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This Prestigious Sumo Competition

Venue: This Historic London Venue, London. Dates: October 15th through 19th

Exploring Sumo Wrestling

Sumo represents Japan's iconic national sport, blending custom, rigorous training and Shinto religious rituals with origins more than 1,000 years.

This combat sport features two wrestlers – known as rikishi – battling within a circular arena – the dohyo – spanning 4.55 meters in diameter.

Traditional ceremonies take place both preceding and following every match, highlighting the traditional nature in sumo.

Customarily prior to competition, an opening is created in the center of the dohyo and filled with nuts, squid, seaweed and sake through Shinto ceremonies.

This opening is closed, enshrining inside divine presence. Sumo wrestlers then perform a ceremonial stomp and clap to drive off bad spirits.

Elite sumo operates under a strict hierarchy, with competitors who participate commit completely to it – living and training in group settings.

The London Location

This Major Sumo Event is being held outside of Japan for just the second time, as the tournament occurring in London beginning October 15th through October 19th.

London and The Royal Albert Hall previously held the 1991 edition – the first time a tournament was staged outside Japan in sumo history.

Explaining the reasoning for the international competition, sumo leadership stated he wanted to "convey with London audiences sumo's attraction – a historic Japanese tradition".

The sport has experienced a significant rise in popularity among international fans recently, and a rare international tournament potentially enhancing the popularity of Japanese culture abroad.

Sumo Bout Mechanics

The basic rules of sumo are quite simple. The bout concludes once a wrestler gets pushed from the ring or makes contact with anything other than their foot soles.

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

There exist two main fighting styles. Aggressive pushers typically shove competitors from the arena by force, whereas grapplers prefer to grapple their opponent and use throwing techniques.

Elite wrestlers often master various techniques and can adapt to their opponents.

Sumo includes 82 winning techniques, ranging from audacious throws to clever side-steps. The variety of techniques and strategies keeps audiences engaged, so surprises and upsets can occur during any match.

Size categories are not used in sumo, so it's common to see rikishi of varying dimensions. Sumo rankings determine matchups rather than body measurements.

While women can participate in non-professional sumo worldwide, they cannot enter elite competitions including major venues.

Rikishi Lifestyle

Professional rikishi live and train in communal facilities called heya, led by a head trainer.

Everyday life of a rikishi focuses entirely around the sport. They rise early for intense practice, then consuming a substantial lunch the traditional stew – a protein-rich preparation aimed at building mass – with rest periods.

The average wrestler consumes between six to 10 bowls per meal – thousands of calories – with notable instances of massive eating are documented.

Rikishi intentionally gain weight to enhance leverage during matches. Although large, they demonstrate remarkable flexibility, rapid reflexes with strong bursts.

Virtually every aspect of wrestlers' existence get controlled through their training house and the Sumo Association – creating a distinctive existence among athletic professions.

A wrestler's ranking affects their payment, accommodation options including personal assistants.

Junior less established wrestlers handle chores in the stable, while higher ranked competitors receive special privileges.

Sumo rankings get determined through performance during yearly events. Successful competitors move up, while those losing drop down in standing.

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

At the summit exists the rank of Grand Champion – the pinnacle position. These champions represent the spirit of the sport – transcending winning.

Who Becomes a Rikishi

There are approximately 600 rikishi in professional sumo, with most from Japan.

Foreign wrestlers have participated significantly over years, including Mongolian wrestlers reaching top levels currently.

Current Yokozuna feature international representatives, including wrestlers from various nations achieving high ranks.

Recently, young international aspirants have journeyed to the homeland pursuing wrestling careers.