Over the weekend Eruption went to an All Japan show at Nagoya to take part in a double championship match. They put the KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles on the line against ATM, Takao Omori & Black Menso-re, the defending AJPW TV 6-Man Tag Team Titles. Eruption won the match to successfully defend their own belts while also becoming the new AJPW 6-Man Tag Champions! Yukio Sakaguchi said the goal was to just defend their own championship. Winning the AJPW titles is just a bonus to him. The result made Saki Akai the first woman in history to win an AJPW championship!
ATM & Black Menso-re challenged Eruption to rematch for both sets of titles on 3rd September. They also said DASH Chisako is going to be the third member of their team. Akai & Hideki Okatani approved of the idea because they both want to wrestle Chisako again. Eruption accepted the challenge and also plan to have their next defence after that take place back in DDT on 9th September.
DDT “ROJO PRO WRESTLING IN IZUKOGEN GRANILLUMI”, 02/09/2023 Shizuoka Izu Granpal Park
1. Falls Count Anywhere 4 Way 6-Man Tag Match: Chris Brookes, HARASHIMA & Saki Akai Vs Yuki Ueno, Toy Kojima & Kazuki Hirata (w/ Shunma Katsumata) Vs Sanshiro Takagi, Shinya Aoki & Takeshi Masada Vs Yuki “Sexy” Iino, Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno & Yuki “Pretty” Kamifuku
A few changes to the Falls Count Anywhere match due to MAO’s absence. Kazuki Hirata is now teaming with the rest of The 37KAMIINA.
1. Yuki “Sexy” Iino & Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno Vs Akito & Yukio Naya
2. Jun Akiyama, Yusuke Okada & Yuya Koroku Vs Yuni, Kazuma Sumi & Rukiya
3. Makoto Oishi & Takeshi Masada Vs Daisuke Sasaki & MJ Paul
4. Special Tag Match: Kazuki Hirata & Antonio Honda Vs Naruki Doi & HARASHIMA
5. Special Tag Match: Chris Brookes & Kazusada Higuchi Vs Shigehiro Irie & Soma Takao
6. Yuki Ueno Birthday Commemorative Match ~ Special Single Match: Yuki Ueno Vs Toy Kojima
7. Special Single Match: Yuji Hino Vs KANON
This will be the last warm up match for Brookes and Shigehiro Irie before “DDT BIG BANG 2023”.
Naruki Doi is still the Iron Man Heavymetalweight Champion as far as I know so his upcoming singles match with Hirata is still on track to be a double title bout. That may change when they cross paths here.
Eruption will be missing the show because they are now booked for an All Japan event in Nagaoka on the same day. Eruption will be defending the AJPW TV 6-Man Tag Titles along with the KO-D 6-Man Tag Titles on that show.
DDT “DDT BIG BANG 2023”, 09/09/2023 Tokyo Ota Ward Gymnasium
1. HARASHIMA, Kazusada Higuchi & Soma Takao Vs Yukio Naya, Yuya Koroku & Takeshi Masada
2. Masahiro Takanashi, Antonio Honda & Ilusion Vs Yuni, Kazuma Sumi & Rukiya
3. Pheromones Vs Subjugation Final Match! Special Single Match ~ Dissolution Contra Vice President: Yuki “Sexy” Iino (w/ Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno) Vs Akito
4. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Yukio Sakaguchi, Saki Akai & Hideki Okatani Vs Yuko Miyamoto, Isami Kodaka & Ram Kaichow
5. Special Tag Match: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA & Daisuke Sasaki Vs Yuki Ueno & MAO
6. KO-D Tag Team Titles: Yuji Hino & Makoto Oishi Vs Minoru Fujita & KANON
7. DDT Extreme Title & Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title: Kazuki Hirata (E/c) Vs Naruki Doi (I/c)
8. KO-D Openweight Title: Chris Brookes (c) Vs Shigehiro Irie
9. First Time In History! Time Difference Scramble Bunkhouse Current Blast 6-Man Tag Death Match: Atsushi Onita, Yoshi Tatsu & Toy Kojima Vs Sanshiro Takagi, Jun Akiyama & Yusuke Okada
The rules have been decided for the main event. It will be a Scramble Bunkhouse Explosion Death Match with wrestlers joining in one after the other. The match will begin with Atsushi Onita against Jun Akiyama with all of the explosive weaponry available for them to use on each other. Akiyama suggested the two of them start and Onita agreed when the weapons were allowed. Then after three minutes the other four wrestlers will enter the match to gradually turn it into a 6-Man Tag Team brawl.
DDT are expecting MAO to be recovered in time to take part in this show.
Some of the lower matches have been changed around to deal with the additional injuries that have taken place over the last week.
DDT “TETSUYA ENDO LOCAL TRIUMPH! WHO’S GONNA TOP? 2023 TOUR IN SHIROISHI”, 16/09/2023 Miyagi Shiroishi White Cube
1. Daisuke Sasaki, MJ Paul & KANON Vs Kazusada Higuchi, Yukio Naya & Kazuma Sumi
2. Kazuki Hirata & Antonio Honda Vs MAO & Yoshihiko
3. Special Tag Match: Yuji Hino & Jun Akiyama Vs HARASHIMA & Rukiya
4. Shiroishi Specialty Special 6-Man Tag Match ~ BURNING Vs Eruption!: Tetsuya Endo, Yusuke Okada & Yuya Koroku Vs Yukio Sakaguchi, Saki Akai & Hideki Okantai
The return of Tetsuya Endo from injury takes place right in his hometown of Shiroishi!
DDT “DRAMATIC EXPLOSION 2023”, 18/09/2023 Nagoya International Conference Center Event Hall
1. Kazuma Sumi Vs Rukiya
2. HARASHIMA & Yukio Naya Vs Yuki Ueno & Toy Kojima
3. Nagoya Specialty Special 6-Man Tag Match: Yuji Hino, Makoto Oishi & Tetsuya Endo Vs Shigehiro Irie, Kazusada Higuchi & Shinya Ishida
4. Current Blast Death Match: Atsushi Onita & Yoshi Tatsu Vs Jun Akiyama & Kotaro Suzuki
5. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Chris Brookes, MAO & Antonio Honda Vs Minoru Suzuki, Yukio Sakaguchi & Saki Akai
Next up on Saki Akai’s retirement bucket list is her getting to team up with Minoru Suzuki!
Nagoya is an area that means a lot to Irie. It is also the hometown of Shinya Ishida. So DDT are putting the two of them with Kazusada Higuchi in one of the main matches for DDT’s next visit there.
DDT “ULTIMATE PARTY 2023”, 12/11/2023 Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
1. Saki Akai Retirement Match: Saki Akai Vs X
Hiromu Takahashi will be on the show. He wants to choose his opponent so does he have somebody already in mind? Really interesting to see how open New Japan has become towards sending their wrestlers to other companies in Japan lately. It’s one thing to work with all of the different international promotions around the world to spread their brand. Doing it within the Japanese scene as well is something they haven’t been doing for years until just recently.
DDT “MEMORIES OF SUMMER VACATION 2023”, 27/08/2023 Tokyo Korakuen Hall 680 Fans
0. Dark Match – No Tag Rules: Yuki “Sexy” Iino & Akito defeated Yuni & Ilusion when Iino pinned Ilusion with the Ketsugoye (8:38).
1. Minoru Fujita, KANON & MJ Paul defeated Yuji Hino, Makoto Oishi & Rukiya when KANON pinned Rukiya with the Sleepy Hollow (8:49).
2. Saki Akai Photobook “GRACIA” Infomercial Match: Saki Akai Photobook “GRACIA” defeated Kazuki Hirata and Antonio Honda when “GRACIA” submitted Hirata and Honda with a Double Arm Lock (8:22).
3. Saki Akai Debut 10th Anniversary Match Vol. 3 ~ Special Single Match: Saki Akai defeated Danshoku Dieno by TKO with a Face Kick (6:51).
4. Kazusada Higuchi, Hideki Okatani & Takeshi Masada defeated Yukio Naya, Yusuke Okada & Yuya Koroku when Okatani pinned Koroku with the Double Arm Suplex (9:57).
5. HARASHIMA Debut 22nd Anniversary Match: HARASHIMA, Yasu Urano & Ken Ohka defeated Daisuke Sekimoto, Sanshiro Takagi & Yukio Sakaguchi when HARASHIMA pinned Sakaguchi with the Somato (14:15).
6. Special Single Match: Daisuke Sasaki defeated Toy Kojima with the Crossface Lock (10:34).
7. Special Tag Match: Chris Brookes & Yuki Ueno defeated Shigehiro Irie & Jun Akiyama when Brookes pinned Irie with the Praying Mantis Bomb (19:45).
Chris Brookes returned his first big blow back at Shigehiro Irie by pinning him in today’s main event at Korakuen Hall. The early part of the tag match had Irie & Jun Akiyama in control but the tides turned with Yuki Ueno helping Brookes to stop Irie’s momentum. Ueno wore down Irie with a top rope Frankensteiner followed by the BME. After that Brookes took over by hitting the Diving Double Knee Drop and Michinoku Driver II for some nearfalls. Irie was spent after that though and was pinned with the Praying Mantis Bomb. Brookes said Irie had won all of their previous warm up matches and today is the first time Brookes beat him. Irie may want to take over the world but Brookes does not care about that. He cares about DDT because he is their champion. They have time left to get ready for the KO-D Openweight Title match on 9th September. Backstage Irie took the loss to think he is not the strong challenger he thought he was. But he won’t stop believing in himself until he makes it back to the top of DDT!
The god damn injury bug that’s been haunting DDT all year struck again over the weekend, causing a few changes on this show. The big one was MAO being pulled from the show to get checked for a suspected cheekbone fracture. He ended up being diagnosed with traumatic TMJ arthritis, putting him out of action until the 9th September show at Ota Ward Gymnasium. His match with Daisuke Sasaki meant for today was changed into Sasaki against Toy Kojima, bringing back their feud from earlier this summer. Sasaki quickly tried to end the match with an immediate Pedigree and Crossface Lock but Kojima reached the ropes. Sasaki then attacked the injured Shunma Katsumata at ringside. Kojima fought back by diving onto Sasaki and other DAMNATION T.A members outside the ring. He tried using one of Katsumata’s signature moves the Totonou Splash but Sasaki blocked it with his knees. Sasaki hit a Spear and used MAO’s Michinoku Driver II but Kojima kicked out. Sasaki then applied the Crossface Lock, making Kojima give up.
