Established in 1973, the Champion Carnival is All Japan's annual heavyweight singles tournament, designed to determine who the strongest wrestler is. Assuming the reigning Triple Crown Champion doesn't also win the tournament, the eventual winner moves into top contention for a shot at the title. With many epic matches over the years, the Carnival has played host to some memorable moments. In the past, both singles elimination and round-robin concepts have been used, with the latter favoured in recent years.
1973 (3/17/73 to 4/21/73)
Round 1:
1. Curtis Iaukea beat Thunder Sugiyama (11:40) with a body press.
2. Mark Lewin beat Mashio Koma (17:31) with a sleeper hold.
3. The Destroyer beat Mad Russian (20:48) with a figure-four leglock.
4. Baron Scicluna beat Samson Kutsuwada (14:49) by pinfall.
5. Moose Morowski beat Motoshi Okuma (12:17) by pinfall.
6. Hiro Matsuda beat Antonio Pugliese (16:07) with a Cobra Twist.
7. Calypso Hurricane beat Mammoth Suzuki (13:41) by pinfall.
Round 2:
1. The Destroyer beat Baron Scicluna (19:22) with a figure-four leglock.
2. Curtis Iaukea beat Moose Morowski (12:27) by pinfall.
3. Mark Lewin beat Hiro Matsuda (21:55) by pinfall.
4. Giant Baba beat Calypso Hurricane (18:45) by pinfall.
Semi Finals:
1. Mark Lewin beat The Destroyer (20:44) by pinfall.
2. Giant Baba beat Curtis Iaukea (11:49) by pinfall.
Final:
1. 2/3 Falls: Giant Baba beat Mark Lewin (19:20). Baba used a neckbreaker drop on Lewin (12:49). Lewin used a piledriver on Baba (4:06). Baba pinned Lewin (2:25).
1974 (4/13/74 to 5/14/74)
Round 1:
1. Jumbo Tsuruta beat Joe Soto (10:28) by pinfall.
2. The Destroyer vs. Abdullah The Butcher went to a no contest (4:10).
3. Mr. Wrestling beat Mammoth Suzuki (14:50) with an inside cradle.
4. Curtis Iaukea beat Mashio Koma (5:08) by pinfall.
5. Mark Lewin beat Akihisa Takachiho (14:50) by pinfall.
6. Samson Kutsuwada beat Rufus R. Jones (14:15) by pinfall.
7. Thunder Sugiyama beat Sailor White (12:04) by pinfall.
Round 2:
1. Mark Lewin beat Samson Kutsuwada (16:24) by pinfall.
2. Giant Baba beat Curtis Iaukea (4:48) by pinfall.
3. Mr. Wrestling beat Thunder Sugiyama (14:17) by pinfall.
Semi Finals:
1. Mr. Wrestling beat Jumbo Tsuruta (28:32) by referee stop.
2. Giant Baba beat Mark Lewin (17:28) by pinfall.
Final:
1. 2/3 Falls: Giant Baba beat Mr. Wrestling (14:20). Wrestling pinned Baba (8:30). Baba pinned Wrestling (2:45). Baba pinned Wrestling (3:05).
1975 (4/5/75 to 5/3/75)
Round 1:
1. Giant Baba beat Mark Lewin (13:33) by countout.
2. The Destroyer beat Steve Keirn (11:18) with a figure-four leglock.
3. Mr. Wrestling beat Samson Kutsuwada (8:49) with an inside cradle.
4. Jumbo Tsuruta beat Bob Orton Jr. (13:01) by pinfall.
5. Killer Kowalski beat Great Kojika (13:42) by pinfall.
6. Gene Kiniski beat Motoshi Okuma (8:45) by pinfall.
7. Akihisa Takachiho beat Mike George (9:52) by pinfall.
Round 2:
1. The Destroyer beat Akihisa Takachiho (15:28) by pinfall.
2. Giant Baba beat Killer Kowalski (26:39) by pinfall.
3. Gene Kiniski beat Jumbo Tsuruta (21:25) by pinfall.
Loser League:
1. Jumbo Tsuruta [2]
2. Killer Kowalski [1]
3. Akihisa Takachiho [0]
Final League:
1. Giant Baba [3]
2. Gene Kiniski [2]
3. The Destroyer [1]
4. Mr. Wrestling [0]
Final:
1. 2/3 Falls: Giant Baba beat Gene Kiniski (18:39). Baba pinned Kiniski (12:12). Kiniski pinned Baba (3:02). Baba pinned Kiniski (3:25).
