Sumo Wrestling

Sumo Wrestling Rules

Match Duration:

Bouts of sumo wrestling are very short mostly less than a minute (sometimes only a few seconds). If a bout lasts for more than four minutes, then the referee calls a mizu-iri (water break) after which the wrestlers return to the position from where they left.

Ranked Divisions:

The sport is divided into six ranking divisions in which the wrestlers are promoted and demoted based on the merit of their winning/losing records in official competitions. The divisions are: makuuchi, jūryō, makushita, sandanme, jonidan and jonokuchi. Wrestlers enter in the lowest jonokuchi division at the beginning and then work their way up to reach the top division.

Winning The Bout:

A bout is won by the wrestler if-

• The wrestler forces his opponent to step out of the dohyo (ring) or
• The wrestler forces his opponent to the ground with any part of the body other than the sole of the feet.