Takeshita Loses The NEVER Title, Will Enter This Year’s G1 Climax

June 15, 2025

NJPW “DOMINION 6.15 IN OSAKA-JO HALL”, 15/06/2025
Osaka Jo Hall
6,525 Fans

6. NEVER Openweight Title: Oleg Boltin defeated KONOSUKE TAKESHITA (c) with the Kamikaze (13:12).
*KONOSUKE TAKESHITA fails in V7. Oleg Boltin becomes the 48th NEVER Openweight Champion!

Some interesting turn of events went on over at New Japan today. Konosuke Takeshita’s five month reign as the NEVER Openweight Champion came to an end when he lost his rubber match with Oleg Boltin. The two wrestlers had one singles win over each other going back to last summer. Boltin beat Takeshita in the G1 Climax last August and then this past February Takeshita won the rematch when the NEVER Title was put on the line. When they crossed paths again in a tag match last month, Boltin said he wanted a third singles match with Takeshita confident he would beat him this time and take the belt.

Boltin lived up to his word and beat Takeshita. At first Takeshita countered the Kamikaze into a Dragon Suplex. Boltin fought back by using a Shotgun Dropkick an then caught Takeshita’s Jumping Knee Strike. From there he turned it into the Kamikaze to pin Takeshita for the three count. Backstage Boltin described Takeshita as a monster who would be an Olympic champion in pro wrestling. Takeshita accepted defeat and called Boltin strong. That only means that from today Takeshita will get even stronger. Now that the NEVER Title is taken away from Takeshita he has his eyes on something new. This summer he will climb to the top in order to get a championship with the letters “IWGP” attached to it!

The big summer climb Takeshita is referring to is the 35th annual G1 Climax. This was spoiled during the week when some eagle eyed visitors to the NJPW store in Suidobashi spotted a G1 advertisement on the wall with Takeshita front and center on the poster. This year’s tournament is starting on 19th July with the final being held on 17th August. Prior to the NEVER Title match the majority of this year’s entrants were revealed. Takeshita will be entering in the B Block alongside El Phantasmo, Shota Umino, Shingo Takagi, Zack Sabre Jr., Great-O-Khan, Gabe Kidd, Ren Narita and two unknown wrestlers to be determined via play in matches.


BASARA “BASARA 281 ~OJI NI KITSUNE 29~” Results

June 15, 2025

BASARA “BASARA 281 ~OJI NI KITSUNE 29~”, 15/06/2025
Shin-Kiba 1st RING
??? Fans – Unannounced

1. Fateful Seven: Minoru Fujita Vs Takato Nakano ended in a Draw after a Double Pinfall (7:13).
2. Ultimate Rumble Battle: Takumi Tsukamoto, Ayumu Honda & Tsutomu Oosugi defeated Daichi Kazato, Ryota Nakatsu & Isami Kodaka when Honda submitted Kazato with an Armbar (?:??).
3. Jusenkyo Battle: SAGAT defeated Ryuichi Sekine with a Vader Bomb (12:22).
4. Baseball-ken: Banana Senga & FUMA defeated Masato Kamino & Daiki Shimomura when Kamino stripped naked (11:11).
5. Prison Siege: Lil’ Kraken defeated Trans-Am ★ Hiroshi with the Kenobi-Style Cradle (6:28).
6. Decisive Battle By A Draw: Takato Nakano, Ryota Nakatsu, Isami Kodaka, Daichi Kazato, SAGAT, Daiki Shimomura, Masato Kamino & Lil’ Kraken defeated Trans-Am ★ Hiroshi, Ryuichi Sekine, FUMA, Takumi Tsukamoto, Minoru Fujita, Tsutomu Oosugi, Banana Senga & Ayumu Honda when Nakano pinned Hiroshi with the Takagari (5:38).

Martial Arts Health Army: Trans-Am ★ Hiroshi, Ryuichi Sekine, FUMA, Takumi Tsukamoto, Minoru Fujita, Tsutomu Oosugi, Banana Senga & Ayumu Honda

Sports Fighting Army: Takato Nakano, Ryota Nakatsu, Isami Kodaka, Daichi Kazato, SAGAT, Daiki Shimomura, Masato Kamino & Lil’ Kraken

The first BASARA show held under new management pitted wrestlers who use martial arts to keep active against wrestlers who prefer to partake in other kinds of sports. This was set up when Trans-Am ★ Hiroshi and Takato Nakano had an argument about it on the previous show. Everyone on the martial arts team fought in karate outfits and other similar clothing. Meanwhile the sports team all wore different types of outfits from gym tracksuits to baseball kits to swimming togs.

