what are the biggest fights in Japan history?

[eseseses681]

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.

You know Randy Couture (then the 3rd-ranked heavyweight) vs. Brock Lesnar (2-1 as a professional) broke a million pay-per-view buys? And Tito Ortiz vs. Ken Shamrock III was the highest-rated fight in American history before Kimbo Slice came along? And that the only reason the UFC's not an organization that went bankrupt 11-years ago is cuz' they made a reality show that was like a shitty version of Big Brother?
We Americans really only care about rankings.
It's also moronic to think the false-stereotype of the Japanese being completely fad-obsessed acted in anything more than a tertiary capacity (at best) regarding this sport's post-2007 Japanese-recession.

 

[skylolow]

You know Randy Couture (then the 3rd-ranked heavyweight) vs. Brock Lesnar (2-1 as a professional) broke a million pay-per-view buys? And Tito Ortiz vs. Ken Shamrock III was the highest-rated fight in American history before Kimbo Slice came along? And that the only reason the UFC's not an organization that went bankrupt 11-years ago is cuz' they made a reality show that was like a shitty version of Big Brother?
We Americans really only care about rankings.
It's also moronic to think the false-stereotype of the Japanese being completely fad-obsessed acted in anything more than a tertiary capacity (at best) regarding this sport's post-2007 Japanese-recession.

Everyone knows the UFC/MMA in America has had some highly rated shows with more cultural type figures. But the UFC can knock it out of the park with just good match ups now on a regular basis and have for years. UFC now makes stars that cross over into mainstream culture. JMMA can't and never have been able to do that. Yet so many people think there is this massive hotbed of fans that can support MMA there and it just really isn't there and that is why its very hard to think Rizin is really going to be around long term. I hope they are but the hardcore fans base is small and nobody has to really be able grow the fan base.

 

[norsuu]

big nog vs cc
fedor vs big nog 3
barnett vs big nog 1 & 2
fedor vs cc
hunt vs wand
Sergei vs big nog
and much more...
anyone knows if these exist in good quality? i thought they only exist in 500x300fps..

 

[moreorless87]

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.

Japan at its peak I'v say was very much a two tier sport in terms of draw, you had the consistant interest in guys like Crocop, Wanderlei, etc and then you had the massive casual interest in guys like Yoshida and Sapp.

Yoshida vs Ogawa was basically like Brock fighting Kurt Angel in MMA.

 

[Oshime2]

Takanohana vs Chiyonofuji in sumo, 54.5 million viewers

From Wikipedia:
"In the following tournament in May 1991 [Takanohana] defeated veteran yokozuna Chiyonofuji in a match watched by 44 percent of the Japanese population on TV."

According to Google, the population of Japan in 1991 was 123.9 million people.

 

[The Reed]

Had no idea Bobby Ologun was such a draw, it all makes sense now.

 

[ThunderL1ps]

Come on you amateurs.

Ali vs. Inoki.

 

[JacJeanFinger]

Yeah, rating limited to working adults, not women, children and elderly has Inoki winning

 

[Idonotbelieveit]

Saku vs royce

 

[Idonotbelieveit]

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.

Sakuraba is the biggest star of all time
When he fell off pride did too

 

[Idonotbelieveit]

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

ogawa vs yoshida was pretty hyped +

Yes on the second one
Highest purse for ages too

 

[Idonotbelieveit]

Japan at its peak I'v say was very much a two tier sport in terms of draw, you had the consistant interest in guys like Crocop, Wanderlei, etc and then you had the massive casual interest in guys like Yoshida and Sapp.

Yoshida vs Ogawa was basically like Brock fighting Kurt Angel in MMA.

Not really they both fought good competition
Kurt has never fought terrible comparisons
And yoshida ogawa both medalists. Cred wise competitive but who was better in which discipline was answer
Yoshida was boss

 

[lukeuidswords]

nevr 4get

 

[moreorless87]

Not really they both fought good competition
Kurt has never fought terrible comparisons
And yoshida ogawa both medalists. Cred wise competitive but who was better in which discipline was answer
Yoshida was boss

You basically had the same mix of well known Olympics and pro wrestling draw in MMA as that example would be although generally the Japanese have more interest in the former I would say, hence drawing 20% of the population to watch.

 

[Aberlour]

I would have assumed Fedor vs Cro Cop would have been up there, they spent two years building it and I remember at the time it felt like a massive fight.

 

[kingcillo24]

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.

However, all the mentioned fights in the OP are bigger than any other viewership number in MMA history.