SCOTT DETROW, HOST:
It is the apex of sumo wrestling in Japan.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
ROSS MIHARA: Fast start. Hakuho has the yokozuna in trouble, but he bends a knee.
DETROW: The Tokyo Grand Sumo Tournament comes to an end this weekend. Just ahead of the rise of a new yokozuna, or grand champion, we reached out to NHK sumo announcer Ross Mihara.
MIHARA: Well, I think it's way more than two big fat guys running into each other.
DETROW: Mihara is a veteran sumo wrestling play-by-play announcer for the Japanese public broadcaster. He has been one of the voices calling this two-week tournament, when rankings aren't based on size but on wins.
MIHARA: That's kind of the charm of the sport - yeah. There are no weight classes. So, of course, fans love it when a small guy goes up against a guy who's twice his size and twice his weight.
DETROW: Beyond the collision of beefy men in a small dirt ring, it's the technique, finesse and stamina that win matches.
MIHARA: So as far as who wins a match and who loses a match, there's nothing lost in translation. And it's very easy to understand, right? There's a ring, you know, if you touch with any body part other than the soles of your feet, you lose. So if you, you know, put a hand down or you lose your balance or whatever or if you step out of the ring, then you also lose.
DETROW: The top sumo superstars find themselves in the ring 15 times in 15 days.
MIHARA: It is a combat sport. But sumo is not just a sport. It's a lifestyle for these athletes. So it's a really harsh way to make a living. But for these guys, they're all very dedicated.
DETROW: And the fans packing the Tokyo dojo enjoy the continuous battles, but they're all there to see one wrestler rise to the top - Onosato.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: (Speaking Japanese).
(CHEERING)
MIHARA: Onosato trying to fend off - Onosato...
(CHEERING)
MIHARA: ...Has that inside position, morozashi. This looks...
(CHEERING)
MIHARA: ...Good for Wakatakakage. But the gunbai goes to Onosato.
This guy, Onosato, is called the Shohei Ohtani of sumo now - yeah - since he's so much better than everyone else.
DETROW: Now, with only one match left, it is up to the giant men in the small ring to crown a sumo champ. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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