Every match had different rules applied. The Prison Siege was a Lumberjack Match. The “Baseball-ken” rules were somehow about forcing wrestlers to take off one piece of clothing as a penalty until they were completely naked (the lights went out before Masato Kamino took off his g-string). The Jusenkyo Battle had Ryuichi Sekine and SAGAT behave like different people or animals every time they were knocked out of the ring. The Ultimate Rumble Battle had everyone enter the match one at a time Royal Rumble style before they could win. The Fateful Seven had Minoru Fujita and Takato Nakano racing to get seven pin counts in total but they both reached a count of six and pinned each other for the seventh count, ending the match in a draw. By the end of the show the two sides were tied at two wins a piece so a 16-Man Tag Team match was held to determine a winner.

During the show Takeru Inoue announced his comeback match from injury will happen on 25th June.


DDT “ECHIGO POWER SLAM” Results

June 15, 2025

DDT “ECHIGO POWER SLAM”, 15/06/2025
Niigata City Higashi Ward Plaza
??? Fans – Unannounced

1. Yuni & Daichi Sato defeated Takeshi Masada & Kazuma Sumi when Yuni pinned Sumi with the Messiah DDT (9:45).
2. 3 Way Match: HARASHIMA defeated Danshoku Dieno and Kazuki Hirata when HARASHIMA pinned Hirata with the Somato (10:32).
3. Daisuke Sasaki, Hideki Okatani, MJ Paul & Ilusion defeated Jun Akiyama, Akito, Shunma Katsumata & Yukio Naya when Sasaki submitted Katsumata with La Mistica Crossface Lock (11:25).
4. After KING OF DDT 2025! Special Single Match: Yuki Ueno defeated Yuya Koroku with the Jul.2 (16:42).
5. Special 3 Way Tag Match: Kazusada Higuchi & Yuki Ishida defeated Chris Brookes & Antonio Honda and MAO & KANON (w/ KIMIHIRO) when Higuchi submitted Honda with the Claw (12:13).
6. DDT Extreme Title – Best 2 Out Of 3 Falls: To-y (2) defeated Super Sasadango Machine (c) (1) (16:16).
6a. If You Spit It Out It’s Over!! Contains Milk. Death Match!!: Super Sasadango Machine (1) defeated To-y (0) when To-y pat out his Milk (2:10).
6b. You’re Going In The Trash Can. Trash Can Death Match!!: To-y (1) defeated Super Sasadango Machine (1) when To-y put Sasadango into the Trash Can (4:30).
6c. Sena 100 Chop Death Match!!: To-y (2) defeated Super Sasadango Machine (1) when To-y did the 100th Chop To The Back (9:36).
*Super Sasadango Machine fails in V3. To-y becomes the 63rd DDT Extreme Champion!

Normally whoever holds the DDT Extreme Title gets to decide on the stipulation match for their defences. However Super Sasadango Machine felt he had enough of an advantage going into today’s show because it was being held in his home city of Niigata. It wouldn’t impress his own people if he were to beat To-y using rules that tipped the match in his favour. So he gave To-y one day’s notice to come up with three stipulations for the fans to vote on. When the show began Sasadango admitted he liked all three of To-y’s ideas so he decideded to have a Best 2 Out Of 3 Falls match for the title.

The 1st Fall had Sasadango and To-y wrestle each other while their mouths were full of milk. Whoever spat out their milk first would lose the fall. Sasadango was able to drink the milk through his mask and he then removed the mask to reveal he had his face painted like Aja Kong! To-y couldn’t help but spit out his milk in surprise. The 2nd Fall was a Trash Can Death Match. You won when you put your opponent into a trach can. They started off using an aluminium bin that was too small so Kong used it as a weapon like Kong’s steel can. Sasadango then gave To-y the Lehmann Shock into a plastic box but it broke apart so it didn’t count. Sasadango found a big plastic pin and wedged it between the ropes but To-y sent him falling into it with a Hurricanrana to win the fall. The 3rd Fall was a 100 Chop Death Match. The match would continue until total amount of 100 chops to the back happened. Whoever did the 100th chop would win and get the Extreme Title. When they reached up to 99 chops Sasadango laid down on his back to defend himself. To-y tricked him into rolling over by pretending to do a Diving Body Attack only to stop and throw the 100th chop to become the new Extreme Champion! He shouted out that he is going so crazy he will run all the way home from Niigata. He told fans to keep watching his crazy Extreme Title matches and when he comes back to Niigata, the show will be sold out again!

Kazusada Higuchi made Antonio Honda give up to the Claw as a warning to Chris Brookes. The two had a staredown after the match but neither said anything. Instead Yuki Ishida spoke on Higuchi’s behalf backstage. He said Higuchi is definitely going to win the KO-D Openweight Title. Brookes better get his act together because the real match happens at Korakuen Hall.

After Match #4 Yuki Ueno got on the microphone and spoke about his support for the D GENERATIONS. He told Yuya Koroku that before he knows it there will be a day when he is no longer a young person and he will wonder what can he do in the future. The good thing is according to Ueno, Koroku has the power to do what he wants and enjoy it as he likes. In pro wrestling you will have friends, teams and opponents but a big aspect is having to work hard by yourself.

Parts of the undercard were changed when Soma Takao fell ill and was unable to wrestle on the show.