Sumo Wrestling

Sumo Wrestling is a popular competitive contact sport in Japan where a wrestler attempts to force his opponent either out of a circular ring, called the "dohyo", or to touch the ground inside the "dohyo" with anything other than the soles of the feet. Japan is the only country where the sport is practiced professionally because Sumo is essentially a sport of deep and ancient Japanese traditions, where there are many rituals and rules that need to be strictly followed and obeyed.
Also known as the Nihon Sumo Kyokai, the Japan Sumo Association (JSA) serves as the governing body of professional sumo wrestling. The members of JSA are former wrestlers, and they are the only people allowed to train new wrestlers. Wrestlers from foreign countries are very much welcomed to compete, but all professional competitions must take place only in Japanese soil.
The basic salary of a Yokozuna is approximately $24,000 per month, while a wrestler belonging in the second division makes about $9,000 a month. Just like any other sport, the elite wrestlers can enjoy more financial benefits. In 1993, for instance, a Yokozuna wrestler named Akebono earned more than $800,000, which was almost four times more than his base salary.
Finally, because Sumo Wrestling is a very popular sport in Japan, corporate sponsorship and endorsements are also prevalent in the sport. In fact, many Yokozunas and grand champions earn much more from endorsement deals.