Abu Dhabi to stage UAE’s first international professional sumo competition this month
Nine champions from three nations will compete across 36 bouts
ABU DHABI – Abu Dhabi is set to welcome a historic sporting spectacle this month as the UAE hosts its first international professional sumo competition.
The All-Star Sumo Competition, organised by the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), will take place at Space42 Arena on September 26.
The event will bring one of Japan’s oldest sporting traditions to the capital, featuring elite competitors from across the world.
Elite field
Nine professional rikishi from Japan, Mongolia and Egypt will face off across 36 bouts. The line-up includes athletes with world championship titles, Emperor’s Cup honours and decades of professional competition experience.
Japan’s Ichi will headline the competition after securing the Emperor’s Cup, the highest honour in Japanese professional sumo. Fellow Japanese competitor Hiroki, recognised as one of the sport’s largest active athletes, will also take part.
Mongolia’s Mendee adds further international pedigree to the field, having won both the Junior World Sumo Championship and the International Sumo Championship. Egypt’s Ramy El-Gazar, an internationally decorated champion, will represent the sport’s growing presence beyond its traditional Japanese base.
Traditional spectacle
The competition will feature more than the bouts, with spectators able to witness a formal ring-entering procession and traditional pre-bout rituals. The programme is designed to showcase key elements of sumo’s centuries-old customs alongside the professional contests.
Space42 Arena General Manager Mohamad Yehya said bringing professional sumo to the UAE would give audiences an opportunity to experience the sport and its traditions up close.