The following is a list of professional wrestling attendance records in Japan. The list is dominated by the country's largest promotion, New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The company was founded by Antonio Inoki in 1972 and had a long rivalry with Giant Baba's All Japan Pro Wrestling. AJPW set a number of attendance records during its heyday, especially during the 1990s wrestling boom, however, only three of its shows remain on the list as of 2023.
According to this list, 5 events are from NJPW's flagship Wrestling World supercard event, which since 1992's Super Warriors in Tokyo Dome has been held exclusively at the Tokyo Dome which typically has a seating capacity of at least 42,000 people or more. Only six of the attendances listed are non-NJPW events, with the Weekly Pro Wrestling Tokyo Dome Show being an interpromotional event involving over a dozen Japanese promotions. In addition, NJPW has hosted three co-promotional events each with the U.S.-based World Championship Wrestling, two with the Japan-based UWF International, and one with deathmatch promotion Big Japan Pro Wrestling. All but two of the events have been held at the Tokyo Dome in the Japanese capital city of Tokyo, while one has been held at Sun Beach in Atami, Japan and one at Kawasaki Stadium in Kawasaki, Japan.
No. | Promotion | Event | Location | Venue | Attendance | Main Event(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | JWA | JWA Pro-Wrestling World Championship Series (Day 1) October 7, 1957 | Tokyo, Japan | Korakuen Stadium | 30,000 | Lou Thesz (c) vs. Rikidozan for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship | [27] |
JWA | JWA Pro-Wrestling World Championship Series (Day 2) October 13, 1957 | Osaka, Japan | Ogimachi Pool | Lou Thesz (c) vs. Rikidozan in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship | [27] | ||
3. | JWA | JWA International Big Competition (Day 10) August 1, 1955 | Osaka, Japan | Ogimachi Pool | 25,000 | Mitsuhiro Rikidozan and Kin'ichi Azumafuji (c) vs. Jesús Ortega and Bud Curtis in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the NWA Hawaii Tag Team Championship | [28] |
4. | JWA | JWA Pacific Coast Championship (Day 14) August 22, 1954 | Utsunomiya, Japan | Josetsu Stadium | 20,000 | Mitsuhiro Rikidozan and Kokichi Endo vs. Hans Schnabel and Lou Newman in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [29] |
JWA | JWA Pacific Coast Championship (Day 15) August 23, 1954 | Takasaki, Japan | Jonan Baseball Stadium | Mitsuhiro Rikidozan and Kokichi Endo vs. Hans Schnabel and Lou Newman in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [29] | ||
JWA | JWA International Big Competition (Day 35) September 4, 1955 | Kawasaki, Japan | Kawasaki Stadium | Mitsuhiro Rikidozan and Kin'ichi Azumafuji (c) vs. Jesús Ortega and Bud Curtis in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [28] | ||
5. | JWA | JWA Asia Championships (Day 6) November 14, 1955 | Tokyo, Japan | Kuramae Kokugikan | 18,000 | Mitsuhiro Rikidozan and Harold Sakata vs. Dara Singh and Syed Saif Shah in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [30] |
JWA | JWA World League (Day 14) June 8, 1959 | Kure, Japan | Municipal Niko Pool | Danny Plechas vs. Tarlok Singh in a World League tournament match Kokichi Endo vs. Lord Blears in a World League tournament match | [31] | ||
6. | JWA | JWA Opening Series (Day 13) March 6, 1954 | Tokyo, Japan | Ryogoku Kokugikan | 15,000 | The Sharpe Brothers (Ben Sharpe and Mike Sharpe) (c) vs. Rikidozan and Masahiko Kimura in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the NWA World Tag Team Championship | [32] |
JWA | JWA Pacific Coast Championship (Day 1) August 6, 1954 | Tokyo, Japan | Metropolitan Gymnasium | Mitsuhiro Rikidozan and Mitsuo Surugaumi vs. Hans Schnabel and Lou Newman in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [29] | ||
JWA | JWA Pacific Coast Championship (Day 2) August 7, 1954 | Tokyo, Japan | Metropolitan Gymnasium | Mitsuhiro Rikidozan vs. Hans Schnabel in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [29] | ||
JWA | JWA Pacific Coast Championship (Day 3) August 8, 1954 | Tokyo, Japan | Metropolitan Gymnasium | Hans Schnabel and Lou Newman (c) vs. Rikidozan and Masahiko Kimura in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the NWA Pacific Coast Tag Team Championship | [29] | ||
JWA | JWA Pacific Coast Championship (Day 16) August 25, 1954 | Tokyo, Japan | Metropolitan Gymnasium | Mitsuhiro Rikidozan, Kokichi Endo and Oki Shikina vs. Hans Schnabel, Lou Newman and Dr. Bob Olson in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the Mainichi Cup | [29] | ||
JWA | JWA Pacific Coast Championship (Day 28) September 10, 1954 | Osaka, Japan | Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium | Hans Schnabel and Lou Newman (c) vs. Mitsuhiro Rikidozan and Kokichi Endo in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the NWA Pacific Coast Tag Team Championship | [29] | ||
JWA | JWA Pacific Coast Championship (Day 36) September 21, 1954 | Tokyo, Japan | Metropolitan Gymnasium | Mitsuhiro Rikidozan and Kokichi Endo (c) vs. Hans Schnabel and Lou Newman in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the NWA Pacific Coast Tag Team Championship | [29] | ||
SKS | World Ladies' Pro-Wrestling Big Competitions November 19, 1954 | Tokyo, Japan | Kuramae Kokugikan | Mae Young and Ruth Boatcallie vs. Gloria Barattini and Rita Martinez in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [33] | ||
JWA | JWA International Big Competition (Day 8) July 28, 1955 | Tokyo, Japan | Korakuen Stadium | Mitsuhiro Rikidozan and Kin'ichi Azumafuji (c) vs. Jesús Ortega and Bud Curtis in a Best 2 out of 3 Falls match for the NWA Hawaii Tag Team Championship | [28] | ||
