DDT “DRAMATIC DREAMS! VOL. 7 ~KEEP IT ON YAMATO SOUL~”, 18/10/2020 Osaka City Higashisei Residents Center ??? Fans – Withheld
0. Under Match: Mizuki Watase & Hideki Okatani defeated Yukio Naya & Keigo Nakamura when Watase pinned Nakamura with the Back Drop (7:38).
1. Geniuses’ Song! Special 6-Man Tag Match: Danshoku Dieno, Kazuki Hirata & Trans-Am ★ Hiroshi defeated Sanshiro Takagi, Toru Owashi & Antonio Honda when Hirata pinned Honda with the Miracle One Shot Cradle (11:35).
2. Mechanic Vs Skillful Special Single Match: Daisuke Sasaki defeated Makoto Oishi with the Cross Facelock (9:34).
3. HarashimaUrano Vs Team Gonta-gao! Special Tag Match: HARASHIMA & Yasu Urano defeated Kengo Takai & Naomi Yoshimura when Urano pinned Takagi with a Crucifix Pin (11:55).
4. Izumi Kishiwada Union! The Strongest Men In Osaka Vs ALL OUT! Special Tag Match: Jun Akiyama & Magnitude Kishiwada defeated Akito & Shunma Katsumata when Kishiwada pinned Katsumata with the Last Ride (11:25).
5. #DAMNHEARTS Vs English Mexican Cross-Border Trio Special 6-Man Tag Match: Tetsuya Endo, Soma Takao & CIMA (w/ Mad Paulie) defeated Chris Brookes, Tsubasa & Kuishinbo Kamen when Endo pinned Kamen with the Shooting Star Press (13:32).
6. Double Main Event – Team WR Vs The☆TakeBilly Special Tag Match: Konosuke Takeshita & Billy Ken Kid defeated Yuki Ueno & HUB when Takeshita pinned Ueno with the German Suplex (19:14).
7. Double Main Event – Special Tag Match ~Reserved Yamato Soul~: Masato Tanaka & Shigehiro Irie Vs Kazusada Higuchi & Yukio Sakaguchi ended in a Time Limit Draw (30:00).
DDT’s celebration of Yukinori Matsui and Osaka wrestling was headlined with a 30 minute draw between Eruption and Masato Tanaka & Shigehiro Irie. During the match Tanaka & Irie put Yukio Sakaguchi through a table and then isolated Kazusada Higuchi. Irie hit the Flying Sausage followed by Tanaka doing the Super Fly. Sakaguchi kept the match alive by breaking the pin and hitting Tanaka with the God’s Right Knee. With Higuchi and Tanaka as the legal men they went back and forth with a Doctor Bomb, the Sliding D, a Lariat and the Rolling Elbow. Tanaka caught Higuchi with the Gannosuke Clutch in the dying seconds of the match but Higuchi kicked out and the time ran out. Irie said he was happy to wrestle Higuchi and Sakaguchi again. Tanaka said at the age of 45 he still doesn’t want to be losing against the younger wrestlers. He also told Higuchi he regrets not being able to face him back when he held the KO-D Openweight Title. Hopefully they will get to fight each other with a championship on the line in the future. Eruption promised to defend the KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles and win the KO-D Tag Team Titles later this month.
Konosuke Takeshita was left with a bloody nose from his match. When he gets to be in the ring with Osaka Pro wrestlers like Billy Ken Kid and HUB, he is with the wrestlers he grew up watching. But Yuki Ueno on the other hand only began watching Osaka Pro after he became a wrestler. Today’s match was the kind Takeshita had dreamed of. He thanked Matsui for booking the match. Billy Ken Kid told Ueno his WR finisher felt just like when Super Dolphin (one of HUB’s old gimmicks) did it. The move is very effective but he should be careful with it. But he admits he would have lost to that move if it was a singles match. Ueno asked to team with HUB again. He also wants to beat Takeshita and make him bleed more.
CIMA had his first match back since his traffic accident. #DAMNHEARTS used Mad Paulie as a jumping pad for CIMA, Soma Takao & Tetsuya Endo to do their high flying moves from onto Kuishinbo Kamen. The pin was broken up by Chris Brookes & Tsubasa but Endo then hit the Shooting Star Press on Kamen to win. Endo welcomed CIMA back to the ring and CIMA explained to the audience how lucky he was to only suffer a broken nose and injured wrist from his cycling accident. He then wondered why DAMNATION and #DAMNHEARTS have split apart during his absence. He decided to leave the topic alone after seeing the looks on Endo & Takao’s faces.
When #DAMNHEARTS left the ring, Endo was confronted by Kuishinbo Kamen again. Kamen offered Endo some candy then gave him a Low Blow. He unmasked himself to reveal it was Daisuke Sasaki in disguise! Sasaki attacked Endo with a chair and put him in La Mistica Cross Facelock. He fled the ring when #DAMNHEARTS came down to rescue Endo. Sasaki got on the microphone and told Endo never to leave his guard down because Sasaki will attack him from anywhere! The real Kuishinbo Kamen came out looking for his spare costume and took a seat in protest. He refused to leave so two of the ringside attendants lifted him up and carried him out of the room.
