A tournament will begin in Ganbare☆Pro this month to crown the first ever Spirit Of Ganbare World Tag Team Champions. Four teams will take part in a single elimination tournament across three shows. The four teams taking part are:
DDT “INTO THE FIGHT 2023”, 26/02/2023 Tokyo Korakuen Hall 680 Fans – Super No Vacancy
0. MJ Paul & KANON defeated Masahiro Takanashi & Antonio Honda when KANON submitted Honda with the Just Cobra Twist (5:08).
0. 2 Vs 6 Handicap Match: Yuki “Sexy” Iino & Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno Vs Sanshiro Takagi, Fuminori Abe, Toru Owashi, Gota Ihashi, Saki Akai & Kazuki Hirata ended in a No Contest (8:52).
1. D GENERATIONS CUP 6-Man Tag Match: Keigo Nakamura, Toi Kojima & Kazuma Sumi defeated Hideki Okatani, Yuki Ishida & Ilusion when Nakamura pinned Ilusion with a Diving Headbutt (7:54).
2. Special Tag Match: Kazusada Higuchi & Shishamo Power defeated Jun Akiyama & Unagi Mask when Power pinned Mask with a Cradle Cutback (7:47).
3. International Special 6-Man Tag Match: Kip Sabian (w/ Penelope Ford), Chris Brookes & Hagane Shinno defeated Yuji Hino, Naruki Doi & Makoto Oishi when Sabian pinned Oishi with the Deathly Hallows (10:13).
-. Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title: Kip Sabian defeated Penelope Ford (c) with a School Boy (12:19 pm). *Kip Sabian becomes the 1,558th champion.
4. D GENERATIONS CUP – Final: Takeshi Masada defeated Yuya Koroku with the Samurai Driver ’01 (8:26).
5. KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles: Shinya Aoki, Yuki Ueno & Super Sasadango Machine defeated Tetsuya Endo, Kotaro Suzuki & Yusuke Okada (c) when Aoki pinned Okada with a High Angle Rotating Cradle (13:08). *BURNING fails in V2. Shinya Aoki, Yuki Ueno & Super Sasadango Machine become the 50th KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Champions!
-. Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title: Yoshihiko defeated Kip Sabian (c) with a Sleeper Hold (13:03 pm). *Kip Sabian becomes the 1,559th champion.
6. KO-D Tag Team Titles: MAO & Shunma Katsumata (c) defeated Yukio Sakaguchi & Hikaru Machida when MAO pinned Machida after the Oretachi no Mad Max (14:22). *V3 for ShunMao.
7. KO-D Openweight Title Next Challenger Decision Match: Yukio Naya defeated HARASHIMA with the Back Drop (17:55).
The main event of DDT’s 26th Anniversary show is going to be two friends and tag team partners fighting each other for the company’s biggest prize. Today Yukio Naya defeated HARASHIMA in the main event to set up the biggest match of his career against Yuji Hino with the KO-D Openweight Title on the line. He survived HARASHIMA’s battleplan of targeting the legs by being too tough. Despite all of the attacks to Naya’s legs, he used them to block HARASHIMA’s Swan Dive Somato. HARASHIMA then tried to use a Cross Knee Lock, striking at the knee for extra damage but that did not work either. Naya got a nearfall with a Choke Slam then tried to hit the Back Drop. HARASHIMA blocked the move only for Naya to switch over to a German Suplex. Naya finally got the win by using the Back Drop with no chance of it being countered.
After the match Naya called HARASHIMA the ace of DDT and said to leave the 26th Anniversary main event to him. Yuji Hino entered the ring and Naya talked to him about how much his pro wrestling life changed since the two met each other. He asked Hino to accept his challenge so they can fight for the best of DDT! Hino accepted and said he enjoyed watching the main event because it made him feel like a fan. He cannot promise the match will be as great as a certain retirement that happened recently but he will do his best to have a match that will live on in everyone’s hearts. They shook hands and Naya told the fans they will see a heavyweight battle that no other company can match! Backstage Naya said there was no way he would lose to HARASHIMA with so many fans cheering for him. HARASHIMA admitted he could feel Naya’s strength and desire to win. He is disappointed to lose but will continue to train and push even harder for everyone who supports him.
Two well earned KO-D Tag Team Title defences in three days for ShunMao. After coming out of Burlesque Tokyo with the titles still around their waists, they faced a new and completely different challenge today. Yukio Sakaguchi & Hikaru Machida rushed in with submissions and strikes to break down the champions. MAO tried to fight back against Machida’s punches by using Palm Strikes. He struggled to match the kickboxer blow for blow, needing Shunma Katsumata to break the pin after MAO took the God’s Right Knee and Iai Punch. But MAO recovered and lured Machida into a Michinoku Driver. Katsumata took out Sakaguchi with a dive out of the ring and then ShunMao regrouped to pin Machida with the Oretachi no Mad Max.
The two teams praised each other after the match until ShunMao’s next opponents made themselves known. Both Kazusada Higuchi & Ryota Nakatsu from Harimao entered the ring to declare their challenge. MAO said he used to be afraid of Nakatsu back when they wrestled in DNA because his first singles loss was to him. Nakatsu pointed out at least he wasn’t as serious as Kota Umeda. MAO agreed. MAO is also afraid of turning down the challenge so he accepted it. ShunMao won’t be able to create a new pro wrestling landscape if they cannot get over their DNA past. MAO and Nakatsu shook hands and so did Katsumata and Higuchi. The match will take place on 21st March.
A big upset happened in the KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles when BURNING lost the titles! They were unexpectedly beaten by Shinya Aoki, Yuki Ueno & Super Sasadango Machine thanks to some unusual tactics. Aoki took Yusuke Okada’s yellow entrance jacket and wore it in the ring to distract him. Okada got it back after he Dropkicked Aoki from behind. Kotaro Suzuki and Yuki Ueno fought to a stalemate with neither getting the upper hand. Tetsuya Endo did some Keiji Muto tribute moves on Sasadango but Sasadango then blocked the Burning Star Press with his knees. Sasadango then unmasked himself, placed the mask over Okada and hit him with a Lariat. Okada tried to scramble back but ended up being pinned by Aoki in the end for the title change.
Sasadango said the probabilities of his team winning today was at 0%. There was a reason why he put this plan together to win the KO-D 6-Man Titles from BURNING and now is the time to reveal it. He wants to face Jun Akiyama again! He called Akiyama down to the ring and said he just beat three of BURNING’s strongest wrestlers. On 16th April DDT will have a show in Sasadango’s hometown of Niigata. He wants to defend the 6-Man Titles against Akiyama on that show to make the event as important as possible. Akiyama agreed and later said his tag partners for the match will be Yusuke Okada & Yuya Koroku.
