This ritual is known as shikiri-naoshi and lasts four minutes. Preliminary display also includes the ceremonial drinking of water and a menacing stomping. Preliminaries concluded, the opponents then charge each other. The objectives are either to move the opponent out of the dohyo or to knock him down. The fight ends when any part of one fighter's body goes over the edge of the dohyo or when any part of a fighter's body other than the bottom of his feet touches the floor.
Matches can last from a few seconds to a few minutes.
A basic maneuver and method of attack is slapping, or tsuppari. A series of hard slaps delivered very rapidly can force the opponent out of the ring. Other techniques include shoving, snatching, and grabbing. Using a grappling technique called yorikiri, the sumotori can also seize the opponent's belt. Holding onto the belt with both hands, the sumotori tries to march his opponent out of the ring.