Even though they were on the winning team, Jun Akiyama & Magnitude Kishiwada began fighting each other after their match. It was sparked by Akiyama missing a Jumping Knee Attack and hitting Kishiwada by accident earlier in the bout. The rest of Junretsu had to pull them apart.
One of the newer trainees in DDT was featured during the show intro. Kojima told Hisaya Imabayashi to speed the opening announcements along because they were already running late. That led to Imabayashi interrupting Matsui’s speech so Ueno could get his chance to talk and then start the show.
DDT “WHO’S GONNA TOP? 2020”, 27/09/2020 Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1. Toru Owashi, Saki Akai & Hideki Okatani Vs Soma Takao, Mad Paulie & Nobuhiro Shimatani
2. Playfulness Series Act 2: Danshoku Dieno Vs Kazuki Hirata
3. Special 8-Man Tag Match: Daisuke Sasaki, Tetsuya Endo, T-Hawk & El Lindaman Vs HARASHIMA, Kazusada Higuchi, Yukio Sakaguchi & Yukio Naya
4. DDT Extreme Title: Shinya Aoki (c) Vs Antonio Honda
5. Junretsu Vs ALL OUT 3 To 3 Tug Of War!: Jun Akiyama, Makoto Oishi & Mizuki Watase Vs Konosuke Takeshita, Akito & Shunma Katsumata
6. KO-D Tag Team Titles: Yuki Ueno & Naomi Yoshimura (c) Vs Chris Brookes & Drew Parker
Two visits to Korakuen Hall for DDT this month. After yesterday’s show in the building two interesting challenges were made in the aftermath. Chris Brookes & Drew Parker have mended their friendship and are going after Nautilus for the KO-D Tag Team Titles. The DDT fans seem to be warming up to Parker (kind of hard to tell when cheering is prohibited). Also it continues the relationship between DDT and Big Japan since Shunma Katsumata has been crossing over to the other side for death matches.
A special three match series is happening between Junretsu and ALL OUT. This is a gimmick I’ve seen done in places like Dragon Gate and Michinoku Pro. The way they do it is several tug of war ropes are placed in the ring loosely tangled together and covered beneath a large mat. Each wrestler chooses a different rope hanging out of the ring and then the mat is pulled to reveal who are holding the same ropes. That is how the matches are selected. It’s possible that Konosuke Takeshita and Jun Akiyama will pick the same rope and have to do their big singles match weeks before their advertised bout at “ULTIMATE PARTY 2020”. However Akito and Katsumata have also made it clear they want to wrestle Akiyama one on one.
DDT “DRAMATIC DREAMS! VOL. 7 ~KEEP IT ON YAMATO SOUL~”, 18/10/2020 Osaka City Higashisei Residents Center
1. Double Main Event ~ Special Tag Match: Masato Tanaka & Shigehiro Irie Vs Kazusada Higuchi & Yukio Sakaguchi
2. Double Main Event ~ Special Tag Match: Yuki Ueno & HUB Vs Konosuke Takeshita & Billy Ken Kid
DDT’s next show in Osaka is the annual Yukinori Matsui booked show. His big idea for the main event is Yuki Ueno & HUB teaming together. HUB used the WR back when he wrestled as Super Dolphin. Yuki Ueno adopted the move after getting his permission. HUB had a match in Osaka against Konosuke Takeshita four years ago that Matsui remembers fondly. Takeshita is teaming with Billy Ken Kid because everyone respects Billy for everything he’s done in the Osaka wrestling scene.
The other match involves a rivalry that Matsui enjoys a lot. It’s time to pit Shigehiro Irie against Yukio Sakaguchi again! But that’s not enough. Let’s also get Masato Tanaka and Kazusada Higuchi in the same ring to give everyone a taste of what the “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2020” main event could have been.
Also appearing on the show are Kengo Takai, Trans-am ☆ Hiroshi, Magnitude Kishiwada, Tsubaba, Kuishinbo Kamen, Yasu Urano and CIMA.
DDT “ROAD TO ULTIMATE PARTY 2020”, 25/10/2020 Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1. Road To Ultimate Party 2020! Special Single Match: CIMA Vs Soma Takao
CIMA wants a warm up match between him and Soma Takao before they face HARASHIMA & Naomichi Marufuji in November. This is a dream come true for Takao. Who could have guessed that little college club wrestler named BIMA would grow up to fight the man he admires most?
DDT “ULTIMATE PARTY 2020”, 03/11/2020 Tokyo Ota Ward Gymnasium
1. Special Tag Match – HarashiMarafuji Vs CimaSoma: HARASHIMA & Naomichi Marufuji Vs CIMA & Soma Takao
2. Special Single Match: Jun Akiyama Vs Konosuke Takeshita
3. KO-D Openweight Title: Tetsuya Endo (c) Vs Daisuke Sasaki
The champion has spoken. Tetsuya Endo wants to defend the KO-D Openweight Title against Daisuke Sasaki! This is not betrayal but out of respect. Endo believes there are only two wrestlers ahead of him, Kenny Omega and Daisuke Sasaki. Omega can’t travel to Japan so Sasaki is the only other suitable choice. Endo has been loyal to Sasaki from the moment he joined DAMNATION four years ago. But Sasaki is making it clear that this match has nothing to do with the stable. There is no power struggle happening. The title match is to prove who is the better man, full stop. Is Sasaki really being honest about this?