Sasaki attacked Kojima with a chair afterwards, telling him he isn’t the person he wants to join his side. Yuki Ueno ran into the ring to rescue Kojima and Sasaki stopped. He told Ueno to give him an answer for his offer. Does he want to stay in The 37KAMIINA and stay where he is for the rest of his life? Or will he join Sasaki and Konosuke Takeshita so they can all change the world together? Ueno wouldn’t except a handshake so Sasaki whispered something into his ear. Whatever it was, it made Ueno pause and think before helping Kojima to the back.
HARASHIMA put together his own 6-Man Tag Match to celebrate his 22nd anniversary in pro wrestling. He teamed up with his close friends Yasu Urano & Ken Ohka but that wasn’t all. KUDO appeared with them for their entrance down to the ring and stood in their corner. Their opponents weren’t going to take it easy on them though. Yukio Sakaguchi relished in the chance to bully Ohka again, taping his arms to his side to mock him. Daisuke Sekimoto chopped and suplexed HARASHIMA around the ring. Ohka got his revenge by giving Sekimoto & Sakaguchi separate Spears Of Fire. That put Sakaguchi in position to take the Somato from HARASHIMA for the finish. HARASHIMA said 22 years seems like a long time but it went by in the blink of an eye. He got to produce his own match with wrestlers he wanted to fight but there are still many more he wants to wrestle again. He looked at KUDO as he said that. Backstage Urano also brought up Toru Owashi as someone who’s been important for HARASHIMA’s career. Sanshiro Takagi thanked Sekimoto and Urano for gathering with DDT again to celebrate HARASHIMA. Sekimoto said he could really feel HARASHIMA’s love in the match so he had to show love for HARASHIMA in his own way.
The scheduled 8-Man Tag Match was changed around into a 6-Man Tag thanks to Kojima and Ilusion both being moved around the card due to other people’s absences. Hideki Okatani was supposed to be against Kazusada Higuchi & Takeshi Masada but now found himself teaming with them. Yukio Naya & Yusuke Okada held their own against them and it was all left there for Yuya Koroku to finish the job. He put Okatani in the Triangle Lancer but Higuchi broke it up by putting him in the Brain Claw. Masada then hit Koroku with the Triangle Kick and Okatani pinned him with the Northern Lights Suplex. Okatani described the match as a warm up for later tonight. Eruption are heading over to an All Japan show in Nagoya where they are defending the KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles against the AJPW TV 6-Man Tag Team Champions in a double championship match! Eruption ended up winning that match so they are all now double crown trios champions!
No injury was going to cancel Saki Akai’s match with Danshoku Dieno given how much it meant for Akai. Dieno recently had surgery on a broken nose and wore a face guard in order to let the match take place. His injury made Akai cautious to attack, which he took advantage of. He gave Akai the Danshoku Driver but she kicked out and applied a Triangle Choke. Dieno reached the ropes but then took a Superplex. Akai again hesitated to use her kicking moveset that targets the face. Dieno told her it’s okay. He currently cannot breath through his nose but he accepted this match and this only shows the weak side of Saki Akai. A pro wrestler is not supposed to show weakness so he demanded she attack him! Akai did so and kicked him in the face over and over until Yukinori Matsui stopped the match, rewarding her the victory by TKO.
After the match Dieno admitted he never told the hospital he was doing this match. However he accepts being completely defeated and he lost today because Akai has become a stronger wrestler. He encouraged her to keep getting stronger until the moment she retires. Nobody should have the same opinion about what pro wrestling is because it’s fun to throw different opinions into the ring together. Akai promised to take what he just said and keep them in her thoughts during her remaining months as a pro wrestler. She will become stronger and get more people to know about DDT! As mentioned above, Akai later went to AJPW with Eruption in the evening to win the AJPW 6-Man Tag Titles. By doing so she has become the first female champion ever in All Japan’s history!
Akai sort of got another win in the match prior. Her new photobook “GRACIA” defeated Kazuki Hirata and Antonio Honda in a 3 Way Match created to promote said book. Honda briefly fainted when Hirata showed him some of the pages inside but the book istelf started doing wrestling moves, trapping both opponents in a Double Arm Lock to make them submit. Both Hirata and Honda wondered if the book was printed in Mexico because that would explain why something called “GRACIA” is good at submission holds.
Just like with Irie in the main event, Yuji Hino & Makoto Oishi suffered a setback in momentum in the opening match. KANON & Minoru Fujita along with MJ Paul beat them in a 6-Man Tag Match. Oishi tried shrugging off the result because KANON only pinned Rukiya. Hino agreed and said he doesn’t even know who Rukiya is. Backstage Ω and DAMNATION T.A signed the contract for the KO-D Tag Team Titles match on 9th September. But first KANON has to face Hino in a singles match on the 3rd.
Kazuma Sumi had to miss the show because of a fever. Ilusion took his place in the dark match. Akito wanting to team with Yuki Iino in a secret plan to infiltrate Pheromones naturally had Iino feeling suspicious. The two came to blows until Akito stripped out of his gear to reveal the costume he wore as Akito “Cochin” Nishigaki underneath! They got along from that point on until Akito tried to cost his tag partner the match. Yuni & Ilusion tried to take advantage but Iino found a way to win the match in one piece. He used the Ketsugoye, hitting Akito in the face with his groin before stuffing Ilusion’s face into his backside for the victory.
It was announced during the show that Hiromu Takahashi from New Japan will be at “ULTIMATE PARTY 2023” on 12th November! There was also a match announcement for the 18th September show in Nagoya. On that show Brookes, MAO & Honda will take on Sakaguchi, Akai & Minoru Suzuki!
DDT “FIGHTING BEER GARDEN – DAY 1”, 16/08/2023 Tokyo Ueno Park Outdoor Stage 471 Fans – No Vacancy
1. Yusuke Okada defeated Rukiya with a Crab Hold (7:49).
2. Daisuke Sasaki, MJ Paul & KANON defeated Toy Kojima, Yuya Koroku & Takeshi Masada when KANON submitted Masada with the Just Cobra Twist (12:31).
3. Blindfold Hidden Breast 4 Way Death Match: Kazuki Hirata defeated HARASHIMA, Antonio Honda and Yuki “Sexy” Iino when Hirats stipped off Honda and Iino’s bras (12:12).
4. Special Tag Match: Manpuku Hirutaro & Yuki Ueno defeated MAO & Pokotan when Hirutaro pinned Pokotan with the Warm Hold (14:09).
5. The Scariest Event In History! Ghost Story New Numabukuro Death Match: Hisaya Imabayashi defeated Saki Akai, Yuni, Hideki Okatani, Kazuma Sumi and Yuji Gomi with the It’s You (10:40).
6. YOROKOBI BREWERY Infomercial Match: Yuji Hino, Yukio Sakaguchi & Soma Takao defeated Kazusada Higuchi, Yukio naya & Yuki Ishida when Hino submitted Ishida with the King Kong Sleeper (13:51).
7. Special Tag Match: Shigehiro Irie & Jun Akiyama defeated Chris Brookes & Masahiro Takanashi when Irie pinned Takanashi with the Beast Bomber (11:27).
The annual “FIGHTING BEER GARDEN” is back to serving alcohol this year after Japan lifted its covid limitations over the matter. In the main event of Day 1, Shigehiro Irie & Jun Akiyama defeated CDK in a preview for the next KO-D Openweight Title match. Irie pinned Masahiro Takanashi with the Beast Bomber while Akiyama held Chris Brookes back outside the ring. Irie said afterwards he is now convinced he will win the KO-D Title from Brookes on 9th September. He’s also excited to continue teaming with Akiyama in the lead up, so much so that he thinks they can win the KO-D Tag Team Titles together. Akiyama cooled him off, first by telling him to focus on winning the KO-D Title and then by pouring a drink over his head. Irie saw the funny side and poured another bottle over his head by himself.
Yuki Ueno’s choice of partner for his match was puzzling at first. Manpuku Hirutaro was taking naps and generally being lazy around the ring. But once he tagged in, Hirutato did Diving Body Attacks and Choke Slams to his opponents. MAO did a stage dive onto both of them outside the ring and Pokotan did a rope walk. But in the end Ueno landed the BME onto Pokotan and Hirutaro laid on top for the pin. Afterwards Ueno told Hirutaro he has what it takes to become the best mascot wrestler in the world and he should face Pokotan in a singles match. Hirutaro responded by making a big “NO!” gesture with his arms.
DDT “SAKI AKAI 10TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR IN KORAKUEN!!”, 13/08/2023 Tokyo Korakuen Hall 816 Fans
0. Dark Match: Yuya Koroku defeated Rukiya with the Modified Triangle Lancer (7:14).
1. Special Single Match: KANON defeated Hideki Okatani with the Vietnam Driver II (8:04).
2. Diya Diamond Presents 6-Man Tag Match: Jun Akiyama, Yukio Naya & Yusuke Okada defeated Kazusada Higuchi, Yuki Ishida & Takeshi Masada when Naya pinned Masada with the World’s Best Back Drop (9:19).
3. Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title – marcheur Presents Battle Royal: Naruki Doi defeated Sanshiro Takagi (c), HARASHIMA, Yuki “Sexy” Iino, Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno, Antonio Honda, Akito and Kazuma Sumi (14:37).
3a. Naruki Doi eliminated Sanshiro Takagi (c) with a Cradle (6:58). *Naruki Doi becomes the 1,573rd champion.
3b. Antonio Honda eliminated Kazuma Sumi by Ring Out (11:41).
3c. Naruki Doi (c) eliminated Antonio Honda by Ring Out (11:59). *V1 for Naruki Doi.
3d. HARASHIMA eliminated Yuki “Sexy” Iino and Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno by Double Ring Out (13:24).
3e. Naruki Doi (c) eliminated HARASHIMA by Ring Out (13:54). *V2 for Naruki Doi.
3f. Naruki Doi (c) eliminated Akito with the Bakatare Sliding Kick (14:37). *V3 for Naruki Doi.
4. Jemile Fran Presents Special 6-Man Tag Match: Yuki Ueno, MAO & Toy Kojima defeated Kyusei Sakisama, Chris Saint Laurent & Martha when Ueno pinned Sakisama with a Cradle (9:58).
5. KO-D Tag Team Titles: Yuji Hino & Makoto Oishi defeated Daisuke Sasaki & MJ Paul (c) when Oishi pinned Paul with the Jikiden Tornado Clutch (11:13). *DAMNATION T.A fails in V1. Ω becomes the 78th KO-D Tag Team Champions!
