Previews | Dramatic DDT

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “GRAND PRINCESS ’23” Preview

March 16, 2023

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “GRAND PRINCESS ’23”, 18/03/2023
Ariake Coliseum

1. Suzume Vs Arisu Endo
2. Haru Kazashiro & Runa Okubo Debut Match: Mahiro Kiryu, Wakana Uehara, HIMAWARI & Shino Suzuki Vs Kaya Toribami, Toga, Haru Kazashiro & Runa Okubo
3. Hikari Noa, Nao Kakuta & Ram Kaichow Vs Yuki Aino, Raku & Pom Harajuku
4. Ryo Mizunami Vs Moka Miyamoto
5. Shoko Nakajima & Hyper Misao Vs Andreza Giant Panda & Haruna Neko
6. Sakisama & Mei Saint-Michel Vs Yuki Kamifuku & Billie Starkz
7. Special Single Match: Aja Kong Vs Yuki Arai
8. International Princess Title: Miu Watanabe (c) Vs Rika Tatsumi
9. Princess Tag Team Titles: Max The Impaler & Heidi Howitzer (c) Vs Miyu Yamashita & Maki Itoh
10. Princess Of Princess Title: Yuka Sakazaki (c) Vs Mizuki

It’s been almost seven years since pro wrestling last took place in Ariake Coliseum. That event was the last Super J Cup to be held in Japan. For women’s wrestling it’s been even longer. Almost two decades! It’s a venue that served as a regular base for RINGS in the 1990s and NOAH in the 2010s, holding many wrestling related memories of all kinds. Tatsumi Fujinami won his first IWGP Title against Big Van Vader there in New Japan, Atsushi Onita fought Leon Spinks there in FMW, Kenta Kobashi dropped his fifth Burning Hammer there in NOAH, Dragon Kid unmasked Darkness Dragon there in Toryumon and an alternate universe Nobuhiko Takada was dragged down into the demon world by The Great Muta there in HUSTLE. Even WWE booked the Coliseum during their 2008 tour of Japan.

In the joshi scene Ariake Coliseum was often used by companies attempting to establish themselves away from AJW. From JWP to Jd’ to GAEA to ARSION until the alphabet soup of promotion names fittingly ended with AtoZ. This weekend Tokyo Joshi Pro gets to enter the arena with “GRAND PRINCESS ’23”. It is the second annual “GRAND PRINCESS” supershow, a name they are going to use for their biggest matches inside the biggest venues. A running theme going through the card is teams and friendships being put to the test. Three of the five singles matches are built around tag team partners fighting each other to prove who is the best between them. There’s a lot more in store besides that so let’s see what’s on offer.

1. Suzume Vs Arisu Endo

We kick off with Daisy Monkey revisiting 4th January, 2021. That was the date of Arisu Endo’s debut match and Suzume was her opponent. 26 months later and it’s time for the rematch. Suzume is one of the rare TJPW talent to wrestle elsewhere in Japan over the last 12 months, appearing in Gatoh Move and Ganbare☆Pro. Endo was there with Suzume for a Gatoh Move match too but other than that she’s been chasing behind her ever since her debut. It was only just recently that Endo won a singles match for the first time, using the Camel Clutch she inherited from Reika Saiki to get her hand raised in victory. The win-loss records between the two say otherwise but Endo’s recent progression has led Suzume to ask herself if her tag partner has already surpassed her. If that did happen then it’s up to Suzume to kick up the pace and overtake Endo until they keep doing it back and forth over and over! But there’s no fear of their tag team suddenly fracturing over what happens in the match. Suzume has made it known many times she wants to team with Endo forever!

2. Haru Kazashiro & Runa Okubo Debut Match: Mahiro Kiryu, Wakana Uehara, HIMAWARI & Shino Suzuki Vs Kaya Toribami, Toga, Haru Kazashiro & Runa Okubo

A match to introduce the class of 2023 to a larger audience. If I did the match correctly the combined in-ring experience of everyone in this match is close 7 years. Four of those years belong to Mahiro Kiryu and almost two belongs to Kaya Toribami. Everyone else are either brand new or barely a few months into their pro careers. So it will be up to Kiryu and Toribami to be the guiding hands for an 8-Woman Tag Match, which, um… yeah that’s going to be a challenge. Okay, I admit I’m being ridiculous thinking about this. It’s not like they will go out there and attempt to recreate the Michinoku Pro 10-Man tag… But what if they did! Just imagine it. An 8 person Kaientai DX Tower spot with Kiryu kneeling on top of the pile to give out her apology. That alone would bring the show up to the same level of “THESE DAYS” easily.

Kiryu’s side has what little experience advantage there is. Wakana Uehara is the sole survivor of TJPW’s Youtube series Yume Pro Wrestling -dream on the ring-. She was the only idol from that show who decided to go ahead and continue giving pro wrestling a shot. Her performances so far are can be added to the growing pile of evidence that Sanshiro Takagi’s dream of creating the Idol Wrestle Grand Prix sometime in the future isn’t such a bad idea. HIMAWARI originally caught the eyes of some fans with her distinct look during her very brief time in Actwres girl’Z. Since debuting in TJPW she’s been more focused on being entertaining rather than winning matches. Shino Suzuki only just debuted in the ring as the newest member of The Up Up Girls (who are debuting a brand new song at the show by the way), adding bus tourism knowledge that goes hand and hand with another member’s love for trains.

Over on the other team Toribami has kind of been given the short end of the stick. She’s been starting to win matches by herself because of the new blood coming in if nothing else. Toga only just debuted at the start of the month on the same day Suzuki did. What we have seen of Toga is she can throw a pretty mean Elbow Strike if given the chance. Haru Kazashiro (blue) & Runa Okubo (pink) are both having their first ever matches. Both girls are 14 year old junior high school students. Kazashiro in particular is wrestling this match one day before her school’s graduation ceremony. She was inspired to join TJPW after seeing Nodoka Tenma’s final match while Okubo became a wrestling fan because both of her parents are wrestling fans. Other than that info it’s hard to tell what kind of athletic background they have and how it is going to form their wrestling style. Maybe they’ll surprise us and start whipping out some Dick Togo & MEN’S Teioh style double team moves. Alright, alright, I’ll stop it with the Michinoku Pro jokes.

3. Hikari Noa, Nao Kakuta & Ram Kaichow Vs Yuki Aino, Raku & Pom Harajuku

The mascot of Triple Six returns to TJPW for the first time in a year. Last year’s “GRAND PRINCESS” in fact. Whether she is fighting on behalf of 666 or the Rebel X Enemy faction, Ram Kaichow’s match schedule is as full as ever. She even found time to win the Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title with a blink and you’ll miss it reign last November. Plus she’s one of the few wrestlers who will get to have matches in both Stardom and TJPW within the same week of each other. Look at her playing both sides. That’s 18 years in the business shining through right there! Fighting by her side in the Coliseum is Free WiFi, which I think the arena already has. Hikari Noa’s progress in the last year has slowed down compared to her 2021 singles run. Perhaps the biggest positive is she finally found a regular tag team partner who did not leave her within 12 months. Nao Kakuta has been fitted firmly in the midcard being the useful hand in tag matches. As much as she enjoys starting roll calls on social media, she hasn’t been getting that many chances to lead the charge this year. Free WiFi suffered an early 1st Round exit in the Max Heart Tournament but it was by losing to the eventual winners. Maybe Kaichow’s ghostly presence can boost their coverage somehow.

Their opponents are possibly the most tight knit trio around in TJPW right now. Yuki Aino, Raku & Pom Harajuku have been hanging around and teaming with each other so much lately I still don’t understand why they haven’t been given an official team or unit name yet. The bond between them reached its strongest point last November when Raku fell sick right before she could team with Aino for a Princess Tag Team Titles match. Harajuku stepped in as her substitute and teamed with Aino to fight Reiwa AA Cannon who were on top form as champions. Their challenge ended in failure but it was a heartwarming story of friendship between the three that was on show for everyone to witness. Will there be jealousy from a certain white-faced opponent? Kaichow did team with Aino & Raku on last year’s show. Her and Raku looked like such a happy couple together too. No, seriously go back and watch the entrance if you don’t remember them literally dressed like a newly married couple walking down the aisle.

4. Ryo Mizunami Vs Moka Miyamoto

It’s becoming a staple now on TJPW’s major shows for the company to put one of their young prospects against a veteran figure like Ryo Mizunami. This is the third time now that Mizunami is putting somebody here to the test. So step onto the stage, Moka Miyamoto. The Max Heart Tournament gave the karate girl some big boost in experience, advancing to the final four as part of an underdog team with Juria Nagano (who does not have a match at this show due to a finger injury but will be there to provide commentary). Even before that she developed a new Neckbreaker finisher called the Korokan that brought her all the way to and International Princess Title shot. At this point she is comfortably out of her rookie phase but an opponent like Mizunami is still a high wall to climb. Mizunami has split her 2023 between Sendai Girls, OZ Academy and SEAdLINNNG so far but does not have a lot of wins in any of those places. Could an upset be on the cards if the stars are alligned the right way on the night? Probably not because there will likely still be daylight outside by the time this match starts.

5. Shoko Nakajima & Hyper Misao Vs Andreza Giant Panda & Haruna Neko

It’s been a while since we’ve seen good ol’ Andreza Giant Panda around these parts. The reason is a sad one. Its handler Samson Miyamoto passed away in 2020 and their home promotion New Nemuro Pro Wrestling had already gone on hiatus for a few years. People attached to N2W decided to relaunch the brand last October to hold an anniversary event for Miyamoto and continue on his motto: “Do not overdo it, do not get injured, work tomorrow!” Andreza then began to tour again, directly beating Onita not once but twice in a weekend of FMWE shows due to its overwhelming size and power. So how did we end up with Andreza getting involved with TJPW? Would you believe me if I said it’s because of an Idolmaster marketing campaign? TJPW has been collaborating merchandise with The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls, giving characters from the game the costumes worn by TJPW’s wrestlers. The recent batch unexpectedly included Andreza and the N2W brand so it was only a matter of time until the “Big Beast Of The North” made its way over here. Joining the panda’s side is Haruna Neko, the resident catgirl. And just like my friend’s pet cats you never see her do anything until you stop paying attention. Then all of a sudden there she claws out and ready to scratch something while perched on the shoulders of a giant. All together now. “Andreza is really neat! It is filled with panda meat! We all love you, Andreza!”

A danger of that magnitude needs an unbeatable defence force to keep the whole building standing. What could be better than the alliance between a Big Kaiju and a Superhero who has sworn to defend love and peace? Kyoraku Kyomei were so close to winning this year’s Max Heart Tournament, falling just short in the final. Despite that setback Shoko Nakajima & Hyper Misao are as tight a partnership as they have ever been. What other team could fight each other in a Ladder match and both come out of it as the official winners? Nakajima has a movie library’s worth of knowledge in how to defend a site from a kaiju attack. Misao has the most experience in actually turning those kinds of ideas into reality. If Andreza is not careful it could end up getting all of the wind knocked out of it by Kyoraku Kyomei! You ever see a panda deflate? It’s a sad sight to be honest. Like watching a snowman melt in fast forward.

6. Sakisama & Mei Saint-Michel Vs Yuki Kamifuku & Billie Starkz

It will be one day short of a year when NEO Biishiki-gun returns once again to TJPW. Sakisama & Mei Saint-Michel have kept to themselves since their last public appearance. Who knows if anything has changed with the two since then. They have a unique combination of opponents waiting for them connected together via the Midwest region of the USA. Yuki Kamifuku (remember, she grew up in Ohio) has a history with the group, being one of the few women on the roster to be considered beautiful by Sakisama. In 2018 Kamifuku convinced Sakisama to make her an apprentice only to go back on the idea two weeks later because she quickly figured out it wasn’t a good fit for her. Then in 2019 Sakisama beat Kamifuku in a singles match. Afterwards Kamifuku asked for Sakisama to keep a watch over her as she continues to work harder to become a more beautiful fighter. In a rare show of public empathy Sakisama agreed. They’ve been opponents many times since then but there is a measure of respect between the two.

I don’t think there’s going to be any of the same respect shown for Kamifuku’s tag partner. What will a lady like Sakisama think of Billie Starkz when she sees her in person for the first time? How does a well kept maid like Saint-Michel behave in front of someone that’s been nicknamed “Space Jesus”? Starkz only had one match in TJPW so far but it won over the roster as well as the audience over there. While there’s been a lot of hype for her online as one of the new faces coming out of the independent scene since the pandemic, getting more opportunities to wrestle overseas is what’s going to make her a better wrestler. It’s cool that she has a tight knit group of people supporting her everywhere she goes in America but you don’t want to risk turning that into her being coddled. But hey if having a chance to dump Saint-Michel headfirst onto the ring apron is what gets her over then more power to her.

7. Special Single Match: Aja Kong Vs Yuki Arai

The “Genius Girl” experiment continues at full pace with another big challenge thrown Yuki Arai’s way. Over the last 12 months Arai bonded with the other wrestlers her age by teaming together. The goal of the 1998 class was to help each other become stronger so they could all beat their senpais. Then came the return of her Reiwa AA Cannon team with Saki Akai, leading towards Arai’s first ever championship win. The two of them became the team to finally take the Princess Tag Team Titles from The Magical Sugar Rabbits during the summer. Then the rest of the year was spent defending those titles with a respectful 6 month long reign. When that came to an end at the start of this year, Arai quickly found out what path she was taking next. A singles match with Aja Kong! Their first meeting was in a tag match that took place only 5 months after Arai turned pro. A second tag match took place in February. Arai got the win for her team but did not take the fall from Kong, which made what should be an important victory taste bittersweet. She thinks she has developed so much as a wrestler since their first match that she can now stand face to face against the legend.

It’s fitting that this match is taking place in Ariake Coliseum because it’s kind of like the boss level for Kong. You know that list of joshi promotions I included in the intro that ran the Coliseum? Kong wrestled on three of those shows (JWP, Jd’ and GAEA), winning her match in all three. It is where she defeated Dynamite Kansai with a non-stop whirlwind of Uraken Backfists and then six years later defended the AAAW Title against a young Meiko Satomura. Kong has already paid respect to Akai by disregarding any kind of freakshow advertising a match between a pop singer and a monster heel will attract. When you stand in the ring with Aja Kong you are a pro wrestler in her eyes so she will treat you as one. Which leads to an interesting direction the match could take. Obviously Arai will be figuring out how to counter Kong’s moves but does this attitude mean that Kong will do the same against Arai’s moveset? Those tin cans she uses as weapons look like good shields that can block the Finally Axe Kick for example.

8. International Princess Title: Miu Watanabe (c) Vs Rika Tatsumi

The second of three matches where close tag team partners have to fight each other. A breakout performance in last year’s Tokyo Princess Cup launched Miu Watanabe towards a well deserved International Princess Title reign. After taking the belt from Alex Windsor at “WRESTLE PRINCESS III”, Watanabe set up goals to make sure the title lived up to its international name. She won it from a foreign wrestler and got to defend it against more foreign wrestlers (Trish Adora and Janai Kai). It’s all so she can reach her destination of being the champion when TJPW goes to Los Angeles this April. The reason for this plan? To finally surpass her seniors who have dominated the main event scene for so long. That just so happens to include her Daydream tag partner.

Watanabe’s journey to become the pro wrestler she is today was an inspiration for Rika Tatsumi. Her tag partner has grown into somebody she would love to fight some day. So after Watanabe’s last defence, Tatsumi told her just that and challenged her to a title match! There is an ulterior motive to Tatsumi’s request though. She later revealed that if she becomes the IP Champion then she will become the only grand slam champion in the history of TJPW! Once she realised it this match gave her the desire of a dragon to win the belt. Problem is she found out in the prelim tag matches that Watanabe has become as strong as a demon! Sometimes Tatsumi’s acts of violence are really a show of affection, like whenever she chokes somebody in the ring it’s just her way of making friends with that person. Those are her words and I’m not one to question them. She might have to find “friendlier” ways of dealing with her tag partner in order to win here.

9. Princess Tag Team Titles: Max The Impaler & Heidi Howitzer (c) Vs Miyu Yamashita & Maki Itoh

Maybe the most fun I’ve had writing about TJPW since the last “GRAND PRINCESS” is the invasion of Max The Impaler. How would someone like Max adapt to the sugar and sweet environment TJPW typically provides? From the moment Max raided the Tokyo Sports office and kidnapped a reporter in the promotion’s misguided attempt to get media attention I knew it was going to be a good time. Following that up by attaching Max to a feud with Pom Harajuku turned out to be inspired booking as their interactions became a highlight of shows. It was also a relief for the rest of the roster because Harajuku does such a “good job” being a distraction for Max to target anybody else. Although with that being said, Max did develop friendly affections towards wrestlers like Yuki Aino during her time here. If focus was becoming a problem for Max then it was time for a buddy of theirs to join in the fun. Heidi Howitzer regularly teams with Max in America as The Wasteland War Party and at the start of this year they sent a threat that nobody in TJPW wanted to hear. They were coming to Japan for the Princess Tag Titles! They did just that on 4th January by defeating the champions Reiwa AA Cannon before quickly returning to America with their new prize. Since then Max & Heidi have defended the titles three times on the US indies, marking the first time those championships have been defended outside of TJPW and Japan.

Their absence coincidentally timed with the annual Max Heart Tournament. As is tradition in Japan, the purpose for tournaments like these is to determine the strongest wrestlers in the company. It’s not necessarily always about winning a title shot but one always leads to the other. So with the Tag Titles currently out of play this was the stage now to decided who was the best tag team TJPW has on their roster. In the end the winners were 121000000 in a milestone achievement for the two wrestlers on the team. For Maki Itoh she became the first person to win both the Max Heart Tournament and the Tokyo Princess Cup. For Miyu Yamashita it was the first ever tournament she has won in her decade long career that’s lasted alongside the entire existence of TJPW! Even without the guarantee of The Wasteland War Party still holding the titles by the time March came around, 121000000 demanded to fight them at Ariake Coliseum with or without the belts. Once Max & Heidi swept aside their remaining challengers in America the promotion finally acknowledged the championships will be on the line. Whatever the result is, the titles are going to go on another crazy adventure anyway.

