Writing up this year’s WrestleMania Week report worked out sort of quicker than I expected in regards to the amount of matches to cover, yet some of them were very difficult to track down because of the lack of streaming options available to some of the indies this time around. Tokyo Joshi Pro felt their first burn from their overseas expansion with a low attendance number at Slam Fest. How much that will effect their USA plans for the rest of the year remain to be seen. The reduction of international fans travelling over to Las Vegas again could really be felt on some shows throughout the week. I’d be willing to argue that had just as much effect on the WrestleMania attendance itself rather than just the expensive ticket prices.
The only DDT presence of note in Vegas was Daisuke Sasaki wrestling a few matches. He had a particularly violent match on the New Japan/GCW joint show (that feels weird to type out) that must have left him with a few bruises afterwards. A few TJPW wrestlers spread out across the shows too but the one that sounded noteworthy hasn’t shown up online yet so I’m a little stuck trying to write about it. The week being what it is means some chance meetings happened at some shows, like Miu Watanabe finally meeting her fellow Giant Swing user Claudio Castagnoli.
One of the reasons this report is an incomplete one is thanks to our friend Mizuki Watase. He made the trip over to Las Vegas again after going through a love-hate affair with the city in previous visits for wrestling. He’s written blogs and articles of his past trips where he lost a lot of money but became smitten with the Venetian in particular, naming one of his finishing moves after the casino. This time his trip started off pretty badly with some hotel mishap but his gambling turned into a success this time and for once he left the casino with more money than he had before. Then he spent all the money on booze and got some tattoos while he was drunk. He also wrestled a few matches during the week but I have had no luck trying to find out what they are. That was until I saw a video he recorded of his entrance and it was at the one place I never thought of looking: MicroMania. He was advertised for their week long tour at The Nerd in Fremont Street and he ended up wrestling several matches there. All I could find out is he wanted to do a Spirit Of Ganbare World Title defence for one of his bookings but it was changed to a non-title tag match on short notice (excuse the pun).
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Videos
PRIDESTYLE “OUT OF THIS WORLD”, 17/04/2026 Bizarre Bar, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Special Single Match: Taniya Vs Miu Watanabe
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Results
PODER~! “PODERMANIA~!”, 15/04/2026 Horseshoe, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. International Tag Team Match: Toga & Jazzy Yang defeated Amira & Lil Marz when Toga pinned Marz with the Absolute Zero (8:47).
The first piece of TJPW action to find that week was when Toga went to “PODERMANIA~!”. The eighth annual women’s wrestling show put together by the man known to most as “Ed In San Antonio” saw Toga teaming up with Jazzy Yang in a winning effort against Amira & Lil Marz. Toga even scored the pinfall in a match that can be best described as not the worst thing to have happened on the show.
PANDEMONIUM PRO “WHATEVER, FOREVER”, 15/04/2026 Bizarre Bar, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Jiah Jewell defeated Daisuke Sasaki with the Gator Roll (?:??).
Sasaki’s schedule got off to an aggressive start when he went brawling with Jiah Jewell throughout the venue that Pandemonium Pro held their show in. Sasaki had the upper hand throughout a lot of the match because Jewell kept on telegraphing his finisher, the Gator Roll so Sasaki could block it. However things went wrong for Sasaki and he tried going after the ref for it, allowing Jewell to Gator Roll Sasaki for the three count and score the upset win.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TJPW LIVE IN LAS VEGAS 2026”, 16/04/2026 Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA 424 Fans
1. Yuki Kamifuku & Wakana Uehara defeated Toga & Uta Takami when Kamifuku pinned Takami with the Famouser (10:03).
2. Yuki Aino, Raku & Pom Harajuku defeated Alexis Lee, HIMAWARI & Shino Suzuki when Aino pinned Suzuki with the Venus DDT (14:36).
3. Special 3 Way Match: Miyu Yamashita defeated Mizuki and Miu Watanabe when Yamashita pinned Mizuki with the Crash Rabbit Heat (14:05).
4. International Princess Title: Suzume (c) defeated Sakura Hattori with the Ring A Bell (11:36). *V1 for Suzume.
5. Princess Tag Team Titles: Jessie McKay & Cassie Lee (c) defeated Shoko Nakajima & Hyper Misao when Lee pinned Nakajima after the IIdolizer (12:59). *V1 for The IInspiration.
6. Princess Of Princess Title: Yuki Arai (c) defeated J-Rod with the Finally (11:18). *V1 for Yuki Arai.
“DEATH VEGAS INVITACIONAL”, 16/04/2026 Horseshoe, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. The Rigged Roulette – House Rules Hardcore Match: Joey Janela & Gringo Loco defeated Gedo & Daisuke Sasaki when Janela pinned Gedo with the Diving Foot Stomp onto a Door (18:44).
Throughout the week Sasaki has been hanging out with an incognito El Desperado but he also got to spend some time with Gedo, particularly for a violent Hardcore Match that took place on Despy’s own show. Gedo took it extreme by bringing out forks to stab Joey Janela & Gringo Loco with. The opposition fought back by putting Sasaki and Gedo through doors along with some wicked chair shots. Loco used a one man Spanish Fly to smash Sasaki through one door only for Sasaki to recover and spin him into La Mistica Crossface Lock with Gedo giving the assist with a fork attack. Janela made the save though and ended up Double Stomping Gedo into oblivion among the wreckage for the three count. Sasaki’s post-match comments were all complaints about how violent the match was. If his upcoming matches are going to continue being like this then he won’t go back to Japan and will cancel his Best Of The Super Jr. appearance instead.
GCW “JOSH BARNETT’S BLOODSPORT XV”, 17/04/2026 Horseshoe, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Miyu Yamashita defeated Janai Kai by Knockout with the Skull Kick (5:29).
Finally a Bloodsport fight goes Miyu Yamashita’s way and right when Josh Barnett decides to end the whole thing. Janai Kai tried to submit her with the Demon Clutch but Yamashita grabbed her in a Cravate and gave her knee strikes to the head to get out of it. Kanai then switched to kicks leading to wild swinging misses from both wrestlers. Yamashita got the first big hit in with the Skull Kick that knocked Kai straight out. As a bonus for Yamashita, she ended up meeting Nattie Neidhart backstage again as well as Stone Cold Steve Austin!
PRIDESTYLE “OUT OF THIS WORLD”, 17/04/2026 Bizarre Bar, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Special Single Match: Miu Watanabe defeated Taniya with the Tear Drop (?:??).
I haven’t been able to find a result for the match yet but heard Taniya put on a great performance against Miu Watanabe. This will be updated once I do find out what happened.
Only a few days left until WrestleMania Week and there’s a lot to talk about before we even get there. Konosuke Takeshita’s feud with Kazuchika Okada is making some progress but still moving at a glacial pace. Don Callis dangled a carrot in front of Okada promising him a rematch with Okada, this time with the AEW International Title on the line. But it can only happen as long as they team up to beat The Young Bucks. The way Callis sees it, Takeshita and Okada together can be compared to the relationship Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen had together in the Chicago Bulls.
Last month it was Texas, this month it was Vancouver. Tokyo Joshi Pro is continuing to lay their flag in places across North America with their second tour of the year in that region finishing up in Las Vegas this week. Fingers crossed that their travels to and from everywhere go off without a hitch this time.
Our favorite troublemaker Daisuke Sasaki has been making towns during his stay in North America. Some GCW dates here, a few ROH matches there and he even found some work up in Canada. He’ll be in Vegas too for some matches and debauchery. Apparently Mizuki Watase is currently in Vegas right now too but I can’t for the life of me find any information regarding whether or not he will be wrestling there during his stay.
1. Darby Allin, Bandido & Jack Perry Vs Andrade El Ídolo, Mark Davis & Konosuke Takeshita (w/ Don Callis)
AEW “DYNASTY”, 12/04/2026 Rogers Place, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
1. Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson Vs Kazuchika Okada & Konosuke Takeshita
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Results
GCW “LAST CALL”, 03/04/2026 FSW Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Daisuke Sasaki defeated Marcus Mathers with La Mistica Crossface Lock (14:58).
Sasaki made it to Las Vegas a little bit early for a GCW show happening separately away from The Collective. I wouldn’t be surprised if GCW originally booked the venue on this date back when WrestleMania was still scheduled for New Orleans. Sasaki heeled it up for his match against Marcus Mathers, targeting his opponent’s knee and attacking it with a chair. The match came close to being called off at points for the sake of Mathers’s health but he toughened it out and fought back. Sasaki didn’t waver from his gameplan though until a ref bump gave him the opportunity to give Mathers a Low Blow. He got away with it and made Mathers submit afterward.
GCW “MANIAC”, 04/04/2026 Ukrainian Culture Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
1. GCW World Title: Atticus Cogar (c) defeated Daisuke Sasaki with the Brain Hemorrhage (8:04). *V14 for Atticus Cogar.
The next evening in Los Angeles, Sasaki challenged Atticus Cogar for the GCW World Title. The champion was already looking past Sasaki by walking out to the match wearing an entrance outfit that resembled Hayabusa, his scheduled title challenger for WrestleMania Week. Sasaki didn’t care and attacked Cogar with a chair from the get go. He also used the chair to block Cogar from doing a dive out of the ring. He then took a high risk by doing the Super Elbow Drop onto Cogar from the top rope to the first row, hurting his leg upon landing. Cogar fought back by digging his skewers into Sasaki’s head from the Electric Chair position and also using them to stab his way out of the Crossface Lock. He dug them in one more time before pinning Sasaki with the Brain Hemorrhage finisher.
ROH “ROH ON HONORCLUB”, 06/04/2026 WJCT Studios, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
1. AR Fox defeated Daisuke Sasaki (?:??).
2. Survival Of The Fittest Qualifying Match: Yuka Sakazaki defeated Viva Van (?:??).
3. Konosuke Takeshita defeated Matt Menard (?:??).
During the latest ROH tapings there were qualifying matches for their annual Survival Of The Fittest match that will be held at the next PPV. Yuka Sakazaki booked her spot in the match after beating Viva Van.
I don’t have much details about what Takeshita and Sasaki did at the ROH taping other than the results of their matches. Takeshita beat Matt Menard while Sasaki lost to AR Fox. If there is any context to add to those matches we’ll find out when they eventually air on ROH’s weekly show.
1. Andrade El Ídolo, Mark Davis & Konosuke Takeshita (w/ Don Callis) defeated Darby Allin, Bandido & Jack Perry when Andrade pinned Perry with the DM (11:38).
With tension between Takeshita and Okada reaching higher than ever, Don Callis wanted to prove both men can be on the same page no matter how much they disliked each other. The reputation of The Don Callis Family itself was being harmed by this situation so Callis relied on Andrade El Ídolo of all people to be the glue that would keep the group sticking together. When he wasn’t busy flirting with women in the front row, Andrade lived up to his end of the bargain while Mark Davis helped Takeshita throw around the opposition. Bandido was there as a last minute replacement for Brody King but the change did not stop the Family from getting the win. Andrade attacked Darby Allin after the match while Jack Perry was put in a vulnerable position as well. The Young Bucks ran down to save the day until Okada followed them down to stop them. However he then got into a fight with Okada and they had to be pulled apart only for more chaos to break out with Bandido and The Rascalz doing dives onto everybody.
MYSTERY WRESTLING “VANCOUVER PREMIERE – DAY 1”, 11/04/2026 Great Canadian Hastings Racecourse & Casino, Vancouver, BC, Canada
1. 4 Way Match: Nicole Matthews defeated Alexia Nicole, Amira and HIMAWARI when Matthews pinned HIMAWARI after a Stunner from Nicole (?:??).
2. All The Marbles – Mystery Wrestling World Title: London Lightning (c) defeated Daisuke Sasaki with The Smallest Package Ever (?:??). *V2 for London Lightning.
Another title shot came Sasaki’s way when he travelled over to Canada. He was the surprise challenger for London Lightning over at Mystery Wrestling, although 95% of the lineup is usually a surprise because that’s the promotion’s whole gimmick. Especially on this particular show because there were wrestlers from DDT, TJPW, New Japan, Dragon Gate and NOAH all appearing up and down the card. For even more silliness, Mystery Wrestling’s championship is not just represented by a title belt but also a bag of marbles. Which means every time there is a title bout, the match is also “For All The Marbles!” For some reason the referee for the title match was very lenient towards Low Blows because Sasaki kept attacking Lightning’s groin without getting punished for it. Lightning gave him a taste of his own medicine before giving him the Smallest Package Ever to win the match and remain champion.
The TJPW appearance on this show happened because they had booked the venue with Mystery Wrestling for a doubleheader. Evil Uno’s promotion took the afternoon slot and then TJPW kicked off their Vancouver tour in the evening. That led to a crossover where HIMAWARI took part in the opening 4 Way Match. The three other wrestlers Nicole Matthews, Alexia Nicole and Amira were also booked for the TJPW show anyway so the ladies all had a busy day of wrestling. Unfortunately HIMAWARI took the pinfall when she took a Stunner from Alexia Nicole. Matthews then knocked Nicole out of the ring so she could steal the victory for herself.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “VANCOUVER PREMIERE – DAY 1”, 11/04/2026 Great Canadian Hastings Racecourse & Casino, Vancouver, BC, Canada 400 Fans – Super No Vacancy Full House
1. Yuki Kamifuku defeated Shino Suzuki with the Famouser (8:14).
2. Amira defeated Uta Takami with the Squirrel’s Strongest Slam (6:52).
3. Sakura Hattori & Toga defeated Raku & Pom Harajuku when Hattori pinned Harajuku with the Kitchokagome (9:44).
4. Suzume defeated Alexia Nicole with the Ring A Bell (7:11).
5. Nicole Matthews & Liiza Hall defeated Miyu Yamashita & HIMAWARI when Matthews pinned HIMAWARI with the Roll The Dice (12:51).
6. J-Rod & Miu Watanabe defeated Yuki Arai & Wakana Uehara when J-Rod pinned Uehara with the Ultimate Spear (13:05).
AEW “DYNASTY”, 12/04/2026 Rogers Place, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
1. Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson defeated Kazuchika Okada & Konosuke Takeshita when Matt pinned Okada after the Meltzer Driver (20:10).
Things went haywire between Takeshita and Okada when they tried to team up against The Young Bucks. Okada didn’t take things seriously and briefly dressed up like a Young Buck himself to make fun of them. Things fell apart when Okada and Takeshita started fighting each other until Matt Jackson got between them. A PowerDrive Knee from Takeshita targeting Matt hit Okada by mistake. Then Okada stopped Takeshita from doing the Raging Fire so he could give Matt the Rainmaker instead. Unfortunately Matt ducked and Takeshita took the hit! The Bucks wore down Okada with Super Kicks and the BTE Trigger then set him up for the Meltzer Driver. Takeshita grabbed Nick Jackson from ringside but then had second thoughts about stopping him. He decided to leave Okada hanging and let the Bucks beat him with their finisher. Takeshita only got back into the ring after the match to flip off Okada. Backstage Takeshita gave Okada and Callis a sarcastic apology to rub further salt into the wound.
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WrestleMania Week Appearances
PODER~! “PODERMANIA~!”, 15/04/2026 Horseshoe, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. International Tag Team Match: Amira & Lil Marz Vs Toga & Jazzy Yang
It feels like WrestleMania Week is starting off earlier than ever this year. The first place you can find a TJPW wrestler in action will be at the annual “PODERMANIA~!” women’s wrestling show where Toga is teaming up with Jazzy Yang, the daughter of former WCW and WWE wrestler Jimmy Yang.
PANDEMONIUM PRO “WHATEVER, FOREVER”, 15/04/2026 Bizarre Bar, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Jiah Jewell Vs Daisuke Sasaki
Around the same time Daisuke Sasaki kicks off his week in Vegas by facing Jiah Jewell over at Pandemonium Pro.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TJPW LIVE IN LAS VEGAS 2026”, 16/04/2026 Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Yuki Kamifuku & Wakana Uehara Vs Toga & Uta Takami
2. Yuki Aino, Raku & Pom Harajuku Vs Alexis Lee, HIMAWARI & Shino Suzuki
3. Special 3 Way Match: Miyu Yamashita Vs Mizuki Vs Miu Watanabe
4. International Princess Title: Suzume (c) Vs Sakura Hattori
5. Princess Tag Team Titles: Jessie McKay & Cassie Lee (c) Vs Shoko Nakajima & Hyper Misao
6. Princess Of Princess Title: Yuki Arai (c) Vs J-Rod
A preview of the show will be posted soon.
“DEATH VEGAS INVITACIONAL”, 16/04/2026 Horseshoe, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. The Rigged Roulette – House Rules Hardcore Match: Gedo & Daisuke Sasaki Vs Joey Janela & Gringo Loco
Sasaki has walked up to the table at the “DEATH VEGAS INVITACIONAL” and placed down his chips. Standing next to him is Gedo from NJPW while over on the other side of the roulette wheel is Joey Janela & Gringo Loco. It is Hardcore rules but does the roulette theming of the name suggest something like Weapon Rumble rules being added to the equation?
GCW “JOSH BARNETT’S BLOODSPORT XV”, 17/04/2026 Horseshoe, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Miyu Yamashita Vs Janai Kai
At the moment the only GCW related match going with DDT or TJPW on is Miyu Yamashita fighting Janai Kai in a Bloodsport match. However there is always the Clusterfuck match that happens near the end of the week so you can never count out somebody here showing up over there.
PRIDESTYLE “OUT OF THIS WORLD”, 17/04/2026 Bizarre Bar, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Special Single Match: Taniya Vs Miu Watanabe
With that being said, the last TJPW related match to look forward to in Vegas is Miu Watanabe taking on Taniya at one of the PrideStyle shows. Taniya holds the promotion’s women’s title but this has not been advertised as a title match.
