DDT “D-OU GRAND PRIX 2021 THE FINAL!!”, 27/12/2020 Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1. Toi Kojima Debut Match: Toi Kojima Vs Hideki Okatani
2. 3 Way Match: Toru Owashi Vs Antonio Honda Vs Nobuhiro Shimatani
3. Kazusada Higuchi, Yukio Sakaguchi & Saki Akai Vs Makoto Oishi, Mizuki Watase & Tomomitsu Matsunaga
4. Hold Your Stomach! Forget The Year Special Tag Match: Sanshiro Takagi & Danshoku Dieno Vs Nayashiro Nayagi & Super Sasadango Machine
5. Tetsuya Endo, Soma Takao & Mad Paulie Vs HARASHIMA, Chris Brookes & Shinya Aoki
6. KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles: Akito, Kazuki Hirata & Shota (c) Vs Shunma Katsumata, MAO & Yuki Ueno
7. D-Ou Grand Prix 2021 – Final: Konosuke Takeshita vs Jun Akiyama
This past weekend before the show in Kasukabe Fureai Cube, a training session was held by Jun Akiyama for the rookie Toi Kojima. Akiyama taught him basic techniques along with guidance and other demonstrations. Kojima is 177cm tall and weighs 80kg. He was born in Saitama on 8th December, 1999 and has a soccer background.
1. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Super Delfin, Chris Brookes & Maki Itoh Vs MAO, Keigo Nakamura & Mirai Maiumi
2. KO-D 8-Man Tag Team Titles: Sanshiro Takagi, X, X & X Vs Shinya Aoki, X, X & X
3. KO-D Openweight Title: Tetsuya Endo (c) Vs D-Ou Grand Prix 2021 Winner
The KO-D 10-Man Tag Team Titles have not been defended since November last year. Today the championship has been vacated because of inactivity and a temporary change is being made because of COVID-19. The championship will temporarily become the KO-D 8-Man Tag Team Titles and new champions will be crowned on 14th February. It is still part of the same title lineage as the 10-Man Tag Titles so the winners will be recognised as the 3rd champion team.
Sanshiro Takagi and Shinya Aoki will captain the two teams. Takagi says the 8-Man Tag matches will be fought with the same passion as the 10-Man Tag Matches. Aoki promised to get revenge on Takagi for humiliating him at “ULTIMATE PARTY 2020” last month.
1. MAO defeated Keigo Nakamura with the Michinoku Driver I (9:45).
2. A Rumble Of Laughter! DDT Variety Group Sangokushi: Kazuki Hirata defeated Danshoku Dieno and Antonio Honda when Hirata pinned Honda (10:25).
3. Kazusada Higuchi, Yukio Sakaguchi & Saki Akai defeated Akito, Chris Brookes & Yukio Naya when Higuchi pinned Naya with the Brain Claw Slam (14:12).
4. 42 Years Old Soon! Makoto Oishi Shizuoka Local Triumph Special Tag Match: Soma Takao & Mad Paulie defeated Makoto Oishi & Mizuki Watase when Takao pinned Watase with the Official Endless Waltz (10:23).
5. DAMNATION Vs Junretsu!: Tetsuya Endo & Nobuhiro Shimatani defeated Jun Akiyama & Hideki Okatani when Endo submitted Okatani with the Yurikamome (11:59).
6. Shinya Aoki Shizuoka Triumph! Shimizu Specialty Special 6-Man Tag Match: HARASHIMA, Toru Owashi & Shinya Aoki defeated Konosuke Takeshita, Shunma Katsumata & Yuki Ueno when Aoki pinned Katsumata with a Crucifix Chickenwing (20:30).
