List of professional wrestling attendance records in Japan
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 one of its shows remains on the list as of 2020.
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.
Events and attendances[]
Promotion | Event | Location | Venue | Attendance | Main Event(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NJPW | April 4, 1998 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 70,000 | Antonio Inoki vs. Don Frye | [1] |
NJPW / UWFi | October 9, 1995 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 67,000 | Keiji Muto (NJPW) vs. Nobuhiko Takada (UWFI) in a Champion vs. Champion match for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and UWFI Heavyweight Championship | [2] |
NJPW | April 29, 1996 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 65,000 | Nobuhiko Takada (c) vs. Shinya Hashimoto for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship | [3] |
TPW | July 23, 1996 |
Atami, Japan | Sun Beach | 65,000 | Abdullah the Butcher and Daikokubo Benkei vs. Kishin Kawabata and Takashi Ishikawa | [4] |
NJPW | Final Power Hall in Tokyo Dome January 4, 1998 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 65,000 | Kensuke Sasaki (c) vs. Keiji Mutoh for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship | [1] |
NJPW / WCW | Starrcade in Tokyo Dome March 21, 1991 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 64,500 | Tatsumi Fujinami (c - NJPW) vs. Ric Flair (c - NWA) in a Champion vs. Champion match for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and NWA World Heavyweight Championships | [5] |
NJPW / UWFi | Wrestling World 1996 January 4, 1996 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 64,000 | Keiji Mutoh (c - NJPW) vs. Nobuhiko Takada (UWFi) for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship | [6] |
NJPW | Do Judge!! October 9, 2000 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 64,000 | Toshiaki Kawada vs. Kensuke Sasaki | [7] |
NJPW | February 10, 1990 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 63,900 | Antonio Inoki and Seiji Sakaguchi vs. Masahiro Chono and Shinya Hashimoto with special referee Lou Thesz | [8] |
NJPW / WCW | Fantastic Story in Tokyo Dome January 4, 1993 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 63,500 | Genichiro Tenryu vs. Riki Choshu | [9] |
NJPW | April 10, 1999 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 63,500 | Keiji Muto (c) vs. Don Frye for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship | [10] |
NJPW | Wrestling World 2000 January 4, 2000 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 63,500 | Genichiro Tenryu (c) vs. Kensuke Sasaki for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship | [11] |
NJPW | Battle 7 January 4, 1995 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 62,500 | Shinya Hashimoto (c) vs. Kensuke Sasaki for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship | [12] |
NJPW / BJW | Wrestling World 1997 January 4, 1997 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 62,500 | Shinya Hashimoto (c) vs. Riki Choshu for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship | [13] |
NJPW | Wrestling World 1999 January 4, 1999 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 62,500 | Scott Norton (c) vs. Keiji Mutoh for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship | [14] |
NJPW | Battlefield January 4, 1994 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 62,000 | Antonio Inoki vs. Genichiro Tenryu | [15] |
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 | [16] |
NOAH | Destiny July 18, 2005 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 62,000 | Toshiaki Kawada vs. Mitsuharu Misawa | [17] |
NJPW | October 8, 2001 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 61,500 | Jun Akiyama and Yuji Nagata vs. BATT (Hiroshi Hase and Keiji Muto) | [18] |
NJPW | April 12, 1997 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 60,500 | Shinya Hashimoto vs. Naoya Ogawa | [19] |
UWF | November 29, 1989 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 60,000 | Akira Maeda vs. Willie Wilhelm in a "Wrestler vs. Judoka" match | [20] |
NJPW / WCW | Super Warriors in Tokyo Dome January 4, 1992 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 60,000 | Sting (WCW) and The Great Muta (NJPW) vs. The Steiner Brothers (Rick Steiner and Scott Steiner) | [5] |
Multi-promotional | Weekly Pro Wrestling Tokyo Dome Show April 2, 1995 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 60,000 | Shinya Hashimoto vs. Masahiro Chono | [21] |
