SUMO WRESTLING RETURNS TO THE 2026 OLYMPIA, AND IT’S BIGGER THAN EVER

For over 60 years, the Olympia has been the cornerstone of bodybuilding, but there is another sport with multiple decades of greatness in association with the iconic “O” that may come as a surprise to many, sumo wrestling.

The kind of physique that comes to mind for sumo is a stark contrast from those typically associated with bodybuilding; power belly versus six-packs, a mawashi instead of posing trunks, and pure mass and power versus symmetry and presentation. But since 2005, the Olympia Sumo championships have been held annually at the Olympia World Fitness Expo under the leadership of multi-time national champion “Sumo Dan” Kalbfleisch. They celebrated 20 years in 2025 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, and Kalbfleisch reported that it was another tremendous event for his sport.

Kalbfleisch said, “Last year was another great year, and I’m even more excited about going back to be a part of the Olympia this year, which will be our 21st.”

The 2026 edition will be at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 25th and 26th, and it will be sure to capture the attention of old and new fans alike. If you have World Fitness Expo tickets, you will have access to both days of action.

Sumo Dan wearing a sumo kimono
Sumo Dan

Train with Sumo Dan Day

Friday, September 25th will be what Kalbfleisch called a training day. People that are new to sumo can learn from Kalbfleisch and step up to see if they have any potential. Events like the Olympia World Fitness Expo and days like this are how his sport grows, which is why he has put this event on for over 20 years now. That day also has personal significance for Kalbfleisch.

“It will be a fun way to spend a birthday,” Kalbfleisch joked. “People that are interested and want to see what it is like can come out on Friday.”

Olympia Expo 2026 events and schedule
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Competition Saturday

Saturday, September 26th is the main event of the weekend, the Olympia Sumo Championships. Men and women in a variety of weight classes will be eligible to step onto the dohyo, the 15-foot diameter circle where they compete, to battle it out for Olympia glory. There will also be an Openweight category where athletes in different weight classes could face each other.

As is the case with bodybuilding, upsets are always possible at Sumo Dan’s Olympia Sumo Championship, but some athletes on the men’s side have earned the reputations as favorites due to past competition success.

Matt Cox

Matt Cox claimed gold in the Lightweight division one year ago, and he will be back to go for back-to-back championships. Cox also has experience as a middleweight, but it’s unknown which category he will enter this year.

Angel Delatorre

Angel Delatorre claimed first in the heavyweight group, and he took bronze in the openweight category. He has qualified for the World Games in the past and is coming off a silver medal performance at the 2026 US Sumo Open.

Larry Velasquez

Aside from sumo, Larry Velasquez is also in law enforcement and is a motorsports writer. He has only been in the sport for a couple of years but claimed his first Olympia medal in 2025 when he took bronze as a heavyweight. There’s a chance that Delatorre and Velasquez could be vying for gold again in 2026.

Cornelius Booker

The 2025 Olympia Sumo Light-Heavyweight champion was Cornelius Booker, and he has two US Sumo national championships to his credit. The founder of Florida Sumo will be a force to be reckoned with in 2026 and could very well leave Vegas with another gold medal.

Ryan White

Ryan White was the bronze medalist in the light-heavyweight category one year ago, and he has experience in other divisions as well. He has been involved with this sport going back to the 2010’s and will be in the mix again this year.

Zach Johnson-Dunlop

Zach Johnson-Dunlop was one of Kalbfleisch’s training partners, and he is known as “Double Jeopardy” because of his appearance on the iconic game show. Johnson-Dunlop has been a top 3 All-American Sumo Championship finalist in his career.

To learn more about Sumo Dan and the Olympia Sumo Championship, follow @sumodanusa and @olympiasumo on Instagram.

Expo tickets can be purchased in advance at www.mrolympia.com.



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