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FOUR-HUNDRED-POUND POWER SLAP STAR SIGNS WITH WORLD ELITE SUMO, WILL MAKE HIS PRO SUMO DEBUT IN SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA ON SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 26
MAKINI “BIG MAK” MANU, ALSO A FORMER PRO FOOTBALL PLAYER AND AMATEUR SUMO CHAMPION WILL COMPETE IN THE WORLD ELITE SUMO ONE-NIGHT, OPEN WEIGHT TOURNAMENT AT KAISER PERMANENTE ARENA
TICKETS FOR THE WORLD ELITE SUMO EVENT AT KAISER PERMANENTE ARENA ARE ON SALE NOW
Santa Cruz, CA– August 13, 2026 – World Elite Sumo (WES), the first independent professional sumo wrestling league established outside of Japan’s traditional sumo universe in over 800 years, today announced it has signed 400-pound, number one-ranked Power Slap star, former professional football player and amateur sumo champion Makini “Big Mak” Manu to an exclusive promotional agreement that will commence with Manu’s promotional and professional sumo debut at Kaiser Permanente Arena in Santa Cruz on Saturday, Sept. 26.
Priced from $50, tickets for the World Elite Sumo event are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com.
“Makini Manu has made an impact in competitive sports, including amateur sumo wrestling throughout his life and, with his size and athletic ability, we expect him to have a great career as a professional in World Elite Sumo,” said Abdelrahman “Sandstorm” Shalan, the CEO of World Elite Sumo and one of the league’s competitors.
The previously announced World Elite Sumo event at Kaiser Permanente Arena will be headlined by a one-night, 12-man, open weight tournament that will leave one man standing in the winner’s circle at the end of the night.
Both the 6-foot Manu, who hails from Carson, Calif. and the 6-foot-3, 360-pound Shalan, a native of Egypt and the first professional sumo wrestler in history from The Middle East and African regions of the world, will compete in the event’s tournament.
The 32-year-old Manu, who is of Samoan heritage, has racked up an overall Power Slap record of 6-1, with 3 of his victories having come by way of knockout, since joining the organization as a cast member on the second season of Power Slap’s reality television show in 2023.
Manu is also a former collegiate football player for the University of Utah, where he played one season before transferring to Utah Valley University, an NCAA Division I school, and earning All-American honors as a standout athlete on the university’s rugby team.
Following stints as a professional rugby player and football player for the now-defunct XFL, Manu discovered the sport of sumo wrestling and decided to test himself under amateur status in the sport.
In his first-ever competitive outing at the annual U.S. Sumo Open amateur event in Long Beach, Calif. In 2021, Manu made an immediate impact, compiling an overall 12-2 record in the event’s one-day tournament.
Later that year, he went undefeated with a record of 15-0, earning gold medal honors in both the open weight and heavyweight North American Sumo Championship in Las Vegas.
With his entry into the World Elite Sumo one-night tournament that is slated to be comprised of 12 athletes on September 26, Manu joins the previously announced Shalan as well as Asahisho Kota from Japan; “Rui Junior” representing Brazil; Soslan “Big Bear” Gagloev representing Russia; and Giorgi Kvirchishvilli representing Georgia.
Additional tournament fighters will be announced soon.
World Elite Sumo live events bring together top-level athletes from around the world and feature live taiko drumming, dramatic entrances, and an immersive fight night production that blends athleticism, intensity, and spectacle.
All World Elite Sumo tournament matches will be contested in a best-of-three format, increasing competitive stakes and maintaining a rapid, exciting pace of action.
Doors for the World Elite Sumo event at Kaiser Permanente Arena will open at 6:00 p.m. local time on September 26, and the event will begin at 7:00 p.m.
For more information on World Elite Sumo, log onto www.worldelitesumo.com.
About World Elite Sumo (WES)
World Elite Sumo is a professional combat sports league redefining sumo for a global audience. Founded by former top-division sumo wrestler Abdelrahman “Sandstorm” Shalan, WES combines tradition, discipline, and elite athletic performance with modern production, storytelling, and live entertainment.
Kaiser Permanente Arena
Kaiser Permanente Arena, located in downtown Santa Cruz, California, is the home of the Santa Cruz Warriors, the NBA G League affiliate of the Golden State Warriors. Beyond professional basketball, the versatile facility serves as a vital community hub, hosting civic events, concerts, athletics, and more year-round.