6. DDT Extreme Title – Weakness Explosion!! Activation Conditions Are Up To You! Fall & Escape = Ghost & Balloon Explosion Death Match: Kazuki Hirata (c) defeated Yukio Sakaguchi with the Miracle One Shot Cradle from a huge balloon explosion (14:27). *V2 for Kazuki Hirata.
7. Nivea Body Wash Presents Saki Akai Debut 10th Anniversary Match Vol. 2 ~ Special 6-Woman Tag Match: Saki Akai, Maya Yukihi & Asuka defeated Takumi Iroha, Rina Yamashita & Shoko Nakajima when Akai pinned Nakajima with the Quetzalcoatl (19:01).
It came a couple of days early but Saki Akai celebrated the 10th anniversary of her debut pro wrestling match in DDT. With her retirement coming up later this year, Akai is getting several matches dedicated to her decade in the business and today gathered together a lot of women she has attachments with. In the main event Akai teamed up with Maya Yukihi & Asuka, two women who have been her biggest opponents in DDT over the last two years. Their opponents were a trio of wrestlers who all debuted in the same year as Akai. It was the first time Takumi Iroha, Rina Yamashita & Shoko Nakajima all teamed together. Iroha & Yamashita quickly thought up a move where they gave Nakajima a Double Splash Mountain onto Akai. Asuka Moonsaulted onto Iroha & Yamashita outside the ring and Akai rolled out of the way from Nakajima’s Diving Senton. Akai then hit the Rookie Award and pinned Nakajima with the Quetzalcoatl.
Akai thanked the other wrestlers for accepting her invitation, knowing how busy all of their schedules are. She wanted to show the fans all of the wonderful friends she made outside of DDT over the years. She knows they will all continue to shine a light on pro wrestling when she’s gone so everyone should keep watching them. She isn’t sure how many more matches she has left until her retirement but she is going to hone her strength and run all the way to the end. Asuka said she wished the three of them had teamed together sooner and wonders if they could have chased after one of the KO-D championships together. Yamashita overheard that idea and told them they should do it anyway, even if it’s for the KO-D 10-Man Tag Team Titles. Her advice to Akai is to be greedy from this point until the end because she isn’t finished yet. Yukihi feels lucky she got to do her rivalry with Akai in DDT because she didn’t expect Akai’s retirement announcement to come when it did. Akai described all of the women are a fun loving group of people with good hearts.
Kazuki Hirata’s bizarre ideas to even the playing field against his opponents are working for him. The DDT Extreme Champion is normally scared of having to fight Yukio Sakaguchi but this time he got to turn the tables against him. Hirata’s stipulation for the match was to add ghosts and balloons whenever there was a kickout or rope break. Sakaguchi hates the sound of balloons bursting and also fears ghosts so we got the unlikely sight of Sakaguchi being submissive to Hirata and fleeing in fear whenever a ghost chased after him! Sakaguchi tried to fight his fears and found his spots to kick the hell out of Hirata. But by this point there were three ghosts in the ring haunting him with one popping a gigantic balloon right in his face. The fright made Sakaguchi walk right into the Miracle One Shot Cradle and Hirata got the win.
Once all of the ghosts vanished, Sakaguchi calmed down and handed the Extreme Title over to Hirata. He then attacked him a little bit and walked off. Hirata got on the microphone, said he was feeling mentally exhausted and now wants to know who his next challenger is. Naruki Doi walked out carrying the Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title he won earlier in the show. Doi said his title win makes him feel more absorbed into DDT and he now wants to win the Extreme Title to become fully immersed in the company. He especially wants to beat Hirata for the belt because Hirata is the DDT wrestler who best expresses what the company is all about. Hirata refused but Hisaya Imabayashi ignored him. A double title match between Hirata and Doi will take place on 9th September. If Doi loses the Iron Man Title before that date then the match will just be for the Extreme Title. Hirata then tried to pin Doi to win the Iron Man Title but only got a two count. Doi chased him back to the locker room.
The KO-D Tag Team Titles aren’t ready to settle down with a team yet. DAMNATION T.A’s reign ended in their first defence, losing the belts to Ω. The champions tried to isolate Makoto Oishi and also get KANON involved to interfere for them. Yuji Hino came in to make a difference but his attempt to Fuckin’ BOMB MJ Paul was cut off by Daisuke Sasaki. That left Oishi to deal with Paul by himself. Paul threw Lariats at him but Oishi caught him with the Jikiden Tornado Clutch for the flash pinfall and title change. Hino praised Oishi for winning the KO-D Tag Titles under his own strength, calling it a miracle. Oishi was too exhausted to respond so Hino encouraged the audience to give him a round of applause.
KANON then entered the ring demanding a title shot but not as a member of DAMNATION T.A. There is another wrestler out there he considers a mentor. Hino thought he meant TAKA Michinoku but KANON said it is actually someone else because TAKA is busy. KANON’s partner is going to be Minoru Fujita! Imabayashi granted the request and booked the title match for 9th September. KANON helped Oishi back up to his feet, shook his hand… and then gave him a Clothesline before leaving.
Before Match #4 could begin it was announced that Chris Brookes & Masahiro Takanashi were not at the show because they were both too hungover to wrestle. Then “The Rose Of Versailles” began to play and what appeared to be NEO Biishiki-gun walked out. Martha was there but instead of Yukio Saint Laurent we got Chris Saint Laurent instead. Also Sakura Hirota was nowhere to be seen, seemingly replaced in the match by Kyusei Sakisama. Despite their appearance looking weirder than usual, they were still NEO Biishiki-gun through and through. The 37KAMIINA had to deal with the unit’s antics. “Saint Laurent” jabbed an injection needle into Yuki Ueno’s neck, Martha was a nuisance towards MAO and Toy Kojima ended up suffering a Kancho attack involving Martha’s mop. “Sakisama” used the Academy Award finisher on Ueno but her glamorous pin was reversed and Ueno posed on top of her for the three count instead. The 37KAMIINA celebrated with their sponsored prize after the match until all of NEO Biishiki-gun gave them Kancho attacks and took the prizes for themselves.
Doi won the Iron Man Title pretty early in the Battle Royal. In fact him pinning Sanshiro Takagi to become champion was the first elimination in the match. Doi then had to fight through the rest of the field to survive. He still got caught up in the Pheromones experience with Kazuma Sumi, fell for Antonio Honda’s Gongitsune joke and outsmarted HARASHIMA. All that was left for him was a battle with Akito that ended with the DOI 555 and the Bakatare Sliding Kick. Doi promised to raise the value of the Iron Man Title then immediately had to fight off Sumi. That was when he realised the title is defended 24/7. He will stick to his promise anyway even if there’s a risk of him losing it in another company. Rukiya then tried to pin him so Doi kicked him away.
The 2nd match was overshadowed by the appearance of Evolution from All Japan. During the week Suwama told Tokyo Sports he had tickets for this show and was going in order to confront Jun Akiyama over a grudge held going back to Akiyama’s time as AJPW president. Suwama sat in his seat along with other Evolution members Hikaru Sato & Dan Tamura to see Akiyama’s team beat Kazusada Higuchi, Yuki Ishida & Takeshi Masada. Then after the match Evolution approached the ring, throwing aside Yuya Koroku and Rukiya who were trying to block them. Naya then wanted to stand in Suwama’s way but Suwama said he isn’t here for him. Suwama asked “useless former president” Akiyama why he is going to do an Exploding Death Match soon when he hated the idea of Suwama doing one six years ago? He then challenged Akiyama to come to Yoyogi on 8th September when AJPW is running a show there. He can even bring along Takagi so they can do a big Evolution Vs DDT match! Akiyama called the idea crazy but agreed to do it. He then told Suwama to stop making decisions without the AJPW president’s approval! Backstage Sato told DDT to send their icons like Dieno or HARASHIMA because as a former KO-D Openweight Champion and winner of a DDT General Election himself, he thinks he should be a DDT icon too. Tamura said he wants Yusuke Okada to come over because they have unfinished business from Okada’s time in AJPW.
KANON is sticking with the Vietnam Driver II as his new finisher, using it to beat Hideki Okatani in their first singles match against each other. KANON said the match left him more tired than he expected but that’s probably because of the summer heat. Okatani didn’t like the result and warned KANON he will beat him the next time they meet.
Koroku and Rukiya probably thought their dark match was the only physicality they would both experience today. Then Evolution came along and beat them up later in the show. In the match itself Rukiya tried to win with a Running Elbow Strike but Koroku took him down into a Modified Triangle Lancer to win by submission.
Chris Brookes has been appointed as the sales manager for “DDT BIG BANG 2023” at Ota Ward Gymnasium on 9th September. Also announced was Mei Suruga being at the 30h September show in Kyoto KBS Hall. That show is part of Akai’s countdown towards her retirement.
DDT “MEMORIES OF SUMMER VACATION 2023 TOUR IN YAMAGATA”, 06/08/2023 Yamagata Big Wing 160 Fans
1. Yukio Sakaguchi & Hideki Okatani defeated Kazuki Hirata & Kazuma Sumi when Okatani pinned Sumi with the Northern Lights Suplex (9:18).
2. Daisuke Sasaki & KANON defeated Yuji Hino & Rukiya when Sasaki submitted Rukiya with the Crossface Lock (10:15).
3. Yamagata Specialty Special Tag Match: Yukio Naya & Keisuke Goto defeated Kazusada Higuchi & Yuki Ishida when Goto pinned Ishida with the Jackhammer (13:44).
4. No Tag Rules: Yuki “Sexy” Iino & Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno defeated Akito & Makoto Oishi when Iino pinned Akito with a Cradle (10:35).
5. Yuki Ueno, MAO & Toy Kojima defeated HARASHIMA, Yusuke Okada & Yuya Koroku when MAO pinned Koroku with the Avalanche Michinoku Driver II (14:49).
6. Special Tag Match: Shigehiro Irie & Jun Akiyama defeated Chris Brookes & Takeshi Masada when Irie pinned Masada with the Beast Bomber (17:21).
It’s been several years since Shigehiro Irie left DDT to become a freelancer but he has his eyes on the KO-D Openweight Title and perhaps even more. After today’s main event he said the next time he returns to Yamagata he will be the KO-D Champion. He might also be the KO-D Tag Team Champion with Jun Akiyama if he wants to go that direction.
According to MAO, Yamagata is where he and Toy Kojima both got their driver’s licenses. Don’t know why he felt the need to include that information in his victory speech but whatever gets you over with the locals, I guess.
The first match of the show was actually the Pheromones match but it was quickly called off when Danshoku Dieno started to bleed uncontrollably from his nose. A medical check suspected that Dieno’s nose was broken so he was brought to the back and the show moved on to the next match. Dieno was eventually cleared to continue and the bout restarted as Match #4. After Pheromones won, Dieno said he will always stand in the ring no matter what happens to him. He also invited fans to get the rare opporunity of having their items autographed by a wrestler with a broken nose.
