Ōdō Tournament is a professional wrestling tournament held annually by All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) since 2013. The single-elimination tournament is a spiritual successor to the Open Championship tournament, which was held in 1975. Typically, the winner of the tournament earns a future match for the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship.
Akebono, the winner of the 2013 Ōdō Tournament
Jun Akiyama, the winner of the 2015 Ōdō Tournament
Suwama, the winner of the 2016 Ōdō Tournament
All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW/AJP) or simply All Japan is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established on October 21, 1972, when Giant Baba split away from the Japanese Wrestling Association and created his own promotion. Many wrestlers had left with Baba, with many more joining the following year when JWA folded. From the mid-1970s, All Japan was firmly established as the largest promotion in Japan. As the 1990s began, aging stars gave way to a younger generation including Mitsuharu Misawa, "Dr. Death" Steve Williams, Kenta Kobashi, Gary Albright, Toshiaki Kawada, Mike Barton, Akira Taue and Jun Akiyama, leading to perhaps AJPW's most profitable period in the 1990s.
Giant Baba, the founder of All Japan and owner until his death in January 1999
Mitsuharu Misawa left All Japan in June 2000 to form Pro Wrestling Noah.
Keiji Muto in 2008 during the Pro Wrestling Love era. This was also his main attire in the era's early days.
Image: Jamal 2003