https://www.scmp.com/rss/330129/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Yating Yang Yating Yang In ancient China, women’s sumo was a popular form of entertainment in which participants wore minimal clothing that exposed their arms, backs, navels and lower abdomens, drawing significant attention. Sumo is widely known as Japan’s national sport, but forms of wrestling also existed in ancient China. Not only did men compete, but women also took part, making it a popular form of public entertainment. Even emperors would watch the “performances”. It is also believed that China has some of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3348810/women-sumo-wrestling-was-popular-pastime-ancient-china-until-rise-confucian-ethics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3348810/women-sumo-wrestling-was-popular-pastime-ancient-china-until-rise-confucian-ethics?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 06:00:08 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan’s first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, is confronting an unexpected dilemma: whether she will be allowed to enter the country’s most sacred sporting arena – the sumo ring – to present the winner’s trophy that bears her office’s name. Just days before the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament opens on Sunday in Fukuoka, the all-male Japan Sumo Association (JSA) is reportedly weighing what to do if Takaichi wishes to perform the long-standing prime ministerial duty of handing over the Prime... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3331643/japan-wrestles-dilemma-allowing-first-female-prime-minister-sacred-sumo-ring?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3331643/japan-wrestles-dilemma-allowing-first-female-prime-minister-sacred-sumo-ring?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Nov 2025 01:30:12 +0000 Andrew Sun Andrew Sun When one thinks of professional wrestling, images come to mind of big-muscled characters such as Hulk Hogan, John Cena and The Rock body slamming each other, jumping off the top rope of the ring, and hitting opponents with a steel chair. In Hong Kong, pro wrestling is far smaller and more underground. But that does not mean those involved are any less passionate or intense in their pursuit of in-ring tussles. Inside an industrial building in the city’s New Territories, members of the Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3329663/how-hong-kongs-pro-wrestling-scene-back-slam-ahead-historic-night?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3329663/how-hong-kongs-pro-wrestling-scene-back-slam-ahead-historic-night?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Oct 2025 23:15:14 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Hulk Hogan, the 1980s icon of professional wrestling who helped propel the low-budget spectacle into the global spotlight and parlayed his prowess in the ring into pop culture stardom, died on Thursday. He was 71. Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, was pronounced dead at a Florida hospital after emergency personnel responded to a cardiac arrest call at his home in Clearwater, police said. The Hall of Fame talent - known for his towering physique, bandana and blond handlebar moustache - was... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3319505/hulk-hogan-wrestling-legend-dead-71-us-media-reports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3319505/hulk-hogan-wrestling-legend-dead-71-us-media-reports?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Jul 2025 16:22:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Retired sumo great Hakuho will quit the ancient Japanese sport following a row over the forced closure of his wrestling stable for physical abuse, reports said on Monday. The Mongolian-born Hakuho won a record 45 tournaments before retiring in 2021 to coach wrestlers, but his stable was indefinitely closed in April last year when one of his proteges was accused of bullying. Hakuho was also handed an embarrassing demotion for failing to control the behaviour of Hokuseiho, who allegedly punched... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3312747/retired-sumo-great-quit-sport-over-abuse-allegations-report?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3312747/retired-sumo-great-quit-sport-over-abuse-allegations-report?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Jun 2025 14:00:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse,Associated Press Agence France-Presse,Associated Press Sumo crowned a new grand champion in record time on Wednesday as Onosato became the fastest to attain the exalted rank of yokozuna in the Japanese sport’s modern era. And the big news is: he is Japanese. The 24-year-old’s elevation by the Japan Sumo Association came after he appeared in just 13 professional tournaments, eight fewer than the current record holder. The wrestler, who weighs 191 kilograms (421 pounds) and is 1.92 metres (six feet three inches) tall, became the 75th grand champion in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3312141/onosato-24-promoted-sumo-grand-champion-record-time-and-hes-japanese?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3312141/onosato-24-promoted-sumo-grand-champion-record-time-and-hes-japanese?