Golden State Warriors basketball players Steph Curry and Klay Thompson showed off their wrestling skills during their team’s tour of Japan. Famous sumo wrestler Hakuhō Shō issued a challenge to the “Splash Brothers”, but neither Curry nor Thompson were able to defeat him in Thursday’s training session. Despite Curry’s efforts to place the decorated Hakuhō Shō on the ground, the 6-foot-4-inch, 348-pound wrestler remained motionless before his teammate.
Hakuhō Shō, Sumo Champion, boasts an undefeated record of 16 unbeaten championships. Although Curry learned several techniques from Sūko, such as initiating a wrestling match and using knee bends to put weight on his opponent, they proved ineffective against Sūko, who dressed in formal attire, leaving Curry exhausted. To show his appreciation for Japanese culture, Curry bowed to Sūko. Following, shooting guard Klay Thompson entered the ring, but he was also unable to destabilize Sūko despite his height and weight of 220 pounds and 6-foot-6 inches tall. After catching his breath, Thompson expressed disbelief and admitted he could not move the yokozuna, saying, “I can’t.”
Thompson, famous as the other half of the “Splash Brothers”, tried to push Kho in a wrestling match but unfortunately failed. Despite a lucrative five-year contract with the Warriors worth $189 million, Thompson returned to the ring for a second chance against Kho, lasting just two seconds before finally giving up. After the wrestling match, Kho showed off his basketball skills by easily making consecutive shots. The Japanese-Mongolian sumo wrestler holds an impressive record of winning 86/90 matches in a year and went on to achieve the second-longest winning streak in the history of the sport in 2010. Sūko also holds a record of 16 titles. won the tournament undefeated, making him one of the most dominant figures in sumo wrestling history. In fact, a Washingtоn Post columnist hailed him as “the greatest figure in sports ever.” Sūko retires in 2021 at the age of 37 after obtaining Japanese citizenship in 2019.
During practice, Stephen Curry from the Golden State Warriors had the opportunity to meet sumo wrestler Hakuhō Shō. They were seen together on the field, posing for photos and chatting. It was a unique opportunity for the basketball star to come into contact with someone from a completely different sports world.