This is also just a general question, what's bigger in Japan, (pro) wrestling or MMA? Considering that NJPW and RIZIN are the two biggest promotions of each sport, I think that the answer to the title is probably the same as the answer to my other question, right?
Also, how big is ONE FC in Japan, could that also be bigger than NJPW even though it's not a Japanese company? I know MMA has historically been huge in Japan due to PRIDE, but I'm curious as to what it's modern day popularity is compared to wrestling.
by shayanot
5 comments
Id lean towards NJPW. Rizin puts on shows monthly meanwhile NJPW is a weekly product. In terms of Instagram followers they both are hovering around the 350k mark. One is decently popular but they only host shows like once every 3-6 months and IMO they have a deeper talent roster than Rizin.
Rizin drew 42k+ at the Tokyo Dome this month. They drew 48k+ at Saitama Super Arena last year. I’d say Rizin is hotter right now and MMA is still taken more seriously by the casual audience.
Rizin is more popular. MMA is probably a bit more popular than wrestling in Japan and Rizin is the most popular MMA organization there. Their roster is not deep enough to run as much shows as the UFC or ONE (almost no MMA organizations can run as much shows to be fair), typically there’s a 3 months break at the beginning of the year, then they start running shows again, one or two shows per month. But the Rizin brand is probably a bit bigger than NJPW right now and they have bigger draws.
Their first show this year drew a bit over 9k in Kagawa, right now NJPW can’t do these numbers in Kagawa. Depending on the configuration they use with the Saitama Arena they draw from 23k to 48k.
They just did 42k at the Tokyo Dome with a full card that was announced barely one month before the show because their original plans got fucked when one of their biggest draws got injured. If they ran that show with the original plan it would have done 50k easily. That’s not something NJPW can do even with 6 months to promote a Dome show, even pre-pandemic they didn’t have anyone able to draw as much in one Dome show.
I would say NJPW was probably more popular in 2015-2019, but Rizin has overtaken it since then. Rizin recently drew a massive gate for their Tokyo Dome show while NJPW struggles to break 25,000
Apples and oranges. Rizin runs a handful of major shows for the entire year and that’s it. Different model.