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Not many athletic disciplines can hold spectators spellbound through 45 minutes of ceremony before the initial score is even decided.

Yet the intricate traditions unfolding in a compact earthen circle - virtually unchanged for hundreds of years - succeeded in doing so.

Welcome to the Prestigious Rikishi Event

This week-long competition at the historic concert hall features numerous elite sumo athletes showcasing a sport whose initial documentation dates back to 23BC.

London's Victorian concert venue has been completely reimagined, complete with a elaborate suspended canopy hanging above the competition area.

Ancient Traditions Meet Contemporary Displays

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

Above all this ancient ceremony, a giant, revolving LED screen - that appears natural at an American basketball game - offers the crowd all the data and video 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 soon supplemented with the discovery of specialized online content for sumo stables, where wrestlers live and train, starting their day early to work out, followed by a nutritious chankonabe and then an daytime sleep - all in the pursuit of increasing mass.

Traveling from the North, Different Experience

Another couple discovered sumo through a conventional method: a journey to Asia six years ago.

"We approached it as a common sightseeing event, but we actually ended up loving the sport," explains the fan.

"Subsequently, we tried to locate groups, materials, just to learn more about it," her partner continues.

Special Event

Visiting the homeland is typically the sole method to see a top-flight sumo tournament.

This London competition marks only the second instance the tournament has visited the city - the first time was in 1991.

Even visiting the country doesn't ensure of getting a seat, with the past period seeing sold-out events.

Live Observation

For multiple fans, the UK competition represents the initial opportunity they have watched sumo in person - and it lives up to the hype.

"Watching nearby, you get a sense of the speed and the power which you won't feel on TV," explains an attendee. "They are so big."

The Competition

To win the match, one wrestler needs to push another out of the ring or to the floor using brute strength.

The most use one of dual approaches to succeed in this, often in moments - thrusting, or clenching.

Either way, the impact of the two athletes colliding in the initial contact of the match reverberates around the auditorium.

Prime Locations

The seats right next to the ring are of course highly prized - but also, a bit risky.

During one particular match, a 191cm wrestler fell into the audience - perhaps making those in more affordable locations breathe a sigh of relief.

Organizational Issues

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

The facility's operators revealed they "were required to locate and acquire reinforced furniture which can withstand 200kg in weight."

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

Future Challenges

Perhaps the rigorous lifestyle of a professional athlete doesn't look as appealing as it once might have.

Its popularity among youth in Japan is also being challenged by other sports, while Japan's decreasing numbers will present additional challenges.

Worldwide Following

Not that any of this has troubled spectators in London.

"Seeing all this custom and formality that accompanies sumo is quite special," fan Sian says. "Today, watching it live, you experience being you are more part of it."

For other enthusiastic fans, the intensity "created amazing experiences" - as did interacting with the fellow enthusiasts.

"Getting out of a very niche online community and being able to observe numerous sumo fans in person and being able to chat with other people who are just as into this as we are - it was completely valuable."