Damn, those slaps from Hakuho looked like they would really really hurt (esp to the ear like he did against his first opponent). I didn't realize that sort of stuff was legal in the ring. Sumo is...
Damn, those slaps from Hakuho looked like they would really really hurt (esp to the ear like he did against his first opponent). I didn't realize that sort of stuff was legal in the ring. Sumo is way more violent than I thought it was. :P
Very much legal and I'm sure they hurt like hell. Sumo's rules forbid the general stuff you'd expect like eye gouging, groin shots, etc, but the only real sumo specific rules are no closed fists...
Very much legal and I'm sure they hurt like hell. Sumo's rules forbid the general stuff you'd expect like eye gouging, groin shots, etc, but the only real sumo specific rules are no closed fists and no hair pulling. Last tournament had a lot of western fans up in arms as they were reminded that while sumo largely involves pushing and throws, it is still very much a combat sport and Hakuho hasn't had anyone that could stand toe-to-toe with him in a long time.
Do they allow foot stomps in Sumo? It's allowed in MMA and it occasionally gets absolutely vicious. See: The first Usman vs Masvidal fight. It's typically not very effective at outright winning a...
Do they allow foot stomps in Sumo? It's allowed in MMA and it occasionally gets absolutely vicious. See: The first Usman vs Masvidal fight.
It's typically not very effective at outright winning a fight, unless the receiver gets unlucky and it breaks a bone in their foot, but regardless the receiver is pretty much guaranteed to be in agony every time they take a step the next few weeks afterwards. So it's usually frowned upon for being a cheap shot, and unnecessarily cruel, despite still being perfectly legal. Chris Leben was known for them back in the day, hence his "The Crippler" moniker, and also why he was so despised as a fighter... though his frequent "accidental" eye-gouges during fights certainly contributed to that too.
There's nothing specifically restricting it, but it would be utterly ineffective in sumo. For one, these guys are big; big bodies, big bellies, they simply aren't MMA fighter sizes that can get...
There's nothing specifically restricting it, but it would be utterly ineffective in sumo. For one, these guys are big; big bodies, big bellies, they simply aren't MMA fighter sizes that can get that sort of angle to foot stomp.
Secondly, sumo's most critical aspect is balance; that's not a quick snap of an action shot, that's just warm up before a match. Yoga practitioners have nothing, in regards to balance, on a seasoned rikishi. You try to get in close and lift your foot to try a foot stomp and you're going to be thrown to the ground before you can figure out where your opponents foot might be.
Hello, resident sumo fan here, feel free to check out previous posts for deeper dives or AMA about sumo!
Damn, those slaps from Hakuho looked like they would really really hurt (esp to the ear like he did against his first opponent). I didn't realize that sort of stuff was legal in the ring. Sumo is way more violent than I thought it was. :P
Very much legal and I'm sure they hurt like hell. Sumo's rules forbid the general stuff you'd expect like eye gouging, groin shots, etc, but the only real sumo specific rules are no closed fists and no hair pulling. Last tournament had a lot of western fans up in arms as they were reminded that while sumo largely involves pushing and throws, it is still very much a combat sport and Hakuho hasn't had anyone that could stand toe-to-toe with him in a long time.
Do they allow foot stomps in Sumo? It's allowed in MMA and it occasionally gets absolutely vicious. See: The first Usman vs Masvidal fight.
It's typically not very effective at outright winning a fight, unless the receiver gets unlucky and it breaks a bone in their foot, but regardless the receiver is pretty much guaranteed to be in agony every time they take a step the next few weeks afterwards. So it's usually frowned upon for being a cheap shot, and unnecessarily cruel, despite still being perfectly legal. Chris Leben was known for them back in the day, hence his "The Crippler" moniker, and also why he was so despised as a fighter... though his frequent "accidental" eye-gouges during fights certainly contributed to that too.
There's nothing specifically restricting it, but it would be utterly ineffective in sumo. For one, these guys are big; big bodies, big bellies, they simply aren't MMA fighter sizes that can get that sort of angle to foot stomp.
Secondly, sumo's most critical aspect is balance; that's not a quick snap of an action shot, that's just warm up before a match. Yoga practitioners have nothing, in regards to balance, on a seasoned rikishi. You try to get in close and lift your foot to try a foot stomp and you're going to be thrown to the ground before you can figure out where your opponents foot might be.