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“THE BIGGEST SHOW ON EARTH” HITS THE THEATER AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN WITH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SUMO ON SATURDAY, APRIL 13
Fan-Favorites “Sandstorm”, “Big Bear” and More Compete in Second WCS Event Streamed Live on TrillerTV
Pre-Sale Tickets Available Today at Noon ET With Code: SOCIAL
Public On Sale Begins Wednesday!
New York, NY (March 4, 2024) – Following their season debut in February, World Championship Sumo (WCS) is back in action on Saturday, April 13 when “The Biggest Show on Earth” takes center stage at The Theater at Madison Square Garden. The event will also be streamed live on TrillerTV.
The International Sumo League (ISL) will present their second WCS show as returning fan-favorites, including Egypt’s “Sandstorm” Oosunaarashi, Russia’s Soslan “Big Bear” Gagloev, Brazil’s Rui Jr. and Egypt’s Kamal “Big Kimo” Basira, continue their quests to be crowned the first ever ISL World Sumo Champion.
Pre-sale tickets for the live event are available today, Monday, March 4, through Wednesday, March 6 at 11 a.m. ET with code: SOCIAL.
Public on sale begins Wednesday, March 6 at 12:00 p.m. ET via Ticketmaster.com and at the Madison Square Garden box office.
“The International Sumo League and I are excited and energized to bring World Championship Sumo to The Theater at Madison Square Garden,” said Noah Goldman, President and of the ISL. “It is fitting that we will be returning to Madison Square Garden with the very best Sumo Fighters in the World to enthrall and entertain our New York area fans. I want to thank Joel Fisher and the MSG Family for welcoming us back and making us feel at home.”
“We are thrilled to welcome the International Sumo League and introduce the very best Sumo wrestlers to our great fans at The Theater at Madison Square Garden on April 13,” said Joel Fisher, executive vice president, Marquee Events and Operations, Madison Square Garden Entertainment. “Sumo wrestling undoubtedly adds to our strong diverse lineup of events and proves Madison Square Garden is the best location for sports and entertainment. We look forward to another exciting night at The Garden featuring the top Rikishi and the tradition of Sumo.”
Sumo, a larger-than-life global sport spectacle, is already contested in over 84 countries around the world. The April 13 event will feature Rikishi (Sumo wrestlers) squaring off in fast-paced, action-packed matches. Winners advance to the next round of competition resulting in the crowning of first, second, third and fourth-place winners. The event will include a minimum of 12 fighters competing in up to a total of 42 one-on-one bouts.
In the inaugural WCS event, held February 18, in front of a sold-out, 5,142 crowd at Prudential Center in Newark, Sandstorm defeated Big Bear in the third battle of the best-of-three match format to capture the trophy and maintain his first place standing in the ISL Grand Prix points race. Along his way to the WCS 1 title, Sandstorm defeated Eslam Ibrahim 2-0, newcomer Tenzan Zaya 2-1, and Mohamed Kamal 2-1, before toppling archrival Big Bear in the final.
Sumo (Ozumo) is an ancient form of wrestling whose origins go back to the Yayoi period (c. 300 BCE – c. 300 CE). Sumo is the national sport of Japan. Sumo wrestlers continue to be regarded as sacred in Japan today, especially those who win tournaments and acquire the prestigious title of Yokozuna, or grand champion.
The modern form of the sport took shape around 1684, when rules were created that are still adhered to today. After a series of varying rituals, two Sumo wrestlers face each other standing on a raised square platform made of compact clay that measures precisely 18.7 feet on each side. The ring, or dohyo, is a perfect circle with a diameter of 15 feet.
The winner of the bout must either push his opponent out of the ring or force him to the ground within three minutes. If any part of a wrestler's body besides his feet touches the floor, he has lost. The winner of a Sumo match wins two of three bouts between the competitors.
Giants of the sporting world, Sumo wrestlers generally weigh in at approximately 330 pounds, but some of the largest competitors can tip the scales at over 450 pounds.
World Championship Sumo is supercharged with power, skill, and unbelievable energy, like watching two large trucks colliding over and over again all evening!
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ABOUT INTERNATIONAL SUMO LEAGUE
International Sumo League (ISL) aims to deliver “The Biggest Show on Earth” and is dedicated to promoting and growing the sport of Sumo wrestling through its premium live matches and events, along with accompanying video, betting, merchandising and social media offerings.
For more information visit www.wcsumo.com.