For Yamashita & Itoh their schedules over the next few months will be big. Itoh’s fandom in America has recently seen her switch from fighting in AEW over to appearing in GCW where she became an unlikely ally of Nick Gage*, turning his MDK catchphrase into Maki Death Kill. She’s taken to it like a duck to water, hitting opponents with lighttubes and using pizza slicers as a weapon as well as a makeshift compact mirror (I mean, she’s still an idol at heart). Meanwhile Yamashita is about to embark on a 3 month tour of America that will include continuing appearances for EVE in England as their current champion. Both have promised TJPW that if they win the Princess Tag Titles they will find the time to defend them in Japan whenever they are told to. They also really like the idea of defending the belts in America whenever their paths will cross over during their excursions. It’s a lofty goal for two women who are going to have a lot on their plates going into the summer. That’s if they can even beat The Wasteland War Party in the first place. If they can’t then it’s probably back to Plan Pom for the forseeable future.

*Holy crap I just imagined what Itoh & Gage Vs Max & Pom would be like as a dream match.

10. Princess Of Princess Title: Yuka Sakazaki (c) Vs Mizuki

What else was the main event going to be in this, the Year Of The Rabbit? Whether together as a team or on their own as singles The Magical Sugar Rabbits are often the strongest two wrestlers in the TJPW roster. It’s a position that’s sometimes felt daunting for Yuka Sakazaki because as the Princess Of Princess Champion she has to fight the strongest challengers even when she doesn’t want to. Sure, there are opponents she has fun fighting against like Billie Starkz but she never looks forward to defending the belt against, say Miyu Yamashita. The one match she dreads the most is also the one she knows must happen next. Sakazaki has to fight Mizuki.

It’s been almost five years since MagiRabi were randomly assigned together in a one-day tag team tournament. They won that tournament and came up with the team name straight afterwards, kicking off this wonderful bond that’s only gotten stronger and stronger as time went by. Despite their numerous success, recently Mizuki started feeling like she was lagging behind her friend. Sakazaki won the Princess Cup, became a 3-time Princess Champion and went to AEW to get even stronger. Mizuki got over her crisis in confidence and even though this challenge has her feeling emotional, there is nothing she wants more than to be the one who beats Sakazaki for the title!

There was one previous time when this match happened for the Princess Title. Sakazaki successfully defended the belt against Mizuki at the first “WRESTLE PRINCESS” in 2020. The few times the two have wrestled each other one on one, Mizuki has never gotten her hand raised in victory. The best result she has is a short time limit draw that happened all the way back in 2017. Her preparations for this upcoming match was to wrestle a lot of the roster in singles matches, building up her winning streak while Sakazaki was away in America. If she wins here she’ll be only the second woman who started her career outside of TJPW to become the Princess Champion. The “Four Princesses” that have been around TJPW the longest hold a tight grip on the belt. Will the Year Of The Rabbit mean it is finally Mizuki’s time to take that treasure for herself?

Comments Off on TOKYO JOSHI PRO “GRAND PRINCESS ’23” Preview | Previews | Tagged: 121000000 (One To Million), Aja Kong, Andreza Giant Panda, Ariake Coliseum, Arisu Endo, Billie Starkz, Daisy Monkey, Daydream, Free WiFi, Grand Princess, Haru Kazashiro, Haruna Neko, Heidi Howitzer, Hikari Noa, HIMAWARI, Hyper Misao, International Princess Championship, Kaya Toribami, Magical Sugar Rabbits, Mahiro Kiryu, Maki Itoh, Max The Impaler, Mei Saint-Michel, Miu Watanabe, Miyu Yamashita, Mizuki, Moka Miyamoto, Nao Kakuta, NEO Biishiki-gun, New Nemuro Pro Wrestling, Pom Harajuku, Princess Of Princess Championship, Princess Tag Team Championship, Raku, Ram Kaichow, Rika Tatsumi, Runa Okubo, Ryo Mizunami, Sakisama, Shino Suzuki, Shoko Nakajima, Suzume, TJPW, Toga, Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling, Wakana Uehara, Wasteland War Party, Yuka Sakazaki, Yuki Aino, Yuki Arai, Yuki Kamifuku | Permalink
Posted by JamieOD

DramaticDDT’s Predictions For 2023

December 24, 2022

Merry Christmas to you all! There are a lot of things I’m not good at. Making predictions for pro wrestling is one of them. It’s what happens when the crystal ball I look through was bought in Lidl. But I like doing it anyway. The Christmas and New Year period is very busy for covering pro wrestling so I never really have the time to do something like this in previous years. To solve that problem I’ve been jotting down predictions in my free time this month so I could finally put out the article. I came up with 20 predictions for 2023 spread across four categories. Five for DDT, five for Tokyo Joshi Pro, five for Ganbare☆Pro and five guesses for anything even slightly related to DDT or CyberFight. I’m also listing them in order from easy to hard, likely to unlikely, mild to spicy, etc. Some are guesses based on past booking patterns, going with gut feelings, going the opposite of gut feelings and in some places just straight up fantasy booking. None of these are hints or teases of the little inside info I do know about. Will any of them come true? Nah, probably not. But let’s take a stab at it anyway?

DDT

– Brass Monkey, That Funky Monkey
Prediction: Mike Bailey wrestles a match in DDT again.

My evidence supporting this prediction is Mike Bailey’s profile on the DDT roster page is still there. They never took him off the website even though he hasn’t wrestled for the company since April 2020. The man has had a well deserved breakout year in America for 2022 splitting his time between Impact and the indies. I bet he’ll be in the area when DDT are doing their Hollywood shows in April. Also if he has the time to come back to Japan, I think it will be for DDT over anywhere else. There’s a whole new class of guys for him to kick the crap out of. Also a Moonlight Express reunion would be sweet.

– Have A Drink And Watch The Die Get Cast
Prediction: KANON outperforms Daisuke Sasaki.

The top prospect from JTO jumped to DDT back in April and has been all in with the company ever since. KANON was rewarded pretty quickly by being added to DAMNATION T.A while Minoru Fujita was out with injury. He had a rough go at the tournaments though, getting eliminated in the King Of DDT 1st Round and only winning one match in the D-Ou Grand Prix. But I’ve been impressed with his work and he is often the one who picks up the wins in DAMNATION T.A tag matches. I think he performs way better in 2023 and racks up a few achievements. In fact, I think he will achieve more in the next 12 months than his leader Daisuke Sasaki will! I’m talking the number of title matches he gets, the better performances he puts in tournaments and a higher amount of significant singles victories. KANON is going to claim some scalps this year that will leave Sasaki looking jealous. That’s if Sasaki is sober enough to register what’s going on.

– 365 Degrees, Burning Down The House
Prediction: Yuya Koroku becomes the next wrestler from DDT’s new generation (debuted 2020 onwards) to win a championship.

The first draft of this was slightly different. I had Yuya Koroku down as the first new gen wrestler to win any championship. Then I remembered Toi Kojima is currently one of the KO-D 10-Man Tag Team Champions and Hideki Okatani once held the Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title a year ago. Oh and Keigo Nakamura held both if he counts (debuted 2019 before the pandemic so eh?). As a result this prediction isn’t turning out as sharp as I thought it would be. But I’m sticking with the general idea. There’s a new wave of fresh blood coming into DDT and the highlight for me so far was Koroku and Kojima’s rivalry found within the BURNING Vs The 37KAMIINA tag matches. Eyes will be on Yuki Ishida for becoming a bigger part of a diminished Harimao out of necessity, Takeshi Masada as the hot prospect and Kazuma Sumi for his athleticism. There’s still three more trainees yet to debut plus the short term future of El Unicorn and Ilusion is currently unknown. With that said Koroku has the advantage of seniority over most of the other rookies to make this prediction come true. Even if it’s just as the third man holding the KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles, I think Koroku has the best odds of getting belted up next year.

– Where’s Your Head At, At?
Prediction: Tetsuya Endo struggles to reclaim the top position in DDT.

This is a cruel one. Tetsuya Endo had everything in place before the summer to finally be the flag bearer for DDT. Then Katsuhiko Nakajima knocked him out and left him concussed, taking all of that away. I wouldn’t say he is a shadow of his former self since coming back but a bit of shine has disappeared in him becoming the leading man again. He has given himself a new goal of winning all of the singles championships. That’s going to be a long journey if it does work out that way. For 2023 I do not see Endo winning back the KO-D Openweight Title and I don’t think he will win any of the singles tournaments. The DDT Universal Title and DDT Extreme Title can be in his grasp but neither of them will bring him back to the number one main eventer spot in the next 12 months. To take a positive stance for this, think of 2023 as his rebuilding year for 2024. He’s already spent the last few months bulking up to become more a bigger heavyweight. Maybe the key to getting over this will be to confront his demon at “CYBERFIGHT FESTIVAL 2023”…

– Loan Me A Dragon, I Wanna See Space
Prediction: Dramatic Dream Gate is revived.

Remember this unholy alliance? There were three occasions when DDT and Dragongate worked together and promoted shows under the name Dramatic Dream Gate. Once in 2007, again in 2008 and the final one taking place in 2012. Then the relationship between the two companies went icy for a long time after that. Things began to defrost a few years ago thanks to Toru Owashi getting DG bookings and in return bringing one of their wrestlers from his generation over whenever DDT goes to Kobe or Nagano. Now that Naruki Doi is bouncing back and forth between the two companies as a freelancer without pissing anybody off I’d like to think everyone’s now cool with each other. What a way to show it by bringing DDG back for another show! It would be worth it just to see Kazuki Hirata do his Magnum Tokyo parody in front of all the DG wrestlers who weren’t even born when the gimmick first existed. I know, I know, DG currently has a working relationship with NOAH. They’re probably all CyberFight’d out at this point. Doesn’t matter, DDT will continue taking their dojo dropouts anyway…

Tokyo Joshi Pro

– It Ain’t My Fault That I’m Out Here Making News
Prediction: At least 3 women who originally came from Actwres girl’Z will appear in TJPW and at least 1 of them becomes a regular roster member.

It’s kind of a running joke at this point. Actwres girl’Z constantly turn dozens of idols into newly trained joshi at a time then whoever emerges as top of the class ends up leaving them for greener pastures. It’s probably one of the more successful development programs in modern pro wrestling when you think about it. AWG’s lossese end up being another company’s gain and TJPW are usually in that group. Yuna Manase, Natsupoi and Nao Kakuta all came from there. Even just recently we have HIMAWARI pulling off a speed run in how to go from AWG to TJPW in record time. I think it’s only going to increase from here. My prediction is not one, not two but three joshi who were associated with AWG at some point in their lives will appear on TJPW shows throughout 2023. I’m giving myself a little bit of rope here because I am not saying they will all be full time roster additions. Somebody like Saori Anou or Miyuki Takase having one or two guest matches like SAKI did this year would count towards this. But yeah, I can at least guarantee there will definitely be one woman on the active AWG roster who will be showing up at Korakuen Hall wearing a TJPW shirt in the next 12 months.

– Pull Up With A Zelda And A Peach And A Daisy
Prediction: An outsider wins the Princess Of Princess Title

In the almost seven years the Princess Of Princess Title has been around its lineage has belonged entirely to the TJPW roster. In Japan it’s rare for a men’s company to have their main championship stay within their walls for this long but in joshi it’s a little more common. However the scene opened up again to the rest of the world this year and there is a wave of new faces we can all look forward to seeing. The risk is they have their eyes on the gold just as much as the regulars do. I think the time has come for somebody outside of TJPW to become the Princess Champion. Whether they are a Japanese freelancer, an invader fans associate with another company or somebody from overseas I bet the top prize will be taken by an outside force sometime in 2023.

– It’s All Around The World, Just La La La La La
Prediction: Maki Itoh gets to No. 1 on a iTunes or Spotify chart somewhere in the world.

Hikari Noa unexpectedly showing up in the Canadian iTunes J-Pop chart at the end of November inspired this one. Some domino is going to fall that will kickstart a chain reaction resulting in Maki Itoh’s music going viral and being discovered by a new audience. She ends up getting a song to No. 1 on one of the digital music services. It doesn’t matter how obscure this gets. It could be No. 1 in Zimbabwe’s chart for the Chamber Psych genre due to input error for all I care.

– Once I Ran To You, Now I Run From You
Prediction: A woman from Sakisama’s past comes back to haunt her.

It is inevitable that NEO Biishiki-gun will come back to terrorize TJPW again. They always do. Sakisama will return to grace TJPW fans with her glamourous presence while rubbing it in about how perfect she is. She makes it look easy. There has to be a reason for that, right? You don’t become that much of a narcissist without having something, or someone, that’s been out of your reach for your entire life. Like a rival perhaps? That one person who no matter how good you are at something, they are always better. Like what if there was somebody in Sakisama’s life who always stole her thunder whether it was in their private classes, on the badminton court or even at an extravagant gala? What if that woman with a familiar looking face from somewhere else suddenly shows up in TJPW and begins to waltz through the roster, tempting NEO Biishiki-gun away from their leader in the process. What if Sakisama finds herself in a position she has never experienced before, becoming the underdog? It would be a big change of pace for the gimmick that’s for sure.

– Cause A Girl Gonna Push It All Out The Way
Prediction: Sasha Banks appears at Grand Princess ’23.

Am I being cheeky with this one? I dunno, something about the Sasha Banks odyssey still sounds kind of murky to me. I don’t think somebody with her leverage is going to settle down with a contract to just one corporation again. I believe she’s aligning with New Japan/Stardom no doubt about that. But why stop there? Something tells me she isn’t going to be exclusive to them in Japan. Not with the people she’s been meeting and spending time with these last few months. TJPW needs something massive if they want to fill up Ariake Colosseum on 18th March. They won’t be doing that by keeping to themselves. Aim big, play big, win big.

Ganbare☆Pro Wrestling

– I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends
Prediction: Some of the wrestlers Shota worked with in America get booked for Ganpro.

Shota accomplished a lot during his three month stay in America. Among the most important during his excursion was connections. He made friends, met new people and whether intentional or not scouted talent. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see some of the people he wrestled across the United States get invited over to Ganpro in the coming year. The likes of Ryan Davidson and Phil Shark have been to Japan before but could we see a wrestler like Clay Roberts or Aaron Mercer get the chance to come over thanks to their links with Shota?

– All The Way (Keep Going, You Got This)
Prediction: Keisuke Ishii wins the Spirit Of Ganbare Title.

Ganpro has been a good home for Keisuke Ishii ever since he came over from DDT in 2018. Maybe it’s because he’s in a smaller pond but he’s been able to stay more consistent up the top of the card. 2023 will be the right time for Ganpro’s resident “Puwota” to challenge for the Spirit Of Ganbare Title and win it. I’m not confident he will be the man to dethrone Hartley Jackson but if Mizuki Watase or Ken Ohka can’t do it, it may have to come down to him anyway.

– Swing Your Partner ‘Round And ‘Round
Prediction: Ganpro creates a tag team championship and builds it around mixed tag wrestling.

This should have been done when they held the Mixed Tag Tournament in 2021! At the moment the Spirit Of Ganbare Title is the only championship being defended in the promotion. Tag Team Titles should be next on the list for Ganpro to grow into a bigger company. They regularly book mixed tag matches anyway and it would be a good way to differentiate the belts from other company’s tag titles. I’m not even calling for it to be a mandatory rule, just have most of the teams competing in title matches be mixed gender.

– Sunshine, Lollipops And Rainbows
Prediction: Ganbare☆Joshi runs their own show in Korakuen Hall.

The Ganbare☆Joshi division took a step back in 2022. Gone were the Ganpro doubleheaders with GanJo running the afternoon shows. It would be nice if they came back with a vengeance in 2023. Not only could they promote their own shows again but they should take a shot at the big time by having an event at Korakuen! It would be a challenge. Maybe Yuna Manase calls in some favors from Ice Ribbon and Gatoh Move or picks a fight with Prominence to build up a headline match. Moeka Haruhi has worked hard all year too so she deserves a spotlight like this too.

– Shine On You Crazy Diamond
Prediction: Kota Ibushi wrestles a match in Ganpro.

The aftermath of what happens in January could be either a rising flame of a phoenix or an absolute trash fire. There is plenty of gossip online about Kota Ibushi being done completely with New Japan when his contract is allegedly expected to expire during the month. So if he is going to become a free agent you’d think there will be a lot of suitors out there looking for his services. That might not happen if the guy decides to let loose and produce an exposé on his time with NJPW. If he instead behaves and decide against that then there should be nothing to be worried about, right? Hmmm, can’t be too sure on that one. Ibushi made it clear on Twitter he has no interest in ever going back to DDT. He also sounds bullish about doing work with NOAH when rumours of that surfaced online. Money doesn’t sound like it’s a big motivation for his future plans. If that’s true then wouldn’t a place like Ganpro be more his vibe? It’s where you can wrestle with your heart on your sleeve and a fire in your belly. It would be a wild move to see Ibushi do one match in Korakuen for Ganpro while he is sorting out the Ibushi Wrestling Institute or whatever crazy project he’s been thinking about during his time away from the ring.

Miscellaneous

– You Know That I Would Love To See You Next Year, I Hope That I Am Still Alive Next Year
Prediction: Gake no Fuchi Joshi crosses over with Baka Gaijin + Friends.