The DDT Sauna Club started the show giving their opinions on today’s opponents. Shinya Aoki can almost be a member because his intensity can be as hot as a sauna. HARASHIMA is a health nerd so he would also get along with the Sauna Club. Toru Owashi however is an unhealthy black pig and those animals are not allowed in saunas. Owashi stuck his head out of the entrance gate when he heard that. In the main event, Aoki had Shunma Katsumata in the Foot Choke when Konosuke Takeshita & Yuki Ueno broke it up. The DISASTER BOX duo kept them out of the ring while Aoki went back to Katsumata. At first it looked like Katsumata was unconscious but he was faking it to cradle Aoki for a nearfall. Aoki held his opponent in a Chickenwing and rolled him over with a Crucifix to pin him for the victory.
A confident Hideki Okatani told Jun Akiyama to leave the start of the match to him. He was then easily outwrestled by Tetsuya Endo. When Nobuhiro Shimatani tagged in he demanded to fight Akiyama and the same thing happened to him. Shimatani was able to clamp onto Akiyama to prevent him from breaking up Endo’s submission hold on Okatani. Akiyama said he has never fought anyone as noisy as Shimatani. A proud Shimatani now wants to face Akiyama in a singles match.
The 3 Way Match took all of the wrestlers involved to their limit. Danshoku Dieno went to the corner in his Hell Gate position. Antonio Honda missed the Gongitsune and hit Daisuke Kiso with it by mistake. He then stuck his Gongitsune hand into Dieno’s backside to charge up his attack. Honda hit Kazuki Hirata with the Gongitsune but then tripped over Kiso and fell face first into Dieno’s Hell Gate. Hirata then collapsed on top of Honda to get the unintentional three count.
0. Exhibition Match: Mizuki Watase defeated Toui Kojima with a Dropkick (4:54).
1. Nobuhiro Shimatani defeated Keigo Nakamura with the Modified Camel Clutch (8:17).
2. Danshoku Dieno & Toru Owashi defeated Chris Brookes & Antonio Honda when Owashi pinned Honda with La Magistral Cradle (12:06).
3. Yuki Ueno & MAO defeated HARASHIMA & Yukio Naya when Ueno pinned Naya with the BME (13:51).
4. Young Communication Generation Vs Junretsu!: Akito, Kazuki Hirata & Shota defeated Jun Akiyama, Makoto Oishi & Hideki Okatani when Hirata pinned Okatani with the Miracle One Shot Cradle (11:41).
5. Eruption Vs DAMNATION!: Kazusada Higuchi & Yukio Sakaguchi defeated Soma Takao & Mad Paulie when Sakaguchi pinned Paulie with the God’s Right Knee (12:34).
6. DAMNATION Vs ALL OUT!: Konosuke Takeshita & Shunma Katsumata defeated Tetsuya Endo & Hiroshi Yamato when Takeshita pinned Yamato with the German Suplex (17:11).
Konosuke Takeshita used the main event to show everyone his left arm is pretty much healed. Shunma Katsumata used his time with Hiroshi Yamato to make fun of Yamato’s X sign he makes with his arms. Tetsuya Endo helped Yamato get some revenge by calling for “Skill Award X” and the two of them attacked their opponent with X Thrusts. Yamato accidentally hit Endo with an X and Takeshita knocked him down with a Lariat. Katsumata landed a Plancha on Endo while Takeshita finished off Yamato with the Fable and then the German Suplex. Takeshita told the crowd he expects to be fully recovered in time for the D-Ou Grand Prix final. Katsumata then invited the other DDT Sauna Club members Yuki Ueno & MAO into the ring and interviewed them about their earlier victory. Katsumata then looked at the ceiling and told everyone they can clearly see the aurora of Finland.
Eruption picked apart Soma Takao & Mad Paulie. After the match Yukio Sakaguchi asked Takao where was CIMA? Takao should bring him over next time and they can do the KO-D Tag Team Titles match early. Takao grabbed a chair and threatened to throw it at Sakaguchi. The ringside seconds calmed him down and Takao left. However Takao confronted Sakaguchi backstage during his post-match interview. He knocked the interview booth over Eruption and told them he and CIMA will take their belts.