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Upcoming Appearances After WrestleMania Week
EVE/TOKYO JOSHI PRO “EVE X TJPW”, 25/04/2026 Big Penny Social, London, England
1. EVE International Title Next Contender Tournament – Round 1: Shoko Nakajima Vs Hollie Barlow
2. EVE International Title Next Contender Tournament – Round 1: Miyu Yamashita Vs Aliss Ink
3. Rhio Vs Hyper Misao
4. EVE International Title Next Contender Tournament – Final: X Vs X
The veteran chunk of TJPW have more travelling to do at the end of the month for some co-promoted shows in Europe. TJPW has a mini tournament going on with EVE to determine the No. 1 Contender for the EVE International Title. Both Miyu Yamashita and Shoko Nakajima are entering that while Hyper Misao and Yuki Aino will be involved in non-tournament bouts. Misao’s opponent was just announced to be Rhio. A lot has changed with her since she last appeared in a TJPW ring.
SAJ/TOKYO JOSHI PRO “SAJ X TJPW”, 26/04/2026 Centro Sport Cesate, Milan, Italy
1. Mirko Mori, Nico Inverardi & Adriano Vs Goro, Merak & Spencer
2. Shoko Nakajima Vs Kanji
3. Session Moth Martina & Flamingo Vs Hyper Misao & El G
4. Sebastian De Witt Vs Miyu Yamashita
5. SAJ Openweight Title: Lupo (c) Vs Kouga
The next day TJPW goes to Italy where they will work with SAJ Wrestling. Misao’s match has now been announced, putting her across the ring from Session Moth Martina. The only previous time they were in the same match was as a tag team back in 2022. The way these European matches are being announced I get the feeling that nobody knows what to do with Aino until everyone else is sorted out first.
ROH “SUPERCARD OF HONOR”, 15/05/2026 Wicomico Youth And Civic Center, Salisbury, Maryland, USA
1. ROH Women’s World Title – Survival Of The Fittest Match: Athena (c) Vs Yuka Sakazaki Vs Trish Adora Vs Billie Starkz Vs Persephone Vs Maya World
The Survival Of The Fittest match is a 6-Way Elimination bout. Last one standing is the winner and will leave with the ROH Women’s World Title. All of the challengers Athena will have to face were decided at the already mentioned ROH TV taping. Not only will Sakazaki mix it up with Athena, Billie Starkz and Trish Adora again but she also gets to fight Persephone and Maya World for the first time unless things during the match get way too chaotic.
BAKA GAIJIN + FRIENDS “MNL”, 23/05/2026 Sari Sari Makati, Makati, Philippines
1. Chris Brookes Vs X
The Baka Gaijin and their friends are going back to the Philippines. This time it is Chris Brookes and Zack Sabre Jr. being involved.
GCW/BZW “NOW OR NEVER”, 23/05/2026 Espace Isabelle de Hainaut, Rue de Saint-Quentin, Bapaume, France
1. MAO & Yoshihiko Vs X & X
It will be a Baka Gaijin show without MAO though because he’s going on his own weekend trip to France with Yoshihiko in tow.
DXCN “DAKILA II”, 24/05/2026 Brawl Pit Bulusan, Quezon City, Philippines
1. Chris Brookes Vs X
The Manila weekend is being set up with Dexcon.
WXW “DRIVE OF CHAMPIONS 2026”, 06/06/2026 Turbinenhalle 1, Oberhausen, Germany
1. Ahura & Jun Akiyama Vs 1 Called Manders & Thomas Shire
I like the sound of this one! Jun Akiyama’s big appearance in Germany for wXw has him teaming with the promotion’s current MVP Ahura to take on Cowboy Way. Akiyama got to fight 1 Called Manders during GCW’s Japan tour last year and Manders was the wXw Unified World Champion at that time.
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Postponed Appearances
DDT/TOKYO JOSHI PRO “LOVE & PEACE 2026 SPRING SUPPORTED BY TIF ASIA TOUR – DAY 1”, 09/05/2026 JioSpace, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
DDT/TOKYO JOSHI PRO “LOVE & PEACE 2026 SPRING SUPPORTED BY TIF ASIA TOUR – DAY 2”, 09/05/2026 JioSpace, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
This May’s planned return to Malaysia for DDT and TJPW has been postponed because of “changes in international affairs”. They can say that again. A lot of preparation needed to host the two shows have become difficult for the organizers to get together due to the current state of the world around them so the shows have been postponed for the time being. Every party is acting like they will be rescheduled when things settle down and the safety of everyone involved can be guaranteed but who knows how long that will take to happen.
This month was a lot more tiring to write than usual for some reason. Probably it’s because I’m writing most of this after going through the DDT Anniversary show, the Tokyo Joshi Pro preview for Sumo Hall and then the Sumo Hall show itself. That’s a lot of typing for me to do lately. So I’ll keep this introduction brief. Miyu Yamashita went on a short tear in Europe this month, Konosuke Takeshita feuded with Jon Moxley over the AEW Continental Title, TJPW now runs Texas and Daisuke Sasaki has started his North American adventure. Next month is WrestleMania Week. I’m making the foolish decision to travel there mainly because I got a good deal for flights and the hotel in Vegas right around the time when WWE pulled the rug from under New Orleans. I’ll be at the TJPW show and might see Sasaki or some of the TJPW girls wrestle somewhere else.
AEW “COLLISION”, 07/03/2026 Tucson Arena, Tucson, Arizona, USA
1. Claudio Castagnoli Vs Konosuke Takeshita
AEW “DYNAMITE”, 11/03/2026 San Jose Civic, San Jose, California, USA
1. Jon Moxley & Claudio Castagnoli (w/ Marina Shafir) Vs Konosuke Takeshita & Hechicero
AEW “COLLISION – SLAM DUNK SUNDAY”, 22/03/2026 Save Mart Center At Fresno State, Fresno, California, USA
1. Mistico, Mike Bailey & Kevin Knight Vs Konosuke Takeshita & Josh Alexander & El Clon
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Results
EVE “WOMEN BEHAVING BADLY #IWD2026”, 06/03/2026 Big Penny Social, London, England
1. Jamie Hayter Vs Miyu Yamashita ended in a Time Limit Draw (20:00).
1a. Overtime: Jamie Hayter Vs Miyu Yamashita ended in a Time Limit Draw (5:00).
The match that had everyone talking from EVE’s big weekend was Yamashita locking horns with Jamie Hayter for a twenty minute spectacle that hit harder than anyone anticipated. As they fought into the final seconds of the match Yamashita kept kicking Hayter until she was given a Backbreaker and then the Lariat before the bell rang for a draw. However protests from Hayter convinced the show producer Will Ospreay to restart the match for five more minutes. Yamashita got back into another slugfest with Hayter with neither wanting to give up. The Skull Kick led to a double down with 40 seconds to go and Yamashita wasn’t fast enough to pin Hayter in time with a Buzzsaw Kick that happened right at the finish. The two shook hands after the draw but made it clear they had unfinished business together.
1. Miyu Yamashita defeated Nightshade with the Crash Rabbit Heat (?:??).
With hardly any good time to rest, Yamashita made it to Spain the next night for her first match with RCW Spain in a year. She survived taking Running Cannonballs into the corner from Nightshade and avoided a Neck Hanging Bomb to knock down her opponent with the Skull Kick. While Nightshade was put to her knees and collapsing after every kick, Yamashita made sure to keep up the attacks until she finished her off with the Crash Rabbit Heat.
AEW “COLLISION”, 07/03/2026 Tucson Arena, Tucson, Arizona, USA
1. Konosuke Takeshita defeated Claudio Castagnoli with the Raging Fire (14:39).
With only a week left for the PPV, Takeshita was so close to his big title match with Moxley but first he had to get through Claudio Castagnoli. Moxley watched on while providing match commentary, keeping his hands clean throughout the whole thing. Castagnoli thought tried to cheat by grabbing his CMLL World Heavyweight Title belt with the intention of using it as a weapon. However Hechicero ran down to the ring to stop him, allowing Takeshita to dive onto Castagnoli and get him back into the ring. The match wasn’t won yet but Takeshita rolled his way out of the Ricola Bomb to hit Castagnoli with the Powerdrive Knee and then pin him with the Raging Fire. Things weren’t done with there because Takeshita and Moxley had a stare down after the match. Hechicero blindsided Moxley much to Takeshita’s surprise and a brawl then broke out between the Death Riders and The Don Callis Family.
EVE “WRESTLE QUEENDOM VIII”, 08/03/2026 Indigo At The O2, London, England
1. Sudden Death Sixteen: Alexxis Falcon defeated Jamie Hayter, Miyu Yamashita, DASH Chisako, Anita Vaughan, Lucy Sky, Nyla Rose, Aluna, Lil Marz, Emersyn Jane, Princesse Lauriana, Yuu, Molly Spartan, Nightshade, Abi Cartwright and Charlie Morgan (34:43).
The unfinished business between Yamashita and Hayter started right back up again two days later when they were the first two entrants taking part in EVE’s Sudden Death Sixteen match. Imagine the Casino Gauntlet match where it is one fall to a finish but you still get taken out of the match if you are thrown out of the ring Royal Rumble style. Sadly for Yamashita and Hayter that is what happened to them when they knocked each other out of the ring, causing yet another draw in their sudden rivalry. Surely it cannot end like that!
AEW “DYNAMITE”, 11/03/2026 San Jose Civic, San Jose, California, USA
1. Jon Moxley & Claudio Castagnoli (w/ Marina Shafir) defeated Konosuke Takeshita & Hechicero when Castagnoli pinned Hechicero with an Inside Cradle (14:09).
The previous week’s scuffle set the stage for this tag match to take place as on the go home show for the PPV. Neither Takeshita or Moxley could get the upper hand to each other so it was left up to Castagnoli to break the deadlock. A near ref bump threw Hechicero off enough for him to get poke in the eye and Castagnoli then rolled him up in a Small Package to steal the win. More fighting continued when Don Callis ordered Lance Archer & Mark Davis down to the ring but Takeshita showed a change of heart when he refused to attack Moxley with a chair. The message Takeshita wanted to send is he wanted to beat Moxley at his best. However the other members of the Family didn’t share the same feelings and felt he just wasted a perfect opportunity to get the upper hand.
PPW “HARDCORE FRIDAY THE 13TH”, 13/03/2026 TOKYO SQUARE In Itabashi
1. Hardcore Match: Chris Brookes defeated Gabriel Queen (14:11).
The Polish company PpW Ewenement Wrestling held a mini tour of Japan with two shows in Tokyo during the month. The big one had Chris Brookes involved in the opening match taking on Gabriel Queen. Despite its early placement on the card it was also made into a Hardcore bout, one that drew blood from Brookes and left him busted wide open! Queen didn’t take it seriously at first because he armed himself with a toy mallet. Brookes immediately turned it up a notch by pulling out a stapler in response. A plastic case smashing over Brookes is what cut his forehead open but he would cover up his wound. Queen would later put Brookes in the Crossface but Baliyan Akki would slide the stapler to Brookes from ringside so he could staple Queen’s hand and free himself from the hold. The violence would ramp up even more with chairs being piled up in the ring and Brookes would Superplex Queen onto them. He then got his own back using the plastic cases by slamming Queen through one with the Michinoku Driver for the victory.
AEW “REVOLUTION”, 15/03/2026 Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California, USA
1. AEW Continental Title – No Time Limit: Jon Moxley (c) defeated Konosuke Takeshita (23:32). *V2 for Jon Moxley.
Takeshita got the bad end to his story with Moxley but at least it was one hell of a match between them. Moxley busted Takeshita open and damaged his leg enough that it stopped him from doing the Powerdrive Knee late in the bout. Takeshita kept on fighting, kicking out of not just the regular Death Rider but a top rope version of it too! Moxley switched his plan over to using a submission hold and he fought to put him into a Rear Naked Choke. Takeshita flipped him off with a middle finger but couldn’t escape the move, losing consciousness and also the match. You know how it goes with Moxley in AEW. You bleed in the ring with him, you earn his respect. Takeshita eventually shook his hand after the match to make it so.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TJPW TEXAS STAMPEDE – AUSTIN DAY 1”, 17/03/2026 Palmer Events Center, Austin, Texas, USA 1,951 Fans
1. Suzume defeated Uta Takami with the Ring A Bell (6:12).
2. Sakura Hattori defeated Shino Suzuki with the Shinden Fudo Ryu Majime Ura (8:54).
3. Raku & Pom Harajuku defeated Hyper Misao & Mifu Ashida when Raku pinned Ashida with the Doctor Yellow (10:25).
4. Miyu Yamashita & Arisu Endo defeated Mizuki & Yuki Aino when Yamashita pinned Aino with the Skull Kick (13:53).
5. Jessie McKay & Cassie Lee defeated Shoko Nakajima & Wakana Uehara when McKay pinned Uehara after the IIdolizer (10:15).
6. Miu Watanabe & Rika Tatsumi defeated Yuki Kamifuku & Yuki Arai when Watanabe pinned Arai with the Tear Drop (15:08).
AEW “COLLISION – SLAM DUNK SUNDAY”, 18/03/2026 (Aired 22/03/2026) Save Mart Center At Fresno State, Fresno, California, USA
1. Mistico, Mike Bailey & Kevin Knight defeated Konosuke Takeshita & Josh Alexander & El Clon when Mistico submits Clon with La Mistica (13:10).
Takeshita got a change of pace for his first match after the PPV by getting into some fast pace trios action with a familiar face on the other team. Always nice to see Takeshita and Mike Bailey in the same ring together. Disaster struck for the Callis Family when Josh Alexander got injured from blocking Bailey’s Standing Moonsault Knee Drop with his own knees. Takeshita & El Clon had to wrestle the rest of the match one man down. Kevin Knight had Takeshita scouted by escaping the Raging Fire and leaping onto Takeshita to give him a DDT that planted him onto the canvas. Mistico went on to tap out Clon with La Mistica.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TJPW TEXAS STAMPEDE – DALLAS”, 21/03/2026 College Park Center, Arlington, Texas, USA 1,481 Fans
1. Shino Suzuki defeated Mifu Ashida with the Modified Cobra Clutch (4:55).
2. Sakura Hattori defeated Uta Takami with the Shinden Fudo Ryu Majime Ura (7:57).
3. Suzume & Arisu Endo defeated Raku & Pom Harajuku when Endo pinned Harajuku with the Ju no Okite (11:32).
4. Yuki Kamifuku & Wakana Uehara defeated Yuki Aino & Vert Vixen when Kamifuku pinned Aino with the Diving Famouser (11:55).
5. 3 Way Match: Mizuki defeated Rika Tatsumi and Hyper Misao when Mizuki pinned Misao with the Diving Foot Stomp (13:50).
6. Shoko Nakajima & Yuki Arai defeated Miu Watanabe & Miyu Yamashita when Nakajima pinned Yamashita with the Diving Senton (16:48).
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TJPW TEXAS STAMPEDE – HOUSTON”, 22/03/2026 POST Houston, Houston, Texas, USA 415 Fans – Super No Vacancy Full House
1. Yuki Aino & Vert Vixen defeated Suzume & Shino Suzuki when Aino pinned Suzuki with the Venus DDT (10:26).
2. Sakura Hattori defeated Mifu Ashida with the Shinden Fudo Ryu Majime Ura (7:25).
3. Hyper Misao defeated Raku with the I Am A Hero (8:39).
4. Yuki Kamifuku & Wakana Uehara defeated Miyu Yamashita & Kaylia Capri when Uehara submitted Capri with the Banana Pillow (12:20).
5. Yuki Arai defeated Pom Harajuku with the Modified Brainbuster (10:04).
6. Miu Watanabe, Rika Tatsumi & Arisu Endo defeated Shoko Nakajima, Mizuki & Uta Takami when Watanabe pinned Takami with the Tear Drop (16:59).
AEW “DYNAMITE”, 25/03/2026 Roy Wilkins Auditorium, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
0. Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona defeated Daisuke Sasaki & Paul Virk (?:??).
I can’t find much information online but Daisuke Sasaki worked a dark match at AEW before that night’s Dynamite show. The ring had the ROH aprons so it was likely taped for their weekly show. I’ll correct the info if that turns out to be the case. Sasaki teamed up with local Minnesota wrestler Paul Virk to lose against The Gates Of Agony.
ROH/MLP “GLOBAL WARS”, 27/03/2026 St. Clair College, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
1. 6 Pack Scramble: Michael Oku defeated Jake Crist, Daisuke Sasaki, Michael Allen Richard Clark, Ace Austin and Brent Banks when Oku pinned Crist with the Six Star Frog Splash (10:26).
Sasaki was advertised for the ROH joint show with Maple Leaf Pro but it wasn’t known in advance what he would get up to. It turns out he was the replacement for Barbaro Cavernario in a 6 Pack Scramble match. He was pretty much lost in the shuffle for most of the match.
MLP “UPRISING”, 28/03/2026 St. Clair College, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
1. No DQ Match: Daisuke Sasaki defeated Bryce Hansen with a chair assisted Diving Splash (8:12).
Sasaki had more to do on the next night’s MLP show when a backstage confrontation with Bryce Hansen forced a No DQ Match to take place between them. Don Callis was on commentary and seemed to be impressed with Sasaki’s dirty tactics. Sasaki hit Hansen below the belt with a kendo stick, Speared him twice into a table (because it didn’t break the first time) and then pinned him with a flying chair dive from the top rope onto the rubble below.
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Upcoming Appearances
GCW “LAST CALL”, 03/04/2026 FSW Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Daisuke Sasaki Vs Marcus Mathers
With Canada out of the way, Sasaki heads on over to America for a couple of GCW appearances. He has two trips to Las Vegas in him and the first is for a match against Marcus Mathers.