It’s been a while since we last heard from Gake no Fuchi Joshi. Seems like Miyako Matsumoto has moved on to other priorities. The spirit of insanity we see in those shows could easily fit in with the newly formed Baka Gaijin + Friends. Matsumoto’s chaotic energy is not something Chris Brookes & Drew Parker want to be responsible for but what power do they have to stop it if she ever steps foot inside one of their shows?

– Are You Ready To Meet And Defeat The Elite?
Prediction: AEW will host another event in Japan with DDT & TJPW involvement.

AEW held half of a women’s tournament in Japan during 2021 and produced exhibition matches at the Tokyo Game Show in 2022. They have it in them to do something in Japan for a third year in the row with DDT/TJPW along for the ride. I’m thinking it will be something on a similar scale as the first two events. A project separate from the TV shows and instead taking place on Youtube. That’s if it is intended for broadcast at all. But hey, if they want to go full blown Dynamite taping in Korakuen Hall with Konosuke Takeshita in a title match I’ll take that any day of the week.

– Back To The Family, I Guarantee Emergency
Prediction: CyberFight adds another promotion to their portfolio.

CyberFight’s recent financial losses don’t concern me. In fact I think they’re due for a slight expansion and will add a fifth wrestling promotion to their collection. In past interviews Sanshiro Takagi talked about ideas to launch a new death match group or present another joshi company separate from TJPW. If this happens it can be something brand new or maybe there’s going to be a smaller company that’s finally at the end of their rope and needs to be sold to survive. The recent power shift in WWE kind of winds the clock back to 2019 with their desire to launch spin-offs around the world returning to the surface. The last attempt at that resulted in Stardom selling to Bushiroad and NOAH selling to CyberFight. I could see a repeat happening with another company if WWE wants to go shopping in Japan again. But that’s the cynical prediction. CyberFight might create something brand new to fill in a gap that none of their existing properties can reach. Like what if a certain star who has crazy ideas for his own wrestling company strikes a deal with CyberFight to make it a reality in return for making a few dates with the other promotions? What a golden scenario that would be.

– Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis, When I Was Dead Broke, Man I Couldn’t Picture This
Prediction: A brand new puroresu console game gets announced.

Come on, what’s the freaking hold up? I love Fire Pro Wrestling World but I have squeezed every last drop of blood out of that stone. Time for something new. I think this prediction is possible but it all hangs on whether or not AEW: Fight Forever becomes a success. I’m really looking forward to that game and you all know the first thing I’m going to do is pick Yuka Sakazaki but I still have my worries it will turn out to be a bumpy AA title at launch. If it does take off then my hope is for Yuke’s re-using the assets to make a Japan only wrestling game get one step closer to coming true. One where they strike a deal with Bushiroad or CyberFight (or hopefully both). For this prediction Fight Forever releasing “Forbidden Door” DLC doesn’t count, Makoto being added to The Wrestling Code doesn’t count and phone games do not count. I am looking for a full fledged console game here. If it works on the Steam Deck then that would be cool too.

– Same As It Ever Was
Prediction: BASARA does something new and different.

Please? Things have been stale with BASARA for a long time. Even the summer series with Dove Pro I always look forward too is the same old stuff. Probably harsh of me to say that because I hear they are more or less happy with the way things are. They have their regular schedule with their regular crowd always showing up. Sometimes that’s all you need to keep a good thing going. I still wish they showed more ambition though.

Comments Off on DramaticDDT’s Predictions For 2023 | Previews | Tagged: Actwres girl’Z, AEW, All Elite Wrestling, Baka Gaijin + Friends, Chris Brookes, CyberFight, Daisuke Sasaki, DDT Pro Wrestling, Dragon Gate, Dramatic Dream Gate, Dramatic Dream Team, Gake no Fuchi Joshi Pro Wrestling, Ganbare☆Joshi, Ganbare☆Pro Wrestling, GanJo, GanPro, Ibushi Wrestling Institute, KANON, Keisuke Ishii, Kota Ibushi, Maki Itoh, Miyako Matsumoto, NEO Biishiki-gun, Pro Wrestling BASARA, Sakisama, Sasha Banks, Shota, Speedball Mike Bailey, Spirit Of Ganbare World Openweight Championship, Tetsuya Koda, TJPW, Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling, Yuya Koroku | Permalink
Posted by JamieOD

DDT “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2022” Preview

August 18, 2022

DDT “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2022”, 20/08/2022
Tokyo Ota Ward Gymnasium

1. Yusuke Okada, Yuya Koroku & Ilusion Vs Toi Kojima, Yuki Ishida & Takeshi Masada
2. 3 Way 6-Man Tag Match: Yuki “Sexy” Iino, Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno & Koju “Shining Ball” Takeda (w/ Yumehito “Fantastic” Imanari) Vs Yuji Hino, Yukio Naya & Super Sasadango Machine Vs Toru Owashi, Kazuki Hirata & Antonio Honda
3. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Naomi Yoshimura, Kota Umeda & Keisuke Okuda Vs HARASHIMA, Yukio Sakaguchi & Hideki Okatani
4. Shinichiro Kawamatsu Debut Match ~ Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly Member Vs Bunkyo Ward Assembly Member: Shinichiro Kawamatsu, Sanshiro Takagi & Soma Takao Vs Osamu Nishimura, Makoto Oishi & Akito
5. Special Mixed Tag Match: Jun Akiyama & Saki Akai Vs Chris Brookes & Asuka
6. DDT Extreme Title – Special Hardcore Match: Joey Janela (c) Vs Shunma Katsumata
7. DDT Universal Title: Masahiro Takanashi (c) Vs Yuki Ueno
8. DDT 25th Anniversary Special 6-Man Tag Match: Dick Togo, Daisuke Sasaki & KANON (w/ MJ Paul) Vs Konosuke Takeshita, MAO & Yasu Urano
9. KO-D Openweight Title: Kazusada Higuchi (c) Vs Tetsuya Endo

It’s back to Ota Ward Gymnasium for this year’s edition of “WRESTLE PETER PAN”. For what is usually one of DDT’s biggest shows of the year, things don’t feel as such this time around. For DDT it’s still a big event but against the rest of the wrestling scene, I’m not feeling it as much this year. Choosing Ota Ward is a downgrade from a usual venue choice like Sumo Hall and DDT themselves have made reference to ticket sales not being that great. The company challenged its roster to sell more tickets with better quality lunches as their rewards. The last update they gave on that was they reached the “Nori Bento” level which refers to between 775 and 1,000 tickets sold. DDT wants their attendance numbers to return to what they were before the pandemic happened. That is going to stay a tough challenge for them until Japan moves past their covid restrictions. Even then it’s hard to say if DDT can grow back their audience. You can’t entirely blame the pandemic for shrinking wrestling’s popularity in Japan when a company like Stardom is growing like crazy over there under the same environment.

This show can end up becoming a turnaround in fortunes though. Through unexpected circumstances a new wind is blowing through the company as DDT’s current two top wrestlers battle over who should be carrying the flag. The man the company was built around for the last few years has all of a sudden gained a brand new global fanbase and maybe a chunk of them will follow him back to see what DDT is like. One of the most infamous wrestlers on the American indie scene has come over wanting to carve his name into the history books. A first time mixed tag match will offer something never seen before. Actual politicians will fight each other. And if that’s not enough, LiLiCo will be there with an important news update she wants to tell everyone.

1. Yusuke Okada, Yuya Koroku & Ilusion Vs Toi Kojima, Yuki Ishida & Takeshi Masada

Some of the youngest wrestlers in DDT gather together for the opening match. And also Yusuke Okada who is only 29 years old even though some days he looks about 42. He’s the veteran base of the match while Yuya Koroku and Toi Kojima get to bring their classmate rivalry onto a big stage. Their clashes in all of the BURNING Vs The 37KAMIINA matches over the last year are fun to watch. Yuki Ishida is showing improvement with his performances and developing more fire power to make up for his lack of size. Ilusion has been used sparingly over the summer because the DDTeeeen!! project hasn’t been publicly active. The few opportunities he’s been getting are at least moving him away from his rival El Unicorn so he gets to show they are not attached by the hip. But the spotlight right now is shining brightly on Takeshi Masada. He just had his debut match after only three months of training and dazzled everyone with his performance. If he keeps in good health over the next few years (always remember that rookies break easily) DDT could have a new supernova on their hands.

2. 3 Way 6-Man Tag Match: Yuki “Sexy” Iino, Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno & Koju “Shining Ball” Takeda (w/ Yumehito “Fantastic” Imanari) Vs Yuji Hino, Yukio Naya & Super Sasadango Machine Vs Toru Owashi, Kazuki Hirata & Antonio Honda

Is 2022 the year of Pheromones? The DDT shows that allow cheering usually has that unit getting the most reactions. Maybe it’s because they still use the canned cheering for their ring announcements or maybe it’s because chanting “Sexy!” out loud while sticking out your pinky fingers is a lot of fun. One thing for sure is Pheromones has become more stronger with the latest and perhaps final addition to the unit. A perverted looking masked man began following the group around and was eventually revealed to be Koju Takeda. He appeared in DDT before and is a former KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Champion but now has a bigger presence in the company under the name Koju “Shining Ball” Takeda. He’s never been shy about showing off his physique so he is a perfect fit for Pheromones, perhaps filling in the gaps that Yuki Iino and Danshoku Dieno could not fill. Was that meant to be written as a double entendre? You tell me.

The other two teams in this match can’t help but look plain in comparison. Yuji Hino & Yukio Naya have spent over a year bonding as a tag team and working together under the ONLY WE banner. It’s given Naya the ability to finally start climbing up the ladder and reach even a little bit of the potential that others see in him. Super Sasadango Machine is an odd third man to be on that team but this is an odd match to begin with. The other trio is made up of wrestlers sometimes nicknamed The DDT Variety Team. Whenever you get Toru Owashi, Kazuki Hirata & Antonio Honda all in the same ring you are guaranteed to get some nonsense coming from them.

3. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Naomi Yoshimura, Kota Umeda & Keisuke Okuda Vs HARASHIMA, Yukio Sakaguchi & Hideki Okatani

We are getting treated to a DNA reunion on the show. The developmental brand for DDT became redundant in 2018 but many wrestlers who came from it have become regular parts of several wrestling rosters. Naomi Yoshimura was a key part of DNA’s second half of its existence and he wanted to team with two men who were a constant presence around him during his time there. His rival Kota Umeda and his ally Keisuke Okuda. Umeda is a part time wrestler with some re-appearances in DDT every now and then. But Okuda’s name being brought up is intriguing. He was once under contract to DDT for two years then left the company for DRAGONGATE. Then recently there seems to be an apparent split between the two and suddenly Okuda is back in DDT by Yoshimura’s request. Maybe it’s just a one time reunion for old time’s sake.

Whether it is or it isn’t, Okuda has another reason to come back. He’s looking for a fight with Yukio Sakaguchi, thinking he is a scared old man. In response to this, Sakaguchi’s Eruption buddy Hideki Okatani is stepping in also wanting to join in the scrap the second it kicks off. Their team needs a calming presence so maybe HARASHIMA can keep things under control with his many years of wisdom under his belt. But he and Yoshimura are on course for a KO-D Tag Team Titles match in the future and they have a lot of recent history together. If the wrong guy gets provoked here then all hell could break loose.

4. Shinichiro Kawamatsu Debut Match ~ Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly Member Vs Bunkyo Ward Assembly Member: Shinichiro Kawamatsu, Sanshiro Takagi & Soma Takao Vs Osamu Nishimura, Makoto Oishi & Akito

I don’t have a clue about Japanese politics other than Sanshiro Takagi tried it once and it left him traumatized. It seems that the wrestling bug has bitten Shinichiro Kawamatsu from the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly after the publicity stunt where he won and defended the Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title. To show his gratitude to DDT and their fans, he decided to try and have a go as a pro wrestler for real. Finding time to train in between his political duties, Kawamatsu is having his official debut match against another politician. One who knows the wrestling ring very well.

Osamu Nishimura has been wrestling for over 31 years but his main priority nowadays is his council work in his hometown of Bunkyo Ward. There is a friendly link between the two in the lead up to the match because Kawamatsu is a longtime fan of Nishimura. Kawamatsu is even focusing his wrestling training on matwork specifically because he wants to fight against Nishimura’s Muga style of pro wrestling. The soft political atmosphere of the match is inspiring Soma Takao because it is taking place in his hometown of Ota Ward. It may end up spurring him on into campaigning for a seat on the Ota Ward Council in the future. Makoto Oishi & Akito will be there to provide more challenges for Kawamatsu. They should be eager to impress Nishimura in the process too.

5. Special Mixed Tag Match: Jun Akiyama & Saki Akai Vs Chris Brookes & Asuka

Jun Akiyama’s time as a coach in DDT has been invaluable to those who are learning from him. It’s worked out so well that Saki Akai asked him to team with her on this show so she can become a stronger wrestler. Akiyama accepted her request as long as she knew he will treat her no differently to any other wrestler in DDT. When it was decided they were going to get a Mixed Tag Match, Chris Brookes & Asuka was chosen to be their opponents. It will be the first time Akiyama takes part in a Mixed Tag Match. Asuka teased him at a press conference saying she has a good reputation as an opponent for first timers and she’ll be one woman he will never forget!

The whole match has Asuka feeling pretty confident. She has never lost to Akai before and is certain it won’t happen anytime soon. Still, she is encouraging her opponents to work hard together so she will get a good challenge out of them. Akai gave Asuka’s comments a lot of thought. She thinks all wrestlers walk their own paths. Akai’s path may be slower than Asuka’s or maybe it is just a detour. She isn’t going to stay feeling sorry for herself when she has a chance to learn from Akiyama. Brookes is excited about the match because it is a fresh experience for everyone involved. He has previously fought against Asuka in tag matches but they can start something brand new when they team together. Brookes even thinks a new history will begin if Asuka gets the pinfall on Akiyama!

6. DDT Extreme Title – Special Hardcore Match: Joey Janela (c) Vs Shunma Katsumata

It’s “The Bad Boy” against “The Happy Boy”! Joey Janela’s tour of DDT has been two years in the making after his constant viral wrestling matches caught Takagi’s attention. Little appetizers were put together in the meantime with Yoshihiko and the Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title being sent over to America for Janela to interact with. When the time came for Janela to finally visit Japan, he wasted no time in making an impact by winning the DDT Extreme Title in the infamous IPPON Lighttube Death Match. A Hardcore Match against Shunma Katsumata was already scheduled before his title win so it is now even more important with the championship stakes being added. Katsumata has developed his own hardcore style in DDT but how different is it to anything that Janela has experienced before? The American has experienced death matches in many forms from violent to wacky. Janela’s goal is to become the greatest foreign wrestler ever in DDT. That’s a tall task given those who previously called the company their Japanese home promotion. But hey, if Janela didn’t have the guts to aim high he wouldn’t have achieved so much in his crazy career. I mean he has a match against Ernest “The Cat” Miller coming up in GCW soon. What if that ends up becoming a DDT Extreme Title match?

7. DDT Universal Title: Masahiro Takanashi (c) Vs Yuki Ueno

The DDT Universal Title is on the line in a battle between old and new generations of DDT. When Masahiro Takanashi won the title he wanted to do two things. Travel the world with the championship because that is the original point of the title and defend it against all of the younger wrestlers who have stepped up over the last two years while he was out injured. He’s barely gotten started and already he has a high wall in the form of Yuki Ueno standing in his way. The former Universal Champion wants the belt back so he can make DDT more exciting in his own way. The build up consisted of Ueno standing tall in the warmup matches and Takanashi being in physical positions where he has no choice but to look up at his challenger. Even though Takanashi is the champion, he is coming into the match looking like the underdog. But that’s always been the story with him. He wouldn’t be Masahiro Takanashi if he didn’t have to climb up from the bottom each and every time.

8. DDT 25th Anniversary Special 6-Man Tag Match: Dick Togo, Daisuke Sasaki & KANON (w/ MJ Paul) Vs Konosuke Takeshita, MAO & Yasu Urano

Did you ever hear the saying it takes an artist ten years to become an overnight success? It kind of feels like that here. This summer the entire wrestling world fell in love with Konosuke Takeshita. In return he fell in love with America and also Cinnabon. Mostly Cinnabon. Almost entirely Cinnabon. He won’t stop eating their food. Anyway, his excursion to America for both AEW and the independent scene led to rave reviews across the board and even sparked a lot of gossip about his future. Should AEW try to sign him full time and throw him further into their murderer’s row of main eventers? Will a reinvigorated WWE poach him in their search for a new Japanese superstar to add to their roster? How never ending can the line of indie wrestlers wanting to challenge him become? All of a sudden DDT better be careful not to lose the supernova they’ve spent the last decade building their company around because he is very quickly becoming an attraction overseas. He’s back in Japan for two months before continuing his excursion so DDT are putting together some attraction matches for him while he is home.

The attraction here is the return of Dick Togo to DDT. The man has done it all in wrestling from all angles, from being revered for his skills to being despised for his role in with House Of Torture over in New Japan. It looks like Togo is coming to DDT under his normal guise but he always liked to cheat anyway. Plus he is siding with DAMNATION T.A and expecting clean play to come out of them is foolish. Togo is one of the few people who can get Daisuke Sasaki somewhat motivated to improve himself. The timing is right for that to happen here because Sasaki is going to be Takeshita’s opponent for his 10th Anniversary match next month. That’s not all. MJ Paul will be at ringside as the wild card and there is also KANON who has been really promising so far since his entry into DDT. Takeshita has MAO & Yasu Urano to make up a talented trio but can they mesh together as well as DAMNATION T.A can? If they don’t then Takeshita will wish he was back in the states tucking into another Center Of The Roll.

