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Not many athletic disciplines can hold spectators spellbound through three-quarters of an hour of ceremony before the first point is even determined.

Yet the detailed ceremonies unfolding in a traditional dohyō - largely unaltered for hundreds of years - managed to do just that.

Experience the Prestigious Rikishi Event

This five-day event at the iconic London venue features four dozen top-tier rikishi showcasing a sport whose earliest records dates back to the first century BC.

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

Historical Ceremonies Meet Current Innovations

It is here the athletes, known as rikishi, perform their shiko exercises to banish dark forces, and where they strike their hands to get the attention of the divine beings.

Above all this ancient ceremony, a enormous circular monitor - that would fit perfectly at an NBA match - offers the crowd all the statistics and footage 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 dedicated YouTube channels for training facilities, where athletes reside and practice, rising before dawn to work out, followed by a protein-rich meal and then an daytime sleep - all in the pursuit of increasing mass.

Traveling from the North, Different Experience

Different enthusiasts discovered sumo through a conventional method: a visit to the country six years ago.

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

"From there on, we tried to locate groups, information, just to expand our knowledge about it," the other fan explains.

Unique Chance

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

This current tournament marks only the second occasion the tournament has appeared in the capital - the initial occasion was in 1991.

Even going to Japan doesn't ensure of securing tickets, with recent years seeing fully attended competitions.

Live Observation

For multiple fans, the current event represents the premier chance they have watched sumo in person - and it doesn't disappoint.

"Observing directly, you get a understanding of quickness and the strength which you can't experience on TV," notes one fan. "Their stature is remarkable."

The Bouts

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

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

Either way, the sound of the two wrestlers meeting in the first moment of the match resounds around the hall.

Premium Seating

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

During one specific contest, a tall wrestler went plummeting into the crowd - perhaps making those in slightly cheaper seats feel relieved.

Behind the Scenes

Of course, the stature of the rikishi is one of the initial aspects most people imagine when they consider the sport.

The facility's operators revealed they "had to source and purchase additional seating which can take up to 200kg in weight."

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

Future Challenges

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

Its popularity among young Japanese is also being competed with by alternative competitions, while Japan's decreasing numbers will create further complications.

Global Community

Not that any of this has concerned enthusiasts in London.

"Experiencing the tradition and practice that accompanies sumo is quite special," one enthusiast notes. "Today, watching it live, you feel like you are more involved."

For other committed supporters, the drama "made it so incredible" - as did interacting with the fellow enthusiasts.

"Emerging from a very niche online community and being able to witness multiple sumo fans in person and being able to chat with other people who are similarly enthusiastic as we are - it was worth every penny."