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Sumo swaps bus for Lime bike after missing lift home

The wrestler had been competing in the Grand Sumo Tournament Final in London before he missed his bus back to his hotel.

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Sumo riding a Lime bike
Lime bikes seem to have been the transport mode of choice throughout the wrestlers' visit to London. Picture: X

By Alex Nichol

Footage of sumo wrestler Tobizaru Masaya — also known as The Flying Monkey — speeding away from the Albert Hall on a Lime bike went viral on social media over the weekend.

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The wrestler had been fighting in the Grand Sumo Tournament Final at the Royal Albert Hall in London before he missed the bus back to the team accommodation.

A video posted on X shows the Japanese combat athlete mounting a Lime bike while donning a traditional kimono and being cheered by onlookers.

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Tobizaru, who is below-average in stature for a pro sumo wrestler, uses the “gorilla” strategy to grapple opponents, which has earned him the title of “The Flying Monkey.”

Social media has been filled with footage of sumo wrestlers enjoying their time in London whilst taking part in the world famous tournament.

Pictures show the wrestlers riding lime bikes across the city, guzzling ice-cold pints of Guinness and munching on hot dogs in Westminster.

Tatsunami stable, a club that many of the wrestlers belong to, has been sharing updates of their historic trip on Instagram, writing: “It looks like everyone is enjoying the lush nature and beautiful scenery of London.

“It feels a bit strange to think of sumo wrestlers with their topknots walking around the streets of London, but we hope that the first Grand Sumo London performance in 34 years will be a huge success, and that it helps people overseas discover the appeal of sumo.”

This was the second time ever that the Grand Sumo Tournament has been been staged outside of Japan, with the five-day event concluding on Sunday as organisers looked to capitalise on a worldwide surge in interest in Japan’s national sport.

The Grand Sumo Tournament was five-day event that has capitalised on a global surge in interest in Japan’s national sport
The Grand Sumo Tournament was five-day event that has capitalised on a global surge in interest in Japan’s national sport. Picture: Getty
The finals of the tournament took place on Sunday, it was the second time in history that the competition has taken place outside of Japan
The finals of the tournament took place on Sunday, it was the second time in history that the competition has taken place outside of Japan. Picture: Getty