As the largest and longest-running, annual sumo competition worldwide, outside of Japan, the US Sumo Open is the first domestic event to bring Pro Sumo Grand Champions as special guests, the first to pioneer women’s matches in American tournaments, the first to feature multiple World Sumo Champions in a single event, and the first to include former top-ranked Pro Sumo wrestlers in competition!
Since 2001, the annual US Sumo Open has been a hallmark event, setting milestones in international sumo’s growth, including multiple national TV broadcasts on Universal Sports Network. We’re proud to be pioneers in developing this ancient martial art in the United States.
The competition level is also spectacular, with over 953 international athletes from 42 countries who have wrestled in 2,882 matches, in the first 25 years. Most of these competitors have been National or World Sumo Champions. This is the only sumo event in North America where you can catch this caliber of international sumo, every year.
ARCHIVES
2026 US SUMO OPEN – 26th Annual
Saturday, May 9, 2026
Walter Pyramid @ California State Long Beach
The 2026 was ground-breaking. In the Openweight division, the 4 semi-finalists were ONLY around 200 pounds each! A full-house witnessed some shocking upsets, amazing comebacks, and lots of drama in this 26th annual competition
2025 US SUMO OPEN – 25th Annual
Saturday, May 10, 2025
Walter Pyramid @ California State Long Beach
Over 4,500 fans, the most ever, filled the stadium! Athletes from 9 countries fought in 126 back-to-back bouts, with lots of drama and close calls. Foreigners dominated, as usual, in all the men’s categories, but an American lady went undefeated. After getting bronze last year, Mendee came back to re-claim gold for the 3rd time in 4 years. Former Sekiwake Ichinojo was special guest again!
2024 US SUMO OPEN – 24th Annual
Saturday, MAY 11, 2024
Walter Pyramid @ California State Long Beach
Former Sekiwake Ichinojo (Pro Sumo legend) was special guest, as foreign athletes (from Japan, Mongolia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Egypt, and Venezuela) took ALL 15 medals in the men’s divisions. The #1 international sumo referee from Japan, Mr. Urashima was head official for a packed crowd of 4,000 pumped-up fans!
2023 US SUMO OPEN – 23rd Annual
Saturday, MAY 20, 2023
Walter Pyramid @ California State Long Beach
Over 4,000 fans packed the Pyramid for 148 action-packed matches. Foreigners won gold medals in all divisions they fought in. Phenom Mendee was perfect for the second year in a row, going 27-0 in 2022 and 2023!
2022 US SUMO OPEN – 22nd Annual
Saturday, SEPTEMBER 10, 2022
Walter Pyramid @ California State Long Beach
Over 3,500 people filled the stadium for 150 dramatic matches, with major upsets and surprises! Foreign teams dominated again, winning all 5 men’s gold medals, as only 3 American men even won any medals at all. One man, Mendee from Mongolia, made history, by winning 14 out of 14 matches, for a perfect record!
2021 US SUMO OPEN – 21st Annual
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2021
Los Angeles, California
Returning to Little Tokyo, the event featured 154 intense bouts. For the first time ever (in 21 years), most men’s gold medals were captured by Americans. The heaviest collision yet (1,000 pounds) occurred as 488-pound and 512-pound competitors went head-to-head! Fans went wild.
2020 US SUMO OPEN – 20th Annual
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2020
Los Angeles, California
For the 20th Anniversary US Sumo Open (April 25), almost all 5,000 seats were already sold out by early-March, but the event was rescheduled to October 24 due to pandemic restrictions. Even on a smaller scale, 33 wrestlers from 6 countries competed in 98 intense matches! Unfortunately, the competition was not open to the public.
2019 US SUMO OPEN – 19th Annual
SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 2019
Walter Pyramid @ California State Long Beach
The 19th annual US Sumo Open was spectacular, as nearly 5,000 fans watched 64 international sumo wrestlers in 198 back-to-back matches! Ukraine dominated, winning most gold medals, with only one gold to Japan. Shocking upsets against guys with Pro Sumo pedigree rocked the arena!
2018 US SUMO OPEN – 18th Annual
SATURDAY, MAY 12, 2018
Walter Pyramid @ California State Long Beach
This event featured some really spectacular matches, an extremely fast pace, and like last year, a demonstration of skill overcoming size!
There was also a dramatic shift of power from Mongolia and Japan . . to Russia and Ukraine, as fewer Asian competitors showed up this year, and those that did were plagued by injuries and upsets. Meanwhile, the Russian-speaking contingent was relentless.
2017 US SUMO OPEN – 17th Annual
SATURDAY, JUNE 17, 2017
Walter Pyramid @ California State Long Beach
This was the most dramatic competition yet! Former champions reclaimed glory, records were set, and a 245-pound athlete won the Openweight title!
The theme of 2017 was “upset city”, with many “smaller” wrestlers toppling the giants. Technique was king, and the audience got their money’s worth, as big man after big man fell off the stage.
2016 US SUMO OPEN – 16th Annual
SATURDAY, MAY 21, 2016
Walter Pyramid @ California State Long Beach
Byamba reclaimed glory, with a 13-0 record, winning both heavyweight and openweight divisions, undefeated. The competition level was spectacular, attracting many medallists from the World Sumo Championships, including Aron Rozum (Poland) and Batyr Altyev (Russia). Even Olympic wrestling gold medallist Karam Gaber, trying sumo for the first time, could not get past the quarter-finals in the middleweight division!