NJPW | April 7, 2000 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 60,000 | Shinya Hashimoto vs. Naoya Ogawa | [7] |
NJPW | Final Dome October 11, 1999 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 58,500 | Naoya Ogawa (c) vs. Shinya Hashimoto for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship | [22] |
AJPW | May 1, 1998 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 58,300 | Mitsuharu Misawa (c) vs. Toshiaki Kawada for the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship | [23] |
FMW | FMW 6th Anniversary Show May 5, 1995 |
Kawasaki, Japan | Kawasaki Stadium | 58,250 | Atsushi Onita (c) vs. Hayabusa in a No Rope Exploding Barbed Wire Deathmatch for the FMW Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Championship | [24] |
Historical[]
No. | Promotion | Event | Location | Venue | Attendance | Main Event(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | JWA | (Day 1) October 7, 1957 |
Tokyo, Japan | Korakuen Stadium | 30,000 | Lou Thesz (c) vs. Rikidozan for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship | [25] |
JWA | (Day 2) October 13, 1957 |
Osaka, Japan | Lou Thesz (c) vs. Rikidozan in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship | [25] | |||
3. | JWA | (Day 10) August 1, 1955 |
Osaka, Japan | 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 | [26] | |
4. | JWA | (Day 14) August 22, 1954 |
Utsunomiya, Japan | 20,000 | Mitsuhiro Rikidozan and Kokichi Endo vs. Hans Schnabel and Lou Newman in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [27] | |
JWA | (Day 15) August 23, 1954 |
Takasaki, Japan | Mitsuhiro Rikidozan and Kokichi Endo vs. Hans Schnabel and Lou Newman in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [27] | |||
JWA | (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 | [26] | ||
5. | JWA | (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 | [28] |
JWA | (Day 14) June 8, 1959 |
Kure, Japan | Danny Plechas vs. Tarlok Singh in a World League tournament match Kokichi Endo vs. Lord Blears in a World League tournament match |
[29] | |||
6. | JWA | (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 | [30] |
JWA | (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 | [27] | ||
JWA | (Day 2) August 7, 1954 |
Tokyo, Japan | Metropolitan Gymnasium | Mitsuhiro Rikidozan vs. Hans Schnabel in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [27] | ||
JWA | (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 | [27] | ||
JWA | (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 | [27] | ||
JWA | (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 | [27] | ||
JWA | (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 | [27] | ||
SKS | 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 | [31] | ||
JWA | (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 | [26] | ||
JWA | (Day 9) July 31, 1955 |
Saitama, Japan | Mitsuhiro Rikidozan and Kin'ichi Azumafuji vs. Bob Orton and Bud Curtis in a Best-2-out-of-3 Falls match | [26] | |||
JWA | (Day 14) August 6, 1955 |
Kochi, Japan | Mitsuhiro Rikidozan and Kin'ichi Azumafuji vs. Jesús Ortega and Bud Curtis in a Best 2 out of 3 Falls match | [26] | |||
JWA | (Day 19) August 13, 1955 |
Kumamoto, Japan | Mitsuhiro Rikidozan and Kokichi Endo vs. Jesús Ortega and Bob Orton in a Best 2 out of 3 Falls match | [26] | |||
JWA | (Day 10) November 22, 1955 |
Tokyo, Japan | Kuramae Kokugikan | Rikidozan vs. King Kong in a tournament final for the All Asia Heavyweight Championship | [28] | ||
JWA | (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 | [32] | ||
JWA | (Day 2) April 25, 1956 |
Tokyo, Japan | Kuramae Kokugikan | Mitsuhiro Rikidozan vs. Mike Sharpe in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [32] | ||
JWA | (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 | [32] | ||
JWA | (Day 5) October 17, 1957 |
Kobe, Japan | Lou Thesz vs. Rikidozan in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [25] | |||
JWA | (Day 9) October 25, 1957 |
Naha, Japan | Lou Thesz vs. Rikidozan in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [25] | |||
JWA | (Day 1) May 21, 1959 |
Tokyo, Japan | Metropolitan Gymnasium | Rikidozan vs. Jesús Ortega in a World League tournament | [29] | ||
JWA | (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 | (Day 19) June 15, 1959 |
Tokyo, Japan | Metropolitan Gymnasium | Rikidozan vs. Jesús Ortega in a World League tournament final | [29] | ||
7. | JWA | (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 | [27] |
8. | JWA | (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 | [30] |
