<div class="Article" style="float: left;">
<table>
<tr style="vertical-align: bottom;">
<td>
<h3><a href="/go=news.detail&gid=419254" target="_blank">
200 lb Judoka soaring in Sumo
</a></h3>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<a href="/go=news.detail&gid=419254" ><img class="photo" src="" /></a>
<strong class="ArticleSource">[cagepotato.com]</strong>
<div style="clear: both; line-height: 1px;height: 1px;"> </div>
</div>
<p>While the UG is devoted to mixed martial arts, other sports events are of regularl interest, including the Mundials, ADCC World Championships, Div I Nationals for folkstyle, K-1 kickboxing, and others.</p>
A curious other is Takanoyama Shuntaro (real name Pavel Bojar). At 6’1″ and just 200 pounds Bojar is one of the lightest competitors in modern sumo history, and relies on Judo to overcome sometimes enormous weight differences.
Makes you wonder how Ronda Rousey would do in Sumo?
I think this will be the death of sumo as a national sport for Japan.
One of the reasons sumo wrestlers are so huge is because they are supposed to represent gods--bigger than life. If the trend switches to leaner athletes with greco or judo backgrounds, I think they lose the interest of the common person who is attracted to the spectacle.
By the way - there should be no controversy about posting this. Back in "the good old days" MMA was seen more as a mix of martial arts. Getting the best (most realistic and useful from all styles and studies of fighting.) Before there was the "style of MMA" there were guys who were figuring all this out by mixing martial arts styles. I'd like to see the UG remain a place to discuss relevant martial arts, not just UFC.
By the way - there should be no controversy about posting this. Back in "the good old days" MMA was seen more as a mix of martial arts. Getting the best (most realistic and useful from all styles and studies of fighting.) Before there was the "style of MMA" there were guys who were figuring all this out by mixing martial arts styles. I'd like to see the UG remain a place to discuss relevant martial arts, not just UFC.
Agree 100%. I try to add stories from combat sports generally to the mix.
andre - I think this will be the death of sumo as a national sport for Japan.
One of the reasons sumo wrestlers are so huge is because they are supposed to represent gods--bigger than life. If the trend switches to leaner athletes with greco or judo backgrounds, I think they lose the interest of the common person who is attracted to the spectacle.
Perhaps, but it might make the fights also more spectacular.
By the way - there should be no controversy about posting this. Back in "the good old days" MMA was seen more as a mix of martial arts. Getting the best (most realistic and useful from all styles and studies of fighting.) Before there was the "style of MMA" there were guys who were figuring all this out by mixing martial arts styles. I'd like to see the UG remain a place to discuss relevant martial arts, not just UFC.
Agree 100%. I try to add stories from combat sports generally to the mix.
agree also. The first UFC's were based on pitting thse individual styles against each other, Sumo included!
BTW I think Sumo is really bad ass to watch! I would love to go to Japan and see this live
andre - I think this will be the death of sumo as a national sport for Japan.
One of the reasons sumo wrestlers are so huge is because they are supposed to represent gods--bigger than life. If the trend switches to leaner athletes with greco or judo backgrounds, I think they lose the interest of the common person who is attracted to the spectacle.
Perhaps, but it might make the fights also more spectacular.
I agree that it makes it more spectacualr to watch. MMA has evolved from the individual styles because its mixed martial arts. I would imagine long lastig arts like Sumo want to keep the art as pure as possible as metioned, it probably goes beyond pushing each other in dipers (having larger then life, God like status)and I would assume it's very much s cultural thing......I could be way wrong on this as this is only an assumption
andre - I think this will be the death of sumo as a national sport for Japan.
One of the reasons sumo wrestlers are so huge is because they are supposed to represent gods--bigger than life. If the trend switches to leaner athletes with greco or judo backgrounds, I think they lose the interest of the common person who is attracted to the spectacle.
Really? I'm not so sure.
Japanese people love the little guy winning against impossible odds.
It's why Andy Hug was so damn popular in K-1. He was the smallest guy in the open weight class and became champion.
andre - I think this will be the death of sumo as a national sport for Japan.
One of the reasons sumo wrestlers are so huge is because they are supposed to represent gods--bigger than life. If the trend switches to leaner athletes with greco or judo backgrounds, I think they lose the interest of the common person who is attracted to the spectacle.
I don't think so. First, Japan has a long history and appreciation for Gaijin sumo. And as far as size, Shuntaro is not the beginning of a trend. This video, while fun to watch, does not show that he has been challenged by the size differences in his opponents in the past. Also, this is not a situation where a high level judoka just drops into the sport and finds success. This guy has been working in the sport for over a decade know.
Interested to know if any posters, either judoka, mixed martial artists, or others; have tried their hand at Sumo? Would be cool to hear your stories.
andre - I think this will be the death of sumo as a national sport for Japan.
One of the reasons sumo wrestlers are so huge is because they are supposed to represent gods--bigger than life. If the trend switches to leaner athletes with greco or judo backgrounds, I think they lose the interest of the common person who is attracted to the spectacle.
I don't think so. First, Japan has a long history and appreciation for Gaijin sumo. And as far as size, Shuntaro is not the beginning of a trend. This video, while fun to watch, does not show that he has been challenged by the size differences in his opponents in the past. Also, this is not a situation where a high level judoka just drops into the sport and finds success. This guy has been working in the sport for over a decade know.
Interested to know if any posters, either judoka, mixed martial artists, or others; have tried their hand at Sumo? Would be cool to hear your stories.
I would like to, but at 150 lbs I would need a boat load of food and steroids to be able to compete.