It took a long detour to get here but Takeshi Masada is finally bound for Hollywood! He defeated Yuya Koroku in the final of the D GENERATIONS CUP, countering Koroku’s arm submissions with High Kicks. A Triangle Kick got Masada a two count so he followed up with a Buzzsaw Kick and then the Samurai Driver ’01 to win. Not only is Masada now going to America for the DDT shows in Los Angeles, he got a bonus prize for winning the tournament. On 12th March Masada will go one on one against Akiyama! Masada celebrated by demanding a first class ticket for his flight to America. Backstage Masada said he was able to win the tournament because his feelings were just a little bit stronger than the rest of the field. He also wants to leave a lasting impression on Akiyama with their match. Meanwhile Koroku swore revenge on Masada, promising he will make him give up the next time he traps his arm in a submission!
The international trio won their second match in a row, continuing what’s been a dream tour for Kip Sabian & Penelope Ford. The match saw Ford interfere again, this time doing a Flying Hurricanrana to Naruki Doi. Later Chris Brookes took out Doi with a Cutter while Hagane Shinno knocked Yuji Hino out of the ring with a Swan Dive Missile Dropkick. Shinno then took out both Hino & Doi with a Moonsault out of the ring. That left Sabian in the ring to pin Makoto Oishi with the Deathly Hallows. Backstage Shinno called the trio the World Good Looking Guys.
That wasn’t the end of Sabian & Ford’s adventure though. Sabian surprised his wife after the match by pinning her with a School Boy to win the Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title! Backstage an upset Ford tried to get an explanation from Sabian then walked off in a huff. Sabian shrugged it off because he was happy being the champion. Then suddenly Yoshihiko burst out of a nearby locker and grabbed Sabian in a Sleeper Hold! Sabian had no choice but to tap out, losing the belt to Yoshihiko and getting left in the locker room all alone.
The masked seafood wrestlers Shishamo Power and Unagi Mask made their return to promote DDT’s sponsorship with the Yamada Suisan company. The match itself went by without incident with Shishamo pinning Unagi. But afterwards Higuchi suddenly turned on Shishamo and attacked both wrestlers with a Brain Claw Slam and a Stunner! Why did Higuchi do this? Because he is a meat eater! Shishamo was shocked. He couldn’t believe that Higuchi eats meat instead of fish. He demanded a match between meat eaters and fish eaters to take place on 23rd April.
The six wrestlers who couldn’t reach the D GENERATIONS CUP final were put into a 6-Man Tag Match. Keigo Nakamura had his hand raised in the end after he pinned Ilusion with a Diving Headbutt. Even though the tournament has ended today, Nakamura has unfinished business with a lot of people in his generation. For one, he wants a rematch with Toi Kojima. Then there is Kojima wanting to fight everyone who was in the A Block like Hideki Okatani. While all of this is going on, Kazuma Sumi wants to use his disappointing results as a springboard for his growth.
One of the dark matches was changed when Sanshiro Takagi attacked Pheromones before it began. It was supposed to be a 4 Way Tag Match but it was changed into a 6 Vs 2 Handicap Match instead. Takagi got the other teams to agree by promising them a spot on the America shows if they could beat Pheromones. That was easier said than done. Yuki Iino & Danshoku Dieno fought off Takagi & Fuminori Abe. Then they fought off Toru Owashi & Kazuki Hirata. By the time they got to Saki Akai & Gota Ihashi the numbers game became too much and Pheromones looked to be done for. Then suddenly Ihashi paused the match to declare his love for Akai and how they will travel to America together. The delay allowed Pheromones to recover and set up a bare butt tower over the turnbuckles with Ihashi in the middle. Yumehito Imanari threw different wrestlers into them including Akai. The attacks got so lewd that the match had to be stopped. Dieno protested backstage, saying Pheromones aren’t trying to destory DDT anymore but to make it change. Meanwhile Takagi is worried about how Pheromones will act in America. He has contacted AEW asking for a superstar to team up with against Pheromones on the 30th March show.
The other dark match had MJ Paul & KANON beat Masahiro Takanashi & Antonio Honda. Paul blocked Honda’s Bionic Elbow with a Lariat and KANON made him submit to the Just Cobra Twist.
During the show Ilusion and El Unicorn gave everyone an update about their futures. Both wrestlers are graduating from the DDTeeeen!! project on 21st March to become full time members of the DDT roster! Ilusions recently turned 20 years old so he is no longer a teenager. El Unicorn is still a teen but was recently accepted into his choice of high school. His goal is now to win the KO-D Title and wrestle in America while he is a high school student. Ilusion said there won’t be any changes from him just because he is graduating from DDTeeeen!! He still wants to wrestle against opponents like Vent Vert Jack and Raimu Imai more often.
Saki Akai announced her plans this year to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of her pro wrestling debut. First she will have a singles match against Masahiro Takanashi on 21st March. Takanashi was a part of Akai’s debut match in 2013. Then she will be getting two anniversary shows later in the year, one in Korakuen Hall on 13th August and another in Kyoto KBS Hall on 30th September where she promises there will be beautiful pro wrestling in front of the beautiful stained glass windows.
Trainee Rukiya Ikeda will make his debut on 9th April. He is from the same class of trainees as Takeshi Masada and Kazuma Sumi. Ikeda wants to surpass the both of them.
More matches were announced for the 26th Anniversary show on 21st March. The five hour show will include Kazuki Hirata’s 13th Anniversary Match where he will team with Yoshihiko against Keisuke Ishii & Soma Takao. Also on the card Sasadango & Honda will take on a mystery “Super Powerhouse Tag Team”. Finally, Kenta Kobashi will be at the show to see the KO-D Title main event.
DDT “FRIENDSHIP, EFFORT, VICTORY IN NAGOYA 2023”, 18/02/2023 Aichi Nagoya International Conference Center Event Hall 398 Fans
1. D GENERATIONS CUP – B Block: Takeshi Masada (4) defeated Toi Kojima (4) with the Samura Driver ’01 (8:21).
2. D GENERATIONS CUP – A Block: Yuya Koroku (6) defeated Hideki Okatani (4) with a Running Elbow Butt (9:39).
3. 4 Way Tag Match: Antonio Honda & Saki Akai defeated Yuki “Sexy” Iino & Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno, Toru Owashi & Kazuki Hirata and Gota Ihashi & Keigo Nakamura when Akai pinned Ihashi with the Rookie Award (11:38).
4. Kotaro Suzuki, Yukio Sakaguchi & Yusuke Okada defeated Yuji Hino, Makoto Oishi & Kazuma Sumi when Suzuki submitted Sumi with a Crab Hold (10:46).