DDT “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2020 DAY 2”, 07/06/2020 DDT TV SHOW Studio 0 Fans
1. Super Sasadango Machine Remote Produce Match – Chop Up Challenge: Toru Owashi Vs Antonio Honda
2. Tokyo Joshi Pro 6-Woman Tag Match: Yuka Sakazaki, Miyu Yamashita & Shoko Nakajima Vs Rika Tatsumi, Nodoka Tenma & Yuki Aino
3. DDT Extreme Title – Celebration! Release Outdoor Restriction Rules: Shinya Aoki (c) Vs Yukio Naya
4. Yukio Sakaguchi & Saki Akai Vs Chris Brookes & Maki Itoh
5. Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title: Danshoku Dieno (c) Vs Makoto Oishi
6. HARASHIMA & Naomichi Marufuji Vs MAO & Asuka
7. KO-D Tag Team Titles: Yuki Ueno & Naomi Yoshimura (c) Vs T-Hawk & El Lindaman
8. KO-D Openweight Title: Masato Tanaka (c) Vs Tetsuya Endo
DDT “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2020 DAY 2”, 07/06/2020 DDT TV SHOW Studio 0 Fans
1. Super Sasadango Machine Remote Produce Match – Chop Up Challenge: Toru Owashi Vs Antonio Honda ended in a Draw (72:45) (1,000 Chops Thrown).
2. Tokyo Joshi Pro 6-Woman Tag Match: Yuka Sakazaki, Miyu Yamashita & Shoko Nakajima defeated Rika Tatsumi, Nodoka Tenma & Yuki Aino when Sakazaki pinned Aino with the Magical Magical Girl Splash (15:31).
3. DDT Extreme Title – Celebration! Release Outdoor Restriction Rules: Shinya Aoki (c) defeated Yukio Naya with a European Clutch (10:49). *V3 for Shinya Aoki.
4. Yukio Sakaguchi & Saki Akai defeated Chris Brookes & Maki Itoh when Sakaguchi pinned Itoh with the PK (12:01).
5. Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title: Danshoku Dieno (c) Vs Makoto Oishi was a No Contest.
6. HARASHIMA & Naomichi Marufuji defeated MAO & Asuka when HARASHIMA pinned Asuka with the Somato (17:24).
7. KO-D Tag Team Titles: Yuki Ueno & Naomi Yoshimura defeated T-Hawk & El Lindaman when Ueno pinned Lindaman with the WR (22:13). *V4 for Nautilus.
8. KO-D Openweight Title: Tetsuya Endo defeated Masato Tanaka (c) with two Shooting Star Presses (26:19). *Masato Tanaka fails in V5. Tetsuya Endo becomes the 75th KO-D Openweight Champion!
Tetsuya Endo’s path to reclaim the KO-D Openweight Title ends with success and maybe a few extra scars. Masato Tanaka put him through a table twice in their match, bringing back memories of their D-Ou Grand Prix final last December. The first table crash had Tanaka throw Endo through one from the turnbuckles. But the second happened when Endo used his knees to block the Diving Body Press. Damage to Endo’s leg prevented him from doing the Handspring Overhead Kick until late in the match. He could barely stand after kicking out of the Super Fly but Tanaka dared him into doing so. Tanaka hit the short range Sliding D after Endo missed the Shooting Star Press but Endo was close enough to grab the ropes for a pin break. Tanaka ran to the ropes for another Sliding D but Endo countered it with Testuya In The Sky. He hit a Package Canadian Destroyer for a two count then dragged Tanaka to the corner. Endo hit the Shooting Star Press not once but twice to get the three count and become the new KO-D Champion!
Tanaka grabbed the title belt from Yukinori Matsui after the match but it was just so he was the one to hand it to Endo. Tanaka left the ring when Endo called out to him. Endo promised to hold onto the title long enough for them to have a rematch at Saitama Super Arena! He looks forward to standing across the ring from him again. For now there is no No. 1 Contender set in place so Endo wants all potential challengers to know he is the one who beat Masato Tanaka when nobody else in DDT could. He then gathered DAMNATION together for a their first group pose in months. Together they are the symbol of strength in DDT and they have most of the championships to prove it. Not just DAMNATION but all of #DAMNHEARTS too!
The only miss on #DAMNHEARTS’s record this weekend was in the KO-D Tag Team Titles match. The challengers T-Hawk & El Lindaman failed to beat the champions Nautilus. At points the #STRONGHEARTS team ran circles over their opponents, cutting Yuki Ueno away from Naomi Yoshimura. But the tables turned when Ueno used a Hurricanrana to throw T-Hawk into Lindaman, knocking him off the top rope. Ueno gave Lindaman an Avalanche Uranage and then the Osaka Trad for a nearfall. Ueno then hit the Frog Splash but didn’t go for the pin. Instead he used a new finisher, a forward flipping DDT called the WR to win the match. Ueno said he was happy to have a title match like this today. They twice couldn’t win the KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles from #DAMNHEARTS but today’s win shows how much progress Nautilus has made because of those matches. Maybe they’ll have another match and this time do it in OWE.
