For a person who has never seen sumo before, the event might just look like matches between two fat men, one after another.  But it's more than that, as each wrestler has their own story, and faces their own trials moving through the ranks.  For those of us who have been following sumo for a while, we know that it's more fun when you get to know who the wrestlers are.

On this page, we'll attempt to pass on some of that knowledge to you.  The goal is to increase your enjoyment of the event by giving you more understanding.  You'll find information about some of the more interesting wrestlers to look out for.  You can print it and take it with you!

*For information about the basics of sumo itself, see Question #12 of the FAQ.

Wrestlers to Watch
         Hakuho
         Kotooshu
         Harumafuji
         Baruto
         Kisenosato
         Toyonoshima
         Goeido
         Takamisakari
         Yamamotoyama

Hakuho: The lone Yokozuna, promoted in 2007.  Hailing from Mongolia, he and the other (now retired) Mongolian Yokozuna, Asashoryu, have absolutely dominated sumo recently, leaving very few scraps for the other wrestlers to feed on.  Between the two of them, they have failed to win only 4 of the last 37 tournaments, going back to the beginning of 2004.  This makes the Japanese slightly uneasy, as many of them don't appreciate the foreign dominance of their sport (the last time a Japanese wrestler won a tournament was January of 2006).  He has won 12 championships in his still-young career.  Some suggest that he might even make a run at the all-time record for tournament victories, which is 32.  In 2009, he had a simply astounding 86-4 result, breaking Asashoryu's all-time record of 84 wins in a calendar year.  Hakuho's story is all the more amazing because he almost didn't make it into sumo at all.  Though he is the son of the 1968 Olympic silver medalist in wrestling(!), Hakuho was a skinny kid at 15 years old.  He came to Japan looking for a spot in a sumo stable.  When nobody would take him because of his light weight, an older Mongolian wrestler made some calls and got him a spot.  Hakuho is now the top wrestler in all of sumo.  There are some stable-masters kicking themselves for passing up the chance to recruit that skinny boy.



Kotooshu:  The tallest man in sumo, this Bulgarian measures 203cm (6'8").  He is tied for the record for the fastest rise up the ranks ever, taking just 11 tournaments to reach the top division.  Once hailed as a future Yokozuna, Kotooshu suffered a fairly devastating knee injury after his promotion to the second-highest rank of Ozeki in 2006.  He wears a knee brace to this day.  Though still an Ozeki, Kotooshu has been stuck in mediocrity for the last few years, except for a bewildering flash of greatness, and reversion to his old form, in May of 2008.  In that tournament, Kotooshu mowed down his competition, including both Yokozunas, to win his first tournament with a 14-1 record.  It was the first-ever tournament victory for a European wrestler (ie. white guy), and the first time the two Mongolian menaces had let anybody else win a tournament in years.  Immediately following that tournament, he went back to mediocrity.  He had another flash in July 2009, then once again went back to mediocrity.  He is a man of mystery.  With natural talent and a physique to match, some suggest that the biggest problem with Kotooshu is a malfunction between his ears.



Harumafuji:  Formerly known as Ama, Harumafuji is just what the Japanese need, another Mongolian making his way to the top.  One of the lightest wrestlers in the top division, Harumafuji has made it to sumo's second-highest rank of Ozeki with an overwhelming combination of speed and technique, and is now considered by many to be the #2 man in sumo, behind the Yokozuna.  He proves that sumo is not a battle won by the fattest.  His matches are often thrilling to watch, and he has provided two of the most stunning finishing maneuvers in recent memory (check this out).  He is the youngest and newest Ozeki, promoted in January of 2009.  He is also the only Ozeki who is a consistent threat to beat the Yokozunas head-to-head.  Harumafuji won his first tournament championship in May of 2009, with a 14-1 record, defeating Yokozuna Hakuho in a winner-take-all playoff match.  Unfortunately, he has been mostly unimpressive since that tournament.



Baruto:  Hailing from Estonia, Baruto is a giant in the ring.  Standing at 197cm (6'5") and weighing 174kg (380 lbs), he is an imposing figure to find yourself across from.  He is regarded as possibly the strongest man in sumo, though not particularly gifted in technique.  Baruto made one of the fastest rises up the ranks ever, despite taking some time off for medical reasons.  Over the last few tournaments, he has shown us that he is ready to be promoted to the second-highest rank of Ozeki, which is expected to happen sometime in 2010.  Although he hasn't won a tournament yet, he had a breakthrough in January 2010, when he defeated a Yokozuna for the first time.  Known for his huge smile and positive attitude, the sumo world looks forward to his first post-championship interview.