5. International Special 6-Man Tag Match: Kip Sabian (w/ Penelope Ford), Chris Brookes & Hagane Shinno defeated Kazusada Higuchi, Yuki Ueno & Yuki Ishida when Sabian pinned Ishida with the Deathly Hollows (14:18).
6. DDT Extreme Title – Master Of Environment Match: Jun Akiyama (c) defeated Akito with a Wrist-Clutch Inside Cradle (11:08). *V3 for Jun Akiyama.
-. Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title: Penelope Ford defeated Saki Akai (c) with a School Boy (7:38 pm). *Penelope Ford becomes the 1,557th champion.
7. Nagoya Specialty Special 6-Man Tag Match: MAO, Shunma Katsumata & Yukio Naya defeated HARASHIMA, Soma Takao & Shinya Ishida when Naya pinned Takao with the Back Drop (10:30).
8. DDT Universal Title: Naruki Doi (c) defeated KANON with the Bakatare Sliding Kick (19:21). *V1 for Naruki Doi.
1. Takeshi Masada (4)
-. Toi Kojima (4)
3. Yuki Ishida (2)
-. Keigo Nakamura (2)
Promises were made by Naruki Doi and KANON that their DDT Universal Match would be just between them with no bystanders around the ring, let alone any interference. Obviously that turned out to be a lie. KANON did walk out to the ring on his own and fought by himself for a while. But once Doi had everything going his way MJ Paul burst out of hiding to interfere in the match. Luckily for Doi, Toru Owashi made his way to the ring to counter Paul and return the match back to a level playing field. In a fair fight KANON did his best but two Bakatare Sliding Kicks back to back left Doi retaining his championship.
After the match Doi said he could tell KANON was being unusually emotional and realised he really did try to win the title off of him. Doi hates guys like KANON and Daisuke Sasaki but he will always want to fight them too so they should have another match sometime. At this point in his victory speech, Doi noticed that nobody was heading down to the ring to challenge him for a title match. So Doi decided to call out Tetsuya Endo! It had to be explained to him that Endo wasn’t at the show today because of a fever so the show ended with that potential match hanging in the air. Endo did tweet out later he would like to do the match.
Yukio Naya had a face off with HARASHIMA after their 6-Man Tag Match. Backstage Naya said he knows HARASHIMA’s strikes are strong but he was the winner today. He is confident he will be the winner against HARASHIMA at Korakuen Hall too on 26th February. HARASHIMA admitted he can feel the momentum and strength coming from his opponent is higher than ever before. It only makes him look forward to the match even more!
The Master Of Environment Match had two green ropes stretching across the ring with one attached to the middle ring ropes and the other attached to the bottom ropes. The turnbuckle pads were also removed. Akito came up with these moves to test Jun Akiyama’s mobility as well as give the two wrestlers more ways to leverage pinfalls and submission holds. The limited space caused Akiyama and Akito to get tangled in the green ropes in multiple ways. Yukinori Matsui also had trouble moving around and tripped out of the way at one point. Akito used that as an opportunity to add a third green rope. When Matsui noticed the extra rope and went to remove it, Akito crotched Akiyama and cradled him for a nearfall. Akiyama then grabbed Akito in the Exploder Suplex position and began to set him up for the Wrist-Clutch version. Akito grabbed a green rope to keep himself grounded but Akiyama then rolled him over with an Inside Cradle to get the three count. Akito later blamed the green ropes for betraying him and making him lose. He’ll never fight in this kind of match ever again!
After the match Akiyama announced his who his next DDT Extreme Title challenger is going to be. He called down Kotaro Suzuki! There was a pause until Suzuki came down to the ring. Akiyama joked about him being late and having bad timing. He also pointed out that Suzuki often wrestles by different rules because of his freelance status. Wouldn’t being a champion make him even more attractive as a freelancer? If he can beat Akiyama in a hard hitting, no nonsense match then Akiyama will let Suzuki stay here in DDT! Suzuki accepted the challenge and the match will take place at DDT’s 26th Anniversary show on 21st March.
The arrival of Kip Sabian and Penelope Ford to DDT is already paying off for the couple. Sabian’s first match here had him spearheading an international trio with Chris Brookes & Hagane Shinno. Ford wasn’t afraid to get involved either because she gave Kazusada Higuchi a Hurricanrana and Yuki Ishida a Missile Dropkick whenever the ref wasn’t looking. She even played into the result, giving Sabian aid to set up his Deathly Hallows finisher to Ishida. Backstage Shinno was full of praise for Sabian, telling the media there are so many amazing wrestlers like him in AEW. According to Shinno, maybe we will see more of them in DDT soon? Sabian talked about how when he saw the Kenny Omega Vs Kota Ibushi match at Budokan Hall eleven years ago, he knew from that day on he wanted to come to DDT. Today he finally made it and he got to team up with Brookes again for the first time in years. Now he has his eyes set on next week’s appearance in Korakuen Hall.
That’s not all though. Ford got even more attention backstage by becoming the new Iron Man Heavymetalweight Champion! Sabian & Ford spotted Saki Akai walking backstage and hatched a plan. Sabian distracted Akai by introducing himself to her and starting a conversation. Ford then gave Akai a School Boy, got the three count and the couple ran off with the belt!
The last block matches in the D GENERATIONS CUP have now set up the final on 26th February. The A Block had two unbeaten wrestlers left, Hideki Okatani and Yuya Koroku. A Running Elbow Butt from Koroku turned out to be the difference maker sending him right into the final. Over in the B Block Takeshi Masada had to fight from behind against Toi Kojima to win the match. Due to the head to head result that means Masada just barely makes it to the final, keeping his Hollywood dream only one more step away from finally becoming a reality.
DDT “NEPPA OVER FLOWERS 2 ~THE WORLD UNKNOWN TO EVERYONE~”, 14/02/2023 Shinjuku FACE 306 Fans – Super No Vacancy
1. Anshin Oyado Presents ~The World Unknown To ShunMao~ Reprinted Men’s Club! Special 4 Way Tag Match: MAO & Shunma Katsumata defeated Chris Brookes & Masahiro Takanashi, Makoto Oishi & Shiori Asahi and Tsutomu Oosugi & Banana Senga when MAO pinned Oishi after the Oretachi no Madmax (12:12). (Special Referee: MEN’S Teioh)
2. D GENERATIONS CUP – A Block: Ilusion (2) defeated Kazuma Sumi (0) with a Japanese Leg Roll Clutch (6:19).
3. D GENERATIONS CUP – B Block: Yuki Ishida (2) defeated Keigo Nakamura (2) with the Flame Palm (11:02).
4. sauna line Presents ~The World Unknown To Yuki~ A Fair And Square Special Handicap Match Where Blood Is Washed Away: Yuki Ueno defeated Gorgeous Matsuno & Gabai Ji-chan when Ueno pinned Matsuno after the Swanton Bomb from Ji-chan (13:10).
