Martial Arts: Sumo (Sumo Wrestling)
Sumo, as a martial art, dates back to the early 8th century in Japan where it was originally part of religious ceremonies. Sumo was then later introduced to ceremonies held by the Imperial Court. Historically, it is interesting to note that Jujutsu is actually an offshoot of Sumo wrestling.
Originally, Sumo contained elements of boxing and wrestling, but over time rules were gradually introduced which transformed it to resemble the Sumo wrestling that we know today.
The Sumo rules are simple: Two competitors wearing mawashi (silk belts) push and pull each other within a circle of 4.5 meters in diameter. The first person to leave the ring or touch the ground with any part of the body except the sole of the feet, loses the bout.
Sumo is now the national sport of Japan and immensely popular. It is also unique to Japan. Sumo wrestlers enjoy a very high regard in the Japanese society.
Most rikishi (Sumo wrestlers) are professional competitors weighing 100 to 200 kg.
Origin of Sumo: Japan
January 5th, 2006 at 5:27 am
fat dudes in nappies awaiting a premature death from a cardiac arrest… next
February 6th, 2006 at 8:24 pm
Ya know, sumo wrestlers aren’t like your average overweight lazy obese person. They actually eat pretty damn healthy and are quite active. Sumo’s are […] more
February 17th, 2006 at 12:56 pm
That may be, but there’s still something wrong with a man-thong.
March 24th, 2006 at 1:55 am
If you knew how incredibly strong sumo wrestlers are, you wouldn’t say that. Underneath the layer of fat is solid muscle. They could roll your car ove […] more
March 26th, 2006 at 11:12 am
sumo wrestlers have to be heavy, otherwise they could be easily thrown about. they’re not just porky men waddling around, they’re actually really stro […] more
April 21st, 2006 at 10:34 pm
sumo isnt a martial art form its an eating disorder
May 1st, 2006 at 7:45 pm
hi guys i am a sumo and all i eat is trash
May 3rd, 2006 at 9:50 pm
i was goin to do sumo but they sed i was to skinny now i call them fat boys who eat trash and maccas
May 5th, 2006 at 5:47 pm
Hey I fat Im wondering if sumo would be good for me?
May 15th, 2006 at 5:43 pm
Sumo would kick boxings ass
June 1st, 2006 at 4:16 am
Sumo is disgusting!!!! look at that nasty picture. Sumos are fat and greedy. also they are feminine and they can’t see their own wieners. I don’t k […] more
June 1st, 2006 at 10:37 pm
All you people who think Sumo wrestlers are weak and lazy know nothing about them. The reason they gain fat is the way they eat, not what they eat. Th […] more
June 2nd, 2006 at 4:25 am
Body fat is conducive to oestrogen, that’s one reason why fat dudes are girly. Oestrogen is the hormone that you want nothing to do with, if you are […] more
June 8th, 2006 at 1:40 am
Um… statistically, sumo wrestlers have a much shorter lifespan than the average human because if they stop exercising and do not lose the weight, it […] more
June 10th, 2006 at 8:02 am
The only reason sumos are strong is because they are fat. You’d have to be strong to lug around that much fat.
June 10th, 2006 at 9:44 am
Is this the “make fun of Sumo wrestling because all you know about it is the view your little stereotyping minds have” area? You don’t even have anyth […] more
June 14th, 2006 at 1:21 am
O.K., let’s talk up Sumo. You start.
June 15th, 2006 at 4:41 pm
Well… okay… Sumo wrestlers are martial artists, just like any others. They have a very healthy diet, and they learn to swallow most of their food […] more
June 15th, 2006 at 5:36 pm
Sumo wrestlers also eat very healthily and exercise a lot. They are also very flexible, and most of them can do a split. Typically, their diet consist […] more
June 20th, 2006 at 10:56 pm
Hmmm… I don’t know… well if I was a fat person and had nothing else to do then heck! Why not! Till then, please keep me away from even going there […] more
June 22nd, 2006 at 12:55 am
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve liked Sumo since I was a little kid. I’d love to be a sumo, not a bad life: eating way too much food, hanging out in the […] more
June 22nd, 2006 at 12:35 pm
I agree, Sumo wrestling is not a martial art. I was treating it as one in my earlier comments because others were treating it as such, and I was vouch […] more
July 28th, 2006 at 4:30 am
Sumo is a sport but definately not a martial art. Sumo wrestlers are not fighters and cannot take a punch (or a kick…watch the very first UFC and yo […] more
September 27th, 2006 at 9:08 am
I DO NOT PRACTICE SUMO, I AM NOT A MASSIVE GUY. BUT HOW YOU CAN YOU DENY CALLING IT A MARTIAL ART ? IS MUAY THAI A MARTIAL ART ? OR IS A RING SPORT […] more
October 3rd, 2006 at 12:56 pm
I agree sumo is not a martial art. I do respect the SPORT though. I have watched a documentary on it and have grown a respect for the traditions withi […] more
October 24th, 2006 at 1:29 pm
Haha!! I would like to see you guys dissing sumo try to knock over my uncle ken! He is not really my uncle, but he is really a Sumo and a close family […] more
October 30th, 2006 at 9:47 pm
I’m not an expert, but from what i know Sumo wrestlers are very healthy. they just find ways to lower their motabalism. plus, i don’t know about you g […] more
November 7th, 2006 at 10:28 pm
as a professional boxer, i would like to point out that sumo wrestling is not a martial art.but i am sick of all you people thinking you are tough,i’l […] more
January 10th, 2007 at 1:49 pm
Wow. Most of these pages have some serious hostility flying around. Not like this one. This is just a massive dick-comparing contest. I do not un […] more