JWA | JWA International Big Competition (Day 9) July 31, 1955 | Saitama, Japan | Omiya Park Athletics Stadium and Bicycle Racetrack | Mitsuhiro Rikidozan and Kin'ichi Azumafuji vs. Bob Orton and Bud Curtis in a Best-2-out-of-3 Falls match | [28] | ||
JWA | JWA International Big Competition (Day 14) August 6, 1955 | Kochi, Japan | Sumo Ring | Mitsuhiro Rikidozan and Kin'ichi Azumafuji vs. Jesús Ortega and Bud Curtis in a Best 2 out of 3 Falls match | [28] | ||
JWA | JWA International Big Competition (Day 19) August 13, 1955 | Kumamoto, Japan | Sirakawa Park | Mitsuhiro Rikidozan and Kokichi Endo vs. Jesús Ortega and Bob Orton in a Best 2 out of 3 Falls match | [28] | ||
JWA | JWA Asia Championships (Day 10) November 22, 1955 | Tokyo, Japan | Kuramae Kokugikan | Rikidozan vs. King Kong in a tournament final for the All Asia Heavyweight Championship | [30] | ||
JWA | JWA International Big Competition (Day 1) April 24, 1956 | Tokyo, Japan | Kuramae Kokugikan | Mitsuhiro Rikidozan and Kokichi Endo vs. The Sharpe Brothers (Ben Sharpe and Mike Sharpe) in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [34] | ||
JWA | JWA International Big Competition (Day 2) April 25, 1956 | Tokyo, Japan | Kuramae Kokugikan | Mitsuhiro Rikidozan vs. Mike Sharpe in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [34] | ||
JWA | JWA International Big Competition (Day 31) June 7, 1956 | Tokyo, Japan | Kuramae Kokugikan | The Sharpe Brothers (Ben Sharpe and Mike Sharpe) (c) vs. Mitsuhiro Rikidozan and Kokichi Endo in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the NWA World Tag Team Championship | [34] | ||
JWA | JWA Pro-Wrestling World Championship Series (Day 5) October 17, 1957 | Kobe, Japan | Ohji Gymnasium | Lou Thesz vs. Rikidozan in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [27] | ||
JWA | JWA Pro-Wrestling World Championship Series (Day 9) October 25, 1957 | Naha, Japan | Kumoji Park | Lou Thesz vs. Rikidozan in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [27] | ||
JWA | JWA World League (Day 1) May 21, 1959 | Tokyo, Japan | Metropolitan Gymnasium | Rikidozan vs. Jesús Ortega in a World League tournament | [31] | ||
JWA | JWA World League (Day 2) May 22, 1959 | Tokyo, Japan | Metropolitan Gymnasium | Rikidozan and Toyonobori vs. Jesús Ortega and King Kong Czaya in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | |||
JWA | JWA World League (Day 19) June 15, 1959 | Tokyo, Japan | Metropolitan Gymnasium | Rikidozan vs. Jesús Ortega in a World League tournament final | [31] | ||
7. | JWA | JWA Pacific Coast Championship (Day 26) September 8, 1954 | Osaka, Japan | Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium | 14,000 | Mitsuhiro Rikidozan and Mitsuo Surugaumi vs. Hans Schnabel and Lou Newman in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls Match | [29] |
8. | JWA | JWA Opening Series (Day 1) February 19, 1954 | Tokyo, Japan | Ryogoku Kokugikan | 13,000 | The Sharpe Brothers (Ben Sharpe and Mike Sharpe) (c) vs. Rikidozan and Masahiko Kimura in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the NWA World Tag Team Championship | [32] |
JWA | JWA Japanese Championship December 22, 1954 | Tokyo, Japan | Kuramae Kokugikan | Mitsuhiro Rikidozan vs. Masahiko Kimura in a Best-2-out-of-3 Falls match for the inaugural Japanese Heavyweight Championship | [35] | ||
JWA | JWA Opening Series (Day 2) February 20, 1954 | Tokyo, Japan | Ryogoku Kokugikan | Rikidozan vs. Ben Sharpe in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [32] | ||
JWA | JWA Opening Series (Day 3) February 21, 1954 | Tokyo, Japan | Ryogoku Kokugikan | The Sharpe Brothers (Ben Sharpe and Mike Sharpe) (c) vs. Rikidozan and Masahiko Kimura in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the NWA World Tag Team Championship | [32] | ||
JWA | JWA Opening Series (Day 15) March 9, 1954 | Tokyo, Japan | Ryogoku Kokugikan | The Sharpe Brothers (Ben Sharpe and Mike Sharpe) (c) vs. Rikidozan and Bobby Bruns in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [32] | ||
SKS | World Ladies' Pro-Wrestling Big Competitions November 23, 1954 | Osaka, Japan | Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium | Mae Young and Ruth Boatcallie vs. Gloria Barattini and Rita Martinez in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [33] | ||
JWA | JWA International Big Competition (Day 2) July 16, 1955 | Tokyo, Japan | Kuramae Kokugikan | Mitsuhiro Rikidozan and Mitsuo Surugaumi vs. Bob Orton and Hardy Kruskamp in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [28] | ||
JWA | JWA International Big Competition (Day 3) July 17, 1955 | Tokyo, Japan | Kuramae Kokugikan | Mitsuhiro Rikidozan vs. Primo Carnera in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [28] | ||
JWA | JWA International Big Competition (Day 3) April 26, 1956 | Tokyo, Japan | Kuramae Kokugikan | The Sharpe Brothers (Ben Sharpe and Mike Sharpe) (c) vs. Mitsuhiro Rikidozan and Kokichi Endo in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the NWA World Tag Team Championship | [34] | ||
JWA | JWA Pro-Wrestling World Championship Series (Day 8) October 24, 1957 | Naha, Japan | Kumoji Park | Rikidozan and Toyonobori vs. Lou Thesz and Danny Plechas in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [27] | ||
9. | JWA | JWA Pacific Coast Championship (Day 27) September 9, 1954 | Osaka, Japan | Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium | 12,000 | Mitsuhiro Rikidozan, Kokichi Endo and Mitsuo Surugaumi vs. Hans Schnabel, Lou Newman and Dr. Bob Olson in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [29] |
