5,500 Tons Moved Daily
Rupert Cintron delivers 5,500 pounds of restaurant supplies across Chicago every day without setting foot in a gym.
The 51-year-old truck driver from Elgin debuted as a professional sumo wrestler on Saturday at the Credit Union 1 Arena, according to reporting by the Chicago Sun-Times. Cintron stands 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs 260 pounds. He began wrestling just two years ago after playing 11 years of semipro football in the Chicago area, as reported by WBEZ.
Truck Driver Competes
Cintron enters the new professional circuit as the sole competitor from the Chicago area. The league was founded by Stuart Snyder, former president of the Cartoon Network and World Wrestling Entertainment, according to WBEZ. Snyder designed the Sumo Championship League to bring an American entertainment style to the sport with lighting and music while keeping the core wrestling intact.
Cintron lost all three of his bouts during Saturday’s event. He slipped in his first match and was pushed out, and he hit the mat first in his third matchup.
It’s just an opportunity at my age to be able to do something like this,
Cintron told the Chicago Sun-Times. I’m 51 years old, and I’m about to get out there with these kids, and, you know, it’s just cool.
Tour Stops and Prizes
The Chicago tournament marked the second stop on the league’s inaugural North American tour, following an opening event in Austin, Texas, that drew about 3,500 spectators, according to WBEZ. The tour features a $10,000 prize for the top wrestler at each event. Competitors earn points throughout the season toward a final tournament scheduled for late 2027.
The league roster includes wrestlers ranging from 200 pounds to 450 pounds, featuring athletes from the United States, Mongolia, Ukraine, and Japan. Sam Rodriguez III, a 40-year-old military veteran from Calumet City, missed the Chicago tournament due to a broken finger and torn hand tendons sustained at the Austin event, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Once that initial charge happens in the ring, the crowd just goes wild,
Rodriguez told WBEZ.
Chicago Sumo Growth
Local interest in the sport traces back to Matt Shields, who founded the Chicago Sumo Club in 2022 after encountering sumo in Japan, according to WBEZ. Shields initially drilled alone in Humboldt Park before recruiting members at 31st Street Beach and through the Japanese American Service Committee of Chicago. The club now maintains about 12 core members who practice weekly at a university space with guidance from retired professional wrestler Ryuichi Yamamoto.
Tour organizers plan upcoming events across California, Arizona, and Texas. Cintron intends to keep training with his club and hopes to serve as an alternate at future league tournaments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Sumo Championship League affiliated with Japan’s professional organization?
No, the league is an independent American promotion created by Stuart Snyder and does not share ties with traditional stables in Japan, according to WBEZ.
How does Rupert Cintron maintain his strength without gym workouts?
Cintron builds his physical conditioning by manually unloading roughly 11,000 pounds of beef, flour, and raw materials from his truck into Chicago restaurant basements daily, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
What are the next cities on the tour schedule?
Following the Chicago event at Credit Union 1 Arena, the Sumo Championship League tour travels to scheduled stops in California, Arizona, and Texas, according to WBEZ.
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