January 10th, 2007 at 1:51 pm
Wow. Most of these pages have some serious hostility flying around. Not like this one. This is just a massive dick-comparing contest. I do not un […] more
January 24th, 2007 at 10:32 am
HaHaHa I happen to be a sumo wrestler myself and I am so big I can hardly type with my big fat lucious fingers!!!!!! I don’t need a girfriend so i jus […] more
January 24th, 2007 at 10:33 am
I looooooooooooov being fat and having my lovely boobs hanging out…
February 5th, 2007 at 6:47 pm
I once saw a fight between a pro boxer and pro sumo…the boxer got owned! he could harldy even effect the sumo…but thats probly just cos his fist g […] more
March 1st, 2007 at 5:54 pm
All class, tradition and dedication beyond the thought capacity of most Westerners who make idiotic comments like…”fat dudes in nappies awaiting a p […] more
May 9th, 2007 at 1:16 pm
I remember seeing a sumo wrestler in the UFC back when it first started and was still a tournament. He got it handed to him by some Tae-Kwon-Do guy an […] more
June 27th, 2007 at 8:35 pm
Before you comment about Sumo’s being just a bunch of fat guys, have you ever seen what Sumo training is? Its like going for the blackbelt test every […] more
September 8th, 2007 at 7:56 pm
Seems like many of the comments are just low forehead locker room humor (and yes, some of it’s even funny). However, Sumo is both a sport and a martia […] more
November 2nd, 2007 at 6:13 pm
To all those who believe that sumo’s are just fat people you are very wrong for 2 reasons. Reason 1) there is a difference between the kind of fat mos […] more
November 4th, 2007 at 11:49 pm
I believe every style listed on this site is a “martial art”. It’s because of that word “art”. “Martial” means that these styles relate to war. “Ar […] more
December 31st, 2007 at 3:29 pm
Ok calling Sumo Wrestling a martial art is debatable. I’ll agree that it’s more of a ritual sport. On the other hand none of you have actually seen a […] more
January 10th, 2008 at 7:48 am
[…] origin of Sumo. Where applicable, additional info such as founder, … nba Sumo Feat. Juvelen - It's Good, Sumo Feat. Juvelen - It' […] more
January 27th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
ok sumo is not a martial art and boxing would kick sumo’s ass
February 16th, 2008 at 1:08 am
What are you talking about?!? You’re ascribing a north american value judgment to what is, as has been highlighted, a ceremonial martial arts practice […] more
February 16th, 2008 at 1:15 am
Clearly you have a secret desire for a little of the chubby chubby. You’d be staring at the ceiling after having been disgracefully knocked down like […] more
February 18th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
[…] origin of Sumo. Where applicable, additional info such as founder, … martial arts Discuss about matters related to Japan in English or Ja […] more
February 19th, 2008 at 6:45 am
[…] origin of Sumo. Where applicable, additional info such as founder, … sumo This entry was posted o […] more
February 20th, 2008 at 5:00 am
[…] origin of Sumo. Where applicable, additional info such as founder, … football Sumo Wrestler. What you need. Set of sweats, white or pink […] more
March 2nd, 2008 at 3:24 pm
hey, sumo wrestlers are way cool, and if yo dissed one to his face he would punch a hole in your stomach!
March 12th, 2008 at 9:28 am
hey sumo sucks. Watch UFC 1 and see what happened to the sumo dude.
March 22nd, 2008 at 2:49 pm
The evidence that has been offered has been 1 ufc vs sumo and 1 boxing vs sumo, this is not enough evidence to decide anything. Ultimatly what you hav […] more
April 9th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
boxin iz da best
April 18th, 2008 at 9:35 pm
sumo’s probably better than that shit karate and tkd.
April 24th, 2008 at 10:39 am
sumo is more a martial art than any others, depends what you personally define as a ‘martial art’. everybody has there own opinion so all arrogant / i […] more
June 9th, 2008 at 9:50 am
Sumo Wrestling is a Martial Art. Like so many other martial arts, however, it has also become a Sport, using a streamlined version of the martial art. […] more
December 31st, 2008 at 4:30 pm
if you have said sumos are fat lazy slugish or you are quite simply retarded it amazes me that you have acess to a computer you sound like ignorant hi […] more
January 15th, 2009 at 4:12 am
as a martial artist and sports writer I know first hand the potential and the skills sumo wrestlers have. I must also point out that there is only one […] more
February 19th, 2009 at 11:59 am
um how big was the sumo that was beat in ufc i doubt it was a full size sumo and he probably had to lose all of his weight to even compete not to men […] more
February 20th, 2009 at 7:54 am
Sumo is a martial art? It has potential and skills? AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHA It’s a traditional sport of Japan, continued to this day […] more
May 22nd, 2009 at 3:57 pm
sumo
May 22nd, 2009 at 4:19 pm
Ya know, sumo wrestlers aren’t like your average overweight lazy obese person. They actually eat pretty damn healthy and are quite active. Sumo’s […] more
May 23rd, 2009 at 12:22 am
im a doctor and sumos lead a very very unhealthy lifestyle. they eat their biggest meal just before they go to sleep causing them to put more weight a […] more
May 24th, 2009 at 2:45 am
I’m a real doctor, and from what “dr. reid” has written, I say he has a severe case of mental retardation coupled with aspergers, along with many othe […] more