Kazuki Hirata wanted to teach Jun Akiyama how to dance but the offer was violently turned down. Hirata got the last laugh by winning the match for his team and he danced in front of Akiyama again to rub it in. The DDT Sauna Club approached the Young Communication Generation after the match. Akito and Katsumata agreed that ALL OUT ran out of goals in 2020. Katsumata wants to restart ALL OUT sometime in 2021 but it’s important for the group to take a break. That’s why Katsumata will be fighting for the Sauna Club in the KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles match on 27th December. He also knows Hirata and Shota both like visiting saunas but Akito does not. Akito is the odd man out in the title match. What Akito does have in common with his teammates is none of them want to lose to the DNA generation.
The Gongitsune joke led to some miscommunication between Antonio Honda and Chris Brookes. When Honda tripped, Brookes called for medical help and wanted Honda to be rushed to hospital. Honda told him he wasn’t hurt, he was only setting up his latest Gongitsune joke. Brookes got angry at Honda for lying and stormed out of the ring back to the locker room. Honda had to wrestle Danshoku Dieno & Toru Owashi on his own and yelled out an apology to Brookes, hoping he would hear it. Brookes did and his music played for a heroic rescue. Brookes then tripped on the rope and hurt his knee. It was then Brookes who told the Gongitsune story almost entirely in Japanese. Unfortunately the Gongitsune attack backfired and Honda hit Brookes instead of his intended target. Owashi then rolled Honda in La Magistral for the three count.
The trainee Toui Kojima was given an exhibition bout before his official debut on the 27th. Mizuki Watase put him through the wringer but Kojima got in a little bit of offence with a Double Chop. Watase stopped him with an Arm Drag followed by a Double Stomp. Watase then won with a Dropkick to the face.
DDT “ATSUSHI ONITA VS KURO-CHAN! CHRISTMAS FINAL BATTLE! SKYTREE STREET CURRENT EXPLOSION WRESTLING!”, 23/12/2020 Tokyo Solamachi
1. Kazusada Higuchi, Yukio Sakaguchi & Saki Akai Vs Danshoku Dieno, Kazuki Hirata & Akito
2. HARASHIMA & Yukio Naya Vs Makoto Oishi & Keigo Nakamura
3. Tokyo Joshi Pro Offer Match: Yuka Sakazaki, Mizuki & Hikari Noa Vs Miyu Yamashita, Nodoka Tenma & Marika Kobashi
4. DDT Sauna Club Vs DAMNATION!: Konosuke Takeshita, Shunma Katsumata, MAO & Yuki Ueno Vs Tetsuya Endo, Soma Takao, Mad Paulie & Hiroshi Yamato (w/ Daisuke Sasaki)
5. Current Explosion Death Match: Atsushi Onita (w/ Sanshiro Takagi, Chris Brookes & Maki Itoh) Vs Kuro-chan (w/ Shinya Aoki, Super Sasadango Machine & Yuki Kamifuku)
Kuro-chan held a public training session with his helpers Shinya Aoki, Super Sasadango Machine & Yuki Kamifuku earlier today. Sasadango told Kuro-chan that to be a successful wrestler you need to figure out your opponent’s weaknesses. Atsushi Onita’s weakness is his knees. Aoki was there to teach Kuro-chan submission holds to target the knee. Kamifuku was the closest in size to Onita out of the four so she had to spar with Kuro-chan. They then immediately stopped because Kuro-chan was tempted to lick her knees. Aoki had to demonstrate the submissions on Kuro-chan instead. When that painful exercise was finished, Sasadango then told Kuro-chan he can in fact lick Onita’s knee to exploit his weakness! Sasadango explained Kuro-chan’s saliva can rust the artificial joints in Onita’s knees and ordered him to lick his own knee for practice. When asked to give a message to Onita, Kuro-chan threatened to lick and kill him!