This wasn’t their original match for the show but HarashiMarufuji reunited for the first time in ages. MAO & Asuka proved to be a lot for them to handle. They hit Double Moonsaults out of the ring and Asuka threw both HARASHIMA & Naomichi Marufuji around with German Suplexes. The momentum shifted when HARASHIMA blocked Asuka’s Moonsault with his knees. Marufuji got rid of MAO with the Tiger King knee strike then stunned Asuka with a Trace Kick. HARASHIMA then crushed Asuka with the Somato to win. After the match they offered handshakes but Asuka slapped Marufuji across the face before leaving the ring. HARASHIMA told Marufuji he isn’t satisfied by today’s match. He wants to team with him again and go against the pair they were originally meant to fight: CIMA & Soma Takao!
All throughout the week, Danshoku Dieno and Makoto Oishi tried to have their Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title match over at the Ochanomizu Dojo. However one setback after another prevented the match from happening. Either Dieno forgot to turn off his stove, the referee never turned up, Oishi was busy babysitting or both wrestlers forgot their gear and weren’t allowed wrestle in the nude. After so many cancellations today was finally the day. Dieno waited in the ring for his opponent but Oishi never appeared. A text message came saying Oishi had to mind his baby again but he promised he would still make it. Yukinori Matsui and Hisaya Imabayashi couldn’t wait and wanted to cancel the match because it was eating into their ABEMA broadcast time. Dieno begged them not to. All he needed was three minutes and Oishi will be here. Memories of Dieno and Oishi together filled the screen when suddenly Oishi appears at the entrance! He sprints down to the ring but tripped over the steps, knocking himself out. Matsui then called off the match as Dieno looked on stunned.
Eruption defeated the NEO Itoh Respect Army in the intergender tag match. Maki Itoh avoided getting into the ring with Yukio Sakaguchi unless she was certain she had the advantage. Chris Brookes tried to help out but was met with a short range God’s Right Knee. Saki Akai then got rid of him with the Quetzalcoatl. Itoh showed one last act of defiance by giving Sakaguchi the middle finger. She got a Penalty Kick for her troubles before getting pinned.
The DDT Extreme Title match had no countouts to celebrate the relaxation of Tokyo’s outdoor restrictions. Shinya Aoki and Yukio Naya fought around the hallways of Shinjuku FACE, dragging Keigo Nakamura along for the ride. At one point they all moved past Maki Itoh who was warming up for her singing entrance. Aoki, Naya and Nakamura ended up back in the ring with Nakamura getting most of the beating. Aoki countered Naya’s Back Drop into a European Clutch to score his third successful defence.
The Tokyo Joshi Pro offer match saw Yuka Sakazaki, Miyu Yamashita & Shoko Nakajima defeat Rika Tatsumi, Nodoka Tenma & Yuki Aino. The result was almost the opposite when Tenma & Aino gave Sakazaki the Bakuretsu Bulldog. Nakajima came in to even the numbers and with Sakazaki did a Double 619 to Aino. Yamashita knocked Aino silly with the Backspin Kick and Sakazaki got the three count right afterwards with the Magical Magical Girl Splash.
The longest match of the show by far was the opening contest between Antonio Honda and Toru Owashi. Before the match, Super Sasadango Machine sent a video message from Niigata announcing he would donate 100 yen to a medical workers charity for every Chop that happens in the match. Both Honda and Owashi promised to put their power and soul into their Chops for such a noble cause. They then spent the match lightly chopping and slapping each other’s chests while Shota kept count. The left the venue still chopping so the show moved on to Match #2. When that was over we saw Honda & Oishi chopping each other in the locker room. They decided to go get something to eat. After Match #4 they made it to Ebisuko Tavern but Ken Ohka refused to give them entry over social distancing guidelines. The Tavern is doing everything it can to run business safely so the last thing they want to do is let in two sweaty naked men slapping each other. Honda and Owashi agreed to get a take out meal but they also dragged Ohka along with them back to the venue. After Match #5 Honda and Owashi ate their take out meal in the locker room with a captive Ohka bound and gagged behind them. KUDO entered the room demanding money because nobody paid the 3,100 yen bill! KUDO agreed to chop Ohka 31 times instead, bringing the total number of Chops thrown to 1,000! Everyone agreed to end the match there resulting in 100,000 yen being donated to charity in Sasadango’s name.
