The If Factor: WWF Considered the 2004 Royal Rumble in Japan

Brian Damage

The ‘If Factor’ are a series of articles that takes a look at real scenarios in pro wrestling that at one point or another were suggested, planned, considered…but did not get the green light to continue. What would the landscape of professional wrestling look like if these ideas came to fruition?

The If: The 2004 Royal Rumble held in Tokyo, Japan

In 2003, the World Wrestling Federation had a successful tour of Japan. Vince McMahon, who always wanted to break the WWF into the Japanese market, started to consider a huge event to take place in Japan. McMahon and his team began scouting locations for the potential of having the Royal Rumble to happen in the land of the rising sun. Vince was always someone who wanted to do things on the biggest and grandest stages all over the world and wanted one of his premier events…the Royal Rumble to take place in the Tokyo Dome.

Although in very preliminary stages, McMahon would bring in “top Japanese stars” to be involved in the Rumble match. How he was going to achieve that whether working with New Japan, All Japan or NOAH was anyone’s guess. One big move that McMahon heavily considered was signing Bob Sapp and have Sapp main event a match against Brock Lesnar. Bob Sapp was a former football player that was trained in WCW’s Power Plant. He eventually was released by WCW and got involved in mixed martial arts, where he became a superstar in Japan.

Sapp was so popular in Japan, almost every promoter in Japan wanted to book him. He did commercials, had his own music album and movies. Negotiations between Sapp and the WWF almost immediately hit roadblocks. According to Jim Ross, Sapp demanded not to work house shows, only TV and pay per views. His price tag was also extremely high and without working a full time schedule, wasn’t worth the investment for Vince. Without Sapp as a major selling point and his inner circle not convinced that they could sell out the cavernous Tokyo Dome…the idea to hold the Royal Rumble there was ultimately scrapped.

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