9. KO-D Openweight Title: Kazusada Higuchi (c) Vs Tetsuya Endo

One slap earlier this year created a butterfly effect resulting in a new turbulent wind blowing across DDT. The main event of this year’s “WRESTLE PETER PAN” was probably always supposed to be Kazusada Higuchi Vs Tetsuya Endo but the roles they are in and how we got there is very different. In March Endo walked out of Sumo Hall as the new KO-D Openweight Champion and the man to carry DDT forward. That only lasted until June thanks to the slap heard around the world. A DDT Vs NOAH inter-promotional match at “CYBERFIGHT FESTIVAL 2022” prematurely ended when Katsuhiko Nakajima knocked out Endo with a slap across the face after an awkward exchange where neither looked to be on the same page with the other. The aftermath was disastrous for DDT. Intentional or not, their champion was easily defeated on the big stage for the entire world to see. Even worse, Endo was now out of action with a concussion and a decision was made for him to vacate his championship while he recovered. DDT needed a new flag bearer and quickly went to work setting that person up.

DDT was at least able to get the timing right with their backup plan. The King Of DDT tournament was next on the schedule after “CYBERFIGHT FESTIVAL 2022” and the vacant KO-D Title was now up for grabs. Higuchi literally waved the DDT flag in Saitama Super Arena and made it clear he was the best choice to lead the promotion in Endo’s absence. He spent his 8 year career struggling to win the KO-D Title and finally achieved his goal by winning the tournament. His victory was a crowning moment both literally and symbolically because he was given the flag once more to represent his emergence as DDT’s strongest wrestler. That was when the new wind started blowing. Higuchi left his unit Eruption to form Harimao with Yoshimura. He also called out his first challenger… Tetsuya Endo!

Endo recovered from his concussion and wanted his return to the ring to be a fresh restart. He accepted the knockout he suffered counts as a loss no matter how you look at it. It wasn’t his intention to immediately return to challenging for the KO-D Title but once Higuchi called him out, he couldn’t resist. Also Endo feels the need to repay his fans for their continued support by becoming the champion again. He answered by throwing out his own title challenge to Higuchi just because it is tradition for the contender to approach the champion instead of vice versa. He went to get advice from Kenta Kobashi like he always does before his important matches. Kobashi’s advice to him was he needs to be angry more and should use the injury as fuel for that. That may be for another story to be told on another day though. This weekend Endo’s focus needs to be on Higuchi and just Higuchi. He has a winning singles record against him but only just. In their previous six singles matches together Endo has three wins, Higuchi has two and there was a Double KO between them. Whoever wins this 7th battle will carry the DDT flag from here on out!

1 Comment | Previews | Tagged: Akito, Antonio Honda, Asuka (VENY), Chris Brookes, Daisuke Sasaki, DAMNATION T.A, Danshoku Dieno, DDT Extreme Championship, DDT Pro Wrestling, DDT Universal Championship, DDT Variety Team, Dick Togo, Dramatic Dream Team, HARASHIMA, Hideki Okatani, Ilusion, Joey Janela, Jun Akiyama, KANON, Kazuki Hirata, Kazusada Higuchi, Keisuke Okuda, KO-D Openweight Championship, Koju Takeda, Konosuke Takeshita, Kota Umeda, LiLiCo, Makoto Oishi, MAO, Masahiro Takanashi, MJ Paul, Naomi Yoshimura, Osamu Namiguchi, Ota Ward Gymnasium, Pheromones, Saki Akai, Sanshiro Takagi, Shinichiro Kawamatsu, Shunma Katsumata, Soma Takao, Super Sasadango Machine, Takeshi Masada, Tetsuya Endo, Toru Owashi, Toy Kojima (Toi Kojima), Wrestle Peter Pan, Yasu Urano, Yuji Hino, Yuki Iino, Yuki Ishida, Yuki Ueno, Yukio Naya, Yukio Sakaguchi, Yusuke Okada, Yuya Koroku | Permalink
Posted by JamieOD

Changes To CyberFight Festival Card

June 3, 2022

“CYBERFIGHT FESTIVAL 2022”, 12/06/2022
Saitama Super Arena

0. STARTING BATTLE KICKOFF ~ DDT Provided Tag Match: Muscle Sakai & Yukio Naya Vs Soma Takao & Kazuki Hirata
0. STARTING BATTLE 2 ~ TJPW Provided 10-Woman Tag Match: Hyper Misao, Yuki Aino, Raku, Pom Harajuku & Haruna Neko Vs Nao Kakuta, Mahiro Kiryu, Moka Miyamoto, Arisu Endo & Kaya Toribami
0. STARTING BATTLE 3 ~ DDT Vs Ganbare☆Pro Battle: Yukio Sakaguchi, Saki Akai & Hideki Okatani Vs Ken Ohka, Yuna Manase & Mizuki Watase
1. NOAH Vs DDT Battle: Kinya Okada & Kai Fujimura Vs Toi Kojima & Yuya Koroku
2. TJPW Provided 6-Woman Tag Match: Miyu Yamashita, Maki Itoh & Juria Nagano Vs Hikari Noa, Suzume & Yuki Arai
3. DDT Provided 8-Man Tag Match: Yuki “Sexy” Iino, Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno, Yumehito “Fantastic” Imanari & Akito “Cochin” Nishigaki Vs Sanshiro Takagi, Kendo Kashin, Shinya Aoki & Yumiko Hotta
4. Princess Of Princess Title Next Challenger Decision 4 Way Match: Rika Tatsumi Vs Mizuki Vs Yuki Kamifuku Vs Miu Watanabe
5. NOAH Provided 10-Man Tag Match: Takashi Sugiura, Kazuyuki Fujita, Masa Kitamiya, Daiki Inaba & Shuhei Taniguchi Vs Michael Elgin, Rene Dupree, El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr., Simon Gotch & X
6. DDT Provided 8-Man Tag Match: HARASHIMA, Naomi Yoshimura, Chris Brookes & Masahiro Takanashi Vs Yuki Ueno, Shunma Katsumata, MAO & Asuka
7. NOAH Provided 6-Man Tag Match: Rob Van Dam, Yoshinari Ogawa & HAYATA Vs Kaito Kiyomiya, Daisuke Harada & YO-HEY
8. NOAH Vs DDT Battle: Tetsuya Endo, Jun Akiyama & Kazusada Higuchi Vs Katsuhiko Nakajima, Atsushi Kotoge & Yoshiki Inamura
9. NOAH Vs DDT Battle ~ Hardcore Match – No DQ Rules: Kenoh Vs Daisuke Sasaki
10. Princess Of Princess Title: Shoko Nakajima (c) Vs Yuka Sakazaki
11. GHC Heavyweight Title: Go Shiozaki (c) Vs Satoshi Kojima

Some changes were made to two important matches on the “CYBERFIGHT FESTIVAL 2022” card at a press conference held during the week. First, Kenoh demanded his match against Daisuke Sasaki be turned into a Hardcore Match. Sasaki attacked Kenoh with a stun gun during last weekend’s NOAH show (and attacked him the same way during an online broadcast earlier today). Kenoh claims that CyberAgent chose him to be the PR Director for the show which gives him the power to demand the match stipulation. On the one hand Kenoh is pleased because it shows that CyberAgent recognises his importance but the role is small enough to also suggest that Sanshiro Takagi thinks he is incompetent to do anything better.

Naomichi Marufuji has been pulled from the show because the condition of his knees has worsen and he will be unable to wrestle. Katsuhiko Nakajima showed up at the press conference and said he will take Marufuji’s place in the DDT Vs NOAH 6-Man Tag Match. He said the “bandit”, “sumo” and “old man” are all going to wrestle circles around Atsushi Kotoge & Yoshiki Inamura so they will need his help despite NOAH and Kongo being enemies. He got into a confrontation with Kotoge that ended with the two slapping each other in the face very hard. Nakajima then grabbed a piece of paper with the DDT logo and ripped it apart. He will do so much to DDT that they will never want to go near NOAH again!

Freshly back from America, Yuka Sakazaki is ready to take on Shoko Nakajima for the Princess Of Princess Title. She wants to have a fight with Nakajima that their juniors who grew up watching them have longed to see. Sakazaki also hopes the match will be one that a cheering crowd will be proud of. Nakajima calls Sakazaki one of the best TJPW wrestlers in the world who is improving with a lot of new experience from her matches in America. Even though Nakajima is the champion, her opponent is so strong it feels like she is the challenger again. Nakajima said she will be setting off the biggest fireworks in Saitama Super Arena and show she is more than just a strong wrestler.

Toi Kojima & Yuya Koroku are joining forces for the young battle between DDT and NOAH. Koroku said everything he’s learned in BURNING will make him absolutely unbeatable and prove that DDT is better than NOAH. Kojima was injured at last year’s “CYBERFIGHT FESTIVAL” and was left frustrated by the amount of time he missed because of it. This match will be his chance to make up for it and put that negative part of his career to bed. Kai Fujimura promises to show he has the responsibility, confidence and pride to be a NOAH wrestler. Kinya Okada however is disappointed to still be in the opening match for the second year in a row against similar opponents he beat last time. Kojima and Okada then began arguing over which company has better training. When the NOAH team left, Kojima was visibly angry over the argument.

Juria Nagano has been appointed the Chairwoman of the CyberFight Festival 2022 TikTok Committee. She will supervise the TikTok accounts belonging to DDT and NOAH to reach out to a larger audience and create buzz for the show.

A new theme song for TJPW will debut at the show as part of a collaboration with Square Enix. The song is called “Princess March” and is composed by Masayoshi Soken, the sound director of Final Fantasy XIV. The first play of the song will be as entrance music for Hikari Noa, Suzume & Yuki Arai in Match #2. Soken describes the song as a gorgeous orchestral style that expresses the unity of everyone clapping their hands together. He is also producing a new theme song for Yoshiki Inamura that will debut at the show too.

Tweets made by Saki Akai about her pre-match skincare routine was seen by Nivea management and opened the door to Nivea sponsoring the show! Fans attending the show can get samples of Nivea products. The winners of the TJPW 6-Woman Tag Match will also receive a sponsored prize. Several wrestlers have been egging on Nivea to give them free stuff since the news was announced.

1 Comment | News, Previews | Tagged: Atsushi Kotoge, CyberFight Festival, Daisuke Sasaki, DDT Pro Wrestling, Dramatic Dream Team, Hikari Noa, Juria Nagano, Kai Fujimura, Katsuhiko Nakajima, Kenoh, Kinya Okada, Naomichi Marufuji, Princess Of Princess Championship, Pro Wrestling NOAH, Saitama Super Arena, Saki Akai, Shoko Nakajima, Suzume, TJPW, Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling, Toy Kojima (Toi Kojima), Yoshiki Inamura, Yuka Sakazaki, Yuki Arai, Yuya Koroku | Permalink
Posted by JamieOD

Mega Max Bump Press Conference

April 20, 2022

DDT “MEGA MAX BUMP 2022 TOUR IN YOKOHAMA”, 01/05/2022
Yokohama Budokan

0. Dark Match: KANON Vs Yuya Koroku
0. Dark Match: Toru Owashi & Naomi Yoshimura Vs Antonio Honda & Yuki Ishida
1. Shinya Aoki Vs Toui Kojima
2. Saki Akai & Hideki Okatani Vs Maya Yukihi & Shunma Katsumata
3. Daisuke Sasaki, MJ Paul & X Vs Yuji Hino, Yukio Naya & Soma Takao
4. Special 6-Man Tag Match ~ Pheromones Vs GM Imabayashi Final Battle: Yuki “Sexy” Iino, Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno & Yumehito “Fantastic” Imanari Vs Hisaya Imabayashi, AKIRA & Muscle Sakai
5. Special Tag Match: HARASHIMA & Hikaru Sato Vs Kazusada Higuchi & Yukio Sakaguchi
6. KO-D 10-Man Tag Team Titles: Poison Sawada JULIE, Takashi Sasaki, GENTARO, MIKAMI & Thanomsak Toba (w/ Naomi Susan) (c) Vs Sanshiro Takagi, Yoshiaki Yatsu, Akito, Kazuki Hirata & Gorgeous Matsuno
7. KO-D Tag Team Titles: Chris Brookes & Masahiro Takanashi (c) Vs Jun Akiyama & Yusuke Okada
8. DDT Universal Title: MAO (c) Vs Asuka
9. KO-D Openweight Title: Tetsuya Endo (c) Vs Yuki Ueno

A press conference for the show was held at duo MUSIC EXCHANGE in Shibuya earlier today. Yuki Ueno said his motivation is to beat Tetsuya Endo and become an even more wonderful KO-D Openweight Champion than him. Endo thinks Ueno has not yet reached the point where he can be the champ. He has a good face, good body and good movement but is still a flimsy pro wrestler. That is why Endo thinks this match had not caught much attention, because it can’t capture the excitement that Endo versus Konosuke Takeshita had.

Asuka made a point to MAO about presence by showing up to the press conference wearing a gorgeous, sparkling outfit. She pushed her point even further by asking to turn the DDT Universal Title match into a Hardcore match. MAO refused because he does not want the Universal Title to be confused with the DDT Extreme Title. Instead he promised to beat Asuka in 3 minutes and 70 seconds (not a typo)! They posed for a photo together and MAO gave Asuka the middle finger. In return she kicked him below the belt and stomped on him with her high heels.

There was a lot of talk about excitement with the KO-D Tag Team Titles match too. Jun Akiyama heard from Emi Sakura that CDK are making ChocoPro more exciting so he was interested to see what they are like. His opinion on them soured once he saw the ways they get the referee involved in their matches. Masahiro Takanashi explained they do that because they want to win. Akiyama then asked if they would ever dare treat Kyohei Wada that way? Takanashi’s answer is he won’t know unless Wada shows up. Yusuke Okada wants to bring pro wrestling to people who are not wrestling fans but he is worried these kind of antics will turn them off. Chris Brookes defends it because it is the DDT style and that style attracted him over here in the first place. He would be honored if Wada was the referee for this match and it would make him happy to see Wada do a Headscissors. Although Akiyama hates to see referees treated this way, he is interested in seeing different styles clashing against each other and expects to see it more when he and Okada win the belts.

In a blast from the past, Hikaru Sato showed up dressed as a cat maid. He did it thinking he was going to reunite with Michael Nakazawa today. Things are very different from when he was a regular in DDT which both terrifies and excites him. He was born a Pancrase fighter but DDT made him into a pro wrestler so he wants to go on a rampage after being away for so long. HARASHIMA is looking forward to teaming with him because it brings back nostalgic feelings for both himself and old DDT fans. Yukio Sakaguchi said he wouldn’t be here in DDT if it wasn’t for Sato and Nakazawa. He wants Sato to enjoy the DDT that he does not know, which is represented by Kazusada Higuchi.

The press conference ended with Pheromones attacking Hisaya Imabayashi and posing over his prone body.

Kenta Kobashi will be at the show for commentary and to be the witness for the main event.

Comments Off on Mega Max Bump Press Conference | News, Previews | Tagged: Asuka (VENY), BURNING, CDK (Calamari Drunken Kings), Chris Brookes, DDT Pro Wrestling, DDT Universal Championship, Dramatic Dream Team, HARASHIMA, Hikaru Sato, Hisaya Imabayashi, Jun Akiyama, Kazusada Higuchi, Kenta Kobashi, KO-D Openweight Championship, KO-D Tag Team Championship, Kyohei Wada, MAO, Masahiro Takanashi, Pheromones, Tetsuya Endo, Yokohama Budokan, Yuki Ueno, Yukio Sakaguchi, Yusuke Okada | Permalink
Posted by JamieOD

DDT “JUDGEMENT 2022 ~DDT 25TH ANNIVERSARY~” Preview

March 18, 2022

DDT “JUDGEMENT 2022 ~DDT 25TH ANNIVERSARY~”, 20/03/2022
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

0. Dark Match: Tomomitsu Matsunaga, Toui Kojima, Yuki Ishida Vs Yusuke Okada, Yuya Koroku & Ilusion
0. Dark Match – Time Admission Tag Battle Royal: Tomohiko Hashimoto & Seiya Morohashi Vs Soma Takao & Shota Vs Minoru Fujita & MJ Paul Vs Yuji Hino & Yukio Naya Vs Gorgeous Matsuno & Gota Ihashi Vs Andreza Giant Panda & Super Sasadango Machine
1. KO-D 10-Man Tag Team Titles: Toru Owashi, Antonio Honda, Kazuki Hirata & Yoshihiko (c) Vs Poison Sawada JULIE, Takashi Sasaki, GENTARO, MIKAMI & Thanomsak Toba (w/ Naomi Susan)
2. Special Single Match: Saki Akai Vs Maya Yukihi
3. DDT 25th Anniversary Special Single Match – No DQ “I’m Sorry” Match: Sanshiro Takagi Vs Michael Nakazawa
4. Special Tag Match: Isami Kodaka & Yukio Sakaguchi Vs Yuki Ueno & Shunma Katsumata
5. LiLiCo Retirement Match: LiLiCo, Ryohei Odai & Akito (w/ Junretsu) Vs Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno, Yuki “Sexy” Iino & Yumehito “Fantastic” Imanari
6. Jun Akiyama 30th Anniversary Match: Jun Akiyama & Takao Omori Vs Kazusada Higuchi & Hideki Okatani
7. DDT Universal Title – Hardcore 3 Way Match: Daisuke Sasaki (c) Vs Jun Kasai Vs MAO
8. KO-D Tag Team Titles: HARASHIMA & Naomi Yoshimura (c) Vs Chris Brookes & Masahiro Takanashi
9. KO-D Openweight Title – Japan Bakery Marketing Presents: Konosuke Takeshita (c) Vs Tetsuya Endo

Bloody hell this thing lasted 25 years. TWENTY FIVE YEARS! DDT is a company that was put together by a promoter named Shintaro Muto* along with three wrestlers who exited Pro Wrestling Crusaders with him in 1996. Those three wrestlers are known today by the names Sanshiro Takagi, MIKAMI and NOSAWA Rongai. Fast forward to 2022. DDT is now celebrating its silver anniversary and is a key part of the second most powerful wrestling conglomerate in Japan. Its very first show in March 1997, one that was held even before the name Dramatic Dream Team was decided on, was called “JUDGEMENT” because the audience was asked to vote on whether or not the actual launch in May should go ahead. 154 people voted for the launch to proceed and 24 people voted to cancel it. Thank God nobody listened to those 24 people.