First let’s get the bad news out of the way. Even though Japan is entering the second phase of lifting their Coronavirus restrictions, the DDT Group are following requests from venues to cancel the following shows in June and July:
DDT “BLACK OUT PRESENTS KING OF DDT 2020 THE FINAL!!”, 28/06/2020 Tokyo Korakuen Hall
DDT “ROAD TO PETER PAN 2020 ~DRAMATIC DREAM TAKESHI~”, 02/07/2020 Tokyo Hanayashiki Asakusa Flower Theater
MUSCLE “HIRAGANA MUSCLE 3”, 09/07/2020 Shin-Kiba 1st RING
DDT “KAZUKI HIRATA 10TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW! 10 YEARS OF HIRATA GO!!”, 18/07/2020 Tokyo Belle Epoque Beauty School 2nd School Hall
DDT “DATE CITY 2ND ROUND! 1 YEAR UNTIL THE 60TH BIRTHDAY! ~GORGEOUS NIGHT~”, 19/07/2020 Fukushima Date City Hobara Gymnasium
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Now here’s the good news. The DDT Group can run shows in front of audiences again! They have to put in safety precautions of course such as limiting the number of seats at the venues (either around 100 fans or 50% capacity looks to be deal across the board depending on the venue size). Fans going to shows will need to wear medical masks, get their temperatures checked and have their hands disinfected as they enter. New shows in June have been announced today across the different promotions. They will be held in venues that provide a lot of open air and ventilation. That means Shin-Kiba 1st RING, Shinjuku FACE, Itabashi Green Hall and Tsurumi Vegetable Market for those not paying attention. DDT TV SHOW episodes #7 & #8 will also continue to take place as planned. DDT can now advertise the worst kept secret that they were taped in Shinjuku FACE. The revised schedule for June is as follows.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “KOKO NI IRUZEE!”, 13/06/2020 Tokyo Itabashi Green Hall
DDT “WITH DRAMATIC DREAM TEAM”, 14/06/2020 Tokyo Itabashi Green Hall
GANBARE☆WRESTLING “COMEBACK ANYTIME 2020”, 14/06/2020 Tokyo Itabashi Green Hall
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “KOKO NI IRUZEE!”, 20/06/2020 Shin-Kiba 1st RING
DDT “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2020 DAY 1”, 06/06/2020 DDT TV SHOW Studio
1. Soma Takao & Mad Paulie Vs Keigo Nakamura & Hideki Okatani
2. Keisuke Ishii & HARUKAZE Vs Hiroshi Yamato & Saori Anou
3. DDT Yuru-chara No. 1 Battle In Niigata: Super Sasadango Machine Vs Pokotan
4. Singles Match Between Wrestlers Who Want To Participate In DDT Regularly: Nobuhiro Shimatani Vs Seigo Tachibana
5. Jun Akiyama & Mizuki Watase Vs Akito & Yuki Iino
6. DDT UNIVERSAL Title – Hardcore 3 Way Match: Daisuke Sasaki (c) Vs Isami Kodaka Vs Shunma Katsumata
7. DDT Vs Kongoh All Out Battle!: Sanshiro Takagi, Kazusada Higuchi & Tomomitsu Matsunaga Vs Kenoh, Masa Kitamiya & Hao
8. TOKYO 2020 LAST MAN STANDING: Yoshihiko Vs Konosuke Takeshita
Before the audiences can come back, “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2020” will hopefully be the bookend for DDT’s empty arena era (fingers crossed). I don’t think I’ll write a full blown preview for these shows due to the short amount of time most of the matches were put together. So this will do for now.
The big feud of DDT TV SHOW has been between Konosuke Takeshita and Yoshihiko. A hatred led to warning messages of “ALL OUT All Dead” where Yoshihiko defeated each member of the unit one by one. It even brought back another battle doll named Akihiro to join the fight. Yesterday ALL OUT reached their breaking point and launched a vicious counter attack where Takeshita ripped off Akihiro’s arm. Alone again, Yoshihiko has to fight Takeshita one more time in a Last Man Standing match!
Kongoh popped by to visit Sanshiro Takagi on yesterday’s DDT TV SHOW. They seem like nice lads. Well if you ignore the leader Kenou threatening violence on Takagi if he doesn’t leave NOAH alone. That’s difficult because Takagi is NOAH’s president. And as president Takagi is ordering Kenoh, Masa Kitamiya & Hao to fight him, Kazusada Higuchi & Tomomitsu Matsunaga in a DDT ring!
Daisuke Sasaki originally chose Shunma Katsumata to be his next DDT UNIVERSAL Title defence because he thinks it is a match he can easily win. Then two things happened that he did not expect. One, Isami Kodaka came in wanting to win a title that didn’t exist back when he was a DDT employee. And two, Katsumata went into his Super Hardcore form to attack the champion. A Hardcore 3 Way Match will solve those problems.
Mizuki Watase has shown some progress by wrestling with coach Jun Akiyama. This is the first time they are teaming together.
Both Nobuhiro Shimatani and Seigo Tachibana want regular bookings in DDT. The company isn’t big enough for the both of them.
DDT “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2020 DAY 2”, 07/06/2020 DDT TV SHOW Studio
1. Super Sasadango Machine Remote Produce Match: Toru Owashi Vs Antonio Honda
2. Tokyo Joshi Pro 6-Woman Tag Match: Yuka Sakazaki, Miyu Yamashita & Shoko Nakajima Vs Rika Tatsumi, Nodoka Tenma & Yuki Aino
3. Yukio Sakaguchi & Saki Akai Vs Chris Brookes & Maki Itoh
4. DDT Extreme Title – Celebration! Release Restriction Rules: Shinya Aoki (c) Vs Yukio Naya
5. Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title: Danshoku Dieno (c) Vs Makoto Oishi
6. HARASHIMA & Naomichi Marufuji Vs MAO & Asuka
7. KO-D Tag Team Titles: Yuki Ueno & Naomi Yoshimura Vs T-Hawk & El Lindaman
8. KO-D Openweight Title: Masato Tanaka (c) Vs Tetsuya Endo
On Day 2, Tetsuya Endo reaches his destination. There was a setback here and there but now nothing is stopping him from facing Masato Tanaka for the KO-D Openweight Title. Endo’s big goal for #DAMNHEARTS is to monopolize DDT’s championships so T-Hawk & El Lindaman are challenging Nautilus for the KO-D Tag Team Titles.
