Golden Lovers Vs Apollo 55 Rematch Confirmed! Some Other News Too

October 25, 2010

DDT already has its top two matches booked for their return to the Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium next month and they are both something to really look forward too. The big one sees those two Golden Lovers, Kota Ibushi & Kenny Omega defend their newly won IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Titles against the very team they won them from Apollo 55! The New Japan duo are heading into Dramatic territory in a bid to win those belts back. (Speaking of Golden Lovers Vs Apollo 55, we’re still waiting on that NJPW Sumo Hall show to come online. Come on Japan, what’s taking so long?)

Sticking closer to home is the other big match signed, HARASHIMA defending the KO-D Openweight Title against Hikaru Sato. The neko maid shoot fighter has seen his profile raise significantly over the past year and his recent win over Kota Ibushi was enough to earn him his chance at the title. If HARASHIMA defeats Sato, he will match his personal best of KO-D Title defences at 3 wins.

DDT “OSAKA BAY BLUES SPECIAL”, 14/11/2010
Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium #2

1. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title: Kota Ibushi & Kenny Omega (c) Vs Prince Devitt & Ryusuke Taguchi
2. KO-D Openweight Title: HARASHIMA (c) Vs Hikaru Sato

In a surprising turn of events, DDT founder Sanshiro Takagi will be moving over to the UNION brand after his defeat to Toru Owashi. But before he leaves DDT for the time being he will have one more match at the next Korakuen Hall show. Takagi and a partner of his choice will take on puro legend Genichiro Tenryu! Oh, and Masao Orihara too but nobody cares about him (I know I don’t).

DDT, 28/11/2010
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. Sanshiro Takagi & X Vs Genichiro Tenryu & Masao Orihara

In business news, one of DDT’s restaurants will be getting a new name and new management. The Mitsuboshi Curry restaurant will have Cherry taking over as its manager and the new name will be introduced in two weeks. DDT currently runs three food and drink establishments in Tokyo, the Dropkick Bar and Ebisuku Bar & Grill which are both in Shinjuku and Mitsuboshi Curry in Mitaka. Many DDT wrestlers work in these places while pursuing their wrestling careers and the success of these businesses makes DDT is one of the more finacially healthy wrestling promotions in Japan today.


“DDT SPECIAL 2010” Results

October 24, 2010

DDT “DDT SPECIAL 2010”, 24/10/2010
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1,364 Fans – No Vacancy

1. Yasu Urano defeated Cherry with the Tombstone Piledriver (7:53).
2. Dick Togo defeated Great Hentai (Michael Nakazawa) with the Diving Senton (7:46).
3. Shuji Ishikawa & Isami Kodaka defeated MIKAMI & KUDO when Kodaka pinned MIKAMI (10:22).
4. Toru Owashi defeated Sanshiro Takagi with the Oden Splash (8:54).
5. Kenny Omega & Antonio Honda defeated Keisuke Ishii & YOSHIHIKO when Omega pinned Ishii with the Croyt’s Wrath (9:34).
6. Hikaru Sato defeated Kota Ibushi by Referee Stoppage with the Modified Cross Armbreaker (16:18).
7. KO-D Openweight Title: HARASHIMA (c) defeated Danshoku Dino with the Somato.
*V2 for HARASHIMA.

Having the popular vote just wasn’t enough for Danshoku Dino to defeat HARASHIMA for the KO-D Openweight Title.

The big shock on the card was Hikaru Sato defeating Kota Ibushi via ref stoppage. Ibushi’s recent shoulder problem is well known and Sato used that to his advantage by locking on the match winning Cross Armbreaker. With a huge victory on his back and a lot of fan support as shown in the DDT48 Election, Sato may be able to get a KO-D Openweight Title shot in the future.

The match between Toru Owashi and Sanshiro Takagi had several hot stoves of water involved throughout. Tsuyoshi Kikuchi was also involved in the match somehow.

More information to come soon.


DDT In Omori Results

October 20, 2010

DDT, 16/10/2010
JR Omori Station East Exit Plaza
1000 Fans

1. Antonio Honda & Yukihiro Abe defeated Michael Nakazawa & Tomomitsu Matsunaga when Honda pinned Matsunaga with a School Boy (11:04).
2. Kyosuke Sasaki & Hiroyuki Nozawa defeated Tanomusaku Toba & Kazuki Hirata when Nozawa submitted Hirata with a Sleeper Hold (13:34).
3. Dick Togo & Yasu Urano defeated Daisuke Sasaki & Keisuke Ishii when Togo pinned Ishii with the Diving Senton (12:03).
4. Omori Dream Fair Title: Danshoku Dino defeated Takao Soma with the Danshoku Driver (7:16).
*V3 For Dino.
5. HARASHIMA, Kota Ibushi, Kenny Omega & KUDO defeated Sanshiro Takagi, MIKAMI, Hoshitango & Shigehiro Irie when HARASHIMA pinned Irie with the Somato (15:35).

