There are not many sports that can keep an audience enraptured through 45 minutes of ceremony before the first point is even contested.
And yet, the intricate traditions unfolding in a small clay ring - virtually unchanged in hundreds of years - managed to do just that.
Welcome, then, to the Grand Sumo Tournament - a five-day event at the Royal Albert Hall featuring 40 of the very best sumo wrestlers showcasing a sport which can date its first mention back to 23BC.
London's Victorian concert venue has been utterly transformed, complete with a six-tonne Japanese temple roof suspended above the ring.
It is here the wrestlers, known as rikishi, will perform their leg stomps to drive away evil spirits and clap to get the attention of the gods.
And above all this ancient ceremony, a giant, revolving LED screen which wouldn't look out of place at an American basketball game, offering the audience all the stats and replays they could want.
Sumo may be ancient and have strict rules governing every aspect of a rikishi's conduct, but it exists in a modern world. The London tournament was simply a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many to see it all in real life.
As fans gathered from near and far, the event bridged cultures and generations, remaining a pivotal moment for the sport's community. Observing the sheer power and speed of the rikishi made every moment unforgettable for spectators as they celebrated a sport rich with tradition.
