Big Joe Isamau, the current California Heavyweight Champion, competed in his first US Sumo Open. He had some tough matches with top heavyweight competitors, including 2-time World Champion Byambajav Ulambayar. Check out Joe’s US Sumo Open photos.
Joe is all smiles after losing to Byamba.
Group portrait.
Facing my training partner, Tamir Dolgormaa.
Facing Kelly Gneiting.
Receiving my prize.
See even more US Sumo Open photos on flickr.
My new sponsor, Eric The Trainer, came out to support me at the US Sumo Open. I’m the first athlete to wear the logo of his new division, Eric The Trainer Fight (dedicated to promoting fitness through combative sports).
Eric The Trainer suggests I out-muscle my opponents.
Wearing the Eric The Trainer Fight logo on my mawashi.
Eric The Trainer watches as I prepare to battle Tamir.
My intense struggle with Karsten Grap of Germany.
A great start against Petar Stoyanov of Bulgaria.
Thanks again to Eric and the Eric The Trainer crew for coming out to support me and the sport of sumo. Keep an eye out for me as I work with Eric The Trainer on future events to promote fitness.
Here are some photos I found on the LAist website.
Byamba, Kelly and I joking around before the Heavyweight finals.
Kelly doing an interveiw for a Canadian documentary about sumo.
Heavyweight medalists (Me, Byamba, Petar)
Check out more US Sumo Open photos from Kemp Powers.
The 8th Annual US Sumo Open was held this past Saturday at the Los Angeles Sports Arena. This had to be the most exciting US Sumo Open to date. There were great athletes, great matches, and even greater fans.
Last year’s Lightweight Champion Munkhjargal Ulziibayar came back to defend his title. He did so with conviction, defeating all lightweight competitors includung: US Champ Trent Sabo, Jovann Rushing, newcomer Peter Panayotopoulos, and fan favorite Art Morrow.
Erdenebileg Alagdaa, who won the Lightweights in 2006, couldn’t cut the weight, so he competed as a Middleweight. Alagdaa ended up winning, but with stiff competition from my training partner Robert Ashworth (who took 2nd) and Kelly Gneiting’s find from Idaho, Rye McAfee (who took 3rd).
The top two Heavyweight spots remained the same from last year. Byamba took 1st and Petar from Bulgaria took 2nd. This was my first time competing as a heavyweight at the US Suom Open. I lost a few matches against Petar and Bayanbat Davaadalai from Mongolia, but ended up winning against my training partner Tamir Dolgormaa, then Karsten Grap to take the bronze.
This is the only photo I’ve gotten from the event. Me vs Karsten Grap.
The Openweight division was also full of upsets. Petar finally got his win over Byamba. My good friend Kelly Gneiting (who I took the US Heavyweight Title from this year) got his revenge and beat me for the Openweight bronze.
I’ll give more US Sumo Open commentary when I get more photos. If you have any, send them to me.
2008 US Sumo Open Results - September 6th, 2008
Women’s Openweight
Men’s Lightweight
Men’s Middleweight
Men’s Heavyweights
Men’s Openweights
Thick…Meaty…Hot…Strong…Sweet…Spicy…Perfect
These words were not only used to describe me, but my Sumo Chili that I was dishing out at the Malibu Chili Cook-Off this weekend. People seemed to love Sumo Chili, and many of my new fans plan on cheering me on at the US Sumo Open. This event not only helped raise money for the Kiwanis Club of Malibu, but the rest of the money we earned will go towards my plane ticket to Estonia for the Sumo World Championships.
I have to give a special thanks to Gary and Barbi who pretty much did everything but make the chili. It’s great to have friends and fans like these two. In case you didn’t know, Gary is the one who designed the SumoDan logo on my T-shirts. Also, thanks to comedian Robert Schimmel for coming out and supporting me.
In case you were wondering, Sumo Chili did not win the cook-off. Out of 8 judges, only 2 of them ranked me as the winner. Half of the judges thought Sumo Chili was too hot. But my prize was the supportive comments from the public. Nearly half of the people who tried Sumo Chili told us that it was the best tasting chili they ever had.
I know.