North Korea Had the World's Biggest Wrestling Event | DARK SIDE OF THE RING

In 1995, New Japan Pro Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling put on a two-day event in North Korea. Hundreds of thousands were forced by the government to attend or "they get a bullet in the head".
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#wrestling #northkorea #DarkSideoftheRing
Chapters
0:00 Muhammad Ali
0:38 Biggest Crowd Ever
1:29 The May Day Stadium
1:55 Forced Attendance
2:40 Megashow
3:03 Quiet Crowd
4:15 The Main Event
4:59 The Crowd Responds
5:40 Legacy
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[@VICE-TV]

In the US? Watch DARK SIDE OF THE RING S3 here: bit.ly/32dgwa8

[@raw_dah]

Vice back to form? Hmm

[@mcq2879]

Seriously? A paywall? Screw that, all the episodes are on dailymotion for free. F you Vice

[@freddyzamora176]

If it was MICK FOLEY I swear on my LIFE MICK FOLEY WILL LOOK UP AT NEW JACK AND SMILE 😃 AND MICK FOLEY Will SAY DO IT AGAIN WITH BLOOD 🩸 COMING DOWN HIS MOUTH AND MICK FOLEY Will SAY HAVE A NICE DAY NEW JACK WILL NOTTT HAVE A NICE DAY 😃THAT I PROMISE. Look what the undertaker did to mick foley threw him off the HELL IN THE CELL 🫠

[@ViperRulerlm]

It is absolutely criminal how Inoki is one of the most influential and important names in all of Pro Wrestling and yet most wrestling fans outside of Japan barely even know who he is.

[@drphot6050]

Only if he spoke English better lol

[@johnbarton41]

That is so true. I absolutely love Antonio Inoki. Then again I'm not a F.A.N freelance amateur novice, I'm a pro wrestling historian.

[@sooweeq123]

It's called promotion. He has Asia. Vince has North America and Canada.

[@superlyger]

Inoki is also the founder of modern MMA as we know it. He pioneered the sponsor of Soviet athletes. On the way he fought Muhammad Ali, freed hostages, and had Putin serve him tea. A truly larger than life figure.

[@TToTToTT]

inoki mushroom?

[@MrSpeed-lt8gr]

Scott Norton: Could I please get a better room? Kim Jong Il: that doesn’t work for me, brother.

[@nighttripper1432]

Only have interrogation room available

[@franciscouch8378]

😂

[@georgeriley4818]

Inoki was literally everywhere in regards to wrestling. He fought Muhammad Ali, Wrestled the fattest twins ever two on one, and wrestled Ric Flair in front of the largest crowd ever

[@fr3dv103]

Largest forced crowd ever

[@KhalilSalam-sy6ox]

still the largest crowd ever@@fr3dv103

[@khylelewis]

North Korean are trapped. Had a friend go on holiday there once. He said every time they looked at him they had the look of 'help me!' in their eyes.

[@stormshadow631]

I go on holiday there 3 to 4 times a year my wife is from there and in the last 14 years I’ve never seen that look on people’s faces

[@khylelewis]

@@stormshadow631you've gotta be lying.

[@ahmadhussain-Fitness]

Western propaganda

[@khylelewis]

@@ahmadhussain-Fitness ??? im referring to someone who was actually there in the flesh. how the hell is that 'western propaganda?'

[@khylelewis]

@@ahmadhussain-Fitness you're swiss cheese.

[@masonlerner9342]

Bischoff comes off as a megalomaniac lunatic super villain in this video. Vince is Thanos.

[@liebeswolkchen3012]

always has been , remember when he stood in the wcw ring with a motorcycle and said "its great to be king!" ?

[@ericnierstedt6242]

I actually read this story in Bischoff's first book. After reading it, I felt it sounded like he didn't really think it through all the way, and only started to realize things after he got there. There was one moment specifically, where he was getting a tour, and they were telling him the history and videotaping his responses. He did know enough to give non-committal responses because he didn't know how true what they were telling him was, and that they might use any positive response he gave. He didn't mention anything about forced attendance but it sounded very uncomfortable at the very least, so I wouldn't be surprised.

[@DubbyDubois]

He even pets his dog like a maniac

[@BitestheStuff]

DC version: Vince is Luthor and Bischoff is Joker.

[@Razear]

Wow, this is the first time I've heard of this. Had no idea this happened. I know that the Harlem Globetrotters have gone to NK to perform in front of Kim Jong-Un, but for a household name like Ric Flair to be there? Mind blowing.

