Sumo wrestling
USA middleweight contender Miguel del Gallego gets ready for his bout in the 2015 U.S. Sumo Open Saturday in Long Beach.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Heavyweight wrestlers are introduced at the 15th annual U.S. Sumo Open in Long Beach.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Mongolia’s Erdenebileg Alagdaa, left, is taken down by Egypt’s Ramy Belal during the 15th annual U.S. Sumo Open in Long Beach.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Byamba takes down teammate Davaanyam Altangerel at the U.S. Sumo Open in Long Beach. Byamba is already an eight-time champion in the heavyweight division at the U.S. Sumo Open.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Egypt’s Ramy Elgazar celebrates his victory over USA’s Roy Sims in the 2015 U.S. Sumo Open Saturday in Long Beach.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Mongolian Davaanyam Altangeral is thrown off the mat by another wrestler during the heavyweight class of the 15th annual U.S. Sumo Open in Long Beach.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)USA heavyweight contender Zachary Johnson-Dunlop gets ready for his bout in the 15th annual U.S. Sumo Open Saturday in Long Beach.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)A wrestler warms-up under the grandstands before his bout in the 15th annual U.S. Sumo Open in Long Beach.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)After a long flight, a Mongolian wrestler sleeps before the 15th annual U.S. Sumo Open Saturday in Long Beach.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)At the U.S. Sumo Open, a wrestling practice session gets accompanied by drums and a drink-carrying waitress casually passes.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Mongolia’s Byamba tapes his toes before the 15th annual U.S. Sumo Open in Long Beach.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Sumo wrestlers in the lightweight division stretch before a workout at Cal St. Long Beach before the 15th annual U.S. Sumo Open Saturday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Sumo lightweight wrestlers stretch before a workout at Cal St. Long Beach before the 15th annual U.S. Sumo Open Saturday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Uzbekistan lightweight sumo wrestler Askarali Ibotov walks away after making weight at Cal St. Long Beach before the 15th annual U.S. Sumo Open Saturday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Awaiting a “SportsCenter” taping on Tuesday, Japanese sumo wrestler Yama watches employees walk by at the ESPN studios in Los Angeles.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Sumo wrestler Yama, who weighs 600 pounds, waits inside the green room at the ESPN studios before a taping of “SportsCenter” in Los Angeles.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Mongolian sumo wrestler Byamba, left, shares a laugh with Japan’s Yama as they stretch in the green room at the ESPN studios in Los Angeles.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Yama plays with a TV camera as Byamba looks on at the ESPN studios in Los Angeles.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Sumo wrestler Yama, who weighs 600 pounds, takes a break in the ESPN studios before a taping of “SportsCenter” in Los Angeles.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Sumo wrestlers Yama, left, and Byamba take a souvenir photo before a taping of “SportsCenter” at the ESPN studios in Los Angeles.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)