JWA | 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 | [33] | ||
JWA | (Day 2) February 20, 1954 |
Tokyo, Japan | Ryogoku Kokugikan | Rikidozan vs. Ben Sharpe in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [30] | ||
JWA | (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 | [30] | ||
JWA | (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 | [30] | ||
SKS | 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 | [31] | ||
JWA | (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 | [26] | ||
JWA | (Day 3) July 17, 1955 |
Tokyo, Japan | Kuramae Kokugikan | Mitsuhiro Rikidozan vs. Primo Carnera in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [26] | ||
JWA | (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 | [32] | ||
JWA | (Day 8) October 24, 1957 |
Naha, Japan | Rikidozan and Toyonobori vs. Lou Thesz and Danny Plechas in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [25] | |||
9. | JWA | (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 | [27] |
JWA | 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 | [33] | ||
JWA | (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 | [26] | ||
JWA | (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 | [26] | ||
JWA | (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 | [26] | ||
JWA | (Day 7) May 3, 1956 |
Osaka, Japan | Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium | Rikidozan vs. Lucky Simunovich in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [32] | ||
JWA | (Day 27) June 2, 1956 |
Fukuoka, Japan | 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 | [32] | |||
JWA | August 14, 1957 |
Tokyo, Japan | Metropolitan Gymnasium | Rikidozan vs. Bobo Brazil in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [34] | ||
JWA | (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 | [29] | ||
JWA | (Day 7) May 28, 1959 |
Osaka, Japan | Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium | Rikidozan vs. King Kong Czaya in a World League tournament match | [29] | ||
10. | JWA | (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 | [28] |
No. | Promotion | Event | Location | Venue | Attendance | Main Event(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | JWA | May 7, 1961 |
Nara, Japan | 36,000 | Rikidozan and Toyonobori vs. Jim Wright and Mr. X in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [35] | |
2. | JWA | (Day 15) August 14, 1967 |
Osaka, Japan | 25,000 | Giant Baba (c) vs. Gene Kiniski in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the NEPW International Heavyweight Championship | [36] | |
3. | JWA | April 23, 1961 |
Tokyo, Japan | 20,000 | Giant Baba and Kintaro Oki vs. Tosanohana and Hideyuki Nagasawa in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [37] | |
4. | JWA | (Day 18) October 3, 1962 |
Kitami, Japan | 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 | [38] | |
JWA | (Day 18) August 2, 1968 |
Sendai, Japan | Giant Baba vs. Bruno Sammartino in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [39] | |||
5. | JWA | (Day 3) November 5, 1962 |
Naha, Japan | 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 | [38] | |
JWA | (Day 14) October 4, 1963 |
Nagano, Japan | Rikidozan and Yoshino Sato vs. Buddy Austin and Ilio DiPaolo in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [40] | |||
6. | JWA | (Day 2) May 2, 1961 |
Tokyo, Japan | Metropolitan Gymnasium | 15,000 | Rikidozan and Toyonobori vs. Mr. X and Ike Eakins | |
JWA | (Day 2) January 12, 1962 |
Kisarazu, Japan | Rikidozan and Michiaki Yoshimura vs. Ronnie Etchison and Rocky Hamilton in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [41] | |||
JWA | (Day 10) April 29, 1962 |
Hiroshima, Japan | Rikidozan, Great Togo and Michiaki Yoshimura vs. Larry Hennig, Duke Hoffman and Mike Sharpe in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [42] | |||
JWA | (Day 33) October 22, 1962 |
Nakatane, Japan | Rikidozan, Kokichi Endo and Michiaki Yoshimura vs. Art Michalik, Gorilla Marconi and Skull Murphy in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [38] | |||
JWA | (Day 2) November 4, 1962 |
Naha, Japan | Rikidozan, Mammoth Suzuki and Toyonobori vs. Moose Cholak, Gorilla Marconi and Skull Murphy in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [38] | |||
JWA | (Day 23) April 15, 1963 |
Naha, Japan | Rikidozan, Great Togo and Giant Baba vs. Pat O'Connor, Killer X and Gino Marella in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [43] | |||
JWA | (Day 24) April 16, 1963 |