GCW “MANIAC”, 04/04/2026 Ukrainian Culture Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
1. GCW World Title: Atticus Cogar (c) Vs Daisuke Sasaki
Sasaki’s big hopes of becoming a triple crown champion have gone up in smoke after he lost the DDT Universal Title before leaving Japan. He can still be a double champion if he can beat Atticus Cogar for the GCW World Title and then remember he still has the O-40 Title back home.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “VANCOUVER PREMIERE – DAY 1”, 11/04/2026 Great Canadian Hastings Racecourse & Casino, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Less than two weeks to go and not a lot announced. J-Rod is officially booked for the Vancouver shows so she might get a warm up match with Yuki Arai before they get to Las Vegas.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “VANCOUVER PREMIERE – DAY 2”, 12/04/2026 Great Canadian Hastings Racecourse & Casino, Vancouver, BC, Canada
What’s the hold up, Sayuri Namba?
PODER~! “PODERMANIA~!”, 15/04/2026 Horseshoe, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. International Tag Team Match: Amira & Lil Marz Vs Toga & Jazzy Yang
Toga is starting things off early for WrestleMania Week.
PANDEMONIUM PRO “WHATEVER, FOREVER”, 15/04/2026 Bizarre Bar, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Jiah Jewell Vs Daisuke Sasaki
I heard about Jiah Jewell being this crazy wrestler last year but his match with MAO wasn’t much to write about. Maybe Sasaki will get a better fight out of him this year.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TJPW LIVE IN LAS VEGAS 2026”, 16/04/2026 Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Yuki Kamifuku & Wakana Uehara Vs Toga & Uta Takami
2. Yuki Aino, Raku & Pom Harajuku Vs Alexis Lee, HIMAWARI & Shino Suzuki
3. Special 3 Way Match: Miyu Yamashita Vs Mizuki Vs Miu Watanabe
4. International Princess Title: Suzume (c) Vs Sakura Hattori
5. Princess Tag Team Titles: Jessie McKay & Cassie Lee (c) Vs Shoko Nakajima & Hyper Misao
6. Princess Of Princess Title: Yuki Arai (c) Vs J-Rod
This is the full card for TJPW’s return to Las Vegas. Three championship matches fill up the second half but the match that will surely be the talk of the show will be the 3 Way between Miyu Yamashita, Mizuki and Miu Watanabe.
“DEATH VEGAS INVITACIONAL”, 16/04/2026 Horseshoe, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Daisuke Sasaki Vs X
I’m not expecting Sasaki’s match on this show to be anything spectacular given the lineup so far. Maybe stick him in the ring with ISHIN for something?
GCW “JOSH BARNETT’S BLOODSPORT XV”, 17/04/2026 Horseshoe, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Miyu Yamashita Vs Janai Kai
Yamashita’s doesn’t have a good winning record against Janai Kai under regular wrestling rules. Is Bloodsport rules the ingredient needed for her to change that?
PRIDESTYLE “OUT OF THIS WORLD”, 17/04/2026 Bizarre Bar, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Special Single Match: Taniya Vs Miu Watanabe
There might be other TJPW related stuff happening during the week (Maple Leaf Pro’s show looks like it will be crossover heavy) but for the moment it looks like Watanabe’s appearance at PrideStyle will be the last TJPW related match on the schedule.
EVE/TOKYO JOSHI PRO “EVE X TJPW”, 25/04/2026 Big Penny Social, London, England
1. EVE International Title Next Contender Tournament – Round 1: Shoko Nakajima Vs Hollie Barlow
2. EVE International Title Next Contender Tournament – Round 1: Miyu Yamashita Vs Aliss Ink
3. EVE International Title Next Contender Tournament – Final: X Vs X
The TJPW contingent heading over to Italy at the end of April have another stop planned in England. EVE is hosting TJPW for a second combined show and this one is being built around a one night mini-tournament to crown the No. 1 Contender for the EVE International Title. Yamashita and Shoko Nakajima are taking part on the TJPW side while EVE is being represented by Hollie Barlow and Aliss Ink. Barlow is apparantly the same height as Nakajima while Ink wants to see if her strikes are at the level of Yamashita’s.
SAJ/TOKYO JOSHI PRO “SAJ X TJPW”, 26/04/2026 Centro Sport Cesate, Milan, Italy
1. Mirko Mori, Nico Inverardi & Adriano Vs Goro, Merak & Spencer
2. Shoko Nakajima Vs Kanji
3. Sebastian De Witt Vs Miyu Yamashita
4. SAJ Openweight Title: Lupo (c) Vs Kouga
Plans changed a little bit for the SAJ Wrestling show in Italy. Yamashita’s match against Sebastian De Witt was supposed to be for the SAJ Openweight Title but De Witt lost it at another show earlier this month. Funnily enough the NOAH wrestler now known as Kouga is getting the title shot on this show instead. Nakajima’s match on the show will be a first time meeting with Kanji. TJPW would be good to get Kanji over for a tour or two if she’s up for it.
DDT/TOKYO JOSHI PRO “LOVE & PEACE 2026 SPRING SUPPORTED BY TIF ASIA TOUR – DAY 1”, 09/05/2026 JioSpace, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
DDT and TJPW’s tour of Malaysia is back for a second year. It will take place over two days in the same venue as last time with idol performances happening alongside the wrestling matches.
DDT/TOKYO JOSHI PRO “LOVE & PEACE 2026 SPRING SUPPORTED BY TIF ASIA TOUR – DAY 2”, 09/05/2026 JioSpace, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
The Japanese wrestlers going over for the shows are Yuki Arai, Miyu Yamashita, Shoko Nakajima, Hyper Misao, Miu Watanabe, Raku, Shino Suzuki, Uta Takami, Marika Kobashi, Shinya Aoki and Shota.
GCW/BZW “NOW OR NEVER”, 23/05/2026 Espace Isabelle de Hainaut, Rue de Saint-Quentin, Bapaume, France
1. MAO & Yoshihiko Vs X & X
MAO & Yoshihiko are heading back to France! They still hold the BZW Tag Team Titles so who will BZW find to challenge them this time? GCW are involved so could it be a team often seen over there?
WXW “DRIVE OF CHAMPIONS 2026”, 06/06/2026 Turbinenhalle 1, Oberhausen, Germany
1. Jun Akiyama Vs X
Don’t mind me slipping this in, I just forgot to include it before posting the article. Jun Akiyama is going over to Germany to wrestle for wXw!
Still recovering from the last week? I know I am. It was a good week of wrestling over in Las Vegas. Plenty to go see and the stuff I watched in person was for the most part good to great. The return of DGUSA was alright, Pandemonium Pro was a fun time, WrestleCon had a good first half that turned bizarre in the middle before ending with a good main event and Bloodsport is a decent idea that’s getting bogged down by GCW’s working relationship with WWE. As for the DDT and Tokyo Joshi Pro related shows I enjoyed all three of them. TJPW’s show was as close to a Korakuen Hall level event they could put on in America, DDT’s show didn’t have a dull moment on it and I was surprised by how good the Vs GCW show turned out in the end. Attendance though is another thing. TJPW I think are happy with the 812 number especially since I doubt they would get that for a Golden Week Korakuen show this year even with the big main event. DDT is still keeping their numbers a secret which I am now looking at in a different light because of a certain big takeover story that happened in the industry during the weekend.* The Vs GCW show had the worst turnout yet the people who did show up wanted to watch the show so there was still a good atmosphere inside the venue.
I reckon DDT/TJPW are happy to keep working with GCW and The Collective for next year’s WrestleMania Week. There’s definitely too many shows going on and not enough of an audience to fill them up. I saw plenty of shows in person and on screen over the week where the empty seats were noticeable. However TJPW in particular was one of the success stories coming out of Vegas and they seem to be getting more out of their American shows then some of the other Japanese promotions. Hopefully the momentum carries over to their events in Texas for All In Weekend this July.
*Let the record show that the moment I learned about WWE acquiring AAA happened while Maki Itoh and Microman were fighting each other.
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Videos
Video starts at 00:00 for Match #1. Go to 39:41 for Match #2. PANDEMONIUM PRO “THE HOUSE ALWAYS WINS”, 17/04/2025 Fremont Country Club, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Masha Slamovich Vs MAO
2. Maya World Vs Miu Watanabe
WEST COAST PRO “VEGAS VACATION”, 17/04/2025 Meet Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. MAO Vs Jiah Jewell
GCW “JOSH BARNETT’S BLOODSPORT XIII”, 17/04/2025 Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Nattie Neidhart Vs Miyu Yamashita
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Results
PANDEMONIUM PRO “THE HOUSE ALWAYS WINS”, 17/04/2025 Fremont Country Club, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Masha Slamovich defeated MAO with a High Kick (9:30).
2. Miu Watanabe defeated Maya World with the Tear Drop (11:30).
Thursday was when the busy schedules all kicked off for everyone. Miu Watanabe not only got to wrestle a rare match outside of TJPW but she got to perform her song for everyone during the pre-show too. Apparently when the promoter for Pandemonium Pro asked her if she had any requests in regards to the booking, she made it absolutely clear she wanted to sing at the show. When it came time to wrestle, she was ready to face the power and agility of Maya World. A Gory Special Go 2 Sleep, a Crippler Crossface, a Sunset Flip Power Bomb from the corner and a hanging German Suplex were all used by World but couldn’t get her the win. Watanabe’s power won out instead thanks to the Giant Swing, Power Slam, Laserbeam and then the Tear Drop.
The first of four matches in one day for MAO began here when he fought Masha Slamovich, who is somebody else that would spend most of the week wrestling non-stop all over the place. MAO fought a little bit dirty so even though he normally does something to the ref to leap over them for a Ace Crusher, here it was done to get the fans on Slamovich’s side. The two ended up in a fighting exchange that looked like it was about to end in a draw after Double High Kicks from each other both found their targets. But MAO fell down first with Slamovich landing on top of him to get the win.
CIRCLE 6 “MAYHEM AT THE MUSEUM”, 17/04/2025 The Punk Rock Museum, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. MAO defeated Bestia 666 with the Cannonball 450 (?:??).
With the Pandemonium Pro done, MAO quickly travelled over to The Punk Rock Museum where Circle 6 was hosting his next match in the parking lot. There was a ring set up in the lot and MAO could not help but brawl with Bestia 666 up to the nearby concert stage. MAO took some time to sit at the drums and play them for a bit before bringing Bestia back to the ring where he beat him with the Cannonball 450.
WRESTLECON “MARK HITCHCOCK MEMORIAL SUPERSHOW”, 17/04/2025 Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Mickie James defeated Maki Itoh with the Mickie DDT (14:25).
2. Minoru Suzuki Vs Butterbean (w/ Don Frye) ended in a Double Countout (R3 9:06). *Special Guest Enforcer: Dan Severn
I wasn’t going to write about any of Minoru Suzuki’s matches on this trip but I was in attendance for this show, Suzuki had the DDT Universal Title with him so and these two matches are going to be remembered for all the wrong reasons for a long time to come. So let’s get to it. Suzuki fought against Butterbean in one of the most bizarre looking matches happening in the weekend. Dan Severn was there as the special guest referee and also Don Frye was in the room as part of Butterbean’s entourage. What followed was a car crash of a match that nobody could turn away from. Three rounds of… er… I guess you can call it combat but there wasn’t much that could actually happen given the physical limitations between those involved. In the third round Suzuki and Butterbean ended up fighting outside the ring and when the bell rang for the final time, Severn informed everyone that the two of them were both counted out. Then after the commotion settled down, Severn gave an instruction to the ring announcer and it was just to repeat that the match ended in a Double Countout (I know he did that spot somewhere before but can’t remember where). It was certainly a freak show fight I’ll never forget.
Let’s not mince words, the Mickie James Vs Maki Itoh that happened before this was complete dog shit. On paper the match layout done correctly would have been acceptable. Start the match with a challenge for a singing contest, one of them gets slighted over being upstaged and does something heelish then the other makes the babyface comeback and wins. Should be easy peasy but oh boy did they fuck this up something rotten. They already began wrestling for a few minutes while everyone noticed the microphone was still in the ring. James then finally grabs it but instead of making the challenge straight away, she instead starts talking shit about Dave Meltzer for cheap pops (apparantly he was in the crowd?). The singoff eventually starts with Itoh singing in Japanese so James makes the typical “I don’t understand what you said” joke that would have fitted in at the WrestleMania roast later that weekend given how low effort it was. Then James tried singing her song, throwing in some adlibbed insults at Itoh for having a small butt that just came off like James couldn’t think of anything funny on the spot. They finally went back to wrestling but by this point the air has already escaped the room and nobody cared how it went. An absolute bomb of a match that exposed James as being thin-skinned and unprepared while Itoh had nowhere near the ability to try and save it.
WEST COAST PRO “VEGAS VACATION”, 17/04/2025 Meet Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. MAO defeated Jiah Jewell with an Anaconda Vice (?:??).
Time was already getting tight for MAO heading into his third match of the day. He came out for his match with Jiah Jewell looking like he only just arrived in the venue. He also had to call his next Uber before the match began. The match itself was not much to talk about. Given the promotion was two crazy wrestlers being put against each other, there isn’t much to talk about. There was a little bit of storyline with Jewell’s rival JT Thorne sitting at ringside to watch the match and MAO has added the Anaconda Vice to his arsenal. Other than that this became one of MAO’s more quiet periods of the week.
GCW “JOSH BARNETT’S BLOODSPORT XIII”, 17/04/2025 Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Charlie Dempsey defeated Shinya Aoki by Referee Stoppage with the Regal Plex (9:18).
2. Nattie Neidhart defeated Miyu Yamashita by Referee Stoppage with the Sharpshooter (7:14).
After so much time spent hyping it up Miyu Yamashita and Nattie Neidhart finally had their match, taking place in the no-rope Bloodsport ring. Yamashita countered Neidhart’s Discus Elbow with the Skull Kick but that wasn’t called as a knockout so she went for the submission. Neidhart ended up kicking Yamashita away, pushing her into the corner post. That pretty much knocked out Yamashita and when she was put in the Sharpshooter, the referee stopped the match. That’s how it was supposed to look on paper but in practice it didn’t look great, which is why a lot of the match reports out there are confused as to why Yamashita was rendered unconscious by the Sharpshooter so quickly. At least Neidhart was thrilled by how the match went and would like to fight Yamashita again, this time in the WWE.
Maybe the big upset of the show happened when Charlie Dempsey from NXT defeated Shinya Aoki. The match was mostly grappling with Dempsey throwing in some European Uppercuts late in the game. Aoki almost had the fight won with a Sleeper Hold but Dempsey grabbed victory from the jaws of defeat by countering it into the Regal Plex. Aoki didn’t respond after that and the match was called in his opponent’s favor.
BZW “VIVA LAS VEGAS”, 17/04/2025 Swan Dive, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. BZW Tag Team Titles: MAO & Yoshihiko (c) defeated Marcus Mathers & Alec Price when Yoshihiko pinned Mathers with a Hurricanrana (?:??). *V4 for MAO & Yoshihiko.
This is how you end a night in Las Vegas. By teaming up with a sex doll to defend a tag team championship from France against a team with one guy who will probably end up on WWE TV somewhere in the next few year. As you do. Marcus Mathers & Alec Price were able to keep MAO at bay but Yoshihiko proved to be too much to handle. It had Price pinned with a Victory Roll counter for the Doomsday Device but the ref held his count believing that Mathers kicked out of it. So the challengers tried another double team move, this time with a Power Bomb set up. But Yoshihiko fought off Price from the corner and flipped over Mathers with a Hurricanrana to get the three count. MAO & Yoshihiko would go on to defend the BZW Tag Team Titles a second time later in the week, this time at the “DDT VS TJPW VS GCW” show.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “QUERI PRESENTS TJPW LIVE IN LAS VEGAS”, 18/04/2025 Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA 812 Fans
1. Yuki Arai defeated Arisu Endo with the Finally (7:17).
2. Yuki Aino, Ram Kaichow & Viva Van defeated Rika Tatsumi, Shino Suzuki & Vert Vixen when Aino pinned Suzuki with the Venus DDT (13:56).
3. Maki Itoh & Zara Zakher defeated Max The Impaler & Raku when Itoh submitted Raku with the Itoh Deluxe (9:44).
4. International Princess Title: Suzume (c) defeated Jada Stone with the Ring A Bell (12:36). *V3 for Suzume.
5. Princess Tag Team Titles: Shoko Nakajima & Hyper Misao (c) defeated Yuki Kamifuku & Wakana Uehara when Nakajima pinned Uehara with the Diving Senton (13:20). *V1 for Kyoraku Kyomei.
6. TNA World Knockouts Title: Masha Slamovich (c) defeated Miu Watanabe with the White Knight Driver (10:45). *V8 for Masha Slamovich.
7. Princess Of Princess Title: Mizuki (c) defeated Miyu Yamashita with the Cutie Special (17:40). *V2 for Mizuki.
DDT “DDT GOES LAS VEGAS!”, 18/04/2025 Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA ??? Fans – Unannounced
1. Starboy Charlie defeated Yuni with the Shooting Starboy Press (8:58).
2. 3 Way Tag Match: Daisuke Sasaki & Ilusion defeated Mizuki Watase & Shota and Dan The Dad & Kody Lane when Sasaki submitted Dan with the Crossface Lock (13:07).
3. Special Single Match: Santana Jackson defeated Antonio Honda with the Moonwalk DDT (9:37).
4. wXw Unified World Wrestling Title: 1 Called Manders (c) defeated Yukio Naya with the Lariat (9:33). *V3 for 1 Called Manders.
5. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Nick Wayne, Shunma Katsumata & Kazuma Sumi defeated Gringo Loco, Marcus Mathers & Tyler Bateman when Wayne pinned Bateman with the Wayne’s World (13:37).
6. Special Single Match: Shinya Aoki defeated Timothy Thatcher with the Aoki Clutch (9:20).
7. DDT Universal Title: Minoru Suzuki (c) defeated Yoshihiko with the Gotch-Style Piledriver (15:10). *V1 for Minoru Suzuki.
8. Special Single Match: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA defeated MAO with the Raging Fire (17:24).
WRESTLECORE “FEAR & WRESTLECORE IN LAS VEGAS”, 18/04/2025 Swan Dive, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Cutest Match In The World: Maki Itoh defeated ELP when ELP said he is not the cutest in the world. (?:??).
