what are the biggest fights in Japan history?

[done85hot]

what were Bob Sapps most watched/biggest money making matches. also what were the biggest most hyped matches in Japan history.

I know these fights were huge in japan
Bob Sapp vs Akebono
Hidehiko Yoshida vs Naoya Ogawa
Kid Yamamoto vs Masato

 

[Edwin]

Rickson Gracie vs. Nobuhiko Takada I
Rickson Gracie vs. Masakatsu Funaki
Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Royce Gracie I

 

[Mikedh]

Some kickboxing mixed in here http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ten-highest-rated-japanese-mma-182200552--spt.html

 

[gmr7494]

Sapp vs. Big Nog

 

[WallyBear]

Here are some ratings, source is from 2007

1. BOB SAPP VS. AKEBONO 42.5 RATING (K-1 2003) 54 million viewers
2. MASATO VS. KID YAMAMOTO 31.6 RATING (K-1 2004)
3. BOB SAPP VS. JEROME LEBANNER 28.6 RATING (K-1 2004)
4. BOBBY OLOGUN VS. CYRIL ABIDI 28.1 RATING (K-1 2004)
5. KEN KANEKO VS. CHARLES "KRAZY HORSE" BENNETT 27.7 RATING (PRIDE 2005)
6. RULON GARDNER VS. HIDEHIKO YOSHIDA 25.9 RATING (K-1 2004)
7. BOBBY OLOGUN VS. AKEBONO 25.8 RATING (K-1 2005)
8. HIDEHIKO YOSHIDA VS. NAOYA OGAWA 25.5 RATING (PRIDE 2005)
9. KAZUSHI SAKURABA VS. YOSHIHIRO AKIYAMA 25.0 RATING (K-1 2006)
10. KID YAMAMOTO VS. ISTAVAN MAJOROS 25.0 RATING (K-1 2006)

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ten-highest-rated-japanese-mma-182200552--spt.html

 

[tinobar]

i think ogawa vs giant silva is pride biggest fight or at least top 3

ogawa vs yoshida was pretty hyped +

 

[JacJeanFinger]

Ogawa vs Yoshida was the main event in Japan, but US PPV almost censored it.

Biggest MMA fight in Japan was definitely Rickson vs Takada although ratings might say otherwise.
Kitao vs Takada (1992) was also very huge and it changed Puroresu into something new and completely revolutionized the concept of fighting.

 

[BisexualMMA]

World War II.

 

[InfinityLens]

Here are some ratings, source is from 2007

1. BOB SAPP VS. AKEBONO 42.5 RATING (K-1 2003) 54 million viewers
2. MASATO VS. KID YAMAMOTO 31.6 RATING (K-1 2004)
3. BOB SAPP VS. JEROME LEBANNER 28.6 RATING (K-1 2004)
4. BOBBY OLOGUN VS. CYRIL ABIDI 28.1 RATING (K-1 2004)
5. KEN KANEKO VS. CHARLES "KRAZY HORSE" BENNETT 27.7 RATING (PRIDE 2005)
6. RULON GARDNER VS. HIDEHIKO YOSHIDA 25.9 RATING (K-1 2004)
7. BOBBY OLOGUN VS. AKEBONO 25.8 RATING (K-1 2005)
8. HIDEHIKO YOSHIDA VS. NAOYA OGAWA 25.5 RATING (PRIDE 2005)
9. KAZUSHI SAKURABA VS. YOSHIHIRO AKIYAMA 25.0 RATING (K-1 2006)
10. KID YAMAMOTO VS. ISTAVAN MAJOROS 25.0 RATING (K-1 2006)

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ten-highest-rated-japanese-mma-182200552--spt.html

Shows how skewed are perceptions of what is popular in japan are, wouldn't have suspected those. Rizin needs to go after those guys.

 

[themmahistorian]

fedor vs cro cop
wanderlei silva vs rampage II

 

[skylolow]

I hope people do realize that you see what drives JMMA. It isn't the Champ going against the number 1 challenger like it is in North America.

Out of all 10 top tv rating fights there maybe only 2 or 3 fights you'd tell some newbie to even watch and that might be a little generous.

 

[DuppyMekka]

Zapp vs Crocop felt pretty big too...

But Zapp vs Akebono I was the biggest hype there was. Both theor faces on enormous posters on Shibuya crossing with videos n stuff. I wonder what that cost...

 

[eseseses681]

I hope people do realize that you see what drives JMMA. It isn't the Champ going against the number 1 challenger like it is in North America.

Out of all 10 top tv rating fights there maybe only 2 or 3 fights you'd tell some newbie to even watch and that might be a little generous.

Cuz' the biggest fights in American history didn't star a pro wrestler. And if Joe Rogan vs. Wesley Snipes had actually happened, that fight wouldn't have been bigger than Demetrious Johnson vs. Joseph Benavidez III or Dominick Cruz vs. TJ Dillashaw.

 

[manboy<3]

Everyone knows the biggest fights in Japan were
the fights with Kimbo slice wrecking some dude with pink hair and
Brock Lesnar vs some guy...dey love those freak shows over there figures cause no one would watch that shit over in the states .

Not sure about America but my more hardcore friend (been watching since 2013) who watches UFC said it was mighty mouse vs Dominck Cruz he says the crowd really loves dem little guys

 

[Ancient Warrior]

I forgot about Gardner vs Yoshida as someone above had listed.

That was pretty awesome.

 

[NHB7]

Cuz' the biggest fights in American history didn't star a pro wrestler. And if Joe Rogan vs. Wesley Snipes had actually happened, that fight wouldn't have been bigger than Demetrious Johnson vs. Joseph Benavidez III or Dominick Cruz vs. TJ Dillashaw.

Brock Lesnar certainly made up some of the biggest ticket sales. And I wouldn't be shocked if a CM punk card out sales a Mighty Mouse card.

 

[HelloJapan]

 

[eiyuu]

Butterbean vs Zuluzinho . . . must have been 700+ lbs of meat moving around in that ring.

Then again, Emmanuel Yarbrough vs Takase was 700+ lbs of meat with Manny alone

 

[skylolow]

Cuz' the biggest fights in American history didn't star a pro wrestler. And if Joe Rogan vs. Wesley Snipes had actually happened, that fight wouldn't have been bigger than Demetrious Johnson vs. Joseph Benavidez III or Dominick Cruz vs. TJ Dillashaw.

Point is many people for years on here feel that Japan is some hot bed for MMA, the truth is its a fanbase was driven almost solely on cultural stars and not the best fighters fighting the best. Which is one of the biggest reasons why everything related to JMMA is more or less underground and why the bigger orgs over the years has more or less ignored Japan.

 

[EndlessCritic]

and this is why jmma is garbage.