DDT “D-OU GRAND PRIX 2021 THE FINAL!!”, 27/12/2020 Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1. Toi Kojima Debut Match: Toi Kojima Vs Hideki Okatani
2. 3 Way Match: Toru Owashi Vs Antonio Honda Vs Nobuhiro Shimatani
3. Kazusada Higuchi, Yukio Sakaguchi & Saki Akai Vs Makoto Oishi, Mizuki Watase & Tomomitsu Matsunaga
4. Tetsuya Endo, Soma Takao & Mad Paulie Vs HARASHIMA, Chris Brookes & Shinya Aoki
5. Hold Your Stomach! Forget The Year Special Tag Match: Sanshiro Takagi & Danshoku Dieno Vs Nayashiro Nayagi & Super Sasadango Machine
6. KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles: Akito, Kazuki Hirata & Shota (c) Vs Shunma Katsumata, MAO & Yuki Ueno
7. D-Ou Grand Prix 2021 – Final: Konosuke Takeshita vs Jun Akiyama
The D-Ou Grand Prix finalists met for a press conference yesterday to comment on their upcoming rematch. Konosuke Takeshita said when he lost to Jun Akiyama at “ULTIMATE PARTY 2020” it left him questioning his wrestling ways. It hasn’t been easy for him to find the answer he was looking for. But soon he can get his revenge in order to truly lead DDT. Then he can stand across the ring from Tetsuya Endo and reignite their feud over the KO-D Openweight Title. Even though Takeshita has held the KO-D Title many times and holds the defence record, he never won a Tokyo Sports Award during that period (he only ever won Best Newcomer for his debut year). Endo on the other hand won the Best Skill category for this year. That is what’s motivating Takeshita to go after the title again. As for his injured left arm, Takeshita promises to be at 100% on the day of the final.
Akiyama said he didn’t reach the final on his own. He got here because of Junretsu, in particular Makoto Oishi. This final is just as much for him. Akiyama came to DDT alone and was quickly welcomed by Oishi leading to Junretsu’s formation. He realized the importance of the team and also having them in his circle of friends because of how much they helped him. But Akiyama thinks nothing has changed in the rivalry between himself and Takeshita.
DDT “GO TO DDT! VOL. 1”, 09/01/2021 Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1. KO-D Tag Team Titles: Kazusada Higuchi & Yukio Sakaguchi (c) Vs CIMA & Soma Takao
Eruption’s first KO-D Tag Team Titles defence will be against CimaSoma. The champions need to reclaim some shine after they unexpectedly lost the KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles. The challengers meanwhile should be coming in hot after they beat HarashiMarufuji last month.
1. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Super Delfin, Chris Brookes & Maki Itoh Vs MAO, Keigo Nakamura & Mirai Maiumi
2. KO-D Openweight Title: Tetsuya Endo (c) Vs D-Ou Grand Prix 2021 Winner
A special trio is coming together to face a team filled with Tohoku flavour. Maki Itoh has a regular column in Shukan Puroresu magazine and one of her articles revealed she became a fan of the late Gran Naniwa after seeing Chris Brookes post clips of him on Twitter. When Super Delfin found out about this from Naniwa’s father, he wanted to team with her whenever it was possible. This leads to the return of the Itoh Respect Army (the NEO part seems to be gone) to team with Delfin in Culttz Kawasaki next February. Itoh hopes she can learn the Swinging DDT from Delfin and would be grateful to become his disciple. Brookes, like any wrestling nerd, pointed to the 1994 Super J Cup to explain his original discovery of Delfin. The Tohoku part of this match also comes from their opponents. MAO is from Miyagi and is influenced by Michinoku Pro while Keigo Nakamura & Mirai Maiumi are both from Iwate.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “SE~NO, MERRY CHRISTMAS! 2020”, 19/12/2020 Nagoya Civic Gymnasium 3rd Stadium
1. Yuki Aino & Nao Kakuta Vs Yuki Kamifuku & Mahiro Kiryu
2. Mizuki, Hyper Misao & Moka Miyamoto Vs Miu Watanabe, Hikari Noa & Raku
3. Christmas Special 6 Big Single Match: Suzume Vs Sena Shiori
4. Christmas Special 6 Big Single Match: Nodoka Tenma Vs Haruna Neko
5. Christmas Special 6 Big Single Match: Miyu Yamashita Vs Maki Itoh
6. Christmas Special 6 Big Single Match: Shoko Nakajima Vs Mirai Maiumi
7. Christmas Special 6 Big Single Match: Rika Tatsumi Vs Marika Kobashi
8. Christmas Special 6 Big Single Match: Yuka Sakazaki Vs Pom Harajuku
The random draw took place for the six special Christmas matches. Each match will have a 10 minute time limit. The one causing a stir is Miyu Yamashita Vs Maki Itoh because Itoh wanted the match to happen in Korakuen Hall on 4th January. She will get her way but still has to wrestle Yamashita in Nagoya this week. Yamashita said she is not interested in rematching with Itoh so soon unless she doesn’t beat her in Nagoya.
