Sumo: what is it, how much do they eat, and why are they in London?

The basic rules of sumo are very simple. The match is decided when Rikishi He was forced out of the dohyo Or he touches the floor of the ring with anything other than the sole of his foot. Seizures can end in a split second or last more than two minutes.

There are two main fighting styles in sumo. Pushers tend to force their opponents out of the ring, while belt fighters prefer to wrestle other rikishi He used judo-like throws.

High level rikishi They often excel at more than one type of fighting and are able to adapt to their opponents.

There are 82 winning techniques, from bold throws to clever side steps. The variety of techniques and strategies keeps fans fascinated, so surprises and upsets can occur in any match.

There are no weight classes in sumo, so it is normal to see a rikishi With large differences in size. Sumo rankings determine who fights whom, rather than physical attributes.

While women can compete in amateur sumo wrestling around the world, they cannot enter the ring at Tokyo’s 11,000-capacity Ryogoku Kokugikan Arena, or compete in professional tournaments.