After DAMNATION T.A won their match, Daisuke Sasaki attacked Makoto Oishi. That caused Yuji Hino to grab him and attempt the Fuckin’ BOMB but KANON saved Sasaki and the two of them made their escape. Backstage Hino said the KO-D Tag Titles do not look good on Sasaki & MJ Paul. He thinks they will look better on Ω.
Yukio Sakaguchi was such an intimidating presence in front of Kazuki Hirata he scared him over to a nearby table at ringside and left him immobilised while Hideki Okatani pinned Kazuma Sumi. Sakaguchi then grabbed the DDT Extreme Title and held it away from Hirata but Hirata was able to grab it back before running away.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TJPW CITY CIRCUIT ’23 ~SHOKO NAKAJIMA LOCAL TRIUMPH~”, 05/08/2023 Niigata Dúo CEREZO
1. Special Single Match: Aja Kong Vs Super Sasadango Machine
2. Suzume Vs Runa Okubo
3. 3 Way Match: Hyper Misao Vs Haruna Neko Vs HIMAWARI
4. Hikari Noa & Nao Kakuta Vs Mahiro Kiryu & Toga
5. Mizuki, Shino Suzuki & Haru Kazashiro Vs Yuki Arai, Raku & Pom Harajuku
6. Rika Tatsumi & Miu Watanabe Vs Moka Miyamoto & Kaya Toribami
7. Shoko Nakajima & Yuki Aino Vs Miyu Yamashita & Arisu Endo
Both Yuki Kamifuku and Wakana Uehara will not be on the show due to other priorities that day. Kamifuku is attending an event in Fujisawa City while Uehara is performing on a stage show.
GANBARE☆PRO “UNDER THE SILVER LAKE 2023”, 06/08/2023 Tokyo Takashimadaira Kumin Center
1. Keisuke Ishii Vs Munetatsu Nakamura
2. GanJo Vs JTO!: Yoshiko Hasegawa & Riara Vs Misa Kagura & HisokA
3. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Yumehito Imanari, Mizuki Watase & Tyson Maeguchi Vs Shota, Soma Takao & Shinichiro Tominaga
4. Special Single Match: Ken Ohka Vs Koji Doi
5. Spirit Of Ganbare World Tag Team Titles: Shuichiro Katsumura & Takuya Wada (c) Vs Hartley Jackson & HARUKAZE
6. Spirit Of Ganbare World Openweight Title: Isami Kodaka (c) Vs YuuRI
The long delayed Spirit Of Ganbare Tag Team Title belts have finally been completed and are being sent over to Ganbare☆Pro in time for this weekend’s show. The belts will be presented to Shuichiro Katsumura & Takuya Wada on the day as part of a contract signing ceremony with Hartley Jackson & HARUKAZE for their title match later in the show.
DDT “MEMORIES OF SUMMER VACATION 2023 TOUR IN YAMAGATA”, 06/08/2023 Yamagata Big Wing
1. Yuki “Sexy” Iino & Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno Vs Akito & Makoto Oishi
2. Kazuki Hirata & Kazuma Sumi Vs Yukio Sakaguchi & Hideki Okatani
3. Daisuke Sasaki & KANON Vs Yuji Hino & Rukiya
4. Yuki Ueno, MAO & Toy Kojima Vs HARASHIMA, Yusuke Okada & Yuya Koroku
5. Yamagata Specialty Special Tag Match: Kazusada Higuchi & Yuki Ishida Vs Yukio Naya & Keisuke Goto
6. Special Tag Match: Chris Brookes & Takeshi Masada Vs Shigehiro Irie & Jun Akiyama
Good luck to Kazuki Hirata having to fight Yukio Sakaguchi more so than usual this month because they have a DDT Extreme Title match coming up.
GANBARE☆JOSHI “GANJO BATTLE GAREGGA ’23”, 11/08/2023 Tokyo Itabashi Green Hall
1. Ice Ribbon Offer Match: Ibuki Hoshi & Kaho Matsushita Vs Yappy & Tsukina Umino
2. Miyako Matsumoto Vs Banny Oikawa
3. Sumire Natsu & Riara Vs Maya Yukihi & Alex Lee
4. Yoshiko Hasegawa Vs Sayaka Unagi
5. ICEx∞ Title: YuuRI (c) Vs Ami Manase
I was wondering why Yoshiko Hasegawa was missing from the lineup. Turns out there was one more match left to announce and it’s her against Sayaka Unagi!
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TOKYO PRINCESS CUP”, 12/08/2023 Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1. Suzume Vs Juria Nagano
2. Wakana Uehara, Toga & Runa Okubo Vs HIMAWARI, Shino Suzuki & Haru Kazashiro
3. Hyper Misao, Hikari Noa, Nao Kakuta & Kaya Toribami Vs Yuki Aino, Raku, Pom Harajuku & Haruna Neko
4. Shoko Nakajima & Miu Watanabe Vs Moka Miyamoto & Arisu Endo
5. Sakisama & Mei Saint-Michel Vs Mizuki & Mahiro Kiryu
6. Tokyo Princess Cup – Semi Final: Rika Tatsumi Vs Yuki Kamifuku
7. Tokyo Princess Cup – Semi Final: Miyu Yamashita Vs Yuki Arai
The summer is nearing its end and so too is this year’s Tokyo Princess Cup. Four women are left standing and two of those will be next to fall. Miyu Yamashita is trying to win the tournament for the first time after a decade of trying, Yuki Arai is benefitting from adding Saki Akai’s Rookie Award finisher to her moveset, Rika Tatsumi is in the middle of one hell of a run and Yuki Kamifuku is showing everyone just how successful she can be when she puts her mind to it.
Mizuki & Mahiro Kiryu are the two women teaming together to fight NEO Biishiki-gun.
Match #4 is made up of the four women who were knocked out in the Quarter Finals.
The 6-Woman Tag Match in Match #2 is entirely made up of the 2023 class.
DDT “SAKI AKAI 10TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR IN KORAKUEN!!”, 13/08/2023 Tokyo Korakuen Hall
0. Dark Match: Yuya Koroku Vs Rukiya
1. Jun Akiyama, Yukio Naya & Yusuke Okada Vs Kazusada Higuchi, Yuki Ishida & Takeshi Masada
2. Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title – Battle Royal: Sanshiro Takagi (c) Vs HARASHIMA Vs Naruki Doi Vs Yuki “Sexy” Iino Vs Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno Vs Antonio Honda Vs Akito Vs Kazuma Sumi
3. Special Single Match: Hideki Okatani Vs KANON
4. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Chris Brookes, Masahiro Takanashi & Sakura Hirota Vs Yuki Ueno, MAO & Toy Kojima
5. KO-D Tag Team Titles: Daisuke Sasaki & MJ Paul (c) Vs Yuji Hino & Makoto Oishi
6. DDT Extreme Title: Kazuki Hirata (c) Vs Yukio Sakaguchi
7. Saki Akai Debut 10th Anniversary Match Vol. 2 ~ Special 6-Woman Tag Match: Saki Akai, Maya Yukihi & Asuka Vs Takumi Iroha, Rina Yamashita & Shoko Nakajima
Akai’s next 10th Anniversary match will feature her teaming with Maya Yukihi & Asuka. They were two of her recent big opponents here in DDT. Their opponents all debuted in 2013, the same year as Akai. Takumi Iroha & Rina Yamashita were already announced and this past weekend Shoko Nakajima was revealed to be the third woman on the team.
Hirata found a way to beat HARASHIMA. He’s also beaten Sakaguchi once before but as Extreme Champion he will come up with any stipulation that will tip the scales in his favour. Otherwise Sakaguchi is going to kill him and take his title!
Makoto Oishi has convinced Yuji Hino to go after the KO-D Tag Team Titles with him. Maybe Hino would be better off teaming with Yukio Naya for the match but Oishi being such a caring father for his children convinced Hino to stick with him.
DDT “FIGHTING BEER GARDEN – DAY 1”, 16/08/2023 Tokyo Ueno Park Outdoor Stage
1. The Scariest Event In History! Ghost Story New Numabukuro Death Match: Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno Vs Saki Akai Vs Yuni Vs Hideki Okatani Vs Kazuma Sumi (Ghost Story Reading Artist: Hisaya Imabayashi)
2. Blindfold Hidden Breast 4 Way Death Match: HARASHIMA Vs Kazuki Hirata Vs Antonio Honda Vs Yuki “Sexy” Iino
3. YOROKOBI BREWERY Infomercial Match: Yuji Hino, Yukio Sakaguchi & Soma Takao Vs Kazusada Higuchi, Yukio naya & Yuki Ishida
4. Special Tag Match: Chris Brookes & Masahiro Takanashi Vs Shigehiro Irie & Jun Akiyama
The Fighting Beer Garden shows now has a craft beer sponsor.
DDT “SOMA TAKAO LOCAL TRIUPMH! MEMORIES OF SUMMER VACATION 2023 TOUR IN OTA-KU”, 19/08/2023 Tokyo Ota Ward Industrial Plaza PiO Small Exhibition Hall
1. Special Tag Match: Soma Takao & Shota Vs Yukio Sakaguchi & Kazuki Hirata
2. Jun Akiyama, Saki Akai & Antonio Honda Vs Kazusada Higuchi, Yuki Ishida & Rukiya
3. DAMNATION T.A Vs The 37KAMIINA!: Daisuke Sasaki & MJ Paul Vs Yuki Ueno & Toy Kojima
The recent actions of Konosuke Takeshita has fired up the rivalry between DAMNATION T.A and The 37KAMIINA. The one here is a rematch from the end of June when Daisuke Sasaki & MJ Paul beat Yuki Ueno & Toy Kojima to win the vacant tag titles.
DDT “OSAKA BAY BLUES SPECIAL 2023”, 20/08/2023 Osaka Edion Arena #2
1. Osaka Specialty Special Tag Match: Sanshiro Takagi & Tsutenkakka Vs Akito & Kazuma Sumi
2. BURNING Vs Harimao!: Jun Akiyama & Kotaro Suzuki Vs Kazusada Higuchi & Yuki Ishida
3. Special Tag Match: Chris Brookes & Takeshi Masada Vs Shigehiro Irie & HARASHIMA
4. Special Single Match: Daisuke Sasaki Vs Yuki Ueno
5. Current Blast Death Match: Atsushi Onita, Yoshitatsu & Toy Kojima Vs Yukio Sakaguchi, Hideki Okatani & Soma Takao
Sasaki has a few singles matches against different members of The 37KAMIINA this month. Yuki Ueno keeps being told by Takeshita to follow his lead and Sasaki has become a big supporter of that idea.
