Former Sumo Champion Chiyotairyu Defeats Boxer Jorge Menasalvas in Unique MMA Showdown
In Spain, the Dogfight Wild Tournament 4 delivered its most surreal spectacle on May 23, when a former sumo wrestling star collided with a professional boxer inside the iconic Palacio Vistalegre in Madrid. Chiyotairyu Hidemasa, a mountain of a man weighing approximately 330 lbs, squared off against the significantly lighter Jorge Junior Menasalvas in a crossover MMA bout with modified rules.
With no UFC last week, this past weekend was all about circus fights, as wild events like DWT and the Adin Ross-backed Ray J vs. Supa Hot Fire event occupied the typical MMA timeslot.
The event, organized by popular Spanish content creator Jordi Wild, saw the Japanese behemoth walk away with a hard-fought decision victory after five wild rounds.
Watch the full fight here:
The capacity crowd fully embraced the absurdity of the style clash, recognizing they were witnessing a tribute to the earliest, no-holds-barred origins of mixed martial arts. It was reminiscent of the first-ever UFC event, when MMA was still in its prototypical stage and style clashes like this were still the norm.
Background
Chiyotairyu Hidemasa
Chiyotairyu Hidemasa, whose birth name is Hidemasa Meigetsuin, is a former professional sumo wrestler of 11 years, achieving a championship win in the Juryo rank, the second-highest rank possible. He has also achieved three gold stars, an accomplishment in professional sumo wrestling that marks a lower-ranked wrestler's victory over a yokozuna (the highest rank in Sumo).
Here is footage of him winning a gold star over the yokozuna Kisenosato at the Nagoya Basho, or July Grand Sumo Tournament:
Jorge Junior Menasalvas
Hailing from Spain, Mensalvas is a 5-0 professional boxer in the light heavyweight division, according to his BoxRec profile. All of his opponents are from Spain, and his bouts are no more than four rounds, indicating he is still building up his professional career in the sport.
Special Rules
The ruleset for this fight was unique, crafted to create spectacle rather than a true MMA competition. Here are some of the key traits that made this ruleset unique:
Round Length
Each round was only two minutes long, one minute less than the average boxing or kickboxing bout and three minutes shorter than the typical MMA bout.
No Weight Classes
The fight allowed for a massive weight disparity, with Chiyotairyu weighing significantly more than Menasalvas.
Sumo Rules
Chiyotairyu was only allowed to use techniques allowed in his specific sport. This means he was allowed to shove, throw, trip, and even slap, but he was not allowed to throw any kicks, knees, elbows or punches.
Boxer Rules
Menasalvas on the other hand, was only allowed to throw punches, similar to a boxing match. No kicks, knees, or elbows were permitted.
Limited Grappling
If there happens to be an extended period of time in the clinch or on the ground, the referee will break the action and have fighters restart from a standing, distanced position.
The Fight
Chiyotairyu barreled forward, using his overwhelming weight advantage to bulldoze Menasalvas in the opening rounds and put him on the mat.
However, as the fight wore on, the sumo wrestler's gas tank began to run empty, and his explosive takedowns slowed to a crawl in the later rounds. Menasalvas finally began to let his hands go, landing clean, effective punches as the sumo wrestler's defense faltered due to sheer exhaustion.
A desperate rally ensued, with the boxer trying to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. As Chiyotairyu's initial explosiveness depleted, Menasalvas showcased his technical boxing skills, hoping the late damage would sway the judges or lead to a stoppage.
When the final bell rang, however, the judges rendered their verdict in favor of Chiyotairyu Hidemasa by decision. His dominant performance in the first two rounds provided a sufficient buffer on the scorecards.
In the end, the night belonged to Chiyotairyu.
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This story was originally published May 25, 2026 at 7:48 PM.