This year’s U.S. Sumo Open held over 100 matches with six different weight classes and two divisions.
Mongolia dominated again this year, with five out of the seven medals given out going to Mongolian wrestlers.
In the women’s division, the undefeated heavyweight champion was 33-year-old Enkhzaya Selenge at 190 pounds. She then fell to silver in the open weight class to 35-year-old Munkhtsetsteg Otgon, at 200 pounds, who won gold.
Both women’s division champions are originally from Mongolia. The top U.S. finisher was 29-year-old Kellyann Ball, at 310 pounds, who received bronze in both the heavyweight and open weight classes.
Yama, the guest judge for the event, is one of the largest sumo wrestlers in the world, weighing nearly 634 pounds.
Sumo fans cheered on Yama, as he went head-to-head with two of his younger students from Yamamoto Dojo. 14-year-old Aiden at 270 pounds and 10-year-old Iki at 99 pounds. The exhibition match ended in a predictable win for both students.
In the men’s division, the lightweight champion was 21-year-old Edobor Konyeha at 87 pounds from Hungary and the middleweight champion was 32-year-old Usukhbayar Ochirkhuu at 220 pounds, also from Mongolia.
The light heavyweight champion was 26-year-old Fathy Mohamed at 233 pounds from Egypt and the undefeated heavyweight, with a now 27-0 undefeated record, 25-year-old Mendsaikhan “Mendee” Tsogt-Erdene at 320 pounds from Mongolia.
One open weight match pitted 57-year-old father Kelly Gneiting at 475 pounds against his 18-year-old son Elias Gneiting at 175 pounds against each other. Elias Gneiting won the match.
The event was held in Walter Pyramid at the California State University of Long Beach on May 20.
Kamal Basira from Egypt competing against Angel De La Torre from California, US in the heavyweight matches in this years Sumo Open. (Sam Huff) 
Fans watching a replay while judges go over previous call from referee during the heavyweight matches. (Sam Huff) 
Judge Yama going head to head with one of his students originally from Japan. (Sam Huff) 
Jared Faulk from North Carolina competes against Daniel Ramirez from California in the middleweight match at Walter Pyramid at CSU Long Beach. (Sam Huff) 
Kamal Basira from Egypt celebrates his victory against Hayden Southall from Texas, United States in their heavyweight match. (Sam Huff) 
Kamal Basira from Egypt showing sumo sportsmanship with winner Abdelrahman Obald also from Egypt in their heavyweight match. (Sam Huff) 
Munkhtsetsteg Otgon from Mongolia competing against Christina Jones from California, US in the women heavyweight matches. (Sam Huff) 
Edobor Konyeha from Hungary competing against Takeshi Amitani from Japan in one of their openweight matches. (Sam Huff) 
Undefeated Mendsaikhan Tsogt-Erdene from Mongolia competing against Hayden Southall from Texas, US in the open weight match. (Sam Huff) 
Enkhzaya Selenge, Kellyann Ball and Munkhtsetsteg Otgon receiving their awards. (Sam Huff)