JWA | Tokyo Governor Cup Tournament October 1, 1954 | Tokyo, Japan | Metropolitan Gymnasium | Mitsuhiro Rikidozan vs. Junzo Yoshinosato, Mitsuo Surugaumi and Kokichi Endo in an elimination match for the Tokyo Governor Cup | [35] | ||
JWA | JWA International Big Competition (Day 1) July 15, 1955 | Tokyo, Japan | Kuramae Kokugikan | Mitsuhiro Rikidozan and Kin'ichi Azumafuji vs. Primo Carnera and Hardy Kruskamp in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [28] | ||
JWA | JWA International Big Competition (Day 6) July 23, 1955 | Osaka, Japan | Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium | Mitsuhiro Rikidozan and Kokichi Endo vs. Bob Orton and Bud Curtis in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [28] | ||
JWA | JWA International Big Competition (Day 37) September 7, 1955 | Tokyo, Japan | Metropolitan Gymnasium | Mitsuhiro Rikidozan vs. Jesús Ortega in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the Mainichi Cup | [28] | ||
JWA | JWA International Big Competition (Day 7) May 3, 1956 | Osaka, Japan | Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium | Rikidozan vs. Lucky Simunovich in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [34] | ||
JWA | JWA International Big Competition (Day 27) June 2, 1956 | Fukuoka, Japan | Fukuoka Sports Center | The Sharpe Brothers (Ben Sharpe and Mike Sharpe) (c) vs. Mitsuhiro Rikidozan and Kokichi Endo in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the NWA World Tag Team Championship | [34] | ||
JWA | JWA International Competitions of the Fall August 14, 1957 | Tokyo, Japan | Metropolitan Gymnasium | Rikidozan vs. Bobo Brazil in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [36] | ||
JWA | JWA 1st Annual World League (Day 5) May 26, 1959 | Osaka, Japan | Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium | Rikidozan and Toyonobori vs. Lord Blears and Danny Plechas in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [31] | ||
JWA | JWA 1st Annual World League (Day 7) May 28, 1959 | Osaka, Japan | Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium | Rikidozan vs. King Kong Czaya in a World League tournament match | [31] | ||
10. | JWA | JWA Asia Championships (Day 7) November 15, 1955 | Tokyo, Japan | Kuramae Kokugikan | 11,000 | Mitsuhiro Rikidozan and Harold Sakata vs. King Kong and Tiger Joginder Singh in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the inaugural All Asia Tag Team Championship | [30] |
No. | Promotion | Event | Location | Venue | Attendance | Main Event(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | JWA | World Big League May 7, 1961 | Nara, Japan | Ayame Pond Amusement Park | 36,000 | Rikidozan and Toyonobori vs. Jim Wright and Mr. X in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [37] |
2. | JWA | Summer Series I (Day 15) August 14, 1967 | Osaka, Japan | Osaka Baseball Stadium | 25,000 | Giant Baba (c) vs. Gene Kiniski in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the NEPW International Heavyweight Championship | [38] |
3. | JWA | Yasukuni Shrine Festival April 23, 1961 | Tokyo, Japan | Yasukuni Shrine Sumo/Wrestling Place | 20,000 | Giant Baba and Kintaro Oki vs. Tosanohana and Hideyuki Nagasawa in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [39] |
4. | JWA | International Competitions of the Fall (Day 18) October 3, 1962 | Kitami, Japan | Kitami Bus Garage | 18,000 | Rikidozan, Kokichi Endo and Mammoth Suzuki vs. Moose Cholak, Art Michalik and Skull Murphy in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [40] |
JWA | Summer Series I (Day 18) August 2, 1968 | Sendai, Japan | Miyagi Prefectural Sports Center | Giant Baba vs. Bruno Sammartino in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [41] | ||
5. | JWA | JWA International Competitions - Okinawa Series (Day 3) November 5, 1962 | Naha, Japan | Asahibashi Square | 17,000 | Rikidozan and Toyonobori (c) defeated Art Michalik and Chief Big Heart in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the All Asia Tag Team Championship | [40] |
JWA | JWA International Competitions of the Fall (Day 14) October 4, 1963 | Nagano, Japan | Civic Hall Square | Rikidozan and Yoshino Sato vs. Buddy Austin and Ilio DiPaolo in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [42] | ||
6. | JWA | World Big League (Day 2) May 2, 1961 | Tokyo, Japan | Metropolitan Gymnasium | 15,000 | Rikidozan and Toyonobori vs. Mr. X and Ike Eakins | |
JWA | JWA International Competitions - New Year Series (Day 2) January 12, 1962 | Kisarazu, Japan | Egawa Air Self-Defense Forces Gymnasium | Rikidozan and Michiaki Yoshimura vs. Ronnie Etchison and Rocky Hamilton in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [43] | ||
JWA | World Big League (Day 10) April 29, 1962 | Hiroshima, Japan | Civic Stadium | Rikidozan, Great Togo and Michiaki Yoshimura vs. Larry Hennig, Duke Hoffman and Mike Sharpe in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [44] | ||
JWA | JWA International Competitions of the Fall (Day 33) October 22, 1962 | Nakatane, Japan | Town Field | Rikidozan, Kokichi Endo and Michiaki Yoshimura vs. Art Michalik, Gorilla Marconi and Skull Murphy in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [40] | ||
JWA | JWA International Competitions - Okinawa Series (Day 2) November 4, 1962 | Naha, Japan | Asahibashi Square | Rikidozan, Mammoth Suzuki and Toyonobori vs. Moose Cholak, Gorilla Marconi and Skull Murphy in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [40] | ||
JWA | World Big League (Day 23) April 15, 1963 | Naha, Japan | Asahibashi Square | Rikidozan, Great Togo and Giant Baba vs. Pat O'Connor, Killer X and Gino Marella in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [45] | ||
