The All-Star Sumo competition will make its Middle East debut at Space42 Arena in Abu Dhabi on September 26 marking the first professional sumo tournament of this scale in the region. Nine elite wrestlers will participate in a round-robin format featuring 36 rapid-fire bouts with the top performer crowned the inaugural All-Star Sumo Champion in Abu Dhabi. The event is a collaboration between the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi and USA Sumo the organizers said in a statement.
The lineup is headlined by Japan’s Ichi a former sekiwake and Emperor’s Cup winner alongside fellow Japanese wrestler Hiroki who weighs 250 kilograms and Egypt’s Ramy a 10-time national champion. Four of the nine competitors have previously won All-Star Sumo tournaments according to the announcement. The group brings a combined 65 years of professional Japanese sumo experience to the ring.
Bouts can be decided in seconds by forcing an opponent outside the ring or to the ground as wrestlers demonstrate power speed and balance in keeping with sumo traditions. Japan Sumo Association data places the number of active professional wrestlers at roughly 600 across six ranked divisions. The sport which began as a Shinto ritual more than 1,500 years ago has maintained ceremonial elements including ring-entry rituals that will feature prominently in Abu Dhabi.
Audiences will also experience live taiko drumming Japanese-themed food and beverage stalls and sumo merchandise as part of the cultural program the organizers reported. Doors open at 6 p.m. with competition starting at 7 p.m. for the one-night-only event. VIP ticket packages include post-match access for photographs and meetings with the athletes.
The All-Star Sumo series has been staged in multiple cities worldwide since 2014 building an international audience for elite competition outside Japan. Previous tournaments have sold out in American venues demonstrating demand for the format that mixes athletic intensity with longstanding customs. This Abu Dhabi edition extends the series reach into a new region where sumo has limited prior exposure at the professional level.
Tickets are on sale now starting from Dh85 through Platinumlist according to the event partners. Muhammad Yahya general manager of Space42 Arena stated that hosting the competitions for the first time in the UAE adds a distinctive element to the capital’s sporting calendar. The inclusion of Egyptian wrestler Ramy highlights growing Arab interest in the sport which has seen pioneers from the Middle East compete professionally in Japan in recent decades.