BASARA “BASARA 144 ~GLITTER~”, 22/12/2020 Shin-Kiba 1st RING
1. Takato Nakano Vs Banana Senga
2. Gouma Ryu Vs Tsutomu Oosugi
3. Trans-Am ★ Hiroshi Vs Minoru Fujita
4. Ryuichi Sekine Vs Fuminori Abe
5. Takumi Tsukamoto, Yasu Urano & Masato Kamino Vs FUMA, Yusuke Kubo & Daichi Kazato
6. IRON FIST TAG TOURNAMENT – Final: Isami Kodaka & Daiki Shimomura Vs Ryota Nakatsu & SAGAT
Final BASARA show of 2020 and their first full year of independence in the books.
DDT “D-OU GRAND PRIX 2021 THE FINAL!!”, 27/12/2020 Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1. Toi Kojima Debut Match: Toi Kojima Vs Hideki Okatani
2. 3 Way Match: Toru Owashi Vs Antonio Honda Vs Nobuhiro Shimatani
3. Kazusada Higuchi, Yukio Sakaguchi & Saki Akai Vs Makoto Oishi, Mizuki Watase & Tomomitsu Matsunaga
4. Tetsuya Endo, Soma Takao & Mad Paulie Vs HARASHIMA, Chris Brookes & Shinya Aoki
5. Hold Your Stomach! Forget The Year Special Tag Match: Sanshiro Takagi & Danshoku Dieno Vs Nayashiro Nayagi & Super Sasadango Machine
3.
6. KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles: Akito, Kazuki Hirata & Shota (c) Vs Shunma Katsumata, MAO & Yuki Ueno
7. D-Ou Grand Prix 2021 – Final: Konosuke Takeshita vs Jun Akiyama
The final DDT show of the year will see the D-Ou Grand Prix winner crowned. Konosuke Takeshita gets his chance for revenge after losing to Jun Akiyama at “ULTIMATE PARTY 2020”. Akiyama recently made a point that DDT needs to decide if they really want to compete against New Japan. If they are willing to face the challenge head on, he will fight for them with everything he has. Could that be a hint Akiyama will stick with DDT after his loan period with them ends? I can’t imagine he will go back to All Japan after all of this.
The DDT Sauna Club gets a KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles match. The final visual we could see in a DDT ring this year is the warm and calming collection of Sauna Club wrestlers celebrating their success. It would ruin the Young Communication comeback show weeks before it takes place.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TOKYO JOSHI PRO ’21”, 04/01/2021 Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1. Arisu Endo Debut Match: Arisu Endo Vs X
2. Miyu Yamashita Vs Maki Itoh
3. Princess Tag Team Titles: Nodoka Tenma & Yuki Aino (c) Vs Yuki Kamifuku & Mahiro Kiryu
4. Princess Of Princess Title: Yuka Sakazaki (c) Vs Rika Tatsumi
Itoh wants her match with Yamashita to happen in Korakuen for a couple of reasons. They headlined Korakuen on the 2019 Ittenyon show. Yamashita was also Itoh’s opponent when Itoh had her pro wrestling debut. Finally after all their matches together, Itoh has never beaten Yamashita. If she can finally beat her, Itoh said she will then challenge for the Princess Of Princess Title. This is all part of her efforts to spread the name of Tokyo Joshi Pro around the world in 2021.
