Sumo v. TKD
Ohhh, you guys are sooooooo doggone humorous! As someone who is an active sumo, I would not get into the Octagon or anywhere else with a TKD practitioner. Then again, I don't train at all.
However.........Bri Thai, you are right. There are many in Japan and elsewhere who do have the ability to take on any striker or grappler. I have trained in Japan and Hawaii with some of the most athletic, strongest, flexible big men on the planet. Many have extensive judo or jiu-jitsu experience. Mainoumi, who was the tiniest of the recent stars at 5-7, 220, studied judo and aikido as well. The utter power that Akebono had was frightening to witness up close. I actually took a very light shot from Konishiki during a demonstration that I felt in my heart. Imagine if he were actually fighting you!
With the exception of Koji Kitao, who was a grand champion, or yokozuna (although one dubiously promoted and later disgraced), no high-level sumotori has been involved in NHB/MMA. Kitao was stuck in a bad situation when the ref stopped his UFC fight, but he might have been able to recover. Same with Teila Tuli, whom I know.
Many sumotori have good standing and ground grappling skills, and within sumo (and sumai, the combat art from which it descends) there are many throws, trips and slaps that can be used in unarmed combat.
And, most importantly, sumotori do train to absorb impacts to the head and body. I personally saw Naminohana, also a smaller competitor who is now retired, practice buchikamashi (smashing in head-first) by attacking the teppo pole (where you practice thrusts and strikes) headfirst. He was smashing his head into the pole, and you could hear the impact from quite far away.
And yes, the muscularity of the average sumotori is quite extensive and impressive - fat covered or not.
Speaking of other arts' practitioners - I saw Carlos Newton at the North American Sumo Championships in Toronto a couple of weeks ago.........
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