Dramatic DDT

This Sunday sees DDT set sail to Sumo Hall once more to present “RYOGOKU PETER PAN 2010 SUMMER VACATION”. When DDT made the announcment back at the tail end of 2008 that they will go to Sumo Hall, nobody even dreamed that they could get an attendence of almost 9000 fans to see the show. Not only did they reach that number, it was gained with hardly any papering and comps. That’s right, DDT got almost 9000 people paying to see their show at Sumo Hall. It was the most unlikely pro wrestling success story in 2009 and this year DDT attempts to repeat the feat. This time the show revolved around two big matches. Daisuke Sekimoto Vs HARASHIMA for the KO-D Openweight Title and a dream match between the two “Geniuses” of puroresu. Unfortunately, the dream match had to be scrapped just a week before the show, causing a minor reshuffle of the card. It’s a big blow for DDT, but ticket sales leading up to the show are still said to be positive.

There is a lot booked for the show with 8 matches to take place overall. I will do my best explain the build up to many of the bouts in this preview. Here is the full card for Sumo Hall.

DDT “RYOGOKU PETER PAN 2010 SUMMER VACATION”, 25/07/2010
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
0. KO-D Tag Team Title: Sanshiro Takagi & Munenori Sawa (c) Vs Jun Kasai & Kamui
1. KO-D Tag Team Title Contendership Gauntlet: Josai International Combo (Goro Tsurumi & Tomimitsu Matsunaga) Vs Massive Brothers (Muscle Sakai & Honey Jiro) Vs Disaster-BOX (Toru Owashi & Yukihiro Abe) Vs Suicide Boyz (MIKAMI & Tanomusaku Toba) Vs Wild Snake (Manabu Nakanishi & Poison Sawada JULIE)
2. Daisuke Sasaki, Takao Soma & Kazuki Hirata Vs Shigehiro Irie, Tatsuhiko Yoshino & Akito
3. Captain’s Fall No DQ Match: Sanshiro Takagi, Michael Nakazawa (c) & Munenori Sawa Vs Yago Aznable (c), MA Hoshitango & Ace Pilot X
4. UWA Trios Title, Jiyugaoka Six Man Tag Team Title & Nihonkai Six Man Tag Team Title, 3 Way Match: Hikaru Sato, Keisuke Ishii & YOSHIHIKO (c) Vs KUDO, Yasu Urano & Antonio Honda (c) Vs Mr. #6 & Riho & X (c)
5. Handicap Match: Danshoku Dino Vs HG & RG
6. Dick Togo Vs TAJIRI
7. Kenny Omega Vs Naomichi Marufuji
8. KO-D Openweight Title: Daisuke Sekimoto (c) Vs HARASHIMA

KO-D Openweight Title: Daisuke Sekimoto (c) vs. HARASHIMA

We’ll start with the main event for the KO-D Openweight Title. Back in February, Daisuke Sekimoto entered into the DDT world by defeating Shuji Ishikawa and winning the KO-D Openweight Championship at a show held by Union, a sub-brand of DDT. Despite some brief appearances for DDT in the past, Sekimoto was a one-man army invading the promotion and taking its top belt. With a large target now on his back and the entire promotion focused on reclaiming the KO-D Title, Sekimoto was ready for the challenges that laid ahead. Everyone from Sanshiro Takagi & Kota Ibushi to Michael Nakazawa & Masa Takanashi tried to defeat him but all ultimately failed. The only other challenger was Ken Ohka, who at the time was in possession of DDT’s equivalent of the Money In The Bank prize. However, this is Ken Ohka we’re talking about. This is a guy who wouldn’t be much of a threat to Sekimoto even with the element of surprise. Ken threw a curveball and instead gave his title shot to Shuji Ishikawa so he could cash it in and get his rematch. Once again, Sekimoto made a successful defence and was all out of challengers. He had to wait until the King Of DDT tournament in May to find out who he would face at Sumo Hall. HARASHIMA went through the tournament, surviving one of the most disgusting head wounds in recent memory to wind up as the King Of DDT winner and Sekimoto’s next challenger.

