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Not many athletic disciplines can hold spectators spellbound through three-quarters of an hour of ritual before the initial score is even contested.

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

Welcome to the Major Sumo Competition

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 23BC.

London's renowned auditorium has been totally redesigned, complete with a elaborate suspended canopy hanging above the dohyō.

Historical Ceremonies Meet Contemporary Displays

It is here the competitors, known as sumo professionals, perform their leg stomps to banish negative energies, and where they clap to get the attention of the deities.

Above all this traditional ritual, a massive rotating display - that would fit perfectly at an American basketball game - offers the crowd all the data and video they could want.

International Enthusiasts Embrace Sumo

For one dedicated fan, it was a "unexpected footage" 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 afternoon nap - all in the service of increasing mass.

Traveling from the North, Alternative View

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," says Julia.

"From there on, we tried to discover networks, materials, just to deepen our understanding about it," her partner continues.

Unique Chance

Traveling to Asia is typically the sole method to see a major championship.

This London competition marks only the second occasion the tournament has appeared in the capital - the initial occasion was in the early nineties.

Even traveling to Asia doesn't ensure of obtaining admission, with the past period seeing fully attended competitions.

First-Hand Experience

For numerous spectators, the London tournament represents the first time they have seen live sumo - and it exceeds expectations.

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

The Competition

To achieve victory, one rikishi needs to push another from the dohyō or to the ground using physical force.

The most use one of pair of techniques to accomplish this, often in split seconds - pushing, or clenching.

Either way, the noise of the two athletes colliding in the opening second of the match resounds around the auditorium.

Prime Locations

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

During one particular match, a large wrestler tumbled into the audience - perhaps making those in less expensive positions feel relieved.

Internal Challenges

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

The facility's operators revealed they "needed to find and acquire reinforced furniture which can support 200kg in weight."

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

Coming Obstacles

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

Its appeal among youth in Japan is also being competed with by alternative competitions, while Japan's falling birthrate will not help.

Worldwide Following

Not that any of this has troubled spectators in London.

"Witnessing these tradition and practice that goes with sumo is especially significant," fan Sian says. "Today, watching it in person, you feel like you are more involved."

For other committed supporters, the intensity "created amazing experiences" - as did encountering the fellow enthusiasts.

"Emerging from a highly specialized online community and being able to witness multiple sumo fans directly and being able to chat with other people who are similarly enthusiastic as we are - it was completely valuable."