The Omori Dream Fair Title was defended for the first time since the 2009 Sumo Hall show.

The Shit Heart ♥ Foundation hasn’t won a match at all since its formation. The second coming of Metal Vampire this ain’t!


DDT48 Correction, Young Drama Cup, October Shows, DDT In NEVER

October 10, 2010

I apologise about getting the DDT48 concept wrong. Rather than everyone campaigning for a spot in a tournament, the Election was for the right to be included in the 24th October event itself, with the winner of the election getting ¥1,000,000 and a KO-D Openweight Title shot. So congratulations go to Danshoku Dino for coming out on top (minds out of the gutter, people) and winning the grand prize. Dino will face HARASHIMA for the KO-D Title in the main event of a pretty good looking DDT card at Korakuen Hall.

But before we make it to Korakuen, DDT has a show in Shin-Kiba 1st RING coming up this week. The event will see the return of the Young Drama Cup, a tournament for DDT’s rookies and younger wrestlers. Last year’s winner was Keisuke Ishii and he will be in the tournament to defend his crown.

DDT “NON-FIX 10.14”, 14/10/2010
Shin-Kiba 1st RING

1. Complete Conclusion! Karate Kid Visit! No Ideology Conflict Shin-Kiba Bloody Battle: Karate Kid Vs Michael Nakazawa
2. Young Drama Cup: Takao Soma Vs Rion Mizuki
3. Young Drama Cup: Shigehiro Irie Vs Kazuki Hirata
4. Young Drama Cup: Yukihiro Abe Vs Keisuke Ishii
5. MIKAMI & Tanomusaku Toba Vs Sanshiro Takagi & Hoshitango
6. Dick Togo, GENTARO & Yasu Urano Vs KUDO, Daisuke Sasaki & Yuki Sato
7. Kota Ibushi & Kenny Omega Vs Hikaru Sato & Tomimitsu Matsunaga
8. HARASHIMA & Toru Owashi Vs Danshoku Dino & Antonio Honda

Karate Kid is either Ultraman Robin or a wrestler that Robin discovered during a trip to Europe.

DDT “DDT SPECIAL 2010”, 24/10/2010
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. MIKAMI & KUDO Vs Shuji Ishikawa & Isami Kodaka
2. Kenny Omega & Antonio Honda Vs Keisuke Ishii & YOSHIHIKO
3. Michael Nakazawa Vs Dick Togo
4. Sanshiro Takagi Vs Toru Owashi
5. Yasu Urano Vs Cherry
6. Kota Ibushi Vs Hikaru Sato
7. KO-D Openweight Title: HARASHIMA (c) Vs Danshoku Dino

As I said earlier, this looks like a pretty good card that should be a lot of fun. Danshoku Dino could leave Korakuen Hall as the KO-D Openweight Champion, DDT Extreme Champion and KO-D Tag Team Champion all at once, which is unprecedented in DDT. Kota Ibushi versus Hikaru Sato will be stiff and with Sato upping his game over the last year while Ibushi is getting over his ring rust this could be the best match on the night. Yasu Urano Vs Cherry is a mismatch, but Cherry will definitly do all that she can to win. Sanshiro Takagi Vs Toru Owashi will be the first singles match between the two in DDT since 2006. Michael Nakazawa and his “Shit Heart” will try to take down Dick Togo. Kenny Omega & Antonio Honda versus Keisuke Ishii & YOSHIHIKO will be your typical DDT fun and games. The show opener has potential to be really good with MIKAMI & KUDO representing DDT to face the UNION side of Shuji Ishikawa & Isami Kodaka.

DDT had two wrestlers compete at the New Japan NEVER show in Shin-Kiba. Keisuke Ishii defeated Hiromu Takahashi in the opener while Daisuke Sasaki lost to Tama Tonga in the third match.

NJPW “NEVER.3″, 10/8/10
Shin-Kiba 1st RING
250 Fans

1. Keisuke Ishii defeated Hiromu Takahashi with the Kneel Kick (6:43).
3. Tama Tonga defeated Daisuke Sasaki with the Jackhammer (11:12).