DDT “MEMORIES OF SUMMER VACATION 2023”, 27/08/2023 Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1. Saki Akai Debut 10th Anniversary Match Vol. 3 ~ Special Single Match: Danshoku Dieno Vs Saki Akai
2. Special Single Match: Daisuke Sasaki Vs MAO
3. HARASHIMA Debut 22nd Anniversary Match: HARASHIMA Vs X
Sasaki also has to face MAO. He might start regretting taking Takeshita’s side in the matter just because of how much extra ring work it’s giving him.
Akai asked Danshoku Dieno for a singles match to call back memories of the Extreme Title bout from 2016. Their match back then featured a stipulation that nobody was allowed to cry or else they would lose. It was a match that Akai learned a lot and still thinks about after all this time. Dieno understands how much it means to her and will not be using his “Dandy” persona for that reason.
DDT “ROJO PRO WRESTLING IN IZUKOGEN GRANILLUMI”, 02/09/2023 Shizuoka Izu Granpal Park
1. Falls Count Anywhere 4 Way 6-Man Tag Match: Chris Brookes, HARASHIMA & Saki Akai Vs Yuki Ueno, MAO & Toy Kojima (w/ Shunma Katsumata) Vs Sanshiro Takagi, Shinya Aoki & Takeshi Masada Vs Yuki “Sexy” Iino, Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno & X
A lot of people are gathering together to wrestle among the bright lights of Izu Granpal Park. Not only is Shinya Aoki showing up but Pheromones will be joined by a mystery wrestler.
DDT “DDT BIG BANG 2023”, 09/09/2023 Tokyo Ota Ward Gymnasium
1. Pheromones Vs Subjugation Final Match! Special Single Match ~ Dissolution Contra Vice President: Yuki “Sexy” Iino (w/ Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno) Vs Akito
2. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Yukio Sakaguchi, Saki Akai & Hideki Okatani Vs Yuko Miyamoto, Isami Kodaka & Ram Kaichow
3. Special Tag Match: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA & Daisuke Sasaki Vs Yuki Ueno & MAO
4. Current Blast Death Match: Atsushi Onita, Yoshi Tatsu & Toy Kojima Vs Sanshiro Takagi, Jun Akiyama & Yusuke Okada
5. KO-D Openweight Title: Chris Brookes (c) Vs Shigehiro Irie
Sick of his demands being ignored, Atsushi Onita took it upon himself last week to crash a training session at the DDT dojo and confront Jun Akiyama. Apparently Onita got in touch with Kojima and demanded to find out when Akiyama was in the building. Kojima told him but didn’t actually expect he would show up. Onita told Akiyama the names of many famous wrestlers who fought him in Explosion Death Matches then asked why is he the only person who refuses to take part? Onita also reminded Sanshiro Takagi he was promised this match would happen. Akiyama accepted the challenge and both sides decided their teams. Onita will team with Yoshi Tatsu & Toy Kojima while Akiyama & Takagi will add Yusuke Okada to their team.
Is the team of Ueno & MAO enough to beat Takeshita & Sasaki? We’re heading into dangerous territory here as tensions raise higher and higher.
If Eruption are still the KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Champions coming out of their All Japan appearance at the end of this month then their match against Yuko Miyamoto, Isami Kodaka & Ram Kaichow will be a title match.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TJPW CITY CIRCUIT ’23 ~NAGOYA PERFORMANCE~”, 18/09/2023 Nagoya International Conference Center Event Hall
1. Saki Akai & Yuki Arai Vs X & X
This will be the final time Reiwa AA Cannon will team together, just two months before Akai retires.
DDT “DRAMATIC EXPLOSION 2023”, 18/09/2023 Nagoya International Conference Center Event Hall
1. Current Blast Death Match: Atsushi Onita Vs X
Minoru Suzuki will be on the show. This is happening the same day as the Bullet Train match with Takagi by the way. How else were they making it to Nagoya?
“MASAHIRO TAKANASHI 20TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW”, 19/09/2023 Shinjuku FACE
1. Special Exhibition: Masahiro Takanashi Vs KUDO
2. Yukio Sakaguchi, Isami Kodaka & Ken Ohka Vs MAO, Daiki Shimomura & Munetatsu Nakamura
3. Special Single Match: Mei Suruga Vs Minoru Suzuki
4. Chris Brookes Vs Masahiro Takanashi
No way was KUDO going to miss Masahiro Takanashi’s big show. He isn’t in ring shape to do a full wrestling match so Takanashi decided KUDO will face him in a 5 minute exhibition instead.
America had to deal with the adventures of MAO & Yoshihiko for most of July. The two of them were inseperable and causing chaos on every wrestling show they were booked for. Meanwhile Konosuke Takeshita is fitting into his heel role nicely, bringing the act over from AEW to DDT and creating consequences in both companies. Since next month is AEW’s big week of doing Wembley in London and the United Center in Chicago one after the other you would think Takeshita will get an important match somewhere on either card.
With those topics out of the way that leaves us with Maki Itoh. The experience gained from touring America is doing wonders for her career but she didn’t win the Princess Of Princess Title back in Tokyo Joshi Pro like she hoped. Her storyline in GCW is coming to a head in August and she has her sights set on many more tours in the future. It can make you wonder if she will reach a stage where she might choose to say goodbye to TJPW some day. Her interviews on the subject have been contradictory depending on who she talks to. She would love to get a full time deal from a big American company but she also likes being signed to TJPW because they let her work this kind of international schedule. It’s nothing to fret over right now but the thought has crossed my mind when it became clear her future plans do not include the Princess Title.
CIRCLE 6 “LOVE DON’T LIVE HERE”, 16/07/2023 1720 Warehouse, Los Angeles, California, USA
1. AJ Gray Vs MAO
AEW “DYNAMITE”, 19/07/2023 TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
1. Blood & Guts: Kenny Omega, Hangman Page, Nick Jackson, Matt Jackson & Kota Ibushi Vs Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, Wheeler Yuta, Konosuke Takeshita & PAC
Video starts at 1:01:38 for the match. Go to 01:41:04 for Itoh’s birthday celebration. SMASH “CAN-US CLASSIC 2023”, 22/07/2023 Western Fair District, London, Ontario, Canada
1. Jody Threat Vs Maki Itoh
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Results
EVE “NMITB”, 02/07/2023 The Dome, Tufnell Park, London, England
1. Eve Title: Miyu Yamashita (c) defeated Rhio with the Crash Rabbit Heat (21:21). *V6 for Miyu Yamashita.
Miyu Yamashita was scheduled to defend the EVE Title against Emersyn Jayne but the challenger couldn’t make the show due to travel problems. Yamashita instead had to put the belt on the line against “The Unbreakable” Rhio with both wrestlers having no time to prepare for each other. Rhio’s power was brought into the fore with her getting nearfalls from a Pumphandle Bomb and Death Valley Driver onto her knee. But Yamashita escaped from a Package Piledriver attempt and caught Rhio with the Skull Kick. Rhio fell next to the ropes so she used a rope break to avoid being pinned. Yamashita then wore her down with kicks until she could pin Rhio with the Crash Rabbit Heat.
WEST COAST PRO “CRUEL SUMMER 2023”, 08/07/2023 United Irish Cultural Center, San Francisco, California, USA
1. Bryan Keith defeated MAO with the Emerald Tiger Driver (15:55).
MAO’s trip to America began at West Coast Pro where Bryan Keith was waiting for him. Keith had warned MAO not to expect any moonlight on this ocassion while MAO thought he would be fine because he is a “fucked up wrestler with an empty head.” That was proven when Yoshihiko interfered to help him! Keith survived the surprise attack and fired himself up and threw Yoshihiko out of the ring with a Razor’s Edge to even the odds. After a back and forth, Keith pinned MAO with the Emerald Tiger Driver for the win.
JCW “BIG ASS EXTREME BIRTHDAY BASH”, 09/07/2023 Ridgefield Park Knights of Columbus, Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, USA
1. MAO defeated Mike Bailey with the Avalanche Michinoku Driver (14:47).
2. Bunkhouse Stampede: Manders defeated Charles Mason by Ring Out (22:13). Order Of Elimination: Jay Sawyer, Steve Off, Steve Scott, Grim Reefer, Brogan Finlay, Marcus Mathers, Kaia McKenna, Charlie Tiger, Eddy Herrera, Bam Sullivan, CPA, Ciclope, Miedo Extremo, Yoshihiko, Yoya, John Wayne Murdoch, Parrow and Charles Mason.
Wherever MAO went in America, Yoshihiko followed him the entire way. It led to an awkward reunion with Mike Bailey in JCW. MAO and Speedball faced off in a battle between The Moonlight Express but things went sideways when MAO accidentally knocked out the referee with a Helluva Kick. Yoshihiko grabbed itself a ref shirt and went in as the replacement! However its officiating didn’t meet Bailey’s expectations so Yoshihiko was thrown out of the ring Razor’s Edge style deep into the crowd. The distraction might have led to Bailey’s undoing because MAO went on to beat him with a top rope Michinoku Driver with the original ref making the count.
Yoshihiko would reappear in a Bunkhouse Stampede match booked later in the show. It was a complete free for all where Yoshihiko appeared for a confrontation with Charles Mason and his backup muscle Parrow. The three of them have previous bad blood in the GCW/JCW system because Mason hates being embarrassed by the doll. Parrow tried to throw Yoshihiko out but Yoshihiko grabbed onto him and applied a Sleeper Hold. Mason lost his mind and hit Yoshihiko/Parrow with chairshot after chairshot before finally throwing the doll out of the ring to eliminate it.
AEW “RAMPAGE”, 12/07/2023 (Aired 14/07/2023) SaskTel Centre, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
1. Konosuke Takeshita defeated Mentallo with a Diving Senton (4:07).
Don Callis went the personal route to help Takeshita prepare for Blood & Guts. The show took place in Canada so Callis got AEW to book Kenny Omega’s longtime friend and training partner Mentallo as Takeshita’s opponent. The masked wrestler put up a good effort but Takeshita was victorious in the end, using a Diving Senton to add a new high flying move to his arsenal.