[@UFCANT]

I read about this year ago in Eric’s book. They ripped Scott Nortons room apart because he complained to his wife over the phone about the conditions. They also made the wrestlers honor a statue of their former president with flowers.

[@djberry9535]

Can't forget about Inoki, RIP the icon.

[@eliseoretro4407]

I believe they wanted Hulk Hogan originally but he didn't want to do it so they got Ric instead.

[@zaindot3863]

Dennis Rodman who is more popular than Ric has been to North Korea too

[@therainmakerinsider]

North Korea has forced military TV programming. They don’t know about Ric or Hogan since they’re both Americans.

[@johnnymundo1006]

I watch a lot of wrestling content yet this is the first time i've ever heard of this. I felt like i was watching something from an alternative universe

[@marcohavokkhaos]

WWE pretends it doesn't exist

[@jamstarent21]

It was on the original wwe network before peacock took over

[@djtrankilo231]

​@marcohavokkhaos of course. The McMahons are so heavily involved with the GOP, they'd question having this available

[@richardcoreno]

The event was entirely arranged/brokered by Inoki -- who strongly believed that pro wrestling could become a bridge to understanding & regional peace.

[@exe2517]

It was a huge political campaign stunt.

[@HkFinn83]

He also strongly believed in getting paid

[@superlyger]

@@HkFinn83yahoo Japan published his lifetime earnings as being in the billions. His total empire was unknown. His entire time in Pride FC was under the table.

[@reycesarcarino4653]

Who doesn't If you're good at something you don't do it for free

[@himonightbreeze]

The stadium looks like a bunt cake.

[@drphot6050]

This was like 2020-2022 Wrestling during the Pandemic until the first live show vibes all in one weekend.

[@TOCC50]

Never knew this happened

[@worstcasescenario5242]

THIS is the content I'm here for

[@OscillatorCollective]

SERIOUSLY ‼️

[@WarGhoulKharas]

I like how Eric Bischoff still thinks he's the reason why the event drew so many people, not Inoki or Rikidozan.

[@TippiGordon]

The event didn't "draw" a soul. Every single person in attendance was there because if they didn't go, they'd be punished by the state.

[@BlackoutKurayami]

Bischoff being Bischoff

[@kyeongmin9396]

Do you think the North Koreans had any idea who those wrestlers were? Do you think they could've named a single wrestler, for that matter?

[@Mike-jf8py]

Can you show me a clip? Cuz in this video he praises Inoki as a genius and I didn’t hear him take credit one time. Wtf? Lol

[@Mike-jf8py]

I gotta reply again. Hahahahahahaha

[@MovieEggman]

I’m glad that someone uploaded the entire Collision in Korea event on KZbin since it’s hasn’t been added to the WWE Network.

[@pauljoe38]

You can watch all of the event on NJPW world.

[@alternative7586]

It's funny that they don't show the event in North Korea, but hold events in Saudi Arabia.

[@night6724]

@@alternative7586what’s the comparison between Saudi and North Korea

[@night6724]

I think the reason is while it was produced by WCW it was coproduction by NJPW since it had Antonio Inoki who was an ambassador so NJPW probably gets some royalties from it

[@night6724]

@@alternative7586Wwe uploaded a minutes of Flair vs Inoki on their KZbin channel a decade ago

[@Katracho-ot3uk]

5:39 that was the best line I’ve heard in a while 😂

[@tobalaba]

yes, a very good description of NK.

[@DonTheMoron716]

Oh no! Forced to go to a pro wrestling event! 😱 Force me please!

[@ScottBlackula]

They were probably afraid to cheer in case they cheered for the wrong person and might have been punished

[@BigBadDragon777]

No, they didnt cheer causentheybdisnt legit know what's pro wrestling.

[@chud-of4yb]

​@@BigBadDragon777pro wrestling was already known in DPRK before this event

[@inesfi66166]

​@@chud-of4ybnot this type of wrestling/entertainment. They know the one from gym class.

[@chud-of4yb]

@@inesfi66166 wrong

[@inesfi66166]

@@chud-of4yb nope, you can just google north korean wrestling athletes. You will find them participating in the Olympic. Since 70s. But no mention of entertainment wrestling.

[@jamstarent21]

Im suprised alot of people never heard of this event before

[@AV57]

It’s not exactly an event that a lot of people would be proud to put on their resume. At the time, North Korea was still struggling with famines, electric blackouts, and natural gas shortages. So, putting events like this on most surely meant depriving people on the brink of death of resources that were needed to keep them alive. It’s like taking a cup of water out of a starving man’s hands so you can rinse your hair. Wrong time, wrong place.