5. SeaSaunaShack Presents ~The World Unknown To Toi~ Burn The Firewood! Special Singles Match: Yasu Urano defeated Toi Kojima with a Hurricanrana Turnback (10:01).
6. Special Tag Match: Konosuke Takeshita (Sakura Hirota) & Akito defeated Tetsuya Endo & Kazuki Hirata when Takeshita (Hirota) pinned Hirata with the Jumping Knee (17:19).
7. Final Set – Naniwa Kenko Land Yu~topia Presents ~The World Unknown To The 37KAMIINA~ Beyond The Totonoi: Toi Kojimda defeated MAO, Shunma Katsumata and Yuki Ueno (19:38).
7a. 4 Way Match: Shunma Katsumata Vs MAO Vs Yuki Ueno Vs Toi Kojima is still ongoing.
7b. Single Match: MAO Vs Shunma Katsumata is still ongoing.
7c. Single Match: Yuki Ueno Vs Toi Kojima is still ongoing.
7d. Tag Team Match: MAO & Yuki Ueno Vs Shunma Katsumata & Toi Kojima is still ongoing.
7e. 3 Vs 1 Handicap Match: MAO, Yuki Ueno & Toi Kojima Vs Shunma Katsumata is still ongoing.
7f. 3 Vs 1 Handicap Hardcore Match: MAO, Yuki Ueno & Toi Kojima Vs Shunma Katsumata is still ongoing.
7g. Survival 4 Way Match ~ 2 Count Falls & Over The Top Rope Rules: Toi Kojimda defeated MAO, Shunma Katsumata and Yuki Ueno (19:38).
7ga. Yuki Ueno eliminated MAO by Ring Out (17:39).
7gb. Shunma Katsumata eliminated Yuki Yeno with a Foot Stomp (18:12).
7gc. Toi Kojima eliminated Shunma Katsumata with a Modified Ebigatame (19:38).
1. Toi Kojima (4)
2. Takeshi Masada (2)
-. Yuki Ishida (2)
-. Keigo Nakamura (2)
One year ago The 37KAMIINA held their first self produced show. It was a success so one year later they did it again. The four members of the unit still in Japan all came up with their own ideas for matches to fill up the card but the main event was a mystery until it began. The missing member of the group Konosuke Takeshita was somehow able to speak from the heavens and declared that he will come up with the rules for the main event. What he wanted to see depended on how hot the match would get. At first he asked for a 4 Way Match but after an exchange between MAO and Shunma Katsumata took place he then wondered what a singles match between ShunMao would look like. After a few minutes of that he then noticed Yuki Ueno and Toi Kojima were cooling off so they should do a singles match too. Just when Ueno was about to win, Takeshita changed his mind and said it was now a tag match between Ueno & MAO against Katsumata & Kojima. He also told them there is now a special rule that you can only tag in and out by kissing each other! He then said was only joking. He continued changing the rules turning the match into a 3 Vs 1 Handicap with everyone against Katsumata, then turning that into a Hardcore 4 Way before finally settling on a 4 Way Survival Match with 2 Count Pins and Battle Royal style eliminations in effect. When the dust finally settled it was the most junior member of the unit Kojima who was the winner! Kojima was so happy to win because today is the first time he could hear the fans chanting his name for a victory. He told the rest of The 37KAMIINA they should do a third show like this in the future.
Takeshita was part of the show in body as well as spirit. Well kind of. Akito was supposed to team with Sakura Hirota and Hirota walked out in a full bodsuit Takeshita costume! Her mimickry was so convincing that Tetsuya Endo wanted to start the match against “Takeshita” instead of Akito. They proceeded to do a back and forth that was very similar to a section of the Takeshita Vs MJF match from AEW last week. Akito provided some assistance so “Takeshita” could give Endo & Kazuki Hirata a Double German Suplex. “Takeshita” then wanted to do the Zahi but it came off looking more like the Jumping Knee. Either way, it was enough to pin Hirata for the three count. After the match Akito thanked “Takeshita” for coming back to America just to do this match. Endo also shook “Takeshita’s” hand finally putting their heated rivalry to rest. That counts, right?
Most of the undercard featured at least one member of The 37KAMIINA involved in it. Kojima had a singles match against Yasu Urano that turned out to be way more heated than it looked on paper. Urano attacked Kojima behind the curtain before he could even make his entrance and attacked him around ringside. Kojima fought back, even leaving Urano with a shiner over his right eye. He tried to use Cradle moves to pin Urano but his Hurricanrana was used against him. Urano ended up rolling back on top of Kojima out of that move to get the pin.
Ueno’s match was a 2-On-1 Handicap contest against the elderly. Gorgeous Matsuno picked a fight with Ueno in the leadup to the show and said he knew somebody who wanted to fight Ueno even more. It turned out to be Gabai Ji-chan. At first Ueno easily fought them off until he had the temerity to cuss out Ji-chan for being an old man. That made Ji-chan drop his cane and proceed to wrestle at a fast pace. Ueno couldn’t keep up until he gave the cane back to Ji-chan, regressing him back to his elderly state. The cane was passed around, turning whoever held it into an old person. When Matsui was given the cane, it made him count pinfalls slower than Joe Higuchi. Matsuno put Ueno in a Sleeper Hold and held him down, offering to sacrifice himself so Ji-chan could hit the Swanton Bomb onto both of them. Ueno escaped anyway and Matsuno took the entire move. Ueno then pinned him for the win. Despite the loss, Matsuno & Ji-chan congratulated Ueno for winning so their little grudge is now settled.
ShunMao’s match was a Men’s Club style 4 Way Tag Match with Men’s Teioh himself involved as the referee. The other three teams were CDK, Speed Of Sounds and Makoto Oishi & Shiori Asahi. All teams tried to one up each other with tricky Men’s Club spots in between their usual moves. Teioh ended up getting caught in the crossfire and got hit by Oishi. Teioh took his anger out on him and helped ShunMao get the win over him.
The four wrestlers in today’s D GENERATIONS CUP matches all finish their runs with no chance of making the final. Keigo Nakamura had a slim chance depending on other results but Yuki Ishida killed off any hope of that happening by beating him. Ilusion also finally got to win a block match in his very last bout of the group. That result means Kazuma Sumi ends the tournament with 0 points. He is the only one to not win a match.
DDT “DDT YOKOHAMA UNLIMITED VOL. 1”, 11/02/2023 Yokohama Radiant Hall 195 Fans – No Vacancy
0. Dark Match: Yuki “Sexy” Iino & Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno defeated Toru Owashi & Antonio Honda when Iino submitted Honda with a Cross Buttocks Armbreaker (30:03:40).
