FIRST PROFESSIONAL SUMO LEAGUE OUTSIDE JAPAN TO DEBUT AT PRUDENTIAL CENTER
World Elite Sumo (WES), the first independent professional sumo league established outside Japan in more than 800 years, has officially announced its first international competitors ahead of its inaugural North American tournament.
The event will take place at Prudential Center in Newark and feature a 12-man single-elimination format designed to modernize the ancient sport with cinematic production, live entertainment, and elite heavyweight athletes.
CEO Abdelrahman “Sandstorm” Shalan says the organization aims to build a truly global professional sumo platform combining athleticism, spectacle, and international talent.
CONFIRMED FIGHTERS
Soslan “Big Bear” Gagloev
🇷🇺 Russian
350 lbs • Yotsu-zumo Specialist
Robert “Samoan Bulldozer” Fuimaono
🇼🇸 Samoan
4x U.S Champion
Rui Junior
🇧🇷 Brazilian
22x National Champion
Alejandro “El Caiman” Santana
🇵🇷 Puerto Rican
Aggressive Push-Out Style
Brennen “Titan” Moorefield
🇺🇸 American
Explosive Speed & Power
Jared “ParHammerTime” Parham
🇺🇸 American
Throws & Grappling Expert
Jared “The Long Shot” Tadlock
🇺🇸 American
Tactical Precision & Balance
Edobor Konyeha
🇭🇺 Hungarian-American
2x U.S Champion
🔥 MUST WATCH FORMAT
The tournament features a bracket-style structure with quarterfinals, semifinals, and a championship final alongside live taiko drumming, cinematic entrances, and premium broadcast-level production.
Doors open at 6:00 p.m. with matches beginning at 7:00 p.m., marking one of the most ambitious sumo productions ever staged outside Japan.