New Year’s Indy Party Announced, UNION In Big Japan, Cherry Picking

October 2, 2010

The indy collection of DDT, Big Japan, K-DOJO, FREEDOMS and Ice Ribbon will get together this New Year’s Eve for a major show at Korakuen Hall that will count down to 2011. If it is anything like last year, expect each promotion to present its own match and the main event to be a giant Royal Rumble. Can it be as big as last year’s 108 Man Battle Royal? We have to wait and see.

Shuji Ishikawa has the chance to bring home some gold to UNION. He will be at Big Japan to take on Ryuji Ito for the BJW Death Match Heavyweight Title and possibly strike a vengeful blow to BJW. Last year when Shuji Ishikawa was the K-OD Champion, he often defended it in UNION. Big Japan’s Daisuke Sekimoto beat Shuji in his own promotion to become champion and reign over DDT. Now Ishikawa can give Big Japan a taste of its own medicine and bring its top title home to UNION.

Speaking of Big Japan, DDT’s Yasu Urano and UNION’s Hiroo Tsumaki will be on their next Dainichi Dash event in Yokohama on 16th October. Tsumaki will team up with Ryuichi Kawakami to take on Yoshihito Sasaki & Shinobu. Urano will be in the main event against Yuji Okabayashi (or Sekimoto 2.0 as I sometimes refer to him as). This will keep Urano on his toes before he and Dick Togo enter the NTV Cup Jr. Heavyweight Tag League over in NOAH later this month.

Cherry is on the lookout for women with martial arts training who want to become pro wrestlers. She also now has her own Ustream page at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/cherrypafe55


Sapporo Card, Golden Lovers Vs Apollo 55, Togo & Urano To NOAH, Ohka In SMASH

September 28, 2010

DDT “SAPPORO PRO-WRESTLING FESTIVAL”
10/10/2010
Sapporo Teisen Hall

1. Nunchucks & Nunchucks Board Death Match: Hiroki Vs Chiharu
2. Antonio Honda Vs Tomoya
3. Dick Togo & GENTARO Vs Daisuke Sasaki & Takao Soma
4. 3 Way Match: Yasu Urano Vs Keisuke Ishii Vs DJ Nira
5. Kota Ibushi, Kenny Omega & Futoshi Miwa Vs Sanshiro Takagi, KUDO & Yukihiro Abe
6. HARASHIMA & Toru Owashi Vs Michael Nakazawa & Hikaru Sato
7. KO-D Tag Team Title: Shiro Koshinaka & Danshoku Dino (c) Vs MIKAMI & Tanomusaku Toba

It’s official, the Golden Lovers will take on Apollo 55 for the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Titles over in New Japan. The match I have been waiting for the entire year will finally take place in Sumo Hall for NJPW’s “DESTRUCTION ‘10” card in October. This match pits the two top Jr Heavyweight teams in Japan today and the four men have crossed paths several times over the last two years. Prince Devitt and Kota Ibushi fought each other three times with Devitt leading 2-1 in that series of matches. Ryusuke Taguchi also beat Ibushi back in the 2009 Best Of The Super Juniors. Devitt recently beat Kenny Omega in a recent IWGP Jr. Title defence but Omega has been undefeated against Taguchi.

DDT will be represented in NOAH’s upcoming NTV Cup Jr. Tag League. Dick Togo & Yasu Urano have been paired together for the tournament.

Ken Ohka made an appearance at SMASH.8 to say he will be wrestling there soon. Akira Shoji confronted him during the show, possibly to set up a match between the two in the future.


“WHO´S GONNA TOP? 2010” Results

September 27, 2010

DDT “WHO´S GONNA TOP? 2010”, 26/09/2010
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1,342 Fans – No Vacancy

0. Antonio Honda defeated Kazuki Hirata with the Diving Fist Drop (7:36).
1. Trial Unit Gauntlet Match: MIKAMI & Tanomusaku Toba defeated Keisuke Ishii & Yukihiro Abe, Rion Mizuki & Takao Soma and Shigehiro Irie & Hoshitango.
1a. Keisuke Ishii & Yukihiro Abe defeated Rion Mizuki & Takao Soma when Abe pinned Soma with the Blue Impulse (2:52).
1b. MIKAMI & Tanomusaku Toba defeated Keisuke Ishii & Yukihiro Abe when MIKAMI pinned Abe with a Sliding School Boy (4:19).
1c.  MIKAMI & Tanomusaku Toba defeated Shigehiro Irie & Hoshitango when Toba pinned Irie with the Backblow (4:43).
2. Great Kojika, Ultraman Robin & Emi Sakura defeated Michael Nakazawa, Hikaru Sato & Tomimitsu Matsunaga when Nakazawa was Dq’ed (9:05).
3. Dick Togo & GENTARO defeated KUDO & Yasu Urano when Togo pinned Urano (10:48).
4. Muscle Sakai DDT Last Match: Muscle Sakai defeated Sanshiro Takagi with a Horizontal Cradle (16:03).
5. Special Singles Match: Kota Ibushi defeated Daisuke Sasaki with the Phoenix Splash (16:10).
6. KO-D Tag Team Title: Shiro Koshinaka & Danshoku Dino (c) defeated HARASHIMA & Toru Owashi when Dino pinned Owashi with the Gotch-Style Danshoku Driver (18:52).
*V1 for Koshinaka & Dino.