JWA | World Big League (Day 24) April 16, 1963 | Naha, Japan | Asahibashi Square | Rikidozan, Michiaki Yoshimura and Great Togo vs. Killer Kowalski, Pat O'Connor and Killer X in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [45] | ||
JWA | Golden Series (Day 18) June 18, 1966 | Kawasaki, Japan | Kawasaki Stadium | Hiro Matsuda and Michiaki Yoshimura (c) vs. Eddie Graham and Sam Steamboat in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the All Asia Tag Team Championship | [46] | ||
JWA | Summer Series I (Day 2) July 22, 1967 | Kawasaki, Japan | Kawasaki Stadium | Giant Baba and Antonio Inoki vs. Art Mahalik and Jesús Ortega in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [38] | ||
7. | JWA | International Competitions - New Year Series (Day 5) January 19, 1962 | Osaka, Japan | Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium | 14,000 | Rikidozan (c) defeated Ronnie Etchison in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the All Asia Heavyweight Championship | [43] |
JWA | Summer Series I (Day 21) August 7, 1968 | Osaka, Japan | Osaka Baseball Stadium | Giant Baba (c) vs. Bruno Sammartino in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the NWA International Heavyweight Championship | [41] | ||
8. | JWA | World Big League (Day 25) June 2, 1961 | Tokyo, Japan | Kuramae Kokugikan | 13,000 | Rikidozan (c) vs. The Great Antonio in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the NWA International Heavyweight Championship | [37] |
JWA | World Big League (Day 2) April 21, 1962 | Tokyo, Japan | Metropolitan Gymnasium | Rikidozan and Michiaki Yoshimura vs. Buddy Austin and Mike Sharpe in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [44] | ||
JWA | International Competitions of the Fall (Day 20) October 5, 1962 | Sapporo, Japan | Nakajima Sports Center | Rikidozan and Michiaki Yoshimura (c) vs. Skull Murphy and Gorilla Marconi in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the All Asia Tag Team Championship | [40] | ||
JWA | Golden Series (Day 31) July 5, 1966 | Tokyo, Japan | Riki Sports Palace | Giant Baba (c) vs. Killer Karl Kox in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the NWA International Heavyweight Championship | [46] | ||
9. | JWA | World Big League (Day 4) April 23, 1962 | Tokyo, Japan | Metropolitan Gymnasium | 12,000 | Rikidozan (c) vs. Fred Blassie in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the NAWA World Heavyweight Championship | [44] |
JWA | World Big League (Day 9) April 28, 1962 | Okayama, Japan | Tsushima Gymnasium | Rikidozan and Toyonobori vs. Buddy Austin and Larry Hennig in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [44] | ||
JWA | World Big League (Day 11) April 30, 1962 | Fukuoka, Japan | Fukuoka Sports Center | Rikidozan, Kokichi Endo and Toyonobori vs. Lou Thesz, Buddy Austin and Larry Hennig in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [44] | ||
JWA | Selection Series (Day 19) June 18, 1962 | Hiroshima, Japan | Prefectural Gymnasium | Mike Sharpe and Buddy Austin (c) vs. Rikidozan and Toyonobori in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the All Asia Tag Team Championship | [47] | ||
JWA | Selection Series (Day 27) July 1, 1962 | Toyonaka, Japan | Daimon Park | Mike Sharpe and Buddy Austin (c) vs. Rikidozan and Toyonobori in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the All Asia Tag Team Championship | [47] | ||
JWA | International Competitions of the Fall (Day 7) September 20, 1962 | Osaka, Japan | Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium | Rikidozan, Toyonobori and Kokichi Endo vs. Art Michalik, Gorilla Marconi and Skull Murphy in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [40] | ||
JWA | International Competitions of the Fall (Day 39) October 30, 1962 | Okayama, Japan | Prefectural Gymnasium | Rikidozan and Toyonobori vs. Skull Murphy and Gorilla Marconi in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [40] | ||
JWA | International Competitions - Okinawa Series (Day 1) November 3, 1962 | Naha, Japan | Asahibashi Square | Rikidozan and Kokichi Endo vs. Art Michalik and Gorilla Marconi in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [40] | ||
JWA | International Competitions of the Spring (Day 13) January 29, 1963 | Osaka, Japan | Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium | Rikidozan and Michiaki Yoshimura vs. Jess Ortega and Tony Marino in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [48] | ||
JWA | World Big League (Day 30) April 24, 1963 | Osaka, Japan | Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium | Rikidozan (c) vs. Pat O'Connor in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the NWA International Heavyweight Championship | [45] | ||
JWA | WWA World Championship Series (Day 1) May 19, 1963 | Osaka, Japan | Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium | Rikidozan vs. The Destroyer in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [45] | ||
JWA | WWA World Championship Series (Day 4) May 24, 1963 | Tokyo, Japan | Metropolitan Gymnasium | Rikidozan vs. The Destroyer in a Texas Death match | [45] | ||
JWA | International Championship Series (Day 7) December 2, 1963 | Tokyo, Japan | Metropolitan Gymnasium | Rikidozan (c) vs. The Destroyer in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the NWA International Heavyweight Championship | [49] | ||
JWA | New Year International Competitions February 26, 1965 | Tokyo, Japan | Metropolitan Gymnasium | The Destroyer (c) vs. Toyonobori in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the WWA World Heavyweight Championship | [50] | ||
JWA | MSG Series (Day 7) March 7, 1967 | Tokyo, Japan | Ryogoku Kokugikan | Giant Baba (c) vs. Bruno Sammartino in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the NWA International Heavyweight Championship | [51] | ||
