List of professional wrestling attendance records in Japan

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Tokyo Dome, one of Japan's biggest sport stadiums, holds several national and world pro wrestling attendance records. The average attendance for professional wrestling at the Tokyo Dome consistently exceeded 50,000 fans from 1989 to 1999.

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[]

Top 10 most-attended shows in the 1950s
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]
Top 10 most-attended shows in the 1960s
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]
Top 10 most-attended shows in the 1970s
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]
Top 10 most-attended shows in the 1980s
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
Top 10 most-attended shows in the 1990s
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]
Top 10 most-attended shows in the 2000s
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]
Top 10 most-attended shows in the 2010s
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[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d Hornbaker, Tim. "(NJPW) New Japan Pro Wrestling Results - 1998". LegacyOfWrestling.com.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ 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
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ 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)
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ a b Hornbaker, Tim. "(NJPW) New Japan Pro Wrestling Results - 1990". LegacyOfWrestling.com.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ a b Hornbaker, Tim. "(NJPW) New Japan Pro Wrestling Results - 2000". LegacyOfWrestling.com.
  12. ^ 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.
  13. ^ 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
  14. ^ a b Hornbaker, Tim. "(NJPW) New Japan Pro Wrestling Results - 1999". LegacyOfWrestling.com.
  15. ^ 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.
  16. ^ a b Hornbaker, Tim. "(NJPW) New Japan Pro Wrestling Results - 2001". LegacyOfWrestling.com.
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