“CAMPSITE PRO-WRESTLING” Results

September 13, 2010

DDT “CAMPING-GROUND PRO-WRESTLING 2010 ~ THANK YOU DRAMATIC DREAM TEAM FAREWELL CAMPGROUND”
12/09/2010
Yamanashi Natureland Om

1. 4 Way Tag Match: Keisuke Ishii & YOSHIHIKO defeated Dick Togo & Kota Ibushi, Michael Nakazawa & Mammoth Handa and Sanshiro Takagi & Muscle Sakai when YOSHIHIKO pinned Ibushi with the YOSHIHIKO Destroyer (59:08).

When the two buses arrived at the Yamanashi Natureland this morning, the visitors entering the site were not there for a camping trip. Instead, they travelled to see the third and final DDT “Camping-Ground Pro-Wrestling” show. In recent times, Yamanashi played home to one of DDT’s most famous shows that were filled with epic matches that spanned the entire parkland. Rocks were thrown, fireworks were let loose and people did Moonsaults into ponds. Every time a show took place here, more and more wrestlers have been added to the headline (and usually only) match. This time the fans were treated to a 4 Way Tag match with some unusual pairings. Kota Ibushi returned from injury and teamed with Dick Togo, Keisuke Ishii brought YOSHIHIKO along, Michael Nakazawa found Mammoth Handa from the depths of mediocrity and Sanshiro Takagi sided with Muscle Sakai as Sakai’s career goes through its final days. The head official for the match was Yukinori Matsui and he was joined by Tomomitsu Matsunaga as the back-up ref for when the action splits apart. Before the match could begin, the special guest announcers used an ocarina to call in a fairy to introduce the teams. Sanshiro brought out his trusty guitar, Ibushi made his entrance setting off fireworks, YOSHIHIKO came out sporting a shirt and shorts instead of impersonating another wrestler and nobody gave a damn about Handa. So far, so normal. Then the match began.

It started off pretty basic with the eight participants staying in the one place, tagging in and out when needed. But when Ibushi dominated Nakazawa with his arsenal of strikes and a Standing Moonsault, the fighting begun to move to another area of the campsite. Nakazawa was sent rolling down the sloping path by Togo, Sakai Body Slammed Ishii onto his partner, Sanshiro and Kota almost threw each other off the bridge and then wound up fighting on top of a cottage, which Ibushi dove off of onto Takagi. He didn’t stop there as he Moonsaulted off of a hill onto Nakazawa while YOSHIHIKO was tossed down another hill and was almost pinned by Sakai. Nakazawa and Togo brawled over to and inside the restrooms. From there, some of the wrestlers fetched out the artillary. Sanshiro brought out a leafblower, Handa rode on an inflatable whale and Ibushi carried a basket filled with fireworks on his back with an umbrella to shield himself. He let loose the fireworks on everyone, even his partner Togo was not safe from them. Takagi grabbed the guitar and tried to stop Ibushi with an anti-war song. But that just made Ibushi chase after him with even more fireworks. Togo caught up with Takagi and broke the guitar over his back. They then made it to a nearby shelter where they both sat down beside each other and begun a chop battle.

Meanwhile Ibushi found the swings and used them to fend off Nakazawa and Handa. YOSHIHIKO followed suit and swung into Takagi. Togo then applied the Crippler Crossface onto Mammoth Handa on the nearby stage, but Nakazawa was there to break it up. At this point a now nearly naked Nakazawa was given a German Suplex by Ibushi onto the wooden stage. The match moved into the rocky end of the river where YOSHIHIKO dove off the bridge onto everyone underneath. There were several nearfalls over at the pond. Ishii dove off the rocks and struck Handa with the Kneel Kick, Takagi gave Ishii the Sunflower Bomb into the water, Ibushi Moonsaulted onto Takagi and Nakazawa’s Back Drop attempt was prevented by a Dick Togo Missile Dropkick followed by a Pedigree into the water. Back in dry land, Muscle Sakai lit up a campfire with YOSHIHIKO. He was then run over by a truck driven by Nakazawa, who then grabbed YOSHIHIKO and threw him head first into the fire! Ishii stamped out the fire but YOSHIHIKO was then dragged onto the top of the van by Ibushi and Power Bombed onto the roof! YOSHIHIKO kicked out so he was then given a Brainbuster form the van onto the ground by Ibushi! Ishii stopped the count and hit Ibushi with the Kneel Kick, allowing YOSHIHIKO to recover and deliver the YOSHIHIKO Destroyer on Ibushi to win the match at just over 59 minutes!

