Truck Driver Loses 3-0 in New Pro Sumo League Debut

Rupert Cintron lost three of three matches during his professional sumo debut at Credit Union 1 Arena in Chicago on Saturday night. The 51-year-old truck driver entered the ring for the second stop of the Sumo Championship League's inaugural tour. He competed against opponents in a league that blends traditional wrestling rules with American entertainment production.

Cintron, who stands 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs 260 pounds, has wrestled for only two years. He works daily moving 11,000 pounds of flour and beef into restaurant basements across the city. His nickname in the sport is The Chicago Silverback. He lives in Elgin with his wife Lela and their four children.

The league is led by Stuart Snyder, former president of the Cartoon Network and World Wrestling Entertainment. Snyder stated that the wrestling itself remains pure sumo, but the presentation includes specific music and lighting cues. The event offered a $10,000 prize to the top wrestler. Wrestlers accumulate points throughout the season, with a final event scheduled for late 2027.

Cintron slipped during his first bout. A hand to the neck pushed him out of the ring in the second match. In the third contest, he wrestled his opponent to the ground but hit the floor first. The loss likely means he will not be invited to the next league event. Sam Rodriguez III, a 40-year-old Calumet City veteran, missed the Chicago show after breaking a finger and tearing hand tendons in the October Austin, Texas, opening.

The new league differs from professional sumo in Japan. It features wrestlers ranging from 200 to 450 pounds, whereas the top Japanese ranks typically average over 350 pounds. The tour includes American, Mongolian, Ukrainian, and Japanese competitors. Snyder noted that the league does not follow every Japanese tradition, such as throwing salt to purify the ring.

Local sumo culture in Chicago grew from the efforts of Matt Shields, who founded the Chicago Sumo Club in 2022. Shields approached passersby at Humboldt Park and 31st Street Beach to recruit members. He eventually built a core group of 12 wrestlers. They practice Sundays at a local university and receive instruction from Ryuichi Yamamoto, a retired Japanese pro from St. Louis.

Cintron's daughter Raven, 22, held a sign reading Build some calluses during his matches. It referenced a phrase he often tells his children about enduring minor pain to grow stronger. Cintron said he hopes to serve as an alternate for future events or advance to the semi-finals, where competitors choose a song to play before their bout.

The United States Sumo Federation heads the amateur scene, which includes weight classes and female wrestlers. The pro league remains separate from this structure. Cintron plans to return to practice and the drawing board. He said he is dealing with the aches and pains of being 51 but felt the show was awesome.