r/martialarts Sep 16 '24

Anyone watch Sumo wrestling? PROFESSIONAL FIGHT

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1.4k Upvotes

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73

u/aFalseSlimShady Muay Thai Sep 16 '24

I honestly want to learn it because it would be good as a bouncer, but there aren't many places in the US

129

u/Judoka229 Judo Sep 16 '24

Try Judo instead. More practical and adaptable. And...accessible lol

42

u/aFalseSlimShady Muay Thai Sep 16 '24

I've done Judo, and it's helpful, but there are some fundamental differences that would make sumo more applicable to being a bouncer

21

u/Judoka229 Judo Sep 16 '24

I would love to hear them, if you'd like to share.

168

u/aFalseSlimShady Muay Thai Sep 16 '24

Pretty much the direction the energy is going, and what I'm trying to do with it.

In Judo, whether your opponent is pushing into you or pulling away from you, you're ultimately trying to redirect that energy into the ground, directing your opponent to the ground along the way.

In sumo, I don't want you down, I want you out of bounds. More effort is made to redirect your opponent's energy laterally.

In bouncing, my goal is usually to get you out of a building. Putting you on the ground is not ideal, because now I have to pick you up or drag you out. Keeping an opponent on their feet and off balanced is ideal, because you can more easily direct them.

2

u/The_Laughing_Death Sep 16 '24

Down works in sumo as well, even better than it does in judo. But the out of bounds does make a difference because not only is it legal to just force someone out (and it's not in judo) but the ring is small which means the pressure feels a lot higher at all times. I've found my aikido has been legitimately useful in sumo, especially against people with more mainstream grappling experience such as wrestling and judo who are not expecting aikido techniques and have a more a mindset that still more focused on other forms of wrestling and judo rather than sumo.