Athletes on Reddit

Byambajav Ulambayar 1984–2020

Mongolian sumo wrestler and amateur world champion

u/SumoByamba ↗AMA only
How we know it's theirs

His 2013 r/IAmA AMA, posted from this account

We retrieved 1 post and 48 comments from u/SumoByamba, all from 2013, most often in r/IAmA.

Best moment

A redditor wrote in r/IAmA

On “I am Byamba, three-time World Sumo Champion — Ask me Anything!”

What is the match that you remember the most in career and why?

u/SumoByamba replied

I can never forget the first time I won the World Sumo Championships in 2006. The final match was against the Russian Champion, who is 6'8", over 500 pounds, and very muscular. We smashed heads incredibly hard at the start…

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I can never forget the first time I won the World Sumo Championships in 2006. The final match was against the Russian Champion, who is 6'8", over 500 pounds, and very muscular. We smashed heads incredibly hard at the start, and he rebounded, falling out of the ring before I did! So, I became World Sumo Champion!

That was a really happy moment for me because that status also opened up the door for me to apply for and receive my green card here! So, I am happy to be in the United States thanks to my sumo success.

I also want to give back to others, which is why I coach sumo practices in Los Angeles, and demonstrate sumo all over the country, to share this amazing tradition.

Behind the scenesr/IAmA · 92 points as of Nov 2026Full thread ↗

More moments

A redditor wrote in r/IAmA

On “I am Byamba, three-time World Sumo Champion — Ask me Anything!”

Hi! Thanks for doing this AMA! As a sumo wrestler in modern times, do you still follow any of the strict traditions of the past? I've heard things like wrestlers couldn't drive their own cars, have special wardrobes they wear in public and such. How much has wrestling changed…

u/SumoByamba replied

Professional sumo wrestling in Japan is not just a sport. It's a full-time lifestyle, 24/7 and almost 365 days a year. It's not like "normal" sports that have a season. Pro sumo wrestlers are like soldiers in the military, year-round…

Read all of itShow less

Professional sumo wrestling in Japan is not just a sport. It's a full-time lifestyle, 24/7 and almost 365 days a year. It's not like "normal" sports that have a season. Pro sumo wrestlers are like soldiers in the military, year-round.

Even today, pro sumo wrestlers live in a very similar way to their predecessors, historically.

However, after I left pro sumo, I have had the chance to compete in international sumo all over the world. There are no lifestyle restrictions, and I can manage my own training and schedule. On the down side, though, it's not as easy to find strong people to train with on a regular basis.

Behind the scenesr/IAmA · 101 points as of Nov 2026Full thread ↗
A redditor wrote in r/IAmA

On “I am Byamba, three-time World Sumo Champion — Ask me Anything!”

What's the heaviest weight that you can lift?

u/SumoByamba replied

I don't max out because it makes the muscles too stiff. Flexibility is much more important in sumo than strength. So, I do a lot of high rep lifts that simulate the constant motion and dynamic action in a sumo match.