Sumo Talk

[trilobite]

I know that there are several Sumo fans on this board and I wanted to share something I just discovered. On the Grand Sumo Homepage they now have quicktime videos of matches from the January Tournament. http://sumo.goo.ne.jp/eng/

I am a fan of Sumo! Though I have only watched it on american TV several years ago. I think it was on ESPN but I don't remember. Can you find Sumo on american tv now?

 

[Ranger REG]

Only if your cable/satellite TV provider offers a Japanese cable channel.

Somehow, my interest in Sumo have waned when the last Hawaii-born sumotori (Musashimaru, aka Fiamalu Penitani) have retired, and no new foreign-born sumotori have risen up in the rank. (I'm still praying for that African-American dude I have been seeing him on TV but so far no stable have invited him yet.)

On a related note, what the hell is Akebono (aka Chad Rowan) doing in the sport of shootfighting (is that what it's called)? I heard he got creamed on his first debut match.

 

[Devilkiller]

Akebono fought Bob Sapp from K-1. Bob is a big black American and ex NFL lineman who is apparently all the rage in Japan at the moment. K-1 is basically a kickboxing style toughman contest and holds several tournaments to determine a champion each year. K-1's martketing thrust right now seems to be signing famous but washed up athletes from other sports like boxing or sumo to participate in K-1.

As far as sumo goes, I've seen it a few times on American TV, once on the TV in a 24 hour diner. It was kind of a surreal experience really. I could imagine that cream chipped beef would be popular with sumo though.

Other than Akebono the only sumo I really know is E. Honda from Street Fighter 2. Does anybody out there know if he was based on a real life sumo though? I figure since SF2's boxer M. Bison (Balrog in the US) was based on Mike Tyson maybe their sumo E. Honda was based on a real person too. I guess after all these years I still wonder what the "E" stands for.

 

[Flyspeck23]

Sumo is... special, to say the least. Every time I see it on TV, I can't change the channel...
So yes, I'm a fan

Thanks for the link!

 

[Ranger REG]

Too bad for Chad Rowan. I thought he was going to try and set up his own stable, or stay with Takamiyama's stable (aka Jesse Kuhaulua) to train upcoming sumotori.