IWTV “MARCUS MATHERS ALL I WANT 2”, 13/07/2023 H20 Wrestling Center, Williamstown, New Jersey, USA
1. Yoshihiko defeated Jimmy Lloyd with the Yoshihiko Destroyer (9:56).
2. MAO defeated Brandon Kirk with the Phoenix Splash through the Plastic Cases (16:14).
The bottom ring rope snapped off during the first five minutes of the opening match and couldn’t be repaired. That should tell you the kind of night waiting ahead for MAO and Yoshihiko. But that’s the kind of fucked up wrestling MAO wants so he didn’t lose a step fighting against Brandon Kirk. A lot of chairs and plastic boxes were thrown into the mix for the two to beat each other up with.
Yoshihiko was tasked with fighting Jimmy Lloyd and both were prepared to tear the place apart. Yoshihiko did a balcony dive and landed Headbutt first onto Lloyd to break him through a wooden panel. Lloyd tried using a Steiner Screwdriver, Package Piledriver and Sleeper Suplex onto chairs but couldn’t get the three count. He went desperate by taking Yoshihiko to the top rope with chairs laid out below. Yoshihiko flipped him off with a Canadian Destroyer onto the chairs and then followed up with a second Destroyer for the finish.
GCW “NOW AND FOREVER”, 14/07/2023 Melrose Ballroom, Queens, New York, USA
1. Maki Itoh defeated Billie Starkz with the Itoh Deluxe (15:16).
2. Mike Bailey defeated Yoshihiko with the Stormbreaker (23:28).
3. GCW World Title: Blake Christian (c) defeated MAO with a Step Up Curb Stomp (14:21) *V6 for Blake Christian.
MAO had a big chance to grab some gold in his trip to GCW proper. He took on Blake Christian for the GCW World Title but things just didn’t work out for him on this night. Christian gave him a Low Blow, a Death Valley Driver and then finished him off with a Curb Stomp for a successful title defence.
There was something familiar about Bailey Vs Yoshihiko but I just can’t quite put my finger as to what it was. In a completely original match Bailey was accompanied by MAO Callis and his bodyguards. MAO was quickly ejected backstage but later returned to hand Bailey a screwdriver to attack Yoshihiko with. He then used the One-Winged Angel but Yoshihiko kicked out at one. Bailey lost his temper so he gave Yoshihiko the Tiger Driver ’91 (maybe that should be written without the apostraphe because he slammed the doll’s head into the mat around 91 times), the Hidden Blade and the Stormbreaker to win the match. It was unlike anything anyone had seen within the space of a three week period.
In a rematch from last August, Itoh defeated Billie Starkz not just in a wrestling match but in a pose-off to see who is cuter that happened midway through. After the match Itoh celebrated with Nick Gage and they then threw out a challenge to Matt Cardona & Steph De Lander. A video message from the two played over the screen in response but it turned out to be a trap! Cardona & De Lander ran into the ring through the crowd and ambushed Maki Death Kill. When they were done with the attack they accepted the challenge for a tag match.
1. Maki Itoh defeated Vanessa Kraven with the I.S.D. (14:49).
I don’t often talk much about match quality in these articles but you’re best to avoid watching this one. It wasn’t good.
CIRCLE 6 “BARROOM BLITZ”, 15/07/2023 Knucklehead Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
1. MAO Vs Bobby Beverly
I couldn’t find the result for this match on a show that had no wrestling ring. What I could find was footage of MAO giving Bobby Beverly a really nasty looking Package Piledriver onto a chair with Beverly’s head clipping off of the headrest. There was also footage of MAO singing with a band so win or lose he looked like he was having a great time.
CIRCLE 6 “LOVE DON’T LIVE HERE”, 16/07/2023 1720 Warehouse, Los Angeles, California, USA
1. AJ Gray defeated MAO with a Lariat (?:??).
Yoshihiko again interfered in one of MAO’s matches to aid him, this time against AJ Gray. While Yoshihiko did not get hurled across the room into the audience, Grey overcame the 2-on-1 disadvantage to win.
AEW “DYNAMITE”, 19/07/2023 TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
1. Blood & Guts: Kenny Omega, Hangman Page, Nick Jackson, Matt Jackson & Kota Ibushi defeated Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, Wheeler Yuta, Konosuke Takeshita & PAC when Moxley gave up (23:01).
Oh what drama that has been brewing in The Elite Vs Blackpool Combat Club feud in its final month. Takeshita travelled over to Mexico to assault Omega then helped BCC launch another attack on him back in America. That was when The Elite revealed their ace in the hole for Blood & Guts. The return of Kota Ibushi! In a match that was violent as promised, the BCC team fell apart when PAC took an accidental blow from Claudio Castagnoli. PAC has no loyalty to the group so he broke out of the cage and left. When The Elite got their second wind, Callis told Takeshita to leave the cage too! Takeshita did so and The Elite went on to beat BCC to end their feud.
1. Maki Itoh defeated Jody Threat with the I.S.D. (?:??).
Itoh was having a good night in Smash to begin with when she defeated Jody Threat. Then at the end of the show she was given a surprise birthday party in the ring because everyone found out it was her birthday that day! How sweet of them.
PRESTIGE “ALL RISE”, 23/07/2023 House Of Independents, Asbury Park, New Jersey, USA
1. Trish Adora defeated Maki Itoh with the Lariat Tubman (13:43).
Itoh’s return to Prestige was for a semi-main event match against Trish Adora. Oddly enough this was the first time they’ve faced each other even though Adora has become a regular opponent for TJPW wrestlers. Itoh lost on this day by running straight into Adora’s Lariat. Itoh declined to shake her hand afterwards.
DEFY “SPIRIT WC”, 28/07/2023 Washington Hall, Seattle, Washington, USA
1. DEFY Women’s Title: Vert Vixen (c) defeated Maki Itoh with the Game Over (?:??). *V7 for Vert Vixen.
The main event of DEFY’s women only show was where Itoh had her latest chance to win an American championship. Vert Vixen defeated her, making it three successful DEFY Women’s Title defences against TJPW talent.
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Upcoming Appearances
AEW “DYNAMITE 200”, 02/08/2023 Yuengling Center, Tampa, Florida, USA
1. Chris Jericho & Konosuke Takeshita Vs Sammy Guevara & Daniel Garcia
It was only a matter of time until Chris Jericho would latch onto the new hot act and change the story into one about himself. He got the screen time with Callis while Takeshita was back in Japan wrestling for DDT. When Takeshita returns to America he will team with Jericho to take on Sammy Guevara & Daniel Garcia in the latest chapter of the Jericho Appreciation Society story. It’s going to suck if the latest direction for “ALL IN” and “ALL OUT” only pushes Takeshita into the background. Maybe there is hope for him getting an important match if Omega is not going to face Will Ospreay for a third time or if Ibushi is not being a tease about showing up at Wembley.
WRESTLING REVOLVER “HEAT EM UP”, 03/08/2023 Calumet Center, Dayton, Ohio, USA
1. Gringo Loco Vs Konosuke Takeshita
Coming in hot right as I am finishing up this article is news that Takeshita will be at this Thursday’s Wrestling REVOLVER show as a last minute replacement for Jon Moxley. According to Moxley he gave REVOLVER his approval for them to book Takeshita. The original plan was for Moxley to take on Gringo Loco in a Lucha Street Fight. Instead Loco will face Takeshita but the Street Fight stipulation seems to be dropped.
DREAMWAVE “SUMMER SPECTACULAR NIGHT 1”, 04/08/2023 Knights of Columbus, LaSalle, Illinois, USA
1. 6-Person Scramble: Brittnie Brooks Vs Maki Itoh Vs Zayda Steele Vs B3CCA Vs Kaia McKenna Vs Shazza McKenzie
The winner of the scramble match in DREAMWAVE earns a spot in a match on 14th October that will crown the promotion’s first Women’s Champion.
DREAMWAVE “SUMMER SPECTACULAR NIGHT 2”, 05/08/2023 Knights of Columbus, LaSalle, Illinois, USA
1. Maki Itoh Vs X
Most likely the results on the first show will determine what Itoh is doing on the second. DREAMWAVE says there will be a second Scramble match on this second show where the winner also qualifies for October’s championship match. So if Itoh does not win the first time then maybe she can get a second chance if she demands it.
GCW “NO SIGNAL IN THE HILLS”, 11/08/2023 Ukrainian Cultural Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
1. 4 Way Match: Allie Katch Vs Steph De Lander Vs Maki Itoh Vs Masha Slamovich
The four leading women in GCW right now are all set to collide in a 4 Way Match. Itoh has her grudge with De Lander but the likes of Allie Katch and Masha Slamovich could get in her way.
KOPW “THE NEW ERA OF CHINESE PRO WRESTLING III”, 19/08/2023 Tianyue Sports City, Nanhai Foshan, Guangdong, China
1. Mizuki Vs Nao Kakuta
TJPW is sending Mizuki and Nao Kakuta over to China to hold an offer match at the latest King Of Pro Wrestling show. The Chinese promotion has booked joshi before such as Riho, Makoto, Emi Sakura and Mei Suruga.
NJPW “LEC PRESENTS ALL STAR JR FESTIVAL USA 2023”, 19/08/2023 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
1. El Desperado & MAO Vs Nick Wayne & Jordan Oliver
The first “ALL STAR JR FESTIVAL” in Tokyo earlier this year was such a major success New Japan and the sponsor LEC decided to bring the concept over to America. MAO gets invited back as a result and gets to take on The East West Express again. This time however he is teaming with El Desperado, making it the first time those two will be in the same match together.
GCW “HOMECOMING – PART 1”, 19/08/2023 The Showboat, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA
1. Matt Cardona & Steph De Lander Vs Nick Gage & Maki Itoh
The big grudge match GCW has been building up since March finally takes place near the end of the summer. Maki Death Kill have been trading blows back and forth with Cardona & De Lander ever since. Is one match enough to settle the score?
GCW “HOMECOMING – PART 2”, 20/08/2023 The Showboat, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA
1. Maki Itoh Vs B3CCA
If that is the end of the feud then what will be next for Itoh in GCW?
ROW/GCW “GCW VS RENEGADES OF WRESTLING”, 25/08/2023 Roundhouse, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
1. Charli Evans Vs Maki Itoh
The answer of course is go to Australia! GCW is touring over there with a local group called Renegades Of Wrestling. First up Itoh takes on Charli Evans.
ROW/GCW “GCW VS RENEGADES OF WRESTLING”, 26/08/2023 Melbourne Pavilion, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
1. ROW Women’s Title: Aysha (c) Vs Maki Itoh
The second Australian show gives Itoh a shot at the ROW Women’s Title held by Aysha. The promotion has only been around for a year so the championships don’t have much history behind them. I think Aysha is more of a regular with Deathmatch Downunder.