There is plenty on show to celebrate the 25th Anniversary. Many figures from the company’s past are flocking into Sumo Hall to join with the present and perhaps future of DDT. Four championships are on the line, career milestones are being acknowledged, grudges will be settled, a retirement will take place and the headline match features the two wrestlers DDT spent the last decade building up to be their star players.

*It is very difficult to find information about Muto online. He was a part of PWC behind the scenes but other than that I don’t know what his background is. There’s an old blog post from 2007 where Takagi jokes about Muto always finding newly opened club venues for DDT to hold shows at. There’s also a picture Takagi tweeted of him from his wedding party in 2009 if you want to see what he actually looked like back then.

0. Dark Match: Tomomitsu Matsunaga, Toui Kojima, Yuki Ishida Vs Yusuke Okada, Yuya Koroku & Ilusion

This one had a last minute change of plans. El Unicorn was supposed to be in this match but tested positive for covid a few days before the show. Tomomitsu Matsunaga is taking his place. He in-ring time for much of the year was as a opening match substitute for anyone who is suddenly out of action. The other DDTeeeen!! wrestler Ilusion has wrestled twice so far this year as the heel representation of the brand. Yusuke Okada also had some covid setbacks that set him back but he has since found his place in the BURNING unit. Yuki Ishida has been a bright spark in the ring so far. He can turn into a little sumo firecracker if he keeps it up.

The fun part of this match is the growing feud between the rookies Toui Kojima and Yuya Koroku. These two have been at each other’s throats in a lot of The 37KAMIINA Vs BURNING matches and Koroku has gotten Kojima’s number every time. At first the losses got to Kojima and made him cry. But he swore the next time he cries it will be from tears of joy when he finally beats Koroku! Even if it happens on the first match of the pre-show, it will still mean the world to him if he pulls it off here.

0. Dark Match – Time Admission Tag Battle Royal: Tomohiko Hashimoto & Seiya Morohashi Vs Soma Takao & Shota Vs Minoru Fujita & MJ Paul Vs Yuji Hino & Yukio Naya Vs Gorgeous Matsuno & Gota Ihashi Vs Andreza Giant Panda & Super Sasadango Machine

Some DDT nostalgia fills up the Dark Match Tag Team Rumble. The Double Bridge team of Tomohiko Hashimoto & Seiya Morohashi returns for this match. Hashimoto was a regular part of DDT shows in the 2000s while Morohashi stuck around the DDT family up until 2016. Soma Takao & Shota have been bouncing around Ganbare☆Pro as ROMANCE DAWN and having fun doing so. Not so fun is the DAMNATION T.A pair of Minoru Fujita & MJ Paul. The big boys Yuji Hino & Yukio Naya are still together despite a lack of success as a team. Gorgeous Matsuno will be there to serenade the fans while Gota Ihashi will hopefully try a fat boy Moonsault. That leaves Super Sasadango Machine joining forces with an old opponent. It’s the return of Andreza Giant Panda! It is the first time Andreza has been in Sumo Hall since Muscle ran there in 2019. Sadly his master Samson Miyamoto passed away during September 2020 but Andreza continues to make sporadic appearances in wrestling shows around the country.

1. KO-D 10-Man Tag Team Titles: Toru Owashi, Antonio Honda, Kazuki Hirata & Yoshihiko (c) Vs Poison Sawada JULIE, Takashi Sasaki, GENTARO, MIKAMI & Thanomsak Toba (w/ Naomi Susan)

More nostalgia will be found in the opener. The rules for the KO-D 10-Man Tag Team Titles are a little muddled up at the moment. It was turned into the KO-D 8-Man Tag Team Titles during the pandemic to reduce spreading covid through the roster. However when it was changed back into a 10-Man Tag Championship, the DDT Variety Team were told to keep defending the belts as a team of four. So the current champions have to take part in 4 Vs 5 Handicap matches until they lose the titles. It’s a tough challenge but the foursome have lasted this long. Toru Owashi spent the year winning a small collection of obscure championships, Antonio Honda keeps finding ways to talk about Gongitsune, Kazuki Hirata is trying to find a new direction but always reverts back to his dancing and Yoshihiko is as dangerous as ever.

A cast of DDT Legends have come to challenge for the title. Poison Sawada JULIE leads the charge with his valet Naomi Susan ready to rattle along to his snake magic. Takashi Sasaki is nowadays known for running FREEDOMS but he was also the fourth wrestler in DDT when it launched. His Aka Rangers tag team partner GENTARO is along for the ride too. MIKAMI is also a DDT original from the very start. If his inspiration Jeff Hardy can still go strong then why can’t he? Plus if MIKAMI is here then you need to get Thanomsak Toba to complete The Suicide Boyz. On behalf of the 2000s message board era of puroresu fans, I apologise for spelling his name Tanomusaku Toba for all these years. It took this long for me to get the Thanomsak Sithbaobay influence.

2. Special Single Match: Saki Akai Vs Maya Yukihi

If you like the free agency/transfer window period in sports then joshi wrestling for the last five months was a blast to follow. Women jumping ship to other promotions, contracts going haywire and promotions turning on their heads meant there was never a dull moment behind the scenes. One of the key figures during this time is Maya Yukihi. For seven years she called Ice Ribbon her home promotion until last December when she was among the wave of talent announcing their intentions to leave the company. Everyone else in the group went on to form Prominence but Yukihi decided to go freelance instead. It makes sense when you see that she already has established roles in OZ Academy along with the Rebel & Enemy faction on the indies. But once she turned freelance, the first place she went to was DDT. Then things got interesting. She hadn’t even worked her first date with DDT yet when Tokyo Sports reported that CyberFight really wanted Yukihi to sign a contract with them.

When Yukihi did have her first match in DDT, she stood across the ring from Saki Akai. Their interactions were respectful during the match and polite afterwards but Yukihi couldn’t help but think Akai was a little bit jealous now she was sharing her DDT spotlight with another woman. As the two continued wrestling each other Yukihi revealed that eight years ago she approached DDT wanting to become a pro wrestler but was turned down. Around that same time period she found out Akai debuted for DDT and essential ended up getting the career she wanted. The positive side to this story is Yukihi found another path to becoming a pro wrestler and it is one she is proud of. Now she wanted to prove that her style of joshi wrestling is better than Akai’s style! A women’s match with a story as powerful as this deserves to take place on an event as important as DDT’s 25th Anniversary so Takagi decided to put it right here in Sumo Hall!

Ever since the match was announced, the tag matches between Akai and Yukihi have become more heated as one would accuse the other of being jealous. Akai would blatantly pin Yukihi with her Rookie Award finisher to rub in the fact she won that category in the Tokyo Sports Awards. Yukihi got her own back by making Akai submit in a later match, figuring out that using her arsenal of moves that nobody from DDT have seen before will be the key to victory. Akai wants to prove that she made it to where she is today through hard work and that she is capable of carrying DDT on her back. But she also can’t help but dig deeper into the insults. She recently gave Yukihi a bouquet of yellow roses because yellow roses represent jealousy. Yukihi promised to give them back to Akai when she beats her!

3. DDT 25th Anniversary Special Single Match – No DQ “I’m Sorry” Match: Sanshiro Takagi Vs Michael Nakazawa

Apologizing to your boss for doing something wrong is a humbling experience that can bruise your ego. However when the tables are turned and your boss apologizes to you it can lift your spirits a lot. So I can kind of relate to what Michael Nakazawa is going through. His first couple of years in DDT were alright but the cracks in his working relationship with Sanshiro Takagi first began in 2008. Nakazawa’s contract with DDT wasn’t renewed despite his intentions to stay with the company. He fought and clawed his way back into DDT later that year but the same situation repeated a year later. Takagi just wanted to get rid of him but somehow Nakazawa would always find a way to get back in! So Takagi decided to do whatever he could think of to embarrass Nakazawa on shows event though he had support from wrestlers like Kota Ibushi and Kenny Omega. Poor Nakazawa had fireworks shot at him, was beaten around like a crash test dummy, got into mismatches against the likes of Minoru Suzuki and even took part in the first Anal Explosion opening ceremony when DDT held their Ryogoku debut. It’s now wonder he held a grudge with Takagi for all these years.

So when Nakazawa was picked up by AEW to work in America it looked like a massive reward for all the crap Nakazawa had to eat in DDT. Finally he was going to be a big star around the world. Unfortunately the matches he has on AEW Dark all reach a level low enough to make Excalibur and Taz consider retirement from broadcasting. However wrestling overseas always makes a wrestler improve no matter who they are and Nakazawa is ready to unload on his old boss. His finishing move the Ultimate Venom Arm has been upgraded to include the AEW initials in the name. Earlier this week he beat Takagi in an impromptu Falls Count Anywhere match held outside of a bookstore. The taste of victory was sweet but not enough. Nakazawa needs something more and that is for Takagi to apologize to him for everything he put him through in his life. Their match at Sumo Hall is No Holds Barred and can take place anywhere inside or out of the building. The only way to win is to make your opponent say “I’m Sorry!” on the microphone. What will it take for either of them to finally admit they were wrong?

4. Special Tag Match: Isami Kodaka & Yukio Sakaguchi Vs Yuki Ueno & Shunma Katsumata

A good mix of wrestlers here. Isami Kodaka was never really a proper member of the DDT roster. He came in through Union Pro and took the indies path that led him to forming BASARA. His absolute peak in DDT was around that time period when he also beat Yukio Sakaguchi to become the company’s top champion. That was seven years ago so there should be no problem with the two teaming together this weekend. But if there is some tension between the two then maybe a visit to the sauna will calm them down.

That’s where The 37KAMIINA come in. Shunma Katsumata’s love for the sauna is so strong he now runs a hut in Tateyama, Chiba called Sea Sauna Shack. In the ring he shows a more violent side that somehow matches his joyful behavior. Maybe it’s the Lego weapons that keeps him from never losing his temper. Yuki Ueno however is making big strides up the ladder, reaching the D-Ou Grand Prix final at the end of last year. It is only a matter of time before he reaches the top of the DDT mountain. Only problem is right now he is stuck in the shadow of his high school classmate. But we’ll eventually cross that bridge when we get to it. Not that it will be anytime soon.

5. LiLiCo Retirement Match: LiLiCo, Ryohei Odai & Akito (w/ Junretsu) Vs Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno, Yuki “Sexy” Iino & Yumehito “Fantastic” Imanari

DDT has held many matches involving celebrities before and LiLiCo is the one who stood out the most. The half Swedish, half Japanese TV personality wrestled several times for DDT between 2014 and 2017. During her time here she won the DDT Extreme Title, the Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title and the KO-D 10-Man Tag Titles. She hasn’t wrestled since then but a knee injury suffered two years ago made her want to have one more match so she could have a proper pro wrestling retirement. To make this match even more special, LiLiCo asked for many handsome men to be involved. DDT made it so by including Akito and also her husband Ryohei Odai to be on her team. Odai is an actor who has starred in Kamen Rider shows and was also a part of the pop band Junretsu (whose name inspired the identical sounding DDT unit). Despite that pedigree he does not have the physical tools needed to wrestle. Even running the ropes gives him a bad back ache. When asked for an opponent, LiLiCo suggested one of them be Danshoku Dieno because they had a risky rivalry together. She may end up regretting that because… *sighs* well let’s just get straight into it with Pheromones.

For the last year DDT has been surrounded by Pheromones. Dieno, Yuki Iino & Yumehito Imanari became obsessed over their lusty attitudes and succumbed to their lewd behaviour. Dieno became “Dandy”, Iino became “Sexy” and Imanari became “Fantastic”. They don’t care about winning or losing often. Instead they want to do what they want without any limitation or censorship. Unfortunately their actions often go beyond the line of good taste and decency so many of their matches end before the finish so DDT doesn’t get kicked off Samurai! TV or banned from Youtube. The GM Hisaya Imabayashi often tries to stop them just to end up getting “publicly executed” by Pheromones for getting in their way. You’d be surprised how many ways Dieno and his mates can come up with giving their opponents the Stinkface. Just when I think I’ve seen them all, poof, there’s a new angle one person’s face can be shoved into another person’s backside. It’s kind of impressive actually.

So that is what LiLiCo and her handsome men have to deal with. She’s up for the challenge and is threatening to cut off Dieno’s you know what if she has to. Akito has this match to worry about alongside his CyberFight VP duties. And Odai still needs to learn how he can fight in the ring when he gets blisters just from pointing at stuff. As retirement matches go it’s not quite on the level of Genichiro Tenryu but I think it can get close enough.

6. Jun Akiyama 30th Anniversary Match: Jun Akiyama & Takao Omori Vs Kazusada Higuchi & Hideki Okatani

There’s an alternate timeline where Jun Akiyama was able to travel in America in 2020 and coach at the WWE Performance Center. What a gift DDT would have missed out on if that went ahead as planned. Instead he was offered a guest coaching spot in, slowly made the transition over from All Japan to join the company full time and the rest is history. And that history is important because Akiyama is celebrating 30 years in pro wrestling this year. All Japan gave permission for Takao Omori to come on over and bring back the Burning Wild tag team for one night only. However their opponents are not in the mood to wish them well for their accomplishment.

Eruption added a new member this year and it is somebody Akiyama knows well. The young wrestler Hideki Okatani learned from him as part of the Junretsu stable but now he is on a new path to become the Red Fighting Spirit. Kazusada Higuchi tested the kid before accepting him into Eruption and now the unit has renewed energy flowing through it. The two of them would love nothing more than to beat Akiyama and surpass him. When Omori heard about the disrespect coming from his opponents he threatened to crush them in the ring! What was meant to be an honorable tag team match may turn into a war between generations!

7. DDT Universal Title – Hardcore 3 Way Match: Daisuke Sasaki (c) Vs Jun Kasai Vs MAO

There’s a bunch of stories going on in this match but you can ignore the MAO stuff. That’s what the other two are doing. MAO pinned Daisuke Sasaki during the Ultimate Tag League and demanded a shot at his DDT Universal Title. Sasaki refused and continued doing so when MAO kept demanding the match. Then Jun Kasai returned to DDT wanting Sasaki to do a rematch of their Hardcore war at Saitama Super Arena five years ago. Sasaki is the only wrestler in DDT that excites Kasai because he couldn’t beat him back then. Sasaki agreed to the rematch but still had MAO following him claiming to have the next title shot. The solution was to do a 3 Way Hardcore match. That way Sasaki gets to fight Kasai again and MAO will finally leave him alone. The latter hasn’t happened yet, MAO still follows him around trying to get his attention. Sasaki had to go deep into the Nerima mountains for special training to finally escape from him. Even then MAO eventually figured out there are no mountains in Nerima.

The situation going into this match is Sasaki and Kasai are only focused on each other. Kasai’s goal is to maim and embarrass Sasaki. Taking the Universal Title from him will naturally happen as part of the process. The champion wants to make Kasai vomit blood and cry in despair that he will never beat Sasaki. MAO would just like his opponents to notice him for once.

8. KO-D Tag Team Titles: HARASHIMA & Naomi Yoshimura (c) Vs Chris Brookes & Masahiro Takanashi

HARASHIMA & Naomi Yoshimura pulled off an unusual gambit for this year’s Ultimate Tag League. They were the reigning KO-D Tag Team Champions but decided to vacate the belts before the tournament so they would be rewarded to the League winners. Their logic was by entering the League without the championship, they were on an even playing field to everyone else. Therefore winning the tournament will be undeniable proof that DISASTER BOX is the strongest tag team in DDT. Their plan worked and their pay off was having the KO-D Tag Titles returned to them. Things may have turned out different though because the Tag League was pretty much cursed from the get go.

Learn this lesson. Never run a round robin tournament during a pandemic. The Tag League this year was riddled with forfeits because wrestlers kept catching covid or had to stay home because they were close contacts. CDK only wrestled two matches and won both of them but had to forfeit the rest of their matches because Chris Brookes & Masahiro Takanashi both had separate positive cases. They had no chance of reaching the finals despite winning matches when they were able to compete. Plus one of those wins was against DISASTER BOX!

The champions did not forget about that. Their only loss in the Tag League was against CDK in the group stage so minutes after the final was over and they received their prizes, the call out was made. DISASTER BOX wanted the rematch and would put the KO-D Tag Titles on the line! CDK accepted the challenge, believing the belts should belong to them anyway. They’ve been using every trick in their book to get the upper hand in recent matches and they also won the Asia Dream Tag Team Titles in ChocoPro. Meanwhile HARASHIMA has his trusty old Somato while Yoshimura now has a new F5 style finisher called the Osaka Dream. It is the strongest tag team in DDT taking on the most dramatic and dreamiest tag team!

9. KO-D Openweight Title – Japan Bakery Marketing Presents: Konosuke Takeshita (c) Vs Tetsuya Endo

The main event of the 25th Anniversary show cannot fit in all 25 years of DDT’s history into one match but it will complete the decade long story of Konosuke Takeshita and Tetsuya Endo. Last year was the most impressive yet from Takeshita. He overcame a bad period of results by going overseas to AEW and coming back as a complete pro wrestler who was finally comfortable in his own skin. He regained the KO-D Openweight Title and has swept through everyone who stood in his way. All that is left to challenge him is an opponent who probably knows him more than anyone else.

