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This Prestigious Sumo Competition

Venue: This Historic London Venue, London. Dates: 15-19 October

Exploring Sumo Wrestling

Sumo represents the traditional sport of Japan, blending custom, discipline and ancient spiritual practices dating back over a millennium.

This physical contest features two wrestlers – called rikishi – competing inside a raised circular ring – the dohyo – spanning 4.55 meters in diameter.

Various rituals are performed before and after every match, emphasizing the traditional nature in sumo.

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

This opening gets sealed, enshrining inside a spirit. The rikishi then perform a ritual stamp and clap to scare away bad spirits.

Professional sumo operates under a rigid ranking system, and the wrestlers who participate commit completely to the sport – residing and practicing in group settings.

Why London?

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

The British capital with this iconic venue also hosted the 1991 edition – marking the initial occasion a tournament was staged outside Japan in the sport's history.

Explaining the reasoning behind going overseas, sumo leadership stated the intention to share to the people of London sumo's attraction – a historic Japanese tradition".

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

How Sumo Matches Work

The basic rules in sumo wrestling are straightforward. The match concludes once a wrestler is forced out of the dohyo or makes contact with anything other than the sole of his feet.

Bouts can conclude in a fraction of a second or last over two minutes.

Sumo features two primary techniques. Pusher-thrusters generally push their opponents from the arena by force, while belt-fighters choose to grip the other rikishi employing throwing techniques.

High-ranking rikishi frequently excel in various techniques adjusting against different styles.

Sumo includes dozens of victory moves, including audacious throws to clever side-steps. The variety of techniques and strategies maintains fan interest, meaning unexpected results may happen during any match.

Weight classes are not used within sumo, making it normal 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 professional tournaments including major venues.

Life as a Sumo Wrestler

Professional rikishi live and train together in training stables known as heya, led by a stable master.

Everyday life of a rikishi centers completely around the sport. They rise early for intense practice, followed by a substantial lunch the traditional stew – a high-protein dish aimed at building mass – with rest periods.

Typical rikishi consumes between multiple servings per meal – thousands of calories – with notable instances of extreme consumption exist in sumo history.

Wrestlers purposely increase mass for competitive advantage during matches. Despite their size, they possess remarkable flexibility, rapid reflexes with strong bursts.

Virtually every aspect of rikishi life get controlled through their training house and governing body – making a distinctive existence in professional sports.

Competitive standing affects earnings, living arrangements and even personal assistants.

Younger or lower ranked rikishi perform duties around the heya, whereas senior ones enjoy preferred treatment.

Competitive standings get determined by results during yearly events. Successful competitors advance, unsuccessful ones descend in standing.

Before each tournament, updated rankings are released – a traditional document displaying everyone's status in professional sumo.

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

Who Becomes a Rikishi

The sport includes several hundred wrestlers competing professionally, with most being Japanese.

International competitors have been involved significantly for decades, with Mongolian athletes achieving dominance currently.

Top champions feature international representatives, including wrestlers from various nations reaching elite status.

In recent news, foreign prospects have journeyed to Japan pursuing wrestling careers.