EVE/CHOCOPRO “CHOCOPRO X EVE SUPER SHOW”, 26/08/2023 The Dome, Tufnell Park, London, England
1. Masahiro Takanashi Vs X
2. Miyu Yamashita Vs X
Well, well, well, isn’t this a surprise? ChocoPro are heading over to London the same weekend as All In to hold shows with EVE. It makes sense for Masahiro Takanashi to be one of the guests because he is linked to Gatoh Move. But Yamashita appearing on the show is something I didn’t expect even though she is EVE’s main champion. There is also a solo ChocoPro event happening that day but this is the show where you will get to see Yamashita. Do you think AEW is interested in booking her again, for the next day? I hope so but the answer is probably no. Come on, she’ll become the only person to wrestle in the Tokyo Dome and Wembley the same year if they book her!
ROW/GCW “GCW VS RENEGADES OF WRESTLING”, 27/08/2023 Eatons Hill Hotel, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
1. Allie Katch Vs Maki Itoh
Itoh ends the Australia tour with a match against Allie Katch. Itoh already has a singles win over her in GCW. In fact that was the match where she discovered how useful a pizza cutter is against opponents.
GCW “SAY YOU WILL”, 01/09/2023 Grand Sports Arena, Hoffman Estates, Illinois New Jersey, USA
1. Nick Gage & Maki Itoh Vs X & X
Another tag match for Maki Death Kill? This could go anywhere from fighting The East West Express to taking on Los Macizos or anywhere in between!
MLW “FURY ROAD”, 03/09/2023 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
1. B3CCA Vs Maki Itoh
Now Major League Wrestling has to deal with Maki Itoh. MLW has a habit of chasing after trends but not really getting much out of them. The company also has a knack of putting out whatever news stories they want and wresting sites will report it without question. Court Bauer just has the clout to say anything and always be taken at face value I guess. The curse of that though is the attention never really pays off with anything substantial. When MLW is at its best their storylines can be really creative and different to what the other promotions are doing. But if they don’t have a plan for you you’re just there to put over people they do have plans for. Even worse is how they sometimes write people out of storylines. Itoh can kayfabe be carried out of her last show inside a body bag if they want to. Or since her opponent B3CCA has a pop singer gimmick on the show they can do a vocal injury if they want to get sinister. But that’s just me fantasy booking based on what they’ve done before.
PRESTIGE “THE RESPECT ISSUE”, 24/09/2023 Globe Theatre, Los Angeles, California, USA
1. Trish Adora Vs Shoko Nakajima
Good to see Shoko Nakajima getting international bookings again. Prestige seems to handle that sort of stuff Stateside thanks to their working relationship with TJPW. They’re trying to get her a couple other bookings while she’s over there. A match with Trish Adora is the first one on the cards for her.
DDT “SUMMER VACATION 2023”, 30/07/2023 Tokyo Korakuen Hall 761 Fans
0. Dark Match: Yuni defeated Kazuma Sumi with the Phoenix Splash (5:22).
1. Minoru Fujita & MJ Paul defeated Soma Takao & Rukiya when Paul pinned Rukiya with the Death Valley Bomb (8:24).
2. Special Tag Match: Yuki “Sexy” Iino & Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno defeated Akito & Naruki Doi when Iino pinned Akito after the Muscular Sexy Driver (12:15).
3. Yuji Hino, Makoto Oishi & Yukio Naya defeated Jun Akiyama, Yusuke Okada & Yuya Koroku when Hino pinned Koroku with the Fuckin’ BOMB (8:07).
4. Yukio Sakaguchi 50th Birthday Match ~ Special 6-Man Tag Match: Yukio Sakaguchi, Saki Akai & Hideki Okatani defeated Shuji Ishikawa, Thanomsak Toba & Masahiro Takanashi when Sakaguchi pinned Toba with the God’s Right Knee (11:26).
5. Chris Brookes, Antonio Honda & Takeshi Masada defeated Kazusada Higuchi, Kotaro Suzuki & Yuki Ishida when Brookes pinned Ishida with the Praying Mantis Bomb (11:49).
6. DDT Extreme Title – Super Fierce Battle! Hirata’s Miraculous Allies Gather! No Touch Captain’s Fall & 2 Count Hall Handicap Death Match: Kazuki Hirata (C/c), Broom, Kokeshi Doll, Chair, Yakitori, Baby Doll, Watch Dog, Cold Spray & Toru Owashi Doll defeated HARASHIMA (C) when Hirata pinned HARASHIMA with the Miracle One Shot Cradle (13:21). *V1 for Kazuki Hirata.
7. Special 6-Man Tag Match: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA, Daisuke Sasaki & KANON defeated Yuki Ueno, MAO & Toy Kojima when Sasaki submitted Ueno with La Mistica Crossover Face Lock (17:44).
A new direction for Konosuke Takeshita now sees him stand across the ring from his friends in The 37KAMIINA. If that’s not weird enough, he decided to become an ally with Daisuke Sasaki and DAMNATION T.A to further his agenda. Takeshita got his moments to fight Yuki Ueno, MAO & Toy Kojima throughout the main event. Sasaki & KANON were there to back him up for a triple submission spot. Ueno & Kojima had Sasaki beaten with the My MADMAX but Takeshita came back with a big rally. He used a Double German Suplex to throw both MAO & Kojima at the same time then hit Ueno with the Zahi. Sasaki then lined Ueno up for La Mistica Crossover Face Lock to win the match.
Afterward Takeshita again advised Ueno to start following him if he really wants to carry DDT on his back. Even Sasaki agreed with him and said he would support anybody who has Takeshita’s approval. If Takeshita tells Ueno to do something like join DAMNATION T.A then Ueno should have no other choice but to do it. By this point Shunma Katsumata was in the ring using a crutch to move around. Sasaki suddenly attacked him and knocked the crutch away until MAO chased him out of the ring. MAO lost his temper at Takeshita for doing nothing to stop Sasaki and not helping Katsumata afterwards. He understands now that Takeshita is The 37KAMIINA’s enemy from this point forward! Takeshita said he is going back to America but will return to DDT for the Ota Ward Gymnasium show on 9th September. He expects to hear an answer from Ueno by then. Ueno said he wants to team up with MAO to take on Takeshita & Sasaki on the show.
It was a Handicap Match for the ages when Kazuki Hirata gathered together his own army of inanimate objects to fight against HARASHIMA. It was part of a collection of rule stipulations the DDT Extreme Champion came up with to ensure his defence was going to be a fair fight, otherwise HARASHIMA was going to destroy him without much effort. Another rule was Hirata only needed a 2 Count pin to win. First HARASHIMA fought a Kokeshi Doll and almost got outwrestled by it. A Chair somehow put HARASHIMA in a Cross Armbreaker submission. HARASHIMA hesitated trying to fight a Baby Doll because nobody wanted to see him attack something cute like that. He instead played a Watch Dog toy game that bit his finger, giving Hirata a 1 Count nearfall with a roll up. The next fighter to enter was a Yakitori chicken skewer. HARASHIMA ate it, causing Hirata to attack him with a Broom out of anger for his fallen comrade. Hirata climbed the top rope with the Broom to do a Kiki’s Delivery Service Dive but it was blocked by HARASHIMA’s boots. HARASHIMA did a Falcon Arrow onto a pile of the objects for a nearfall. He went for the Somato but Hirata blocked it with the Broom and used the Miracle One Shot Cradle to win with a 2 count pinfall.
When the match was over HARASHIMA congratulated Hirata for beating him by wrapping the Extreme Title around his waist. Hirata thanked him and said no matter what the rules were, today he was able to beat HARASHIMA! He now feels like he can beat anybody. As soon as he finished saying that, Yukio Sakaguchi appeared and entered the ring. Hirata immediately offered to give up and forfeit his title to Sakaguchi. It was declined because Sakaguchi didn’t want to look like he is bullying Hirata. He wants to challenge him instead because winning the Extreme Title for the first time in his career would be a good birthday present for himself. Hirata’s cries of refusal were ignored by Hisaya Imabayashi and the match was made for 13th August. Sakaguchi then told Hirata “What’s mine is mine, what’s Hirata’s is mine.”
Chris Brookes paid his first visit to Korakuen Hall since winning the KO-D Openweight Title. There was no Shigehiro Irie appearance on the show so the new champion was in a 6-Man Tag Match with two of his buddies Antonio Honda & Takeshi Masada. Their attempt to pull off a triple team pose on Kotaro Suzuki failed when Honda overshot his jump and fell onto the canvas. Suzuki then interruped the Gongitsune speech. Later in the match he tried to interrupt it again but his own partners Kazusada Higuchi & Yuki Ishida pleaded with him to let Honda proceed. The match continued from there and Brookes pinned Ishida with the Praying Mantis Bomb to win. Backstage Brookes acted like the Shukan Puroresu reporter was spreading rumours about Irie being scared of Brookes.
As mentioned a little bit earlier, Yukio Sakaguchi celebrated his birthday this week, turning 50 years old. Today he teamed with the rest of Eruption to take on a team of three opponents who all have ties to him. Shuji Ishikawa was a former rival, Thanomsak Toba trained with him and Masahiro Takanashi used to be his stablemate in Shuten-dōji. Speakin of that unit, KUDO was at ringside for the match too. He presented Sakaguchi with a gift of alcohol before the match. Sakaguchi picked up the win for Eruption by using the God’s Right Knee on Toba.
After the match everyone including KUDO raised each other’s hands in the ring. Then all of a sudden two unexpected guests appeared. It was Isami Kodaka & Yuko Miyamoto! The tag team known as Yankee Two Kenju were carrying bouquets and said they were here to wish Sakaguchi a happy birthday. Sakaguchi did not believe them and knew they had another reason for showing up. Kodaka dropped the facade asked if he and Miyamoto could get a shot at the KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles? Sakaguchi was fine with the idea while Hideki Okatani was suddenly all fired up to pick a fight with Miyamoto. Yankee Two Kenju then revealed the third person on their team is going to be Ram Kaichow! Eruption accepted the challenge knowing full well they already have a title defence coming up in All Japan on 27th August. They are confident they will win that so their match against the Triple Six team on 9th September will have the titles on the line if they are still the champions by then.