Naha, Japan | Rikidozan, Michiaki Yoshimura and Great Togo vs. Killer Kowalski, Pat O'Connor and Killer X in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [43] | |||
JWA | (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 | [44] | ||
JWA | (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 | [36] | ||
7. | JWA | (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 | [41] |
JWA | (Day 21) August 7, 1968 |
Osaka, Japan | Giant Baba (c) vs. Bruno Sammartino in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the NWA International Heavyweight Championship | [39] | |||
8. | JWA | (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 | [35] |
JWA | (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 | [42] | ||
JWA | (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 | [38] | ||
JWA | (Day 31) July 5, 1966 |
Tokyo, Japan | Giant Baba (c) vs. Killer Karl Kox in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match for the NWA International Heavyweight Championship | [44] | |||
9. | JWA | (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 | [42] |
JWA | (Day 9) April 28, 1962 |
Okayama, Japan | Rikidozan and Toyonobori vs. Buddy Austin and Larry Hennig in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [42] | |||
JWA | (Day 11) April 30, 1962 |
Fukuoka, Japan | Rikidozan, Kokichi Endo and Toyonobori vs. Lou Thesz, Buddy Austin and Larry Hennig in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [42] | |||
JWA | (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 | [45] | ||
JWA | (Day 27) July 1, 1962 |
Toyonaka, Japan | 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 | [45] | |||
JWA | (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 | [38] | ||
JWA | (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 | [38] | ||
JWA | (Day 1) November 3, 1962 |
Naha, Japan | Rikidozan and Kokichi Endo vs. Art Michalik and Gorilla Marconi in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [38] | |||
JWA | (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 | [46] | ||
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 | [43] | ||
JWA | (Day 1) May 19, 1963 |
Osaka, Japan | Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium | Rikidozan vs. The Destroyer in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls match | [43] | ||
JWA | (Day 4) May 24, 1963 |
Tokyo, Japan | Metropolitan Gymnasium | Rikidozan vs. The Destroyer in a Texas Death match | [43] | ||
JWA | (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 | [47] | ||
JWA | 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 | [48] | ||
JWA | (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 | [49] | ||
JWA | (Day 2) January 3, 1968 |
Tokyo, Japan | Korakuen Hall | Giant Baba (c) vs. Reggie Lisowski for the NWA International Heavyweight Championship | [50] | ||
JWA | (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 | [51] | ||
JWA | (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 | [52] | ||
10. | JWA | (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 | [42] |
No. | Promotion | Event | Location | Venue | Attendance | Main Event(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | NJPW | 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 | [53] |
NJPW | (Day 30) October 10, 1974 |
Tokyo, Japan | Kuramae Kokugikan | Antonio Inoki (c) vs. Kintaro Oki for the NWF World Heavyweight Championship | [54] | ||
AJPW / IWE / NJPW | August 26, 1979 |
Tokyo, Japan | Nippon Budokan | Giant Baba and Antonio Inoki vs. Abdullah the Butcher and Tiger Jeet Singh | [55] | ||
2. | NJPW | (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 | [56] |
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 | [57] |
4. | NJPW | 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 | [58] |
5. | NJPW | October 25, 1977 |
Tokyo, Japan | Nippon Budokan | 13,500 | Antonio Inoki vs. Chuck Wepner in a Wrestler vs. Boxer match | [59] |
6. | NJPW | (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 | [60] |
AJW | November 1, 1977 |
Tokyo, Japan | Nippon Budokan | Maki Ueda (c) vs. Jackie Sato for the WWWA World Single Championship with special judge Mildred Burke | [61] | ||
7. | AJPW | (Day 22) October 10, 1974 |
Suita, Japan | 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 | [62] | |
AJPW | (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 | [63] | ||
AJPW | (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 | [64] | ||
8. | AJPW | (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 | [65] |
AJPW | (Day 7) July 14, 1974 |
Yaku, Japan | 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 | [66] | |||
NJPW | (Day 19) March 13, 1975 |