MAO will return from injury one day too late. The last active Right To Challenge Gauntlet has expired and he was too hurt to use it. So he has to take a detour and will chase after the UNIVERSAL Title. MAO will also team with Asuka for now because the Coronavirus measures prevent Mike Bailey from entering Japan. They get a big challenge in the form of HarashiMarufuji!
Danshoku Dieno is finally moving away from his Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title defences against Antonio Honda. He still hasn’t beat him but another figure decided to get in his way. Makoto Oishi has a decade of history with Dieno and he will let it all out for the big clash.
I hope everybody out there is feeling well and finding ways to cope with the sad news about Hana Kimura. Dylan from the Eastern Lariat podcast tweeted a magazine photo of the time when an 8 year old Kimura won the Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title, which I think was her only connection to DDT. There would have been a working relationship between her and Sanshiro Takagi in WRESTLE-1 as well back when Takagi was part of its management.
There’s a quick story I want to tell. When I last went to Tokyo in 2016 I got to see a Sendai Girls show with a group of friends in Korakuen (the 8th April one). Kyoko Kimura was wrestling in the opener and Hana was there as her ringside attendant. This was only a few weeks after her pro debut and it was her only role on the show. I didn’t think anything of it at the time. The next day I spoke to an American expat and talked about the show. Before I even finished a sentence he cut me off and asked “Was Kyoko Kimura’s daughter there? She is going to be a star!”
DDT “DDT TV SHOW! #5”, 30/05/2020 DDT TV SHOW Studio
1. Jun Akiyama Vs Hideki Okatani
2. Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title: Danshoku Dieno (c) Vs Antonio Honda
3. DAMNATION VS ALL OUT!: Daisuke Sasaki & Soma Takao Vs Shunma Katsumata & Yuki Iino
4. Yoshihiko & Akihiro Vs Konosuke Takeshita & Akito
5. #DAMNHEARTS Vs DISASTER BOX!: Tetsuya Endo, T-Hawk & El Lindaman Vs HARASHIMA, Yuki Ueno & Naomi Yoshimura
Figures from past and present are returning as Japan opens up again. The #STRONGHEARTS pair of T-Hawk & El Lindaman rejoin Tetsuya Endo to protect him from losing before his big title match. Yuki Ueno has spent all of this time during the pandemic looking after the Dropkick Bar. He gets to wrestle again for the first time in almost two months.
The second battle doll Akihiro came back in Yoshihiko’s time of need to defeat ALL OUT. The feud isn’t over yet when revenge is on offer.
Third time’s the charm for Danshoku Dieno Vs Antonio Honda.
Two thirds of the next DDT UNIVERSAL Title match face off in tag action.
Hideki Okatani showed his stuff by fighting Seigo Tachibana to a time limit draw in the match that took place after the last episode ended. Jun Akiyama should have lots to teach him.
TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TJPW PPV SHOW ~ZENRYOKU YELL~”, 31/05/2020 OPENREC.tv
1. Hikari Noa Vs Sena Shiori
2. Hyper Misao Vs Mahiro Kiryu
3. Yuka Sakazaki & Mizuki Vs Shoko Nakajima & Suzume
The main event is confirmed to be The Magical Sugar Rabbits against Shoko Nakajima & Suzume.
GANBARE☆WRESTLING “HIMITSU 2020”, 03/06/2020 ???
1. 4 Vs 4 Survival Tag Match: Keisuke Ishii, Yumehito Imanari, Shinichiro Tominaga & Kouki Iwasaki Vs Shuichiro Katsumura, Shota, Washi Sakurai & X
At last Ganbare☆Wrestling gets to have a go at an empty arena match. Here’s a neat concept for the match. We have two teams with 4 wrestlers each. When the match begins two wrestlers from each side are selected to wrestle a tag team match. When a wrestler is defeated by normal means they are replaced by a new teammate and the tag match continues. To win the match, a team must eliminate three of their opponents.
As you can see, one team has a mystery wrestler advertised. I’m surprised to see Ken Ohka or Moeka Haruhi aren’t involved. Haruhi being there would have meant all members of THE HALFEE were in the match on the same side. This is the only match of the show too.
DDT “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2020 DAY 1”, 06/06/2020 DDT TV SHOW Studio
1. Soma Takao & Mad Paulie Vs Keigo Nakamura & Hideki Okatani
2. Keisuke Ishii & HARUKAZE Vs Hiroshi Yamato & Saori Anou
3. DDT Yuru-chara No. 1 Battle In Niigata: Super Sasadango Machine Vs Pokotan
4. DDT UNIVERSAL Title – Hardcore 3 Way Match: Daisuke Sasaki (c) Vs Isami Kodaka Vs Shunma Katsumata
The new plan for “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2020” is to hold it under the DDT TV SHOW format across two days. It’s not the mega show it is going to be but under the current circumstances it keeps DDT chugging along as light appears at the end of the tunnel.