1. D GENERATIONS CUP – A Block: Yuya Koroku (4) defeated Ilusion (0) with the Modified Triangle Lancer (8:11).
2. D GENERATIONS CUP – B Block: Toi Kojima (2) defeated Keigo Nakamura (2) with the Kojima In Wonderland ~KOJIMA Wonderland~ (7:58)
3. D GENERATIONS CUP – B Block: Takeshi Masada (2) defeated Yuki Ishida (0) with the Samurai Driver ’01 (9:34).
4. Tetsuya Endo, Jun Akiyama, Yusuke Okada & Noriyuki Yoshida defeated Chris Brookes, Akito, Soma Takao & Kazuma Sumi when Endo submitted Sumi with the Yurikamome (10:08).
5. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Yukio Sakaguchi, Hideki Okatani & Hikaru Machida defeated MAO, Yuki Ueno & Kazuki Hirata when Machida pinned Hirata with the Iai Punch (11:26).
6. Burlesque Death Match: Sanshiro Takagi defeated Shunma Katsumata with the Stone Cold Stunner (9:02).
7. Harimao Vs DAMNATION T.A!: Kazusada Higuchi & Ryota Nakatsu defeated MJ Paul & KANON when Higuchi pinned Paul with a Lariat (10:20).
8. Special Tag Match: HARASHIMA & Yukio Naya defeated Yuji Hino & Makoto Oishi when Naya pinned Oishi with the Back Drop (14:37).
1. Toi Kojima (4)
2. Keigo Nakamura (2)
-. Takeshi Masada (2)
4. Yuki Ishida (0)
The was a little bit of dissension between HARASHIMA & Yukio Naya in the main event but it was only out of competition. HARASHIMA gave Makoto Oishi a Soccer Kick early in the match. Naya then stepped in, said his kick is better and demonstrated it by giving his own Soccer Kick to Oishi. Their little back and forth was interrupted by Yuji Hino who threw them around with his power. Naya got back to fighting Oishi and won by pinning him with the Back Drop. After the match Hino said no matter who becomes the No. 1 Contender he is looking forward to defending the KO-D Openweight Title against either of them. HARASHIMA guaranteed he will be the challenger at DDT’s 26th Anniversary show. Naya said he will definitely surpass both HARASHIMA and Yukio Naya soon enough!
Members of DAMNATION T.A can rest a bit easy now that Daisuke Sasaki has reappeared in public this week. KANON & MJ Paul had a bad day anyway because they lost to Kazusada Higuchi and Harimao’s newest member Ryota Nakatsu. This was Nakatsu’s first match with the unit so he borrowed Naomi Yoshimura’s Harimao shirt for the ocassion even though it was one size too big for him.
The preview of the upcoming KO-D Tag Team Titles match between Shunma Katsumata and Sanshiro Takagi took an expected direction followed by an unexpected one. The expected was weapons being brought into the ring and used by both wrestlers. It was allowed because both men agreed to fight in a Burlesque Death Match where they were allowed to do whatever they want whenever burlesque music was heard. The unexpected was the music glitched out and was suddenly replaced with Yuki “Sexy” Iino’s theme, causing Iino to run in and attack Takagi! Katsumata tried to take advantage but it backfired when Takagi threw him face first into Iino’s backside. Takagi then pinned him with the Stunner. Takagi told Katsumata that there will be proper burlesque dancers at their Tag Title match on 23rd February where Bonno Dai Shacho will become the new champions!
After winning their 6-Man Tag Match, Yukio Sakaguchi & Hikaru Machida agreed to continue teaming together so they can challenge for the KO-D Tag Titles. It was confirmed they will get a shot of the belts on 26th February, three days after ShunMao’s defence against Bonno Dai Shacho at the burlesque club.
Akito gave fans a demonstration of the Master Of Environment Match he will be having against Jun Akiyama on 18th February. He attached a green rope from one side of the ring across the middle to the other side. Akito rolled up Akiyama in a Cradle and placed his feet on the rope for extra leverage to get a nearfall. The rope was then removed for the rest of the match to go ahead.
The D GENERATIONS CUP is heading towards the finish line with a few contenders in both blocks still in the race. Takeshi Masada scored his first points by beating Yuki Ishida with the Samurai Driver ’01. Toi Kojima takes the leading spot in the B Block by beating Keigo Nakamura. Lastly, Yuya Koroku has now caught up to Hideki Okatani in the A Block after his win over Ilusion.
For some reason the dark match began two days ago and was already 29 hours deep when fans started entering the venue. When they got to ringside they saw Iino, Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno, Toru Owashi and the referee all asleep in the ring while a tired Antonio Honda was meditating. The match continued despite everyone involved being exhausted. Some of them ended up sleepwalking around ringside only to climb back in at the count of 19. Honda tripped over the rope getting into the ring, which led to him telling a Gongitsune joke for the 102nd time. He fell asleep halfway through so Iino put him in a modified Cross Armbreaker that involves the arm bending over his backside. Honda gave up and the match finally ended after 30 hours of non-stop gripping excitement.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “THE 3RD “FUTARI WA PRINCESS” MAX HEART TOURNAMENT”, 11/02/2023 Tokyo Korakuen Hall 657 Fans – Super No Vacancy
1. Wakana Uehara defeated HIMAWARI with a Sleeper Hold (6:26).
2. Yuki Kamifuku, Nao Kakuta & Mahiro Kiryu defeated Raku, Haruna Neko & Kaya Toribami when Kamifuku pinned Toribami with the Famouser (11:32).
3. Arisu Endo defeated Moka Miyamoto with the Camel Clutch (9:27).
4. Yuki Arai defeated Pom Harajuku with the Finally (6:40).
5. Hikari Noa & Janai Kai defeated Rika Tatsumi & Yuki Aino when Kai pinned Aino with the Tornado Kick (12:30).
6. Yuka Sakazaki & Mizuki defeated Miu Watanabe & Suzume when Sakazaki pinned Suzume after the Toy Story 4 (12:58).
7. “Futari wa Princess” Max Heart Tournament – Final: Miyu Yamashita & Maki Itoh defeated Shoko Nakajima & Hyper Misao when Itoh submitted Nakajima with the Itoh Deluxe (25:35).