Endo needed to find a new direction and control his own fate after the original DAMNATION was forced to split up. He was happy being the right hand man back then but the time had come for him to have a new unit he could call his own. He had some wise men guiding him along the process. Kenta Kobashi had been supporting Endo and decided to pair him with Jun Akiyama to start off. Endo then decided to add in Yusuke Okada and Yuya Koroku to complete the group. All that was needed was a name. Endo took inspiration from his two mentors and revived the name BURNING with their permission. A name with that much history would motivate Endo to work his hardest to live up to it. Everything was set up and Endo now only needs one last piece to complete the puzzle. The KO-D Openweight Title. When Takeshita asked for a challenger to face him for DDT’s 25th Anniversary, Endo came out and said he was the only one who can face him at Sumo Hall.

It was said before that this is not a rivalry because rivals are meant to motivate each other to do their best. These two are enemies. The proof can be seen from the last four months of DDT shows where The 37KAMIINA Vs BURNING has dominated the main events and upper parts of the cards. Endo has upgraded the Shooting Star Press. First he changed the name to the Burning Star Press and now it is The Best Burning Star Press In The Universe. It is a move Endo was able to pin Takeshita with in response to Takeshita submitting him with the Plus Ultra a few days earlier. It has been a tight conflict and the only thing for certain is whoever wins will lead DDT into its 26th year and beyond!

Comments Off on DDT “JUDGEMENT 2022 ~DDT 25TH ANNIVERSARY~” Preview | Previews | Tagged: AEW, Akito, All Elite Wrestling, Andreza Giant Panda, Antonio Honda, Burning Wild, CDK (Calamari Drunken Kings), Chris Brookes, Daisuke Sasaki, DAMNATION T.A, Danshoku Dieno, DDT Pro Wrestling, DDT Universal Championship, DDT Variety Team, DISASTER BOX, Dramatic Dream Team, GENTARO, Gorgeous Matsuno, Gota Ihashi, HARASHIMA, Hideki Okatani, Ilusion, Isami Kodaka, Jun Akiyama, Jun Kasai, Kazuki Hirata, Kazusada Higuchi, Kenta Kobashi, KO-D 10-Man Tag Team Championship, KO-D Openweight Championship, KO-D Tag Team Championship, Konosuke Takeshita, LiLiCo, MAO, Masahiro Takanashi, Maya Yukihi, Michael Nakazawa, MIKAMI, Minoru Fujita, MJ Paul, Naomi Susan, Naomi Yoshimura, Pheromones, Poison Sawada JULIE, ROMANCE DAWN, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Ryohei Odai, Saki Akai, Sanshiro Takagi, Seiya Morohashi, Shota, Shunma Katsumata, Soma Takao, Sumo Hall, Super Sasadango Machine, Takao Omori, Takashi Sasaki, Tetsuya Endo, Thanomsak Toba, The 37KAMIINA, Tomohiko Hashimoto, Tomomitsu Matsunaga, Toru Owashi, Toy Kojima (Toi Kojima), Yoshihiko, Yuji Hino, Yuki Iino, Yuki Ishida, Yuki Ueno, Yukio Naya, Yukio Sakaguchi, Yumehito Imanari, Yusuke Okada, Yuya Koroku | Permalink
Posted by JamieOD

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “GRAND PRINCESS ’22” Preview

March 17, 2022

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “GRAND PRINCESS ’22”, 19/03/2022
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

1. Juria Nagano Debut Match: Suzume & Arisu Endo Vs Moka Miyamoto & Juria Nagano
2. Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling Vs Ganbare☆Pro Wrestling: Nao Kakuta, Mahiro Kiryu, Haruna Neko & Kaya Toribami Vs Yuna Manase, Moeka Haruhi, HARUKAZE & YuuRI
3. Sanshiro Takagi Vs Hyper Misao
4. Yuki Kamifuku Vs Asuka
5. Nodoka Tenma Vs Yuki Aino
6. Sakisama, Mei Saint-Michel, Martha & Yukio Saint Laurent Vs Marika Kobashi, Raku, Pom Harajuku & Ram Kaichow
7. Special Single Match: Hikaru Shida Vs Hikari Noa
8. International Princess Title: Maki Itoh (c) Vs Yuki Arai
9. Princess Tag Team Titles: Yuka Sakazaki & Mizuki (c) Vs Rika Tatsumi & Miu Watanabe
10. Princess Of Princess Title: Miyu Yamashita (c) Vs Shoko Nakajima

It took nine years for Tokyo Joshi Pro to start from a tiny little idol stage in Akihabara and make it all the way to running grand old Sumo Hall by themselves. It’s a show bigger than the “WRESTLE PRINCESS” name and is part of a stacked Ryogoku weekend with DDT celebrating its 25th Anniversary the next day. All three Princess Championships will be defended, there are some inter-promotional matches, some emotional backstories, a final call for two beloved roster members before they go away and an anticipated debut so let’s have a look at what’s in store for us.

1. Juria Nagano Debut Match: Suzume & Arisu Endo Vs Moka Miyamoto & Juria Nagano

The big debut TJPW has been building up since the start of the year is Juria Nagano. She is a woman of many talents being a former children’s world champion karate fighter, actress and nurse with 900,000 TikTok followers. Her 2nd dan black belt in Shito-ryu makes Nagano a suitable tag partner for Moka Miyamoto and her Shotokan background. Nagano was moved to tears when she first discovered the deep bonds the TJPW roster has with each other and is looking forward to forming her own. Even her opponents are excited to be in the ring for her debut match. Suzume said she wants to crush Nagano in the ring with her love and Arisu Endo believes it will be an exciting match showcasing the future of TJPW. Arisuzu are a team to watch out for and the most likely from this new generation to jump up a level together later this year.

2. Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling Vs Ganbare☆Pro Wrestling: Nao Kakuta, Mahiro Kiryu, Haruna Neko & Kaya Toribami Vs Yuna Manase, Moeka Haruhi, HARUKAZE & YuuRI

A former TJPW wrestler returns looking for a passionate fight. Yuna Manase was with the promotion from 2017 to 2020 until she found a new home in Ganbare☆Pro. She kept a good relationship with TJPW since then but suddenly called out the company in a fiery speech demanding an opponent who wants to fight her instead of being told to by management. Nao Kakuta answered the call, fueled by memories of working with Manase in Actwres girl’Z before either of their TJPW days. The response is also the first time Kakuta felt like a proper member of Tokyo Joshi by defending the promotion’s honour. However Manase immediately got backup with everyone from the Ganbare☆Joshi division wanting to join in the challenge and take part. The challenge became big enough to suck in more people for an inter-promotional 8-Women Tag Match.

Kakuta gathered together Mahiro Kiryu, Haruna Neko & Kaya Toribami to be on her team. Kiryu was recently in the news for alerting everyone on social media to a convincing looking email scam she almost fell for. Neko continues to live life as a catgirl scratching every person who gets in her way. Toribami hasn’t lost a step in the ring since coming back from a European vacation over the winter but is still at risk of being the team’s weak link. Manase is flanked by the rest of Ganjo, a group of women who became tight from constantly teaming with and fighting against each other. HARUKAZE is the biggest example of that, reinventing herself from one of Japan’s weakest wrestlers to a reliable combatant under the tutelage of Yuu Yamagata. The weathergirl wrestler Moeka Haruhi understands Manase is the sun that everyone else in the match will gravitate around, but she wants to be the rainbow that catches everybody’s attention. The least experienced member is YuuRI. She made a surprise jump from JTO to Ganjo at a time when other joshi were transferring to higher profile companies. For her to wrestle in Sumo Hall is a big deal because that was where she discovered pro wrestling in the first place. Ganpro’s bread and butter is having wrestlers who wear their hearts on their sleeves and giving it their all in the ring despite their limitations. Win or lose, the TJPW team can learn a valuable lesson coming out of this match.

3. Sanshiro Takagi Vs Hyper Misao

At first this match was just thrown out as an announcement promoted as an attraction match with no build attached to it. Still the match by itself makes sense on paper. Hyper Misao is always the most creative woman in TJPW when it comes to making up match structures and stipulations and Sanshiro Takagi will literally do anything in the ring to make DDT and everything surrounding it successful. But Misao was bothered by the idea of this match going ahead. Takagi as he is now isn’t the crazy wrestler she saw when she attended her first wrestling match eight years ago. He’s too much of a boring corporate president these days to inspire Misao on a match as important as this. It’s understandable. Takagi is older and his body isn’t what it used to be. He also has a lot on his plate behind the scenes along with a grudge match happening in DDT the next day. But he is still the crazy pro wrestler Misao saw eight years ago. As the poster says above, this won’t be a normal match!

As time has gone by Misao has become more publicly open about her past life before discovering pro wrestling. To go from feeling lost and empty to becoming a big driving force in TJPW is inspirational to see. Thanks to pro wrestling the “29 year old”* has become a stronger person, gotten married and continues to protect love and peace the only way she can. Meanwhile Takagi got stuck fighting with Pheromones and Michael Nakazawa. Who really has more going for them here?

*Misao became self-conscious over her real age during her last birthday and decided to break up from her year of birth.

4. Yuki Kamifuku Vs Asuka

The speed this friendship is going is really fast. Yuki Kamifuku and Asuka have been close friends outside of wrestling since 2017 but only went public with it last year when they started teaming together as VENYU. The team did well in TJPW this year, reaching the semi-finals of the “Futari wa Princess” Max Heart Tournament. But with no chance of winning accolades happening anytime soon the two drinking buddies have nobody to fight but themselves. There have been a few little swipes made in good nature between the two but for Kamifuku it is a chance to climb up to Asuka’s level on the big stage. Asuka feels honored having an important match like this take place while she is a freelancer. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t looking to have fun either. The VENYU entrance is already flashy. What will they be like when Kamifuku and Asuka are trying to out-do one another?

5. Nodoka Tenma Vs Yuki Aino

One of the women leaving pro wrestling soon is Nodoka Tenma. She has been with TJPW since 2016 starting off using a children’s TV character gimmick called Nodoka-oneesan. The time has come for her to retire after she decided to get into food production and agriculture in her hometown. She decided her retirement from pro wrestling will happen on 26th March because she does not want to miss this show. When Tenma & Yuki Aino failed to win the Max Heart Tournament final, Tenma came up with an idea for them to do at Sumo Hall. They should wrestle each other! The Bakuretsu Sisters have never had a singles match by themselves and Tenma does not want to end her wrestling career without doing one. It was an idea that has come up before but Aino always turned it down. This time the match is so important that Tenma will not take no for an answer. Aino has shown flashes of breaking out as a singles wrestler in the past. She seems to be sticking around after her older sister leaves so it is a path she will probably have to take as we head into the summer.

6. Sakisama, Mei Saint-Michel, Martha & Yukio Saint Laurent Vs Marika Kobashi, Raku, Pom Harajuku & Ram Kaichow

The mighty NEO Biishiki-gun returns once more to be a thorn in everyone’s side. This time they are coming nearly at full force. Sakisama & Mei Saint-Michel are already established as a nearly unbeatable tag team but we also get the reappearance of Sakisama’s first loyal maid Martha. There is also the dark and foreboding presence of Yukio Saint Laurent to deal with too. The TJPW side put together to fight them are made up of a mixture of cute and sugary personalities but something is a little bit different this time. Ram Kaichow is part of the team and I bet she is something the likes of which NEO Biishiki-gun have never dealt with before. Kaichow has no problem acting like she owns the place whenever she shows up in TJPW so how will a woman as proud as Sakisama react to that? Kaichow recently celebrated 17 years in the wrestling industry and remember most of that was spent in Triple Six. NEO Biishiki-gun is nowhere near the weirdest thing she has seen before.

But what about the rest of the team? Marika Kobashi is the other wrestler who will be leaving TJPW soon. She wants to spend her final years in university living the full college life. However she also made it sound like it will not be the end of her pro wrestling career so it may only be goodbye for now (unless she shows up somewhere else). Raku is still big into trains and now calls her fanbase her “Passengers”. While not performing with The Up Up Girls she has been teaming with Pom Harajuku. That one continues to run around causing mischief like an out of control three year old. Raku & Harajuku are getting used to teaming with each other but they are regular cannon fodder for NEO Biishiki-gun. Chances of an underdog upset here are slim.

7. Special Single Match: Hikaru Shida Vs Hikari Noa

Now we’re getting into the main course. The top four matches on the card are what I’m all hyped for and it begins with the TJPW debut of Hikaru Shida. Signs of a working relationship between AEW and TJPW were made clear last year and now that it’s become a little easier to travel overseas, that means Shida gets to wrestle in her home country again. TJPW gave her the offer to wrestle in Sumo Hall and here we are. The former AEW Women’s Champion looked a little lost in the shuffle at times but a high quality feud against Serena Deeb means she is coming to Sumo Hall riding a fresh wave of interest. This is the perfect test for her opponent, someone who spent the last few years coming out of her shell by making bloodlust look cute.

As time goes by Hikari Noa pushes TJPW closer inch by inch towards a more violent style of wrestling. He dream is to become the Queen of Deathmatch wrestling and she has jumped into the deep end whenever the opportunity presents itself. Now Shida is not a deathmatch wrestler per se but she has no problem getting dragged into the hardcore style. I mean, this is a woman we recently discovered will threaten decapitation if she hates somebody enough. Like I said, a perfect test for Noa. There are high expectations though and from studying footage Shida thinks Noa has been struggling to meet those expectations. She can tell Noa enjoys wrestling and is hungry to win but does she have the mental and emotional state to succeed?

This may not be the end of Shida in TJPW too. She wasn’t aware of the promotion until she went to America and the interactions she’s had with TJPW wrestlers since then have impressed her. Maybe there will be more interactions between them in AEW or Japan. She performed on stage with Arisu Endo before and Shida hasn’t seen any of her matches other than her debut. Plus there is a certain unbeatable champion in the main event that Shida has been thinking about. But now is not the time to talk about that…

8. International Princess Title: Maki Itoh (c) Vs Yuki Arai

If there is a result on this show that will cause a shockwave throughout TJPW is will be Yuki Arai beating Maki Itoh for the International Princess Title. Itoh became a two time IP Champion on 4th January, ending Hikari Noa’s deathmatch title dreams. With the belt back in her hands, Itoh’s goal is to reestablish the championship as a global prize to be defended overseas. She isn’t shy (when is she ever?) about going back to AEW and defending the title against former champion Thunder Rosa to finally complete a thread that’s been left hanging ever since the pandemic began. She has a trip to America coming up in May and the title could be a necessary accessory for her plans. The worst thing that could happen now is if a far more popular idol steals her glory, her thunder and her championship. How typical would that be?

Momentum is such an overused word in pro wrestling but it really does apply here for Arai. The SKE48 idol has been a big boost for TJPW’s business and the wrestling media in Japan is throwing every Best Rookie achievement they can find in her direction. And she isn’t slumming it in the ring. The hard work is on show even when the match layout every now and then is a bit obvious in highlighting her strengths while hiding her flaws. I shouldn’t knock it when it works though, especially if it gets applied to a rivalry like this.

Whether Arai wanted it to happen or not, she was destined to be Itoh’s enemy. It’s only natural when it is an idol as successful as her to rub Itoh the wrong way. Even more so when the one place Itoh can feel superior is inside the wrestling ring. Itoh tapped out Arai in her debut match and encouraged her to keep coming back fo as long as it will take for Arai to finally beat her. A full year hasn’t even been passed since then but Arai is already confident she now has what she needs to beat Itoh. It would be an unusual result but these are two unusual idols.

9. Princess Tag Team Titles: Yuka Sakazaki & Mizuki (c) Vs Rika Tatsumi & Miu Watanabe

We now reach the point where the remaining title matches are between the two strongest opponents. The Princess Tag Team Titles are what helped form The Magical Sugar Rabbits together in the first place. Their first reign holds the current record for the most title defences. In second place is the reign held by Daydream, who are their opponents here. The Max Heart Tournament is what sets up this match. Yuka Sakazaki & Mizuki were shockingly eliminated in the opening round, preventing them from facing Rika Tatsumi & Miu Watanabe in Round 2. Daydream then went on to win the entire tournament. The two teams weren’t anywhere near each other in the bracket but MagiRabi know it is their duty as champions to beat the Max Heart winners.

The challengers have a lot on their plate. Tatsumi’s crush on Mizuki is well known but winning back the Princess Tag Titles is now more important. She doesn’t care about that anymore and accepts that Mizuki will hate her for taking the belts away from MagiRabi. Mizuki isn’t worried about a problem like that because she thinks her team is not going to lose anyway. Watanabe sees the champions as a wall she hasn’t been able to climb over until now. Sakazaki’s only concern is defending the belts so MagiRabi can continue bringing fans into their happy, sparkling world!

10. Princess Of Princess Title: Miyu Yamashita (c) Vs Shoko Nakajima

Let’s finish this one strong. The two longest serving members of TJPW headline the promotion’s biggest show yet in Sumo Hall. It is the very same building where Miyu Yamashita and Shoko Nakajima had their official pro wrestling debuts on 17th August 2013. Funny thing is they were both on the same team back then and lost to two wrestlers who are since long gone from the company. In the nine years since then Miyu Yamashita has been the constant ace in TJPW, growing up with the most dominant Princess Of Princess Title reigns in the championship’s history. She has been the female face of CyberFight’s expansion, sharing centre stage with the likes of Jun Akiyama and Naomichi Marufuji. Ever since her debut in Ryogoku, Yamashita has dreamed of Tokyo Joshi holding their own show there. This won’t mean much to her if she cannot beat her biggest opponent on TJPW’s biggest show.

Shoko Nakajima has beaten her for the Princess Title once before, back in 2019. It was how Yamashita’s 10 defence title reign was finally brought to an end. In fact, Yamashita and Nakajima are currently 1-1 in Princess Title matches against each other. Yet the Big Kaiju has always felt small around her rival. No matter how many times Nakajima won matches against her, Yamashita would easily shrug them off and return to winning ways. It can get disheartening. With this match taking place in Sumo Hall, Nakajima doesn’t know if she will ever get a title shot as important as this ever again. This is the Big Kaiju’s best chance to take down an even bigger monster and finally become the superior champion. Whatever the result is, the future of Tokyo Joshi Pro will be made clear when the dust is settled.