[@jamstarent21]

@AV57 Why not? This event took place in the early 90s. Was the biggest crowd to see a wrestling event, Antonio Anoki was running the show

[@nerdstudent8852]

Antonio Inoki would look like Giga Chad at his peak 💪😁

[@frankbonini7085]

The Difference Was What Eric & Scott Said ... the People Were Made to Attend ...

[@chud-of4yb]

Do you have any proof?

[@nathanclearyaulsberry8424]

​@@chud-of4yb ain't no way you defending North Korea

[@JorgeGeorgeD]

All of my life I believed Inoki was like 6'8", so seeing him next to Flair and them being the exact same height makes Ric look like he got stretched with Photoshop and it's freaking me out lmao

[@superlyger]

Inoki is a legit 6’3 maybe 6’4” in his prime. There are pictures of him with Brock and Inoki looks almost as big especially with his smiling chin.

[@Blackcrow2077]

Vice is digging deep

[@Epquik]

Somebody has to do it

[@job489]

Another reason for crowds showing no reaction is due to wrestlers either from America or Japan. People in North Korea are taught to hate and kill Americans as well as the Japanese. They're watching their hated enemies fight each other, which might've been confusing and give them no reason to cheer. Antonio Inoki received cheers with his connection to Rikidozan and also gave tribute to his memorial with Korean press. Ric Flair vs Antonio Inoki to them was not America vs Japan but instead America vs North Korea. When Antonio won, they likely cheered seeing in their POV North Korea defeat America.

[@foxhound5043]

Scott Norton was ABSOLUTE fucking unit. Shame he never got to WWE.

[@sgt_slobber.7628]

Had no idea at all that this event ever happened!!!!!:/

[@gss76]

How can someone be so proud of making an event where everyone was forced to attend with the fear of getting murdered if they don't? That's bischoff for you.

[@mikebowler4499]

Well look at all the assclown wrestlers bragging about it

[@chud-of4yb]

Do you have any proof of that?

[@gss76]

@chud-of4yb sure. It's in this video and on multiple videos accounting this spectacle. It's on this thing called the internet and in other forms of media known as books. I suggest you look them up and see what you learn from them.

[@chud-of4yb]

@@gss76 I suggest you read up on what a proof is. You don't have any, and I wipe my ass with what some middle aged drug addicts said for dramatic effect.

[@irongiant775]

@@gss76 Seriously 😆

[@michaelhood2109]

I could've swore they did an episode on this already. They talked about Hawk and 2 cold Scorpio fighting on a bus

[@20money17]

Scott Norton looks great for his age he was my brother main guy on wcw/nwo revenge

[@MrZombiejoe]

This whole Episode was pretty Good!!!

[@MrZombiejoe]

All that!!! 🤣

[@bradvestby]

I remember this like it was yesterday.. I still have the WCW version of this PPV on VHS..

[@soulglo45]

2 Cold is one the most underrated wrestlers of all time

[@SuperMarcoPolo7]

I thought that was Alberto Del Rio at first glance in the thumbnail🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@remixchild]

1:28 so tell me Eric, how did this become a bombshell

[@sarc4sm68]

real life bullet club but in yo head lol

[@jaredpena871]

Just imagine holding in your feelings and looking back at "your leader" for approval to enjoy this till 1 man that had connections that wouldn't be taken out... 😮🙏👏

[@datemasamune2904]

I'm surprised they haven't covered this yet. It's like something that many have talked about already.

[@duckmercy11]

There is a Dark Side of The Ring episode about it. I think this clip might be from that.

[@stormshadow631]

They have covered this alot

[@rikmichaels9233]

“I’ve been to Super Bowls “ cuz Eric is a rich boomer, the only ones that can afford the super bowl

[@MrSky10101]

I do not believe for a minute that the taxi driver said that to the professional wrestler, especially since that there would have been a Handler right next to these foreigners the whole time.

[@mr.brenman2132]

The taxi driver is a handler. Who knows what the arrangement in the 90's was.

[@br-jj6re]

The driver is usually the handler, pretty sure that was the deal when Shane smith filmed the original vice in North Korea

[@JustinPerrotta-lr6bg]

188k people turned to 199k people in two seconds with Scorpio lol

[@Lukenosis]

This is dark!

[@MH_Shawn]

Vice where is the full episode?

