Jordan Sikes, Sumotori of the Month

Jordan Sikes, at the age of 15, in his first year of participating in Sumo, managed to place 4th in the Men’s Heavyweight and Openweight Division as well as qualify for a spot on the Junior World team. Impressive barely covers these feats.

As a football player, with a background in martial arts( MMA, boxing, Ju Jitsu), Jordan was looking for another sport to keep him in shape, “we were looking for a sport to do in the off season for football because I was too big for high school wrestling since the limit was 285 lbs”. As many find, International Sumo, which is practiced all over the world by both men and women with a wide range of body sizes and types, is a very inclusive and welcoming sport. Jordan quickly found that he was not only welcomed into the sport, but excelled in it.

Sumo hasn’t just kept Jordan in shape, it’s also allowed him an exclusive opportunity to experience many different situations he might not have otherwise, including national and international travel. Similar to many people who get involved in sports, Jordan wanted to increase his physical strength and athletic ability, but what may come as a surprise is that Sumo not only creates amazingly powerful legs, but as Jordan discovered, increased his agility and balance. But, as most sumotori find, Sumo has a way of making everyone fall in love with it, as a complex and beautiful sport.

Jordan explains that Sumo has changed him in many ways, but, “Most importantly, it has improved my mental state by providing an activity I can put my heart and soul into”! Being competitive Jordan obviously wants to make it to the top and get a Gold Medal at Worlds, but he also wants to spread the word on what an amazing sport Sumo is.

We hear from so many Sumo athletes and fans, its not just the amazing physicality of the sport, but the passion you feel while participating and watching the competition that makes you truly fall in love. That passion creates lasting relationships with the people you encounter within the sport. As Jordan says, “I believe it can improve people’s lives by not only getting in shape, but also meeting and making friends you would have never known without it”.

We want to say congratulations to Jordan on all his hard work, and wish him all the success in his future!