There's Nothing Like Feeling the Royal Albert Hall Shake When Sumo Athletes Clash

Few sports can keep viewers enthralled through an extended period of ceremony before the initial score is even determined.

Yet the detailed ceremonies unfolding in a small clay ring - largely unaltered for hundreds of years - accomplished exactly that.

Welcome to the Major Sumo Competition

This five-day event at the iconic London venue features 40 of the very best rikishi showcasing a sport whose initial documentation dates back to ancient times.

London's historic performance space has been utterly transformed, complete with a massive traditional roof structure hanging above the ring.

Time-Honored Rituals Meet Current Innovations

It is here the athletes, known as sumo professionals, perform their foot stomping to drive away evil spirits, and where they clap to summon the divine beings.

Above all this historical practice, a enormous circular monitor - which wouldn't look out of place at an NBA match - offers the spectators all the data and video they could want.

International Enthusiasts Find Sumo

For an enthusiastic follower, it was a "random video" that first caught her attention a couple of years ago.

This was quickly followed by the discovery of focused video platforms for sumo stables, where wrestlers live and train, rising before dawn to work out, followed by a nutritious chankonabe and then an midday rest - all in the effort toward gaining weight.

From Edinburgh, Alternative View

Another couple discovered sumo through a conventional method: a journey to Asia six years ago.

"We saw it as a typical visitor experience, but we actually came to adore the sport," says Julia.

"Subsequently, we tried to find communities, information, just to expand our knowledge about it," adds Cezar.

Unique Chance

Visiting the homeland is almost the only way to see a major championship.

This current tournament marks only the second instance the tournament has visited the city - the first time was in over three decades ago.

Even going to Japan isn't a guarantee of getting a seat, with current times seeing completely booked tournaments.

First-Hand Experience

For multiple fans, the London tournament represents the initial opportunity they have watched sumo in person - and it doesn't disappoint.

"Seeing it up close, you get a understanding of quickness and the force which you don't get on TV," says Caspar Eliot. "They are so big."

The Bouts

To achieve victory, one competitor needs to move the other man off the clay or to the surface using brute strength.

The majority use one of two styles to achieve this, often in moments - pushing, or clenching.

Either way, the sound of the two rikishi crashing together in the first moment of the match echoes around the venue.

Premium Seating

The cushions right next to the ring are of course highly prized - but also, potentially hazardous.

During one recent bout, a tall wrestler tumbled into the crowd - perhaps making those in less expensive positions feel relieved.

Behind the Scenes

Of course, the dimensions of the athletes is one of the first things most people imagine when they contemplate wrestling.

The hall's organizers revealed they "needed to find and acquire reinforced furniture which can withstand 200kg in weight."

But sumo - for all its popular tournaments - is not without its troubles behind the scenes.

Future Challenges

Perhaps the rigorous lifestyle of a sumo wrestler doesn't look as attractive as it once might have.

Its following among the younger generation is also being threatened by different athletic pursuits, while Japan's decreasing numbers will create further complications.

Global Community

Not that any of this has worried fans in London.

"Experiencing the ritual and ceremony that accompanies sumo is especially significant," fan Sian says. "Currently, observing it directly, you experience being you are more engaged."

For other committed supporters, the drama "made it so incredible" - as did interacting with the like-minded individuals.

"Getting out of a highly specialized online community and being able to see all these sumo fans in person and being able to converse with other people who are similarly enthusiastic as we are - it was worth every penny."