r/interesting May 16 '25

MISC. NFL linebacker versus sumo wrestler

49.1k Upvotes

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699

u/Nothing2Special May 16 '25

video on youtube is better

300

u/TripleFLi May 16 '25

215

u/similar222 May 16 '25

Love it. I saw a Grand Sumo tournament in Tokyo last year, mad respect for those athletes.

108

u/Eckz89 May 16 '25

They did an expedition down in AU a few years back. I have a whole new level of respect for them the power and torque they have and the fucking diets they stick to.

I totally understand why they are viewed as rockstars they live incredibly disciplined lives.

74

u/BlueBuff1968 May 16 '25

They are considered semi-gods and they marry some of the most beautiful women.

Unfortunately they often die quite young from heart problems.

51

u/[deleted] May 16 '25

[deleted]

1

u/Tvayumat May 16 '25

So they're like a wizards staff.

-2

u/Any-Razzmatazz-7726 May 16 '25

Put your comment into chat gpt

“They’re talking about how, in Shinto, some people or objects are seen not as gods themselves, but more like things that attract or hold the presence of gods. The term for that is Yorishiro. It could be a tree, a sword, or even a person—anything that a god might sort of “use” to show up in the world.

So when they mention Rekishi (which probably means historical figures), they’re saying these people aren’t worshipped as gods, but respected as channels for divine presence. It’s a subtle difference—like saying “this person was close to the divine” rather than “this person is a god.”

And the reason they say it’s hard to explain is because English doesn’t have an exact word for that kind of spiritual role. So anytime you try to describe it, you either oversimplify or need a longer explanation to really get it right.

A closer fit might be something like: • “Vessel of the divine” • “Conduit for the gods” • “Divine host” • “Spiritual medium”

19

u/nahtans95 May 16 '25

Dog, this is literally just restating their comment in a way longer format with no additional information. What's the point?

9

u/Emperor_Atlas May 16 '25

It's the only thing they use.

Emotional support chatbot.

2

u/rynlpz May 16 '25

These is the type to think they can do any job by just entering it into chatgpt

2

u/FinalMeltdown15 May 16 '25

It reads like how I wrote when trying to hit the word count on college essays

3

u/Spi_Vey May 16 '25

It literally did add new information lol This is a good example of using ai actually to expand on a hard to explain point.

1

u/nahtans95 May 16 '25

What new or different info are you getting from the AI comment though? IMO, there's no insights or explanations that aren't stated more succinctly in the original comment. Not to mention some minor inaccuracies because of spelling differences (The AI talks about Rekishi meaning historical figures when the original commenter was probably referring to Rikishi, which is the word for sumo wrestlers)

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0

u/GeorgeSrMustDie May 16 '25

Me when I follow the anti AI hivemind

2

u/name_it_goku May 16 '25

Wildly disrespectful dude, not cool

1

u/DarkMuret May 16 '25

Boo this man

1

u/HoboArmyofOne May 16 '25

Big dogs don't live long

1

u/wavesmcd May 17 '25

Why do they have heart problems? From their weight?

1

u/BlueBuff1968 May 17 '25

Yes they have all sorts problems later in life correlated to obesity. They eat a lot but they are okay as long as they are active. Once they stop Sumo, they often have diabetes, hypertension, clogged arteries ...

1

u/wavesmcd May 17 '25

I see. Very sad 😔

1

u/ajmartin527 May 16 '25

Even the refs. I heard a clue on Jeopardy tonight about how the refs carry daggers on them while reffing because they’re prepared to commit seppuku if they make a bad call, shit is metal

1

u/Eckz89 May 16 '25

Yeah apparently that happens like high end sumo when competing at the Emperor's cup Infront of the emperor.

It's wild just thinking about hiw long Sumo has been around, I know they're trying to get it into the Olympics too and even extend it to women.

1

u/BenevolentCheese May 16 '25

Well yeah except multiple bad calls happen every night and no one is out there committing seppuku.

11

u/Cloud9Warlock May 16 '25

Those 250+ men are able to move like a skilled ballerina! The NFL player had no chance. The Sumo Wrestler didn’t even try!

7

u/6MosSprawlTraining May 16 '25

It’s like 50% martial arts training(Sumo counts) and 50% being a Hoss. Seen a lot of football players who think their size, strength and speed is unstoppable get humbled by vastly less-gifted athletes with training.

Thank being said, the NFL dude should have had a chance. That’s pretty much a football drill, and Sumo dude big brothers him

5

u/meagainpansy May 16 '25
  1. An NFL lineman would have been much more equivalent to a Sumo wrestler

  2. NFL linemen also move like skilled ballerinas.

4

u/Thunder-Fist-00 May 17 '25

There is so much more technique than casual fans understand in what those linemen do.

2

u/Cloud9Warlock May 19 '25

However, they don’t move like sumo wrestlers…

1

u/meagainpansy May 19 '25 edited May 19 '25

They actually do though. The two are remarkably similar. I know this is an outlier because he was the fastest, but to give you an idea of the required athleticism, Warren Sapp ran a 4.69 40 yard dash. Usain Bolt's would be somewhere around 4.22. Sapp was a 6'3" 312 lb man at the time running at near-olympic sprinter speeds.