Things have gotten drastic between Maki Itoh and El Phantasmo over who the cutest wrestler in the world is. The only way this matter could be settled in the ring was in a fight to the death! Or at least hurt the opponent badly enough that they admit on the microphone that they are not the cutest, I Quit style. Phantasmo brought a chair into the ring only for Itoh to stop him with a Low Blow. Itoh then bashed the chair over his head and use it to choke him into submission, forcing ELP to admit he is not the cutest in the world. Itoh was happy with that and made up with ELP after the match so the two could pose together.
PRIDESTYLE “OUT OF THIS WORLD”, 18/04/2025 Swan Dive, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
0. Yoshihiko’s Super Special Open Challenge: Yoshihiko Vs Ricky Tenacious
1. G-Sharpe Vs MAO
I couldn’t find any results of the PrideStyle show. I was able to find a clip of Yoshihiko wrestling Ricky Tenacious and there were other people involved so I guess the open challenge turned into a multi-man match.
GRAPHOUSE “FOR VEGAS, BY VEGAS”, 18/04/2025 Fergusons Downtown, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Gauntlet Match: Yoshihiko defeated G-Sharpe (?:??).
2. W4TN Title: Lazarus (c) defeated MAO (?:??). *V? for Lazarus.
MAO probably saved his craziest stuff for last when he fought Lazarus over at GrapHouse. With the WILD4THENIGHT Title on the line both champion and challenger did nutty things. There was crowd brawling, there were plastic cases being smashed apart and there were plenty of chairs being used too. MAO even took a Stunner that sent him bouncing backwards into a trash can! Lazarus ended up winning to retain his W4TN Title.
From what I could find, Yoshihiko was also booked on the show as part of a Gauntlet Match and ended up winning it. But I do not know who it fought on the way to victory. I think G-Sharpe was there for part of it.
DDT/TOKYO JOSHI PRO/GCW “DDT VS TJPW VS GCW”, 19/04/2025 Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA ??? Fans – Unannounced
1. Mizuki, Hyper Misao, Yuki Aino, Raku & Jada Stone defeated Miu Watanabe, Suzume, Arisu Endo, Yuki Arai & Shino Suzuki when Mizuki pinned Suzuki with the Cutie Special (10:13).
2. Kidd Bandit & Shota defeated Rika Tatsumi & Antonio Honda when Bandit pinned Honda with the Hidden Lotus (10:02).
3. Gringo Loco & Arez defeated Starboy Charlie & Yuni when Loco pinned Yuni with the Base Bomb and Arez pinned Charlie with the Made In Mexico (11:23).
4. Yuki Kamifuku & Wakana Uehara defeated Brooke Havok & Sandra Moone when Kamifuku pinned Moone with the Diving Famouser (7:01).
5. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Super Crazy, Marcus Mathers & Shoko Nakajima defeated Daisuke Sasaki, Ilusion & Dark Sheik when Crazy submitted Ilusion with La Guitarra (8:48).
6. Special Tag Match: Yukio Naya & Microman defeated 1 Called Manders & Maki Itoh when Microman pinned Itoh with a Naya Assisted Body Press (11:27).
7. Hardcore Tag Match: John Wayne Murdoch & Matt Tremont defeated Mance Warner & Shunma Katsumata when Tremont pinned Katsumata with the Death Valley Driver (9:37).
8. Special Tag Match: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA & Masha Slamovich defeated Shinya Aoki & Miyu Yamashita when Slamovich pinned Yamashita with the White Knight Driver (11:10).
9. BZW Tag Team Titles – 3 Way Match: MAO & Yoshihiko (c) defeated Jimmy Lloyd & Alec Price and Jack Cartwheel & Kazuma Sumi when MAO pinned Sumi with the Ultra Big Tone (13:48). *V5 for MAO & Yoshihiko.
GCW “CLUSTERF*CK FOREVER”, 19/04/2025 Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Clusterfuck Match: Brodie Lee Jr. defeated Joey Janela (2:19:45). Order Of Elimination: Kerry Morton, The Up Up Girls, B3CCA, Steven Crowe, MBM and MBM’s Friend, Swipe Right, Shreddy, The Warlord, Tombstone Jesus, Nate Webb, Human Tornado, Santana Jackson, Yoshihiko, Blanket Jackson, Gene Snitsky, Tara Zep, Zayda Steel, Vipress, Viva Van, Sonny Kiss, Sayaka Unagi, Jai Vidal, Ashley Vox, Bodhi Young Prodigy, Channing Decker, Sonico, Randy Myers, Parrow, Rhys Maddox, CPA, Jeffery Jhn, Super Crazy, Juventud Guerrera, Dustin Thomas, Kidd Bandit, Microman, New Roy, Team Game Changer Wrestling and Team Juggalo Championship Wrestling, Sleepy Ed, Dan Barry, Frank The Clown, Dan The Dad, Cheeseburger, Jack Cartwheel, Manny Lemons, Harlon Abbot, Effy, The Invisible Man, JGeorge and Lady Killjoy, Tommy Invincible, Frankie B, Brittnie Brookes, Sam Holloway, Thomas Shire, Mike Jackson, Lena Kross, Jay Lucas and Terry Yaki, Bobby Flaco, Aerial Van Go and Davey Bang and Brayden Toon, Starboy Charlie, Paul London, Masha Slamovich, Alec Price, 1 Called Manders, Man Like DeReiss, Megan Bayne, Joey Janela.
So Yoshihiko appearing at the Clusterfuck was known in advance but The Up Up Girls showing up as Entry #1 to perform “Upper Kick”? Nobody saw that coming! Although any joy to come from that was spoiled by Kerry Morton coming out to interrupt them with a foul mouthed rant. But when he got into the ring Miu Watanabe, Raku & Shino Suzuki all beat him up and threw him out of the ring before going back to singing. The next entrant was B3CCA then tried to get on The Up Up Girls’ side only to jump them. They fought back until Zayda Steel entered the match followed by the stable Swipe Right. A distraction from Swipe Right allowed B3CCA & Steel to all eliminated The Up Up Girls from behind.
Later in the match Yoshihiko made its appearance only to get eliminated by Gene Snitsky. Hey, it wasn’t his fault…
DDT “DDT GOES LAS VEGAS!”, 18/04/2025 Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Yuni Vs Starboy Charlie
2. 3 Way Tag Match: Daisuke Sasaki & Ilusion Vs Mizuki Watase & Shota Vs Dan The Dad & Kody Lane
3. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Nick Wayne, Shunma Katsumata & Kazuma Sumi Vs Gringo Loco, Marcus Mathers & Tyler Bateman
4. Special Single Match: Antonio Honda Vs Santana Jackson
5. Special Single Match: Shinya Aoki Vs Timothy Thatcher
6. Special Single Match: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA Vs MAO
7. wXw Unified World Wrestling Title: 1 Called Manders (c) Vs Yukio Naya
8. DDT Universal Title: Minoru Suzuki (c) Vs Yoshihiko
Bright lights, the sound of money being lost everywhere and of course there’s an impersonator nearby. DDT has come to Las Vegas for WrestleMania Week! Things really feel different with the show this year as many of DDT’s main roster are not making the trip out of Japan. Instead they are going to run more shows side by side with the group going to America. It means a lot of big names you come to expect from DDT are missing and the people brought in to fill those gaps seem a bit random at first. Some start to make sense the more you think about it but if you look at the card above it kind of looks like bits and pieces from other shows all being grouped together into something else. I still bet it will be a good time and if you want to know what’s going on with everything, you’ve come to the right place. You won’t get any gambling tips from me though. I’m already gambling my Switch 2 money to the Fortune Cup machines as you read this.
When and where is the show taking place?
The two shows will be held at the Pearl Theater found inside Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. “DDT GOES LAS VEGAS!” is taking place on Friday, 18th April at 3pm local time. “DDT VS TJPW VS GCW” is taking place on Saturday, 19th April at 2pm local time.
Where can I watch it online?
Both “DDT GOES LAS VEGAS!” and “DDT VS TJPW VS GCW” will air live on Triller TV with English commentary through the TrillerTV+ subscription service. The on-demand versions of both shows will be available to watch on Wrestle Universe a few weeks after the live broadcast.
Is this a proper DDT show?
Ehhhhhhh…… There’s a lot missing. When it comes to expanding into the USA, CyberFight thinks Tokyo Joshi Pro has become the better bet. I don’t think you will get the full DDT experience compared to their shows in Japan or even their recent previous American shows. It will be entertaining and mostly looks unique compared to anything else happening this week but I can’t say this looks like a complete DDT experience. Maybe treat it as a sampler if this is your first time watching the product.
Look at it this way. I’m playing Promoter Mode on Fire Pro Wrestling and I’m trying to remake DDT. A lot of the roster I want too book isn’t unlocked yet and I spent so much money on the couple of star wrestlers I love that I have to make do with who’s available in the Freelance section to fill out the rest of the card. I might end up discovering some new wrestlers I like in the process but the whole package just never seems right. This show kind of feels like that. DDT is always open to becoming a mish-mash of different styles and philosophies which is probably why some of the matches here look like they could have been booked on some of the other prominent shows happening in Vegas.
Got any non-wrestling tips for visiting Las Vegas?
Every casino looks closer to each other than they appear so be prepared to walk a lot. Even in real life The Sphere looks like it is CGI’d into the background when you see it from a distance. I like Secret Pizza in The Cosmopolitan but would not rely on it at all for a full meal. Pin-Up Pizza on the strip is the same quality as Sbarro so only go near it if you really want the novelty of eating a gigantic slice. If you’re going to see Penn & Teller at the Rio Casino, get there early to get a close up look at an old timey magician’s stage while Penn plays jazz music with his band. You might also get to be part of an inside joke that happens during the show. Tape Face is a really fun show to loosen up at. BattleBots Destruct-A-Thon is enjoyable but a little too Medieval Times for my tastes. It is also closer to pro wrestling than some of the actual pro wrestling shows happening this week.
Will The Steiner Brothers be at the show?
No.
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1. Yuni Vs Starboy Charlie
We open up with two heartthrobs in the making being pitted against each other. Yuni is part of NωA Jr. (New Wrestling Idol Jr.), a pop idol unit that’s been given the task by DDT to go and win a Best Newcomer category at a famous music awards ceremony by the end of the year. All three members of the group will be at this show so you may get a singing performance from them. Starboy Charlie isn’t singing yet but it might be in his future if The Crush Boys project he is involved in with Chigusa Nagayo ever decides to take the musical route. These two boys might just end up being two peas in a pod.
Yuni – See this 17 year old? Yuni made his pro wrestling debut at 8 years old when he and his mom convinced Sanshiro Takagi to let him try out for DDT. How did DDT get away with this at the time? Well it turns out the mom is a retired dancer from a popular idol group in the 90’s so the family is already in show business. Yay nepotism! Now fully ingrained in the business and at an age where DDT won’t get into trouble when he takes a bump, Yuni wants to live his dream of becoming a cool wrestler with loads of high flying moves in his arsenal. Moves To Watch Out For: Phoenix Splash, Sky Twister Press, Moonault, Spinning Headscissors
Starboy Charlie – Currently making waves on the indies as one half of The Crush Boys with Titus Alexander. Charlie is more familiar with the other side of CyberFight where he has wrestled several tours in NOAH and once challenged for the GHC Jr. Heavyweight Title. Yes, he still wrestles in the denim dungarees. I still remember Jim Ross joking that the kid thinks he’s like Jerry Lawler in Memphis when he pulls the straps down. Moves To Watch Out For: Shooting Star Press, Standing Corkscrew Moonsault, Kip Up into an Overhead Kick
2. 3 Way Tag Match: Daisuke Sasaki & Ilusion Vs Mizuki Watase & Shota Vs Dan The Dad & Kody Lane
A 3 Way Tag Match like this always looks like it’s thrown together but it makes a little bit of sense here. Two of the three teams are more likely to appear in Ganbare☆Pro rather than DDT. DAMNATION T.A is the odd one out although a previous version of the group did get into a feud with GanPro in 2017 that nearly put the promotion’s entire existence in jeopardy. Mizuki Watase has travelled to Las Vegas before and has gone through the problems such a trip would give anyone. Hopefully he’s better prepared this time. Dan The Dad & Kody Lane have toured in GanPro before so this isn’t unusual territory for them. They are also already an accomplished tag team called Home Cookin’.
Daisuke Sasaki – Here is the grimiest heel you’re ever going to find in DDT. Dirty, drunk and depressed, Daisuke Sasaki is the leader of DAMNATION T.A because this way of life is a “Total Addiction”. He has the talent to reach bigger heights and has achieved success in DDT but every time there is a setback it sends him tumbling back down into despair. Despite putting himself in a self-fulfilled cycle of destruction you can never really count him out of the running. Moves To Watch Out For: Crossface Lock (sometimes set up with La Mistica), Crossover Face Lock (Gargano Escape), Sasaki-Style Hurricanrana, Diving Elbow Drop
Ilusion – This young masked wrestler started off his career leaning as a heel but showed traces of babyface behaviour when he wanted to join SCHADENFREUDE International. It all turned out to be a ruse he planned with DAMNATION T.A to betray his new friends and leave them with broken hearts. Now Ilusion is just a prick to everyone outside of DAMNATION T.A, flipping off his opponents and cheating like hell. Moves To Watch Out For: Swanton Bomb, RE:VISION1 (Modified Angels Wings), Missile Dropkick, Giving everyone middle fingers
Mizuki Watase – A former comedian turned pro wrestler and he is freshly back from a ruptured Achilles tendon. He speedran his rehabilitation and made it back to the ring in only 4 months which sounds absolutely crazy when you think about it. He wants to make up for lost time which is why he is putting in four times the amount of effort needed. Moves To Watch Out For: Venetian (Wrist-Clutch Michinoku Driver), Running Elbow Butt, Back Drop, Hanori Tiger Suplex
Shota – A reliable handyman both inside and out of the ring. Shota has spent the last few years working as a freelancer to do what’s best for himself after spending so many years putting other people in the business first. He still helps out from time to time and likes to wrestling across the indies scenes in both Japan and America. I’m under suspicion that he still helps out CyberFight as a talent scout of some sort from time to time. Moves To Watch Out For: Gannosuke Clutch, Frog Splash, Sharpshooter
Dan The Dad – Your father’s favorite wrestler. He sometimes has to wrestle the match while drinking his morning cup of joe from his World’s No. 1 Dad mug. He also isn’t afraid to dish out punishment the old fashioned way by whipping the opponent’s behind with his belt. He got involved at last year’s DDT show in Philadelphia where his open challenge was answered by the psycho mascot Chiitan. Moves To Watch Out For: Baby On Board (Backpack Stunner), You’re Grounded (rope draping Flatliner)
Kody Lane – Wherever Dan The Dad goes, “The Southern Flamingo” is never that far behind him. Although usually they just see each other all the time in Glory Pro anyway. The two travelled together to Japan for a GanPro tour two years ago and they are familar with each other either as partners or opponents. In the ring though Lane loves nothing more than to springboard or slingshot himself off of the ropes. Moves To Watch Out For: Diving Senton to a bent over opponent, Jay Driller, Top Rope Springboard Moonsault, Waffle Stomp (Elevated Double Stomp to a bent over opponent in the corner)
3. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Nick Wayne, Shunma Katsumata & Kazuma Sumi Vs Gringo Loco, Marcus Mathers & Tyler Bateman
Not much to say here other than throw a few high flyers into the ring with a couple of bases and let them all do their thing. Nick Wayne is calling over from AEW to get some ring time before he heads over to New Japan for the summer. Shunma Katsumata & Kazuma Sumi are the other two members of NωA Jr. Maybe they can convince Wayne to be their fourth man. Gringo Loco, Marcus Mathers & Tyler Bateman are all going to try and ruin the other team’s day.
Nick Wayne – It’s been said before that Nick Wayne is a young wrestler who has the world at his feet. That’s all well and good but he really needs to get moving because maybe his father figure in AEW doesn’t have what’s best in mind for him. The son of the late Buddy Wayne toured with DDT in the past to get himself ready for his move to the big leagues. Now the next time he returns to Japan it will be for the Best Of The Super Jr tournament. There will come a day when Wayne is watching over the wrestling scene as a grizzled veteran with hundreds of matches under his belt while still only being in his mid twenties. But he needs to start making his moves sooner rather than later. Moves To Watch Out For: Wayne’s World (Sprinboard Flying Cutter), Inverted Hurricanrana, Snap Dragon Suplex, Fisherman Suplex
Shunma Katsumata – Nobody in DDT loves saunas as much as this guy. Don’t let his hobby or his eternally youthful looks fool you though. Katsumata can get crazy violent whenever he wants even when his weapons of choice turn out to be Lego and party poppers. That kind of behaviour took its toll and put him on the shelf for a year. So when he came back he traded in the Lego for a microphone to become part of NωA Jr. Moves To Watch Out For: ¡Hasta la vista! (Lightning Spiral), Totonou Splash (straight Diving Body Press), Aufguss (Diving Foot Stomp to a standing opponent)
Kazuma Sumi – Where does DDT find so many young wrestlers to train and debut quickly? Well the quiet part is they usually attract trainees who dropped out of other company dojos. Kazuma Sumi is one such example because he originally trained with Dragongate before bouncing over to DDT. One year after his debut he was taken under the wing of former DDT mainstay MIKAMI and adopted one of his most successful moves… the School Boy! There’s an alternate reality where he should be doing Swanton Bombs off of ladders instead but we don’t live in it. Moves To Watch Out For: Lionsault, Standing Moonsault, School Boy
Gringo Loco – Do you need an opponent to be the yin to your high flyer’s yang? Then go get “The Base God”. Gringo Loco left his mark in DDT last November when he unexpectedly won the DDT Universal Title during a series of shows in Seattle. He defended the belt around North America a little bit before losing it once he actually had a title match in Japan. This match will be Loco’s return to DDT, doing what he does best. Moves To Watch Out For: Base Bomb (Spinning Sit Down Power Bomb), Olympico Slam (Inverted Angle Slam), Gorilla Press Driver, Gringo Cutter
Marcus Mathers – It’s looking like Marcus Mathers is one of the early standouts among the WWE ID class. IWTV is also currently counting on him as their Independent World Wrestling Title. He made one previous appearance in DDT as part of GCW’s Japan tour last August. His big viral spot was crying crocodile tears with Maki Itoh during their match. That might not work here. The guy’s a pretty good spot monkey but that stuff doesn’t get over with WWE’s online fanbase unless it happens inside a WWE ring. Moves To Watch Out For: 450 Splash, Cutter, Blue Thunder Bomb, 999 (Diamond Dust)
Tyler Bateman – Vegas is a familiar haunt for Tyler Bateman so you may see him a couple of times throughout the week, particularly in the Shooting Star Fest series of shows. He thinks pretty highly of himself and is often introduced as “The God Damn Man”. He finds his moments to strike when the opponent’s guard is down. The big move to watch out for is when he goes for Death From Above, a falling Forearm Smash he usually hits immediately after his opponent kicks out of a pin. Moves To Watch Out For: Death From Above (Falling Forearm Smash to a grounded opponent), This Is A Kill (Tombstone Piledriver), Love Kill (Northern Lights Bomb)
4. Special Single Match: Antonio Honda Vs Santana Jackson
This is it! Antonio Honda’s love of classic American pop culture has brought forward the perfect opponent for him. Why is he Wanna Be Startin’ Something’ to get into a fight with a living, breathing Michael Jackson impersonator? It will be kind of like fighting The Man In The Mirror. If you think a match like this is going to be Bad then I advise you can go Beat It over to the concession stand…… Thriller.
