Complete “ULTIMATE PARTY 2023” Card Revealed

October 5, 2023

DDT “ULTIMATE PARTY 2023”, 12/11/2023
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

1. 5 Way Tag Match: KANON & MJ Paul Vs Naruki Doi & Kazuma Sumi Vs Yusuke Okada & Yuya Koroku Vs Toy Kojima & Yuki Ishida Vs Takeshi Masada & Rukiya
2. Tokyo Joshi Pro Offer 6-Woman Tag Match: X, X & X Vs X, X & X
3. Special 8-Man Tag Match: Sanshiro Takagi, Akito, Makoto Oishi & Shinichiro Kawamatsu Vs Yoshitatsu, Yoshihiko, Danshoku Dieno & Super Sasadango Machine
4. Special 6-Man Tag Match ~ DDT Vs VOODOO-MURDERS: Jun Akiyama, HARASHIMA & Yukio Naya Vs Jun Saito, Rei Saito & Toshizo
5. Special Single Match: Daisuke Sasaki Vs Tetsuya Endo
6. Special Single Match: Hiromu Takahashi Vs Kazuki Hirata
7. KO-D Tag Team Titles: Soma Takao & Shota (c) Vs Masahiro Takanashi & Antonio Honda
8. DDT Universal Title: Matt Cardona (c) (w/ Steph De Lander) Vs MAO
9. Saki Akai Retirement Match ~Strong, Noble, Beautiful~: Saki Akai, Yukio Sakaguchi & Hideki Okatani Vs Naomichi Marufuji, Kazusada Higuchi & Miyu Yamashita
10. Dramatic Dream Match: Chris Jericho Vs KONOSUKE TAKESHITA
11. KO-D Openweight Title: Chris Brookes (c) Vs Yuki Ueno

During her retirement road Saki Akai has said she wants her pro wrestling career to end like a flower that scatters beautifully, not one that withers and dies of decay. For her final ever match she chose three opponents that have the most power to scatter her petals. Eruption will have a 6-Man Tag Match against Naomichi Marufuji from NOAH, former member Kazusada Higuchi and Miyu Yamashita from Tokyo Joshi Pro. Marufuji was chosen because Akai wants to stay so strong until the end that she is able to beat “The boss next door”. It will be the first time Marufuji wrestles on a DDT only show since November 2020 (not counting the 2021 CyberFight Festival). The KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles will not be on the line because everyone is taking part in the match for Akai instead of a championship. A press conference was held today to announce this match along with the rest of the card for “ULTIMATE PARTY 2023”. Akai said at the conference that she still does not feel like she is approaching her final match. As a pro wrestler she will continue to do her best.

Hideki Okatani said he is happy to be part of Akai’s retirement match as a member of Eruption. They are double crown champions because of Akai and he is grateful to her for that. Yukio Sakaguchi admitted he is at a loss for words. For the last ten years Akai is probably the one person he’s been closest to, through all the good times to the bad. Higuchi said he has nothing but gratitude and respect for everyone in Eruption. He will express that to Akai when they are in the ring against each other. Yamashita is really happy to be included because her debut happened in the same venue on the same weekend as Akai’s debut, just one day before her. They privately hang out together and often talk about pro wrestling with each other. She wants Akai and herself to keep kicking each other until the end. Marufuji wondered why he was chosen but he wants to get a clear understanding of who Saki Akai is and how she wants her final match to end. Does she want to win by herself or win with the help of her friends? He warned her that if she does not want any bruises then she better wear gear with cushioning in it. Marufuji & Higuchi aren’t going to take it easy on Akai with their Chops and neither is Yamashita with her kicks!

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The rest of the card was revealed today. The tag team division has gone in a completely different direction thanks to ROMANCE DAWN winning the KO-D Tag Team Titles so quickly after DAMNATION T.A claimed the vacant belts. Now we have Shota & Soma Takao getting a big spot on the show in a title defence against Masahiro Takanashi & Antonio Honda. That team is getting the shot based on Chris Brookes’s recommendation since he’s already busy with the main event to take part.

