ATLANTA, Ga., September 1, 2026 – Sumo Championship League (SCL), today introduced its inaugural roster of 45 athletes from nine countries who will compete throughout the league’s first season. The international field brings together established champions, national titleholders, continental medalists, experienced veterans and emerging competitors from across the global sumo community.
Representing decades of experience in sumo wrestling and other combat sports, SCL’s inaugural roster includes athletes who have represented their countries at world championships, founded clubs and federations, coached developing competitors and helped expand the sport in communities around the world. Together, they will become the first generation of athletes to compete in SCL and help introduce authentic professional sumo to new audiences across the United States.
The athletes announced today comprise SCL’s inaugural roster. Throughout the season, competitors will battle for victories, prize money and championship positioning as SCL builds toward its inaugural Annual Championship in late 2027.
“Every great sports league is ultimately defined by its athletes, and today we are proud to introduce the competitors who will help define the future of professional sumo,” said Stuart Snyder, Chairman and CEO of Sumo Championship League. “These athletes represent far more than impressive resumes. They represent years of dedication, sacrifice and a shared belief that professional sumo deserves a global stage. Some are world champions. Some are pioneers who have built the sport in their home countries. Others represent the next generation of international talent. Each athlete has their own story that we look forward to sharing with audiences. Together, they embody everything SCL stands for: authentic competition, respect for tradition and an unwavering commitment to excellence.”
MEET THE INAUGURAL CLASS
SCL’s inaugural roster reflects the international reach and continuing evolution of modern sumo. While every competitor brings a distinctive story, the following athletes illustrate the caliber, diversity and global commitment represented across the league’s first roster:
“Being part of the first Sumo Championship League season is a huge opportunity,” said Konner Kane, athlete in the inaugural SCL roster. “I’m proud to represent sumo, excited to compete alongside athletes from around the world and ready to show fans the strength, discipline and heart it takes to step into the dohyō.”
Beyond their competitive accomplishments, SCL’s inaugural athletes include coaches, club founders, engineers, professional wrestlers, performance psychologists, journalists and entrepreneurs. Their journeys underscore a shared commitment to growing sumo, challenging perceptions of the sport and creating a sustainable professional pathway for elite competitors outside Japan.
United States
| Athlete | Hometown | Background |
| Allejandro Santana | Orlando, Florida | Former college football and track-and-field athlete |
| Beka Kharabadze | Los Angeles, California | Competitive at the national level in freestyle wrestling in Georgia |
| Brandon Rudzinski | Rochester Hills, Michigan | 2025 Sakura Cup silver medalist |
| Brandon Turk | Aurora, Missouri | Independent professional wrestler with 15 years of experience; making his sumo debut |
| Cameron Bailey | Hampton, Georgia | 2025 Southeast Regional Championship bronze medalist |
| Cornelius Booker | Panama City Beach, Florida | 2026 Sakura Cup LH Champ/Open-Bronze
2026 Florida State Championship-Gold 2025 Big Palm Sumo Championship- Gold 2025 Consulates Cup- LH Silver 2025 Olympia Sumo Championship- LH Gold |
| Dominus Davis-Williams | San Antonio, Texas | 2025-2026 US National Heavyweight Champ
2025 World’s Bronze Medalist |
| Drew Brennan | Lynchburg, Virginia | 2025 SE Regional: Silver-Heavy, Silver-Open |
| Edobor Konyeha | Jacksonville, Texas | 2024-2026 US National Lightweight Champ
2026 US Open Openweight Champ |
| George Ferris | Odenville, Alabama | 2025 Sakura Cup Bronze Medal |
| George Silvestre | Miami, Florida | 2026 US Open Judo Championships gold medalist |
| Jabari Webb | Villa Rica, Georgia | 2026 Sakura Cup heavyweight silver medalist
2026 Big Palm: Silver medalist |
| James Nottingham | Greenwich, Connecticut | 2025 Empire Cup Gold Medal |
| Jared Parham | Coppell, Texas | 2026 Empire Cup light heavyweight champion |
| Jawan Davis | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | High school wrestling state runner-up and sectional qualifier |
| John Roden | Carrollton, Georgia | 2021 U.S. national champion and 2021 North American champion |
| Jonithan Pilgrim | Austin, Texas | 2026 Florida State Sumo Championship Silver Medal |
| Jordan Sikes | Panama City Beach, Florida | 2026 Big Palm Champion, 2022 Ronin Sumo Tournament Heavyweight Champion.
