Big men with a bigger tradition - sumo thrives in Waikato

Thursday, 25 June 2026

The ancient sport of sumo mixes tradition, discipline and religious ritual, and is synonymous with Japan.

But in Hamilton, a small group of amateur wrestlers are keeping those traditions alive through the country’s only sumo club.

Waikato Sumo Club trains once a week, with members travelling from as far as Auckland and Palmerston North.

Three of its wrestlers, Dwight Rawson, Lenny Turner and Avaja Nove are heading to Sydney this week to compete at the Oceanic Sumo Championships.

Turner, 23, and Nove, 21, will compete in the heavyweight and open divisions in Sydney, while Rowson will wrestle in the lightweight section.

Rawson, 30, founded the club after becoming hooked on sumo while on his honeymoon in Japan a decade ago.

“Combat sports and martial arts tended to bring out ego and aggression in people,” he said.

“But in sumo, what I love is every match starts and ends with a bow, and there's no smack talk.”

While professional wrestlers in Japan live, eat and train together, the Waikato club takes a more relaxed approach.

“We just kind of get together, have fun, try and do the best we can.”

For Turner and Nove, the sport offered a way back into competition after injuries.

Turner took up sumo while recovering from a rugby injury that left his leg in a cast for 18 months.

“It was good to find another sort of sport I could do without really getting scared I might hurt my knee again.”

Nove joined after being injured playing American football and had doubts at first.

“I didn’t want to get injured again and then I was like, ‘oh no, stop it. You only live once’.”

Matches begin and end with a bow. Wrestlers clap their hands and open their palms to show they carry no weapons before facing off.

Once the bout starts, competitors use grips on their opponent’s belt and clothing to gain leverage, either driving them from the ring or throwing them to the ground.

Showboating after a win while inside the circle is discouraged.

There are misconceptions about the lifestyle, too.

Two-time Oceanic heavyweight champion Filipo Tovio, 37, said his diet focuses on rice, noodles and protein sources such as tuna and pork.

“I’ll go and eat whatever but not overindulge.”

Watching and taking part in a training session quickly dispels the stereotype that sumo is simply two large athletes colliding.

Technique is central to the sport, and in the interests of intrepid journalism, this Waikato Times reporter gave it a go.

Stepping inside to have a go was scary beforehand and it doesn’t help turning up wearing work attire instead of workout clothes.

Shedding the shirt and with the addition of the traditional loin cloth over trousers, at least I’m beginning to look the part.

Training includes moving diagonally across the ring in a squat position without touching the rope boundary.

It was an exercise that left my legs aching the next day.

I sparred with Tovio and he was very generous in coaching during our session.

He told me to grab him by the belt and had me move my shoulder so I could throw him to the ground.

It was fun and I’d seriously consider going back and having a go outside of work.

Wearing the cloth was more comfortable than what I expected. Competitors can either wear compression shorts under the cloth or go traditional and wear nothing.

Tovio said going traditional meant it needed to be snug so that nothing shows - sound advice.