1976 (4/2/76 to 5/8/76)
1. Abdullah The Butcher [18]
2. Giant Baba [18]
3. Mario Milano [17]
4. Jumbo Tsuruta [17]
5. Kintaro Oki [17]
6. The Destroyer [16]
7. Curtis Iaukea [16]
8. The Beast [9]
9. Samson Kutsuwada [9]
10. Great Kojika [7]
11. Buddy Wolf [6]
12. Motoshi Okuma [6]
13. Larry Lane [4]
14. Larry Sharpe [0]
Final: Abdullah The Butcher beat Giant Baba (9:53) by DQ.
1977 (4/8/77 to 5/16/77)
1. Jumbo Tsuruta [21]
2. Giant Baba [20]
3. Abdullah The Butcher [20]
4. Kintaro Oki [18]
5. The Destroyer [17]
6. Super Destroyer [16]
7. Bull Ramos [16]
8. Akihisa Takachiho [12]
9. Samson Kutsuwada [11]
10. Great Kojika [10]
11. Motosi Okuma [9]
12. J.J. Dillon [6]
13. Bill White [4]
14. Jose Gonzales [2]
15. Red Wolf [0]
Semi Final: Giant Baba beat Abdullah The Butcher (9:15) by DQ.
Final: Giant Baba beat Jumbo Tsuruta (10:39) by pinfall.
1978 (3/4/78 to 4/7/78)
1. Abdullah The Butcher [25]
2. Giant Baba [24]
3. Jumbo Tsuruta [22]
4. Kintaro Oki [20]
5. Kim Duk [17]
6. The Destroyer [16]
7. Don Leo Jonathon [16]
8. Curtis Iaukea [16]
9. Black Terror [12]
10. Ted DiBiase [10]
11. Motosi Okuma [4]
12. Great Kojika [4]
13. Rocky Hata [4]
14. Luke Graham [2]
15. Frank Morell [0]
Final: Giant Baba beat Abdullah The Butcher (11:59) by countout.
1979 (3/3/79 to 4/6/79)
1. Abdullah The Butcher [24]
2. Jumbo Tsuruta [24]
3. Giant Baba [23]
4. The Destroyer [22]
5. Dick Slater [21]
6. Kintaro Oki [18]
7. Dos Caras [18]
8. Tor Kamata [16]
9. Mario Milano [10]
10. Takashi Ishikawa [8]
11. Rocky Hata [6]
12. Great Kojika [6]
13. Motoshi Okuma [6]
14. Billy Francis [4]
15. Don Milano [2]
16. Big Red [0]
Final: Abdullah The Butcher beat Jumbo Tsuruta (2:11) with a jumping elbow drop.
1980 (3/28/80 to 5/1/80)
1. Dick Slater [19]
2. Jumbo Tsuruta [19]
3. Abdullah The Butcher [18]
4. Terry Funk [18]
5. Giant Baba [17]
6. Tiger Toguchi [15]
7. Ted DiBiase [12]
8. Ray Candy [8]
9. The Mysterious Assassin [6]
10. Rocky Hata [4]
11. Great Kojika [4]
12. Motoshi Okuma [2]
13. Carl Fergie [0]
Final: Jumbo Tsuruta beat Dick Slater (23:45) with a German suplex hold.