2021 US Nationals, Bronze, Youngest National Men’s Medalist |
| Joshua Wade | Brooklyn, New York | 2026 U.S. national champion and Pan American sambo champion |
| Kofi Miller | New York, New York | 2026 USSF Nationals bronze medalist |
| Konner Kane | New Braunfels, Texas | 2026 USA light heavyweight national champion |
| Larry Velasquez | Lehi, Utah | 2025 Milano Sumo Open openweight champion and 2026 Milano Sumo Open heavyweight champion |
| Mark Jones | Daytona Beach, Florida | 2023 World Championships Bronze Medal |
| Matthew Cox | San Diego, California | 2nd Place USSF Nationals |
| Ron Porter | Pevely, Missouri | 2025 Yama’s Sumo Showdown Gold medalist, trained directly under Yama |
| Samuel Rodriguez III | Calumet City, Illinois | 2025 Rollertown Sumo Tournament, Middleweight-Gold |
| Saul Vega | Clayton, North Carolina | 2026 Gate City clash Openweight Silver medalist |
| Taylor Fordham | Decatur, Georgia | 2026 Sakura Cup open weight silver medalist |
| Todd Porter | Elizabeth, Colorado | 2013-2014 D1 Wrestler NCAA 12th in nation |
| Wade Johnson | Raleigh, North Carolina | Southeast Regional Cup Medalist |
Canada
| Athlete | Hometown | Background |
| Colton Johnstone | Toronto, Canada | Represented Canada at 2025 World Sumo Championships |
| Marc Deschenes | Deux-Montagnes, Quebec | 2015 Pan American Games silver medalist |
| Phillip Hayes | Ile-Perrot, Quebec | Montreal Sumo Club founder and New York sumo competition medalist |
Europe
| Athlete | Hometown | Background |
| Anton Chuiev | Kharkiv, Ukraine | 2026 Ukraine Team Head Coach |
| Demid Karachenko | Kharkiv, Ukraine | 2024 World Championships silver medalist |
| Karol König | Zamość, Poland | 2026 European Sumo Cup champion |
| Oleksandr Veresiuk | Odesa, Ukraine | 2023 World Sumo Championship gold medalist |
| Sonny Bell | London, England | 2026 English Sumo Nationals gold medalist |
| Vazha Daiauiri | Vinnytsia, Ukraine | 2022-2023 World Combat Games Champion, 2024 World Sumo Championship Champion, European Championship gold medalist x 10 |
Asia and the Middle East
| Athlete | Hometown | Background |
| Badri Khatiskatsi | Gori, Georgia | 2025 World Championship Silver Medal |
| Mostafa Mahmoudi | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | 2017 World Elite Games silver medalist and four-time Iranian national champion |
| Zuka Tsikoradze | Kutaisi, Georgia | US Open Champion x 10
European Open Champion x 10 |
Oceania
| Athlete | Hometown | Background |
| Caleb Hudson | Albury-Wodonga, New South Wales, Australia | Two-time Oceania sumo champion (2023, 2026) |
| Filipo Tovio | Palmerston North, New Zealand | Back-to-back Oceania heavyweight champion (2024, 2025) |
SCL’s inaugural season begins October 10 at H-E-B Center at Cedar Park in Austin, Texas, followed by Credit Union 1 Arena in Chicago on November 7 and Toyota Arena in Ontario, California, on December 19. Athlete participation will vary by event, with competition fields announced in advance of each tournament. Additional athlete profiles, competition format details, and league information will be announced as SCL builds toward its season opener and the inaugural SCL Annual Championship.
To learn more about the Sumo Championship League roster, purchase tickets for upcoming SCL events, explore partnership opportunities or inquire about hosting an event, visit www.sumochampionshipleague.com.
ABOUT SUMO CHAMPIONSHIP LEAGUE
Sumo Championship League (SCL) is building a modern professional sumo league for audiences in the United States and around the world. Combining authentic competition, elite heavyweight athletes, live-event spectacle and a modern sports experience, SCL brings league events to arenas across America beginning in fall 2026. Built on respect for sumo’s heritage and authentic competition, SCL features recurring live events, season-long rankings and championship competition, with a long-term vision of establishing professional sumo as a sustainable global sports and entertainment property.