Antonio Honda – He has almost two decades of experience under his belt while his knees behave like he’s gone through four. Antonio Honda went through several phases of an unlikely pro wrestling career, settling into this weird mix of tranquil slapstick with hints of Memphis wrestling hidden beneath. Honda is the poster child of high risk equals high failure because he injures his knee in a clumsy way in almost every match he’s in. The pain is so bad he threatens to retire every time unless he gets to tell the story of Gon The Little Fox, a child’s tale that he then turns into a filthy joke. But it’s all a ruse so he can poke people in the eyes while his hand is in the shape of Gon. Honda loves classic American pop culture too so DDT went and found him the perfect opponent for his visit to Vegas. Moves To Watch Out For: Octopus Hold, Diving Fist Drop, Bionic Elbow, Gongitsune/Gon The Fox (makes a fox out of his hand, says a lewd joke and pokes people in either the eyes or the nipples).
Santana Jackson – How’s this for a double life? A Michael Jackson tribute act in Vegas who moonwalks moonlights as a pro wrestler with the same gimmick. Genius! Santana Jackson usually goes viral for doing Moonwalk DDTs or replicating the baby balcony spot in Hardcore Matches. Think of an MJ cliche and he’s probably done it in the ring. Honda is going to have the time of his life against this guy. Although believe it or not, Santana is not the first Michael Jackson impersonator to wrestle in DDT. Someone by the name of Michael Okamoto beat him to the punch around 17 years ago. Moves To Watch Out For: Sleepwalk DDT, King Of Pop Elbow Drop, Rope Walk Arm Drag, Dancing like Michael Jackson
5. Special Single Match: Shinya Aoki Vs Timothy Thatcher
Are we sure this wasn’t meant to be booked for Bloodsport? I mean are we really, really sure? Okay then. DDT has somehow become the pro wrestling home for MMA fighter Shinya Aoki. He certainly made the most of it so far. His opponent is someone you couldn’t find in DDT at all yet is still a fitting match for him. If Timothy Thatcher is going to feel a thrill from going hold to hold against Aoki, we’re not going to see it on his face. He’s there to win or accept total defeat from trying.
Shinya Aoki – If you were never around for even the immediate post-glory years of Japanese MMA then you missed a magical time. Shinya Aoki played a role in it as this little asshole who would come out to the Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo theme song and then rip his opponents apart with submission holds. It was wonderful. He unexpectedly turned to DDT in 2018 and gradually made himself at home by winning several championships including DDT’s main belt, the KO-D Openweight Title. Thankfully for everybody and their arms his personality had mellowed out by then and he has found wrestlers to get along with. His skills on the mat are still unmatched to this day and his mind for fighting is his most valuable weapon. Even his biggest doubters in wrestling couldn’t help but be impressed to see him develop the humble little Full Nelson Hold into a nigh-on unbreakable pinning manoeuvre. Moves To Watch Out For: Sleeper Hold, Full Nelson Hold, European Clutch, Topé Suicida
Timothy Thatcher – In Europe he was once the housewive’s favourite but nowadays you can find him tangling with WWE ID recruits. No nonsense to a fault, Timothy Thatcher takes to the mat like no one else and braces for his opponent’s strikes the same way a brick wall would. You may think DDT would be the most uncharacteristic place for a guy like Thatcher to wrestle in but the company has always embraced wrestlers with catch style or MMA related backgrounds. It goes all the way back to their very beginning with the late Koichiro Kimura. So there’s sort of a legacy he can fit into. Moves To Watch Out For: Fujiwara Armbar, Butterfly Suplex, Enzuigiri, European Uppercut
6. Special Single Match: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA Vs MAO
Nothing is stopping the Konosuke Takeshita hype train! The man has been on a roll lately and he may not be done just yet. He has some old business to deal with back in DDT where he tests how much his former allies in The 37KAMIINA have grown without him. MAO has certainly found ways to progress up the card and make himself feel a level above what he was before. But he might be in for a rude awakening if Takeshita doesn’t budge to his antics anymore.
Konosuke Takeshita – No matter where his career in AEW and now New Japan will take him, Takeshita will always have a home in DDT. He is gradually taking over the wrestling world while holding contracts with those three companies. Once he was part of a unit of sauna loving wrestlers called The 37KAMIINA until he left to chase his biggest dreams. That journey so far has evolved him into “The Alpha” you see today. He has done everything there is to do in DDT and only comes back to fight opponents he wants to fight. So you know this match matters to him when you see who his opponent is. Moves To Watch Out For: Raging Fire (Spinning Falcon Arrow), Powerdrive Knee/Wagamama (V-Trigger style Knee Strike), German Suplex, Blue Thunder Bomb, Takeshita Line (Leaping Clothesline from the ropes)
MAO – Lives by the motto “Fucked up wrestling for a fucked up world!” so you can’t say he’s out of place in 2025. He was scouted by DDT as a teenager when they found his Youtube videos of him doing wrestling moves at home and outdoors. Just like Takeshita, MAO was part of The 37KAMIINA but very recently decided to leave the unit to move in a fresh direction. He has been immature for his entire career but in recent times developed an unshakeable confidence in his abilities and wrestling philosophy. MAO feels at his most alive during Falls Count Anywhere style situations. Putting him in an environment like Las Vegas is just asking for trouble. Moves To Watch Out For: Iai Kick (Powerful Thrust Kick), Cannonball 450 (450 Splash), Michinoku Driver, Whirlwind Kick
7. wXw Unified World Wrestling Title: 1 Called Manders (c) Vs Yukio Naya
All of a sudden we’ve got an extra title match on our hands! Straight from Germany the wXW Unified World Wrestling Title will be defended in Las Vegas a few times this week. If all goes to plan, 1 Called Manders will put the belt on the line against his scheduled DDT opponent Yukio Naya. Manders is having a breakthrough year, one that I can’t help but wonder if Naya could have gotten in the past if things had turned out differently for him.
1 Called Manders – Previously known for being part of The Second Gear Crew in GCW and the surrounding indies, Manders went his own way and his hard work over the last few years is now paying off. His feud on the indies with Mad Dog Connelly consisting of Dog Collar and Texas Bull Ropes matches found its audience and received great acclaim online. Then a lengthy trek to Europe this year rewarded him with more success, particularly in Germany where he won the fabled 16 Carat Gold tournament and soon after that took the vacant wXw Title. He’s your man if you like your wrestling to be hard hitting with a bit of grit. Moves To Watch Out For: Lariat, Stampede Slam, Chops
Yukio Naya – The Heavyweight division is something DDT has been trying to boost up for the last few years. Yukio Naya is someone they’ve had high hopes for in the past due to his lineage coming from a famous family of sumo wrestlers. His grandfather was the 48th yokozuna, his father was kicked out of the sport in disgrace and his three younger brothers are all currently active up and down the divisions. Sumo was never the road that Naya wanted to take though and instead he was directed towards pro wrestling by Satoru Sayama. Development was slow but when DDT became his home he eventually started to piece things together. He is in no way a finished product but through sheer determination it may someday finally all click into place for him. Watch out if he does because he can run you over easy. Moves To Watch Out For: The World’s Best Back Drop, Choke Slam, Knee Lift
8. DDT Universal Title: Minoru Suzuki (c) Vs Yoshihiko
There’s going to be a few bruised egos in Vegas this week over a sex doll getting more bookings than some of the wrestlers coming to town. I’m not even making a crass joke at someone’s expense, Yoshihiko really has a couple of non-DDT matches going on as well as possibly getting the main event of this show! It is facing the one man who isn’t playing along with the joke though. Minoru Suzuki currently holds the DDT Universal Title and wants to travel the world defending it against all comers. So a sex doll suddenly appearing nearby wherever he goes is just an unfunny prank to him that is better off ignoring. With that being said have you seen what Suzuki’s schedule for this week looks like? This genuinely will end up being one of the more entertaining matches. Yoshihiko just needs to figure out how to make its dark power have an effect on Suzuki even a little bit. It’s almost as if it’s just an inanimate object…
Minoru Suzuki – The “Pirate King” of pro wrestling recently returned to DDT when Yuki Ueno used the Universal Title as a piece of treasure to lure him into a match. Ueno’s plan backfired spectacularly and now Suzuki holds DDT’s second most important championship. Since it is an international title, Suzuki now comes to America looking for anyone brave enough to challenge him. He has seen it all in his travels across the wrestling world but even he cannot believe who was first to answer his call. He’s going to show up to the event expecting to fight somebody because he isn’t buying that he’ll be headlining a wrestling show against a Dutch Wife. Moves To Watch Out For: Gotch-Style Piledriver, Rear Naked Choke, Heel Hook, Slaps
Yoshihiko – The Grave Digger Doll From Hell has been a mysterious force in DDT for almost two decades now. It first showed up as the brother of Muscle Sakai, constantly replacing him in matches whenever Sakai suffered gun-related injuries backstage (it’s a long story). Yoshihiko vanished after that only to reappear years later as Danshoku Dieno’s surprise tag team partner. Over time the doll’s powers have only gotten stronger. It gained the ability to transform into powerful wrestlers such as The Great Muta, The Undertaker and Hulk Hogan. You can rip it limb from limb and it will survive. You can drive over it with a car and it will survive. You can throw it off a building and it will survive. To fight Yoshihiko is almost like fighting yourself. Only then can you discover your true talent as a pro wrestler. Moves To Watch Out For: Reincarnation (multiple rotations into a Hurricanrana), Canadian Destroyer, Yoshihiko Destroyer (multiple Canadian Destroyers in a row)
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DDT/TOKYO JOSHI PRO/GCW “DDT VS TJPW VS GCW”, 19/04/2025 Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Mizuki, Hyper Misao, Yuki Aino, Raku & Pom Harajuku Vs Miu Watanabe, Suzume, Arisu Endo, Yuki Arai & Shino Suzuki
2. Yuki Kamifuku & Wakana Uehara Vs Brooke Havok & Sandra Moone
3. Rika Tatsumi & Antonio Honda Vs Kidd Bandit & Shota
4. 3 Way Match: MAO & Yoshihiko Vs Jimmy Lloyd & Alec Price Vs Jack Cartwheel & Kazuma Sumi
5. Special Tag Match: 1 Called Manders & Maki Itoh Vs Yukio Naya & Microman
6. Special Tag Match: Mance Warner & Shunma Katsumata Vs John Wayne Murdoch & Matt Tremont
7. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Daisuke Sasaki, Ilusion & Dark Sheik Vs Super Crazy, Marcus Mathers & Shoko Nakajima
8. Special Tag Match: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA & Masha Slamovich Vs Shinya Aoki & Miyu Yamashita
I made the Fire Pro comparison earlier but holy hell does this card look like I random selected everything on my save. Now don’t get me wrong, the lineup we have so far is so nutty looking that I’m looking forward to it. This isn’t even the full line up yet. Out of all the shows happening this week this may end up being the one with the most amount of never seen before and never seen again matches ever. I can’t do a proper preview of this justice so just join me in confusion at the sight of Super Crazy and Shoko Nakajima are doing double team moves together, Manders punting Microman into the third row and Yoshihiko taking Jack Cartwheel’s WWE ID deal away from him.
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There will be other chances to see a few DDT wrestlers in action across Philadelphia that week. Mainly MAO. You are going to get a lot of MAO. Yoshihiko is in demand quite a bit too.
PANDEMONIUM PRO “THE HOUSE ALWAYS WINS”, 17/04/2025 Fremont Country Club, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Masha Slamovich Vs MAO
MAO is taking on the crazy schedule of wrestling 8 matches in just over 48 hours. He first match of the trip at Pandemonium Pro is already putting the pedal to the metal because his opponent is Masha Slamovich! The woman is one of the toughest people you will find in either TNA or GCW and just the kind of person who likes to match crazy with crazy.
CIRCLE 6 “MAYHEM AT THE MUSEUM”, 17/04/2025 The Punk Rock Museum, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Bestia 666 Vs MAO
Around the same time MAO is fighting Slamovich he also has a match with Bestia 666 at a Circle 6 show. They’re only like a 10 minute drive away from each other so which will happen first?
WEST COAST PRO “VEGAS VACATION”, 17/04/2025 Meet Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. MAO Vs Jiah Jewell
Forget about LSU Vs Ole Miss. Louisiana Vs Osaka? Now there’s a real sports rivalry! Although I can’t find Modesto on the map of Louisiana and any cajun I ask tells me the only place I’ll find a Modesto over there would be in the craft beer aisle. Jiah Jewell is another crazy opponent for MAO to fight.
GCW “JOSH BARNETT’S BLOODSPORT XIII”, 17/04/2025 Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Charlie Dempsey Vs Shinya Aoki
Look, I’m not saying I want to see Aoki break Charlie Dempsey’s arm and flip him off afterwards. It’s just that if you’re going to call this Bloodsport then give us a bloodsport. Dempsey’s dad would understand that.
BZW “VIVA LAS VEGAS”, 17/04/2025 Swan Dive, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. BZW Tag Team Titles: MAO & Yoshihiko (c) Vs Marcus Mathers & Alec Price
If you haven’t heard, MAO & Yoshihiko have a side story going on where they are the tag team champions of Banger Zone Wrestling in France and Belgium. BZW are among the more obscure wrestling companies that decided to run a show in Vegas this year but at least they’re taking a good swing at it. The champs were originally meant to face The Gahbage Daddies for the belts but Cole Radrick is unfortunately out of action. Alec Price was able to get Marcus Mathers in as a substitute so wacky times are still a go-go.
PRIDESTYLE “OUT OF THIS WORLD”, 18/04/2025 Swan Dive, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
0. Yoshihiko’s Super Special Open Challenge: Yoshihiko Vs X
1. G-Sharpe Vs MAO
MAO is also taking in favours from the Nevada based promotions during the week. There is a heel unit in PrideStyle named The Cartel de Los Villanos who have called MAO in to deal with one of their enemies G-Sharpe. While that is going on, Yoshihiko will also be there on the pre-show looking to put out an open challenge.
GRAPHOUSE “FOR VEGAS, BY VEGAS”, 18/04/2025 Fergusons Downtown, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Lazarus Vs MAO
By the looks of things MAO ends his run of Vegas shows with one of the local promotions called GrapHouse. His opponent Lazarus is being advertised as the W4TN Champion but I’m not sure if the title will be on the line. Lazarus is also nicknamed “The Cannibal Cryptid”. Sounds about right. Also I think the venue is near Fremont Street so MAO should find a way to do a Moonsault off of Vegas Vic.
GCW “CLUSTERF*CK FOREVER”, 19/04/2025 Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Clusterfuck Match: Yoshihiko Vs X
Almost anyone and anything could show up at GCW’s annual Clusterfuck match that usually draws the non-WWE side of the week to a close. Yoshihiko has been confirmed to take part in the match for a second year in a row. Last year it made it all the way to the final three. Former TJPW wrestler Sayaka Unagi is also being advertised to take part. Can you imagine the kind of eye opening things Unagi would do in Vegas?
What a month it’s been already and we’re not even halfway through yet. It’s the busiest time of the year for American wrestling with WrestleMania coming up next weekend and the carnival of shows that exist around it. DDT and Tokyo Joshi Pro will be deep in the mix with shows held under The Collective banner along with some outside bookings scattered around the Paradise of Las Vegas. Then there is no rest for the wicked afterwards because the months leading into summertime will be very busy for the likes of Miyu Yamashita and Maki Itoh. The international exchange will even be seen in Japan with Deadlock Pro running a tour over there and YuuRI getting involved in a big lucha libre show. Plus one of the big rivalries happening in Southeast Asia may finally come to an end if Yuki Kamifuku defeats Alexis Lee one more time.
But I’m burying the lede here. Shoko Nakajima won a championship in MLW! She has become the latest TJPW wrestler to win a title belonging to a foreign company and we may possibly add another person to that somehow growing list at the end of the month. Meanwhile Konosuke Takeshita is already turning April 2025 into a memorable period. He squashed an age old beef with one of Japan’s modern legends and has started a tournament run that will at least produce a few great matches if he doesn’t make it all the way.