1. DDT Extreme Title: Sanshiro Takagi (c) defeated Tawaramachi Kid Jr. with a Dragon Sleeper (1:25). *V3 for Sanshiro Takagi.
2. DDT Extreme Title: Sanshiro Takagi (c) defeated Satoru Otake with a Soccer Ball Kick (1:49). *V4 for Sanshiro Takagi.
3. DDT Extreme Title: Sanshiro Takagi (c) defeated Kai with a Back STF (1:13). *V5 for Sanshiro Takagi.
4. DDT Extreme Title: Sanshiro Takagi (c) defeated Benio with a Half Crab Hold (2:12). *V6 for Sanshiro Takagi.
5. DDT Extreme Title: Sanshiro Takagi (c) defeated Shinya after a Machine Gun beating from Rambo Kawamura (2:50). *V7 for Sanshiro Takagi.
6. DDT Extreme Title – Meat Grilled Death Match: Sanshiro Takagi (c) & Rambo Kawamura defeated Zosaku Inoue & Super Nikuyaki Machine when Takagi pinned Machine with the Spicolli Driver onto the meat grills (2:51). *V8 for Sanshiro Takagi.
7. DDT Extreme Title: Sanshiro Takagi (c) & Rambo Kawamura defeated Akinori Ariji & Hen China when Takagi pinned Ariji with the Spicolli Driver onto a Chair. (6:36). *V9 for Sanshiro Takagi.
Today’s set of DDT Extreme Title defences took place at a “Hell Gate” located in the mountains near Sammu City, Chiba. Sanshiro Takagi met with a mysterious man who was there to guide him to the Hell Gate. It was a vast open space of land where Takagi would fight against Nariagari, an elite group of amateur pro wrestlers under the tutelage of Danshoku Dieno. When Takagi met with Dieno, they noticed there was no referee around. One of the Nariagari wrestlers Hen China was told to put on a sports jersey and officiate the matches.
Takagi’s first challenger was Tawaramachi Kid Jr. This masked wrestler wore a happi coat and armed with wooden stick instruments to cheer himself on. Takagi quickly submitted him with a Dragon Sleeper.
The second defence was against Satoru Otake, a normal everyday salaryman. Otake handed Takagi his business card then hit him with his briefcase. He screamed about being a newlywed who needs money. Takagi rolled him onto the ground and soccer kicked him in the back before pinning him.
The third challenger then appeared, an English speaking backpacker named Kai. Takagi gave him a Soccer Ball Kick but the backpack worked as a shield against it. Kai put Takagi in a Crossface Lock but Takagi freed himself by stealing Kai’s passport and throwing it away. Takagi put Kai in the STF. Kai reached towards his passport on the ground but gave up when Takagi rolled him away still in the STF.
Next up was a doctor who simply went by the name of Benio. He didn’t look threatening in his medical coat but when he took it off, he meant business. Benio threw a Lariat and smiled when Takagi hit him back with Chops. Takagi gave him the Stunner but Benio still smiled and wouldn’t fall down. Takagi eventually got him on the ground with a Lariat and made Benio submit to a Half Crab Hold.
The fifth and apparently final challenger made his way to confront Takagi. Shinya “The Wandering Metaller” carried an electric guitar and declared today as his debut match. Takagi avoided the guitar attacks and had Shinya beaten when another mystery man suddenly appeared…
The man was Zosaku Inoue, one of Nariagari’s Heavenly Four Kings! He blew fire from Hell at Takagi, scaring him away. Shinya joined in and also blew fire from the opposite side, trapping the champion and hurting him greatly. Shinya went for the pin when suddenly Rambo Kawamura ran in to rescue Takagi! He fought off Shinya with his machine gun and knocked him out for Takagi to pin him. Takagi asked him why he came to help and Kawamura said he didn’t want to see these guys take the DDT Extreme Title from his “Colonel”. From here the two of them decided on teaming together to fight the Heavenly Four Kings.