JWA | New Year Champion Series (Day 2) January 3, 1968 | Tokyo, Japan | Korakuen Hall | Giant Baba (c) vs. Reggie Lisowski for the NWA International Heavyweight Championship | [52] | ||
JWA | Golden Series (Day 31) June 27, 1968 | Tokyo, Japan | Ryogoku Kokugikan | Giant Baba (c) vs. Bobo Brazil in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the NWA International Heavyweight Championship | [53] | ||
JWA | NWA Series (Day 7) November 28, 1969 | Tokyo, Japan | Kuramae Kokugikan | Giant Baba and Antonio Inoki (c) vs. Dory Funk Jr. and Danny Hodge in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the NWA International Tag Team Championship | [54] | ||
10. | JWA | World Big League (Day 20) May 11, 1962 | Osaka, Japan | Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium | 11,100 | Rikidozan vs. Dick Hutton in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [44] |
No. | Promotion | Event | Location | Venue | Attendance | Main Event(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | NJPW | Big Fight Series March 19, 1974 | Tokyo, Japan | Kuramae Kokugikan | 16,500 | Antonio Inoki (c) vs. Strong Kobayashi for the NWF World Heavyweight Championship with special referee Kiyomigawa | [55] |
NJPW | Tohkon Series (Day 30) October 10, 1974 | Tokyo, Japan | Kuramae Kokugikan | Antonio Inoki (c) vs. Kintaro Oki for the NWF World Heavyweight Championship | [56] | ||
AJPW / IWE / NJPW | Tokyo Sports All-Star Dream Card August 26, 1979 | Tokyo, Japan | Nippon Budokan | Giant Baba and Antonio Inoki vs. Abdullah the Butcher and Tiger Jeet Singh | [57] | ||
2. | NJPW | New Year Golden Series (Day 28) February 6, 1976 | Tokyo, Japan | Nippon Budokan | 15,000 | Antonio Inoki (c) vs. Willem Ruska for the WWF World Martial Arts Heavyweight Championship | [58] |
3. | AJPW / IWE / JWA | Rikidozan Memorial Show December 11, 1975 | Tokyo, Japan | Nippon Budokan | 14,500 | Giant Baba and The Destroyer vs. Dory Funk Jr. and Jumbo Tsuruta in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [59] |
4. | NJPW | Antonio Inoki vs. Muhammad Ali June 26, 1976 | Tokyo, Japan | Nippon Budokan | 14,000 | Antonio Inoki (c) vs. Muhammad Ali in a Wrestler vs. Boxer match for the WWF World Martial Arts Heavyweight Championship | [60] |
5. | NJPW | Antonio Inoki vs. Chuck Wepner October 25, 1977 | Tokyo, Japan | Nippon Budokan | 13,500 | Antonio Inoki vs. Chuck Wepner in a Wrestler vs. Boxer match | [61] |
6. | NJPW | Big Fight Series (Day 23) March 18, 1975 | Nagoya, Japan | Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium | 13,000 | Antonio Inoki and Seiji Sakaguchi (c) vs. Tiger Jeet Singh and Mighty Zulu in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the NWA North American Tag Team Championship | [62] |
AJW | Maki Ueda vs. Jackie Sato November 1, 1977 | Tokyo, Japan | Nippon Budokan | Maki Ueda (c) vs. Jackie Sato for the WWWA World Single Championship with special judge Mildred Burke | [63] | ||
7. | AJPW | Giant Series (Day 22) October 10, 1974 | Suita, Japan | Expo Land Festival Square | 12,500 | The Destroyer (c) vs. Abdullah the Butcher in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the PWF United States Heavyweight Championship | [64] |
AJPW | Real World Tag League (Day 9) December 9, 1978 | Tokyo, Japan | Kuramae Kokugikan | The Funk Brothers (Terry Funk and Dory Funk Jr.) vs. Abdullah the Butcher and The Sheik | [65] | ||
AJPW | Real World Tag League (Day 13) December 13, 1979 | Tokyo, Japan | Kuramae Kokugikan | The Funk Brothers (Terry Funk and Dory Funk Jr.) vs. Abdullah the Butcher and The Sheik in a Real World Tag League tournament match | [66] | ||
8. | AJPW | Giant Series (Day 3) October 9, 1973 | Tokyo, Japan | Kuramae Kokugikan | 12,000 | The Funk Brothers (Terry Funk and Dory Funk Jr.) (c) vs. Giant Baba and Jumbo Tsuruta in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the NWA International Tag Team Championship | [67] |
AJPW | Summer Action Series (Day 7) July 14, 1974 | Yaku, Japan | General Ground | Giant Baba, The Destroyer and Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Bob Backlund, Bob Roop and George "The Animal" Steele in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [68] | ||
NJPW | Big Fight Series (Day 19) March 13, 1975 | Hiroshima, Japan | Hiroshima Prefectural Gymnasium | Antonio Inoki vs. Tiger Jeet Singh for the vacant NWF World Heavyweight Championship | [62] | ||
NJPW | Toukon Series II (Day 41) December 11, 1975 | Tokyo, Japan | Kuramae Kokugikan | Antonio Inoki (c) vs. Billy Robinson in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the NWF World Heavyweight Championship with special witnesses Lou Thesz and Karl Gotch | [69] | ||
AJPW | Open Tag League (Day 13) December 15, 1977 | Tokyo, Japan | Kuramae Kokugikan | The Funk Brothers (Terry Funk and Dory Funk Jr.) vs. Abdullah the Butcher and The Sheik in an Open Tag League tournament match | [70] | ||
NJPW | New Year Golden Series (Day 29) February 8, 1978 | Tokyo, Japan | Nippon Budokan | Antonio Inoki vs. Umanosuke Ueda in a Nail Floor Death match | [71] | ||
9. | NJPW | MSG Series (Day 35) June 1, 1978 | Tokyo, Japan | Nippon Budokan | 11,000 | Antonio Inoki (c-NJPW) defeated Bob Backlund (c-WWWF) in a Champion vs. Champion Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the NWF World Heavyweight Championship and WWWF World Heavyweight Championship | [72] |
10. | NJPW | Golden Fight Series (Day 24) June 26, 1975 | Tokyo, Japan | Ryogoku Kokugikan | 10,600 | Antonio Inoki (c) vs. Tiger Jeet Singh in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the NWF World Heavyweight Championship | [73] |
