in recorded history.

(rhythmic drumming)

(peaceful flute music)

(upbeat jazz music)

- I wrestled through high school.

I placed sixth in my division.

- If another man hop up against another man

and the flesh press, and the other man go down,

that man who goes down is not a man.

The man who's standin' is a man.

- I pretty much, I have sort of a natural athletic ability.

I can not work out or work out, same results.

- I was under the impression that we were gonna

be wearing those big sumo suits.

- I have taken part in larping.

- I won a professional MMA title in 2010.

I'm not intimidated one bit by them

being world champions.

It's just another test of my skills.

- We're gonna go over the basics of sumo.

We have a very, very special Japanese university champion.

This guy is undersized, but he will teach you

all you need to know to beat a much bigger opponent.

Let's welcome Takeshi!

(applause)

So the mawashi is basically the loincloth you wear in sumo.

You can see this is one long piece of fabric

and it does a double knot in the back and it's secure.

It shouldn't fall off.

He's gonna show you the basic leg lift, shiko.

(dramatic rock music)

So you're just relaxed and you lift the leg up slowly

and bring it back down slowly.

You're not stompin' really intensely.

Watch slowly how he moves.

He's gonna slide the feet.

It's like two railroad tracks, straight line.

- Watch me!

- Okay.

- What you know about it, son?

- And let's do butsukari, just hitting practice.

You wanna triangulate it so your hands

and your head all hit together.

(grunts)

(hard rock music)

The heaviest Japanese human being

in recorded history, at 600 pounds, Yama!

Here he comes!

- Oh, baby!

- [Andrew] Let's hear it for Yama!

(applause)

- I'm like the size of his arm.

(shouting drowned out by music)

I literally tried so hard, like incredibly hard.

- I'm gonna try my best.

I'm not intimidated.

- Go!

(yells)

(speaking drowned out by music)

- Thought I had him for a second

and then I second-guessed myself.

- We're gonna bring out, guys,

the four-time world sumo champion Byamba!

(applause)

- Where Yama at, huh?

I'm just tryin' not to fart in the ring.

- Go!

(grunts)

(shouting drowned out by music)

- I successfully didn't fart in my pants,

but I totally shit in my pants.

- Think I have the edge for this match.

- Go!

(yells)

- Feel really accomplished and I think

my parents would be proud of me.

- I've got a knack for this stuff.

- Go!

(grunts)

- I'm still trying to let the birds

stop flying around. (chirping of birds)

(suspenseful electronic music)

- I'm entering the ring against a multi-time world champion

and I hope to prove myself honorable in the ring of sumo.

- Go!

(grunt)

(yells)

Will beats the world champion!

- I don't know what to say.

I don't know if that was a fair match.

I don't think I got all of Yama,

but I will take it nonetheless.

He was an honorable opponent.

(upbeat electronic music)

- I'm exhausted and I feel like I barely did anything.

- That was one of the best experiences of my life,

once in a lifetime, and maybe I'll compete

in the US Sumo Open, you know?

Represent you guys.

- I think it was a fluke.

I don't know why I lost, honestly.

- I just hope that I have earned myself

honor and respect in the sumo ring

and I honorably thank Byamba, Yama, and Takeshi

for the opportunity to wrestle.

- Most importantly that I think

everyone learned something about the culture,

the respect, the techniques, and you can carry

what you learned today into other aspects

of your lives.

- [All] Arigato gozaimashita!

(applause)

(upbeat jazz music)