It’s time for Ω to go take a fresh route and reevaluate their goals. Yuji Hino needed a bounce back win after losing the KO-D Title and found it here by teaming with Makoto Oishi & Yukio Naya. After defeating the BURNING team of Jun Akiyama, Yusuke Okada & Yuya Koroku their plans became more clear backstage. Oishi gets upset every time he sees Hino without a championship so he should go fight for the KO-D Tag Team Titles. Hino liked the idea and started to think about teaming with Naya again. However Oishi meant himself and Hino should be the team. Hino wasn’t sure because he thinks Oishi should take the rest of the summer off to be with his family. Oishi then said his eldest son sent him a message about wanting to see his dad win a championship. Hearing that cheered Hino up and he agreed to chase after the tag titles with Oishi. It was later confirmed Ω will face Sasaki & MJ Paul for the titles on 13th August.
Like many other people Naruki Doi wanted nothing to do with the Pheromones match. However Akito is desperate to build up momentum for his singles match against Yuki Iino so he was able to convince him to take part. Danshoku Dieno also taunted Doi by telling him his reputation would be tainted if he ran away from Pheromones. Doi picked up the courage to fight them head on but Akito ended up getting isolated and beaten two on one.
Saki Akai entered the ring after the match wanting to speak to Dieno. She reminded him of the singles match they had for the Extreme Title back in 2016. It’s a match that stuck with her ever since because Dieno taught her how wrestlers show their struggles with a human touch. However Akai still wonders if that lesson is true. She thinks pro wrestling is a dream job and wants Dieno to definitively prove her otherwise by facing her one more time before she retires this November. Dieno said Akai has a problem that hasn’t been solved yet and accepted her challenge. The match will take place on 27th August.
DAMNATION T.A overwhelmed Soma Takao & Rukiya in the opening match starting with a surprise attack. Takao found the energy to fight back against Minoru Fujita until the match switched over to Rukiya against Paul. Rukiya’s volley of Elbow Strikes were cut off with a Lariat and Paul pinned him with the Death Valley Bomb.
In the pre-show dark match Yuni defeated Kazuma Sumi one on one. He avoided the Lionsault, kicked out of a Brainbuster and pinned Sumi with the Phoenix Splash.
Shoko Nakajima was revealed to be Takumi Iroha & Rina Yamashita’s tag partner for the 6-Woman Tag Match against Akai, Asuka & Maya Yukihi on 13th August. The match is part of Akai’s retirement tour. She is teaming with her two recent rivals in DDT against a team of opponents who all debuted in 2013, the same year as her.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TOKYO PRINCESS CUP”, 29/07/2023 Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1. Juria Nagano & Kaya Toribami Vs Wakana Uehara & HIMAWARI
2. Hyper Misao, Nao Kakuta & Yuki Aino Vs Mahiro Kiryu, Pom Harajuku & Haruna Neko
3. Mizuki, Toga, Haru Kazashiro & Runa Okubo Vs Hikari Noa, Raku, Suzume & Shino Suzuki
4. Tokyo Princess Cup – Quarter Final: Arisu Endo Vs Yuki Arai
5. Tokyo Princess Cup – Quarter Final: Yuki Kamifuku Vs Miu Watanabe
6. Tokyo Princess Cup – Quarter Final: Rika Tatsumi Vs Shoko Nakajima
7. Tokyo Princess Cup – Quarter Final: Miyu Yamashita Vs Moka Miyamoto
The Tokyo Princess Cup moves over to Korakuen Hall for its remaining rounds. Next up is the Quarter Finals this Saturday.
DDT “SUMMER VACATION 2023”, 30/07/2023 Tokyo Korakuen Hall
0. Dark Match: Yuni Vs Kazuma Sumi
1. Minoru Fujita & MJ Paul Vs Soma Takao & Rukiya
2. Yuji Hino, Makoto Oishi & Yukio Naya Vs Jun Akiyama, Yusuke Okada & Yuya Koroku
3. Chris Brookes, Antonio Honda & Takeshi Masada Vs Kazusada Higuchi, Kotaro Suzuki & Yuki Ishida
4. Special Tag Match: Yuki “Sexy” Iino & Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno Vs Akito & Naruki Doi
5. Yukio Sakaguchi 50th Birthday Match ~ Special 6-Man Tag Match: Yukio Sakaguchi, Saki Akai & Hideki Okatani Vs Shuji Ishikawa, Thanomsak Toba & Masahiro Takanashi
6. DDT Extreme Title – Super Fierce Battle! Hirata’s Miraculous Allies Gather! No Touch Captain’s Fall & 2 Count Hall Handicap Death Match: Kazuki Hirata (C/c), Broom, Kokeshi, Chair, Yakitori & X (w/ Other Merry Ultimate Fighters) Vs HARASHIMA (C)
7. Special 6-Man Tag Match: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA, Daisuke Sasaki & KANON Vs Yuki Ueno, MAO & Toy Kojima
The final image everyone saw at the end of “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2023” was Konosuke Takeshita and Daisuke Sasaki shaking hands in a hallway backstage. Now we see Takeshita is teaming up with DAMNATION T.A to take on The 37KAMIINA! Takeshita denies having any intention of joining DAMNATION T.A. Instead he claims The 37KAMIINA no longer needs him so he now wants to stand across the ring from them. That Takeshita is choosing to team with Sasaki & KANON in order to do this is an unusual turn of events. It’s another chance for Yuki Ueno to chase after his friend. Toy Kojima also hasn’t been happy with Takeshita’s change in behaviour. MAO is a wild card coming out of Sumo Hall with a big win behind him.
Today Kazuki Hirata announced the match stipulation for his DDT Exteme Title defence against HARASHIMA. His big idea to even the odds is to use every idea he has. So it’s a Captain’s Fall Handicap Match with no tags needed, you only need a 2 count pinfall to win and HARASHIMA is on his own while Hirata’s team is filled up with a bunch of inanimate objects.
Two injuries came out this weekend. Tetsuya Endo suffered a left hand injury and later found out his fractured a metacarpal bone. Toru Owashi had a neck injury that was then diagnosed as a cervical spine injury. Both are now out of action with no timetable yet for either to return.
BASARA “BASARA 226 ~HAKUSEKIREI NO YORU~”, 06/08/2023 Tokyo Itabashi Green Hall
1. Takumi Tsukamoto Vs Lil’ Kraken
2. SAGAT & Akiyori Takizawa Vs Takato Nakano & Masato Kamino
3. Trans-Am ★ Hiroshi Vs Shinichiro Tominaga
4. KUBITO Return Match: KUBITO & Daichi Kazato Vs Yasu Urano & Fuminori Abe
5. Isami Kodaka & Daiki Shimomura Vs Tsutomu Oosugi & Banana Senga
6. Union MAX Next Challenger Match: FUMA Vs Ryota Nakatsu
Both FUMA and Ryota Nakatsu wanted to be the next challenger for the Union MAX Title so we’re getting a No. 1 Contender’s match between them.
KUBITO returns for his first match since April. He’s been out of action ever since dealing with health problems involving his pancreas.
Shinichiro Tominaga comes over to pay BASARA a visit. Although he is a regular with Ganbare☆Pro his actual home promotion is with a small indy in Tokyo called Come On Wrestling Party.
1. Special Single Match: Mecha Mummy (w/ Mad Dr. Ueki) Vs Takeshi Masada
2. Special Single Match: Antonio Honda Vs Ram Kaichow
3. Special Single Match: Hagane Shinno Vs Maya Yukihi
4. Special Single Match: Chris Brookes Vs Yoshihiko
The next Baka Gaijin + Friends show is also a big birthday party for Chris Brookes! Among the invited guests are Yoshihiko, Hagane Shinno, Maya Yukihi, Antonio Honda, Ram Kaichow, Mecha Mummy and Takeshi Masada.
Looks like Takayuki Ueki is fully adopting a mad doctor gimmick for these shows.
BASARA “BASARA 227 ~UTAGE~”, 29/08/2023 Shin-Kiba 1st RING
1. IRON FIST Tag Team Titles: Daiki Shimomura & Minoru Fujita (c) Vs Tsutomu Oosugi & Banana Senga
2. Union MAX Title: Takumi Tsukamoto (c) Vs Winner Of 06/08 Match
The winner of FUMA Vs Nakatsu will face Takumi Tsukamoto for the MAX Title. Tsukamoto wanted to wait until the 29th August show for his next title defence because that show is when BASARA will be going back to serving all you can drink beers at Shin-Kiba 1st RING.
Sento Minzoku are now the undisputed IRON FIST Tag Team Champions but they have former two time champions Speed Of Sounds as their next challengers.
DDT “DDT BIG BANG 2023”, 09/09/2023 Tokyo Ota Ward Gymnasium
1. Pheromones Vs Subjugation Final Match! Special Single Match ~ Dissolution Contra Vice President: Yuki “Sexy” Iino (w/ Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno) Vs Akito
2. Current Blast Death Match: Atsushi Onita Vs X
3. KO-D Openweight Title: Chris Brookes (c) Vs Shigehiro Irie
Sunday was a dream come true for Brookes after he won the KO-D Openweight Title. He now has a big challenge in the form of Shigehiro Irie to prepare for this September. Irie coming out to challenge him was a surprise because Brookes expected somebody like Ueno to do that first. The two know each other from wrestling in Europe and they currently have a 1-1 singles record together. Irie has world domination on his mind so he intends to win the KO-D Title and bring it with him on his upcoming overseas tours (because that worked out sooooo well last time).
Akito has called out Pheromones and wants to put an end to their feud once and for all. For real this time. No seriously. He means it. He will face Yuki Iino in a match that will not be prematurely stopped or called off for any reason. If Akito wins then Pheromones must disband. However Danshoku Dieno complained that the match was put together without Akito putting anything at risk. After having a public meeting with Dieno today, Akito agreed to put his Vice President position on the line!
“MASAHIRO TAKANASHI 20TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW”, 19/09/2023 Shinjuku FACE
1. Special Single Match: Mei Suruga Vs Minoru Suzuki
2. Chris Brookes Vs Masahiro Takanashi
For the first time ever Mei Suruga takes on Minoru Suzuki in what will surely become a bloodbath! What caused Masahiro Takanashi to come up with such a sadistic idea for a match?
DDT “WHO’S GONNA TOP? 2023”, 24/09/2023 Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1. DDT Universal Title: Matt Cardona (w/ Steph De Lander) (c) Vs Maki Itoh
The next DDT Universal Title match brings one of the big feuds in GCW over to Japan. Matt Cardona is still soaking in the glory of his title win and now calls the belt the DMK (Death Match King) Universal Championship. Meanwhile Steph De Lander is wondering if she would go on a date with the injured Tetsuya Endo as long as he pays for every single thing she wants. Maki Itoh was so annoyed to see Cardona win the title she immediately sent a video to DDT demanding a title shot. She is certain she is the right person to bring the belt back to DDT and restore its prestige.
Posted by JamieOD 
Dramatic DDT 