Sumo wrestling

相撲

Alyssa de Santis
• When did sumo wrestling start?

• What is the top rank?

• Which sumo wrestler has the most wins?

Sumo wrestling

• Sumo wrestling is between two

opponents who have to push the
other outside of the ring to win.
They fight on a clay mat called a
dohyo with no time limits. They are
allowed to do anything to defeat
their opponent other than punching
or pulling hair. If a wrestlers
mawashi (cloth) comes off, they are
immediately disqualified.
Origins
• Sumo first started in the Heian period about 2000 years ago. It was
originally performed as a ritual for the gods for prayer and good
harvest. During the Edo period, they started to host tournaments to
pay for shrines and temples.
• Many traditions are preserved, such as stomping to drive away evil
spirits and clapping to get the attention of the gods
 • Sumo wrestling has six divisions. The highest
division is Makuuchi. It is split up into five ranks,
Ranks and with the top being yokozuna. To get to this rank, a
wrestler must win two tournaments in a row. Only
divisions 1 in 1000 will achieve this goal, and only 69 people
have been crowned in the entire history. It is highly
respected by everyone in the sport.
Wrestlers
• Professional sumo wrestlers can only be men, women are excluded
from competitions and ceremonies. They can weigh up to 330 pounds
and eat 10x the amount of calories per day compared to an average
adult. They eat a special dish of mixed vegetables, chicken, fish,
prawns, and tofu. The heaviest Japanese wrestler was named
Yamamotoyama and weighed 584 pounds. Futabayama was the 35th
Yokozuna and holds the highest winning streak of 69. Hakuhō shō is
considered one of the greatest sumo wrestlers of all time. He has the
highest number of championships won, 1,187.
The end
Bibliography
• https://web-japan.org/kidsweb/faq/culture02.html
• https://historyofyesterday.com/understanding-the-ancient-sport-of-
sumo-wrestling-18eacafc8d7c
• http://www.sumotalk.com/structure.htm
• https://www.rookieroad.com/sumo-wrestling/top-6-best-sumo-
wrestlers-all-time-6521473/#4-yamamotoyama-ry363ta