Wrestle Kingdom 17 Smashes Record For First-Time Viewers

Wrestle Kingdom 17 had a lot of hype surrounding it, due to a multitude of reasons. It was a history-making event, as it featured stars from NJPW, WWE and AEW working together. That proved to be a crucial aspect as the event ended up smashing the record for first-time viewers.

The event also saw the return of fan cheering for the first time in the Tokyo Dome since the pandemic began. That certainly added a lot to the overall atmosphere of the entire event.

Their NJPW World streaming service ended up being the biggest eye-opener as it gained a record-setting 92,409 new users on the platform. In fact, 30% of those users for the English feed were from overseas, who stayed up late to watch the event.

The show was headlined by Jay White defending his IWGP World Heavyweight Championship against Kazuchika Okada, as well as Will Ospreay defending his IWGP United States Championship against Kenny Omega. The rumors of Mercedes Mone debuting in NJPW also helped bolster numbers. The event was truly a huge success and has set a standard for future shows to come.

What’s your take on this story? Sound off in the comments!