No. | Promotion | Event | Location | Venue | Attendance | Main Event(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | UWF | U-Cosmos November 29, 1989 | Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 60,000 | Akira Maeda vs. Willie Wilhelm in a "Wrestler vs. Judoka" match | [21] |
2. | NJPW | Super Powers Clash April 24, 1989 | Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 53,600 | Antonio Inoki vs. Shota Chochishvili | [74] |
3. | UWF | May History 1st May 4, 1989 | Osaka, Japan | Osaka Baseball Stadium | 23,000 | Akira Maeda vs. Chris Dolman in a Wrestler vs. Kickboxer match | [75] |
4. | UWF | Midsummer Creation August 13, 1989 | Yokohama, Japan | Yokohama Arena | 17,000 | Akira Maeda vs. Yoshiaki Fujiwara | [75] |
5. | AJPW | Super Power Series (Day 19) June 5, 1989 | Tokyo, Japan | Nippon Budokan | 15,200 | Jumbo Tsuruta (c) vs. Gen'ichiro Tenryu for the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship | [76] |
6. | UWF | Dynamism January 10, 1989 | Tokyo, Japan | Nippon Budokan | 15,000 | Akira Maeda vs. Nobuhiko Takada | [75] |
7. | AJPW | Real World Tag League (Day 18) December 6, 1989 | Tokyo, Japan | Nippon Budokan | 14,800 | Gen'ichiro Tenryu and Stan Hansen vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu and Jumbo Tsuruta in the Real World Tag League tournament final for the vacant AJPW World Tag Team Championship | |
8. | AJPW | Excite Series (Day 11) March 8, 1989 | Tokyo, Japan | Nippon Budokan | 14,400 | Gen'ichiro Tenryu and The Road Warriors (Road Warrior Hawk and Road Warrior Animal) vs. Jumbo Tsuruta, Yoshiaki Yatsu and Shunji Takano | [77] |
9. | AJPW | Bruiser Brody Memorial Show August 29, 1988 | Tokyo, Japan | Nippon Budokan | 14,200 | Jumbo Tsuruta and Yoshiaki Yatsu (c) vs. Gen'ichiro Tenryu and Ashura Hara for the World Tag Team Championship | [78] |
10. | NJPW | Inoki Toukon Live II March 26, 1987 | Osaka, Japan | Castle Hall | 13,850 | Antonio Inoki vs. Masa Saito |
No. | Promotion | Event | Location | Venue | Attendance | Main Event(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | NJPW | Do Judge!! October 9, 2000 | Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 64,000 | Toshiaki Kawada vs. Kensuke Sasaki | [9] |
2. | NJPW | Wrestling World 2000 January 4, 2000 | Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 63,500 | Genichiro Tenryu (c) vs. Kensuke Sasaki for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship | [12] |
3. | NJPW | Wrestling World 2001 January 4, 2001 | Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 62,000 | Kensuke Sasaki vs. Toshiaki Kawada in a tournament final for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship | [17] |
NOAH | Destiny July 18, 2005 | Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | Toshiaki Kawada vs. Mitsuharu Misawa | [18] | ||
4. | NJPW | Indicate of Next October 8, 2001 | Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 61,500 | Jun Akiyama and Yuji Nagata vs. BATT (Hiroshi Hase and Keiji Muto) | [19] |
5. | NJPW | Dome Impact April 7, 2000 | Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 60,000 | Shinya Hashimoto vs. Naoya Ogawa | [9] |
6. | AJPW | King's Road New Century 2001 January 28, 2001 | Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 58,700 | "Dr. Death" Steve Williams vs. Mike Barton in a revenge match (televised main event on the pay-per-view's initial live broadcast, promoted on TV) Toshiaki Kawada and Kensuke Sasaki vs. Genichiro Tenryu and Hiroshi Hase (dark match main event) | [81] |
7. | NOAH | Departure July 10, 2004 | Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 58,000 | Kenta Kobashi (c) vs. Jun Akiyama for the GHC Heavyweight Championship | [82] |
8. | NJPW | Fighting Spirit Memorial Day May 2, 2002 | Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 57,500 | Masahiro Chono vs. Mitsuharu Misawa | [83] |
9. | NJPW | Ultimate Crush May 2, 2003 | Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 55,000 | Yuji Nagata (c-NJPW) vs. Yoshihiro Takayama (c-NWF) in a Champion vs. Champion match for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and NWF Heavyweight Championship | [84] |
10. | NJPW | Wrestling World 2004 January 4, 2004 | Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 53,000 | Shinsuke Nakamura (c-NJPW) defeated Yoshihiro Takayama (c-NWF) in a unification match for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and the NWF Heavyweight Championship | [85] |
No. | Promotion | Event | Location | Venue | Attendance | Main Event(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | NJPW | Wrestle Kingdom VI January 4, 2012 | Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 43,000 | Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Minoru Suzuki for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship | [86] |
2. | NJPW | Wrestle Kingdom V January 4, 2011 | Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 42,000 | Satoshi Kojima (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship | [87] |
3. | NJPW | Wrestle Kingdom IV January 4, 2010 | Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 41,500 | Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. Yoshihiro Takayama for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship | [86] |
4. | NJPW | Wrestle Kingdom 13 January 4, 2019 | Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 38,162 | Kenny Omega (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship | [88] |
5. | NJPW | Wrestle Kingdom 9 January 4, 2015 | Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 36,000 | Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship | [89] |