Daisuke Sasaki and Tetsuya Endo are facing each other in a singles match. This is coming off yesterday’s show when Sasaki tried to offer Endo a spot in DAMNATION T.A. Endo refused out of respect for the original DAMNATION they were both a part of. He has no interest in joining the current version of the group because it has not surpassed the first rendition. Endo then flipped the idea on its head by suggesting to reporters that Sasaki join BURNING instead. It would be a chance for Sasaki to discover a brand new side to him. Imagine Sasaki if he grew up with a Kenta Kobashi influence. I just can’t picture it.

DDT’s working relationship with All Japan has a place on the show. The VOODOO-MURDERS are rampaging over to Sumo Hall! It will be up to the combined forces of Jun Akiyama, HARASHIMA & Yukio Naya to stop them. The Saito Brothers have been one of the more visible players in Japan’s tag team scene recently. I don’t know what to think about Toshizo. If that’s not enough AJPW goodness for you then how about another serving of Yoshitatsu in the match before that?

The participants in the TJPW Offer Match will be revealed during “WRESTLE PRINCESS IV” on 9th October.

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WP4 Title Conference, Akai Nominates Next Challengers

October 5, 2023

The Sumo Hall card was announced earlier today. I’ll have that written up in a separate post later.

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “WRESTLE PRINCESS IV”, 09/10/2023
Tokyo Tama Mirai Messe

1. Haru Kazashiro Vs Runa Okubo
2. Arisu Endo, Kaya Toribami & HIMAWARI Vs HARUKAZE, Yoshiko Hasegawa & Riara
3. Moka Miyamoto Vs Juria Nagano
4. Aja Kong, Raku & Shino Suzuki Vs Hyper Misao, Wakane Uehara & Toga
5. Ryo Mizunami & Yuki Aino Vs Miu Watanabe & Yuki Arai
6. Sakisama, Mei Saint-Michel, Martha & Yukio Saint Laurent Vs Shoko Nakajima, Suzume, Pom Harajuku & Antonio Honda
7. Special Single Match: Nyla Rose Vs Maki Itoh
8. Princess Tag Team Titles: Yuki Kamifuku & Mahiro Kiryu Vs Hikari Noa & Nao Kakuta
9. International Princess Title & NWA World Women’s Television Title: Rika Tatsumi (I/c) Vs Max The Impaler (N/c)
10. Princess Of Princess Title: Mizuki (c) Vs Miyu Yamashita

A press conference for the title matches was held during the week. Miyu Yamashita said from the moment Mizuki became the Princess Of Princess Champion she wanted to challenge her. The timing of it was important so she waited until after she finished her American excursion and won the Tokyo Princess Cup to set up her path to becoming a 4-time Princess Champion. Mizuki said her pro wrestling life is completely different to Yamashita’s. She doesn’t like fighting her but has learned over the years how predictable Yamashita’s offence is. Mizuki loves Yamashita and knows Yamashita loves her back so this match is going to be Mizuki repaying that love many times over.

Two teams who always struggled to reach the top will face off for the vacant Princess Tag Team Titles. It is being made clear by Nao Kakuta that she wants to get rid of her nickname “The Uncrowned Queen”. She’s been wrestling for 9 years now and has lost every championship match she’s been in. She also brought up Hikari Noa’s “curse” of always losing tag team partners. For that reason Free WiFi are fighting for the Princess Tag Titles not with heat or passion but with determination and tenacity. Nao feels blessed to team with somebody as hard working as Kakuta so she wants to help capture her dreams too. As Tokyo Joshi Pro grows bigger the opportunities to become a champion will only get more difficult. Yuki Kamifuku is getting tired of doing her best all year only to fall at the last hurdle. Mahiro Kiryu is always there to support her and vice versa. Kiryu said Free WiFi are in perfect harmony with each other but Toyo Mates have gotten a lot stronger too. She is just as determined as Kakuta to win her first championship.

Max The Impaler was not present for the press conference so Rika Tatsumi came up with an idea to get Max’s attention. After signing the contract for the double title match, Tatsumi brought out a frying pan and tabletop cooker to make some popcorn. Tatsumi explained she has a talent of making popcorn so if she made a fresh batch here it would attract Max into the room. She took a Q&A session while waiting until she discoverd the popcorn wasn’t cooking properly. She then admitted she’s only done this twice. Eventually Max did indeed enter the room and threw the uncooked popcorn away when Tatsumi offered it to them. Max then used their finger to rub some facepaint onto the contract which counts as a signature.