Comments Off on TOKYO JOSHI PRO “GRAND PRINCESS ’22” Preview | Previews | Tagged: AEW, All Elite Wrestling, Arisu Endo, Arisuzu, Asuka (VENY), Daydream, Ganbare☆Joshi, Ganbare☆Pro Wrestling, GanJo, GanPro, Grand Princess, HARUKAZE, Haruna Neko, Hikari Noa, Hikaru Shida, Hyper Misao, International Princess Championship, Juria Nagano, Kaya Toribami, Magical Sugar Rabbits, Mahiro Kiryu, Maki Itoh, Marika Kobashi, Martha, Mei Saint-Michel, Miu Watanabe, Miyu Yamashita, Mizuki, Moeka Haruhi, Moka Miyamoto, Nao Kakuta, NEO Biishiki-gun, Nodoka Tenma, Pom Harajuku, Princess Of Princess Championship, Princess Tag Team Championship, Raku, Ram Kaichow, Rika Tatsumi, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Sakisama, Sanshiro Takagi, Shoko Nakajima, Sumo Hall, Suzume, TJPW, Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling, Yuka Sakazaki, Yuki Aino, Yuki Arai, Yuki Kamifuku, Yukio Saint Laurent, Yuna Manase, YuuRI | Permalink
Posted by JamieOD

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “WRESTLE PRINCESS II” Preview

October 7, 2021

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “WRESTLE PRINCESS II”, 09/10/2021
Tokyo Ota Ward Gymnasium

1. Raku, Pom Harajuku & Ram Kaichow Vs Haruna Neko, Mahiro Kiryu & Kaya Toribami
2. 3 Way Match: Rika Tatsumi Vs Hyper Misao Vs Nodoka Tenma
3. Yuki Kamifuku & Asuka Vs Nao Kakuta & Marika Kobashi
4. Riho & Shoko Nakajima Vs Suzume & Arisu Endo
5. Special Tag Match: Aja Kong & Moka Miyamoto Vs Miu Watanabe & Yuki Arai
6. International Princess Title: Hikari Noa (c) Vs Yuki Aino
7. Princess Tag Team Titles: Sakisama & Mei Saint-Michel (c) Vs Yuka Sakazaki & Mizuki
8. Princess Of Princess Title: Miyu Yamashita (c) Vs Maki Itoh

Last year “WRESTLE PRINCESS” was put together to be Tokyo Joshi Pro’s biggest show of the year. The only direction to go from here is get bigger. So TJPW is moving from Tokyo Dome City Hall to the Ota Ward Gymnasium for “WRESTLE PRINCESS II”. The three championships are all on the line, some recognizable guests are joining in the fun and everyone on the roster is crammed into the card somewhere. The show is taking place on a very busy Saturday in Japan a with some heavy competition. But if you’re into joshi you have a lot to look forward to this weekend.

1. Raku, Pom Harajuku & Ram Kaichow Vs Haruna Neko, Mahiro Kiryu & Kaya Toribami

The opener is TJPW’s introduction to Ram Kaichow. The demon girl originally came from Triple Six and long time puroresu fans might recognize her from the “Undertaker Girl” clips that have done the rounds in every 2000s era wrestling message board you can think of. She had her debut match all the way back in 2005 but took a several year absence in the 2010s. It was only in the last few years she reemerged on the scene wrestling for her home promotion and also Ice Ribbon. For her TJPW debut she is teaming with Raku & Pom Harajuku. Raku earned her first ever singles win this year and developed the Hurricane Turn backslide pin, continuing her progression as a wrestler. If she thinks the lullabies and train trivia is working then more power to her. Harajuku always wants to join in the fun when other people are getting up to mischief. Their opponents are led by Haruna Neko who continues to scratch opponents and add the word Neko to her entire moveset. Mahiro Kiryu was absent for over a month to take care of a neck injury but returns in time to be added to the show. Kaya Toribami is the least experienced of the six after only debuting in June. The high flyer has yet to win a match by herself.

2. 3 Way Match: Rika Tatsumi Vs Hyper Misao Vs Nodoka Tenma

The card placement for Rika Tatsumi looks bad given what her 2021 has been like but recent circumstances meant this was probably the only spot available for her. She won the Princess Of Princess Title in January and held the belt as a “Dragon God” for four months. All of a sudden she took time off in September for personal reasons and was only confirmed to return at this show after the card was completed. The planned match was just meant to be Hyper Misao Vs Nodoka Tenma but Tatsumi joins in as a late addition. That’s not to say this is a throwaway match though. Tatsumi and Misao share a lot of history together. Just this year Misao tried to brainwash Tatsumi with technology and Tatsumi eliminated her from the Tokyo Princess Cup in unrelated incidents. Tenma also knows full well what kind of trouble Misao is capable of and may find an advantage in being the third wheel here.

3. Yuki Kamifuku & Asuka Vs Nao Kakuta & Marika Kobashi

A new glamourous duo are joining forces after years of friendship together. Yuki Kamifuku & Asuka will team up as VENYU (VENY + Kamiyu) and it will be the first time they will be in the ring together. They’ve actually been close friends since 2017 when a chance meeting at a restaurant led to them bonding together over their favourite liquor. Kamifuku had asked Asuka to team with her several times since then and only recently did she finally agree to do it. Asuka is a little worried that the TJPW audience won’t support her but Kamifuku is confident she will win them over. Their friendship going public also brings a sense of relief for both of them because they now no longer have to meet each other in private. How far VENYU can advance as a team depends on how their first match goes. It may fall apart at the starting line if it turns out they don’t like being in the ring together. They won’t know until the bell rings.

One thing for sure is Kamifuku has been way more friendly to Asuka than she’s been to Nao Kakuta. They get along now but for the early part of 2021, Kamifuku kept insulting Kakuta for being so plain in looks and behavior. Kakuta lost that feud but at least taught Kamifuku a lesson about showing respect to others. Not sure if that lesson spread to Marika Kobashi because she is getting deeper into Gal/Gyaru culture and won’t stop talking about vibes. But never mind that, Kobashi has learned how to make the Front Neck Lock an effective weapon to win matches. Maybe that’s what the vibes are, all the colours that wash over your eyes when you get choked out.

4. Riho & Shoko Nakajima Vs Suzume & Arisu Endo

Two years after her last appearance in the company, Riho is back in TJPW! And she’s starting again where she left off, teaming with Shoko Nakajima as the Twin Cam Monsters. Both of them are having ups and downs this year. The pandemic inhibited Riho’s career in America for a while but she finally looks to be getting back on track. Nakajima briefly had to rename herself Shin Ultra Shoko after losing to Hyper Misao but did make it to the Tokyo Princess Cup final, continuing her excellent form in the tournament. But enough about them. The story of the match may be more about their opponents.

The last time the Twin Cam Monsters were together was to wrestle Suzume in her debut match. Unfortunately Suzume’s tag partner at the time isn’t in TJPW anymore so that means no more BeeStar for anybody. Instead Suzume will be teaming with Arisu Endo. The link for this team is Endo’s debut match at the start of this year was against Suzume. These two have nowhere near the amount of experience added together that Riho or Nakajima have on their own but they want to fight them as much as they can. TJPW management have told Riho about how much they have improved since their debuts. Nakajima sees the potential of both of them and thinks they can overtake herself and even Riho some day. Who knows what will happen from here on out? Riho has also said she is looking forward to watching the main event while she is here too.

5. Special Tag Match: Aja Kong & Moka Miyamoto Vs Miu Watanabe & Yuki Arai

Let’s not waste any time here. TJPW sees money in Yuki Arai. I mean it’s a big name idol from SKE48 who wants to be a wrestler and has the abilities to do so. She is making progress fairly quickly too. Not saying she’s a supernova in the ring or anything close to it but she’s putting in the effort and in five months is already on track to becoming one of the better trained wrestlers TJPW has. One of her recent advancements is forming an idol tag team with Miu Watanabe. The power member of The Up Up Girls (Pro Wrestling) has been wowing fans online with her variations of the Giant Swing. Both of these two have a massive task ahead of them.

Aja Kong has made a few appearances in TJPW this year already. Some of those times were to replace Arai when she was out sick with the Coronavirus. Kong thinks this booking is a reward for her helping the company out. She has fought in Ota Ward Gymnasium many times before but this will be her first match in the new version of the venue. Her previous appearances this year were all tag matches with Raku. That streak ends here because this time Kong is teaming with Moka Miyamoto. Kong is upset she won’t be able to do the Good Night Express again but she likes discovering new things. That is why she comes back to TJPW. Miyamoto is nervous to be put in this position because of her inexperience but having Kong as a partner is reassuring. Either way she thinks it will be fun to see how the match turns out.

Watanabe’s goal for the match is to put Kong in the Giant Swing. Kong warns that Lioness Asuka and Kyoko Inoue have never done it to her. Watanabe can swing two opponents at the same time but Kong is the size of three people! Kong also wants Arai to know their interactions in the ring won’t be like it was for Tofu Pro Wrestling. That was a TV show, this time it’s pro wrestling! Arai is excited because ever since she was a child when she thought of pro wrestling she thought of Aja Kong.

6. International Princess Title: Hikari Noa (c) Vs Yuki Aino

There is a trend I’ve noticed with a few championships in wrestling lately. Some title reigns have been fueled by the champion dying the belt in their own colours, so to speak. In some cases it is literal, see the TNT Title in AEW where the belt design has changed for every champion as each title reign is different from the one before. In other cases it is the champion using the championship as a symbol for their own personality. The International Princess Title is a fitting example of that in my opinion. Yuki Kamifuku established this story with her title reign, using it to show pride and individuality as a “Divas” style wrestler. The story passed on to Hikari Noa who is using her current title reign as a launching point to wrestle hardcore matches with the ultimate goal of becoming the Queen Of Death Matches! This is an identity the championship sorely needed after the original plan for global themed title defences went by the wayside because of the pandemic. The value of the “Tiffany Blue” belt is worth whatever the champion puts into it.

So what direction could the championship go if Yuki Aino defeats Noa? Aino has been on fire at a time when people did not expect her to be, scoring pinfall wins over major players on the roster Noa included. In fact Aino has beaten Noa in both of their previous singles encounters. For this match the challenger is going to fight with everything from the bottom of her heart. Noa is happy to provide the craziest matches in order to defend the cutest of title belts. She has a bad history of losing tag partners but if she stays strong, the IP Title will never leave her.

7. Princess Tag Team Titles: Sakisama & Mei Saint-Michel (c) Vs Yuka Sakazaki & Mizuki

In June 2019 a previous version of NEO Biishiki-gun won the Princess Tag Team Titles from The Magical Sugar Rabbits. Since then neither Yuka Sakazaki nor Mizuki have challenged for the belts. During this period Sakisama would show interest in convincing Mizuki to join her unit because she seems to be the only person on the roster Sakisama thinks is somewhat graceful, pretty and beautiful. Mizuki would always turn her down because there is nothing beautiful about NEO Biishiki-gun! The only thing attractive about them is the Princess Tag Titles. MagiRabi now want to win back the belts and in doing so make the world a more peaceful place in the process.

The challengers have had a busy 12 months leading up to this point. Sakazaki defeated Mizuki in the main event of the first “WRESTLE PRINCESS”. Since then Sakazaki had several AEW matches in Japan and America. First she reached the final in the Japan Bracket of the AEW Women’s World Title Eliminator Tournament. Then she spent all of July wrestling in America undefeated, including winning a match on Dynamite. Mizuki’s big focus was attempting a three-peat in the Tokyo Princess Cup but she was eliminated in the semi-final. Getting to wrestle in Ota Ward makes them feel like they are entering a new stage to have fun in TJPW. All they need now is to become champions again.

That’s the hard part. Sakisama and NEO Biishiki-gun are a constant presence surrounding this championship. Mei Saint-Michel is but the third partner to hold these belts with Sakisama. It was recently Saint-Michel’s birthday and she would like nothing more but to successfully defend the titles in Ota Ward Gymnasium for her birthday gift. Sakisama is going to enjoy the match too because she gets to hunt a Cockatiel (Sakazaki) and a Pink Rabbit (Mizuki). Sakazaki has never wrestled Saint-Michel before but she reminds her of someone else. Somebody more pure, with a good personality and also very fast. That gives MagiRabi the idea to use speed in order to catch their opponents off guard and win.

8. Princess Of Princess Title: Miyu Yamashita (c) Vs Maki Itoh

It feels like Miyu Yamashita has done it all with the Princess Title. Most title reigns, most title defences, won it in Korakuen Hall, defended it in New York, defended it in Saitama Super Arena. Now she gets to defend it in Ota Ward Gymnasium for TJPW’s biggest show yet. You’d think she would have her fill but she continues aiming to make the company bigger with herself at the helm. On paper this title defence shouldn’t be any different from the previous bouts against the challenger. But something is different this time…

Until this summer Maki Itoh never got the happy ending to her story. There would be flashes of success and brief moments of glory in the ring that would vanish as quickly as they came. Growing support overseas didn’t make up for a lack of support in her home country. No matter how hard she tried it would eventually end in pain.

Then 2021 happened. And holy fucking shit I did not see this coming.

In January Yamashita knocked out Itoh, winning their most recent singles match together. How do you bounce back from that? With the tweet heard around the world. “HELLO MOTHER FUCKERS!” Itoh introduces herself to AEW and the wrestling world was never the same. Yamashita & Itoh then start teaming together as 121000000 (One To Million). In March, Itoh surprises everyone again by travelling to America so she could wrestle for AEW in Florida. She returns to Japan in April ready to win the Princess Title from Rika Tatsumi but fails once again. May comes along and Itoh gets put on the cover of Pro Wrestling Illustrated, which at this point is now just a blip on what has become the craziest year in wrestling since 2001. Then summer comes along and Itoh begins the journey to finally end her fairytale on a happy note.

The 2021 Tokyo Princess Cup was built around three people. Mizuki aiming for the three-peat, Yamashita aiming to finally win the one prize she never could and Itoh aiming to reach and beat both. Yamashita fell to Mizuki in the quarter-final. There waiting for Mizuki in the semi-final was Itoh. The next 48 hours saw Itoh submit her former Itoh Respect Army ally and then submit Shoko Nakajima in the grand final to win the Princess Cup! Now Itoh is running on a 10 single match winning streak. All the pressure and pain Itoh lived through has been worth it. All she has to say now is Ota Ward will see the best version of Maki Itoh.

Comments Off on TOKYO JOSHI PRO “WRESTLE PRINCESS II” Preview | Previews | Tagged: 121000000 (One To Million), Aja Kong, Arisu Endo, Asuka (VENY), Haruna Neko, Hikari Noa, Hyper Misao, International Princess Championship, Kaya Toribami, Magical Sugar Rabbits, Mahiro Kiryu, Maki Itoh, Marika Kobashi, Mei Saint-Michel, Miu Watanabe, Miyu Yamashita, Mizuki, Moka Miyamoto, Nao Kakuta, NEO Biishiki-gun, Nodoka Tenma, Ota Ward Gymnasium, Pom Harajuku, Princess Of Princess Championship, Princess Tag Team Championship, Raku, Ram Kaichow, Riho, Rika Tatsumi, Sakisama, Shoko Nakajima, Suzume, TJPW, Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling, VENYU, Wrestle Princess, Yuka Sakazaki, Yuki Aino, Yuki Arai, Yuki Kamifuku | Permalink
Posted by JamieOD

DDT “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2021” Preview

August 19, 2021

DDT “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2021”, 21/08/2021
Fujitsu Stadium Kawasaki

0. Under Match: Yukio Naya & Keigo Nakamura Vs Hideki Okatani & Yuya Koroku
0. Electric Current Explosion 8-Man Tag Death Match: Atsushi Onita, Sanshiro Takagi, Akito & Maki Itoh Vs Kuro-chan, Super Sasadango Machine, Tetsuhiro Kuroda & Hikari Noa
1. Special 10-Man Tag Match – El Unicorn & Ilusion Debut Match: HARASHIMA, Naomi Yoshimura, Yusuke Okada, Raimu Imai & El Unicorn Vs Yuji Okabayashi, TAMURA, Mizuki Watase, Yuki Iino & Ilusion
2. Double Ring Double Singles Match: Toru Owashi Vs Antonio Honda
2. Double Ring Double Singles Match: Danshoku Dieno Vs Kazuki Hirata
3. Special Hardcore Tag Match: Shunma Katsumata & MAO Vs Chris Brookes & Jun Kasai
4. KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles: Tetsuya Endo, Soma Takao & Yuji Hino (c) Vs Kazusada Higuchi, Yukio Sakaguchi & Saki Akai
5. DDT Universal Title: Yuki Ueno (c) Vs Daisuke Sasaki
6. KO-D Openweight Title – BLACKOUT Presents: Jun Akiyama (c) Vs Konosuke Takeshita

As danger and uncertainty over the pandemic remains around the world, the wrestling industry is determined to chug along and to stick to their plans. This weekend more than any other is proof of that. In America, the next couple of days will no doubt become a landmark period for the modern era with massive shows from two companies along with the long awaited return of a certain hockey fan from Chicago. Japan isn’t taking it easy either as some companies begin to head outdoors for major shows held at sports stadiums. That’s what DDT is up to for “WRESTLE PETER PAN” this year. They will be at Fujitsu Stadium Kawasaki, the former home of FMW’s most legendary battles. The actual venue is different because it went through renovations in the 2000s and also a name change in 2014. Hopefully the spirit of those famous shows still remains when DDT takes their crack at it. Pandemic restrictions are in place so the card is shorter than usual. Plus the risk of last minute cancellations can rear its ugly head. At this point we just have to keep our fingers crossed. There is something extra added to the show. Two wrestling rings will be set up in the stadium. The reason why will be explained in the related matches below.

