The 22nd Annual Sumo Open will be held inside the Walter Pyramid on the Cal State Long Beach campus on Saturday, Sept. 10.
The Sumo Open is the largest sumo event in North America, with over 60 total competitors this year. The doors will open at noon when preliminary matches begin. The wrestlers who win their preliminary matches will move on to the main event from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
There will be over 100 total matches throughout the afternoon, making the event the “largest and longest-running annual sumo competition” outside of Japan, according to the website. The wrestlers competing in the Sumo Open come from 40 countries across the globe, including Japan, Egypt, Mongolia, Poland, the United States and others.
According to the World History Encyclopedia, Sumo is a form of wrestling that began in Japan during the Yayoi period. The sport incorporates elements of the Shinto religion, and is believed to have originated as a ritual practice. Legends say the first sumo wrestler was Nomi no Sukune, a descendant of the sun goddess Amaterasu.
Japanese drinks such as Sapporo Beer and Hakutsuru Sake will be available for purchase.
Ticket prices vary depending on seat location. Ringside seats cost $100, VIP floor seats cost $75, lower bleacher seats cost $45 and upper bleacher seats cost $30. CSULB students can qualify for a discount on general admission tickets by contacting the box office.
Tickets can be purchased online at usasumo.com. Children ages 5 and under are free.
