The Joy of Sumo

Spring 2020, COVID-19 hit like a freight train, and the sports world went dark. There I was, holed up in my cramped New York apartment, remote-working and Twitter-scrolling through the lockdown monotony. Then, out of nowhere, Sumo wrestling tweets started flooding my feed. It was the only show still running.

I'd never given Sumo a second thought before, but its format was tailor-made for our byte-sized, digital world. These bouts? 6 to 30 seconds of raw, concentrated power.

As I flicked through Twitter, Sumo matches would flash up. I'd be hooked, instantly. For a deeper dive, I'd hit up @TheSumoSoul, blitzing through half a dozen matches in minutes. Talk about efficiency—it's a stark contrast to the marathon slogs of NFL games with their never-ending ad breaks, or those three-hour-long baseball games.

While supposedly watching these lengthy games, I'd often find myself half-glued to my phone, only semi-aware of the game. But Sumo? It demanded my full attention. It was a sprint, not a marathon—short, sharp, and fiercely intense.

Don't get me wrong—I'm not knocking the slow burn of a full baseball or basketball game. There's a certain joy in that too. But Sumo? It's a revelation. A perfect fit for our screen-bound, white-collar existence. A modern-day alternative that aligns with our fragmented attention spans.

Aesthetics

The moment you lock eyes on a Sumo wrestling match, the referee commands your attention. Center stage, he's draped in silk—an explosion of color that just leaps off the screen. This isn't just any outfit; it's a vibrant tapestry, each thread seemingly woven with tradition and ceremony. It's a visual feast, a stark contrast to the sheer physicality of the wrestlers around him.

He wields a gunbai, a Japanese war fan steeped in martial tradition. At the bout's climax, he decisively points it towards the triumphant wrestler, his verdict clear and theatrical. Amidst the clash of titans, he's a blur of motion, darting left and right with agility.

This aesthetic is a stark departure from the mundane attire of referees in contemporary sports, who often resemble a bland fusion of HR representatives and mall security.

The Dohyo, the Sumo ring, is a compact arena of intensity. Just about 13 feet across, it's elevated from the ground, its surface a canvas of sand. In this tight circle, the primary objective in Sumo is deceptively simple: push your opponent out. But with such confined space, the bouts often end with wrestlers tumbling out, crashing into the crowd or onto the ground. It's a jarring sight, the giants of Sumo losing their balance, their colossal forms toppling over the edge. This element of unpredictability adds a raw, visceral edge to each match, where the line between control and chaos is as fine as the circle's boundary.

How To Watch Sumo

To the novice, Sumo might just seem like a clash of titans, two hefty giants shoving and ramming into each other. But peel back this superficial layer, and you'll find a sport brimming with technique and strategy.

Sumo, at its core, is wrestling, but with an allowance for open-palm strikes to the head. The bouts are explosive from the get-go, typified by a colossal initial collision. Most confrontations are fleeting, ending in mere seconds, though some unexpectedly drag on for a minute, turning into a dizzying spectacle. These athletes aren't just large; they're behemoths, each weighing in at 300, 400 pounds, battling to either eject their opponent from the ring or force them to the ground.

Each match kicks off with the wrestlers in a squat, fists touching the floor, mirroring the start of an American football play. Then, the sudden, often startling impact occurs. It's a brutal exchange, and head collisions are frequent, echoing loudly in the arena.

As for tactics, the initial clash is a chess game. Some wrestlers anticipate a low approach from their opponent, countering with a forearm drop to the chin, often staggering their adversary. Others aim straight for the belt grip right from the collision, transforming the match into a kind of Judo sans gi. This grip is a gateway to an array of throws, but remember, hurling a 300-pound man is no mean feat.

The Styles of Sumo

In the world of Sumo, the variety of fighting styles is as diverse as the wrestlers themselves. These styles can be distilled into distinct archetypes, especially when it comes to their approach to the tachi-ai, the initial charge. Among them are Hookers, Bulldozers, Boxers, Stranglers, and Matadors, each with their unique mode of combat.

1) Focusing on the Boxers, these are the wrestlers who take an aggressive, striking stance right from the start. They utilize rapid, forceful palm strikes aimed at their opponent's chest and face. This technique isn't just about physical force; it's a psychological tactic as well, designed to unnerve and disorient their adversary. Boxers in Sumo harness the power of their strikes to gain an immediate advantage, seeking to dominate the bout from the very first second. 

2) Hookers are wrestlers that adopt a strategy that focuses on gaining a powerful leverage point from the outset. These wrestlers are adept at swiftly moving in to secure an underhook, delving deep to establish a firm grip on their opponent's mawashi, the traditional belt or loincloth worn in Sumo. This approach is about gaining immediate control by latching onto the mawashi, which allows for a range of strategic maneuvers. The underhook provides a significant advantage, enabling the wrestler to manipulate and potentially overpower their opponent. It's a technique that requires both finesse and strength, as well as an intimate knowledge of leverage and balance.

Matadors in Sumo wrestling embody a strategy of evasion and agility. Unlike their more confrontational counterparts, Matadors focus on sidestepping the tachi-ai, the initial charge. This move is akin to a bullfighter's deft dodge, allowing their charging opponent to pass by, often propelled by their own momentum.

This technique requires impeccable timing and spatial awareness. By stepping aside at the crucial moment, the Matador turns the opponent's strength and speed against them. It's a risky yet elegant strategy, relying less on brute force and more on tactical positioning. When executed perfectly, it can lead to a swift and surprising victory, with the opponent finding themselves out of the ring or off-balance, leaving them vulnerable to a counter-move. Matadors in Sumo bring a distinct finesse to the sport, showcasing the art of evasion as a powerful tool in the wrestler's arsenal.

Bulldozers in Sumo wrestling are the epitome of direct, forceful combat. These wrestlers employ a straightforward, no-nonsense approach: they aim to power straight into their opponent and relentlessly push them out of the dohyo, the sumo ring.

This style is characterized by sheer physical strength and aggression. Bulldozers rely on their ability to overwhelm their opponent with a potent combination of mass and momentum. From the initial charge, they seek to establish a dominant position, using their body as a battering ram to drive their adversary back.

The effectiveness of a Bulldozer lies in their ability to maintain a relentless forward pressure, leaving little room for their opponent to maneuver or counterattack. It's a battle of endurance and brute force, where the goal is to unceremoniously eject the opponent from the ring, asserting dominance through raw power. In the world of Sumo, Bulldozers are a formidable force, embodying the primal essence of the sport's physical confrontation.

Small vs Big

One of the most captivating aspects of Sumo is the David versus Goliath dynamic that unfolds when a smaller wrestler faces off against a much larger opponent. The weight difference in these matchups can be staggering, ranging anywhere from 100 to 300 pounds. In these battles, the smaller wrestler must rely on a mix of cunning techniques, leverage, and speed to overcome the sheer size and strength of their larger adversaries.

This scenario sets the stage for highly entertaining and often unpredictable matches. The smaller wrestler, outmatched in terms of weight and power, has to think creatively and act swiftly, turning the match into a chess game of physical prowess. They often employ unexpected moves, using agility and strategic positioning to gain the upper hand.

One of my favorites this year is watching Enho