Together they started their search. Kawamura told Takagi he forgot the Extreme Title belt earlier so he grabbed it and gave it back to him. They then approached Dieno with two of the Heavenly Kings: Inoue and Super Nikuyaki Machine. They challenged Takagi & Kawamura to a Meat Grilled Death Match right away! Nikuyaki emptied a bag of metal grills and tongs. Kawamura used the tongs to pull a bullet out of his stomach. Takagi slammed Nikuyaki onto the grills with the Spicolli Driver for the victory. Inoue ran away, abandoning his partner. Takagi & Kawamura decided to give the fallen Nikuyaki an honorable goodbye and they buried him under the grills.
They reached a power line structure and found an imposing figure waiting for them. It was Akinori Ariji. Hen China took off his jersey and joined his side. They were the two remaining Heavenly Kings! Satoru Otake returned to be the referee for the final match between the two teams. China blew into a vuvuzela to distract Takagi then attacked him with glow sticks. Kawamura meanwhile tried to poison Ariji by force feeding him grass. Zosaku Inoue returned to blow more fire at Takagi, allowing the other Kings to throw Takagi into a castle of chairs nearby. Takagi grabbed a chair and broke it over Ariji’s head. Kawamura then shot Ariji in the head with a suction cup arrow at point blank range. Takagi finished him off with the Spicolli Driver to complete today’s quest.
The Nariagari wrestlers all gathered around for Takagi to speak to them. He called them strong and admitted he probably would have lost eventually if Kawamura did not come to his aid. He asked Dieno if they are doing more than just training. Have they only done one show previously behind closed doors? That won’t get through to anybody. They should be given the spotlight more often. Takagi encouraged Nariagari to hold a second show this time in front of an audience. Kawamura offered to take part because he doesn’t have a job to keep him occupied.
DDT “D-OU GRAND PRIX 2021 IN NARIMASU!”, 12/12/2020 Tokyo Narimasu Act Hall ??? Fans – Withheld
1. 3 Way Tag Match: Mad Paulie & Nobuihiro Shimatani defated Mizuki Watase & Hideki Okatani and Yukio Naya & Keigo Nakamura when Shimatani pinned Nakamura after a Combined Body Press (8:13).
2. D-Ou Grand Prix 2021 – B Block: Shunma Katsumata (4) defeated Soma Takao (6) by Countout (10:05).
3. D-Ou Grand Prix 2021 – B Block: Jun Akiyama (8) defeated Yuki Ueno (6) with the Front Neck Lock (11:51).
4. D-Ou Grand Prix 2021 – B Block: Makoto Oishi (4) defeated Tetsuya Endo (7) with the Fujiyama Knee Lock (19:26).
5. D-Ou Grand Prix 2021 – A Block: Akito (7) defeated Yukio Sakaguchi (6) by TKO with a Modified Figure 4 Leg Lock (8:56).
6. D-Ou Grand Prix 2021 – A Block: MAO (6) defeated Chris Brookes (6) with an Inside Cradle (14:28).
7. D-Ou Grand Prix 2021 – A Block: Konosuke Takeshita (8) defeated HARASHIMA (7) with the German Suplex (20:39).
The dust has settled and no tiebreakers were needed. The D-Ou Grand Prix 2021 final will be between Konosuke Takeshita and Jun Akiyama! The A Block was decided in the last three matches of the show with Takeshita winning the group by beating HARASHIMA. Takeshita’s injured left arm was targeted in by HARASHIMA in a last ditch attempt to avoid the German Suplex. But Takeshita wrestled his way into position to pin his opponent with the move. Takeshita gave HARASHIMA credit and said today’s match was the strongest he’s ever been. HARASHIMA joked and asked Takeshita if his arm was sore. Akiyama came out and told Takeshita he already beat him on 3rd November. If Takeshita wants revenge he needs to recover from his injury and bring his best on 27th December. Takeshita told Akiyama he won’t lose to him again.
