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The Grand Sumo Tournament

Venue: The Royal Albert Hall, the British Capital. Schedule: October 15th through 19th

Understanding Sumo Wrestling

Sumo embodies Japan's iconic national sport, blending tradition, discipline and ancient spiritual practices with origins over a millennium.

This combat sport involves two competitors – called rikishi – battling within a circular arena – a dohyo – spanning 4.55 meters across.

Traditional ceremonies are performed both preceding and following every match, emphasizing the ceremonial aspects of the sport.

Traditionally before a match, an opening is made in the center of the dohyo and filled with nuts, squid, seaweed and sake by Shinto priests.

This opening is closed, enshrining inside divine presence. Sumo wrestlers then perform a ceremonial stomp with hand clapping to scare away bad spirits.

Professional sumo is governed a rigid ranking system, with competitors involved dedicate their entire lives to it – living and training communally.

The London Location

The Grand Sumo Tournament is being held outside of Japan for just the second time, with the competition occurring in London from Wednesday, 15 October until Sunday, 19 October.

The British capital with this iconic venue previously held the 1991 edition – marking the initial occasion a tournament was staged outside Japan in sumo history.

Clarifying the decision behind going overseas, sumo leadership expressed he wanted to share with London audiences the appeal of Sumo – a historic Japanese tradition".

The sport has experienced a significant rise in international interest globally in recent years, and a rare international tournament could further boost the appeal of traditional Japan internationally.

How Sumo Matches Work

The fundamental regulations of sumo are quite simple. The match concludes once a wrestler gets pushed of the dohyo or touches the floor using anything besides the sole of his feet.

Matches can conclude in a fraction of a second or continue over two minutes.

Sumo features two main fighting styles. Aggressive pushers typically shove competitors out of the ring by force, while belt-fighters choose to grip their opponent employing throwing techniques.

Elite wrestlers frequently excel in various techniques adjusting to their opponents.

There are dozens of victory moves, ranging from audacious throws strategic evasions. The variety in moves and tactics keeps audiences engaged, meaning unexpected results may happen in any bout.

Weight classes are not used in sumo, so it's common to observe wrestlers with significant size differences. Sumo rankings decides opponents rather than physical attributes.

Although female athletes can participate in non-professional sumo globally, they're excluded from professional tournaments or the main arenas.

Rikishi Lifestyle

Professional rikishi reside and practice together in training stables called heya, led by a stable master.

The daily routine for wrestlers centers completely on sumo. Early mornings dedicated to training, followed by a substantial lunch the traditional stew – a high-protein dish aimed at building mass – and an afternoon nap.

The average wrestler consumes between multiple servings per meal – thousands of calories – with notable instances of massive eating are documented.

Rikishi purposely increase mass to enhance leverage during matches. Despite their size, they demonstrate surprising agility, quick movements and explosive power.

Virtually every aspect of wrestlers' existence get controlled by their stable and governing body – making a unique lifestyle in professional sports.

A wrestler's ranking determines earnings, living arrangements and even personal assistants.

Junior less established rikishi handle chores in the stable, whereas senior competitors receive preferred treatment.

Sumo rankings get determined through performance in six annual tournaments. Wrestlers with winning records advance, while those losing descend in standing.

Before each tournament, a new banzuke gets published – a traditional document showing all wrestlers' positions within the sport.

At the summit exists the rank of Grand Champion – the ultimate achievement. Yokozuna represent the spirit of the sport – transcending winning.

Sumo Wrestlers Demographics

The sport includes several hundred wrestlers in professional sumo, primarily being Japanese.

Foreign wrestlers have been involved prominently over years, with Mongolian athletes reaching top levels in recent times.

Top champions feature international representatives, including wrestlers multiple countries reaching elite status.

In recent news, young international aspirants have traveled to Japan seeking wrestling careers.