After the match, everyone got together as it begun to rain over the campsite. Takagi said that this was the final event of its kind. It is a bit sad to see it go. It was an annual event that showed the imagination and craziness of DDT in one single hour. However, someone was overheard to have said “Next year, raising an army to a professional wrestling camp om!” I wonder what this could mean…


What Came In The Mail Today?

September 6, 2010

With thanks to M World Services, I ordered some official DDT merch and the package finally arrived today. Pretty much DVDs of the most improtant 2008 shows, the first Sumo Hall show, a Best Of 2009 set and the “Best Of The Super YOSHIHIKO” release. Yes, YOSHIHIKO has a ‘best of’ DVD. A best of DVD that is 3 and a half hours long. I even got a few blank slips used to vote for the DDT48 election. Overall, I’m very happy with what I got. When this blog was first set up I got a few requests to review some of the earlier DDT shows. I don’t have much from DDT’s sleazier years but I might be able to review some of the 2008 shows in the future. And I also got an event program from around the time Daisuke Sekimoto won the KO-D Title.


“THINKING OF SUMMER VACATION 2010” Results

August 29, 2010

DDT “THINKING OF SUMMER VACATION 2010”
29/08/2010
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. Keisuke Ishii, Shigehiro Irie & Akito defeated Rion Mizuki, Takao Soma & Kazuki Hirata when Ishii pinned Hirata with the Kneel Kick (8:05).
2. Toru Owashi Presents GM Election Battle Royal: Muscle Sakai defeated Toru Owashi, Hikaru Sato, Tomimitsu Matsunaga, Hoshitango, Yukihiro Abe & Michael Nakazawa (17:37).
3. Dick Togo & Antonio Honda defeated KUDO & Yasu Urano when Togo submitted Urano with the Crippler Crossface (15:35).
4. Special Singles Match: Kenny Omega defeated Ryusuke Taguchi with the Croyt’s Wrath (15:12).
5. KO-D Tag Team Title, 3 Way Match: Shiro Koshinaka & Danshoku Dino defeated Sanshiro Takagi & Munenori Sawa (c) and MIKAMI & Tanomusaku Toba when Dino pinned Takagi with the Danshoku Driver (13:55).
*Takagi & Sawa fail in V10. Koshinaka & Dino become the 32nd KO-D Tag Team Champions.
6. KO-D Openweight Title: HARASHIMA (c) defeated Daisuke Sasaki with the Somato (20:42).
*V1 for HARASHIMA.

The Greatest Title Run Ever ™ has come to an end, :(. I still have to look up the amount of defences they had as I’m certain I’ve added one or two more than they actually had.

After Match #4, Kenny Omega had a staredown with IWGP Jr. Champ Prince Devitt. We all know where this is going.

Muscle Sakai turned out to be the surprise winner of the GM Battle Royal. But with him soon retiring he is unable to take the role. Sakai chose Tsurumi Amon, the afro wearing host of the MUSCLE events, to take the job instead.

The DDT48 Election is now well on its way and we already have an update on the polls. There are still several shows left until the voting ends but so far it looks like Danshoku Dino, HARASHIMA & Shigehiro Irie are guaranteed spots if the trend of voting stays like this. I’m a little surprised at how high Irie is, but I guess the guy has really won over the fans.

01. Danshoku Dino (56 votes)
02. HARASHIMA & Shigehiro Irie (54 votes)
04. Sanshiro Takagi (39 votes)
05. Dick Togo, Kota Ibushi & YOSHIHIKO (39 votes)
08. Hikaru Sato (27 votes)
09. Toru Owashi (24 votes)
10. Antonio Honda & Shoichi Uchida (21 votes)
12. MIKAMI & Hideki Shiota (20 votes)
14. Takao Soma (18 votes)
15. Kenny Omega (17 votes)
16. Cherry (15 votes)
17. Yasu Urano & Michael Nakazawa (14 votes)
19. Yukihiro Abe, Norikazu Fujioka & Akito (11 votes)
22. KUDO & Tanomusaku Toba (9 votes)