Kisenosato:  Kisenosato is a young Japanese wrestler with an already-long history in the top division.  The Japanese have had high hopes for him for a long time.  He reached the top division in 2004, just a few months after his 18th birthday, which is very young in sumo terms.  In fact, he is the second-youngest to ever make it to the top division, after legendary Japanese Yokozuna, Takanohana.  All of this has created a lot of pressure on the youngster, and he has not completely lived up to the expectations yet.  The sumo world is watching and wondering when, or if, he will finally make his move to fulfill his potential.





Toyonoshima:  Toyonoshima is the shortest man in the top division, standing just 169cm (5'6") tall, but it would be foolish to underestimate him.  He is one of the most technically-gifted men in sumo, possibly the most talented of all current Japanese wrestlers.  He has used his skill to take him to levels of sumo that his short height would normally not allow.  He has a reputation as a giant-killer, and is known for causing serious problems for some of the biggest men in the division, especially the tallest man, Kotooshu.  There is an interesting story involving Toyonoshima and his short stature.  In the past, he would not have been allowed to compete at all!  The Sumo Association used to have very strict standards about the minimum height and weight for new recruits, and did not make exceptions.  During the matches (top or second-highest division), look at the men in black robes who sit around the ring as judges.  If he's there, you might notice that one of them has a very oddly-shaped head.  He is a former wrestler, and was the victim of the old minimum-height policy.  In order to enter sumo, he had to have an implant put in his head so that he would be tall enough to compete!  These rules still exist, but now exceptions are made if a recruit can pass a secondary fitness test.  Toyonoshima is a beneficiary of this new relaxed policy, and proves that the old rules were without merit, as the vertically-challenged CAN compete against the bigger men.



Goeido:  Young and hailing from Japan, Goeido is believed by some to be the best hope to become a Yokozuna worthy of snatching glory from the Mongolian tyrants and giving it back to the Japanese.  He is gifted in both body and technique, but still has a lot to learn. He has sputtered recently, showing an inconsistency that is reminiscent of Kisenosato's problems.  While the middle ranks of the top-division are definitely too easy for him, he hasn't been able to win enough matches in the highest part.  Though he won a match against a Yokozuna for the first time in January 2010, it was more of a fluke than a well-executed win.





Takamisakari:  One of the most interesting characters in sumo, the fans can't get enough of Takamisakari.  He is entertaining for his pre-match antics of chest thumping and fist pumping, in a sport which does not particularly encourage wrestlers to show personality.  His popularity is enough to attract sponsorship money into the mid-to-low levels of the top division, where it isn't usually found.  See those banners going around the ring before his match?  Those are advertisements, and each one is worth money to the wrestler who wins.  Those envelopes of cash given to the winner paint a huge bulls-eye on Takamisakari's chest, as his opponents try to win some extra cash by defeating him.  The vision-impaired Takamisakari does not wear contacts in the ring, preferring to fight partially blind.  When asked about this, he responded that if he wore contacts, he would then be able to see the opponent in front of him, and would be paralysed with fear.  He also claims to never want to be told who he's fighting the next day, in order to avoid having nightmares.  If he wins, watch for him to walk back down the aisle with head held high, chest pushed out, and cash in hand.  If he loses, he'll walk back with his head hung low.  Another thing to note is that if an opponent is just about to force him out of the ring, then that opponent is right where Takamisakari wants him!  The man is regarded as one of the best in sumo at fighting near the edge of the ring, and is known for his effort and technique when all looks lost.  Time and time again, he manages to pull victory from the jaws of defeat.  With Takamisakari, it ain't over till it's over, and his opponents would do well to keep that in mind.



Yamamotoyama:  'Yama' is Japanese for 'mountain', and with the word 'yama' in his name twice, you just know that Yamamotoyama must be a mountain of a man.  He is currently the heaviest man in the top division, weighing in at 248kg (547 lbs).  It is said he is the heaviest Japanese wrestler of all time!  He entered the top division in January of 2009, after one of the fastest rises through the ranks ever.  Though difficult to fight toe-to-toe, Yamamotoyama can be beaten by superior speed.  The key for his opponents is to knock him off balance as soon as the fight begins.  If Yamamotoyama keeps his footing and manages to grab a hold of any part of an opponent's body or belt, he's tough to beat.  Watch for his opponents to try to get to his side, rather than risk being absorbed into his massive front. (*Yamamotoyama injured his arm before the November 2009 tournament, and is currently fighting in the second-division.  Show up by about 2:30 if you want to see him.)