The result of this Max Heart Tournament final is historic for two reasons. First, Maki Itoh is now the first woman to win both the Max Heart Tournament and Tokyo Princess Cup. And second, Miyu Yamashita has finally won a tournament after almost ten years of trying! 121000000 had to fight their biggest challenge in the end, Kyoraku Kyomei. Before the match began Hyper Misao got on the microphone and said she is happy these were the two teams in the final. Of course it was to set up a sneak attack and 121000000 saw it coming. They blocked the ambush and took control of the opening minutes. Misao briefly had her mask fall off during the match but she ignored it to hit Yamashita’s leg against the ring post. She put the mask back on and continued targeting the leg. Itoh tagged in but her momentum was cut off by Shoko Nakajima. Kyoraku Kyomei kept trying to isolate Itoh until Yamashita came to the rescue leading to all four wrestlers being falling down on the canvas. 121000000 got up first and fired each other up by headbutting each other. Yamashita countered the Hypami Returns with the Skull Kick to get rid of Misao. Nakajima was then given a Flying DDT/Wheelbarrow German Suplex combo. Itoh followed up by locking in the Itoh Deluxe, making Nakajima tap out!
Nakajima gave Itoh a nod of respect after the match before being helped to the back by Misao. 121000000 were then presented with the trophies and gave out a victory speech. Itoh said after seeing the look on Nakajima’s face, she understands how she feels. It makes her want to do her best for Nakajima and everyone else in Tokyo Joshi Pro. That leads to their next challenge. It is now up to 121000000 to take the Princess Tag Team Titles from The Wasteland War Party and it’s going to happen at Ariake Coliseum on 18th March! Yamashita said it was frustrating that her team with Itoh wasn’t able to produce good results for this long because they are so great together. It’s fun to work with Itoh and fight with Itoh so they are perfect business partners. No matter how long Yamashita lives for, Itoh will always be her partner business or otherwise. They then tried to close out the show by saying “One To…” “…Million!” expecting the fans to chant along. It didn’t really catch on so they spent their post-match interview backstage workshopping it in front of the reporters. The professional media did not join in.
Fresh off of her American expedition, Yuka Sakazaki reunited with Mizuki and you wouldn’t tell there is any tension between them as we get closer towards “GRAND PRINCESS ’23”. They were just as happy to be teaming together as The Magical Sugar Rabbits as they always are. Their teamwork was on par and led to them beating Miu Watanabe & Suzume with the Toy Story 4. Backstage Mizuki said she watched Sakazaki’s matches in America and saw how different they are compared to over here. The deal meant Mizuki was able to wrestle a lot of singles matches too so she is preparing for their Princess Of Princess Title match on 18th March. Sakazaki said she can tell TJPW is even better than before because everyone cherishes each and every match they take part in. She also wants MagiRabi to be the next wrestlers collaborating with Idolmaster Cinderella Girls because they just beat the current girls involved with the marketing campaign. Speaking of that franchise, Watanabe & Suzume were hoping to get a lot of Idolmaster fans supporting them today because there was an Idolmaster concert going on next door in the Tokyo Dome.
Welcome to TJPW, Janai Kai! Not everyone gave Kai a happy hello in her first match with the promotion. Rika Tatsumi pretty quickly tried to strangle her. Kai did get along with her tag partner Hikari Noa. Tatsumi missed a Hip Attack and hit Yuki Aino by mistake. Noa & Kai did their trademark moves alongside each other and Kai pinned Aino with the Tornado Kick. Backstage Kai said she’s been studying Watanabe’s matches and is ready to fight her for the International Princess Title on 18th February. Tatsumi now thinks she is friends with Kai. Aino didn’t believe her because she doesn’t choke people she wants to be friends with. Tatsumi explained her attempt to strangle Kai was just a baptism ceremony in order to establish friendship.
Before Yuki Arai gets to fight Aja Kong in Ariake she had to deal with another dangerous monster today… Pom Harajuku! Arai’s opponent today came out dressed in SKE48 merchandise and looked like she wanted to enjoy a concert rather than wrestle. Harajuku asked Arai to perform SKE48’s new single instead of doing the match. Arai agreed when the audience began clapping along so she danced to the song until Harajuku rolled her up for a nearfall. Harajuku targeted Arai’s shins but her tactics didn’t work. Arai was able to hit her with the Finally and get the win. She has two matches with Kong coming up and wants to make sure Kong sees how good she has become.
It was a day of firsts across the board. Yamashita won her first tournament, Kai had her first match in Japan, SKE48 had their new song played in the Kanto region for the first time and Arisu Endo earned her first ever singles win! She was able to beat Moka Miyamoto by trapping her in the Camel Clutch and keeping the pressure up until Miyamoto submitted. She said it was a big deal she was able to get her first win by herself. She wants to get stronger and win more often. She also promised to send an update about her big achievement over to Reika Saiki when she gets the chance. She inherited the Camel Clutch from Saiki which is why she is always so determined to win with it.
If you forgot that Yuki Kamifuku is a dog person she made it clear by stomping on Haruna Neko a lot. Neko recovered after Mahiro Kiryu’s Apology Knee Drop to tag in Raku. Neko returned later to take out both Kiryu & Nao Kakuta with a Double Neckbreaker Drop. She was stopped with a Big Boot from Kamifuku who then went on to give Kaya Toribami a Brainbuster. She then won with the Famouser.
Wakana Uehara gets her first ever wrestling win too! She caught HIMAWARI in a Sleeper Hold and kept it on to drag her opponent down into submission. The result makes Uehara really happy because whenever she trains with her seniors she feels like she is not ready yet. Today’s result makes her want to work even harder so she can compete against more of the TJPW roster. HIMAWARI said this loss is more frustrating than the others but she will treat it as a lesson she has to learn. She will now go train her mind to become so strong she will never give up to a Sleeper Hold again!
There were several announcements throughout the show, many of them related to “GRAND PRINCESS ’23”. One of them is the return of NEO Biishiki-gun! The team of Sakisama & Mei Saint-Michel will go against Yuki Kamifuku & Billie Starkz on the show.
Juria Nagano gave everyone an update on her finger injury. She fractured her left index finger during her most recent match on 29th January. There wasn’t a date given for her return but she promised the fans she is definitely coming back to the TJPW ring.
Watanabe & Suzume promoted their crossover merch with Idolmaster Cinderella Girls at the start of the show. They were then surprised with the unexpected appearance of Andreza Giant Panda! After the panda struggled to get into the ring it was then announced Andreza will be part of “GRAND PRINCESS ’23”.
Three trainees will make their pro wrestling debuts in March. Toga will have her first match in Shinjuku on 6th March. Haru and Momo will both make their debuts at “GRAND PRINCESS ’23”.
Last but not least a few new shows were added to the schedule, each of them being a homecoming show for a TJPW wrestler. Kamifuku is getting a show in Kanagawa on 27th May. Yamashita & Itoh are getting a show in Fukuoka on 25th June.
