Fan Education
Sumo 101: How World Championship Sumo Works
Everything you need to follow a World Championship Sumo card: how a bout is won, which techniques are legal, what the salt and the stomping mean, and the words the announcers will use.
The 20-second version
Two rikishi charge from a crouch. The first to step outside the ring, or to touch the surface inside it with anything but the soles of his feet, loses. No rounds, no points, no weight classes. Most bouts are over in seconds.
The Format
40+ Bouts. One Explosive Night.
What traditionally takes weeks is settled in one night. A complete professional sumo tournament — seeded, fought and decided in front of a live arena crowd.
One Night
The entire tournament begins and ends during one live event — two to three hours of fast-paced action.
Best of Three
Athletes battle repeatedly. The first wrestler to win two bouts advances to the next round.
40+ Bouts
Nonstop matchups, eliminations, wild cards, third-place and championship rounds.
One Champion
Prize money is awarded to the top finishers and, by the end of the night, one wrestler stands alone.
The Rules
Pure Sumo. Modern Format.
The competition inside the ring follows the core traditions of professional sumo. Win by forcing your opponent outside the ring, or by making any part of their body other than the soles of their feet touch the ground.
Athletes May
- Push
- Throw
- Trip
- Slap with an open hand
- Legal sumo grips and techniques
Athletes May Not
- Punch with a closed fist
- Eye-gouge
- Strike the groin
- Illegal headbutts or dangerous attacks