Sumo Wrestling Stomping into Newark
Step into the Dohyo this February and catch what is being called the “Biggest Show on Earth”.
The International Sumo League (ISL) is presenting the World Championship Sumo live at the Prudential Center. The event will see the coronation of the first-ever ISL World Sumo Champion.
A Little About the ISL
Per their website, the ISL has the world’s largest league of sumo wrestlers, with athletes around the globe under their banner. Their ultimate goal is “to produce authentic, unscripted sumo competitions”. ISL says the sport is now poised to become even more popular, utilizing UHD 4k and video technology.
Having been in business for 14 years, they held multiple events, the largest being a crowd of 10,000 at Madison Square Garden.
Some Quick Details About Sumo
Sumo is both the oldest and the national sport of Japan. The object of the match is to either shove, throw, or push your opponent out of the ring, or onto the floor. A match only ends when a body part other than the bottoms of a wrestler’s feet touches the ground.
With roots that can be traced back to the earliest written mention in the year 712. Since the Japanese people did not keep any written records until the 8th century, it is impossible to say for sure when it started. According to legend, possession of Japanese islands was determined by a sumo wrestling match. USADojo says two gods were wrestling along the shores of Izumo along the coast.
So much of that Shinto spiritualism remains in modern-day sumo. Before the start of a match, the wrestlers, or “rikishi” will throw salt in the ring as part of a purification ritual. This not only excites the crowd, but it harkens back to sal being used for that exact purpose at Shinto shrines.
After that, the rikishi squat down, clap their hands and stomp their feet. This was a means to ward off evil spirits from the dohyo.
TOKYO, JAPAN – JANUARY 27: New Yokozuna Kisenosato performs the dohyoiri at Meiji Shrine on January 27, 2017 in Tokyo, Japan. Kisenosato is the first Yokozuna appointed in three years after winning the last Grand Sumo Tournament.
When Can You Witness This Mass of Humanity?
Tickets for this event are on sale NOW. You can catch this show on Sunday, February 18th, starting at 7:00 pm.
If your interest is peaked, get your tickets HERE.
TOKYO, JAPAN – SEPTEMBER 17: Wrestlers face off during the Tokyo Grand Sumo tournament at the Ryogoku Kokugikan on September 17, 2015 in Tokyo, Japan.
MORE MARTIAL ARTS STORIES: Toms River’s own Frankie Edgar to be inducted into UFC Hall of Fame