[@chrispswann6825]

Meanwhile the majority of "fans" were forced to be there and had no clue what pro wrestling even was

[@chud-of4yb]

1. Do you have any proof they were forced to go there?(no you don't) 2. Pro wrestling was already known in North Korea Rikidozan and Inoki both visited the country before, and wrestling from Japan was shown on North Korean TV.

[@JoseCalderon-qx8mq]

Damn….. Crazy story.

[@newtopicz]

vice be like: its not an eazy job… but its an honest way to make a living✨

[@rleonekc07]

Wow imagine having to wrestle RIC FLAIR of all people in the biggest event ever to take place. Pressure

[@no_one01-5]

"Hulk Hogan was careful." uff.. burn.

[@sweetpotato5535]

wrestling event in North Korea? yoo that's wild

[@TheSpanishAnnounceTable]

"You didn't even have to be high to trip off that, it was straight up mind blowing" - 2 Cold Scorpio

[@HoshizakiYoshimasa]

Amazing quote!

[@dtfonmyballs8752]

It's ashamed Vince never tried to cross international boundaries and bring people together like this

[@YourXellency]

They saw that Wembley is getting 80K and got Philly for WM40 and got 90k in a week. Vince just had to 1-up on AEW once again. LOL!

[@gmont28]

@@YourXellencyso true

[@YourXellency]

@@gmont28 I just realized that 90,000 tickets for a 2-day event. That's basically 45,000 seats for each day~

[@_DrMemes]

wrestlemania is in 8 months. they have a LOT of time to fill seats. @@YourXellency

[@user-dq6hs4ry6z]

Saudi

[@tripical]

This is the quality and type of videos we miss

[@TOCC50]

North and South Korea should be one

[@pnarsong6360]

You forgot about All In London

[@mariocarbajal8687]

Scorpio looks like Shrek

[@elvisnamikaze3464]

Chris Jericho is the narrator isnt he? 😮

[@elennet4116]

One of the main reason why this event is hardly published or highlighed among WWW wrestlers is that ut drew the largest crowd for a pro wrestling event Vince would never accept that WWE always boosts of the high attendance they had particularly at Wrestlemania 3 Despite them taking over WCW and publishing all the vintage records, only Collision in Korea event is hidden and not displayed to public

[@tolliSTFU]

For good reason

[@ThatADHDKid]

That's the Crimson Chin

[@tonyatlas7777]

Could any one explains what is dark about that i dont get it

[@TippiGordon]

Norton: During the main event, the place went absolutely crazy. Reality: The place did not go absolutely crazy.

[@tonyvercetti8056]

It's crazy that only inoki and ric flair can make them cheering

[@reinaldojosh2nd]

antonio inoki is a badass, and ric flair's a stud for pulling this off.

[@ChaneVazquez-rx2dy]

Flair was so good he could make people who aren't interested in wrestling interested in wrestling!

[@HippieEraTV]

inoki got the 'extendo chin' cleft boy & crimson got nothing on em!

[@donttrip4210]

“This was like going to hell and living..” 😂

[@donwilcox728]

The arena looks like a bundt cake.

[@Famezonen]

Flair is the legendary flop artist.

[@TheFatSandwhich]

This is just soooo god damn bizarre. A society so isolated that they don’t even know how to react. They’re probably scared to even react!

[@kylemadison1296]

People say North Koreans were forced to be there, but you can bet your ass Vince wouldn't have given two shits about whether people were forced or not if he could claim this.

[@duckmercy11]

Yup, wouldn't be surprised if half the crowd in Saudi Arabia is forced to be there too.

[@GeeOhJayyy]

🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@DummyYEEEAAHHHHH]

"I wrestled for 189,000 hostages...I'm mean people"

[@Seldom-Seen]

Who’s that guy wrestling Ric

[@ReinEngel]

Nobody tell Tony Kahn about this.

[@wavealip8059]

This was an incredibly bad idea. It's amazing that they all made it back to Japan

[@OscillatorCollective]

🤯WOW🤯

[@stebopign]

is this the one where the wrestler got in trouble after a phone call from his wife?

[@kimberlybellard6972]

Yes bc they weren’t even allowed to phone anyone from home

[@pdlucker]

That Asian dude looks like the moon man from the old McDonald’s commercials. Dude is giving Leno a run for his money.

[@duckmercy11]

'That Asian dude' is a legend, the Hulk Hogan of Japan. Put some respect on Inoki's name!

[@speakraps]

2cold scorpio was bout to smoke Hawk lol real goon vs fake juiced up tough guy lol

[@kjax0630]

180k forced to be there 😅

[@DummyYEEEAAHHHHH]

Bischoff bragging about facilitating a wrestling event where 189,000 people were obligated to attend....that's like bragging about having the biggest cell in a prison.