Daisuke Sasaki wanted his next title defence to be easy and violent. That is why he nominated Shunma Katsumata to be his next challenger. The twist is the sudden appearance of Isami Kodaka getting involved. Kodaka heard about DDT’s new UNIVERSAL Title and wanted to add it to his ever growing list of accomplishments.
I bet the DDT roster are happy to see Saori Anou again.
DDT “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2020 DAY 2”, 07/06/2020 DDT TV SHOW Studio
1. Tokyo Joshi Pro 6-Woman Tag Match: Yuka Sakazaki, Miyu Yamashita & Shoko Nakajima Vs Rika Tatsumi, Nodoka Tenma & Yuki Aino
2. Yukio Sakaguchi & Saki Akai Vs Chris Brookes & Maki Itoh
3. Super Sasadango Machine Remote Produce Match: Toru Owashi Vs Antonio Honda
4. DDT Extreme Title – Celebration! Release Restriction Rules: Shinya Aoki (c) Vs Yukio Naya
5. KO-D Openweight Title: Masato Tanaka (c) Vs Tetsuya Endo
Endo is so close to his final goal. He tripped up once before but reclaimed the KO-D Challenger Sword and just has to avoid a direct defeat one more time. Once he does that, Masato Tanaka will be there waiting for him with the KO-D Openweight Title held tightly in his grip.
The state of emergency in Tokyo has been lifted and the restrictions across Japan are easing off. Shinya Aoki will use the uplifting news as inspiration for his next DDT Extreme Title defence. Yukio Naya is stepping up as the challenger.
This show is taking place on Nodoka Tenma’s birthday! She is happy to spend the day fighting against the three strongest wrestlers in Tokyo Joshi Pro. Her team with Yuki Aino & Rika Tatsumi is called Bakuretsu Dragon.
BASARA “BASARA 129 ~BANQUET~”, 14/07/2020 Shin-Kiba 1st RING
1. IRON FIST Tag Titles: Tsutomu Oosugi & Banana Senga (c) Vs Gouma Ryu & Ryuji Ito
2. Union MAX Title: Fuminori Abe (c) Vs Isami Kodaka
BASARA are playing it safe and have cancelled their last remaining show in June. Instead their first show back will be in July at Shin-Kiba 1st RING. Normally this is the Banquet all you can drink show but that system will be suspended and the seating rearranged to accommodate social distancing. For now they are numbering the show #129. The last BASARA show that took place was #126 (I’m amazed I’ve been able to keep track of the chapter numbers for so long). If that sticks then it means #127 & #128 are forever lost to the cancellations.
The two title matches that were originally going to take place in April are now finally going to happen in July. Fuminori Abe must be chomping at the bit to prove his worth as Union MAX Champion by now.
DDT “DDT TV SHOW! #4”, 23/05/2020 DDT TV SHOW Studio 0 Fans
1. Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title: Danshoku Dieno (c) Vs Antonio Honda
2. Akito & Yuki Iino Vs Kazusada Higuchi & Yukio Naya
3. Jun Akiyama Vs Mizuki Watase
4. DDT UNIVERSAL Title – 3 Way Match: Daisuke Sasaki (c) Vs Chris Brookes Vs Naomi Yoshimura
5. Konosuke Takeshita Vs Yoshihiko
6. Special Tag Match: Masato Tanaka & HARASHIMA Vs Tetsuya Endo & Soma Takao
-. KO-D Openweight Title: Masato Tanaka (c) Vs Shinya Aoki
DDT “DDT TV SHOW! #4”, 23/05/2020 DDT TV SHOW Studio 0 Fans
1. Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title: Danshoku Dieno (c) Vs Antonio Honda ended in a No Contest (10:19). *No successful defence for Danshoku Dieno.
2. Akito & Yuki Iino defeated Kazusada Higuchi & Yukio Naya when Akito submitted Naya with the Figure 4 Leg Lock (9:35).
3. Jun Akiyama defeated Mizuki Watase with the Exploder Suplex (11:21).
4. DDT UNIVERSAL Title – 3 Way Match: Daisuke Sasaki (c) defeated Chris Brookes and Naomi Yoshimura when Sasaki pinned Yoshimura after the Praying Mantis Bomb from Brookes (11:47). *V2 for Daisuke Sasaki.
5. Yoshihiko defeated Konosuke Takeshita with the Reincarnation (22:21).
6. Special Tag Match: Masato Tanaka & HARASHIMA defeated Tetsuya Endo & Soma Takao when Tanaka pinned Takao with the Sliding D (15:07).
-. KO-D Openweight Title: Masato Tanaka (c) defeated Shinya Aoki with the Sliding D (8:26). *V4 for Masato Tanaka.
Busy day for Masato Tanaka. He went into today’s episode of DDT TV SHOW focused on meeting his closest challenger Tetsuya Endo in a tag match. With the help of a Reverse Hurricanrana from HARASHIMA, Tanaka knocked out Endo with the Sliding D. The duo then picked apart Soma Takao until the inevitable victory.