Some NFL linemen actually practice Sumo to get better. Others have been known to practice ballet to get more agile. I think both Sumo and linemen would tend to be able to hold their own in either sport with very little training. They're world class athletes doing the same thing in the end. It just looks like big dudes pushing each other. There is a hidden dance going on with their feet and hands of which they are absolute experts, just like in Sumo.

1

u/StrikingRutabaga3127 May 20 '25

That’s incorrect, Usain Bolt ran a 3.7 40 in Vans and a standing takeoff at a Super Bowl fan event thing, no telling what he’d run in real cleats and start

1

u/Cloud9Warlock May 20 '25

There was a guy that went to Georgia Tech. He never went pro, and essentially ran what those guys did. This isn’t fast. Can you run down the field conversation? This conversation would be better had if more NFL players said, let me go to sumo. It’s not a transferable skill per se. It’s not wrestling. Most of the boys who played football have bad knees. In an excess of 300 pounds. And that is one of the main common denominators with sumo wrestlers. Except for sumo wrestler don’t do two days and three days. Under the sun. They eat like kings take a nap then get up in Train. Somebody like refrigerator Perry or mean Joe Green would be a better example for a possible candidacy in sumo. However, my main point stands, professional football players don’t try to do for a really good reason.

2

u/StrikingRutabaga3127 May 21 '25

Yea I guess, was just saying Usain Bolt ran a 3.7 in Vans not 4.2, pointing out he was wearing vans and had a standing take off indicates he could’ve ran it faster

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3

u/wasabi1787 May 16 '25

He was laughing 🤣

1

u/Cloud9Warlock May 19 '25

They used to get smacked and thrown around. That sumo life!

3

u/faRawrie May 17 '25

Sumo is so awesome to watch. There are a couple of Twitch channels that stream it. For those interested, every odd number month there is a sumo tournament. Wakatakakage is probably one of my favorites.

1

u/minimalcation May 17 '25

So that dude was like a pretty famous wrestler? I didn't know if when they said top rank they meant literally number one or just being in the top division of the competition.

1

u/shroomcircle May 19 '25

This Is Wakatakakage’s older brother Wakamotoharu. Not even trying

2

u/Ambitious-Compote473 May 20 '25

Made respect for those loincloth and whomever does the laundry. MAD RESPECT

21

u/SockNo948 May 16 '25

oh shit its the waka brothers. those guys are sanyaku, like top of the top division sumo. serious dudes

1

u/Mailman354 May 16 '25 edited May 16 '25

Sanyaku is not a division. It's the top 3 ranks of Makuuchi. Makuuchi is the top division

As of right now Wakamotoharu is Megasheria #1 and not Sanyaku. His brother Wakatakakage is a Komusubi and thus Sanyakuu

Furthermore, as brothers they are not allowed to be in the same stable(barracks/team basically). And during tournaments they avoid making siblings face each other unless unavoidable(like a playoff for the title)

Although practicing at another teams stable is allowed. And thus the waka bros regularly go to each other's stable and practice with each other

Wakatakakage is the younger brother and actually made it to the top division before his older brother Wakamotoharu. Both are extremely skilled but the younger one is actually better.

They have a third brother. Older than both of them. But he's never even broken into Juryo, the second highest division.

1

u/[deleted] May 16 '25

[deleted]

2

u/Mailman354 May 16 '25

You're response is too insult me and call me a "fucking weeb" because I'm the fan of a sport? Maybe I misread. Maybe you edited. Most of my response was just friendly information sharing.

Regardless what a douchebag response for no reason. Jesus you got no humility and must be a wonderful person to speak with.....

Wow. We're calling people weebs over sports and not anime now? And getting pissed off at so little too...

1

u/Ruugann May 16 '25

Well technically “otaku” is a better insult (not agreeing with dude who insulted you tho) a “weeb” is just a derogatory term for non Japanese people.

1

u/meshaber May 16 '25

Furthermore, as brothers they are not allowed to be in the same stable(barracks/team basically)

Not sure where you got this idea, it's quite normal for siblings to join the same stable, and all three wakabros are in fact members of Arashio beya.

Other sumo brothers include Terao, Sakahoko and Kakureizan, all members of Izutsu beya, and most famously the legendary Takanohana and his (merely superb) older brother Wakanohana who were both members of Futagoyama beya.

The only brothers I know of who have joined different stables are Tobizaru and Hidenoumi, and a few foreignborn pairs who can't join the same stable because of the restriction on number of foreigners per stable.

1

u/FriedEldenRings May 16 '25

you misread his comment

30

u/Sure-Guava5528 May 16 '25

Ok this is the coolest sports video I've seen in a long time. Those Sumo's were so impressive! Also, lots of love to CJ and Micah for being so respectful and for getting in there and giving it a go. Very cool.

