It’s sumo season!
The 2024 Nagoya basho is underway in Japan which suggests every day sumo for 15 straight days. Through the two weeks of competitors, all wrestlers throughout the Grand Sumo system compete on the identical ring to find out the most effective from the remaining.
Since there are a number of tiers of sumo competitions all taking place without delay, throughout a given match there are all the time some wacky goings-on within the decrease divisions. Within the final match we had a ripped rikishi take out one of many greatest wrestlers in historical past with a single leg.
This time round, we had two titans throw down in a slap fest resulting in one among them getting slept in the midst of the dohyo. Test that out footage under, courtesy of X person @acdmma_.
This bout occurred within the makushita (third division) on Day 5 of the competitors. It includes Kaiseijo (on the left) and Wakamiyabi (on the precise).
Wakamiyabi is the man who will get knocked out. Kaiseijo is the official winner of the bout, together with his kimarite (profitable method) declared as a tsukiotoshi (thrust down). Tsukiotoshi is considerably of a catch-all time period for bouts which finish with one or each wrestlers being flung to the bottom. Wakamiyabi fought two days after this and misplaced once more, this time by yoritaoshi (frontal crush out). Kaiseijo misplaced his subsequent bout, however rebounded with a shitatedashinage (pulling below arm throw) win final night time.
Some commenters on-line questioned if what transpired on this bout was authorized. The reply is sure. In sumo, open palm strikes are fully authorized. In sumo, you lose if something apart from the soles of your ft contact the bottom or in case you go outdoors of the straw ring. If you happen to slap somebody foolish to get them down or out, that’s simply effective.
Sumo wrestlers usually battle in one among two types: oshi-zumō or yotsu-zumō. Oshi-zumō options pushing and thrusting assaults whereas yotsu-zumō options grappling assaults. When two oshi-sumō wrestlers face off in opposition to one another, you see thrusting/slapping duels just like the one above.
Palm strikes occur in most matches, however not often can we see somebody knocked out. It is because palm strikes are sometimes aimed on the throat, chest and shoulders and are designed to pressure an opponent backwards and out of the ring, reasonably than to do harm or knock somebody out (it’s not precisely Energy Slap).
Right here’s what that appears like within the makuuchi (prime division) with Abi (within the black), who is named “Machine gun arm,” shedding a thrusting battle in opposition to Hiradoumi.
Some wrestlers have used very heavy slaps for various causes, although. Takakeisho aka “The Offended Hamster,” who’s ranked ōzeki (one under yokozuna), is understood to throw brutal slaps at his opponents’ jaws. He does this to disorient them and open a window for him to shove them out.
Right here he’s (in black) making an attempt that on Tobizaru this month, just for “The Flying Monkey” to clear the cobwebs and rating the win.
Sumo’s GOAT Hakuho was additionally recognized to make use of strikes to disorient his opponents. Hakuho would additionally make use of a forearm/elbow strike off the tachiai (opening conflict) to devastating impact.
See that under:
If any of this has you desperate to observe sumo and be taught extra concerning the sport, please contemplate subscribing to my free Substack Sumo Stomp! I’m at present sending out every day newsletters recapping the outcomes of the Nagoya basho (and together with a number of gifs!).
