wrestling
HEAD OVER HEELS ( Left ) Abdelrahman “ Sandstorm ” Shalan throws his opponet , Soslan Gagloev , to the dohyo or mat . ( Above ) Shalan ’ s wife , Alaa Okasha , and three sons cheer for him during amatch .
Shalan first tried sumo at age 14 , after achance meeting with the coach of the Egyptian national team . The young bodybuilder finished second at the Junior SumoWorld Championships in 2008 , and earned abronze medal two years later .
Seeking abigger challenge , Shalan moved to Japan in 2011 , and ran headfirst into culture shock . The Japan Sumo Association allows only one foreignborn wrestler per stable ( a sort of group house for wrestlers .) At the time , there were about 45 registered international wrestlers .
“ When Igot to the sumo stable , I ’ m a ‘ kohai ,’ the new guy ,” says Shalan , who was one of six trainees at the Otake stable .“ Whoever ’ sthere who is older than me has the right to tell me what to do , and Idon ’ t have any right to say no .”
Shalan had to wake upat4a . m . to prepare the other wrestlers ’ mawashi and clean his dojo . When they rose at 6a . m ., Shalan helped them get dressed before hecould move to his own training . Afterward , he had to clean up again , then help prepare lunch . Younger wrestlers served their elders and coach first , eating only what was left over .
By Shalan ’ s estimation , he did nothing but clean and train for 18 months , sneaking back tothe gym after everyone else was asleep .
The work paid off . Shalan won his professional debut , going 7-0ataMay
2012 tournament in Osaka . He continued to win , earning promotions up the regimented sumo system .
“ Moving from the low ranks to the high ranks , Iwas the fastest wrestler in the history of sumo ,” Shalan says .“ Iwas the first to do it in 1½ years . The second record after me was two years and two months .”
FAMILYOFFIGHTERS
Shalan , who can speak and write Arabic and English , learned enough Japanese to sign autographs for his new fans . There were plenty of opportunities . Shalan rose to the rank of maegashira 1 by November 2015 . Though that placed him inthe top division of Japanese rikishi , he never reached his goal of becoming a “ yokozuna ,” orgrand champion .
Shalan and Okasha met at an Egyptian restaurant in Japan , when she was finishing her undergraduate degree at Kansai University . Hehad heard talk of the “ very beautiful girl .” But she didn ’ t know the sumo star .
Shalan was irate , telling Okasha , “ I ’ m alegend here !” But his temper quickly faded . The couple married three months later .
“ He told me ,‘ Youare the only one Imet who didn ’ t care ifI ’ m rich or not . Youare the only one who is not looking for my money , not because I ’ m famous . Youare different .’” Okasha says .“ Isaid yes because he ’ s like myfamily . We ’ re always laughing .”
“ It ’ scrazy in Japan ,” she says .“ They treat them like gods .”
FROM JAPAN TO JERSEY
Shalan ’ s international career ended prematurely after he was pulled over for driving without alicense , aviolation of both Japanese law and the Sumo Association ’ s ban on wrestlers driving . Heretired in 2018 , and the couple moved to California . Shalan trained to compete in mixed martial arts , but lost his lone fight byunanimous decision .
“ I know nothing mywhole life but sumo ,” he says .“ I ’ ve been doing it since Iwas 14 . Iwent there , Iwent here . But still , sumo isinthe blood .”
After abrief return to Egypt , Shalan and Okasha moved to Clifton in 2021 , following friends who had emigrated to New Jersey . Heworked in construction but found “ it ’ snot my type of job .”
In 2022 , he coached the Egyptian junior team at the World Games in Birmingham , Alabama . But the squad was banned due to “ poor sportsmanship ” after one wrestler did acelebratory backflip after winning gold . Shalan lost his temper with the officials , a particularly inappropriate offense in the tradition-heavy world ofsumo .
His demonstrative performance outside the dohyo in Jersey City shows Shalan isn ’ t finished pushing sumo ’ s limits . Alegend on two continents , hehas big dreams for America as well .
“ We ’ re representing anew sumo , in anew kimono , anew galabia , as we say in Egypt ,” Shalan says .“ Sumo , inthe U . S ., itwill be like MMA . … They have hockey , American football , MMA . From now on , there will be anew option . Everybody will try to find aticket to watch the real sumo fights . Itwill be around them everywhere .” ■
6 SPRING 2024 WAYNE MAGAZINE