DDT “INTO THE FIGHT 2023 IN OSAKA”, 05/02/2023 Osaka Azalea Taisho Hall 216 Fans – Super No Vacancy
1. D GENERATIONS CUP – A Block: Yuya Koroku (2) defeated Kazuma Sumi (0) with a Triangle Lancer (6:39).
2. D GENERATIONS CUP – A Block: Hideki Okatani (4) defeated Ilusion (0) with the Double Arm Suplex (6:25).
3. Yuki “Sexy” Iino & Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno Vs Shunma Katsumata & Maku Donaruto ended in a No Contest (10:55).
4. D GENERATIONS CUP – B Block: Toi Kojima (2) defeated Yuki Ishida (0) with the Kojima In Wonderland ~KOJIMA Wonderland~ (8:58).
5. Osaka Specialty Special Tag Match: Naruki Doi & Toru Owashi Vs MJ Paul & KANON ended in a Double Countout (2:34).
5a. Rematch: Naruki Doi & Toru Owashi defeated MJ Paul & KANON when Doi pinned Paul with the V9 Clutch (9:08).
6. Special Tag Match: Kazusada Higuchi & Chris Brookes defeated Yuji Hino & Makoto Oishi when Higuchi submitted Oishi with the Brain Claw (13:39).
7. Tetsuya Endo, Jun Akiyama & Yusuke Okada defeated HARASHIMA, Yukio Sakaguchi & Kazuki Hirata when Endo pinned Hirata with the Swivel Torture Rack Boom (15:12)
8. Special Tag Match: Yuki Ueno & MAO defeated Yukio Naya & Takeshi Masada when Ueno pinned Masada with the WR (18:47).
1. Keigo Nakamura (2)
2. Toi Kojima (2)
-. Yuki Ishida (0)
-. Takeshi Masada (0)
Given that today’s show was taking place in Osaka, Yuki Ueno had a few words to say after the main event. First, he did not expect Yukio Naya to be even more fired up than he was when they fought in the D-Ou Grand Prix final. Second, he heard about Takeshi Masada, also from Osaka, was amazing for a newcomer. He now believes it after fighting him today. However Ueno thinks it will be Toi Kojima who wins the D GENERATIONS CUP and goes to Hollywood with him. Speaking of Hollywood, Ueno then promoted his singles match against Konosuke Takeshita at “DDT GOES HOLLYWOOD” in Los Angeles on 30th March and asked for the fans to support him. The 37KAMIINA is the unit that will make the entire world hot in 2023 but Ueno’s heart will always be in Osaka. MAO does not like Osaka however because of that one time he and Mike Bailey had travel issues there and arrived late for a show.
Yukio Sakaguchi ordered Kazuki Hirata not to wear his Hirata GO! glasses for the semi-main event because it was “not that kind of match”. Hirata tried to put them on but Sakaguchi took the glasses off him and placed them over in the other team’s corner. Hirata eventually got the glasses back and began dancing. Somehow all of his opponents then appeared in the ring wearing Hirata GO! glasses too. Jun Akiyama knocked Hirata down with a Lariat, Yusuke Okada hit a Diving Headbutt and Tetsuya Endo pinned him with the Torture Rack Bomb. HARASHIMA didn’t spend much time caring about the loss. His focus quickly switched to watching how his next big opponent Naya fared in the main event.
The Brain Claw was used by Kazusada Higuchi to counter Makoto Oishi’s Fujiyama Knee Lock. When Oishi applied the move, Higuchi grabbed his head in the Claw and overpowered him for the tapout victory.
Naruki Doi and KANON took their fight out of the ring and kept it out there long enough for the tag match to end in a Double Countout. Doi got on the microphone and said this was their last match before the DDT Universal Title bout on 18th February and he did not want it to end this way. KANON agreed so the match restarted. It almost ended in another Double Countout but they both made it back to the ring at 19. MJ Paul tagged in and KANON struck Doi in the back with a chair when the referee wasn’t looking. However things then went wrong for DAMNATION T.A and Doi pinned Paul out of nowhere with the V9 Clutch. KANON & Paul both attacked Doi after the match, leaving him beaten in the middle of the ring. Backstage Doi admitted KANON did what he is supposed to do and he wants him to do the same when the title is on the line. There will be nobody in his corner when that match happens and Doi wants to test how far KANON can go on his own.
Of course the Pheromones match with Maku Donaruto also involved ended in an obscene No Contest. There was no way the finish would be anything else. The antics caused Shunma Katsumata to turn into Shunma “Chunma” Katsumata and it was he who caused the match to get thrown out when he gave Yukinori Matsui the Lip Lock.
Three block matches in the D GENERATIONS CUP took place today. Kojima is off to a good start by beating Yuki Ishida. He dodged the Flame Palm and then used two versions of the Kojima In Wonderland to pin Ishida. He is very satisfied with the result because he could tell Ishida was giving him his “Dosukoi” best effort. His next group opponent is Keigo Nakamura and he promises to beat him up because he finds him annoying.
Hideki Okatani takes the clear lead in the A Block after winning his second match in a row. It was Ilusion’s first match in the tournament and he threw everything he had at his opponent. Okatani isn’t interested in following Ilusion’s career but he admits he is now a little more aware of the guy after the match they had today. Ilusion said he will win his remaining matches and go on to win the tournament. He also swore he will spend years and even decades chasing after Okatani so he can overtake him!
The only person who can stop Okatani in the A Block now is Yuya Koroku. His first match today ended with a win and he will have to beat Ilusion next week to catch up with Okatani. He uses a Triangle Lancer to beat Kazuma Sumi after discovering that Sumi was a more aggressive opponent than he expected. Sumi cannot reach the final now but will stay strong for his final group match. All he can do now is do his best.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “BEYOND THE ORIGINS, INTO THE FUTURE”, 30/01/2023 TwinBox AKIHABARA 0 Fans
1. Princess Of The Decade – Round 1 – 2 Count Rules: Miyu Yamashita defeated HIMAWARI with a Middle Kick (2:21).
2. Princess Of The Decade – Round 1 – 2 Count Rules: Suzume defeated Kaya Toribami with the Mikazuki Meteor Shower (2:35).
3. Princess Of The Decade – Round 1 – 2 Count Rules: Hyper Misao Vs Miu Watanabe ended in a Time Limit Draw (5:00).
3a. Rock-Paper-Scissors: Hyper Misao defeated Miu Watanabe when Rock beats Scissors.
4. Princess Of The Decade – Round 2 – 2 Count Rules: Rika Tatsumi defeated Pom Harajuku with the Sliding Hip. (3:03).
5. Princess Of The Decade – Round 2 – 2 Count Rules: Hikari Noa defeated Moka Miyamoto with a Missile Dropkick from a Chair (2:52).
