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Only a handful of competitions can captivate an audience through three-quarters of an hour of tradition before the initial score is even determined.

Yet the intricate traditions unfolding in a traditional dohyō - mostly preserved for hundreds of years - succeeded in doing so.

Discover the Grand Sumo Tournament

This five-day event at the Royal Albert Hall features 40 of the very best rikishi showcasing a sport whose first mention dates back to ancient times.

London's historic performance space has been completely reimagined, complete with a elaborate suspended canopy hanging above the competition area.

Ancient Traditions Meet Contemporary Displays

It is here the wrestlers, known as sumo wrestlers, perform their foot stomping to expel dark forces, and where they strike their hands to summon the gods.

Above all this traditional ritual, a giant, revolving LED screen - that would fit perfectly at an professional sports event - offers the crowd all the statistics and footage they could want.

Global Fans Embrace Sumo

For one dedicated fan, it was a "unexpected footage" that first caught her attention a couple of years ago.

This was soon supplemented with the discovery of specialized online content for training facilities, where wrestlers live and train, starting their day early to work out, followed by a protein-rich meal and then an afternoon nap - all in the effort toward increasing mass.

Traveling from the North, Different Experience

Another couple discovered sumo through a more traditional route: a trip to Japan six years ago.

"We approached it as a typical visitor experience, but we actually came to adore the sport," explains the fan.

"Subsequently, we tried to discover networks, materials, just to expand our knowledge about it," the other fan explains.

Special Event

Going to Japan is typically the sole method to see a top-flight sumo tournament.

This current tournament marks only the second time the tournament has come to London - the previous visit was in the early nineties.

Even visiting the country isn't a guarantee of obtaining admission, with the past period seeing completely booked tournaments.

Live Observation

For many attendees, the London tournament represents the initial opportunity they have experienced the sport directly - and it exceeds expectations.

"Seeing it up close, you get a sense of the speed and the force which you don't get on TV," explains an attendee. "They are so big."

The Matches

To win the match, one competitor needs to move the other man from the dohyō or to the ground using physical force.

The majority use one of dual approaches to achieve this, often in instantaneous actions - shoving, or wrestling.

Either way, the noise of the two athletes crashing together in the initial contact of the match resounds around the hall.

Front Row Positions

The cushions right next to the competition area are of course extremely sought-after - but also, potentially hazardous.

During one recent bout, a large wrestler tumbled into the crowd - perhaps making those in less expensive positions breathe a sigh of relief.

Organizational Issues

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

The hall's organizers revealed they "were required to locate and buy new chairs which can withstand 200kg in weight."

But sumo - for all its sell-out events - is not without its difficulties behind the scenes.

Future Challenges

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

Its popularity among youth in Japan is also being challenged by different athletic pursuits, while Japan's declining population will not help.

International Network

Not that any of this has worried fans in London.

"Experiencing the custom and formality that goes with sumo is particularly meaningful," an attendee explains. "Currently, observing it in person, you sense that you are more part of it."

For other dedicated followers, the excitement "created amazing experiences" - as did meeting the like-minded individuals.

"Getting out of a particularly focused online community and being able to witness multiple sumo fans directly and being able to speak to other people who are equally passionate as we are - it was absolutely worthwhile."