1981 (3/27/81 to 4/23/81)
1. Bruiser Brody [20]
2. Giant Baba [19]
3. Jumbo Tsuruta [19]
4. Abdullah The Butcher [18]
5. Jack Brisco [18]
6. Tiger Toguchi [17]
7. Tim Brooks [12]
8. The Avenger [10]
9. Takashi Ishikawa [8]
10. Prince Tonga [6]
11. Rocky Hata [6]
12. Great Kojika [6]
13. Motoshi Okuma [4]
14. Wayne Ferris [3]
Semi Final: Giant Baba beat Jumbo Tsuruta
Final: Giant Baba beat Bruiser Brody with a flying bodyscissors drop.
1982 (3/19/82 to 4/16/82)
1. Giant Baba [29]
2. Bruiser Brody [28]
3. Jumbo Tsuruta [28]
4. Ted DiBiase [28]
5. Genichiro Tenryu [26]
6. Billy Robinson [25]
7. Mongolian Stomper [20]
8. Alexis Smirnoff [18]
9. Buck Robley [16]
10. Mighty Inoue [11]
11. Rocky Hata [10]
12. Prince Tonga [10]
13. Motoshi Okuma [10]
14. Akio Sato [10]
15. Takashi Ishikawa [9]
16. Great Kojika [8]
17. Bill Howard [2]
18. Ashura Hara [0]
1991 (3/23/91 to 4/16/91)
Block A:
1. Stan Hansen [12]
2. Mitsuharu Misawa [10]
3. Dynamite Kid [8]
4. Kenta Kobashi [6]
5. Doug Furnas [4]
6. Texas Terminator [2]
7. Johnny Ace [0]
Block B:
1. Jumbo Tsuruta [12]
2. Dan Spivey [10]
3. Toshiaki Kawada [8]
4. Akira Taue [6]
5. Dan Kroffat [4]
6. Johnny Smith [2]
7. Cactus Jack [0]
Final: Jumbo Tsuruta beat Stan Hansen (12:53) with a jumping knee attack.
1992 (3/20/92 to 4/17/92)
Block A:
1. Mitsuharu Misawa [17]
2. Jumbo Tsuruta [16]
3. Terry Gordy [15]
4. Johnny Ace [12]
5. Masanobu Fuchi [10]
6. Doug Furnas [8]
7. Giant Kimala [6]
8. Tsuyoshi Kikuchi [4]
9. Master Blaster [2]
10. Joel Deaton [0]
Block B:
1. Stan Hansen [18]
2. Steve Williams [15]
3. Toshiaki Kawada [12]
4. Dan Spivey [12]
5. Kenta Kobashi [11]
6. Akira Taue [8]
7. Dan Kroffat [8]
8. Yoshinari Ogawa [4]
9. David Isley [2]
10. Billy Black [0]
Final: Stan Hansen beat Mitsuharu Misawa (20:06) with a lariat.
1993 (3/25/93 to 4/21/93)
1. Stan Hansen [20]
2. Mitsuharu Misawa [20]
3. Terry Gordy [19]
4. Steve Williams [19]
5. Toshiaki Kawada [18]
6. Akira Taue [17]
7. Kenta Kobashi [12]
8. Davey Boy Smith [8]
9. Johnny Ace [8]
10. The Patriot [7]
11. Dan Kroffat [4]
12. Doug Furnas [4]
13. Jun Akiyama [0]
Final: Stan Hansen beat Mitsuharu Misawa (20:26) with a powerbomb.
1994 (3/19/94 to 4/16/94) (Full results)
1. Toshiaki Kawada [19]
2. Steve Williams [19]
3. Stan Hansen [18]
4. Kenta Kobashi [17]
5. Akira Taue [17]
6. Johnny Ace [11]
7. Jun Akiyama [9]
8. John Nord [6]
9. The Eagle [4]
10. Mitsuharu Misawa [4]
11. Doug Furnas [4]
12. Johnny Smith [4]
Final: Toshiaki Kawada beat Steve Williams (25:48) with a powerbomb.