Video starts at 22:53 for Match #1. Go to 1:12:00 for Match #2. MLW “BATTLE RIOT VII”, 05/04/2025 Thunder Studios Arena, Long Beach, California, USA
1. HIMAWARI Vs Janai Kai
2. MLW Women’s World Featherweight Title: Delmi Exo (c) Vs Shoko Nakajima
8th match Backstage 4/11/25 | Windy City Riot 2025
AEW “COLLISION”, 12/04/2025 MassMutual Center, Springfield, Massachusetts, USA
1. Owen Hart Foundation 2025 Men’s Tournament – Quarter Final: Brody King (w/ Julia Hart) Vs Konosuke Takeshita
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Results
AEW “COLLISION”, 02/04/2025 (Aired 05/04/2025) Peoria Civic Center, Peoria, Illinois, USA
1. Kyle Fletcher & Konosuke Takeshita defeated Powerhouse Hobbs & Tomohiro Ishii (w/ Rocky Romero) when Fletcher pinned Ishii with the Sheer Drop Brainbuster (13:47).
Takeshita had to miss the “DYNASTY” PPV because he had other priorities with New Japan that weekend but he was able to fit in an AEW tag match right before he left. He and Kyle Fletcher are really catching on as a tag team lately and they were really put through the grinder against Powerhouse Hobbs & Tomohiro Ishii. They tried to give Ishii a Super Bomb from the corner but Ishii countered it into a Frankensteiner on Fletcher. Takeshita came to help Fletcher give Ishii a Sheer Drop Brainbuster for a nearfall and then clashed with Hobbs. Ishii’s face was bloody at this point but he was still fired up to fight. Fletcher didn’t care though and he used a Tombstone Piledriver followed by another Brainbuster for the victory.
MLW “BATTLE RIOT VII”, 05/04/2025 Thunder Studios Arena, Long Beach, California, USA
1. Janai Kai defeated HIMAWARI with the Tornado Kick (7:28).
2. MLW Women’s World Featherweight Title: Shoko Nakajima defeated Delmi Exo (c) with the Diving Senton (9:17). *Delmi Exofails in V2. Shoko Nakajima becomes the 5th MLW Women’s World Featherweight Champion!
Well would you look at that, MLW went all the way with Nakajima and made her their women’s champion! The 619, Double Arm DDT and Diving Senton put Delmo Exo away and now Nakajima can add the MLW Women’s World Featherweight Title to her collection.
Also HIMAWARI did not in fact get abducted or murdered by CONTRA Unit. She made it back to Japan in one piece. Janai Kai still beat her pretty handily but I’d still call it a successful MLW excursion.
NJPW “WINDY CITY RIOT”, 11/04/2025
Wintrust Arena, Chicago, Illinois, USA
4,674 Fans – No Vacancy
1. Hiroshi Tanahashi Last Match In The USA Final Road ~Kinship~: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi with the Raging Fire (20:37).
It was an emotional battle that’s been over a decade in the making. Takeshita was not only fighting Hiroshi Tanahashi in a rematch from their DDT bout from 2014 but he was defending DDT’s honour over the disrespect Tanahashi gave to them in 2015. Due to the added importance that this will be Tanahashi’s final wrestling match in America before he retires it was made the main event of the show ahead of the IWGP World Heavyweight Title bout. The two had counters for each other’s finishers but Takeshita surprised everyone by doing his own High Fly Flow. Everyone was then in even more shock when Tanahashi kicked out at one! Takeshita nailed Tanahashi with several Wagamama knee strikes before giving a big shout to HARASHIMA by hitting the Somato. After that he used the Raging Fire to get the win.
Backstage Takeshita said he was all anger before this match but now that it is over, his revenge on Tanahashi has ended and he now for the first time respects him. There is one thing that Takeshita couldn’t do to Tanahashi and that was take away the last of his light. He wishes to see Tanahashi keep that light shining until his retirement. He was then interrupted by El Phantasmo who complained about Takeshita not showing respect until now. He still remembers their match at last year’s G1 Climax and he wants to challenge him to a rematch, this time with the NEVER Openweight Title on the line. Suddenly Phantasmo was then attacked from behind by Rocky Romero. Whatever it is that’s going on between them has nothing to do with Takeshita. At least for now.
AEW “COLLISION”, 12/04/2025 MassMutual Center, Springfield, Massachusetts, USA
1. Owen Hart Foundation 2025 Men’s Tournament – Quarter Final: Konosuke Takeshita defeated Brody King (w/ Julia Hart) with the Powerdrive Knee (12:18).
The 4th annual Owen Hart Cup is packed this year on both the men’s and women’s tournaments. Count Takeshita among them on the men’s side. His opening round match was against Brody King from The Hounds Of Hell. Even a guy like Takeshita gets a bit worried when he hears King barking nearby. It took several Powerdrive Knee strikes to break down King and the final two needed Takeshita to pull his kneepad down for extra damage to finally put his opponent down for the count.
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WrestleMania Week Appearances
PANDEMONIUM PRO “THE HOUSE ALWAYS WINS”, 17/04/2025 Fremont Country Club, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Masha Slamovich Vs MAO
2. Maya World Vs Miu Watanabe
Let’s get crazy. The first piece of involvement in Wrestlemania Week from DDT and TJPW both take place at the same show. Miu Watanabe makes a rare outside appearance from TJPW to take on Maya World while one of her later upcoming opponents Masha Slamovich takes a trip on MAO’s wild ride. Or maybe it’s MAO going on Slamovich’s wild ride.
WRESTLECON “MARK HITCHCOCK MEMORIAL SUPERSHOW”, 17/04/2025 Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Mickie James Vs Maki Itoh
Who knows what else WrestleCon has in store for their big event of the week and if it applies here. They have a mystery 10-Man Tag Match on the card which was used to promote TJPW in a previous year. Itoh might meet her match in more ways than one when she faces off against Mickie James. But the worst thing James could do is go in their and underestimate Itoh.
WEST COAST PRO “VEGAS VACATION”, 17/04/2025 Meet Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. MAO Vs Jiah Jewell
It will be the second match of the day for both MAO and Jiah Jewell.
GCW “JOSH BARNETT’S BLOODSPORT XIII”, 17/04/2025 Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Charlie Dempsey Vs Shinya Aoki
2. Nattie Neidhart Vs Miyu Yamashita
This year’s Bloodsport went through a slight overbooking problem with some fighters but it hasn’t affected the two matches here that I care about. Bless GCW and Josh Barnett for having conflicting stories over who is actually booking the show when it was time to explain why previously announced talent were being left off the final card. Friendship aside, Nattie Neidhart doesn’t want to be used as a stepping stone by Yamashita but Yamashita doesn’t want Neidhart to take her lightly either. Are we going to get MMA Shinya Aoki or DDT Shinya Aoki when he fights Charlie Dempsey?
BZW “VIVA LAS VEGAS”, 17/04/2025 Swan Dive, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. BZW Tag Team Titles: MAO & Yoshihiko (c) Vs Marcus Mathers & Alec Price
Alec Price has found a replacement partner to challenge MAO & Yoshihiko for the BZW Tag Team Titles. With Cole Radrick out of action, Marcus Mathers is going to take his place.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “QUERI PRESENTS TJPW LIVE IN LAS VEGAS”, 18/04/2025 Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Rika Tatsumi, Shino Suzuki & Vert Vixen Vs Yuki Aino, Raku & Viva Van
2. Yuki Arai Vs Arisu Endo
3. Maki Itoh & Zara Zakher Vs Max The Impaler & Pom Harajuku
4. Special Single Match: Masha Slamovich Vs Miu Watanabe
5. International Princess Title: Suzume (c) Vs Jada Stone
6. Princess Tag Team Titles: Shoko Nakajima & Hyper Misao (c) Vs Yuki Kamifuku & Wakana Uehara
7. Princess Of Princess Title: Mizuki (c) Vs Miyu Yamashita
I’ll aim to have my guide for the TJPW Las Vegas show posted either late Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning Las Vegas time.
DDT “DDT GOES LAS VEGAS!”, 18/04/2025 Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Nick Wayne, Shunma Katsumata & Kazuma Sumi Vs Gringo Loco, Marcus Mathers & Tyler Bateman
2. Special Single Match: Antonio Honda Vs Santana Jackson
3. Special Single Match: Shinya Aoki Vs Timothy Thatcher
4. Special Single Match: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA Vs MAO
5. wXw Unified World Wrestling Title: 1 Called Manders (c) Vs Yukio Naya
6. DDT Universal Title: Minoru Suzuki (c) Vs Yoshihiko
Same with my guide for the DDT Las Vegas show. You’ll pretty much know I arrived safe and sound when the articles get posted.
WRESTLECORE “FEAR & WRESTLECORE IN LAS VEGAS”, 18/04/2025 Swan Dive, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. ELP Vs Maki Itoh
Well so much for El Phantasmo and Maki Itoh joining forces as The Cutest Tag Team In The World. They’re not getting along so they’re going to fight each other instead.
PRIDESTYLE “OUT OF THIS WORLD”, 18/04/2025 Swan Dive, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
0. Yoshihiko’s Super Special Open Challenge: Yoshihiko Vs X
1. G-Sharpe Vs MAO
A new booking for MAO over at PrideStyle. If his opponent G-Sharpe looks a little familiar it may be because you might recognize him when he wrestles under a mask as Hyperstreak. There is a group called The Cartel de Los Villanos who have been feuding with G-Sharpe over in PrideStyle and they are the ones who hired MAO to fight him.
A bonus attraction will be happening before the show officially starts. That’s right, Yoshihiko is throwing out an open challenge! Who will dare step foot against “The Grave Digger Doll From Hell”?
GRAPHOUSE “FOR VEGAS, BY VEGAS”, 18/04/2025 Fergusons Downtown, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Lazarus Vs MAO
MAO’s Friday night comes to a close with a brawl against Lazarus near Fremont Street. Someone convince MAO to Moonsault off of the Vegas Vic neon sign.
DDT/TOKYO JOSHI PRO/GCW “DDT VS TJPW VS GCW”, 19/04/2025 Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Rika Tatsumi & Antonio Honda Vs Kidd Bandit & Shota
2. 3 Way Match: MAO & Yoshihiko Vs Jimmy Lloyd & Alec Price Vs Jack Cartwheel & Kazuma Sumi
3. Special Tag Match: Mance Warner & Shunma Katsumata Vs John Wayne Murdoch & Matt Tremont
4. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Daisuke Sasaki, Ilusion & Dark Sheik Vs Super Crazy, Marcus Mathers & Shoko Nakajima
5. Special Tag Match: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA & Masha Slamovich Vs Shinya Aoki & Miyu Yamashita
What the hell kind of Fire Pro random card is this?
GCW “CLUSTERF*CK FOREVER”, 19/04/2025 Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Clusterfuck Match: Yoshihiko Vs X
Yoshihiko is among the many, many competitors announced for the Clusterfuck so far but nobody else from DDT or TJPW has declared they will be in it. It’s likely a bunch of the talent will already be flying home by the time this show takes place.
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Upcoming Appearances After WrestleMania Week
AEW “DYNAMITE – SPRING BREAKTHRU”, 16/04/2025 MGM Music Hall At Fenway, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
1. Owen Hart Foundation 2025 Men’s Tournament – Semi Final: Will Ospreay Vs Konosuke Takeshita
Ok this is during WrestleMania Week but isn’t actually part of it so let’s stick it here. It’s now on to the semi finals for Takeshita where is next opponent is quite a doozy. It’s the rematch against Will Ospreay!
DPW “SPIRIT RISING – NIGHT 1”, 24/04/2025 Shinjuku FACE
1. Chris Brookes & HARASHIMA Vs LaBron Kozone & Calvin Tankman
2. DPW Women’s World Title: Dani Luna (c) Vs Rika Tatsumi
The hype train’s not stopping once WrestleMania is done. The schedule is going to get even more packed heading into the summer! DPW is heading back to Japan and has some familiar wrestlers taking part on their shows. Rika Tatsumi is getting a shot at the DPW Women’s World Title on the first night. The champion Dani Luna is coming out of a violent feud with Hyan over the belt which included title defences in Street Fights and Dog Collar matches. Sounds like she’ll be ready to handle Tatsumi’s madness. Meanwhile Chris Brookes & HARASHIMA are teaming up to take on two of DPW’s mainstays. LaBron Kozone is currently the DPW National Champion which just so happens to be the first DPW championship that his teammate Calvin Tankman won in the company.
DPW “SPIRIT RISING – NIGHT 2”, 25/04/2025 Shin-Kiba 1st RING
1. Kazusada Higuchi & Yuki Ishida Vs Calvin Tankman & Kazuma Sumi
2. Emi Sakura, Chris Brookes, Mei Suruga & Baliyan Akki Vs Miyuki Takase, Kevin Ku, Dominic Garrini & Ryo Mizunami
Then on the second night Brookes joins team ChocoPro to fight a mix of joshi and Violence Is Forever… Joshi Is Forever? Violence Is Joshi? Miyuki Takase & Ryo Mizunami Plus Two?
Tankman finds himself in the ring surrounded by DDT wrestlers. It will be a match of big man and little man teams when Tankman teams with Kazuma Sumi to fight the Harimao pair of Kazusada Higuchi & Yuki Ishida.
HOG “ISOLATION”, 25/04/2025 NYC Arena, New York City, New York, USA
1. HOG Heavyweight Title: Mike Santana (c) Vs Konosuke Takeshita
Will Takeshita bring an end to Mike Santana’s 16 month reign as House Of Glory’s champion?
BLACK LABEL PRO “BLP AT SCX III”, 25/04/2025 The Wyndham, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
1. Miyu Yamashita Vs Leyla Hirsch
2. Danhausen & Maki Itoh Vs Davey Bang & August Matthews
You know, this is one of those shows that feels like it just takes forever to get to.
MEXICO KANKO/CMLL/LADYS RING “LUCHA FIESTA ESPECIAL”, 27/04/2025 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
1. Mexican Tourist Belt – The Road To Studying In Mexico 5 Way Match: Yuki Mashiro Vs Honoka Vs YuuRI Vs SONYA Vs CoCo
2. Octagon & El Hijo del Octagon Vs Daisuke Sasaki & Pantera Jr.
I heard this show has a Street Fighter 6 product placement match. Makoto and Hikaru Shida are cosplaying as R. Mika & Yamato Nadeshiko to fight a pair of masked Zangief wrestlers. It would be funny if The Gief #1 and The Gief #2 were other members of DAMNATION T.A.
I missed that YuuRI was booked for this show a month ago. She’s taking part in a 5 Way match where the winner will be crowned the second Mexican Tourist Belt Champion. Whoever holds possession of the belt is given the right to go study in Mexico thanks to the show sponsors. YuuRI’s opposition in the match are the freelancer Yuki Mashiro, Honoka from WAVE, SONYA from the Costa Rica Wrestling Embassy (CWE) and CoCo from MY WAY.
TOP TALENT “LIVE AT MIDWAY MUSIC HALL”, 02/05/2025 Midway Music Hall, Edmonton, Canada
1. Miyu Yamashita Vs X
Yamashita is going to be visiting Canada a few more times during this excursion. Top Talent Wrestling is the latest promotion over there to book her.
HOODSLAM “PHANTASMAGORIA”, 02/05/2025 Continental Club, Oakland, California, USA
1. Maki Itoh Vs X
Itoh is getting her ass back to Hoodslam!
GCW “CRAZY SCARY SPOOKY HILARIOUS”, 03/05/2025 Ukrainian Culture Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
1. Maki Itoh Vs Miyu Yamashita
Itoh believes she cannot lose to Yamashita in GCW. Anywhere but over there!
GCW “WE STILL DON’T TRUST YOU”, 04/05/2025 Hawthorne Theatre, Portland, Oregon, USA
1. Miyu Yamashita Vs X
2. GCW World Title: Effy (c) Vs Maki Itoh
One day later she gets her chance to win the GCW World Title from Effy. Only one person missing from making it a full Maki Death Bussy reunion.
HOG “WAGING WAR”, 09/05/2025 Logan Square Auditorium, Chicago, Illinois, USA
1. Miyu Yamashita Vs X
Just have to wait and see who House Of Glory wants to put Yamashita against. It didn’t work out so well for her there last time.
NJPW “RESURGENCE”, 09/05/2025 Toyota Arena, Ontario, California, USA
1. KONOSUKE TAKESHITA Vs X
It hasn’t been made official at the time of writing but it’s looking like Takeshita will defend the NEVER Openweight Title against El Phantasmo at this show. Unless Romero does something else to ELP and changes the situation.
MAPLE LEAF PRO “NORTHERN RISING”, 10/05/2025 Mattamy Athletic Centre, Toronto, Canada
1. Miyu Yamashita Vs Sereena Deeb
North American promoters really have a type of opponent in mind for Yamashita this time around, eh? She’ll have to deal with the wrestling expertise of Serena Deeb for her return to Maple Leaf Pro.
GCW “BIG TIME”, 17/05/2025 RJ Meyer Arena, Joppa, Maryland, USA
1. Miyu Yamashita Vs Tony Deppen
Yamashita’s journey through GCW continues.
GCW “RUN FOR IT”, 18/05/2025 Water Street Music Hall, Rochester, New York, USA
1. Billie Starkz Vs Miyu Yamashita
Once again, they meet at last.
MKW “BATTLE OF THE DECADE”, 24/05/2025 Dongxin Plaza, Beijing, China
1. Yuki Kamifuku & Chen Wenbin Vs Alexis Lee & Big Sam
The end of May will be a dramatic period for Yuki Kamifuku and Alexis Lee. This match in Middle Kingdom Wrestling has now become the warmup for what happens in Singapore Pro Wrestling one week later.
SAJ “HUNTER’S NET”, 24/05/2025 Magnete, Milan, Italy
1. Queen Of Asia Title: Yuki Kamifuku (c) Vs Alexis Lee
The stakes have been risen to the extreme. Lee is wagering her pro wrestling career to get one last chance at winning back the Queen Of Asia Title from Kamifuku. If she loses this time then she is done for!