This is not the first time Sekimoto and HARASHIMA crossed paths. HARASHIMA eliminated Sekimoto to win a Battle Royal back in April 2009. By winning that match, HARASHIMA would go on to defeat Sanshiro Takagi and become the KO-D champ. Sekimoto wrestled on that same show but disappeared from DDT until he won the KO-D belt. For HARASHIMA it will be his second year in a row headlining Sumo Hall for DDT. Last time he went in as champion but fell to Kota Ibushi. This time he is going in as the challenger. Can he be DDT’s saviour on the night of the company’s biggest event or will Sekimoto make it a clean sweep of the main event roster and cement himself as the most dominant champion in
DDT history?

Kenny Omega vs. Naomichi Marufuji

Even the best laid plans can fall apart. This was originally supposed to be Kota Ibushi Vs Naomichi Marufuji in what would be the headline match of the event. Unfortunately Ibushi’s dislocated shoulder could not be healed in time for him to compete. It’s been a heck of a year for Kota Ibushi. The “Golden Star” has had a rollercoaster ride filled with highs and lows since he won the KO-D Championship at Sumo Hall and earned his spot as the ace of the promotion 12 months ago. The defence against YOSHIHIKO aside, Kota’s reign as champ didn’t set the world on fire and he dropped the belt to Shuji Ishikawa in November. Following that, Kota shockingly failed to get past the first round of the Super J Cup, losing to Gedo with the always reliable Gedo Clutch. Kota built himself back up by continuing his partnership with Kenny Omega as the “Golden Lovers”, excelling in matches where wrestling rings were not required. Ibushi took some time off to cope with some injuries but returned in fine fashion by avenging his loss to Gedo in April. Ibushi stepped up to challenge Daisuke Sekimoto for the KO-D Openweight Title at Golden Week. Despite looking like DDT’s best chance to win back the belt, he failed to defeat Sekimoto. He was out of the title hunt in DDT, but looked ahead to the Best Of Super Juniors tournament in New Japan. Over there, Ibushi made up for his 1st round exits in the Super J Cup & Super J Tag by reaching the final to face Prince Devitt. The final ended in heartbreak for Ibushi as he dislocated his shoulder after doing a 450 Splash. The match was temporarily stopped but he went against the advice of medical personell to continue fighting. After the restart, Devitt quickly beat him with the Bloody Sunday to win a dramatic finale to the tournament.

When the hype for this year’s Sumo Hall show began, fans wondered who Ibushi would face. He wass out of the KO-D title race for the time being and if he was to have a single match it would have to be against someone pretty special. DDT delivered when NOAH’s very own Naomichi Marufuji sent a video message challenging Kota to a match during the June Korakuen Hall event. This was a match 15 months in the making. The two were originally supposed to face each other in DDT back in April 2009 but Marufuji went down with a serious injury that took him out of action for the rest of that year. Fifteen months later and disaster strikes again with Ibushi this time on the injury list.

The show must go on and for Kenny Omega, a golden opportunity has presented itself. Omega was set to team with wrestling wonderkids Riho & Mr. #6 but with his B.F.F. now unable to compete, a spot has opened up to take on one of the best wrestlers in Japan today, if not the entire world. Omega has won a place in the hearts of DDT fans with his exciting performances inside and outside the ring with Kota Ibushi. With Japan becoming a second home, the “Canadian Ken Masters” fired up the ranks and made his mark in the Best Of Super Juniors, defeating established NJPW talent like Koji Kanemoto and Ryusuke Taguchi. But now he finds himself at the Boss Stage against a man that hit Level 70 a long time ago. Naomichi Marufuji has never come across the video game offence of Kenny Omega before, but they don’t call him the “Genius Of Pro-Wrestling” for nothing. We won’t get the match we were promised, but these two can still produce something special to make up for it.

Dick Togo Vs TAJIRI

An intriguing matchup that takes place as part of Dick Togo’s retirement tour. Togo has been a big figure for DDT throughout the company’s life, holding the KO-D Openweight Title twice while being part of the Metal Vampire faction. He also terrorised the promotion under such foreign guises as Rey Cubano and Francesco Togo. But now with his career winding down, Togo is back to his normal self for the rest of his time in DDT. He will be taking on TAJIRI, who’s own career has been revitalised ever since he formed the SMASH promotion. The former WWE and HUSTLE star already has a loyal fanbase following his new company. In fact, TAJIRI will have a very busy weekend as SMASH will be holding two shows the day before the DDT event. With TAJIRI scheduled to wrestle on both of those shows, will he have enough energy left to take on Dick Togo afterwards?

