First let’s get the bad news out of the way. Even though Japan is entering the second phase of lifting their Coronavirus restrictions, the DDT Group are following requests from venues to cancel the following shows in June and July:
DDT “BLACK OUT PRESENTS KING OF DDT 2020 THE FINAL!!”, 28/06/2020
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
DDT “ROAD TO PETER PAN 2020 ~DRAMATIC DREAM TAKESHI~”, 02/07/2020
Tokyo Hanayashiki Asakusa Flower Theater
MUSCLE “HIRAGANA MUSCLE 3”, 09/07/2020
Shin-Kiba 1st RING
DDT “KAZUKI HIRATA 10TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW! 10 YEARS OF HIRATA GO!!”, 18/07/2020
Tokyo Belle Epoque Beauty School 2nd School Hall
DDT “DATE CITY 2ND ROUND! 1 YEAR UNTIL THE 60TH BIRTHDAY! ~GORGEOUS NIGHT~”, 19/07/2020
Fukushima Date City Hobara Gymnasium
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Now here’s the good news. The DDT Group can run shows in front of audiences again! They have to put in safety precautions of course such as limiting the number of seats at the venues (either around 100 fans or 50% capacity looks to be deal across the board depending on the venue size). Fans going to shows will need to wear medical masks, get their temperatures checked and have their hands disinfected as they enter. New shows in June have been announced today across the different promotions. They will be held in venues that provide a lot of open air and ventilation. That means Shin-Kiba 1st RING, Shinjuku FACE, Itabashi Green Hall and Tsurumi Vegetable Market for those not paying attention. DDT TV SHOW episodes #7 & #8 will also continue to take place as planned. DDT can now advertise the worst kept secret that they were taped in Shinjuku FACE. The revised schedule for June is as follows.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “KOKO NI IRUZEE!”, 13/06/2020
Tokyo Itabashi Green Hall
DDT “WITH DRAMATIC DREAM TEAM”, 14/06/2020
Tokyo Itabashi Green Hall
GANBARE☆WRESTLING “COMEBACK ANYTIME 2020”, 14/06/2020
Tokyo Itabashi Green Hall
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “KOKO NI IRUZEE!”, 20/06/2020
Shin-Kiba 1st RING
DDT “DDT TV SHOW! #7”, 20/06/2020
Shinjuku FACE
DDT “DRAMATIC DREAM TSURUMI VOL. 1”, 21/06/2020
Kanagawa Tsurumi Fruit & Vegetable Market
DDT “DDT TV SHOW! #8”, 27/06/2020
Shinjuku FACE
DDT “DRAMATIC DREAM TSURUMI VOL. 2”, 28/06/2020
Kanagawa Tsurumi Fruit & Vegetable Market
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DDT “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2020 DAY 1”, 06/06/2020
DDT TV SHOW Studio
1. Soma Takao & Mad Paulie Vs Keigo Nakamura & Hideki Okatani
2. Keisuke Ishii & HARUKAZE Vs Hiroshi Yamato & Saori Anou
3. DDT Yuru-chara No. 1 Battle In Niigata: Super Sasadango Machine Vs Pokotan
4. Singles Match Between Wrestlers Who Want To Participate In DDT Regularly: Nobuhiro Shimatani Vs Seigo Tachibana
5. Jun Akiyama & Mizuki Watase Vs Akito & Yuki Iino
6. DDT UNIVERSAL Title – Hardcore 3 Way Match: Daisuke Sasaki (c) Vs Isami Kodaka Vs Shunma Katsumata
7. DDT Vs Kongoh All Out Battle!: Sanshiro Takagi, Kazusada Higuchi & Tomomitsu Matsunaga Vs Kenoh, Masa Kitamiya & Hao
8. TOKYO 2020 LAST MAN STANDING: Yoshihiko Vs Konosuke Takeshita
Before the audiences can come back, “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2020” will hopefully be the bookend for DDT’s empty arena era (fingers crossed). I don’t think I’ll write a full blown preview for these shows due to the short amount of time most of the matches were put together. So this will do for now.
The big feud of DDT TV SHOW has been between Konosuke Takeshita and Yoshihiko. A hatred led to warning messages of “ALL OUT All Dead” where Yoshihiko defeated each member of the unit one by one. It even brought back another battle doll named Akihiro to join the fight. Yesterday ALL OUT reached their breaking point and launched a vicious counter attack where Takeshita ripped off Akihiro’s arm. Alone again, Yoshihiko has to fight Takeshita one more time in a Last Man Standing match!
Kongoh popped by to visit Sanshiro Takagi on yesterday’s DDT TV SHOW. They seem like nice lads. Well if you ignore the leader Kenou threatening violence on Takagi if he doesn’t leave NOAH alone. That’s difficult because Takagi is NOAH’s president. And as president Takagi is ordering Kenoh, Masa Kitamiya & Hao to fight him, Kazusada Higuchi & Tomomitsu Matsunaga in a DDT ring!
Daisuke Sasaki originally chose Shunma Katsumata to be his next DDT UNIVERSAL Title defence because he thinks it is a match he can easily win. Then two things happened that he did not expect. One, Isami Kodaka came in wanting to win a title that didn’t exist back when he was a DDT employee. And two, Katsumata went into his Super Hardcore form to attack the champion. A Hardcore 3 Way Match will solve those problems.
Mizuki Watase has shown some progress by wrestling with coach Jun Akiyama. This is the first time they are teaming together.
Both Nobuhiro Shimatani and Seigo Tachibana want regular bookings in DDT. The company isn’t big enough for the both of them.
DDT “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2020 DAY 2”, 07/06/2020
DDT TV SHOW Studio
1. Super Sasadango Machine Remote Produce Match: Toru Owashi Vs Antonio Honda
2. Tokyo Joshi Pro 6-Woman Tag Match: Yuka Sakazaki, Miyu Yamashita & Shoko Nakajima Vs Rika Tatsumi, Nodoka Tenma & Yuki Aino
3. Yukio Sakaguchi & Saki Akai Vs Chris Brookes & Maki Itoh
4. DDT Extreme Title – Celebration! Release Restriction Rules: Shinya Aoki (c) Vs Yukio Naya
5. Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title: Danshoku Dieno (c) Vs Makoto Oishi
6. HARASHIMA & Naomichi Marufuji Vs MAO & Asuka
7. KO-D Tag Team Titles: Yuki Ueno & Naomi Yoshimura Vs T-Hawk & El Lindaman
8. KO-D Openweight Title: Masato Tanaka (c) Vs Tetsuya Endo
On Day 2, Tetsuya Endo reaches his destination. There was a setback here and there but now nothing is stopping him from facing Masato Tanaka for the KO-D Openweight Title. Endo’s big goal for #DAMNHEARTS is to monopolize DDT’s championships so T-Hawk & El Lindaman are challenging Nautilus for the KO-D Tag Team Titles.
MAO will return from injury one day too late. The last active Right To Challenge Gauntlet has expired and he was too hurt to use it. So he has to take a detour and will chase after the UNIVERSAL Title. MAO will also team with Asuka for now because the Coronavirus measures prevent Mike Bailey from entering Japan. They get a big challenge in the form of HarashiMarufuji!
Danshoku Dieno is finally moving away from his Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title defences against Antonio Honda. He still hasn’t beat him but another figure decided to get in his way. Makoto Oishi has a decade of history with Dieno and he will let it all out for the big clash.