Video: Shredded sumo wrestler shows size doesn’t matter, dumps 500-pound opponent

The bigger they are… the harder they fall.

Being the ‘sumo guy’ in my social circle means that anytime something viral happens on the dohyo, my Whatsapp gets flooded with ‘OMG’ and ‘Did you see this?’ messages (like when Anthony Johnson and Curtis Blaydes threw down under sumo rules). And I’m not mad at that! I love it when friends notice sumo and provide me with an opening for telling them way more than they asked for.

This week I was inundated with a match that took place in the makushita (third division) during the ongoing natsu basho (summer tournament). Check it out in all its glory below (as shared by Al Zullino on X).

The bout features the 207 lbs Oyamada getting a win over the 556 lbs Dewanojo. Oyamada scored the win via an ashitori (leg pick), which to many of the MMA fans watching resembled a single leg takedown.

One of the many questions MMA observers had next was, “can you do single legs in sumo?”

Yes. Yes, you can. In sumo you lose if any part of your body, other than the soles of your feet touch the ground, or if you are forced out of the ring. Takedowns like what we saw from Oyamada are legal, but rare, since it’s hard to guarantee you won’t touch the ground before your opponent does.

The short list of illegal moves in sumo include: pulling hair, striking with a closed fist, choking, groin strikes and biting.

Another question this video raised was regarding weight classes in sumo, or lack thereof. In Grand Sumo (the most popular form of sumo, which is administered by the Japan Sumo Association), all rikishi compete in a tiered league system which has no weight classes. So bouts like the one above are common place.

You especially see matches like this in the makushita, which is the division directly below juryo and makuuchi. Those top two divisions are the only salaried divisions in the sport.

The makushita is stocked with 42 wrestlers hoping to gain promotion to juryo so they can start getting paid. Only a small percentage of these wrestlers will ever make it to the top two divisions. The majority of the makushita are men who either have a little bit of technique or a lot of size. Anyone who has both technique and size has a good shot of progressing to the salaried ranks.

Oyamada, who we saw win in the above clip, has OK technique, but he needs to either be elite in that department or add an ‘armor of fat’ if he hopes to make it to the top division (and join fellow small guy wrestlers Midorifuji and Tobizaru).

Above: The 250 lbs Midorifuji takes down the 330 lbs Shodai in this year’s Spring Tournament.

Oyamada is 24 and has competed in 13 tournaments. He trains out of the Naruto stable, which was established by Bulgarian sumo wrestler Kotooshu Katsunori in 2017. That stable is also home to current top division wrestler Oshoma.

Given his past performances, I give Oyamada a slim chance of making it to the salaried divisions. In the meantime, though, he will continue to be Naruto’s go-to guy for thirst trap vids.

Dewanojo is 30-years-old and a veteran of 73 tournaments. He’s never made it past makushita (and he likely never will). He trains at the Dewanoumi stable, alongside current top division wrestler Mitakeumi. He’s one of the heaviest men to ever compete in Grand Sumo.

I’ve been given the green-light to post sumo stories like this here at MMA Mania when they pop up. If you’re interested in more sumo content, including tournament updates and technical deep dives, you can check out my Substack Sumo Stomp!

And if you have any questions about sumo, throw them in the comments below and I’ll answer any that I can.

To close, check out this highlight reel of Enho (the most popular little guy ever) taking out giants.