A lot of come from behind results happened for the blocks to end up the way they did. Chris Brookes lost to MAO to get knocked out of the running. MAO added a Reverse Quetzalcoatl to his move set but that wasn’t enough to win. Instead he had to counter the Praying Mantis Bomb into a Small Package to pin Brookes. MAO admitted he would like to have seen Brookes reach the final because they are friends outside the ring (they go to karaoke and sing “One Night Carnival” a lot) but he wasn’t going to lose to him today. MAO is also feeling tired of wrestling in singles matches. He wants to do tag team wrestling again.
The other wrestler in A Block to fall at the final hurdle was Yukio Sakaguchi. He was only interested in grappling with Akito so he did not throw many kicks in their match. Akito got the better of him on the mat and tangled him into a modifed Figure 4 Leg Lock. Sakaguchi refused to give up but the referee had to end the match when it was clear that Sakaguchi was done for. Sakaguchi admitted his knee wasn’t 100% after his match with HARASHIMA and Akito was smart to go after it. Akito wasn’t fully motivated to wrestle today because he wouldn’t reach the final. He wondered if Sakaguchi intentionally invited him to mat wrestle to give him that motivation. He found a new way to do a Figure 4 so in the end he did get something out of it.
Over in the B Block, Tetsuya Endo was stunned by a submission loss to Makoto Oishi! The shock result happened when Oishi grabbed Endo’s leg to avoid the Canadian Destroyer and got him into the Fujiyama Knee Lock. Endo was managing to withstand it until Oishi put all of his power into the hold, getting the tapout. The result meant Akiyama was going to the final instead of Endo. Oishi said it would have been uncool if the leader of Junretsu couldn’t help get Akiyama to the final. For anyone who thought it’s time for Oishi to retire, his message today is it’s not his time yet! He’s still getting better and he is not going to retire before Akiyama.
The penultimate B Block match was where Akiyama cemented his spot in the final. He took over when Yuki Ueno missed the BME and hit the Exploder Suplex. He then did the Wrist-Clutch Exploder but Ueno kicked out at two. Akiyama didn’t waste time and he put Ueno in the Front Neck Lock for the submission win. Backstage Akiyama gave his thoughts on the current wrestling scene. The likes of Ueno need to step up more. They’re not going to catch up to Akiyama if they’re just aiming to get along with him. There is a difference between trying to get better together and trying to get better alone. Akiyama is in DDT to compete and that difference is why he is beating wrestlers half his age. He says it’s fine when Sanshiro Takagi says he wants his company to catch up to New Japan and overtake them. But when you say that then you must treat the business as a competition and you must compete. You can still go and create interesting ideas that are different from the norm, but if it’s not done with the intention of competing then pro wrestling will eventually have nothing left.
Soma Takao’s chance to win the block was ruined thanks to Shunma Katsumata. He has to give some of the blame to Nobuhiro Shimatani though. Also himself but he still blamed Shimatani. He used the steel basin in the match but Katsumata fought back with Lego. Shimatani grabbed the basin but hit Takao by accident. Takao then purposely hit him with the basin and chased him out of the room with Katsumata following them. While the 20 count was being made, Katsumata returned to the ring first. Takao then came back with his legs taped together forcing him to hop back to the ring. He was about to break the count when Katsumata dropped the basin on his head, knocking him down and leaving him counted out. Katsumata said the tournament has been hard for him because he injured his knee during the summer. That is why he’s been cheating throughout the Grand Prix so he could still leave an impression with his matches. Today was the end of his tournament run but as a pro wrestler he will continue to rise.
In the non-tournament 3 Way Tag, Shimatani jumped onto Mad Paulie’s back and together they squashed Keigo Nakamura.
Posted by JamieOD 
