Movies like The Story of Sumo (2005)
The best movies like The Story of Sumo (2005) are Beyond the Mat (1999), Little Miss Sumo (2018) and For the Love of Spock (2016). If The Story of Sumo hooked you with its documentary, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedChris Brown: Welcome to My Life (2017)6.4/10 from 252 votes
- NewestCome See Me in the Good Light (2025)Released 2025
Beyond the Mat (1999)
A heartfelt documentary focusing on the day-to-day lives of professional wrestlers, some on the rise, some on the wane, and others fighting for their lives.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisLittle Miss Sumo (2018)
In an ancient sport traditionally reserved for men, 20-year-old female sumo prodigy Hiyori attempts to revolutionize Japan’s national pastime.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisFor the Love of Spock (2016)
The life of Mr. Spock, as well as that of Leonard Nimoy, the actor who played him for almost fifty years, written and directed by his son: Adam.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisNo Half Measures: Creating the Final Season of Breaking Bad (2013)
A documentary about the making of season five of the acclaimed AMC series Breaking Bad.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisNecessary Evil: Super-Villains of DC Comics (2013)
A documentary detailing the epic Rogues' Gallery of DC Comics from The Joker and Lex Luthor, Sinestro, Darkseid and more, this documentary will explore the Super Villains of DC Comics.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisGLOW: The Story of The Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (2012)
The year is 1986. Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (GLOW) is about to burst onto the scene as the first ever all-female wrestling show on television. By 1989, the GLOW girls were an international phenomenon, attracting over seven million viewers worldwide, touring the nation and making big bank for the show's producers. One year later, GLOW was gone. GLOW: THE STORY OF THE GORGEOUS LADIES OF WRESTLING chronicles the rise and fall of this hit television show through the stories of those who lived it. For some, the show was a brief foray into acting and a short-lived adventure. For others, their time in GLOW would impact and influence their lives for years to follow. For all of the women, working on GLOW was a unique and exciting experience that will bond them forever.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisAvatar: The Deep Dive - A Special Edition of 20/20 (2022)
An inside look at one of the most anticipated movie sequels ever with James Cameron and cast.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisHeart of a Dog (2015)
Musician and performance artist Laurie Anderson reflects on the deaths of her husband Lou Reed, her mother and her beloved dog.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisGilbert (2017)
The life and career of one of comedy's most inimitable modern voices, Mr. Gilbert Gottfried.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisChris Brown: Welcome to My Life (2017)
This compelling Documentary moves beyond the spotlight and past the attention-grabbing headlines to give pop superstar Chris Brown a chance to tell his own story. New interviews with the international phenomenon reveal long-awaited answers about his passion for making music, his tumultuous and much publicized relationships, and the pitfalls of coming of age in the public eye. Also included is new concert footage, behind-the-scenes access, and special interviews from Usher, Jennifer Lopez, DJ Khaled, Mike Tyson, Jamie Foxx and others.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMy Mom Jayne (2025)
Through deeply personal interviews with her siblings and an examination of the photographs, letters, and belongings left behind, Mariska assembles a new portrait of her mother Jayne Mansfield, an extraordinary and complex woman.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisDon't F*#% With John Wick (2015)
Behind the scenes look at fight choreography and action training.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisCome See Me in the Good Light (2025)
In an intimate and joyful story of love in the face of loss, celebrated poets Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley find strength—and unexpected hilarity—in what might be their final year together.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Battered Bastards of Baseball (2014)
Hollywood veteran Bing Russell creates the only independent baseball team in the country—alarming the baseball establishment and sparking the meteoric rise of the 1970s Portland Mavericks.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisHitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows (1998)
This documentary follows superstar Bret Hart during his last year in the WWF. The film documents the tensions that resulted in The Montreal Screwjob, one of the most controversial events in the history of professional wrestling, in which Vince McMahon, Shawn Micheals, and others, legitimately conspired behind the scenes to go against the script and remove Bret Hart as champion.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisJackie Chan: My Story (1998)
Jackie Chan is one of the world's biggest action stars, famed for his wacky sense of humor, remarkable martial arts techniques, and willingness to perform incredible stunts without the use of doubles -- or a net. This video takes a personal look at Chan as he works on screen projects in Hollywood and Beijing and candidly discusses his life and work.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisCharlie: The Life and Art of Charles Chaplin (2003)
Brilliant, long in-the-works story of the life and art of the world's greatest comedian and the cinema's first genius, Charlie Chaplin. Produced, written and directed by renowned film critic Richard Schickel.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisJoker: Put on a Happy Face (2020)
Featuring interviews with filmmakers and industry legends, discover the origins and evolution of The Joker, and learn why The Clown Prince of Crime is universally hailed as the greatest comic-book supervillain of all time.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisCameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff (2010)