A revived Endo tried to confront Tanaka after the match but he was suddenly interrupted by Shinya Aoki! He came out to cash in his Right To Challenge Gauntlet for a KO-D Openweight Title shot right away! From the start Aoki targeted Tanaka’s arm and used a Key Lock to put his opponent in immediate danger. Tanaka escaped the ring after a rope break and challenged Aoki to come fight him outside. Aoki avoided being ambushed with a chair and again went after Tanaka’s left arm. It was a valuable tactic that cut off Tanaka whenever he tried to fight back. It took one opening for Tanaka to beat Aoki. He used a pin to break out of a Cross Armbreaker and then struck Aoki with the Sliding D. The surprise was enough to keep Aoki down for the three count! The two bowed to each other after the match.
Another Right To Challenge Gauntlet has been vanquished. One more is left but there is also the KO-D Challenger Sword held by Endo. It was decided by Hisaya Imabayashi that Endo’s title shot will take place at “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2020 DAY 2” on 7th June! Endo said he does not care about MAO being the last remaining Gauntlet holder, he is entirely focused on hunting Tanaka to win the KO-D Title! Tanaka said whether it is Endo or MAO kneeling in front of him, he will continue to hold the KO-D Title until he goes to Saitama Super Arena!
Yoshihiko has made a clean sweep through ALL OUT! The final battle in the “ALL OUT, All Dead” campaign saw the doll defeat Konosuke Takeshita in a mighty conflict. Takeshita swung Yoshihiko round in circles, Yoshihiko did the Styles Clash, Takeshita did an Avalanche Brainbuster to the outside. There was nothing either wrestler wouldn’t do to win. That includes relying on others. The other ALL OUT members interfered to help out their partner. They then ganged up on Yoshihiko after the referee got accidentally knocked out. All looked lost when suddenly the lights went out. When they came back on Yoshihiko was joined by another battle doll. It was the return of Akihiro! Together they sent ALL OUT packing and left Takeshita begging for mercy. They gave him a Double Canadian Destroyer. Yoshihiko had the match won but it picked Takeshita back up and gave him the Reincarnation to win with authority. The lights went out again as the two dolls stared down at their defeated enemy.
MAO was pulled from the show at the last minute because of an injury so the DDT UNIVERSAL Title was now being defended in a 3 Way Match. At first Daisuke Sasaki and Chris Brookes only wanted to fight each other so Naomi Yoshimura couldn’t get a look in. From there it was a scramble to get the win. Brookes gave Yoshimura the Praying Mantis Bomb but Sasaki threw him out of the ring and stole the three count to remain as champion.
Brookes called the result a load of shit. Sasaki taunted him by saying he will never get the UNIVERSAL Title back. He then gave Brookes a Low Blow and threw him out again. Sasaki announced his next challenger will be Shunma Katsumata because he wants to have a Hardcore Match and also Katsumata is the weakest member of ALL OUT. Katsumata came out carrying a baseball bat covered in toy blocks. He admitted he has never beaten Sasaki but if “Super Hardcore Shunma” even has a 1% chance of winning, he will take it. Suddenly Isami Kodaka made his return to DDT and entered the ring. He has won all of DDT’s main championships but this UNIVERSAL Title is new to him. Sasaki accepted Kodaka’s challenge and told Katsumata he had no need for him anymore. Katsumata struck Sasaki with the bat causing a fight to break out between the three of them. Imabayashi calmed everyone down and decided they will have a Hardcore 3 Way Match for the title. Sasaki wasn’t conscious at this point so everyone assumed he’d be okay with it. Meanwhile Brookes is pissed off he can’t get a one on one match with Sasaki for the title.
Ambushing Jun Akiyama with his own Jumping Knee Attack is a good way to show you’re taking a match seriously so well done Mizuki Watase. Trying to beat him with a Front Necklock also takes some balls. In the end though Akiyama hit his own Knee Strikes and won with the Exploder Suplex. It will take some time but Akiyama hopes to train the DDT wrestlers to put more weight and soul into their Elbow Smash exchanges.
Yuki Iino threw his weight around in Match #2. He hit a Double Spear to Kazusada Higuchi & Yukio Naya. Then when Akito put Naya in the Figure 4 Leg Lock, Iino hit him with a low level Spear leading to Naya tapping out.
Lately whenever Danshoku Dieno and Antonio Honda fight over the Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title their matches just seem to fall apart. This time Honda channeled the power of Gongitsune to possess other people. Dieno could resist it by putting his hands over his ears but for people like Hideki Okatani, Keigo Nakamura, Daisuke Kiso and Hisaya Imabayashi they could not be as fortunate. Honda’s plan backfired when the Gongitsune group turned on him, forcing him to be possessed by his own power! Together they all ganged up on Dieno until the room went dark. Dieno woke up in his own home. It was just a nightmare. Or was it? When he left the room we found out Okatani was hiding underneath the covers, still possessed by Gongitsune…
DDT “DDT TV SHOW! #2”, 09/05/2020 DDT TV SHOW Studio 0 Fans
1. Saki Akai & Mizuki Watase Vs Saori Anou & Yukio Naya
2. Akito Vs Yoshihiko
3. Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title – 4 Way Match: Danshoku Dieno (c) Vs HARASHIMA Vs Soma Takao Vs Keigo Nakamura
4. Konosuke Takeshita Vs Gota Ihashi
5. Hardcore Match: Chris Brookes Vs Shunma Katsumata
6. KO-D Openweight Title: Masato Tanaka (c) Vs Yukio Sakaguchi
Posted by JamieOD 
Dramatic DDT 