Extreme Sumo

This isn’t your mother’s sumo.

It was a sumo ring just like any other. The ring was drawn to the proper dimensions along with the two lines in the middle. There was a small crowd in the arena, but they were silent, all clothed in darkness. Only the ring received any light.

Without any introduction or ceremony, the two combatants approached, from different sides, each woman accompanied by two others, serving as their seconds. All six were dressed in kimonos and wore geisha makeup on their faces, along with black wigs. The sand was warm under the bare feet of the two parties as they awaited the umpire. Shortly, she arrived, also barefoot, clothed in a white kimono, and also wearing the makeup and wig of a geisha.

As if by an unknown signal, both of the competing women shed their kimonos, handing them to one of their seconds. Besides the standard sumo belts, or mawashi, matching sport bras were worn, instead of a leotard, one black, one blue. Both wrestlers were tall, standing between 5’7” and 5’8”, with large frames. Not fat, but with the solid build of a heavyweight weightlifter. Both women looked intently at each other across the ring.

While women’s sumo wrestling was growing in popularity, a female Japanese historian who was also a sumo enthusiast, studied the history of the sport, and wanted to create a version that brought it back to its original roots. Of course there were some things she couldn’t or wouldn’t bring back (like fighting to the death), so she instead modified some things. As a result, she came out with a version that combined the extreme nature of the old days, and the excitement of the new.

The typical sumo match is over when one opponent is pushed out of the ring, or knocked off their feet. In this new modified version, called Extreme Sumo, two falls are allowed. The added factor is once a fall is made, the opponent is allowed to make sure the fallen woman stays down. Stomps, chokes, and standing numbing submission holds were allowed. If a woman is thrown to the ground the first time, they have around fifteen seconds to get back on their feet if their opponent has not intervened. Being pushed or thrown out of the ring the first or second time ends the match immediately.

This type of sumo was only done among heavyweight women, and was previously done only in some corners of Japan as an underground sport. It eventually made its way into the United States, but only among some segments of the Asian-American community.

Because of its more violent nature, this type of sumo was not sanctioned by any women’s sumo organization. In fact, many stables have forbidden their wrestlers to participate in such a contest on threat of expulsion. So primarily independents – wrestlers with no stable, exiles, or adventurers who weren’t content with regular sumo competed.

Small quiet crowds hidden in shadow pay expensive fees to watch the spectacle. The darkness hides their identity. They watch in stoic silence so their voices would not be identified. The wrestlers wear geisha makeup and wigs for the same reason. There have been some professional sumo wrestlers who participated despite the warnings, and their identity must be concealed at all times lest they’d be recognized. These two wrestlers in particular on this night were neither professional sumotori nor independents. They were two Japanese-American women who became involved in the underground sport, and were regulars and favorites among the “hidden” stables scattered here and there around the country.

As expected with an underground sport, this form of sumo was held in secret locations, not all of them accessible to the regular public, or at a normal time. This particular match was held in a standard sumo arena in the Midwest at midnight. Only the night janitor knew what was happening this night, and for opening the doors and his silence, he was paid very well for his trouble.

Before both wrestlers walked to the line to begin, their seconds plucked their wigs off their heads, revealing black hair pulled back in a bun. Next, each wrestler moved to the lines, their starting point, while still maintaining their gaze on the other. As one, they backed up to do their shiko, or stamping, raising one leg up in the air sideways, then stomping it down on the ground, to be repeated with the other leg, neither losing eye contact.

Like any other sumo tournament, the stare does more than just intimidate, it also probes the other’s strategies, defenses, and weaknesses. All of this occurs in little more than a few seconds. Many matches have been won and lost at this point alone.

Each wrestler places one fist behind the starting line. Part of the psychological warfare that follows is when the second fist is placed. For both fists on the line indicates to the umpire that the wrestler is ready. Finally, after a few seconds, one wrestler placed the second fist down. Three long seconds later, the other plants her fist down with authority, sending a little bit of sand flying.

Since both opponents desire to hold on to their anonymity, one will be called “blue,” and the other will be called “black,” after the color of their mawashi and sports bras.

A split-second after the second wrestler planted her fist, the umpire shouted “Ike!” the Japanese word for go. The two tensed bodies fly at each other with surprising speed, colliding with the intensity of a train wreck; terrible, but so alluring and desirous to watch. Pushes, slaps, and palm strikes were next in an effort to move the other over the line, and to win the match outright. However, neither wrestler was going to be defeated that way, and both participants knew that. They both reached for the others’ mawashi.

They moved back and forth inside the ring, trying to find the superior grip and position that would send the other to the sand. Suddenly, black feinted a tug to one side, and as blue was compensating for it, black jerked to the other side, throwing blue hard to the ground.

Blue was momentarily stunned, but she summoned all her strength to roll hard to the right. Her move was successful and just in time, for a split-second later, a bare foot slammed down on the spot where her head would’ve been. Climbing to her feet, blue shot forward, intercepting black’s charge as they wrestled anew. The escape winded blue, leaving her more susceptible to black’s takedown attempts.

Or so she would have black believe. During a failed attempt of a throw, black left herself open just enough for blue to make her move. Thrusting her right leg between both of black’s legs, blue jerked black’s mawashi to the left, causing black to stumble and fall on one knee. Blue evened the tally with one fall each. But blue wasn’t through yet. She seized black’s head and braced the back of her neck against blue’s right leg. Then she wrapped her right arm around black’s neck while pressing down slightly with her left hand, and pulled up. The result was a variation of a rear naked choke.

Suddenly caught in an awkward position, black scrambled to free herself, get some air, and get to her feet at the same time. But blue moved her head back and forth so black could not get a handhold or rise to her feet. Eventually black’s struggles worked against her, and she faded into unconsciousness. Blue politely laid black’s head down and stood to await the umpires’ decision. The referee pointed a white-handed glove to her, declaring her the winner.

With only a nod of the head as acknowledgement, blue walked back to her side of the ring, where her seconds replaced her robe and wig. Black’s seconds rushed into the ring to revive their fallen champion.

There were no applause or cheers as blue and her seconds turned and headed back into the darkness from where they came. Shortly, black and her seconds departed as well, leaving the arena still, until the next match would begin.

If you enjoyed this story, perhaps you may want to read other stories from the Barefoot Heroines collection. There are a variety of stories to choose from. They can be found at http://www.thevalkyrie.com/stories/mongoose/index.htm.

For suggestions, comments, or story ideas, email the author at shrewsberry@juno.com.