Hiroshima, Japan | Hiroshima Prefectural Gymnasium | Antonio Inoki vs. Tiger Jeet Singh for the vacant NWF World Heavyweight Championship | [60] | ||
NJPW | (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 | [67] | ||
AJPW | (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 | [68] | ||
NJPW | (Day 29) February 8, 1978 |
Tokyo, Japan | Nippon Budokan | Antonio Inoki vs. Umanosuke Ueda in a Nail Floor Death match | [69] | ||
9. | NJPW | (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 | [70] |
10. | NJPW | (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 | [71] |
No. | Promotion | Event | Location | Venue | Attendance | Main Event(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | UWF | November 29, 1989 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 60,000 | Akira Maeda vs. Willie Wilhelm in a "Wrestler vs. Judoka" match | [20] |
2. | NJPW | April 24, 1989 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 53,600 | Antonio Inoki vs. Shota Chochishvili | [72] |
3. | UWF | May 4, 1989 |
Osaka, Japan | 23,000 | Akira Maeda vs. Chris Dolman in a Wrestler vs. Kickboxer match | [73] | |
4. | UWF | August 13, 1989 |
Yokohama, Japan | Yokohama Arena | 17,000 | Akira Maeda vs. Yoshiaki Fujiwara | [73] |
5. | AJPW | (Day 19) June 5, 1989 |
Tokyo, Japan | Nippon Budokan | 15,200 | Jumbo Tsuruta (c) vs. Gen'ichiro Tenryu for the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship | [74] |
6. | UWF | January 10, 1989 |
Tokyo, Japan | Nippon Budokan | 15,000 | Akira Maeda vs. Nobuhiko Takada | [73] |
7. | AJPW | (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 | (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 | [75] |
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 | [76] |
10. | NJPW | 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 | April 4, 1998 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 70,000 | Antonio Inoki vs. Don Frye | [1] |
2. | NJPW / UWFi | October 9, 1995 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 67,000 | Keiji Muto (NJPW) vs. Nobuhiko Takada (UWFI) in a Champion vs. Champion match for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and UWFI Heavyweight Championship | [2] |
3. | NJPW | April 29, 1996 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 65,000 | Nobuhiko Takada (c) vs. Shinya Hashimoto for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship | [3] |
TPW | July 23, 1996 |
Atami, Japan | Sun Beach | Abdullah the Butcher and Daikokubo Benkei vs. Kishin Kawabata and Takashi Ishikawa | [4] | ||
NJPW | Final Power Hall in Tokyo Dome January 4, 1998 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | Kensuke Sasaki (c) vs. Keiji Mutoh for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship | [1] | ||
4. | NJPW / WCW | Starrcade in Tokyo Dome March 21, 1991 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 64,500 | Tatsumi Fujinami (c - NJPW) vs. Ric Flair (c - NWA) in a Champion vs. Champion match for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and NWA World Heavyweight Championships | [5] |
5. | NJPW / UWFi | Wrestling World 1996 January 4, 1996 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 64,000 | Keiji Mutoh (c - NJPW) vs. Nobuhiko Takada (UWFi) for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship | [6] |
6. | NJPW | February 10, 1990 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 63,900 | Antonio Inoki and Seiji Sakaguchi vs. Masahiro Chono and Shinya Hashimoto with special referee Lou Thesz | [8] |
7. | NJPW | Fantastic Story in Tokyo Dome January 4, 1993 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 63,500 | Genichiro Tenryu vs. Riki Choshu | [9] |
NJPW | April 10, 1999 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | Keiji Muto (c) vs. Don Frye for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship | [10] | ||
8. | NJPW | Battle 7 January 4, 1995 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 62,500 | Shinya Hashimoto (c) vs. Kensuke Sasaki for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship | [12] |
NJPW | Wrestling World 1997 January 4, 1997 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | Shinya Hashimoto (c) vs. Riki Choshu for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship | [13] | ||
NJPW | Wrestling World 1999 January 4, 1999 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | Scott Norton (c) vs. Keiji Mutoh for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship | [14] | ||
9. | NJPW | Battlefield January 4, 1994 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 62,000 | Antonio Inoki vs. Genichiro Tenryu | [15] |
