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Japan Times
a day ago
- General
- Japan Times
At this New York City sumo club, ‘Everybody gets thrown'
Standing proudly at 170 centimeters, Angelo Jesus Lizardi might as well have been on a quest to battle Goliath as he stepped into a sumo fighting ring on a recent bright Saturday evening in the courtyard of Japan Village in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. He is a muscular wrestler, but compared to his opponent, he is also, well, small. Lizardi, 25, and weighing about 76 kilograms, was facing off against one of his own coaches, Daniel Robert Douglas, who, at roughly 163 kg and 198 cm, towered over him. They were there as members of the New York Sumo Club, which has brought the ancient combat sport to the city, giving its practitioners a place to test their confidence, experience a mental boost, and perhaps most importantly, find a community, Lizardi said. As fans watched, some with mouths agape, the two fighters slammed directly into each other, with Lizardi burying his face in Douglas' chest. They grappled and fought for dominance near the edge. Then, Lizardi managed to grab Douglas' right leg and pull it up, disrupting Douglas' balance and driving him out of the ring. Not only did Lizardi win, but he placed at the top of the open-weight class division by the end of the day, ranking fourth out of 33 in what had been the first amateur sumo tournament in New York City, last month. "I live for those moments,' Lizardi said later. The Empire Cup, held by the New York Sumo Club on May 17, drew countless spectators who munched on snacks, some sipping on beers, as they cheered on 56 athletes, who fought for a trophy and, mostly, bragging rights. The one-day competition was the culmination of three years of hard work by Oscar Dolan, the club's founder, who is a wrestler himself and a former U.S. lightweight silver medalist. Dolan, 25, who majored in Japanese in college, said he became a sumo fan after a project he did in 2019 on Enho Yuya, a popular lightweight sumo wrestler at the time. After a few years, Dolan wanted to try it for himself. He founded the organization in 2022 after realizing there weren't any amateur sumo wrestling clubs in the city. "I had to start my own, kind of begrudgingly at first, but, you know, starting my own made me get so much more into it,' he said. The New York Sumo Club has grown steadily since its inception, even accounting for hiccups, Dolan said. The club has about 100 wrestlers, with around 20 regulars. When it first started, members met and grappled on the meadow in Prospect Park. Now, they gather every Sunday at Queens Jiu Jitsu, a martial arts school in Astoria, and the club is "pretty much sustainable, almost profitable,' Dolan said. The club even has its own genuine portable dohyō, a sumo wrestling ring, made by Sanpuku Shoji, which is handmade and imported from Japan, and is similar to those used by wrestlers there. Membership in the club is "mostly based on vibes,' Dolan said. Members pay a $20 mat fee per session, and if you show up at least once a month you're considered a "regular.' There's also a group chat for people who want to talk about sumo in their free time. Over the years, sumo has gained in popularity around the world, though it remains closely linked to Japanese tradition and culture. Despite that fact, many young people in Japan may see it as old-fashioned. On Wednesday, Onosato Daiki of Japan was named yokozuna, or grand champion, the highest title in the sport. He's the first Japanese yokozuna in eight years, and only the second in 27 years. Spectators watch as Kofi Miller, left, and Kendell Perry face off in the ring at Japan Village during an Empire Cup match in New York on May 17. | Ann Hermes / The New York Times Sumo fighters observe the original rules of the sport, which has been "practiced the same way for 1,300 years,' Dolan said. In "Grand Sumo,' as the sport is known, the rules are fairly simple, according to the Japanese public broadcaster NHK. The goal is to force your opponent out of the ring to win, or to "make him touch the ground with anything other than the soles of his feet.' While the rules are largely the same, amateur sumo forbids explicit openhanded strikes to the face and bans a technique called Saba-ori, or forward force down, in which a larger wrestler will lean their entire weight onto a smaller opponent. On the day of the Brooklyn tournament, gray clouds parted in time for the first match, bathing wrestlers in brilliant sunlight as the competition heated up. Sumo matches are fast, and often end in seconds. Wrestlers enter the ring, bow and are told "hakkeyoi!,' a ceremonial salute that functionally means "go!' Immediately after, there is the slap of skin on skin as the wrestlers grapple, and the gyoji, or referee, repeatedly shouts "nokotta' (or "still in') as the two opponents fight for a win. The fights are so intense that officials warned the Brooklyn crowd to watch for falling wrestlers. Winners are forbidden from celebrating. Dolan reminded the wrestlers of this rule during the tournament, telling them that inside the ring, "we are samurai' and follow the Bushido traditional code of conduct of military warriors in feudal Japan, which emphasizes virtues such as honor and bravery. One of the first wrestlers in the tournament in Brooklyn was Lizardi, also known as A.J., who has been a club member for about a year and who works at a gym. Although he falls into the lightweight category, he likes to use speed and technique to outmaneuver giants. "Some of these guys might be bigger, but they have no experience in grappling,' he said. "So it gives me the advantage to throw them off balance, you know, use their weight against them.' Sumo wrestlers line up before a match during the Empire Cup competition at Japan Village in New York on May 17. | Ann Hermes / The New York Times After watching the World Championship Sumo exhibition at Madison Square Garden last year, Christopher Arnau, 41, knew he had to try it. "I saw a 220-pounder (100 kilograms) like myself taking on the behemoths, and I said, 'Hey, if they could do it, I could do it,'' he said. So he looked online, found the club and joined. He had his first competition in Las Vegas last November and emerged with "some wins.' Sumo is "very humbling,' Arnau said, adding that it's a sport "where everybody gets thrown. Everybody gets slammed in the mat once in a while.' Members of the New York Sumo Club praised the camaraderie they found in their group of wrestlers. The community built by the club is an inclusive one, where "all body types, all gender expressions' are welcome, said Douglas, the club vice president and founder of the company Mountain Mawashi, which provides the belts for the club's amateur sumo wrestlers. A self-proclaimed "big guy,' Douglas, 32, said he likes sumo because he likes "seeing big guys move fast, move athletically, be explosive and be respected.' This article originally appeared in The New York Times © 2025 The New York Times Company
South China Morning Post
a day ago
- General
- South China Morning Post
Retired sumo great to quit sport over abuse allegations
Retired sumo great Hakuho will quit the ancient Japanese sport following a row over the forced closure of his wrestling stable for physical abuse, reports said on Monday. Advertisement The Mongolian-born Hakuho won a record 45 tournaments before retiring in 2021 to coach wrestlers, but his stable was indefinitely closed in April last year when one of his proteges was accused of bullying. Hakuho was also handed an embarrassing demotion for failing to control the behaviour of Hokuseiho, who allegedly punched his lower-ranked stablemates and stole money from them. The future of Hakuho's stable is still unclear more than a year later, leading the 40-year-old to tender his resignation to the Japan Sumo Association, reports said. The reports said his resignation was accepted at an extraordinary board meeting in Tokyo. Advertisement Hakuho, who is in Mongolia according to posts he has made on social media, is expected to hold a news conference next week.
The Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
WWE fans in outrage after superstar reveals he has been RELEASED after 26 years as Naomi slams ‘I hate this so much'
WRESTLING legend Ron Killings - best known as R-Truth - has been released by the WWE in an unexpected move. The 53-year-old confirmed on Sunday he has left the organization after 17 years. 2 Killings, known by his stage name R-Truth since 2008, began his wrestling journey at the turn of the century. He became a huge fan favorite in the WWE after joining from Total Nonstop Action, headlining multiple PPV events in the 2010s. But fans were devastated after the Charlotte native revealed he had been let go in "devastating" cuts. "I'm sorry to inform you all. I just got released from WWE," Killings wrote on X. "I want to thank WWE for the ride, but MOSTLY I want to thank each and EVERYONE OF YOU who was along for the ride. "Thank you for all the love, support, and appreciation you have given me over the years. Thank you." The post was quickly viewed almost 18 million times. Devastated wrestling fans called for the decision to be reversed, with current WWE stars also weighing in. "I hate this so much," replied ex-WWE Diva Naomi. "In all seriousness, this is literally so heartbreaking… Thank you Truth," added Rhea Ripley. WWE star Cathy Kelley turns head in 'mind blowing' bikini and stuns in latest outfit "You're an amazing talent and an even better person. Go enjoy your life unc!" added AEW star Ricochet. "Thank you R-Truth. Your character can never be imitated," said wrestling legend CM Punk. "Embarrassing how they treat a legend," raged one fan. "This is the worse news I've ever heard. Hopefully they are bringing you back to take over for Triple H," added a second. 🏅 Follow all our latest news & stories on WWE. WrestlingHeadlines report R-Truth was contacted by WWE talent representatives over the weekend. He was informed that his current contract with the organization would not be renewed. The decision "was not due to any misconduct or backstage issues", the outlet adds, citing insider sources. R-Truth was a two-time holder of the United States Championship. He also holds the record for the most reigns of the WWE 24/7 Championship at 54.
Malay Mail
2 days ago
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Sumo legend Hakuho to resign after stable scandal, say reports
TOKYO, June 2 — Retired sumo great Hakuho will quit the ancient Japanese sport following a row over the forced closure of his wrestling stable for physical abuse, reports said Monday. The Mongolian-born Hakuho won a record 45 tournaments before retiring in 2021 to coach wrestlers, but his stable was indefinitely shuttered in April last year when one of his proteges was accused of bullying. Hakuho was also handed an embarrassing demotion for failing to control the behaviour of Hokuseiho, who allegedly punched his lower-ranked stablemates and stole money from them. The future of Hakuho's stable is still unclear more than a year later, leading the 40-year-old to tender his resignation to the Japan Sumo Association, reports said. The reports said his resignation was accepted at an extraordinary board meeting in Tokyo. When contacted by AFP, the Japan Sumo Association declined to comment. Hakuho, who is currently in Mongolia according to posts he has made on social media, is expected to hold a news conference next week. Born Munkhbat Davaajargal, Hakuho moved to Japan aged 15 and made his sumo debut in 2001. He won his first top-division title in 2006 and went on to fight at the sport's highest rank of yokozuna more times than anyone in history. — AFP
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Retired great Hakuho to quit sumo over stable row: reports
Retired sumo great Hakuho is set to quit the ancient Japanese sport, reports say (Philip FONG) Retired sumo great Hakuho will quit the ancient Japanese sport following a row over the forced closure of his wrestling stable for physical abuse, reports said Monday. The Mongolian-born Hakuho won a record 45 tournaments before retiring in 2021 to coach wrestlers, but his stable was indefinitely shuttered in April last year when one of his proteges was accused of bullying. Advertisement Hakuho was also handed an embarrassing demotion for failing to control the behaviour of Hokuseiho, who allegedly punched his lower-ranked stablemates and stole money from them. The future of Hakuho's stable is still unclear more than a year later, leading the 40-year-old to tender his resignation to the Japan Sumo Association, reports said. The reports said his resignation was accepted at an extraordinary board meeting in Tokyo. When contacted by AFP, the Japan Sumo Association declined to comment. Hakuho, who is currently in Mongolia according to posts he has made on social media, is expected to hold a news conference next week. Advertisement Born Munkhbat Davaajargal, Hakuho moved to Japan aged 15 and made his sumo debut in 2001. He won his first top-division title in 2006 and went on to fight at the sport's highest rank of yokozuna more times than anyone in history. amk/dh