0. Under Match: Yukio Naya & Keigo Nakamura Vs Hideki Okatani & Yuya Koroku

Let’s see how the low tier of DDT’s undercard has been doing lately. Yukio Naya is slotted into the novelty matches. He’s there when DDT needs a heavyweight so he’ll always have a place on the card. His family ties also means he will be a regular for any matches built around product placement. Keigo Nakamura stepped up a level by being part of the new KO-D 8-Man Tag Team Champions in Team Olympian. He has new ring gear too which is usually a sign of a wrestler moving onto the next stage of his career. He is still often the butt of jokes but when he gets the chance to be serious in the ring, he takes it. Hideki Okatani is probably the one out of this lot who advanced the most over the last year. He should have, given who he is learning from in Junretsu. He is still far away from being a polished product but he definitely moved up to No. 3 in his unit in the last few months. Yuya Koroku debuted in DDT back in April and comes from the highly regarded Animal Hamaguchi Gym. His work so far has been promising but he had a slight setback earlier this month that made him miss a few shows. That’s the problem with rookies. They break easily.

0. Electric Current Explosion 8-Man Tag Death Match: Atsushi Onita, Sanshiro Takagi, Akito & Maki Itoh Vs Kuro-chan, Super Sasadango Machine, Tetsuhiro Kuroda & Hikari Noa

Here is how loaded this weekend is. DDT has to blow up a ring at Kawasaki Stadium during the dark match to get any sort of attention! If you’re doing a major wrestling show inside Kawasaki Stadium then you have to have Atsushi Onita in an Exploding Ring Death Match. Those are the rules. That is why DDT is setting up two rings, one for the regular matches and one for Onita to blow up. As soon as Onita found out about the second ring he got in touch with DDT and demanded his match take place on the pre-show! His reasoning is it takes a lot of time and dedication to set up the explosives so he wants it to be over and done with before the main show even begins. It also sneakily moves the match over to the main ring instead of the side ring because DDT now has time to clean up the mess after the pre-show. That Onita really is a sneaky git. He has promised to use three to five times the amount of gun powder for explosions than these matches usually use.

The match itself has a lot to unpack. Onita’s run in DDT over the last year has seen him feud with a pervy comedian named Kuro-chan. Onita gets the win most of the time but their last match in December ended in a massive upset. Kuro-chan pinned Onita one, two, three! He stole Onita’s jacket, called himself the new “Evil Ways” and left thinking that was the end of it. Demands for a rematch were ignored by Kuro-chan until his manager got wind of it and decided “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2021” would be the perfect time and place for it to happen. The two went to put their teams together. Onita has DDT’s crazy president Sanshiro Takagi, the not yet crazy Vice President Akito and the right amount of crazy Maki Itoh. Kuro-chan has to team with Super Sasadango Machine because they both have the same agent. However his also gets Hikari Noa and FMW alumni Tetsuhiro Kuroda, which improves his team’s chances. Sasadango had to lie about Noa thinking Kuro-chan is cute to convince him to finally accept the match. Noa in particular has been wanting to do death matches for ages. Her goal is to either run over Takagi in a truck, blow him up in an explosion or do both. The stage is set and one last factor has been added to the match. Kuro-chan wants sole ownership of Exploding Ring Death Matches if his team wins! He also wants Onita to retire when he loses but we all know what that is worth so just ignore that bit.

1. Special 10-Man Tag Match – El Unicorn & Ilusion Debut Match: HARASHIMA, Naomi Yoshimura, Yusuke Okada, Raimu Imai & El Unicorn Vs Yuji Okabayashi, TAMURA, Mizuki Watase, Yuki Iino & Ilusion

DDT looks to the future with the introduction to the DDT Teenage Project. They have spent the last year training four teenagers in secret to become pro wrestlers. Two of them are ready to have their official debut match. On one team is the 13 year old, El Unicorn. On the other is Ilusion, 18 years old. The project is meant to be for those aged 15-18 but there is a reason El Unicorn is there. Not to spoil the kid’s identity but he was already under DDT contract before this project began. Both rookies are eager to fight the larger wrestlers like Naomi Yoshimura and Yuji Okabayashi. There’s another teenager in the match too. Raimu Imai from HEAT-UP is 16 years old and still in his first year of wrestling. His claim to fame is his mother Eriko Imai is a former pop singer and current member of Japan’s House Of Councillors. Raimu’s master TAMURA is on the opposite team. He marvels over how quickly the new generation of wrestlers get to make it to the ring. HARASHIMA and Okabayashi were last seen together as Smile Pissari but they are opponents here. Yusuke Okada and Yuki Iino get to collide with stronger opponents. Last but not least there is Mizuki Watase, who recently returned from injury and finds himself restarting his wrestling progression from scratch again.

2. Double Ring Double Singles Match: Toru Owashi Vs Antonio Honda
2. Double Ring Double Singles Match: Danshoku Dieno Vs Kazuki Hirata

Look, spots for this show are sparse this time around and DDT isn’t able to produce two dozen matches in one night. This isn’t an AEW taping. With the card filling up, the groups of wrestlers nicknamed the DDT Variety Team all began to squabbling with one another. This resulted in them all challenging each other to singles matches, no doubt earning two of them coveted main event spot. That wasn’t going to happen. Hisaya Imabayashi told the wrestlers there was room left on the show for only one more match. They can do Toru Owashi Vs Antonio Honda or Danshoku Dieno Vs Kazuki Hirata but not both. Hirata then had a brilliant idea. There will be two rings available so why not do both matches at the same time? Imabayashi loved the idea and put forth DDT’s first ever Double Ring Double Singles Match! Just don’t be surprised if the two matches still interact and get mixed up with each other. Oh and I think Dieno is currently the Iron Man Heavymetalweight Champion. I lost track of that.

3. Special Hardcore Tag Match: Shunma Katsumata & MAO Vs Chris Brookes & Jun Kasai

The main card gets some of the violence left over from the pre-show. Is there anything you can do to Jun Kasai that would hurt him? He’s been through it all, literally if the thing is made out of glass. He sees the hardcore matches DDT have been doing over the last year and they left him feeling lukewarm. The weapons used and the atmosphere surrounding the matches are a bit too relaxed for his tastes. Relaxed is the accurate word to use given these matches have involved Shunma Katsumata & MAO from The 37KAMIINA (The Sauna KAMIINA). Their obsession with saunas rose to new levels ever since the DDT Sauna Club was formed. They aren’t pushovers though. Katsumata is wrestling death matches in Big Japan more often and MAO always has fucked up ideas for things to do in the ring. They want to show Kasai they can dish him the worst pain he has ever felt and they know just what to use. They found out that Kasai doesn’t like the pain you get from stepping on Lego. It’s his biggest weakness! Kasai refuses to confirm if that’s true or not, explaining that he never feels pain from anything when he wrestles in front of his fans. During all of this, Chris Brookes began feeling like the odd man out. He doesn’t even appear in the advert for the match! All the attention is on the other three and he doesn’t like that. He’ll take his anger out on Katsumata to feel better.

4. KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles: Tetsuya Endo, Soma Takao & Yuji Hino (c) Vs Kazusada Higuchi, Yukio Sakaguchi & Saki Akai

DAMNATION’s most successful ventures over the last half year have been in the trios division. After Tetsuya Endo was finally knocked off the top of the mountain, he rallied together Soma Takao and new member Yuji Hino to win the KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles. Endo was then able to defend the belts in his hometown. He has felt invincible ever since and thinks he has the power to banish those he defeated from his hometown. The big challengers coming in are Eruption. They held the titles before and Saki Akai in particular thinks it is time to take them back. The build up has seen Kazusada Higuchi reignite his rivalry with Endo. Yukio Sakaguchi and Takao has come to blows several times too. But the spotlight shines brightest on Akai along with Hino’s reaction to her being in the match. Hino thinks Eruption are fighting with a handicap because a woman is on their team. He also refuses to throw any Chops at Akai because he is convinced they would legit murder her. All this attitude has done is fire Akai up even more to prove her doubters wrong. She’s been wrestling for 8 years now and has shown she is not a one trick pony. It also created an unusual situation where Akai slaps around her partners because they haven’t been as determined as she is to win! Keep in mind this is when Sakaguchi is constantly getting into fights with Takao.

5. DDT Universal Title: Yuki Ueno (c) Vs Daisuke Sasaki

DAMNATION’s second most successful venture over the last half year is Daisuke Sasaki stealing the DDT Universal Title belt from Yuki Ueno. I didn’t say winning the championship, I mean literally stealing the belt. That’s not to say Sasaki hasn’t brought it in the ring. He has won several big matches in the King Of DDT tournament by cheating like hell throughout the whole thing. That includes a quick win over Ueno. Another quick win in a later tag match resulted in Ueno giving Sasaki a title shot in order to win back his pride. Big mistake. That is what caused Sasaki to blindside Ueno, steal the title belt and promise to humiliate him even further. The last month has seen Ueno chasing after Sasaki only to see him get away with the belt time and time again. Their last confrontation inside a ring ended with Sasaki beating Ueno bloody. What has been a breakout year for Ueno has since turned sour and could take a turn for the worse if he can’t get his title back.

6. KO-D Openweight Title – BLACKOUT Presents: Jun Akiyama (c) Vs Konosuke Takeshita

Talk about a deal paying off big time. Jun Akiyama to DDT could not have worked out any better if I do say so myself. He is now six months into his KO-D Openweight Title reign with three defences under his belt. He has also taken to the player/coach role in Junretsu rather well (just remember Makoto Oishi is the official leader). The likes of Endo, Higuchi, Dieno and HARASHIMA have all failed to beat him. And then there is Konosuke Takeshita. What a journey this guy has been on. He went through two singles losses to Akiyama in back to back months at the end of 2020. Those results made him self reflect. For the first time he began to question the DDT style he so proudly represented. Things had to change in 2021.

But does it, really? When this year began, Takeshita’s Sauna Club with his friends turned into The 37KAMIINA. What followed has been a year of hot matches and aurora skies. He took a sabbatical to AEW in April, winning over a new audience of fans abroad by being himself and wrestling how he always does. When he returned, success came his way in the tag team division with his sauna buddies. He and Ueno successfully represented DDT against NOAH at “CYBERFIGHT FESTIVAL 2021”, he and Katsumata won the first Ultimate Tag League and then followed it up by winning the KO-D Tag Team Titles. To cap it all off Takeshita rose even further back to the top by winning the King Of DDT tournament. His redemption is almost complete. All that is left to do is finally beat Akiyama one on one.

Easier said than done, right? There’s also one other thing that makes it that little bit more difficult. Kenta Kobashi will be at the show as a special guest to witness the main event. Everytime Kobashi has played this role for a Jun Akiyama singles match, Akiyama has won. Endo learned that the hard way back in “KAWASAKI STRONG 2021” back in February. Akiyama’s previous two victories over Takeshita have both been by submission as well. It’s all well and good to make it three submissions in a row but Akiyama doesn’t care for that kind of stuff. If he has to win by pinfall then so be it. This is the man who comes from King’s Road. He learned that the Giant Baba style has all the right answers for pro wrestling. That is why he is the champion! Takeshita wants to prove there is no correct answer for pro wrestling that applies to everybody. The DDT style he proudly represents can be just as effective for him as King’s Road is for Akiyama. If this match is the end of his journey, we’ll find out which answer is the right one.

Comments Off on DDT “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2021” Preview | Previews | Tagged: Akito, Antonio Honda, Atsushi Onita, Chris Brookes, Daisuke Sasaki, DAMNATION, Danshoku Dieno, DDT Pro Wrestling, DDT Universal Championship, Dramatic Dream Team, El Unicorn, Eruption, Fujitsu Stadium Kawasaki, HARASHIMA, Hideki Okatani, Hikari Noa, Ilusion, Jun Akiyama, Jun Kasai, Kazuki Hirata, Kazusada Higuchi, Keigo Nakamura, Kenta Kobashi, KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Championship, KO-D Openweight Championship, Konosuke Takeshita, Kuro-chan, Maki Itoh, MAO, Mizuki Watase, Naomi Yoshimura, Raimu Imai, Saki Akai, Sanshiro Takagi, Shunma Katsumata, Soma Takao, Super Sasadango Machine, TAMURA, Tetsuhiro Kuroda, Tetsuya Endo, The 37KAMIINA, Toru Owashi, Wrestle Peter Pan, Yuji Hino, Yuji Okabayashi, Yuki Iino, Yuki Ueno, Yukio Naya, Yukio Sakaguchi, Yusuke Okada, Yuya Koroku | Permalink
Posted by JamieOD

Full TJPW Card For 4th January

December 18, 2020

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TOKYO JOSHI PRO ’21”, 04/01/2021
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. Marika Kobashi & Moka Miyamoto Vs Pom Harajuku & Haruna Neko
2. Shoko Nakajima Vs Hyper Misao
3. Sakisama & Mei Saint-Michel Vs Hikari Noa & Sena Shiori
4. Aja Kong, Mizuki & Raku Vs Miu Watanabe, Nao Kakuta & Mirai Maiumi
5. Arisu Endo Debut Match: Suzume Vs Arisu Endo
6. Miyu Yamashita Vs Maki Itoh
7. Princess Tag Team Titles: Nodoka Tenma & Yuki Aino (c) Vs Yuki Kamifuku & Mahiro Kiryu
8. Princess Of Princess Title: Yuka Sakazaki (c) Vs Rika Tatsumi

The main event has a lot going for it. Yuka Sakazaki and Rika Tatsumi have known each other for years, even before they began training to be pro wrestlers. Seven years ago Sakazaki convinced Tatsumi to go train together so she is a special person in Tatsumi’s life. But for this match Tatsumi sees Sakazaki only as the Princess Of Princess Champion. Tatsumi wants to defeat “The Magical Girl who resembles Fudo Myoo” so she can transform from a White Dragon into a Dragon God!

According to the Toyo University Combo, their bond is more stronger than those between sisters. Yuki Kamifuku thinks she and Mahiro Kiryu are more like clones of the Toyo University founder Inoue Enryo’s daughter! The Bakuretsu Sisters don’t just want to make memories out of their Princess Tag Team Titles reign. They want to defend the belts as much as they can because it took them so long to win them.

Two years ago, Maki Itoh failed to beat Miyu Yamashita in the Ittenyon main event. It was a poor performance that at the time left her traumatized. Now she realizes it was not a setback but valuable experience. When she sticks up her middle finger it is a sign of confidence and determination. Itoh’s middle finger cannot be broken! Yamashita thinks this is a Tokyo Joshi Pro match that can appeal to the world. She’s letting Itoh do the talking now. When they get in the ring Yamashita will show her what she’s really got.

Arisu Endo is a 22 years old from Fukushima and is 150cm tall. She became a pro wrestler because she loves wrestling but is nervous to have her debut match. Endo’s favourite wrestler is Reika Saiki and she wants to become as cool as her. Suzume is looking forward to see what kind of wrestler Endo will be so she is happy to be her debut opponent.

Aja Kong is back! Mizuki is honored to team with her. Raku’s wrestling career is currently three years old. She thinks three year olds still need to take naps so she will do so. Miu Watanabe sees this match as a bridge between idols and pro wrestling. Nao Kakuta’s goal for 2021 is to win a championship so a win here will give her momentum. Mirai Maiumi wants to show the kind of brilliance in Korakuen Hall that only she can.

Sena Shiori has been frustrated by losing to NEO Biishiki-gun over and over since the unit returned and turned their attention to her. There’s nothing she can’t do with Hikari Noa which is why she thinks they can win. Noa is surprised she gets to team with Shiori in Korakuen so quickly. She wants to help her win her first match because it will happen on the first anniversary of Shiori’s debut.

In a rematch from last year’s Ittenyon, Shoko Nakajima and Hyper Misao will face off again. Last time the loser had to change their name for a month. Misao beat Misao and renamed her Akemi Daredasore. Misao has changed her name a few times in her career, even her private one because she recently got married but she hasn’t forgotten about that match. Which is why she wants the same stipulation for the rematch and have it become an annual gimmick for the Ittenyon show! Nakajima accepts the challenge because she has very few things to protect. She believes the more things a person needs to protect, the more weaknesses they have.

The opening match is between the two youngest generations in Tokyo Joshi. Marika Kobashi will be celebrating her 5th anniversary of her debut. Moka Miyamoto thinks she is the exact opposite of Kobashi but they can do their best as a tag team of active college students. Haruna Neko isn’t bothered by who is her juniors or seniors in the match. She just wants to win. Pom Harajuku felt she wasn’t able to work hard in 2020 so she wants to get 2021 off on the right track with a victory.

The live broadcast of the show will have separate streams. ABEMA will host the local broadcast with Haruo Murata and Sayoko Mita on commentary. WRESTLE UNIVERSE will provide live English commentary for the first time with Mark Pickering and Stewart Fulton on the headsets.

Comments Off on Full TJPW Card For 4th January | News, Previews | Tagged: AbemaTV, Aja Kong, Arisu Endo, Bakuretsu Sisters, Haruna Neko, Hikari Noa, Hyper Misao, Korakuen Hall, Mahiro Kiryu, Maki Itoh, Marika Kobashi, Mei Saint-Michel, Mirai Maiumi, Miu Watanabe, Miyu Yamashita, Mizuki, Moka Miyamoto, Nao Kakuta, NEO Biishiki-gun, Nodoka Tenma, Pom Harajuku, Princess Of Princess Championship, Princess Tag Team Championship, Raku, Rika Tatsumi, Sakisama, Sena Shiori, Shoko Nakajima, Suzume, TJPW, Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling, Toyo University Tag, WRESTLE UNIVERSE, Yuka Sakazaki, Yuki Aino, Yuki Kamifuku | Permalink
Posted by JamieOD

Dramatic DDT