11 Famous Wrestling "Holy Grounds" That Still Stand
4. Nippon Budokan
If there were Twitter or Reddit in the 1990s, we probably wouldn't be slagging Dave Meltzer for a supposed bias toward matches in the Tokyo Dome. Instead, we'd say something like "4.75 stars, didn't happen in Budokan Hall."
Built in the '60s for olympic judo, the Nippon Budokan has housed some of the most famous combat sporting events of all time. Most notably: it was the site of the infamous Muhammed Ali-Antoni Inoki mixed rules fight, which is seen by many as the predecessor to modern MMA. Since that point, the hall has hosted events for K-1, Pride, and Shooto.
As far as pro wrestling is concerned, the Budokan was the holy ground for All-Japan in its heyday. Numerous 5 star stunners took place in the building featuring some of the best performances of the likes of Misawa, Kobashi, Kawada, and other AJPW greats.
With the decline of All-Japan came the decline of the Budokan's place in wrestling, but now with New Japan hosing this year's G1 Climax finals there, the Nippon Budokan will once again host some of the best wresting in the world.