10. | NJPW | April 12, 1997 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 60,500 | Shinya Hashimoto vs. Naoya Ogawa | [19] |
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 | [7] |
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 | [11] |
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 | [16] |
NOAH | Destiny July 18, 2005 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | Toshiaki Kawada vs. Mitsuharu Misawa | [17] | ||
4. | NJPW | October 8, 2001 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 61,500 | Jun Akiyama and Yuji Nagata vs. BATT (Hiroshi Hase and Keiji Muto) | [18] |
5. | NJPW | April 7, 2000 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 60,000 | Shinya Hashimoto vs. Naoya Ogawa | [7] |
6. | NOAH | Departure July 10, 2004 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 58,000 | Kenta Kobashi (c) vs. Jun Akiyama for the GHC Heavyweight Championship | [77] |
7. | NJPW | May 2, 2002 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 57,500 | Masahiro Chono vs. Mitsuharu Misawa | [78] |
8. | 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 | [79] |
9. | 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 | [80] |
10. | NJPW | Wrestling World 2002 January 4, 2002 |
Tokyo, Japan | Tokyo Dome | 51,500 | Jun Akiyama (c) vs. Yuji Nagata for the GHC Heavyweight Championship | [81] |
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 | [82] |
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 | [83] |
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 | [82] |
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 | [84] |
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 | [85] |
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 | [86] |
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 | [87] |
8. | DDT | 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 | [88] |
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 | [89] |
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 | [90] |
See also[]
- List of professional wrestling attendance records
- List of professional wrestling attendance records in Europe
- List of professional wrestling attendance records in Puerto Rico
- List of professional wrestling attendance records in the United Kingdom
- List of WWE attendance records
References[]
- ^ a b c d Hornbaker, Tim. "(NJPW) New Japan Pro Wrestling Results - 1998". LegacyOfWrestling.com.
- ^ a b Meltzer, Dave (October 16, 1995). "Muto beats Takada, Warrior Whatever Happened To? Fun, New Jack troubles, legal issues in Mexico, tons more". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Campbell, California.
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.
- ^ a b Meltzer, Dave; Alvarez, Bryan (May 6, 1996). "Hashimoto wins IWGP title, Michaels vs. Diesel at In Your House, world of MMA goes completely nuts, more". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Campbell, California.
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
- ^ a b Meltzer, Dave; Alvarez, Bryan (August 5, 1996). "Major changes to WWF syndication, Herb Abrams dies, Kobashi wins Triple Crown for the first time, more". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Campbell, California.
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.
- ^ a b c Meltzer, Dave (January 10, 1992). "Huge Billy Graham interview, Inside Edition on WWF, more". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Campbell, California.
[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)
- ^ a b Meltzer, Dave; Alvarez, Bryan (January 15, 1996). "World Championship Wrestling turns first-ever profit in 1995, biggest drawing feud in pro-wrestling history as of 1996, Pena and Televisa breakdown, tons more". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Campbell, California.
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.
- ^ a b c d Stern, Karl. "Ultimate History of Pro Wrestling - A Time Line of Every Major Event in Pro Wrestling History - 2000". WhenItWasCool.com.
- ^ a b Hornbaker, Tim. "(NJPW) New Japan Pro Wrestling Results - 1990". LegacyOfWrestling.com.
- ^ a b Meltzer, Dave (January 15, 1993). "Flair leaves WWF, two World Title changes, Japan update, tons more". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Campbell, California.
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.
- ^ a b Horie, Masanori (December 20, 1999). "January Wrestling in the Tokyo Area / 1999 Year In Review Part One". View from the Rising Sun. Archived from the original on May 2011.
