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Only a handful of competitions can hold spectators spellbound through 45 minutes of ritual before the initial score is even contested.

Yet the detailed ceremonies unfolding in a compact earthen circle - mostly preserved for generations - succeeded in doing so.

Welcome to the Prestigious Rikishi Event

This multi-day tournament at the Royal Albert Hall features numerous elite sumo athletes showcasing a sport whose initial documentation dates back to 23BC.

London's historic performance space has been totally redesigned, complete with a six-tonne Japanese temple roof hanging above the competition area.

Time-Honored Rituals Meet Modern Technology

It is here the competitors, known as rikishi, perform their foot stomping to expel dark forces, and where they applaud to get the attention of the deities.

Above all this ancient ceremony, a massive rotating display - which wouldn't look out of place at an professional sports event - offers the crowd all the stats and replays they could want.

Worldwide Followers Find Sumo

For Sian Spencer, it was a "unexpected footage" that first caught her attention a couple of years ago.

This was soon supplemented with the discovery of focused video platforms for sumo stables, where wrestlers live and train, starting their day early to work out, followed by a protein-rich meal and then an daytime sleep - all in the pursuit of gaining weight.

Traveling from the North, Different Experience

Julia and her partner Cezar discovered sumo through a established path: a trip to Japan six years ago.

"We saw it as a typical visitor experience, but we actually developed passion for the sport," notes the enthusiast.

"After that, we tried to discover networks, materials, just to learn more about it," adds Cezar.

Rare Opportunity

Going to Japan is almost the only way to see a top-flight sumo tournament.

This week's event marks only the second time the tournament has come to London - the previous visit was in the early nineties.

Even going to Japan isn't certain of obtaining admission, with recent years seeing fully attended competitions.

In-Person Viewing

For numerous spectators, the London tournament represents the first time they have watched sumo in person - and it lives up to the hype.

"Watching nearby, you get a understanding of quickness and the strength which you won't feel on TV," says Caspar Eliot. "Their size is impressive."

The Competition

To win the match, one wrestler needs to force his opponent off the clay or to the surface using raw power.

The primary group use one of two styles to achieve this, often in split seconds - pushing, or grappling.

Either way, the impact of the two wrestlers meeting in the opening second of the match echoes around the hall.

Front Row Positions

The positions right next to the competition area are of course highly prized - but also, potentially hazardous.

During one recent bout, a 191cm wrestler tumbled into the spectators - perhaps making those in less expensive positions experience comfort.

Organizational Issues

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

The hall's organizers revealed they "had to source and acquire reinforced furniture which can take up to 200kg in weight."

But sumo - for all its successful competitions - is not without its difficulties behind the scenes.

Coming Obstacles

Perhaps the demanding existence of a professional athlete doesn't look as attractive as it once might have.

Its popularity among the younger generation is also being competed with by different athletic pursuits, while Japan's declining population will present additional challenges.

International Network

Not that any of this has worried fans in London.

"Experiencing the custom and formality that is part of sumo is quite special," one enthusiast notes. "Today, watching it live, you feel like you are more engaged."

For other committed supporters, the excitement "created amazing experiences" - as did interacting with the like-minded individuals.

"Getting out of a very niche online community and being able to witness multiple sumo fans directly and being able to converse with other people who are similarly enthusiastic as we are - it was completely valuable."