Handicap Match: Danshoku Dino Vs HG & RG

This is a dream match for someone, right? When rumours went around that one of HUSTLE’s most memorable characters was ready to retire, a certain wrestle of the same persuasion did not react well to it. When the original HUSTLE promotion closed its doors, Razor Ramon Hard Gay never got the chance to say goodbye and officially call an end to his wrestling career. DDT offered to host his retirement match for Sumo Hall by pitting him against their own resident homosexual wrestler, Danshoku Dino. Surprisingly, Dino was furious at the news that his fellow gay wrestler was retiring. He was so upset that he locked himself in the DDT Office for 13 days (may God have mercy on whoever had to clean that place up when Dino finally left). The match was set until RG, the Scrappy Doo to HG’s Scooby Doo showed up at the May Korakuen Hall show and inserted himself (get your minds out of the gutter) into the fray. So now it will be a Handicap match featuring Japan’s two most flamboyantly gay wrestlers, and RG.

UWA Trios Title, Jiyugaoka Six Man Tag Team Title & Nihonkai Six Man Tag Team Title, 3 Way Match: Hikaru Sato, Keisuke Ishii & YOSHIHIKO (c) Vs KUDO, Yasu Urano & Antonio Honda (c) Vs Mr. #6 & Riho & X (c)

Trust DDT to find the most obscure and irrelevent Championships to reward in title matches. Following up on last year’s GAY-Crown match, Danshoku Dino wanted something similar to happen for this year’s show. This time it will be the 6-Man Tag Team belts that will be hoarded together. The UWA Trios Title has had an odd history. When its home promotion closed down in 1995 the title vanished from the face of the earth. In 2001 Toryumon adopted the championships and kept them until Toryumon morphed into Dragon Gate. The belts moved to El Dorado until they were claimed by the Italian 4 Horsemen. Since then they have mostly been defended in DDT and are currently held by the Belt Hunter X
Hunter faction.

The Jiyugaoka Six Man Tag Team Title was created by DDT in 2003 and was named after the Jiyugaoka train station in Tokyo. The championship was rarely defended over the years and was eventually vacated. KUDO, Yasu Urano & Antonio Honda won the vacant belts in June 2008 but the title’s existence has been ignored ever since. In fact, nobody including KUDO, Urano & Honda even remembered they were the champions until Dino pointed it out. With two teams of champions available to compete, the match was made.

But wait, Muscle Sakai wanted to join in the fun. He too was part of a championship calibur team. A Championship even more obscure than what is already on offer. Years ago Muscle Sakai teamed with O.K. Revolution (Ken Ohka) & Mr. Strawberry (Sanshiro Takagi) to win the Nihonkai Six Man Tag Team Title. It’s a title Sakai claimed was still active despite never being defended. Also, Mr. Strawberry was never seen again since the team won the Nihonkai titles. O.K. Revolution made his return to DDT and Mr. Strawberry was summoned back to our realm thanks to a magical pink recorder. Unfortunately for them, Kenny Omega spoiled their plans by joining forces with Riho & Mr. #6 to win the belts and take their spots at Sumo Hall.

With Kenny Omega being promoted to the semi-main event, that leaves his junior tag partners searching high and low for a replacement. We may not know who the third person will be until the day of the show or even at the very last minute. But still, Riho and Mr. #6 are two kids who should not be messed with. After all, if they are good enough to eliminate Kota Ibushi & Kenny Omega in a Battle Royal then they must have a heck of a lot of talent.

Captain’s Fall No DQ Match: Sanshiro Takagi, Michael Nakazawa (c) & Munenori Sawa Vs Yago Aznable (c), MA Hoshitango & Ace Pilot X

“IT’S A GUNDAM!!!”

