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The Grand Sumo Tournament

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

Understanding Sumo Wrestling

Sumo represents the traditional sport of Japan, combining custom, rigorous training and Shinto religious rituals with origins over a millennium.

This physical contest features two wrestlers – called rikishi – battling within a circular arena – a dohyo – spanning 4.55 meters in diameter.

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

Traditionally before a match, a hole is made in the center of the dohyo and filled with nuts, squid, seaweed and sake through Shinto ceremonies.

The hole gets sealed, enshrining inside a spirit. Sumo wrestlers then perform a ceremonial stomp with hand clapping to scare away negative energies.

Elite sumo is governed a rigid ranking system, with competitors involved 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, with the competition occurring in London from Wednesday, 15 October until Sunday, 19 October.

London and The Royal Albert Hall previously held the 1991 tournament – marking the initial occasion such an event was staged beyond Japan in sumo history.

Explaining the reasoning for the international competition, sumo leadership stated the intention to share with London audiences the appeal of Sumo – an ancient traditional Japanese culture".

Sumo has seen a significant rise in popularity globally in recent years, with overseas events could further boost the popularity of Japanese culture internationally.

Sumo Bout Mechanics

The basic rules of sumo are quite simple. The match is decided when a rikishi is forced out of the dohyo or makes contact using anything besides the sole of his feet.

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

There exist two main fighting styles. Pusher-thrusters generally push competitors out of the ring by force, whereas grapplers choose to grip their opponent employing throwing techniques.

Elite wrestlers often master various techniques and can adapt against different styles.

Sumo includes 82 winning techniques, including dramatic throws to clever side-steps. This diversity in moves and tactics maintains fan interest, so surprises and upsets can occur during any match.

Weight classes do not exist within sumo, so it's common to observe wrestlers of varying dimensions. The ranking system decides opponents instead of physical attributes.

While women can participate in amateur sumo worldwide, they cannot enter elite competitions or the main arenas.

Life as a Sumo Wrestler

Sumo wrestlers live and train in communal facilities known as heya, led by a stable master.

Everyday life for wrestlers focuses entirely around the sport. They rise early for intense practice, then consuming a large meal of chankonabe – a high-protein dish aimed at building mass – and an afternoon nap.

The average wrestler eats approximately multiple servings per meal – thousands of calories – with notable instances of massive eating exist in sumo history.

Rikishi intentionally gain weight for competitive advantage during matches. Although large, they demonstrate remarkable flexibility, quick movements with strong bursts.

Nearly all elements of rikishi life get controlled by their stable and the Sumo Association – making a distinctive existence in professional sports.

Competitive standing affects earnings, living arrangements including personal assistants.

Younger or lower ranked rikishi perform duties in the stable, while higher ranked competitors receive special privileges.

Sumo rankings are established by results in six annual tournaments. Wrestlers with winning records move up, while those losing descend in standing.

Before each tournament, a new banzuke are released – a traditional document displaying everyone's status within the sport.

The highest level exists the rank of Grand Champion – the pinnacle position. These champions represent the essence of the sport – transcending winning.

Sumo Wrestlers Demographics

There are approximately several hundred wrestlers competing professionally, with most from Japan.

Foreign wrestlers have participated significantly over years, including Mongolian wrestlers reaching top levels in recent times.

Top champions include global participants, including wrestlers from various nations reaching elite status.

In recent news, young international aspirants have journeyed to Japan pursuing professional sumo careers.