Dramatic DDT

DDT “JUDGEMENT 2013”, 20/03/2013
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1,435 Fans – Super No Vacancy

0. Dark Match: Daichi Kazato & Gorgeous Matsuno defeated Gota Ihashi & Tetsuya Endo when Kazato pinned Endo with an Inside Cradle (11:50).
1. Kazuki Hirata Comeback Match: KUDO defeated Kazuki Hirata with the Diving Double Knee Drop (8:24).
2. KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles: Antonio Honda, Daisuke Sasaki & Yuji Hino (c) defeated Danshoku Dino, Makoto Oishi & Gabaiji-chan when Honda pinned Oishi with the Diving Fist Drop (13:10).
*V1 for Monster Army.
3. High School Career Will Challenge The Legend!: Tatsumi Fujinami defeated Konosuke Takeshita with a Figure 4 Leg Lock (5:38).
4. Kizaemon Saiga Wrestling Debut: Kota Ibushi & Kizaemon Saiga defeated Yasu Urano & FUMA when Saiga pinned FUMA with a Doomsday Kneel Kick (11:58).
5. Right To Challenge Anytime, Anywhere Contract Battle Royal: Yukio Sakaguchi defeated Masa Takanashi with the Choke Sleeper (26:35).
5a. Right To Challenge Anytime, Anywhere 1: Sanshiro Takagi (6:59).
5b. Right To Challenge Anytime, Anywhere 2: Keisuke Ishii (12:01).
5c. Right To Challenge Anytime, Anywhere 3: HARASHIMA (16:40).
5d. Right To Challenge Anytime, Anywhere 4: DJ Nira (19:34).
6. KO-D Openweight Title: Shigehiro Irie defeated Kenny Omega (c) with the Vertical Drop Back Flip (24:29).
*Kenny Omega fails in V4. Shigehiro Irie becomes the 45th KO-D Openweight Champion!

The torch has been passed, Shigehiro Irie is the first in his generation of DDT wrestlers to win the KO-D Openweight Title! Over the last two years, Irie has taken big steps towards the top beating such DDT and Union alumni like Kota Ibushi and Shuji Ishikawa. One person he could never get the best of was the champion Kenny Omega. Almost a year ago Irie went through rigorous weight loss training in order to wrestle Kenny for the AJPW Jr. Heavyweight Title. Today there was no weight limit handicapping the Teddy Bear. It wasn’t easy, Omega fought tooth and nail to keep his title but Irie’s heart was just that little bit bigger. A Vertical Drop Back Flip attempt was rearranged into a Thunder Fire Driver, knocking Omega silly and leaving him vulnerable to another Vertical Drop Back Flip. That one connected and three seconds later Irie was swamped by his Team Dream Future stablemates and handed the KO-D Title belt.

Irie couldn’t believe he won. He couldn’t believe he beat Kenny Omega. He thanked the audience for chanting his name and he thanked his friends for supporting him. Tsurumi Amon dampened the celebrations by telling Irie that there are now four wrestlers with Right To Challenge Anytime, Anywhere contracts and Keisuke Ishii is one of them. Ishii stepped in and said he won’t be cashing in his contract until the time was right for him and Irie. Sanshiro Takagi awkwardly congratulated Irie, clearly resisting temptation to cash in his contract there and then. Irie’s first challenger Yukio Sakaguchi appeared on the ring apron and simply stuck out his fist. Irie placed his elbow against the fist in response as if to say “Challenge accepted,”

The Royal Rumble Ladder match had 5 prizes in total on the line. Literally. Four envelopes hung from a cable above the ring. Two of the envelopes had a smiley face on them. The other two had the skull and bones symbol. It was up to the competitors to climb up ladders and fight amongst each other to reach them. When somebody pulled down an envelope they played no further part in the match. Meanwhile, Battle Royal rules were also in effect with the overall winner getting a KO-D Title shot on 13th April. Yukio Sakaguchi won the Battle Royal portion. With the title shot in his grasp, Sakaguchi now feels like he is part of the DDT family.

Sanshiro Takagi, Keisuke Ishii, HARASHIMA & DJ Nira were the four wrestlers who grabbed the envelopes. They were called into the ring after the match to open the envelopes and reveal their prizes. It turns out all four envelopes contained Right To Challenge Anytime, Anywhere contracts that allowed the holder to challenge the KO-D Champion to a title match at any DDT show from now until 3rd August. However, to even the playing field a new rule was added. The contracts can now change hands if the contract holder is pinned, submitted or knocked out at any wrestling show in Japan! Hiroshi Fukuda suddenly ambushed Takagi and pinned him with a School Boy but as he celebrated with Takagi’s contract, Tsurumi Amon told him the rule was not 24/7 and only comes into play during actual wrestling matches.

K-1 fighter Kizaemon Saiga had a successful debut in DDT teaming with his friend Kota Ibushi to defeat Yasu Urano & FUMA. They won by using a Doomsday Spinning Heel Kick with Saiga performing the kick. During the backstage interview afterwards Saiga said he had fun but was in a huge amount of pain. He hopes to do both MMA and wrestling. Ibushi was nervous for his friend but Saiga’s performance proved how compatible he is with pro wrestling. In regards to the Doomsday Kick, Saiga said it was the first time he ever did a Jumping Kick from that height. He called Ibushi his teacher and wants to fly and bounce around the ring like he does.

The 2013 King Of DDT tournament will begin at Shinjuku on 28th June. Round 2 will be held in Nagoya on 17th July. The semi-finals and final will take place in Umeda later that month. The winner will earn a KO-D Title shot at the 18/8 Sumo Hall show.

Danshoku Dino is getting his own show on DDT’s Nico Douga Channel. The show is called Danshoku Matchmaking. If this does not turn out to be DDT’s version of Blind Date with Dino playing the role of Cilla Black, I will be disappointed.