[@travino]

Maybe the event should have be in Japan or MSG.

[@SO-ud6ro]

1:35 calm down with the dramatization. "Lif3 threatening" seriously 😐

[@prabijshrestha]

They need to perform some deathmatches there to hype people .. anyway inoki had largest applaud ever in history

[@Infamous41]

I bet it took them weeks to leave that country

[@ScottBlackula]

Wow they were forced to be there? Did they have to pay their own way too?

[@chud-of4yb]

No they were not, there is 0 proof of that

[@ScottBlackula]

@@chud-of4yb so why do they say it happened? Why make that up?

[@chud-of4yb]

@@ScottBlackula yes

[@user-dc1dr9kr8x]

If you didnt think rick flair was the man you better now

[@AlfredoBasurto95]

That sucks and it’s messing more stories

[@migzaquino1016]

2:40 is that dennis rodman?

[@mfyolo8005]

North Korea kidnapped several Japaneses in 1970s, and most of people are not still come back. Inoki was the only politician who tried to connect with NOrth Korea until his death.

[@andrewr6759]

Dark side of the ring in the US: somebody breaks their neck, some maniac kills his whole family. 'Dark' side of the ring North Korea: forced attendendance, grand pre-show "to show them capitalists that we live like normal people too", nobody cared and yet for some reason those wrestlers piss themselves with joy and pride, name it the greatest show they ever been to. What's dark in it then?🤣

[@remixchild]

How delusional was Eric of the situation back then?

[@NeoTheRebel_]

Bring back tattoo age

[@multiyapples]

Disgusting it was held there.

[@GutturalReef]

Go ahead and check Wikipedia now! Yeah, I changed it....

[@Mvcko421]

I dont think being forced to go to an event is a bigger “draw” lol

[@AV57]

They were drawn by the screams of their tortured relatives to march to the rassling.

[@chud-of4yb]

Do you have any proof they were forced to go there?

[@Mvcko421]

@@chud-of4yb yes, its north korea .. & they said so in the video

[@chud-of4yb]

@@Mvcko421 So you don't have any proof?

[@Mvcko421]

@@chud-of4yb first hand reports is proof numbnuts

[@alvarez6487]

"Forced to attend" Okay, do you have any reliable sources? No, just take the word of a taxi driver.

[@HkFinn83]

Er...you should look into North Korea😂 these events are essentially cultural versions of a military place. Like Bischoff said, the people had no idea what they were actually watching

[@AV57]

It was clearly a state-sanctioned massive event in North Korea. We have ample testimonies from North Korean refugees and visitors to North Korea that can attest to events like this being mandatory. Even Putin was doing this when his invasion of Ukraine started, and you can just see the looks on the attendees’ faces that they don’t even want to be there. It’s authoritarianism 101.

[@chud-of4yb]

​@@HkFinn83Bischoff is an idiot, pro wrestling was already known in North Korea Rikidozan was a known and respected figure, and so was Inoki.

[@KimiMTZ17]

Yeah, close to 200k, but they were all FORCED to attend the show! So it doesn't count for the records, All In is about to become the biggest proper show in American wrestling history

[@chud-of4yb]

Do you have any proof?

[@KimiMTZ17]

​@@chud-of4ybAbout what, the forced crowd? THEY LITERALLY SAY IT IN THE VIDEO!!

[@chud-of4yb]

@@KimiMTZ17 So you don't have any proof?

[@KimiMTZ17]

​@@chud-of4yb1:56 THAT'S YOUR PROOF

[@chud-of4yb]

@@KimiMTZ17 some middle aged drug addicts made up story on a show meant for guppies like you is not a proof.

[@vdub7090]

"Thisa look.... fake"

[@LEGENDCITYest1963]

Hulk Hogan " This show doesn't work for me, Brother."

[@danielvalladares3531]

He actually said that to Eric when he asked him before asking ric flair lmao

[@pjsretrogamesmusicandwrass5795]

No way, more fans than WMIII and half the audience didn't understand what they were watching .. Biden needs to force Karens to watch the next Mania.. RIP Inoki-Sensei and Mr Ali ..

[@JustTooDamnHonest]

That just shows how oppressed North Korea is and why a dictatorship is not good for it sucks the enjoyment of anything out of ya and that is a fate that the rest of the world is trying to avoid.

[@Spooky_515]

How can this count when the so called fans were forced to be there? lol

[@johnbarton41]

That crowed was acting like some WCW Nitro event's.