Russian sumo wrestler talks about the difficulties of professional life

In Russia lives a man who managed to become the first rikishi (sumo wrestler) and the heaviest athlete in the history of this fight. Meet, Anatoli Mikhakhanov, better known as Orora Satosi in the sumo world. In 2018, he retired and is now losing weight. That rikishi Russian, with great pleasure, tells stories about the traditions of this fight that is very common in Japan.

we from awesome.club we decided to take advantage of the occasion and discuss with Anatoli the difficulties of the life of the rikishi professional.

Sumo is the oldest contact competitive wrestling sport in the world, so it has a rich history with many ceremonies and rituals. For example, before entering the ring each fighter should gargle to get rid of all bad thoughts. As a general rule, the fighter who won the last fight brings water to the next fighter, as if the loser does, it can bring bad luck.

About this fight, it is interesting that professional fighters train only in Japan, in other countries this sport is considered amateur.

This fight consists of 2 wrestlers trying to force each other out of a circular ring or get the opponent to touch the ground with any part of the body other than the soles of the feet.

In Japan, Sumo is considered a martial art, so it requires special training. Men who want to enter the world of sumo must have secondary education. The age criterion is also very important, the maximum limit is 23 years for professionals and 25 years for amateurs. The weight of a novice fighter is usually around 100 kg, and then the athlete continues to gain weight during training. There is no limit on maximum weight or weight categories. There are “lightweight” champions (100 kg) and those who are quite heavy (over 200 kg).

According to Anatoli, he was always very big; at the time of elementary school his weight was 100 kg, and when he turned 16 he was already reaching 200 kg. On the one hand, it helped him get into the sport, but on the other hand, it greatly affected his mobility. This disadvantage was revealed in 2012 in a fight by Anatoli against a 70kg opponent who managed to beat him. Anatoli’s weight was 4 times greater than his opponent’s.

Sumo wrestlers are a kind of national heritage, so they are treated very carefully to avoid injury. In 1985, they were banned from driving a car after an accident caused by 2 wrestlers. Because of this accident, all athletes are now transported by special bus or taxi.

If the fighter violates this ban, he is disqualified from one or 2 tournaments. And that’s what happened to the winner of the Emperor Tournament in 2007. In 2018 another professional fighter was removed for causing an accident.

Inappropriate behavior in personal life also leads to penalties. For example, in 2008 wrestler Roxo and his brother Yuta received a permanent disqualification for having used light narcotics. A bar fight or an abandoned marriage can also be a reason for disqualification. For example, one wrestler had to spend a lot of time explaining why he decided to call off his marriage to a Japanese actress. All the media covered this news, so this fighter even had to speak at a press conference.

Fighters wear a special belt called mawashi, they place it in a very special way, and its dimensions are 80 cm x 9 m. This belt is very important from the point of view of traditions, so if the mawashi if a fighter falls he will automatically be disqualified from the fight.

First division wrestlers wear dark-toned silk belts and lower division fighters always wear gray colors.

and the price of mawashi can reach 125 thousand reais or even more.

The monthly salary of fighters is from 50 thousand to 250 thousand reais, depending on the division. In addition, they receive prizes from sponsors and tournament victories. Unfortunately, the real situation isn’t so glamorous, as rookie fighters don’t earn money, only prizes for their victories. For them the main aim is to develop professional qualities. Generally, the athlete starts earning money 2 or 3 years after starting his career. Before becoming a high-level student or even a master, the fighter lives in very harsh conditions:

Every day he must do very difficult exercises. For example, you need to stretch your leg parallel to the floor and do 500 squats. The fighter sleeps on mats with a pillow stuffed with beans. And he wears a kimono and sandals even if it’s very cold outside.

Sumo wrestlers enjoy a lot of popularity among women. They are very desired grooms and have many beautiful and young fans.

Unfortunately, lower division fighters do not have the right to marry or live with a woman, nor do they have cell phones. O rikishi newbie lives at school and trains all the time. In the first year of preparation they cannot visit their parents. These limitations disappear when the fighter enters the second division. If the athlete loses his status will have to leave his family and go back to school.

Many fighters end their career between the ages of 30 and 35, as they start to suffer injuries more often than usual and, therefore, need more time for a good recovery.

we from awesome.club We wish Anatoli much success!