6. Princess Of The Decade – Round 2 – 2 Count Rules: Mahiro Kiryu Vs Maki Itoh ended in a Time Limit Draw (5:00).
6a. Rock-Paper-Scissors: Mahiro Kiryu defeated Maki Itoh when Rock beats Scissors.
7. Princess Of The Decade – Round 2 – 2 Count Rules: Haruna Neko defeated Yuki Aino with a Crucifix Pin (4:06).
8. Princess Of The Decade – Round 2 – 2 Count Rules: Nao Kakuta defeated Arisu Endo with a Wrist-Clutch Complete Shot (2:46).
9. Princess Of The Decade – Round 2 – 2 Count Rules: Miyu Yamashita Vs Raku ended in a Time Limit Draw (5:00).
9a. Rock-Paper-Scissors: Miyu Yamashita defeated Raku when Paper beats Rock.
10. Princess Of The Decade – Round 2 – 2 Count Rules: Shoko Nakajima defeated Suzume with a Rotating Leg Hold (3:12).
11. Princess Of The Decade – Round 2 – 2 Count Rules: Mizuki defeated Hyper Misao with a Casadora (3:04).
12. Princess Of The Decade – Round 3 – 2 Count Rules: Rika Tatsumi defeated Hikari Noa with the Twist Of Fate (2:19).
13. Princess Of The Decade – Round 3 – 2 Count Rules: Mahiro Kiryu defeated Miyu Yamashita with the Houtei Raoyui (0:31).
14. Princess Of The Decade – Round 3 – 2 Count Rules: Shoko Nakajima defeated Haruna Neko with the Northern Lights Suplex (4:01).
15. Princess Of The Decade – Round 3 – 2 Count Rules: Nao Kakuta defeated Mizuki with a Rollover Pin (2:26).
16. Princess Of The Decade – Semi Final – 2 Count Rules: Rika Tatsumi defeated Mahiro Kiryu with the Torso Dragon Sleeper (2:24).
17. Princess Of The Decade – Semi Final – 2 Count Rules: Shoko Nakajima defeated Nao Kakuta with a Crucifix Pin (4:18).
18. Princess Of The Decade – Final – 2 Count Rules: Rika Tatsumi Vs Shoko Nakajima ended in a Time Limit Draw (5:00).
18a. Overtime – 1 Count Rules: Rika Tatsumi defeated Shoko Nakajima with the Sliding Hip (0:36).
It’s been ten years to the day where Tokyo Joshi Pro held their first exhibition show in TwinBox AKIHABARA. A one night tournament on PPV featuring 19 of TJPW’s regular roster was put together to celebrate the 10th anniversary. Due to the small venue and large amount of matches on the schedule, every match had a 5 minute time limit. The matches that went to a time limit draw in the first three rounds used Rock-Paper-Scissors as a tiebreaker. The rules led to some unlikely upsets like Mahiro Kiryu eliminating both Maki Itoh and Miyu Yamashita. There was also Haruna Neko scoring a rare singles win when she beat Yuki Aino. The semi final and final got rid of the games and instead used 1 Count Pinfalls for any tiebreakers. That only came into effect for the final where Rika Tatsumi pinned Shoko Nakajima, avenging her loss to her on yesterday’s show. In her victory speech, Tatsumi said the history of Tokyo Joshi Pro will continue so please keep your eyes on them!
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “THE 3RD “FUTARI WA PRINCESS” MAX HEART TOURNAMENT”, 29/01/2023 Saitama Kasukabe Fureai Cube 251 Fans – No Vacancy
1. Mahiro Kiryu defeated HIMAWARI with the Spinebuster (6:50).
2. Mizuki defeated Wakana Uehara with the Face Lock (9:07).
3. 3 Way Match: Raku defeated Yuki Aino and Haruna Neko when Raku pinned Neko with the Doctor Yellow (7:17).
4. Yuki Arai, Suzume & Arisu Endo defeated Hikari Noa, Nao Kakuta & Kaya Toribami when Suzume pinned Toribami with the Ring A Bell (12:44).
5. “Futari wa Princess” Max Heart Tournament – Semi-Final: Miyu Yamashita & Maki Itoh defeated Moka Miyamoto & Juria Nagano when Itoh submitted Nagano with the Itoh Punish (14:34).
6. “Futari wa Princess” Max Heart Tournament – Semi-Final: Shoko Nakajima & Hyper Misao defeated Rika Tatsumi & Miu Watanabe when Nakajima pinned Tatsumi with the Diving Senton (16:55).
The semi-finals of the Max Heart Tournament was the focus of today’s show. In the main event last year’s winners Daydream were taken out of the tournament by Kyoraku Kyomei! It accomplished the goal Shoko Nakajima & Hyper Misao set out to achieve which was getting revenge for losing to Daydream in last year’s tournament. It could have gone the other way if Nakajima couldn’t have gutted through a leg injury that became a target for Rika Tatsumi to focus on. Misao played her part by facing off against Miu Watanabe and saving her partner from the Daydream Eternity. Nakajima recovered enough to hit Watanabe with a Topé Suicida and pin Tasumi with the Diving Senton. Backstage Tatsumi said she is treating the result as a point of reflection because she wants to follow her dreams and Watanabe has another dream she wants to chase. Watanabe told her she will still be daydreaming while she does that.
The other semi final had 121000000 advance at the expense of Karate Tag. It was a spirited effort from Moka Miyamoto & Juria Nagano. They both trapped Miyu Yamashita & Maki Itoh in submission holds then Miyamoto used the Zero Fighter Kick on Yamashita to get her out of the way. Nagano switched to using Karate kicks on Itoh but Itoh dodged the Senpukyaku, fired back with a Headbutt and locked in the Itoh Punish for the victory. Nagano said afterwards she gave 100% and was at the limit of what she could do. Karate Tag lost today but she wants to continue working with Miyamoto so they can become a stronger team. Miyamoto agrees that they have grown a lot as a team in the tournament.
At the end of the show 121000000 entered the ring to confront Kyoraku Kyomei. Nakajima told them that today she learned Hero + Kaiju equals an unbeatable combination! Misao asked if Yamashita & Itoh have the guts to fight a hero and a monster? Itoh’s response was to ask the audience who the cutest in the world is but Misao cut her off. Kyoraku Kyomei won the main event so they should be the ones giving the show closing speech. After 121000000 left the ring, Nakajima told the fans she lost her championship last year but she didn’t lose today because she has a superhero next to her. Misao in return said she trusts Nakajima more than anyone else and Kyoraku Kyomei will win the Max Heart Tournament on 11th February!
Pom Harajuku was unable to be on the show today. Her tag match was turned into a 3 Way Match with the remaining competitors.
Posted by JamieOD 
Dramatic DDT 