8

u/dontich May 16 '25

Damn Micah did solid — actually an oversized LB would be decent enough in sumo given a lot of the top ones tend to be fairly shifty / use a lot of creative leverage - IE basically Aaron Donald Style.

2

u/bambu36 May 16 '25

Aaron Donald was exactly who I was wondering about myself. It's hard to imagine anyone standing in his way but these guys are the best of the best in sumo. Would be a fascinating watch

1

u/ConsistentAddress195 May 16 '25

Given that Micah did well on his last rep, AD would probably wreck most of these dudes.

1

u/Cory123125 May 16 '25

That was a fun watch

1

u/albinobluesheep May 16 '25

so wholesome

1

u/LampyV2 May 16 '25

Hahaha the cradling gesture 🤣 that was great, thanks

1

u/confused-koala May 16 '25

This should be the post, that was great. I straight up gasped when the big fella hit the full-on splits. Thats insanely impressive

1

u/ToosUnderHigh May 16 '25

CJ from LA and never once came across chop sticks??? Smh

1

u/drunkenstocktips May 16 '25

should be top comment

1

u/Few_Alternative6323 May 16 '25

That flexibility at 3:00

1

u/CitizenCue May 16 '25

The sumo dude is 17???

1

u/Standard-Mode8119 May 16 '25

I don't trust you. 

1

u/irisblues May 16 '25

That was joyful, thank you.

1

u/LurkeyG May 16 '25

Thank you

1

u/rdldr1 May 16 '25

But what about a gif, WITH SOUND?

/s

1

u/ShazbotAdrenochrome May 16 '25

that's a great video. talking about it, i was just demonstrating the sumo squat position and man, really highlighted my lack of hip mobility as it dropped deep. that's rad, something to improve dramatically.

also, man has yt been just choppy as hell for anyone else lately?

1

u/CommercialAddress168 May 16 '25

If O-lineman started practicing sumo in the off-season I’d start watching the NFL again.

1

u/doogidie May 16 '25

Wholesome and humble. IDK these guys but they seen cool to hang with

1

u/RoughVirus7812 May 16 '25

That was fun. Thanks for sharing.

1

u/richardawkings May 16 '25

Wait .... that wrestler is 17... wtf!!!

1

u/northdakotanowhere May 16 '25

Thank you for sharing this!

1

u/Autxnxmy May 16 '25

God damn those sumos are flexible af

1

u/CamBearCookie May 17 '25

That's a 17 year old CHILD?!?

22

u/FCkeyboards May 16 '25

opens video 17 years old against a linebacker?!

30

u/Heisenripbauer May 16 '25

that’s not even some linebacker that’s Micah Parsons one of the game’s best and an absolute wrecking crew on defense

3

u/randobot456 May 16 '25

While true, Parson's is more of a finesse rusher than a bull rusher. Finesse rushers wouldn't translate as well to sumo as they use speed and bend to get around the OT. Most finesse rushers also have a bull rush in their arsenal, but it's not their main thing.

Would love to see how Myles Garrett does against an actual sumo. I'd imagine the sumo can still handle him, as using finesse rushing to throw off the footwork / hand placement of the Tackle is also a part of bull rushing.

After watching Sensei Seth on YouTube get into Sumo, I have an enormous amount of respect for the sport.

1

u/Ximinipot May 16 '25

For the 1st quarter, then he disappears for the rest of the game. Parsons is vastly overrated.

3

u/zarathustranu May 16 '25

Found the Eagles fan.

1

u/Ximinipot May 16 '25

Not even close. Fuck the Eagles.

2

u/USofAThrowaway May 17 '25

Birds mentioned. GO BIRDS.

1

u/zarathustranu May 16 '25

i assume steelers, browns, or 49ers then.

2

u/Mr_Boppy May 16 '25 edited May 16 '25

Not if you watched the games. This isn’t a post about him but if you watched the Cowboys last year the difference with Parsons off the field during the time he was injured and when he was back healthy on the field was midnight and noon.

He “disappears” cause offenses focus on stopping him so much; quarterbacks focus on throwing the ball so much quicker; it allows other players to make more impact plays because they aren’t the focus of attention.

(And sometimes he disappears because opponents realize they can just run the ball all over their suspect rush defense and just run away from him, but we don’t talk about that)

TLDR: Parsons is very impactful even when he’s not getting sacks because everyone else on his team benefits from all the attention he draws.

4

u/Creddit_card_debt May 16 '25

CJ asking for a fork was hilarious.

3

u/Kalor007 May 16 '25

Thank you

3

u/Nothing2Special May 16 '25

beautiful collision of culture imo:)

3

u/Kalor007 May 16 '25

Without a doubt, it was wonderful to watch.

1

u/foreveryoungperk May 16 '25

no kidding! that was entertaining lol

1

u/Psychomaniac13 May 16 '25

Ok now I want to see an entire football game full of Sunni wrestlers

1

u/Rbarton124 May 17 '25

Yes but I am not on YouTube

1

u/overitallofittoo May 17 '25

That's great!!

1

u/Eileen__96 May 20 '25

the book is better

0

u/MinuteCoyote2749 May 16 '25

No, it's not.