DDT “GOD BLESS DDT 2023 TOUR IN SAPPORO – DAY 1”, 14/10/2023
Hokkaido Sapporo ii-one Stadium

1. 3 Way Match: Danshoku Dieno Vs Akito Vs Kazuma Sumi
2. Yukio Sakaguchi, Saki Akai & Hideki Okatani Vs Sanshiro Takagi, Makoto Oishi & Yukio Naya
3. Daisuke Sasaki & KANON Vs Tomoya & Yusuke Okada
4. Special Tag Match: Kazusada Higuchi & Takeshi Masada Vs Kouki Iwasaki & Rukiya
5. Sapporo Specialty Special Tag Match: Tetsuya Endo & Noriyuki Yoshida Vs Jun Akiyama & Yuya Koroku
6. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Chris Brookes, HARASHIMA & Kazuki Hirata Vs Yuki Ueno, MAO & Toy Kojima

Eruption and two of their next challengers have a warmup match the day before the KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles bout.

In the aftermath of Pheromones splitting up Yuki Iino is absent for “rehabilitation” and Yumehito Imanari is gone from CyberFight so Danshoku Dieno is now by himself. How will he treat Akito any differently?

DDT “GOD BLESS DDT 2023 TOUR IN SAPPORO – DAY 2”, 15/10/2023
Hokkaido Sapporo ii-one Stadium

1. 3 Way Match: Kazuki Hirata Vs Danshoku Dieno Vs Yusuke Okada
2. Daisuke Sasaki & KANON Vs Yukio Naya & Yuya Koroku
3. Special Tag Match: HARASHIMA & Rukiya Vs Kouki Iwasaki & MAO
4. Sapporo Specialty Special 6-Man Tag Match: Tetsuya Endo, Jun Akiyama & Noriyuki Yoshida Vs Tomoya, Kazusada Higuchi & Kazuma Sumi
5. Special Tag Match: Chris Brookes & Takeshi Masada Vs Yuki Ueno & Toy Kojima
6. KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles: Yukio Sakaguchi, Saki Akai & Hideki Okatani (c) Vs Sanshiro Takagi, Akito & Makoto Oishi

Saki Akai nominated Sanshiro Takagi, Akito & Makoto Oishi as the next challengers for the KO-D 6-Man Tag Titles. She wanted to wrestle against Takagi & Akito because they are the two people most responsible for making DDT what it is day to day. She also wants to have a title match with Oishi because he has been a mentor figure for her throughout her entire wrestling career.

DDT “GOD BLESS DDT 2023”, 22/10/2023
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

0. Dark Match: Soma Takao & Yuni Vs Masahiro Takanashi & Antonio Honda
1. Yukio Naya Vs Yuya Koroku
2. Daisuke Sasaki, KANON & MJ Paul Vs Tetsuya Endo, Toy Kojima & Rukiya
3. Special Single Match: MIKAMI Vs Kazuma Sumi
4. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Jun Akiyama, Danshoku Dieno & Yusuke Okada Vs Kazusada Higuchi, Makoto Oishi & Akito
5. Saki Akai Debut 10th Anniversary Match Vol. 4 ~ Special Tag Match: Yukio Sakaguchi & Hideki Okatani Vs Saki Akai & Chihiro Hashimoto
6. DDT Extreme Title & Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title: Kazuki Hirata (E/c) Vs Takeshi Masada (I/c)
7. Road To Ultimate Party 2023! Special Tag Match: Chris Brookes & HARASHIMA Vs Yuki Ueno & MAO

Another preview for “ULTIMATE PARTY 2023” sets up the next Korakuen Hall card. Chris Brookes and Yuki Ueno clash in a big tag match also involving HARASHIMA and MAO.

A double title match is being advertised between Kazuki Hirata and Takeshi Masada. The match is guaranteed to happen with the DDT Extreme Title on the line but as always the Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title is at risk of belonging to someone else by the time the match takes place. DDT has pleaded with Masada not to lose the belt to a New Japan wrestler next week!

This appears to be Akai’s final match in Korakuen Hall, at least for DDT. She gets to team with Chihiro Hashimoto for a showdown against Yukio Sakaguchi & Hideki Okatani! I wouldn’t call it a fully complete Eruption match because Kazusada Higuchi is somewhere else on the card. But Akai teaming up with Hashimoto more than makes up for that.

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