The United States puts its hat in the sumo ring, or dohyo, with the ultimate tournament to determine one true champion. The International Sumo League presents its World Championship Sumo tournament with the first Club Sumo tournament on January 25.
To win in sumo, one must push or force an opponent out of the ring or put them on the ground. Every event is a tournament. Fighters can earn points for wins and top placement for the Grand Prix point rankings. The multi-event series culminates with the ultimate tournament on February 18 to crown the first ISL World Sumo Champion, with the top point earners obtaining a spot.
Egypt’s Abdelrahman Shalan, Brazil’s Rui Aparedico de Sa Jr., Russia’s Soslan Gagloev, Bulgaria’s Martin Marinkov, and India’s Navneet Bhati are some competitors participating in the tournament. They are considered top Rikishi’s that are competing in Jersey City’s White Eagle Hall.
“I am thrilled and excited to bring this world-class group of Rikishi to take part in our upcoming World Championship Sumo events,” said the President of the International Sumo League Noah Goldman. “Our Sumo Wrestlers demonstrate the highest combination of athleticism, speed, power, and size to make these upcoming Sumo matches ‘The Biggest Show On Earth’. The Rikishi are coming from all over the world to bring their explosive power into the dohyo (Sumo ring), and demonstrate the skill and diversity of our Sumo in 2024.”
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How can you exactly watch the event? Here's all you need to know about the first Club Sumo tournament.
How to watch World Championship Sumo: Club Sumo 1
Fans in the U.S. can watch World Championship Sumo through FITE/TrillerTV.
| Region | TV channel | Live streaming |
| USA | — | TrillerTV |
| Canada | — | TBA |
| UK and Ireland | — | TBA |
| Australia | — | TBA |
When is World Championship Sumo: Club Sumo 1?
World Championship Sumo's Club Sumo tournaments start on January 25. The main card starts at 8 p.m. ET.
| Region | Date | Main Card Start Time |
| USA and Canada (ET) | Thursday, January 25 | 8 p.m ET |
| USA and Canada (PT) | Thursday, January 25 | 7 p.m. PT |
| UK and Ireland | Friday, January 26 | 1 a.m. GMT |
| Australia | Friday, January 26 | 12 a.m. AEDT |
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World Championship Sumo: Club Sumo competitors
- Abdelrahman Shalan
- Rui Aparedico de Sa Jr.
- Soslan Gagloev
- Martin Marinkov
- Navneet
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