1995 (3/21/95 to 4/15/95) (Full results)
1. Mitsuharu Misawa [17]
2. Akira Taue [17]
3. Toshiaki Kawada [16]
4. Stan Hansen [16]
5. Kenta Kobashi [13]
6. Johnny Ace [11]
7. Jun Akiyama [6]
8. Doug Furnas [6]
9. Dan Spivey [4]
10. Dan Kroffat [4]
11. Takao Omori [0]
Final: Mitsuharu Misawa beat Akira Taue (27:03) with a Tiger suplex hold.
1996 (3/22/96 to 4/20/96) (Full results)
1. Akira Taue [17]
2. Steve Williams [17]
3. Kenta Kobashi [16]
4. Mitsuharu Misawa [16]
5. Stan Hansen [16]
6. Toshiaki Kawada [15]
7. Gary Albright [12]
8. Johnny Ace [9]
9. The Patriot [6]
10. Jun Akiyama [5]
11. Takao Omori [2]
12. Tamon Honda [1]
Final: Akira Taue beat Steve Williams (21:41) with a nodowa otoshi.
1997 (3/22/97 to 4/19/97) (Full results)
1. Toshiaki Kawada [19]
2. Mitsuharu Misawa [19]
3. Kenta Kobashi [19]
4. Stan Hansen [18]
5. Akira Taue [18]
6. Steve Williams [18]
7. Gary Albright [12]
8. Johnny Ace [10]
9. Jun Akiyama [9]
10. Giant Kimala [6]
11. Tamon Honda [4]
12. Takao Omori [4]
13. Jun Izumida [0]
Final #1: Mitsuharu Misawa [1] vs. Kenta Kobashi [1] went to a draw (30:00) when the time limit expired.
Final #2: Toshiaki Kawada [2] beat Mitsuharu Misawa [1] (6:09) with a powerbomb.
Final #3: Toshiaki Kawada [4] beat Kenta Kobashi [1] (21:27) with a jumping high kick.
1998 (3/21/98 to 4/18/98) (Full results)
1. Mitsuharu Misawa [19]
2. Jun Akiyama [19]
3. Kenta Kobashi [18]
4. Toshiaki Kawada [18]
5. Stan Hansen [17]
6. Steve Williams [17]
7. Johnny Ace [14]
8. Gary Albright [12]
9. Akira Taue [8]
10. Takao Omori [6]
11. Giant Kimala [4]
12. Wolf Hawkfield [4]
13. Jun Izumida [0]
Final: Mitsuharu Misawa beat Jun Akiyama (22:05) with a running elbow smash.
1999 (3/26/99 to 4/16/99) (Full results)
1. Kenta Kobashi [16]
2. Vader [15]
3. Mitsuharu Misawa [14]
4. Jun Akiyama [11]
5. Akira Taue [11]
6. Johnny Ace [9]
7. Gary Albright [8]
8. Yoshihiro Takayama [3]
9. Jinsei Shinzaki [2]
10. Takao Omori [1]
Final: Vader beat Kenta Kobashi (19:11) with a Vader Attack.
2000 (3/24/00 to 4/15/00)
Round 1:
1. Johnny Smith beat Tamon Honda (15:12) with a reverse DDT.
2. Mike Barton beat Masao Inoue (14:17) with a modified DDT.
3. Takao Omori beat Jun Akiyama (0:07) with an Axe Bomber.
4. Steve Williams beat Akira Taue (17:15) with a homicidal backdrop driver.
5. Jun Izumida beat Wolf Hawkfield (13:02) with the Meteorite.
6. Vader beat Yoshihiro Takayama (6:04) with a lariat.
7. Mitsuharu Misawa beat Toshiaki Kawada (15:35) with the Emerald Frosion.
8. Kenta Kobashi beat Johnny Ace (20:56) with a lariat.
Round 2:
1. Steve Williams beat Jun Izumida by forfeit.
2. Takao Omori beat Mike Barton (15:55) with an Axe Bomber.
3. Mitsuharu Misawa beat Vader (11:31) with a reverse cross armbreaker.
4. Kenta Kobashi beat Johnny Smith (17:43) with an armlock.
Semi Finals:
1. Takao Omori beat Steve Williams (10:33) with an Axe Bomber.
2. Kenta Kobashi beat Mitsuharu Misawa (26:08) with a lariat.
Final:
1. Kenta Kobashi beat Takao Omori (25:12) with a lariat.
2001 (3/23/01 to 4/11/01) (Full results)
1. Genichiro Tenryu [15]
2. Taiyo Kea [15]
3. Toshiaki Kawada [14]
4. Steve Williams [13]
5. Mike Barton [13]
6. Johnny Smith [7]
7. Yoshiaki Fujiwara [7]
8. Jim Steele [2]
9. George Hines [2]
10. Mitsuya Nagai [2]
Final: Genichiro Tenryu beat Taiyo Kea (17:08) with a lariat.
2002 (3/23/02 to 4/10/02) (Full results)
Block A:
1. Satoshi Kojima [11]
2. Mike Barton [10]
3. Jim Steele [6]
4. Mitsuya Nagai [6]
5. Yoji Anjo [5]
6. Toshiaki Kawada [2]
7. Arashi [2]
Block B:
1. Genichiro Tenryu [12]
2. Keiji Muto [8]
3. Taiyo Kea [6]
4. Steve Williams [6]
5. Mike Rotundo [3]
6. George Hines [3]
7. Nobutaka Araya [2]
Semi Final: Keiji Muto beat Satoshi Kojima (15:46) with a cross armbreaker.
Semi Final: Mike Barton beat Genichiro Tenryu (5:38) with a Barton Cutter.
Final: Keiji Muto beat Mike Barton (9:50) with a moonsault press.
2003 (3/22/03 to 3/28/03)
Round 1:
1. Gigantes beat Yoji Anjo (9:18) with a chokeslam.
2. Big John Tenta beat The Gladiator (13:04) with a running body press.
3. George Hines beat Johnny Smith (25:02) with a tombstone piledriver.
4. Arashi beat Nobutaka Araya (12:34) with an Arashi otoshi.
Round 2:
1. Keiji Muto beat Big John Tenta (12:21) with the Shining Wizard.
2. Satoshi Kojima beat Gigantes (16:23) with a lariat.
Semi Finals:
1. Satoshi Kojima beat George Hines (16:16) with a lariat.
2. Arashi beat Keiji Muto (18:03) with a frog splash.
Final:
1. Satoshi Kojima beat Arashi (16:30) with a lariat.
2004 (4/10/04 to 4/20/04) (Full results)
Block A
1. Kensuke Sasaki [7]
2. Keiji Muto [5]
3. Jamal [4]
4. Kaz Hayashi [2]
5. Arashi [0]
Block B
1. Takao Omori [7]
2. Satoshi Kojima [5]
3. Taiyo Kea [4]
4. Toshiaki Kawada [2]
5. Nobutaka Araya [2]
Semi Final: Keiji Muto beat Takao Omori (11:09) with a Frankensteiner.
Semi Final: Kensuke Sasaki beat Satoshi Kojima (16:51) with a Northern Light bomb.
Final: Keiji Muto beat Kensuke Sasaki (15:33) with a moonsault press.
2005 (4/9/05 to 4/20/05) (Full results)
Block A
1. Satoshi Kojima [7]
2. Kensuke Sasaki [6]
3. Taiyo Kea [5]
4. Arashi [4]
5. Giant Bernard [4]
6. Shuji Kondo [2]
Block B
1. Toshiaki Kawada [7]
2. Jamal [6]
3. Chuck Palumbo [5]
4. Keiji Muto [5]
5. Buchanan [5]
6. Kohei Suwama [2]
Semi Final: Jamal beat Satoshi Kojima (16:22) with the Flying Sausage.
Semi Final: Kensuke Sasaki beat Toshiaki Kawada (19:11) with a Northern Light bomb.
Final: Kensuke Sasaki beat Jamal (17:32) with a Northern Light bomb.