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 May 2025 13:00:09 +0000 When he was 16, Pakistani-born billionaire Shahid Khan went to the US with only US$500 in his pocket. He got a job as a dishwasher on his second day in the country and began dreaming the American dream. That was in 1967. Now 74, the tycoon has created a sporting empire, buying the Jacksonville Jaguars and English football club Fulham. He has also been a sleeping partner in All Elite Wrestling (AEW), the organisation led by his son, Tony. Shahid is married to Ann Carlson Khan, whom he met at... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3304999/meet-billionaire-shahid-khan-and-his-wrestling-obsessed-son-tony-shahid-owns-fulham-fc-jacksonville?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3304999/meet-billionaire-shahid-khan-and-his-wrestling-obsessed-son-tony-shahid-owns-fulham-fc-jacksonville?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Apr 2025 20:00:20 +0000 Oklahoma State Cowboys star Wyatt Hendrickson ended his collegiate wrestling career on a high note, beating University of Minnesota’s Gable Steveson at the NCAA championship over the weekend. The newly minted heavyweight title winner then paid tribute to US President Donald Trump – who was in the audience with Doge head Elon Musk and US representative Jim Jordan, a college wrestling champion himself – by saluting him from the mat before going up to the head of state for a handshake and a hug... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3303641/meet-collegiate-wrestling-champion-wyatt-hendrickson-serving-us-air-force-his-stunning-ncaa-win?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3303641/meet-collegiate-wrestling-champion-wyatt-hendrickson-serving-us-air-force-his-stunning-ncaa-win?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Mar 2025 20:00:08 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang Diners at Cantonese tea restaurant in China can enjoy dim sum while watching live professional wrestling, a unique form of entertainment that has sparked much attention on mainland social media. Unlike the genuine sport, professional wrestling, which is widely known as pro wrestling, is a choreographed stage combat performance. The wrestlers are both athletes and actors. Pro wrestling evolved from the common practice of match-fixing among wrestlers in the United States in the 19th century, who... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3291157/china-diners-combine-dim-sum-live-wrestling-unique-entertainment-gains-popularity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3291157/china-diners-combine-dim-sum-live-wrestling-unique-entertainment-gains-popularity?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Dec 2024 01:00:09 +0000 Only once in the sport’s 1,500-year history has a five-day Grand Sumo Tournament, or basho, been held outside Japan – and next year, London’s Royal Albert Hall will repeat its feat of 1991. To be as true to tradition as possible, the venerable concert hall – known for an annual “Rule Britannia” singalong – will build a raised clay dohyo, or fighting stage, in the centre of the auditorium to host the event, with spectators sitting around it on cushions and, further back, on chairs. “We’ll... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/other-martial-arts/article/3289482/grand-sumo-tournament-makes-historic-return-londons-royal-albert-hall-after-34-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/other-martial-arts/article/3289482/grand-sumo-tournament-makes-historic-return-londons-royal-albert-hall-after-34-years?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Dec 2024 13:00:10 +0000 World Wrestling Entertainment co-founders Vince McMahon and wife Linda are accused of knowingly allowing the grooming, exploitation and sexual abuse of young boys throughout the 1980s and 90s, according to a lawsuit filed on behalf of five alleged victims. According to the suit, the former CEO of WWE and his wife were aware that the organisation’s prominent ringside announcer, Mel Phillips, used his “highly visible position” as a ring crew chief to hire boys as young as 12 to assist with... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3284320/who-linda-mcmahon-wife-wwes-vince-mcmahon-aka-star-netflixs-mr-mcmahon-she-works-donald-trump-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3284320/who-linda-mcmahon-wife-wwes-vince-mcmahon-aka-star-netflixs-mr-mcmahon-she-works-donald-trump-and?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Oct 2024 11:00:08 +0000 Mexico City excites and exhilarates but is never a destination for the faint-hearted. The Latin American metropolis, teeming with people and traffic jams, dazzles and intoxicates with pre-Columbian ruins, sumptuous colonial baroque churches and palaces, cutting-edge museums and modern architecture. And a unique gastronomy that is finally taking the spotlight on the global stage. But on a recent trip back, the highlight of a non-stop schedule of cultural sightseeing, wining and dining, was... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3283703/why-mexicos-lucha-libre-more-just-masked-wrestling-spectacle-its-also-steeped-tradition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3283703/why-mexicos-lucha-libre-more-just-masked-wrestling-spectacle-its-also-steeped-tradition?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Oct 2024 03:00:10 +0000 When Wang Tao ran away from home aged 17 to become a professional wrestler, he knew it would be a hard slog to succeed in China’s passionate but underdeveloped scene. Years later, he has endured family disapproval, countless side gigs and thousands of hours of brutal training to become China’s “Belt and Road Champion” – but the struggle is far from over. Despite a promising potential domestic market, the Chinese pro wrestling community has been battling for recognition and financial stability... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3279560/no-pain-no-gain-chinese-pro-wrestlers-fight-recognition-and-way-make-living?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3279560/no-pain-no-gain-chinese-pro-wrestlers-fight-recognition-and-way-make-living?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Sep 2024 09:30:07 +0000 Remember that crushing moment of realisation when you found out that the WWE was mostly scripted drama and reality TV, not made up of actual wrestling matches? However, Marie Juliette, wife of WWE star “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio, definitely got the memo earlier than most. Dominik Mysterio, son of WWE Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio, recently sat down with Logan Paul for an episode of his podcast Impaulsive where he revealed his wife’s true feelings about his provocative on-screen love triangle with... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3275017/who-marie-juliette-dominik-mysterios-territorial-wife-wwe-star-met-his-partner-high-school-so-what?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3275017/who-marie-juliette-dominik-mysterios-territorial-wife-wwe-star-met-his-partner-high-school-so-what?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Aug 2024 11:00:13 +0000 Vince McMahon is now 78 years old – and remains one of the most notable yet polarising figures in the wrestling world. Vinnie Mac – as he is sometimes known – is a billionaire with a humble past who transformed the WWE into the mega business it is today. But, over the years, a slew of sexual misconduct allegations has cast a shadow over his reputation. Here’s what you need to know about the ex-WWE boss – and his fall from grace. Vince McMahon’s sexual misconduct allegations McMahon resigned as... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3253633/vince-mcmahon-his-fall-grace-billionaire-boss-transformed-wwe-and-once-faced-against-donald-trump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3253633/vince-mcmahon-his-fall-grace-billionaire-boss-transformed-wwe-and-once-faced-against-donald-trump?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Feb 2024 22:00:17 +0000 An Indian court granted bail on Thursday to the country’s wrestling federation president, who is charged with sexually harassing and stalking female wrestlers, his lawyer said. Brij Bhushan Singh, who is also a lawmaker for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has been accused by Olympic medallists and other Indian wrestlers of groping female athletes and demanding sexual favours. “The court imposed several conditions while granting bail,” ANI television reported, including that the accused... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3228385/india-wrestling-chiefs-bail-extended-sexual-harassment-case?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3228385/india-wrestling-chiefs-bail-extended-sexual-harassment-case?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Jul 2023 12:38:26 +0000 The hit Netflix drama series Sanctuary has taken the world by storm recently, offering a rare glimpse into the mystery-shrouded world of Japanese sumo. The show follows the story of a troubled teen named Kiyoshi Oze (Wataru Ichinose) who works his way up the world of professional sumo through rigorous training and high-stakes matches. Anticipation for the release of its second season is growing, sparking renewed interest in this centuries-old national sport that embodies Japan’s strength,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3223759/meet-sumo-legend-takanohana-koji-hit-netflix-drama-sanctuary-has-revived-interest-japanese-sport-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3223759/meet-sumo-legend-takanohana-koji-hit-netflix-drama-sanctuary-has-revived-interest-japanese-sport-and?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Jun 2023 03:00:18 +0000 An Olympic wrestler on Saturday criticised the pace of a police inquiry into sexual harassment accusations against the chief of India’s national wrestling body. Vinesh Phogat, a two-time Olympian who has accused Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexually abusing her, said she has also been hurt by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on the issue. Phogat is one of seven female athletes to have lodged a police case against Singh accusing him of sexually... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3223696/top-indian-wrestler-accuses-government-silence-over-sexual-harassment-probe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3223696/top-indian-wrestler-accuses-government-silence-over-sexual-harassment-probe?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Jun 2023 06:30:25 +0000 With sit-ins and threats to cast their medals into the Ganges, two top women wrestlers have caught the hearts of India’s public as they seek justice for what they allege was sexual harassment by the head of their sport, who is also a senior member of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. Sakshi Malik, 30, and Vinesh Phogat, 28, made the allegations in January and demanded that police arrest and investigate Brij Bhushan Singh, 66, head of the Wrestling Federation of India, whom they accuse of sexual... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3223086/indias-women-wrestlers-work-pin-down-powerful-rivals-over-sexual-harassment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3223086/indias-women-wrestlers-work-pin-down-powerful-rivals-over-sexual-harassment?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jun 2023 05:31:07 +0000 Stephanie McMahon, chief brand officer of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc (WWE), was named the company’s interim CEO last week after her father, Vince McMahon, stepped away from the role amid an investigation into alleged misconduct. Before being named interim CEO, she had been taking more of a back seat to focus on family – here’s what else you need to know about her. Who is the richest woman in the world right now? (No, it’s not Kim K) Her father is Vince McMahon and her husband is Triple... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3183692/meet-wwes-new-ceo-stephanie-mcmahon-shes-disgraced-vince?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3183692/meet-wwes-new-ceo-stephanie-mcmahon-shes-disgraced-vince?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 Jul 2022 17:00:13 +0000 When Japanese sumo wrestler Takuya Saito retired from the sport at 32 and began job-hunting, he had no professional experience and didn’t even know how to use a computer. Athletes in many sports can struggle to reinvent themselves after retirement, but the challenge is particularly acute for those in the ancient world of sumo. Wrestlers are often recruited early, sometimes as young as 15, and their formal education ends when they move into the communal stables where they live and train. That can... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3176232/sumo-wrestlers-struggle-work-and-relevance-when-they-step-away?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3176232/sumo-wrestlers-struggle-work-and-relevance-when-they-step-away?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 May 2022 23:15:14 +0000 WrestleMania 38 saw the return of some of the biggest personalities of World Wrestling Entertainment’s Attitude era – and the recent retirement of Triple H just days before the event. With all change at the WWE, who is the wealthiest wrestler in the franchise today? (All net works are according to Celebrity Net Worth and Forbes.) 1. Vince McMahon – US$2.3 billion View this post on Instagram A post shared by Stephanie McMahon (@stephaniemcmahon) As the owner... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3173584/richest-wwe-wrestlers-all-time-net-worths-ranked-triple-h?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3173584/richest-wwe-wrestlers-all-time-net-worths-ranked-triple-h?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 Apr 2022 14:00:20 +0000 NBA star Rui Hachimura will carry Japan’s flag at the Tokyo Games, Japanese Olympic chiefs said – although fans might not be allowed into the stadium to watch the opening ceremony. The Washington Wizards forward will carry the flag along with 22-year-old two-time world champion wrestler Yui Susaki at the July 23 opener for the pandemic-postponed Games. But with concern growing again over rising coronavirus cases, organisers have said they may need to rethink attendance limits for Olympic events... https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3140036/tokyo-2020-olympics-nbas-rui-hachimura-and-wrestling-world-champ?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3140036/tokyo-2020-olympics-nbas-rui-hachimura-and-wrestling-world-champ?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jul 2021 09:52:04 +0000 Dave Bautista always shoots from the hip. The genial 52-year-old former wrestler’s truth meter hasn’t been warped one bit by his success – he is one of the biggest stars in Hollywood after playing a villain in James Bond movie Spectre and the alien Drax the Destroyer in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy films – even when it comes to selling his new movie, Zack Snyder’s zombie heist thriller Army of the Dead. “I guess I’m like a half-a**ed horror fan,” he shrugs. “I don’t like gore. I’m not a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3133933/army-dead-star-dave-bautista-starring-zack-snyders-zombie?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3133933/army-dead-star-dave-bautista-starring-zack-snyders-zombie?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 May 2021 18:30:08 +0000 WWE billionaire Vince McMahon is having a tough year. Even before the coronavirus pandemic led to the cancellation of the live wrestling matches that are the bread and butter of his company’s business, the league’s ticket sales and subscriber base had been plummeting amid concerns over the brand’s creative direction under McMahon’s leadership. McMahon built WWE, a tightly scripted wrestling league, into an entertainment powerhouse after acquiring the brand from his father. Along the way, McMahon... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3105910/wwe-billionaire-vincent-mcmahon-friend-donald-trump-has?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3105910/wwe-billionaire-vincent-mcmahon-friend-donald-trump-has?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Oct 2020 18:14:06 +0000 While the world rages at Disney’s live action retelling of the tale of Chinese warrior princess Mulan, the filmmaker’s focus should perhaps have been aimed on another female fighter entirely. Rather than folk fable, Mongolian warrior princess Khutulun was quite real and had the body count and fearsome reputation to prove it. She was the daughter of Kaidu Khan and great-great-granddaughter of Genghis, a cousin of Kublai Khan who would found China’s Yuan dynasty. Khutulun was a feared fighter, who... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3100842/forget-mulan-meet-khutulun-mongolias-undefeated?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3100842/forget-mulan-meet-khutulun-mongolias-undefeated?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Sep 2020 09:00:12 +0000 Dwayne Johnson, known as The Rock to his fans, made his wrestling debut as Rocky Maivia in 1996. Now, his daughter, Simone Johnson, is following his footsteps as a professional wrestler and is becoming the youngest person in history to sign with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Why did WWE star ‘Rowdy’ Ronda Rousey swap fame for life on a farm? View this post on Instagram To the little girl who fell in love with wrestling & said “this will be my life one day”,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3086532/5-surprising-facts-about-simone-johnson-daughter-dwayne?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3086532/5-surprising-facts-about-simone-johnson-daughter-dwayne?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 May 2020 19:00:17 +0000 Counselling services in Japan have expressed optimism that the government’s plans to crack down on cyberbullying will have a positive impact, but they are concerned that a culture of bullying in schools, the workplace and society in general will be difficult to eradicate entirely. The government announced it will draw up proposals to revise and strengthen legislation against cyberbullying following the death of Hana Kimura, 22, on Saturday. The professional wrestler and star of the Netflix... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3086370/japan-looks-new-laws-after-hana-kimuras-death-can-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3086370/japan-looks-new-laws-after-hana-kimuras-death-can-it?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2020 23:00:24 +0000 Japanese reality TV show Terrace House has suspended its production for the 2019-2020 season after the sudden death of a 22-year-old cast member, it said on its website. Hana Kimura, a professional wrestler and star of the latest season of the popular Netflix reality TV show, died on Saturday, according to World Wonder Ring Stardom, the professional wrestling organisation that represented Kimura. Local media reported that a suicide note was found at her Tokyo home, as she struggled with a wave... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3086413/japanese-broadcaster-terminate-terrace-house-reality-show-after?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3086413/japanese-broadcaster-terminate-terrace-house-reality-show-after?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2020 19:28:41 +0000 Tributes are pouring in for Hana Kimura, a Japanese professional wrestler and a member of the Terrace House reality show on Netflix, who is understood to have taken her own life on Saturday after being the victim of online bullying. She was 22. Kimura’s death was announced by World Wonder Wing Stardom, the female wrestling league that she fought in, although the brief statement gave no further details. Kimura was believed to have killed herself in her Tokyo home where she was living alone,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3085992/japans-hana-kimura-mourned-terrace-house-cast-say-they?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3085992/japans-hana-kimura-mourned-terrace-house-cast-say-they?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 May 2020 12:15:33 +0000 The death of 22-year-old Hana Kimura, a Japanese pro wrestler starring in the newest season of the Netflix reality show Terrace House, is swiftly morphing into a narrative about the possible perils of cyberbullying. An official cause of death has not yet been announced. However, speculation grew that Kimura took her life on Friday. Fan translations of Kimura’s tweets from earlier in the day indicated that she felt weak and no longer wanted “to be a human”, according to media reports. Kimura’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3085817/terrace-house-fans-blame-hana-kimuras-death-cyberbullying?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3085817/terrace-house-fans-blame-hana-kimuras-death-cyberbullying?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 May 2020 03:33:15 +0000 When it comes to the animal kingdom some terrible things have happened in the name of sport over the years. Animals fighting to the death and hunting them for sport have been low points, and largely eradicated or driven underground as shared sentiment has become more animal friendly over time, although some such as goose pulling (do not ask) still go on in public view. There are plenty more wholesome sports which involve animals or at least those where the humans are more likely to get hurt –... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3079659/camel-wrestling-dog-surfing-and-rabbit-jumping-worlds-weirdest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3079659/camel-wrestling-dog-surfing-and-rabbit-jumping-worlds-weirdest?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2020 00:00:19 +0000 A new sport-comedy caper starring a former Japanese wrestling champion and a motley cast of Tamil actors is set to entertain audiences in India. Sumo, directed by S.P. Hosimin, revolves around an unlikely friendship between a surfing teacher and a sumo wrestler who gets washed up on a Chennai shore – a story borne out of the filmmaker’s fascination with sumos and his desire to pen an ode to the growing ties between India and Japan. “Sumo wrestlers are cherubic gentle giants and loved by... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3045618/japanese-sumo-wrestling-champion-walks-tamil-film-hilarity-ensues?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3045618/japanese-sumo-wrestling-champion-walks-tamil-film-hilarity-ensues?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Jan 2020 07:30:04 +0000 Chris Jericho became the first world champion of AEW on Saturday night in Chicago. But he has lost the title – quite literally, but not to another opponent – less than a day later. Former WWE legend Jericho won the belt by defeating “Hangman” Adam Page at the upstart wrestling promotion’s All Out pay-per-view at the Sears Centre Arena last weekend. Fans on social media at first thought the incident was a storyline for AEW, which launches its weekly television programme on US network TNT next... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3025646/chris-jericho-reports-aew-world-title-belt-stolen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3025646/chris-jericho-reports-aew-world-title-belt-stolen?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Sep 2019 06:33:21 +0000 A hijab-wearing, diminutive Malaysian wrestler known as “Phoenix” cuts an unusual figure in the ring, a female Muslim fighter taking on hulking opponents in a male-dominated world. Dressed in flame-patterned trousers, a black and orange hijab and top, Nor Diana uses sophisticated moves to throw and pin down her larger rivals in front of hundreds of cheering spectators. Standing just 155 centimetres (five foot, one inch) tall and weighing 43 kilograms (six stone, 10 pounds), her speed and agility... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3019008/meet-nor-phoenix-diana-malaysias-hijab-wearing-wrestler?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3019008/meet-nor-phoenix-diana-malaysias-hijab-wearing-wrestler?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Jul 2019 00:00:13 +0000 John Kavanagh believes he could have WWE superstar Becky Lynch ready to compete at a “high level” of MMA within a year if they worked together. The Raw women’s champion dropped by the SBG Ireland gym run by Conor McGregor’s coach in their native Dublin last month when WWE was in town for its European tour. Kavanagh said he does not think Lynch would ever make the switch to MMA, but has seen enough of “The Man” to know she would excel inside the cage. “She’s a fantastic athlete, I challenge... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3015013/wwe-star-becky-lynch-would-do-very-very-well-if-she?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3015013/wwe-star-becky-lynch-would-do-very-very-well-if-she?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Jun 2019 07:36:09 +0000 The latest episode of “Being The Elite” has given wrestling fans their first real insight into the partnership between AEW and Chinese promotion OWE. All Elite Wrestling’s SoCal Uncensored – Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian and Scorpio Sky – flew in to Shanghai last month to visit Oriental Wrestling Entertainment’s training facility. OWE president Daniel Fu and vice-president Michael Nee introduced OWE’s young performers, who had prepared some demonstrations of their hybrid kung fu... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3014712/aew-and-owe-will-set-wrestling-world-fire-scu-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/wrestling/article/3014712/aew-and-owe-will-set-wrestling-world-fire-scu-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Jun 2019 10:14:00 +0000 To almost all who watched, All Elite Wrestling’s debut pay-per-view event “Double or Nothing” at a sold-out MGM Grand in Las Vegas went off without a hitch. But it was a bittersweet weekend for China’s Oriental Wrestling Entertainment. OWE are one of two official partners of AEW, the new upstart American promotion backed by billionaire Tony Khan that begins a US television deal with TNT later this year as they look to challenge WWE’s long-held supremacy. Three of OWE’s Japanese talents – CIMA,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/mixed-martial-arts/article/3012707/aew-double-or-nothing-owe-makes-all-out-plea-us-embassy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/mixed-martial-arts/article/3012707/aew-double-or-nothing-owe-makes-all-out-plea-us-embassy?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Jun 2019 04:21:28 +0000 At just a decade old, the professional wrestling scene in Hong Kong is still relatively new. Ho Ho Lun, the first Hong Kong wrestler to make it big in the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) arena in the U.S. is the guy who started it all. This is the story of how a bunch of wrestling fans turned pro and brought their hobby from the backyard to the squared circle. https://www.scmp.com/videos/pro-wrestling-hong-kong-10-years-making/article/3006901?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/videos/pro-wrestling-hong-kong-10-years-making/article/3006901?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Apr 2019 08:23:39 +0000 More than 100 players gathered in Shanghai to fight for the crown at the 7th Shanghai Arm Wrestling Open, China’s first internationally recognized arm wrestling tournament.  