In 2001 Jack Cardiff (1914-2009) became the first director of photography in the history of the Academy Awards to win an Honorary Oscar. But the first time he clasped the famous statuette in his hand was a half-century earlier when his Technicolor camerawork was awarded for Powell and Pressburger's Black Narcissus. Beyond John Huston's The African Queen and King Vidor's War and Peace, the films of the British-Hungarian creative duo (The Red Shoes and A Matter of Life and Death too) guaranteed immortality for the renowned cameraman whose career spanned seventy years.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Crystal Calls - Making The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (2019)
Go behind the scenes with stars, puppeteers and creators as they bring Jim Henson's magical world of Thra back to life in a sweeping fantasy series.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Giants (2021)
We follow the epic lives of sumo legends who made it from humble beginnings in Hawaii, to becoming the first foreigners to rise to the highest ranks in sumo. Starting with Takamiyama who paved the path for Konishiki, Akebono, and Musashimaru who soon followed and ignited sumo fandom around the world. As diplomats for the sport and Japanese culture, these 600 pound outsiders share their hero’s journey from a small Hawaiian village, to having God-like adulation from fans across the world.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
National Geographic: Inside Sumo's Ultimate Clash (2008)
We meet the highest ranked sumo wrestler, Mongolian Asashoryu. and delve into the hidden culture of this ancient sport. Sumo. More than a sport in Japan, it's a religion. Its history goes back 2000 years, with time-honored Shinto rituals and ceremonies originating from the ancient martial art called "Tegoi". Crashing into this tradition-bound world is Mongolian "outsider" Asashoryu. He's a rule-breaker. A rebel. And much to the chagrin of the sumo-crazy Japanese, he's their reigning champion. To add insult to injury, the Americans are even beefing up to join the sport. And now, for the first time in nearly 15 years, Japanese Grand Sumo is coming to ground zero of the outsider invasion. Hawaii - birthplace to Sumo's first foreign-born grand champion, Akebono. Asashoryu is not any Sumo wrestler. He's the "yokozuna" - or highest ranked. The Muhammad Ali of Sumo. With permission from...
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Maïnoumi, une saison dans la vie d'un lutteur de sumo (1993)
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Chiyonofuji - The Way of the Wolf (1991)
A documentary chronicling the life and career of the legendary Yokozuna, Chiyonofuji.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
A Normal Life. Chronicle of a Sumo Wrestler (2013)
The diary of Takuya Ogushi, a 18 years old Japanese, who begins his new life as a sumo wrestler.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Luca (2008)
The fascinating story of Luca Prodan, Italo-Scottish Idol of Argentina's mythical Sumo Rock Band, and innovator of Latin American rock. His past as a pupil in Gordonstoun, Scotland's elitist college. His rebellious adolescence and fatal flirtation with heroin. His London years in the heart of the Punk explosion, and miraculous 're-birth' in dictatorship-ridden Argentina. South America's Ian Curtis... with a twist.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
The Mongolian Eagle (2002)
Combining insightful interviews, fast cuts, and exciting competitive action, The Mongolian Eagle offers a privileged glimpse into the ancient and secretive world of sumo. Meet Kyokushuzan, a Mongolian wrestler who guides us through the hierarchy and rituals of this complex society as he pursues his goal to overcome all odds and become a Yokuzuna, or Grand Champion. Stunning visuals of Japanese and Mongolian landscapes intercut with behind-the-scenes revelations show us at first hand the difficult transitions these two ancient cultures deal with in their struggle to survive in the modern world. Length: 1 hour
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
My Dick Was Penetrated (1992)
Manila city. Fernando Suzuki noticed the popularity of sumo in Japan and decided to make a profit by holding sumo classes locally. They are recruiting young people who want to succeed as sumo wrestlers in Japan. Philnando can't stop smiling at the unexpected number of applicants. They immediately start a training camp, but it is difficult to teach sumo to young people who have never tightened a mawashi, let alone how to step on a shiko. As Fernando watched the sweaty young men take a shower, he noticed one of them, Enrico. He immediately called her to his room...
Why it matches: Similar story and style
Wakanohana: The Story of the Devil of the Dohyō (1956)
A film about sumo wrestler Wakanohana Kanji I. He was nicknamed "Devil of the dohyo" due to his excellent fighting spirit and endurance.
Why it matches: Similar story and style
Sumo Do, Sumo Don't (1992)
A college senior, Shuhei, is blackmailed by a professor into joining the school's sumo team. He is aided by a group of misfits who must team together to defeat their rivals or face disgrace and the disbandment of the sumo club.
Why it matches: Similar story and style
Like The Story of Sumo and something else?
Blend two favourites and we’ll find the films in between.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like The Story of Sumo?
The closest matches to The Story of Sumo are Beyond the Mat (1999), Little Miss Sumo (2018) and For the Love of Spock (2016). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after The Story of Sumo?
Start with Beyond the Mat (1999), the closest match to The Story of Sumo.
What is the highest-rated movie like The Story of Sumo?
Chris Brown: Welcome to My Life (2017), rated 6.4/10 by 252 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like The Story of Sumo?
Come See Me in the Good Light (2025) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like The Story of Sumo?
Yes: Beyond the Mat (1999), Little Miss Sumo (2018) and For the Love of Spock (2016).
How are movies similar to The Story of Sumo chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside The Story of Sumo, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.