin, resulting in a formal warning.
Despite his weight disadvantage, Takanoyama excelled by using throws that leveraged his opponents’ size and momentum. Techniques like the uwatenage (overarm throw), shitatenage (underarm throw), and kakenage (hooking inner thigh throw) helped him secure victories. His agility and skill propelled him into the makuuchi division, sumo’s highest tier. However, he struggled against top-tier opponents, experiencing multiple promotions and demotions before retiring in 2014.
3. The Role of Women in Sumo
Most professional sports are male-dominated, with women often receiving less recognition even in sports with female divisions. For instance, Kobe Bryant’s salary with the LA Lakers was nearly triple the entire WNBA roster’s earnings. In sumo, women face even greater exclusion—they are banned from entering the dohyo, the wrestling ring, due to traditional beliefs that menstruation renders them ritually impure.
This issue reached a critical point in 2000. Traditionally, the Osaka Governor’s Prize was awarded by the governor to the winner of the city’s sumo tournament. However, that year, the governor was a woman, Fusae Ota. Instead of presenting the prize inside the dohyo, she was forced to stand outside the ring while a male representative handed out the award on her behalf.
In the past, female sumo wrestling, known as onnazumo, was a popular spectacle in Japan. However, it was not a legitimate sport but rather a form of entertainment organized by brothels. While female sumo groups occasionally emerge, even in places like the United States—as shown in the video above—it remains unlikely that women’s sumo will ever gain significant traction.
2. The Problem of Hazing
Hazing in sports is a longstanding issue, ranging from harmless pranks to severe abuse. In 2014, a shocking case emerged from Sayreville War Memorial High School in New Jersey, where freshman football players were reportedly sexually assaulted by older teammates. Sumo wrestling has also faced its share of disturbing scandals. While some hazing in stables is customary—with junior wrestlers serving seniors by cooking and cleaning—there are even rumors of young rikishi being forced to assist high-ranking wrestlers with personal hygiene due to their size.
In June 2007, a tragic incident shook the sumo world when 17-year-old Takashi Saito died during training at the Tokitsukaze stable. Initially attributed to cardiac arrest, an autopsy revealed he had been brutally beaten. Saito, who struggled to adapt to sumo life and had tried to flee the stable multiple times, was reportedly tied to a pole and assaulted by three wrestlers using a beer bottle and a baseball bat, allegedly leaving his jaw dislocated.
Stable master Junichi Yamamoto (pictured above) initially attempted to cover up the crime by suggesting Saito be cremated to destroy evidence. However, the boy’s father demanded an investigation. Yamamoto was eventually sentenced to six years in prison, while the three assailants received suspended sentences for following orders. Yamamoto died of lung cancer on August 12, 2014.
1. The Rigors of Stable Life
Despite their size, sumo wrestlers are far from lazy. Their lives are as disciplined as those of prisoners, with grueling training described as “torturous.” Wrestlers spend hours slamming their bodies against unyielding targets and building strength. Additionally, the sumo lifestyle offers no guarantee of wealth or fame—rikishi only start earning a salary upon reaching the upper ranks. Until then, they train relentlessly and serve as assistants to higher-ranking stablemates.
Being a sumo wrestler is more than a career—it’s a deeply traditional way of life. Wrestlers are required to adhere to strict dress codes and are even forbidden from driving. While rikishi are undoubtedly among the fittest individuals of their size, the immense weight they carry is undeniably harmful to their health. On average, sumo wrestlers live 10 years less than the typical male, facing a range of health issues such as joint pain, kidney and liver problems, and hormonal disruptions.