KITSUNE “GOING BACK TO SAN DIEGO”, 07/06/2025 Primal Compound, San Diego, California, USA
1. Miyu Yamashita Vs X
2. Vipress & Hudson Envy Vs Nagisa Nozaki & Yuna Manase
Hey since Darkness Revolution are now down a member in Marigold maybe Nagisa Nozaki will consider replacing Bozilla with Yuna Manase.
KITSUNE “8888”, 08/06/2025 South Gate, Los Angeles, California, USA
1. Miyu Yamashita Vs X
2. Yuna Manase Vs X
Yamashita’s match on this show will be a singles match with an opponent yet to be determined.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TJPW LIVE IN HOUSTON – NIGHT 1”, 10/07/2025 POST, Houston, Texas, USA
Does the T in TJPW now stand for Texas? On the weekend when AEW runs “ALL IN TEXAS” TJPW will be holding three shows in the Lone Star State.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TJPW LIVE IN HOUSTON – NIGHT 2”, 11/07/2025 POST, Houston, Texas, USA
Two of the shows are going to be in Houston.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TJPW LIVE IN DALLAS”, 13/07/2025 The OC, Forney, Texas, USA
The third show is happening… not in Dallas but they’re calling it Dallas anyway. Is this like years ago when WWE would be in New York State and only mention on air that they’re somewhere near New York City?
Buckle up, folks. There is a lot to talk about this month, next month and probably even going into the summer. Konosuke Takeshita is no longer the AEW International Champion. That was to be expected but I am pleasantly surprised he has remained on AEW TV since then and is still winning matches for The Don Callis Family. He remains being protected in the booking so it looks like AEW has something in mind for him down the line even if it’s just building him up to put someone else over. Also in news that is kind of AEW related Yuka Sakazaki is now on the lookout for more wrestling bookings. Sumie Sakai is helping her out on that end but it sounds like Sakazaki will still need AEW’s permission to go ahead with whatever offers come her way.
Next let’s talk about Maki Itoh and Miyu Yamashita. Once the Las Vegas shows are done Itoh will be staying in America until 11th May while Yamashita won’t be coming back to Japan until 21st July for “SUMMER SUN PRINCESS ’25”. I was taken aback by the negative response to the news that both of them will be taking another extended hiatus from Tokyo Joshi Pro to wrestle overseas again. I get the frustration in a way. People think both of them are looking for contracts from WWE or AEW. Itoh has brought up stuff like that in past English interviews but I’m not entirely sure Yamashita has the same goal in mind. There was a public talk event sometime ago where Yamashita revealed she spent a lot of money to go follow one of her favorite K-Pop bands on a US tour and she seems to enjoy when she’s not being relied upon by TJPW to be a company ace. Maybe I’m wrong but I don’t think the two of them keep taking these options in the search for deals that may never come their way. Of course I may also just be blind to what could possibly be some tryout matches coming up next month.
That brings us up to next month’s chaos that is Wrestlemania Week. I can’t wait for this! Too many wrestling shows going on non-stop in Las Vegas for a solid week. Now that’s my kind of holiday! DDT and TJPW don’t have full cards out for their shows yet and I have the feeling one or two more promotions will be booking the likes of MAO and Itoh before we get there. So many shows are going on during the week that I can’t help but wonder if it will just take one badly made political decision somewhere to throw half the shows into chaos.
And if that’s not enough it turns out there will be even more wrestling shows going on through the year after Wrestlemania is finished. Yeah that took me by surprise too. Anyway next month expect me to write up three separate Around The World articles. One for everything that happens before WM Week, one for the week itself and one for the rest of April after that. If the next month doesn’t burn me out something fierce than nothing will.
1. Yuki Kamifuku & The Statement defeated Alexis Lee & Da Butcherman when Statement pinned Butcherman with an Uppercut (?:??).
The latest chapter in the Southeast Asian rivalry between Yuki Kamifuku and Alexis Lee was a little different this time around. Recently in Singapore Pro Wrestling Lee was stabbed in the back by Andruew Tang, or as he prefers to be called now, The Statement. Lee wanted payback and joined forces with one of Statement’s rivals Da Butcherman to get it. Statement called in Kamifuku to back him up so they can become the royal pair who will rule over SPW together with iron fists. An intense tag match resulted in the referee getting knocked out and Statement being saved by a tag team called The Midnight Bastards. The team attacked Butcherman with chairs and held him in place for Statement to knock him out with an Uppercut. Statement & Kamifuku both stood tall over their rivals holding their championships before leaving. Lee swore revenge and promised to take back the Queen Of Asia Title from Kamifuku!
EVE “WOMEN BEHAVING BADLY”, 07/03/2024 The Big Penny Social, London, England
1. Miyu Yamashita defeated Lucia Lee with the Skull Kick (12:48).
Plans in EVE changed for Yamashita when her original opponent Session Moth Martina pulled out of the show due to illness. Instead Yamashita was given Lucia Lee as her new opponent. For Lee it was a chance on short notice to step up against Yamashita and prove she can go toe to toe against her. Despite the good effort, Yamashita knocked her over with the Skull Kick anyway.
RCW “MARCH MADNESS”, 08/03/2024 Casinet de Hostafrancs, Barcelona, Spain
1. Miyu Yamashita defeated Amale with the Skull Kick (15:16).
The next day Yamashita was in Spain to wrestle on an RCW show for the first time since October 2022. Her opponent was “The French Hope” Amale, formerly from NXT UK. She sent Yamashita crashing through the front row of chairs with a Topé Suicida and the two soon found themselves brawling around ringside. Back in the ring Amale kicked out of an Avalanche Attitude Adjustment and almost scored the win with a Small Package. But when Yamashita kicked out she quickly had her opponent in her sights and hit the Skull Kick for the victory.
1. Miyu Yamashita defeated Anita Vaughan with the Crash Rabbit Heat (13:32).
Yamashita’s busy European weekend ended in Germany where she showed up during wXw’s final day of the annual 16 Carat Gold tournament. She didn’t take part in the 16 Carat tournament itself, instead she fought Anita Vaughan who was already eliminated from the competition by that point. Yamashita made it three wins for three but she needed to use the Crash Rabbit Heat this time to end the weekend with a clean sweep.
AEW “REVOLUTION”, 09/03/2025 Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California, USA
1. AEW International Title: Kenny Omega defeated Konosuke Takeshita (c) with a Cradle (28:30). *Konosuke Takeshita fails in V9. Kenny Omega becomes the 11th AEW International Champion!
That’s the end of Takeshita’s first championship reign in AEW. With thoughts of Hajime no Ippo on their mind and also their gear, Takeshita and Kenny Omega went hell for leather in their rematch from September 2023. Omega’s ribs were violently targeted due to his recent bout with diverticulitis and Takeshita got a little help from Don Callis here and there too. But Omega overcame the odds and kept kicked out of the Powerdrive Knee. Takeshita avoided the One-Winged Angel yet when he went for the Raging Fire, Omega countered it into an Inside Cradle. Only getting a nearfall, Omega then switched to more types of cradle pins until he kept Takeshita’s shoulders down long enough for the three count.
AEW “DYNAMITE”, 12/03/2025 Save Mart Center At Fresno State, Fresno, California, USA
1. Konosuke Takeshita defeated Max Caster with the Raging Fire (1:30).
Takeshita wasted no time in getting back to work after his title loss. Max Caster held the latest in his open challenges and tried to talk Takeshita out of it when he walked down to the ring with a purpose. Caster asked if Takeshita was actually here to invite him into The Don Callis Family? When he suggested he could use that position to beat Omega, Takeshita attacked him and quickly won with the Raging Fire.
BZW “WAR AT THE CAPITAL”, 16/03/2025 Claridge, Brussels, Belgium
1. BZW Tag Team Titles: MAO & Yoshihiko (c) defeated Kid Lykos & Kid Lykos II when Yoshihiko submitted Lykos & Lykos II with a Double Half Crab Hold (?:??). *V3 for MAO & Yoshihiko.
I missed when this was announced last month. MAO & Yoshihiko travelled back to Banger Zone Wrestling this month, this time to defend the BZW Tag Team Titles in Belgium. The challengers were the two troublemakers from Lykos Gym in England: Kid Lykos & Kid Lykos II. They weren’t prepared for Yoshihiko to do a balcony dive onto them nor did they expect the dark spirit that sometimes follows Yoshihiko around to show up and Moonsault onto them either. Lykos II made the big mistake of yelling insults towards Yoshihiko. When he tried to Headbutt it only he felt the impact. Yoshihiko was then able to trap both members of Lykos Gym in a Double Half Crab Hold and made both of them tap out at the same time!
AEW “COLLISION – SLAM DUNK SATURDAY”, 19/03/2025 (Aired 22/03/2025) Liberty First Credit Union Arena, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
1. Konosuke Takeshita, Brian Cage & Lance Archer defeated Mark Briscoe, Powerhouse Hobbs & Rocky Romero when Takeshita pinned Romero with the Raging Fire (11:22).
Takeshita continued to rebuild his momentum by teaming with more members of The Don Callis Family. He, Brian Cage & Lance Archer all worked over Rocky Romero until Mark Briscoe got the hot tag. Briscoe had the numbers game against him but he held his own until it was time for Powerhouse Hobbs to get the big tag. But The Don Callis Family withstood the comeback. Cage & Archer took out Romero with a Choke Slam/Power Bomb combo and held his partners at bay so Takeshita could pin Romero with the Raging Fire.
AEW “DYNAMITE”, 26/03/2025 Roy Wilkins Auditorium, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
1. Konosuke Takeshita defeated Mark Briscoe with the Raging Fire (11:39).
There was unfinished business between Takeshita and Briscoe from Collision so they met in a singles match the following week on Dynamite. The episode was sponsored by The Minecraft Movie so the venue they were in ended up kind of looking like a Create-An-Arena you would download from the WWE 2K games. Briscoe took a high risk by running across the barricade outside the ring to jump onto Takeshita with a Diving Elbow Drop. Takeshita hit Briscoe with the Powerdrive Knee back in the ring but it got him a nearfall. Briscoe pulled out the Jay Driller that had Takeshita beat but a rope break stopped him from getting pinned for the three count. Takeshita stunned Briscoe with a Rolling Elbow before using the Raging Fire to win by the skin of his teeth.
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Upcoming Appearances
MLW “BATTLE RIOT VII”, 05/04/2025 Thunder Studios Arena, Long Beach, California, USA
1. HIMAWARI Vs Janai Kai
2. MLW Women’s World Featherweight Title: Delmi Exo (c) Vs Shoko Nakajima
There was a report from Fightful’s Patreon account during the month saying MLW has “big plans” in mind for Shoko Nakajima and HIMAWARI and the promotion hopes to get TJPW more involved with their women’s division. I’m a bit skeptical towards what that could be because the way wrestling media reports on MLW often comes across as Court Bauer trying to get his material over and everybody just taking him for his word. Big plans could mean anything from Nakajima beating Delmi Exo for the MLW Women’s World Featherweight Title or Janai Kai literally murdering HIMAWARI on behalf of CONTRA Unit and right afterward MLW announces a working relationship with Stardom (go see how CIMA was written out of the company right before MLW aired a Dragongate trailer). Or the big plans might just be TJPW talent being used to put over the regulars MLW wants to push. Which at this moment in time is Exo, Kai and maybe Tara Zep. But hey, who knows. It looks like MLW’s working relationship with CMLL is legit. I’ll be happy to be proven wrong.
NJPW “WINDY CITY RIOT”, 11/04/2025 Wintrust Arena, Chicago, Illinois, USA
1. Hiroshi Tanahashi Last Match In The USA Final Road ~Kinship~: Hiroshi Tanahashi Vs KONOSUKE TAKESHITA
I recommend watching the Ace Vs Alpha video New Japan put on their Youtube channel (I included it in the video section above) because it shows Takeshita and Hiroshi Tanahashi talking about their previous match together as well as why Takeshita holds a grudge over how Tanahashi treated DDT in the past. It’s not the complete story of what happened back then because that is more HARASHIMA’s story to tell but it is suffice to build up their match happening next month.
PANDEMONIUM PRO “THE HOUSE ALWAYS WINS”, 17/04/2025 Fremont Country Club, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Masha Slamovich Vs MAO
2. Maya World Vs Miu Watanabe
Now we hit the busiest wrestling week of the year. Damn it really is a week long this time around with WWE going full throttle with their own schedule in Las Vegas from Tuesday to Tuesday. But enough about them, among the early shows kicking off the week is Pandemonium Pro where Miu Watanabe has a match against Maya World and now MAO will be there too for what is sure to be a crazy battle against Masha Slamovich! The two of them have packed schedules of their own so they better pace themselves.
WRESTLECON “MARK HITCHCOCK MEMORIAL SUPERSHOW”, 17/04/2025 Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Mickie James Vs Maki Itoh
It’s a match for the ages between two fierce opponents. One is a wrestling idol with grand ambitions of becoming a popstar who has in the past been unceremoniously fired in a humiliating fashion. The other is Maki Itoh. I know people who still have nightmares from the Revolution Pro show in London two years ago where a group of fans spent literally the entire match chanting “Hardcore Country” non-stop for Mickie James. I hope for my sake those same fans won’t be at this show.
WEST COAST PRO “VEGAS VACATION”, 17/04/2025 Meet Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. MAO Vs Jiah Jewell
MAO’s second show on the Thursday is against Jiah Jewell at West Coast Pro. Because when you think of local rivalries, you think of Miyagi Vs Louisiana.
GCW “JOSH BARNETT’S BLOODSPORT XIII”, 17/04/2025 Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Charlie Dempsey Vs Shinya Aoki
2. Nattie Neidhart Vs Miyu Yamashita
Whenever Yamashita travels to America, Natalya invites her over to her private training facility in Florida to help teach her what she knows. They’ve apparantly become close friends over time but when Josh Barnett started putting the card together for Bloodsport, Natalya (under her non-WWE moniker Nattie Neidhart) publicly asked for Yamashita to be her opponent. Yamashita jumped at the idea and Barnett was happy to make it happen. This will be the second time Yamashita faces a WWE wrestler at Bloodsport, she lost to Shayna Baszler last July. Here she has the martial arts background advantage and Neidhart’s previous attempt at doing this kind of match with NXT Underground ended in a loss. Usually comparing the legitimate fighting pedigree of two fighters would tip off who wins these things but a main roster WWE wrestler losing on a non-WWE show would be an unusual turn of events. Eh, I’ll still bet a dollar on it.
Shinya Aoki’s announced opponent for the show is NXT wrestler Charlie Dempsey. I’d joke about Bloodsport turning into a WWE psy-op but to be fair Dempsey is a regular competitor on these shows and this will be his fourth fight in the series. Plus I don’t want to just write that he is William Regal’s son. From what I’ve seen he fits into this style of wrestling pretty well. Aoki should have fun tangling with him.
BZW “VIVA LAS VEGAS”, 17/04/2025 Swan Dive, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. BZW Tag Team Titles: MAO & Yoshihiko (c) Vs Cole Radrick & Alec Price
MAO ends his busy day with BZW hosting his third match. At least I think it’s his third show. It’s possible he’ll have a fourth somewhere but I haven’t seen anything yet. The match here is going to be changed too because of injury. MAO & Yoshihiko are supposed to defend the BZW Tag Titles against The Gahbage Daddies but unfortunately word came out a few days ago that Cole Radrick is out of action with a torn MCL and meniscus. No word yet on if Alec Price will still be in the match with a replacement tag partner or if a new team will get the title shot instead.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “QUERI PRESENTS TJPW LIVE IN LAS VEGAS”, 18/04/2025 Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Special Single Match: Masha Slamovich Vs Miu Watanabe
2. International Princess Title: Suzume (c) Vs Jada Stone
3. Princess Tag Team Titles: Shoko Nakajima & Hyper Misao (c) Vs Yuki Kamifuku & Wakana Uehara
4. Princess Of Princess Title: Mizuki (c) Vs Miyu Yamashita
Only a few weeks to go but the major matches have all been set up. Mizuki Vs Yamashita is the biggest match TJPW can do for the Princess Of Princess Title but it’s been done already in Japan so I can see why it would look fresher in America. Kyoraku Kyomei have their first defence of the Princess Tag Team Titles against Kamifuku & Wakana Uehara’s new tag team OberEats. There is a rematch of the International Princess Title when Suzume clashes with Jada Stone again, this time with Stone having the home field advantage. Plus Watanabe continues getting big opponents away from the title scene when she gets in the ring with Slamovich.
DDT “DDT GOES LAS VEGAS!”, 18/04/2025 Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Special Single Match: Antonio Honda Vs Santana Jackson
2. Special Single Match: Shinya Aoki Vs Timothy Thatcher
3. Special Single Match: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA Vs MAO
4. DDT Universal Title: Minoru Suzuki (c) Vs Yoshihiko
The lineup so far is a little more creative than what we got last year and I prefer it this way. Minoru Suzuki Vs Yoshihiko sounds like something GCW would book for “JOEY JANELA’S SPRING BREAK” but DDT needs something like that to stand out for themselves.
WRESTLECORE “FEAR & WRESTLECORE IN LAS VEGAS”, 18/04/2025 Swan Dive, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Maki Itoh Vs X
Another outside booking for Itoh during Mania Week. No opponent has been confirmed by WrestleCore yet but El Phantasmo is trying to convince Itoh to team up with him so they can be The Cutest Tag Team Ever. He just so happens to be on this show too.
GRAPHOUSE “FOR VEGAS, BY VEGAS”, 18/04/2025 Fergusons Downtown, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Lazarus Vs MAO
I think this is MAO’s last non-DDT related booking of the week. Unless…
DDT/TOKYO JOSHI PRO/GCW “DDT VS TJPW VS GCW”, 19/04/2025 Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
As far as DDT and TJPW are concerned this will be the finale of their weekend. One match announced so far and it’s pretty cool looking. Takeshita & Slamovich teaming up against Aoki & Yamashita. It would be a shame if the show runs long and people start leaving during this match to head over to Wrestlemania.