6. | NJPW | Wrestle Kingdom 8 January 4, 2014 | Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 35,000 | Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship | [90] |
7. | NJPW | Wrestle Kingdom 12 January 4, 2018 | Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 34,995 | Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Tetsuya Naito for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship | [91] |
8. | DDT | Tokyo Ramen Show Street Wrestling October 30, 2014 | Tokyo, Japan | Komazawa Olympic Park | 30,000 | Kudo and Gota Ihashi vs. Choun Shiryu and Cao Zhang vs. Sanshiro Takagi and Jun Kasai vs. Golden Storm Riders (Kota Ibushi and Daisuke Sasaki) in a Four-Way match | [92] |
9. | NJPW | Wrestle Kingdom 7 January 4, 2013 | Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 29,000 | Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship | [93] |
10. | NJPW | Wrestle Kingdom 11 January 4, 2017 | Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 26,192 | Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Kenny Omega for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship | [94] |
New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Nakano, Tokyo. Founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, the promotion was sold to Yuke's, who later sold it to Bushiroad in 2012. TV Asahi and Amuse, Inc. own minority shares of the company. Naoki Sugabayashi has served as the promotion's Chairman since September 2013, while Hiroshi Tanahashi has served as the president of the promotion since December 2023.
In professional wrestling, the independent circuit is the collective name of independently owned promotions which are deemed to be smaller and more regionalized than major national promotions.
Hiroyoshi Yamamoto is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and is better known by his ring name Hiroyoshi Tenzan. With Satoshi Kojima, in 2008, they won the World's Strongest Tag Determination League in All Japan Pro Wrestling and the G1 Tag League in NJPW, becoming the only tag team which has done both. He is a four-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion and a record twelve-time IWGP Tag Team Champion. He is also a former National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) World Heavyweight Champion.
The January 4 Tokyo Dome Show is a professional wrestling event produced annually on January 4 in the Tokyo Dome by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), a Japan-based professional wrestling promotion. NJPW has promoted events in the venue every January 4 since Super Warriors in Tokyo Dome in 1992.
Keiji Takayama is a Japanese professional wrestler and manager, currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) under the ring name Gedo. Gedo has been the main booker of NJPW since the early 2010s. As a wrestler, Gedo is best known for his tag team work with partner Jado, forming a very successful tag team from 1990 through the mid-2010s.
Katsuyori Shibata is a Japanese professional wrestler, mixed martial artist and professional wrestling trainer currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and All Elite Wrestling (AEW). He also makes appearances for AEW's sister promotion Ring of Honor (ROH), where he is a former ROH Pure Champion. In professional wrestling, he is known for his hard hitting offense. He spent most of his career with NJPW as both a wrestler and trainer. In NJPW, he is a former three-time NEVER Openweight Champion, a one-time IWGP Tag Team Champion, and the winner of the 2017 New Japan Cup. He is also a former holder of Revolution Pro Wrestling's British Heavyweight Championship. From March 2018 to July 2023, Shibata served as the head coach of NJPW's dojo in Los Angeles.
Jado & Gedo were a professional wrestling tag team that currently work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where they are also the head bookers. One of the most accomplished tag teams in puroresu, the team has won numerous tag team titles and six-man tag team titles in over seven promotions.
Wrestle Kingdom VI in Tokyo Dome was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion, which took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on January 4, 2012. It was the 21st January 4 Tokyo Dome Show and the sixth held under the "Wrestle Kingdom" name. This was the final Wrestle Kingdom where a Roman numeral was used as part of the event's name. The event featured twelve matches, three of which were contested for championships. Wrestle Kingdom is traditionally NJPW's biggest event of the year and has been described as their equivalent to WWE's WrestleMania.
Tomohiro Ishii is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He also makes additional appearances for All Elite Wrestling (AEW). He is also known for his work with the independent Fighting World of Japan Pro Wrestling promotion, where he worked backstage as the chairman.
Wrestle Kingdom 7 in Tokyo Dome was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion, which took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on January 4, 2013. It was the 22nd January 4 Tokyo Dome Show and the seventh held under the "Wrestle Kingdom" name. The event featured eleven matches, five of which were contested for championships. Wrestle Kingdom is traditionally NJPW's biggest event of the year and has been described as their equivalent to WWE's WrestleMania.
Wrestle Kingdom 9 in Tokyo Dome was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion, which took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on January 4, 2015. It was the 24th January 4 Tokyo Dome Show and the first event on the 2015 NJPW schedule. The event featured ten professional wrestling matches and one pre-show match, six of which were for championships.