- ^ a b Hornbaker, Tim. "(NJPW) New Japan Pro Wrestling Results - 2000". LegacyOfWrestling.com.
- ^ a b Meltzer, Dave (January 9, 1995). "Flash report from Tokyo Dome, looking back at 1994, UFC V date announced, Hogan vs. Vader preview, tons more". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Campbell, California.
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.
- ^ a b Meltzer, Dave (January 13, 1997). "1997 Annual Awards Issue, a look at all the major shows of the year, tons more". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Campbell, California.
New Japan's annual major event of the year, "'97 Wrestling World in Tokyo Dome" drew a reported 62,500 fans
- ^ a b Hornbaker, Tim. "(NJPW) New Japan Pro Wrestling Results - 1999". LegacyOfWrestling.com.
- ^ a b Meltzer, Dave (January 10, 1994). "Starrcade 93 fallout, New Japan Dome show, catching up on news". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Campbell, California.
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.
- ^ a b Hornbaker, Tim. "(NJPW) New Japan Pro Wrestling Results - 2001". LegacyOfWrestling.com.
- ^ a b Wilson, Kevin. "NOAH Dome Show 7/18/05". PuroresuCentral.com.
- ^ a b "New Japan Pro-Wrestling Results: 2001". Purolove.com.
- ^ a b Meltzer, Dave (April 21, 1997). "ECW PPV historical debut, Ogawa debut, MMA group out of business, more". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Campbell, California.
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.
- ^ a b Wall, Jeremy (2005). UFC's Ultimate Warriors: The Top 10. Toronto: ECW Press. p. 45. ISBN 1550226916.
- ^ Meltzer, Dave (May 15, 1995). "WCW taping policy update, real-life pro-wrestling shoot fight booked for UFC, an early "too many shows" story, tons more". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Campbell, California.
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?
- ^ "New Japan Pro-Wrestling Results: 1999". Purolove.com.
- ^ Stern, Karl. "Ultimate History of Pro Wrestling - A Time Line of Every Major Event in Pro Wrestling History - 1998". WhenItWasCool.com.
- ^ Meltzer, Dave (May 15, 1995). "WCW taping policy update, real-life pro-wrestling shoot fight booked for UFC, an early "too many shows" story, tons more". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Campbell, California.
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
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- ^ a b "Summer Series 1: 1967/07/21 - 08/16: 16 cards". Wrestling-Titles.com. Puroresu Dojo. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
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- ^ a b "Selection Matches: 1962/05/27 - 07/01". Wrestling-Titles.com. Puroresu Dojo. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
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- ^ "New Year Champion Series: 1967/12/29 - 1968/02/03: 21 cards". Wrestling-Titles.com. Puroresu Dojo. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
- ^ "Golden Series: 1968/05/18 - 06/27: 31 cards". Wrestling-Titles.com. Puroresu Dojo. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
- ^ "NWA World Champion Series: 1969/11/14 - 12/14: 16 cards". Wrestling-Titles.com. Puroresu Dojo. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
- ^ "Big Fight Series: 1974/02/22 - 03/19: 19 cards". Wrestling-Titles.com. Puroresu Dojo. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
- ^ "Toukon Series: 1974/08/30 - 10/10: 30 cards". Wrestling-Titles.com. Puroresu Dojo. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
- ^ "All Star Dream Card - promoted by Tokyo Sports Newspaper". Wrestling-Titles.com. Puroresu Dojo. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
- ^ "New Year Golden Series: 1976/01/02 - 02/06: 28 cards". Wrestling-Titles.com. Puroresu Dojo. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
- ^ "Open Championship: 1975/12/06 - 12/18: 12 cards". Wrestling-Titles.com. Puroresu Dojo. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
- ^ Malcolm, Andrew H. (June 26, 1976). "Ali, Inoki Fight to Draw in Dull Bout". New York Times.
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.
- ^ "Toukon Series II: 1977/10/28 - 12/08: 32 cards". Wrestling-Titles.com. Puroresu Dojo. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
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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.
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External links[]
- Professional wrestling attendances
- Professional wrestling shows
- Professional wrestling in Japan
- Japan sport-related lists