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Only a handful of competitions can keep viewers enthralled through three-quarters of an hour of ritual before the first point is even contested.

Yet the detailed ceremonies unfolding in a small clay ring - largely unaltered for generations - succeeded in doing so.

Experience the Grand Sumo Tournament

This multi-day tournament at the iconic London venue features four dozen top-tier sumo wrestlers showcasing a sport whose initial documentation dates back to 23BC.

London's renowned auditorium has been utterly transformed, complete with a elaborate suspended canopy hanging above the ring.

Ancient Traditions Meet Contemporary Displays

It is here the wrestlers, known as sumo wrestlers, perform their shiko exercises to expel dark forces, and where they clap to attract the divine beings.

Above all this traditional ritual, a enormous circular monitor - that would fit perfectly at an NBA match - offers the spectators all the stats and replays they could want.

Worldwide Followers Discover Sumo

For Sian Spencer, it was a "random video" that first captivated her a couple of years ago.

This was quickly followed by the discovery of specialized online content for rikishi houses, where wrestlers live and train, rising before dawn to work out, followed by a nutritious chankonabe and then an daytime sleep - all in the effort toward increasing mass.

From Edinburgh, Different Experience

Julia and her partner Cezar discovered sumo through a conventional method: a journey to Asia six years ago.

"We approached it as a very touristy activity, but we actually came to adore the sport," notes the enthusiast.

"After that, we tried to discover networks, resources, just to deepen our understanding about it," the other fan explains.

Special Event

Traveling to Asia is typically the sole method to see a top-flight sumo tournament.

This current tournament marks only the second instance the tournament has come to London - the initial occasion was in the early nineties.

Even going to Japan isn't a guarantee of obtaining admission, with the past period seeing completely booked tournaments.

First-Hand Experience

For numerous spectators, 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 sense of the speed and the power which you can't experience on TV," notes one fan. "They are so big."

The Competition

To succeed, one rikishi needs to force his opponent off the clay or to the ground using raw power.

The majority use one of pair of techniques to succeed in this, often in instantaneous actions - pushing, or grappling.

Either way, the sound of the two athletes crashing together in the initial contact of the match reverberates around the venue.

Front Row Positions

The seats right next to the ring are of course greatly valued - but also, potentially hazardous.

During one specific contest, a 191cm wrestler went plummeting into the spectators - perhaps making those in more affordable locations breathe a sigh of relief.

Internal Challenges

Of course, the stature of the wrestlers is one of the primary elements most people think of when they contemplate wrestling.

The venue's management revealed they "had to source and buy new chairs which can take up to 200kg in weight."

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

Coming Obstacles

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

Its appeal among young Japanese is also being challenged by alternative competitions, while Japan's falling birthrate will present additional challenges.

Worldwide Following

Not that any of this has concerned enthusiasts in London.

"Seeing all this custom and formality that accompanies sumo is especially significant," fan Sian says. "Today, watching it in person, you sense that you are more involved."

For other enthusiastic fans, the excitement "made it so incredible" - as did encountering the fellow enthusiasts.

"Getting out of a very niche online community and being able to witness multiple sumo fans live and being able to speak to other people who are equally passionate as we are - it was worth every penny."