Wrestle Kingdom V in Tokyo Dome was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion, which took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on January 4, 2011. It was the 20th January 4 Tokyo Dome Show and the fifth held under the "Wrestle Kingdom" name. The event featured thirteen matches, four of which were contested for championships. Wrestle Kingdom is traditionally NJPW's biggest event of the year and has been described as their equivalent to WWE's WrestleMania.
Wrestle Kingdom is a professional wrestling event produced annually by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), a Japan-based professional wrestling promotion.
G1 Special in USA was a two-day professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The two shows took place on July 1 and 2, 2017, in Long Beach, California, United States at the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center. These were the first NJPW shows that the promotion had produced independently in the U.S. NJPW crowned the inaugural IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion during the weekend. The event's name refers to the annual G1 Climax tournament as these shows also served as a prelude to the 2017 G1 Climax.
Wrestle Kingdom in Tokyo Dome was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event co-produced by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) promotions, which took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on January 4, 2007. It was the 16th January 4 Tokyo Dome Show and the first held under the new "Wrestle Kingdom" name. Wrestle Kingdom is traditionally NJPW's biggest event of the year and has been described as their equivalent to WWE's WrestleMania.
WCW/New Japan Supershow I, was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event that took place on March 21, 1991, in the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan. It was co-promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), who hosted the event, and the US-Based World Championship Wrestling (WCW), which supplied a number of the wrestlers on the show. The event was the inaugural WCW/New Japan Supershow.
The 2000 All Japan Pro Wrestling mass exodus was an incident in the Japanese All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) professional wrestling promotion that took place throughout May and June 2000, and culminated in 24 of the 26 contracted native wrestlers leaving the promotion. Led by Mitsuharu Misawa, they later formed their own promotion, Pro Wrestling Noah.
The combined New Japan/UWFI show on 10/9 at the Tokyo Dome set an all-time gate record for pro wrestling of more than $6 million. [...] The overflow crowd of 67,000, which included 2,200 standing room tickets sold the day of the show, was the largest crowd for any indoor event ever in Tokyo.
Shinya Hashimoto captured the IWGP heavyweight championship from Nobuhiko Takada via cross armbreaker submission to headline the 4/29 Tokyo Dome show which drew the second largest crowd in the history of Japanese wrestling and what is believed to be the second largest live gate in the history of pro wrestling. The card, entitled "'96 Battle Formation," drew a sellout crowd announced at 65,000 fans and a gate that should have approached $6 million
Several of the groups this past week have run free shows as part of fireworks festivals or country fair type of events. The biggest was Tokyo Pro's show on 7/23 at Atami Sun Beach which was reported as being viewed by more than 65,000 fans.
[WCW/New Japan Supershow II], which will air as an edited pay-per-view in mid-March in the United States, was said to be nowhere near the level of the initial combined show last March. The show drew a turnaway crowd of 60,000 fans. A few thousand seats that were used at the March show (which drew 64,500)
New Japan's traditional biggest event of the year, which occurs every January 4th, entitled this year "`96 Wrestling War in Tokyo Dome," was built once again around the same New Japan vs. UWFI matches that set the record in October. This version drew a turnaway crowd of 64,000 fans, selling out nearly two weeks in advance, and a gate estimated at between $5 and $6 million along with a television audience estimated at 14 million. It was probably the second largest live gate in history (certainly no lower than third on the all-time list), was the ninth largest recorded crowd in history and the third largest crowd ever in Japan.
The annual New Japan Tokyo Egg Dome show has, which had its fifth version on Monday, 1/4, has in that time turned into from a prestige factor, right behind Wrestlemania as the biggest card of the year in the world. This year's show did nothing to hurt that reputation as the seventh largest recorded crowd to ever witness pro wrestling--63,500--sold the building out one week in advance to see a show that received raves from everyone I spoke with about it.
We'll have more details next week. The show, billed as "Battle 7" (because it was New Japan's seventh annual Tokyo Dome show) drew a legit sellout 62,500 which makes it the eighth largest recorded crowd for pro wrestling of all-time.
New Japan's annual major event of the year, "'97 Wrestling World in Tokyo Dome" drew a reported 62,500 fans
Well, the good of the promotion won out this time, however an ominous note was the failure of the show to sellout, the first time this has been the case for a New Japan Dome show since the first one in 1989. The crowd was announced at 62,000, although from our reports that is a slightly inflated figure as the outfield section was empty, although there were more than 50,000 there.
New Japan garnered tons of mainstream publicity which led to a crowd announced at 60,500, which everyone was thrilled with since the show's advance wasn't promising at all. This would probably be a gate around $5 million which will make it wind up as almost surely the second biggest money show of 1997 behind only the 1/4 Dome show when it comes to total revenue. The show wasn't sold out but was fairly close to capacity and we're told that announced figure sounded about right.
What more can be said than a sellout of 60,000 at the Tokyo Dome and probably the largest house in the history of pro wrestling (a record that only lasted a few weeks) of somewhere between $5 and $6 million?
Onita's much-ballyhooed final match on 5/5 at Kawasaki Baseball Stadium drew a sellout of approximately 50,000 fans (announced at 58,250) which would be a gate in the $2.5 million range and tons more in merchandise
It was so dead, in fact. that many of the 14,000 fans at the Japan Martial Arts Hall tossed trash at the ring at the end of the last threeminute round.
Several of the groups this past week have run free shows as part of fireworks festivals or country fair type of events. The biggest was Tokyo Pro's show on 7/23 at Atami Sun Beach which was reported as being viewed by more than 65,000 fans.
With an announced crowd of 36,000 fans and a packed card of 10 matches (including six championship matches), Wrestle Kingdom had a distinct major-league atmosphere and came through with stellar performances with talent that is finally getting its just due globally.