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Gundam, DDT’s craziest storyline at the moment features parodies of the famous giant fighting robots. Yoshiaki Yago, a man so dangerous that the entire roster have to trap him in lockers so he can never challenge for the KO-D championship, went missing after the November Korakuen Hall show. Not unusual as Yago is a part-time wrestler who comes and goes when he (or the locker) pleases. Several months later, an unknown wrestler by the name of Yago Aznable, looking the spitting image of Char Aznable from the Gundam series, won a contract in a Battle Royal/Ladder match to join DDT when the contract simply fell into his arms as he was entering the ring.
Fans around the globe were wondering who this dashing and mysterious figure was. Over the coming months we were able to see through his cunning disguise. The body language, the moveset, the hair sticking out of his helmet, the tattoos covering his arm and shoulder. It could only be one of two people: Yoshiaki Yago or Randy Orton. Turns out it was Yago (Orton is more of an Evangelion fan anyway). Yago Aznable was joined by Abnormal, who turned out to be Michael Nakazawa. They proved to be a major headache for Sanshiro Takagi, who wanted to get rid of this new galactic threat to DDT. Yago gained an ally in DJ Nira and together they kicked Nakazawa out of their gang. They then convinced Hoshitango to join their cause, transforming him from an Argentinian sumo wrestler into a powerful Gundam called Enormous MA Hoshitango. The Gundam Gang gained another new member in the guise of Ace Pilot X, who in any other universe would be a man named GENTARO. Seeing the error of his ways, Nakazawa has returned to the good side while Sanshiro called over his fellow KO-D Tag Team Champion, Munenori Sawa to even the sides. This leads to a Captain’s Fall No DQ Match for Sumo Hall, where each team has a captain and the match only ends when the captain of a team is pinned or submits. Surprisingly, Sanshiro has given Nakazawa the chance to lead their team and to signify the change of leadership, he handed down the helmet of his RX-78 Gundam costume to Michael.So what should we expect from the match? Probably a lot of Gundam cosplay and wacky shenanigans. Yago’s team are already based on Gundam characters while Sanshiro Takagi will bring his Gundam suit to the fold. But it may be Nakazawa that will use that suit for the match. All that leaves out is Munenori Sawa and who knows what that guy has in mind. With his fetish for lingerie we may see a bizarre result of Gundam Rule 34 take place when he steps into the ring.

Daisuke Sasaki, Takao Soma & Kazuki Hirata Vs Shigehiro Irie, Tatsuhiko Yoshino & Akito

The DDT youngsters hit the ring for Six-Man Tag action. The only notable thing I have for this match is it takes place just over a year since Takao Soma’s debut. He holds something I don’t think any other wrestler in Japan has, and that’s a winning debut at a major Sumo Hall event. One year on we will see just how much he has progressed along with the other fresh-faced talent DDT has to offer. Only other thing to add is Daisuke Sasaki is the former Sasaki & Gabana from the Italian 4 Horsemen.

KO-D Tag Team Title Contendership Gauntlet: Josai International Combo (Goro Tsurumi & Tomimitsu Matsunaga) Vs Massive Brothers (Muscle Sakai & Honey Jiro) Vs Disaster-BOX (Toru Owashi & Yukihiro Abe) Vs Suicide Boyz (MIKAMI & Tanomusaku Toba) Vs Wild Snake (Manabu Nakanishi & Poison Sawada JULIE)

A Tag Team Gauntlet match is set to determine the next challengers for the KO-D Tag Team Titles. The teams are written in order of entry. The big news coming from this match is Posion Sawada JULIE’s choice for his partner, former IWGP Heavyweight Champion Manabu Nakanishi. Tomimitsu Matsunaga is relying on indy sleaze legend (?) Goro Tsurumi to bring home the glory. Muscle Sakai will team with Honey Jiro from the super obscure West Gate Pro Wrestling. Both The Suicide Boyz and Disaster-BOX have the advantage of being regular tag teams but their entry orders makes things a little bit difficult. My money is on Wild Snake to win it.

KO-D Tag Team Title: Sanshiro Takagi & Munenori Sawa (c) Vs Jun Kasai & Kamui

Sanshiro Takagi & Munenori Sawa continue their “Greatest Title Run Ever” ™ to welcome the fans into Sumo Hall. Ever since they won the KO-D Tag Team Championships, Sanshiro & Sawa proved their fighting spirit by defending the belts anytime, any place. Literally. Their defences have been held everywhere from factories and batting cages to shopping malls and ski resorts. Who knows where their match with Jun Kasai & Kamui will take them inside (and outisde) the Ryogoku. This will be a tough test for the champions and will definitly leave them at less than 100% for the Captain’s Tag later that night. It’s a shame that this has to be the dark match opener. But on the bright side it will be aired online through Ustream.

There’s your card for Sumo Hall, folks. The only thing missing on the show is the Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship. Last I heard, Yukihiro Abe is the champion and he is in the Tag Gauntlet. Maybe an impromptu bunch of title changes will take place throughout the evening. This is now the biggest day of the year for DDT and my fingers are crossed that they get just as much success this Sunday as they did last year. Until then:

“1…2…3…FIRE!”