GCW “CLUSTERF*CK FOREVER”, 19/04/2025
Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Clusterfuck Match: X Vs X
I’m adding this to the lineup because odds are good someone DDT or TJPW related ends up in the annual Clusterfuck. Yoshihiko was part of it last year and made it to the final three. In fact there’s already an ex-TJPW wrestler announced to be entering the match. Sayaka Unagi is taking part and I can only imagine what kind of eye opening crazy thing she would do in Las Vegas.
HOG “ISOLATION”, 25/04/2025 NYC Arena, New York City, New York, USA
1. HOG Heavyweight Title: Mike Santana (c) Vs Konosuke Takeshita
Hey good on Mike Santana for taking a gamble on himself. The stuff he’s been doing on TNA and House Of Glory has been nothing to sneeze at so far. He now has a month to prepare for Takeshita because the two of them are set to fight with the HOG Heavyweight Title on the line.
BLACK LABEL PRO “BLP AT SCX III”, 25/04/2025 The Wyndham, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
1. Miyu Yamashita Vs Leyla Hirsch
2. Danhausen & Maki Itoh Vs Davey Bang & August Matthews
Yamashita’s opponent Leyla Hirsch is fresh out of AEW and wants to show everyone how good she is in the ring.
CMLL/LADYS RING “LUCHA FIESTA ESPECIAL”, 27/04/2025 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
1. Octagon & El Hijo del Octagon Vs Daisuke Sasaki & Pantera Jr.
Daisuke Sasaki will be missing the DDT show happening in Sapporo on the same day for this match.
GCW “CRAZY SCARY SPOOKY HILARIOUS”, 03/05/2025 Ukrainian Culture Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
1. Maki Itoh Vs Miyu Yamashita
The 121000000 split up match is happening but not in TJPW. It’s in GCW! In the nine previous times they’ve done this match, Yamashita has won eight of them and the odd result out was a time limit draw. Itoh has never beaten Yamashita in a singles match but this 10th attempt might be her best chance yet because she’ll have the GCW fans behind her. She’ll need a good result because the next day she has a match that will be just as important.
GCW “WE STILL DON’T TRUST YOU”, 04/05/2025 Hawthorne Theatre, Portland, Oregon, USA
1. Miyu Yamashita Vs X
2. GCW World Title: Effy (c) Vs Maki Itoh
Itoh was originally supposed to get a GCW World Title match against Mance Warner during GCW’s Japan tour last August but a hand injury prevented it from happening. Now nine months later she finally gets her title shot but the champion now is someone completely different. Effy’s first reign as GCW Champ has seen him defend the belt against the weird and the wonderful. Can Itoh beat him to reach her ultimate form as the Queen of the Outlaws?
NJPW “RESURGENCE”, 09/05/2025 Toyota Arena, Ontario, California, USA
1. KONOSUKE TAKESHITA Vs X
Just have to wait and see what Takeshita does next after the Tanahashi match.
GCW “BIG TIME”, 17/05/2025 RJ Meyer Arena, Joppa, Maryland, USA
1. Miyu Yamashita Vs Tony Deppen
Can Yamashita get a better match out of Tony Deppen than YAMATO could?
GCW “RUN FOR IT”, 18/05/2025 Water Street Music Hall, Rochester, New York, USA
1. Billie Starkz Vs Miyu Yamashita
According to GCW this will be the first time ever Yamashita wrestles Billie Starkz. As long as you ignore the EVE match… and the St. Louis Anarchy match… and the SPARK match.
MKW “BATTLE OF THE DECADE”, 24/05/2025 Dongxin Plaza, Beijing, China
1. Yuki Kamifuku & Chen Wenbin Vs Alexis Lee & Big Sam
The Kamifuku Vs Lee rivalry now moves over to China for Middle Kingdom Wrestling’s 10th Anniversary show. Chinese wrestler Chen Wenbin and England’s Big Sam get mixed up in the action too.
SAJ “HUNTER’S NET”, 24/05/2025 Magnete, Milan, Italy
1. Miyu Yamashita Vs X
Italy will soon become the latest country Yamashita has wrestling in. Squash A Jobber Wrestling is the name of the promotion bringing her in which might be the least Italian name I’ve ever heard for a wrestling company.
KITSUNE “GOING BACK TO SAN DIEGO”, 07/06/2025 Primal Compound, San Diego, California, USA
1. Miyu Yamashita Vs X
2. Vipress & Hudson Envy Vs Nagisa Nozaki & Yuna Manase
We’re reaching into the summer for the end of this month’s article. Kitsune have a doubleshot going on with both Yuna Manase and Miyu Yamashita scheduled to be there. Manase is teaming with Nagisa Nozaki in Night 1 to take on Vipress & Hudson Envy. Yamashita’s match has not been announced yet.
KITSUNE “8888”, 08/06/2025 South Gate, Los Angeles, California, USA
1. Miyu Yamashita Vs X
2. Yuna Manase Vs X
Manase is still currently the Kitsune World Champion so it would make sense for her to have a title defence on the second show of the doubleshot.
Are you sure that everybody wans Mina Shirakawa? Because this month it sure looked like everybody wanted Konosuke Takeshita! He had a big month in AEW, he has big matches coming up in New Japan soon, he wrestled a bunch of times on a cruise and right when it looked like he would have a break, CMLL came calling out for him. If you’re the type who keeps track of any Wrestler Of The Year contenders, Takeshita’s work in February should put him up near the top as an early frontrunner.
He’ll have more to do over the coming months but March will see the Tokyo Joshi Pro side of things take more of the spotlight. Miyu Yamashita has a packed weekend in Europe coming up and Yuki Kamifuku will continue to gift with Southeast Asia her presence. Then in April it’s the big one. Wrestlemania Week! I’ll need to find the time to write a big piece about what DDT and TJPW will be doing during that period.
I don’t have much to write about for Takeshita’s remaining matches that happened during the Jericho Cruise. But hey some of these sound really good on paper, right? At least this match here gave attendees a taste of what Will Ospreay and Takeshita’s tag match in Australia happening later in the month would be like. Lance Archer probably bounced Komander around like a basketball too.
JERICHO CRUISE “CHRIS JERICHO’S ROCK ‘N’ WRESTLING RAGER – SIX ON THE BEACH – NIGHT 3”, 02/02/2025 Norwegian Pearl Cruise Ship
1. Konosuke Takeshita, Brian Cage & Lance Archer defeated Daniel Garcia, Mark Briscoe & Jay Lethal (?:??).
Like this one for example. It would be great if footage of this shows up somewhere. Takeshita, Archer & Brian Cage all teaming up together against Daniel Garcia, Mark Briscoe & Jay Lethal is the kind of match on paper that would have carried Night 3 of a packed indies weekend we used to get a decade ago.
JERICHO CRUISE “CHRIS JERICHO’S ROCK ‘N’ WRESTLING RAGER – SIX ON THE BEACH – NIGHT 4”, 03/02/2025 Norwegian Pearl Cruise Ship
1. Konosuke Takeshita, Brian Cage & Lance Archer defeated Bandido, Truth Magnum & Turbo Floyd (?:??).
The last day of the Jericho Cruise had The Don Callis Family still together against the weird mix of Bandido & The Outrunners. I don’t know how much Takeshita would be into the retro 80s American vibe that The Outrunners bring with them. That’s more up Antonio Honda’s alley.
AEW “DYNAMITE”, 05/02/2025 Gateway Center Arena, College Park, Georgia, USA
1. International All-Star Tag Match: Konosuke Takeshita & Kyle Fletcher defeated Brody King & Buddy Matthews when Fletcher pinned King after an Assisted Brainbuster (14:15).
There was one last warmup match for Takeshita & Kyle Fletcher before they headed off to Australia. Here they took on the newly renamed Hounds Of Hell. They are the former House Of Black now without Malakai Black involved because he finally made his exit from the company. The challenge in this match was how much it took to put away the immovable force that is Brody King. Takeshita & Fletcher were able to get rid of Buddy Matthews no problem but when it came to King they had to throw everything at him but he wouldn’t stay down. Takeshita had to assist Fletcher with a Vertical Drop Brainbuster to keep the big guy down for the pinfall.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “AEX32 SANTIAGO 2025”, 09/02/2025 Estación Mapocho Cultural Center, Santiago, Chile ??? Fans
1. Casey defeated Moka Miyamoto with a Loaded Backpack Attack (7:43).
2. Aja Kong defeated Roma with the Uraken (8:55).
3. Princess Tag Team Titles: Miyu Yamashita & Maki Itoh (c) defeated Sara Phoenix & Pandora when Yamashita pinned Phoenix with the Skull Kick (18:19). *V4 for 121000000.
AEW “GRAND SLAM AUSTRALIA”, 15/02/2025 Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane, Australia
1. Will Ospreay & Kenny Omega defeated Konosuke Takeshita & Kyle Fletcher when Omega pinned Takeshita after the Hidden Blade/One-Winged Angel Combination (21:20).
Talk about a match that delivered! The big tag match in Australia went ahead and ended with something we haven’t seen in a while: Takeshita taking a pinfall loss. It took a combination of the Hidden Blade and One-Winged Angel being mashed together like a Doomsday Device for it to happen which should wind up becoming one of the most memorable match finishes of the year. The aftermath confirmed there is more to come. Ospreay and Fletcher have their own feud moving ahead while Kenny Omega announced his intentions to go after Takeshita’s AEW International Title.
AEW “DYNAMITE”, 26/02/2025 Frontwave Arena, Oceanside, California, USA
1. AEW International Title: Konosuke Takeshita (c) defeated Orange Cassidy with the Raging Fire (12:30). *V8 for Konosuke Takeshita.
But first AEW had to go the long route to set up the match. Before Takeshita goes to a big title match with Omega he first had to beat Orange Cassidy in a with the belt on the line. Takeshita took a table bump when Cassidy dropped him on top of the announce desk with the Beach Break. He was still in danger after getting hit with the Orange Punch and also a Flying DDT outside the ring. But Cassidy made the big mistake of climbing the top turnbuckle. And whenever Takeshita’s opponent jumps off the top turnbuckle there is an Elbow Strike waiting right for them upon landing. There were still some very close calls to come but Takeshita caught the Orange Punch and countered it into the Raging Fire for the win. Don Callis then rubbed salt on the wound by putting Cassidy’s sunglasses onto Takeshita after the match.
CMLL “VIERNES ESPECTACULAR”, 28/02/2025 Arena Mexico, Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico
1. NEVER Openweight Title: Konosuke Takeshita (c) defeated Ángel de Oro with the Raging Fire (?:??). *V4 for Konosuke Takeshita.
The month ended with Takeshita’s first time in the hallowed grounds of lucha libre known as Arena Mexico. CMLL made it a big deal that he was coming over to wrestle on their famed Friday night show on short notice and offered up Ángel de Oro as a challenger for the NEVER Openweight Title. So this was put together more through CMLL’s relationship with NJPW rather than AEW. Or maybe it’s both at this point because Rocky Romero is the connection point and his backstage connections run pretty deep nowadays. The match itself unintentionally ended up becoming bloody after de Oro suffered a hand injury of some sort. With only one fall needed to win rather than the traditional two, Takeshita came out on top after the two went back and forth with big moves until the Raging Fire brought things to an end.
Backstage Takeshita was asked by reporters who else in CMLL he would like to wrestle? He told a story about the first wrestling show he ever attended when he was a child. It was an Osaka Pro show and the merchandise he bought at the show was a Blue Panther mask. That is his first ever wrestling memory in general so perhaps one day he will cross paths with Blue Panther or a member of his family in the ring.
1. Yuki Kamifuku & The Statement Vs Alexis Lee & Da Butcherman
An alliance seems to have formed between Yuki Kamifuku and The Statement over in Singapore Pro Wrestling. Maybe the two champions believe it is in their best interests to be on the same side when some familiar rivals are marching forth towards them again. The Statment and Da Butcherman have fought each other plenty of times before. So too have Kamifuku and Alexis Lee. So now the next step is to throw them all in the ring at the same time.
EVE “WOMEN BEHAVING BADLY”, 07/03/2024 The Big Penny Social, London, England
1. Session Moth Martina Vs Miyu Yamashita
A busy weekend in Europe sees Miyu Yamashita wrestling in three countries. First up she is heading back to EVE in England where she will present herself as a big challenge for Session Moth Martina to overcome.
RCW “MARCH MADNESS”, 08/03/2024 Casinet de Hostafrancs, Barcelona, Spain
1. Miyu Yamashita Vs Amale
Then on the Saturday Yamashita returns to Spain for her first appearance in RCW since October 2022. Her opponent will be French wrestler and former NXT UK performer Amale.
Yamashita finishes off the weekend with an appearance at wXw on the last day of the 16 Carat Gold tournament. Unless wXw announces her match beforehand it is a complete roll of the dice who she gets to face at the show.
AEW “REVOLUTION”, 09/03/2025 Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California, USA
1. AEW International Title: Konosuke Takeshita (c) Vs Kenny Omega
It took 18 months to get here but we’re finally back on track to having another Takeshita Vs Omega match. I’m not going to sugar coat it. I think the title reign ends here and Takeshita’s priorities are about to switch over to New Japan for the spring and summer months.
MLW “BATTLE RIOT VII”, 05/04/2025 The Commerce, California, USA
1. MLW Women’s World Featherweight Title: Delmi Exo (c) Vs Shoko Nakajima
I think we know what to expect here. MLW brings in a Tokyo Joshi Pro wrestler, in this case Shoko Nakajima, and they lose to their women’s champion, in this case Delmi Exo. Although that was done a lot when Janai Kai was the champ so who knows? Maybe Nakajima takes the title from Exo and ends her second reign before it can properly take off.
NJPW “WINDY CITY RIOT”, 11/04/2025 Wintrust Arena, Chicago, Illinois, USA
1. Hiroshi Tanahashi Last Match In The USA Final Road ~Kinship~: Hiroshi Tanahashi Vs KONOSUKE TAKESHITA
I know Hiroshi Tanahashi is getting an IWGP World Heavyweight Title shot at New Japan’s anniversary show in March. And NJPW have announced there will be IWGP Title matches taking place in their next two shows in America. Hmmm…. Alright, alright, that’s just wishful thinking on my part. Although I can see the NEVER Title being on the line when Tanahashi and Takeshita clash in Chicago.
PANDEMONIUM PRO “THE HOUSE ALWAYS WINS”, 17/04/2025 Fremont Country Club, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Maya World Vs Miu Watanabe
At the moment it doesn’t seem like there will be any other DDT or TJPW talent appearing on the show. So it’s just going to be Miu Watanabe having a match here by the looks of it.
WEST COAST PRO “VEGAS VACATION”, 17/04/2025 Meet Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. MAO Vs Jiah Jewell
Later in the afternoon MAO will be at the West Coast Pro show and the promotion are promising the opponent is just as crazy as he is! Jiah Jewell has made it his goal to “Gator Roll The World” and that sounds like the fucked up wrestling MAO likes to fight for.
GCW “JOSH BARNETT’S BLOODSPORT XIII”, 17/04/2025 Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Miyu Yamashita Vs X
2. Shinya Aoki Vs X
No surprise to see Shinya Aoki getting added to the show. The funny thing is the match he’s having on the DDT show would have made much more sense to happen on the Bloodsport show!
Yamashita also returns to Bloodsport for a second go around.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “QUERI PRESENTS TJPW LIVE IN LAS VEGAS”, 18/04/2025 Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. International Princess Title: Suzume (c) Vs X
2. Princess Tag Team Titles: Miyu Yamashita & Maki Itoh (c) Vs X & X
3. Princess Of Princess Title: Mizuki (c) Vs X
The card will begin to take shape right after “GRAND PRINCESS ’25” is over and done with. What we do know for now is there will be championship matches for the Princess Of Princess Title, the Princess Tag Team Titles and the International Princess Title.
DDT “DDT GOES LAS VEGAS!”, 18/04/2025 Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1. Special Single Match: Antonio Honda Vs Santana Jackson
2. Special Single Match: Shinya Aoki Vs Timothy Thatcher
Like I said above, doesn’t Shinya Aoki Vs Timothy Thatcher sound more like a Bloodsport match than a DDT match? Now Antonio Honda Vs Santana Jackson, that’s a match you’re absolutely not going to see anywhere else.
DDT/TOKYO JOSHI PRO/GCW “DDT VS TJPW VS GCW”, 19/04/2025 Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
I really don’t know what the vibe and turnout for this show will be when it happens right slap bang in between the big NXT show and the first night of WrestleMania.
BLACK LABEL PRO “BLP AT SCX III”, 25/04/2025 The Wyndham, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
1. Miyu Yamashita Vs X
2. Danhausen & Maki Itoh Vs Davey Bang & August Matthews
Very cute, very evil and back teaming up again. Danhausen & Maki Itoh reunite as Makihausen for a tag match against Bang And Matthews over at Black Label Pro.
CMLL/LADYS RING “LUCHA FIESTA ESPECIAL”, 27/04/2025 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
1. Octagon & El Hijo del Octagon Vs Daisuke Sasaki & Pantera Jr.
So this is happening in Japan but since it is a one off lucha libre show that is disconnected from everything else going on I decided to include it in this series. This is the Sumo Hall show that made headlines for announcing the debut of a new Hayabusa. One of the lucha matches originally booked for the show was a 3 Way Match between Octagon, El Hijo del Octagon and Pantera Jr. However Daisuke Sasaki crashed one of the press conferences demanding to be part of the show because of his lucha skills. The promoters decided to let him in so he gets to team with Pantera Jr. against the two (kayfabe?) generations of Octagon.
NJPW “RESURGENCE”, 09/05/2025 Toyota Arena, Ontario, California, USA
1. KONOSUKE TAKESHITA Vs X
Probably another New Japan title defence for Takeshita when he goes to California in May. Hopefully it’s with the IWGP Ti-okay, okay, I’ll give it a break.
Posted by JamieOD 
Dramatic DDT 