From the NJPW Rumor Mill: Great news from NJPW's Australian tour
What's the story?
The superstars of NJPW are down in Australia, for a 4 city tour. Their tour takes them across four Australian cities- Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, on the West Coast.
According to Dave Meltzer, as reported by Cageside Seats, NJPW's tour of Australia was a huge financial success. Their show in Adelaide alone did some impressive numbers.
In case you didn't know...
In a world dominated by WWE, NJPW has emerged as a strong alternative brand. With an emphasis on the in-ring product, backed up by some excellent long-term storylines, the NJPW product has been picking up steam.
Wrestle Kingdom 12 was a massive success, owing to the appearance of WWE legend Chris Jericho, who took on Kenny Omega in a match, fans never thought they would get to see.
NJPW is still a distant second, but it has been gaining global recognition of late.
The heart of the matter
NJPW's 4-city Australian tour featured all their top stars including IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada, Kenny Omega as well as The Young Bucks, among others. The tour was well received, despite the fact that the turnout wasn't necessarily the best.
In terms of gate and merchandise sales, Adelaide netted NJPW a sum total of $200,000 according to Dave Meltzer, which is a commendable number. The incredible success of the 'Bullet Club' shirts could be a huge factor in this very regard.
What's next?
NJPW is sure to grow from strength to strength, based on its worldwide acclaim. It remains to be seen if it will ever pose a threat to WWE, in the future. WWE's not really had a competitor in the wrestling business since WCW shut shop in 2001.
Author's take
Congratulations to New Japan Pro Wrestling for all their success. They have a compelling product and deserve every bit of their acclaim.
I can't wait for Strong Style Evolved in March.
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