2015 US SUMO OPEN – 15th Annual
SATURDAY, AUGUST 8, 2015
Walter Pyramid @ California State Long Beach
Nearly 4,000 fans watched history being made, as Byamba’s 8-year streak of gold medals was ended at last by Egypt’s Ramy Elgazar and Roy Sims (USA). In fact, Roy Sims became the first American EVER to win a US Sumo Open gold medal in either men’s heavyweight or openweight!
2014 US SUMO OPEN – 14th Annual
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2014
Walter Pyramid @ California State Long Beach
A total of 57 elite sumo wrestlers competed in 147 matches, for 5 hours, in front of 3,500 fans! Special guest former “Yamamotoyama” of Pro Sumo fame was serve as head judge. The 2014 US Sumo Open aired as a two-hour special on national TV, 10 times, on Universal Sports Network.
2013 US SUMO OPEN – 13th Annual
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2013
JACCC Plaza, Los Angeles, CA
Nearly 4,000 people showed up to watch, at a venue with 3,000 seats. The packed crowd saw Byamba continued his amazing winning streak, by capturing the gold medal for the 7th year in a row, completely unprecedented! Byamba’s unforgettable “Sumo Slam” (which even shook the internet!) brought sumo awareness worldwide to a new level.
2012 US SUMO OPEN – 12th Annual
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2012
JACCC Plaza, Los Angeles, CA
The US Sumo Open returned to historic Little Tokyo, where multi-time heavyweight & openweight past medalists Byambajav Ulambayar, Bayanbat Davaadalai, Kelly Gneiting, and Siosifa Isamau all medaled again in 2012, in some exciting re-matches from years past.
2011 US SUMO OPEN – 11th Annual
SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 2011
Riviera Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, NV
A strong field of athletes from nine countries competed in the US Sumo Open’s Las Vegas debut. Not surprisingly, the male and female World Champions both swept their heavyweight and openweight divisions, as Byamba (men’s champion) went 9-0, and Sylwia (women’s champion) went 6-0.
2010 US SUMO OPEN – 10th Annual
SUNDAY, AUGUST 22, 2010
Anaheim Sheraton Park Hotel, Anaheim, CA
Mongolians won most of the men’s medals, even as other foreigners (from Tonga and Canada) came close, as the event took place for the first time in Orange County, in front of an over-capacity crowd. Byamba continued his gold medal winning streak, for the 4th year in a row!
2009 US SUMO OPEN – 9th Annual
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2009
Redondo Beach, CA
Coupled with the US Sumo Open competition, fans got a chance to meet with, eat with, and take photos with the sumo wrestlers at the conclusion of the matches. This “Sumo Bash” was truly a new sumo experience for many hard-core fans, and as expected, Mongolians led the way.
2008 US SUMO OPEN – 8th Annual
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2008
Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Byambajav Ulambayar defeated giant Petar Stoyanov for the third consecutive time in the US Sumo Open (in the men’s heavyweight), but Petar then upset Byamba in the last match of the day — the Openweight Finals — to win his own gold medal! Other Mongolians were remarkable, too.
2007 US SUMO OPEN – 7th Annual
SATURDAY, APRIL 7, 2007
Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Mongolian athletes captured every single men’s gold medal, and the only Mongolian female athlete won each class that she competed in. Foreign athletes controlled nearly every weight class. Of 12 men’s medals, 11 were captured by Europeans and Asians, with only one medal going to an American.
2006 US SUMO OPEN – 6th Annual
SUNDAY, APRIL 9, 2006
Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, CA
The competition level at the 6th annual was higher than at all past events, with 47 of the world’s top sumo wrestlers competing for prestige, prizes, and cash. As in years past, international teams dominated, as the 18 foreign athletes won most of the medals (13 out of 23). In fact, foreign athletes won gold medals in all 7 divisions they competed in!
2005 US SUMO OPEN – 5th Annual
SATURDAY, MARCH 19, 2005
Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, CA
Teams from around the world, headlined by a powerful Japanese team, met in the ring, held on an elevated stage (a first for international tournaments in this country). World Champion Kato was dominant, with other Japanese and foreign wrestlers taking most medals, in front of a packed crowd.
2004 US SUMO OPEN – 4th Annual
TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 2004
The New Otani Hotel & Garden, Los Angeles, CA
The 4th annual was filled with action and drama, as some of the world’s greatest amateur sumo athletes competed. Fierce rivalries among international competitors were highlighted in several semi-final and final matches. One of sumo’s greatest Yokozuna (Grand Champions) ever, MUSASHIMARU, attended from Japan, and was joined by a fellow pro, who officiated.
2003 US SUMO OPEN – 3rd Annual
SUNDAY, AUGUST 3, 2003
Manhattan Country Club, Manhattan Beach, CA
Retired Yokozuna (Grand Champion) AKEBONO attended as special guest. Among the 31 international sumo athletes, many of the 2002 champions met again in the final rounds, with foreign teams dominating again. AKEBONO demonstrated sumo, taught international teams, commentated, and even joined in some matches at the end!
2002 US SUMO OPEN – 2nd Annual
SUNDAY, AUGUST 25, 2002
UCLA John Wooden Center, Los Angeles, CA
This competition featured 50 international sumo champions from 13 countries, including several national and world champions! The competition was fierce, dominated by foreign teams. American athletes only did well in the men’s lightweight, while a group of well-trained European teams took most of the medals.
2001 US SUMO OPEN – 1st Annual
SATURDAY, AUGUST, 4, 2001
UCLA John Wooden Center, Los Angeles, CA
Retired professional sumo champion KONISHIKI and two-time amateur World Sumo Champion Svetoslav Binev attended as special guests. From 9 nations, a total of 25 sumo competitors, including Japanese University Champions, battled in the ring, in this inaugural event.
