The Red Bulletin September 2019 (UK)

Sumo
Japan’s best wrestlers
are regularly bettered
by Russians, Mongolians
and Ukrainians
meanwhile, comprises lighter fare such as fried mackerel,
noodles and salad. And because sumo is a 365-day sport without
competitive seasons, the diet of a professional wrestler remains
the same all year round.
All of this feeds into the typical Western image of the sumo
as an obese but muscular athlete. Many sumo – especially
the Ukrainian competitors – come from a more traditional
wrestling background, but packing on as much mass as possible
is essential for the heavyweight stars of the show, not just to
add to the spectacle but to make themselves an immovable
weight. The heavier you are, the harder it is for your opponent
to shift you from the ring.
Training with opponents who weigh in excess of 160kg makes
match preparation easier, too: try to stop one of them and your
legs will quickly develop the strength necessary to withstand
their onslaught in the ring. Sumo can grow so large that a
1994 study by sports scientists from four Tokyo universities –
conducted to determine the upper limit of fat-free body mass
in humans – found that the average competitor’s body is 26.1
per cent fat, as opposed to a bodybuilder’s 10.9 per cent.
But to be classified as a professional sumo involves more
than just a big appetite; it requires dedicating oneself to a sumo
stable in Japan and training day-in day-out to compete at the
highest level. Anything outside of that is considered ‘amateur’.
While Amitani was only ever a collegiate sumo wrestler in Japan,
both Sumi and Ulambayar competed as professionals. Now,
all three live in California and, as such, are arguably the face
of the sport outside Japan. With sumo now recognised as an
Olympic sport (though still not on the programme for Tokyo
2020), their services are more in demand than ever.
When he isn’t competing, Amitani teaches in a nearby dohyō
(ring) and regularly performs for television, expositions and
conferences, as does Sumi. Ulambayar, meanwhile, came to the
US in 2007 to appear in the film Ocean’s 13, and he hasn’t looked
back. But the US Sumo Open is not just another expo for these
wrestlers – as well as being the most prestigious competition
outside professional sumo, it’s also a way to keep their hand
in alongside foreign competitors. Ulambayar has taken the top
spot in the heavyweight class 10 times since 2007, while Sumi
won 234 matches during his professional career in Japan.
“Sumo is very simple,” Amitani translates for Sumi. “There
are many people who respect what sumo is, so I don’t mind
if non-Japanese people compete. Sumo is still a minor sport,
and I want it to be more popular. I was a professional for many
years in Japan, but I wanted to show my techniques to more
people. That is why I came to America.”
Our resident Mongolian, Ulambayar, is a man of few words
but deep insights. “I love my sport,” he says. “In America, it’s a
growing sport. The competitors are getting stronger and learning
a lot. I think they respect the culture. It’s difficult to fight the guys
who haven’t been professional. With a professional, you know
their moves. Others come from different sports, like judo, so we
don’t know how they will move.” He shrugs. “But I’ll handle it.”
Brawn in the USA
While the former pros are feeling strong, there are a whole host
of American-born sumo eager to make their names known.
Lightweight Andrew McKnight is a wiry, kinetic Californian
native. “I’ve always wrestled, and sumo was just something to
do,” he says. “I think a lot of guys hope to be a professional boxer
Left: Andrew McKnight prepares his sumo
belt – mawashi – for his first tournament.
The length varies from five to six metres
for amateurs, up to 10m for top professionals.
Opposite page, clockwise from top left:
Takeshi Amitani (JAP), Owen Albers (USA),
Jose Galindo (USA), Sviatoslav Semykras (UKR)
60 THE RED BULLETIN