The competition was part of the Professional Armwrestling League’s international ranking system. Arm wrestling is not officially recognized as a serious sport in China, but it’s emerging as one of the fastest-growing countries for the sport, supported by fan associations in more than 100 cities around the nation. https://www.scmp.com/sports/arm-wrestling-growing-china/article/3005832?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sports/arm-wrestling-growing-china/article/3005832?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Apr 2019 10:40:33 +0000 Wrestler Bret “The Hitman” Hart was tackled by a spectator Saturday while he was giving a speech during the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony at Barclays Centre in Brooklyn. The person – wearing fake dreadlocks and a Rastafarian hat – ran toward the ring from the crowd. The attacker was promptly subdued by several people, including other wrestlers, who came to Hart’s defence. Hart, 61, is OK. Probably an HBK fan. #WWEHOF pic.twitter.com/vZ9bZOQfMP — Ryan / WrestleBotch (@WrestleBotch) April 7, 2019 “I... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3005079/hart-attacked-wwe-wrestler-bret-hart-tackled-he-gives-his-hall?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3005079/hart-attacked-wwe-wrestler-bret-hart-tackled-he-gives-his-hall?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Apr 2019 23:37:08 +0000 When you need a big-name wrestling star to drop everything on two hours’ notice and fly halfway across the world, who are you gonna call? Well, there’s only one person who could fit the bill – enter Colt Cabana. “At 10am I get a text and a phone call from Jay Lethal saying, ‘Hey, you wanna come to Hong Kong today?’ I said, ‘Sure,’” Cabana recalls. “He said, ‘Ah, nah, the flight’s at 1.30, you won’t be able to make it.’ I go, ‘Are you kidding me?’” Fast forward less than 24 hours and the two Ring... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/2183389/colt-cabana-flies-rescue-chicago-hong-kong-two-hours-notice-macau?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/2183389/colt-cabana-flies-rescue-chicago-hong-kong-two-hours-notice-macau?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Jan 2019 16:15:55 +0000 One of the more intriguing titbits to come out of All Elite Wrestling’s inaugural press conference in Jacksonville earlier this week was the announcement they would be working with China’s Oriental Wrestling Entertainment. AEW’s executive vice-president Matt Jackson of the Young Bucks said the new promotion would be working with some of the high-flying wrestlers from the innovative Shanghai-based group, whose roster is largely made up of former martial arts students and Shaolin monks. But just... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/2181823/all-elite-wrestling-collaboration-can-be-huge-says-owe-ahead-talks-cody?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/2181823/all-elite-wrestling-collaboration-can-be-huge-says-owe-ahead-talks-cody?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Jan 2019 11:45:00 +0000 For most, the disappointment of losing your dream job would be tough to recover from. But Chinese-American professional wrestler Zeda Zhang has not looked back since leaving WWE. Former model and singer-songwriter Zhang – real name Julia Ho – finally made it to WWE after also trying her hand at mixed martial arts, but was released from the giant US professional wrestling company’s developmental brand NXT last June, just a year on from making her debut in the groundbreaking all-female “Mae Young... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/2181802/model-and-former-wwe-star-zeda-zhang-shines-spotlight-chinese-wrestling?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/2181802/model-and-former-wwe-star-zeda-zhang-shines-spotlight-chinese-wrestling?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Jan 2019 05:45:00 +0000 The internet has been having its fun mocking up memes of Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un’s historic summit in Singapore on Wednesday – and professional wrestling fans may have just landed the knockout blow. A Photoshopped image went viral in wrestling social media circles soon after the talks between the US president and the North Korean leader, but it was more to do with the presence of WWE legend Triple H. The 14-time WWE champion, whose real name is Paul Levesque, has made a habit of posting... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/2150730/triple-h-and-kim-jong-un-picture-goes-viral-wwe-star-comments?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/2150730/triple-h-and-kim-jong-un-picture-goes-viral-wwe-star-comments?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Jun 2018 04:30:15 +0000 WWE has long been China’s perception of what professional wrestling should be, but the US giants have a fight on their hands in the mainland with a Shanghai-based promotion adding Shaolin monks and martial arts to the mix. “We are thinking we will do something extraordinary, and bring something new to the wrestling world,” Oriental Wrestling Entertainment vice-president Michael Nee told the South China Morning Post. “We are the translators, we try to tell the world about Chinese kung fu through... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/2148395/turning-shaolin-monks-entertainers-shanghai-wrestlers-tell-world-about?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/2148395/turning-shaolin-monks-entertainers-shanghai-wrestlers-tell-world-about?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 May 2018 04:30:15 +0000