Grand champion Hakuho had a 59-kilogram (130-pound), 34-centimeter (9.4-inch) advantage on his opponent.
You don’t have to be a sumo expert to know that there’s a pretty strong correlation between a wrestler’s success and his size. Case in point: Mongolian-born Hakuho Sho, who’s held the title of yokozuna (grand champion) for longer than any other sumo wrestler in history, and also has the lifetime record for most wins in sumo’s top makuuchi division, stands 192 centimeters (6 feet, 3.6 inches) tall and tips the scale at 158 kilograms (348 pounds), making him a veritable giant in Japanese society.
On Sunday, when Hakuho went up against Enho Akira in a match at the 44th Grand Sumo Tournament in Tokyo, not a lot of people gave the latter wrestler much of a chance. Even setting aside Hakuho’s amazing resume, Enho is the smallest makuuchi sumo wrestler, at just 168 centimeters (5 feet, 6.1 inches) tall and a svelte, by his profession’s standards, 99 kilograms (218 pounds).
The size difference is so great that the start of the match, seen in the video below from Twitter user @nakamawokobu, almost looks like it’s been photoshopped, or that it’s a contest between a full-grown man and a child because of how Hakuho is able to keep Enho at arm’s length by pressing his palm to the smaller wrestler’s forehead. But you know what they say about the bigger they are, right?
After about 15 seconds of slapping Hakuho’s outstretched hand away to the side, Enho changes tactics. With both hands he yanks Hakuho’s wrist downwards, upsetting the yokozuna’s balance and bringing him forward a step. That’s all the closing distance Enho needs to get inside Hakuho’s guard. From there, he manages to get a grip on his opponent’s mawashi (loincloth) and shin, before flipping Hakuho to the surface of the ring with a dramatic, 270-degree shitatenage (underarm throw) for the upset victory.
Enho and Hakuho are actually members of the same stable, as sumo training houses are called. This was Enho’s first time to score a competition victory over his yokozuna stablemate. “It feels good. I’m happy,” Enho said following the match. “It’s something I’ll never forget,” he added, echoing what a lot of sumo fans are saying too.
Sources: Twitter/@nakamawokobu via Hachima Kiko, Sankei News
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!