DDT “D-OU GRAND PRIX 2020 IN FUKUOKA” Results

December 9, 2019

DDT “D-OU GRAND PRIX 2020 IN FUKUOKA”, 09/12/2019
Fukuoka Nishitetsu Hall
262 Fans – No Vacancy

1. Danshoku Dieno, Masahiro Takanashi & Hiroshi Yamato defeated Toru Owashi, Kazuki Hirata & Antonio Honda when Takanashi pinned Honda with a School Boy (7:35).
2. Akito, Shunma Katsumata, Yuki Iino & Yuto Aijima defeated Makoto Oishi, Yukio Naya, Mizuki Watase & Azul Dragon when Iino pinned Watase with the Spear (8:21).
3. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – B Block: Daisuke Sasaki (8) defeated Bull James (4) with the Cross Facelock (8:50).
4. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – A Block: Chris Brookes (3) defeated Yuki Ueno (4) with the Itoh Special (10:17).
5. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – A Block: Keisuke Ishii (6) defeated Chihiro Hashimoto (4) with the Kneel Kick (10:58).
6. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – B Block: Masato Tanaka (10) defeated Naomi Yoshimura (0) with the Sliding D (13:46).
7. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – B Block: HARASHIMA (6) defeated Soma Takao (2) with the Somato (10:33).
8. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – A Block: Tetsuya Endo (5) defeated Konosuke Takeshita (4) with the Modified Yurikamome Hold (23:49).

A Block

1. Keisuke Ishii (6)
2. Tetsuya Endo (5)
3. Konosuke Takeshita (4)
-. Chihiro Hashimoto (4)
-. Yuki Ueno (4)
-. Yuki Iino (4)
7. Chris Brookes (3)

B Block

1. Masato Tanaka (10)
2. Daisuke Sasaki (8)
3. HARASHIMA (6)
4. Bull James (4)
5. Soma Takao (2)
-. Yukio Sakaguchi (2)
7. Naomi Yoshimura (0)

The DDT rivalry for this generation sparked back to life in Fukuoka. With the battle to reach the top of the A Block getting tougher thanks to earlier results, a win was vital for both Konosuke Takeshita and Tetsuya Endo. The match took a bad turn when Endo applied an Anklelock and Takeshita reached the ropes. Endo would not let go so Yukinori Matsui stepped in to make a 5 count. When Endo let go, Takeshita threw an Enzuigiri but Endo ducked and Matsui got knocked out instead! Takeshita put Endo in the Walls Of Takeshita, making his enemy tap out. But with Matsui out of action the submission didn’t matter. Takeshita revived Matsui but fell foul to Endo’s ambush. Endo used the Puma Toke de Espaldas for a nearfall, Takeshita countered it with his own cradle for another nearfall then Endo countered that into the Yurikamome Hold. The move was sunk in tight enough to make Takeshita give up! With this victory, Endo has gotten revenge on Takeshita from “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2019” and is now in 2nd place in their group. Endo ended the show telling everyone he will win the 2019 (he means 2020) D-Ou Grand Prix!

Over in B Block the double champion HARASHIMA is catching up with the leaders. He survived a DDT onto a pile of chairs to beat Soma Takao. There was also an Elevated Double Stomp in the corner and the Schwein used by Takao but he couldn’t hit the Reverse Gory Special Bomb to finish the job. HARASHIMA cut him off with a Sole Butt to the face and pinned him with the Somato. All he is sure of in the group is he needs to win his remaining matches to qualify for the final.

Masato Tanaka is one win away from sweeping the entire B Block. His fifth win in a row came against Naomi Yoshimura, who is going the opposite direction by losing all of his matches so far. Power fought power and Tanaka took all that Yoshimura could throw at him. Before Yoshimura went down to the Sliding D, he had one moment of toughness left by kicking out of the Super Fly at one. Too bad that doesn’t earn him any points.

It seems that Chihiro Hashimoto’s momentum has completely stalled. After a great start she has now lost two in a row and has been overtaken by those who have beaten her. A clean Kneel Kick from Keisuke Ishii earned him the win today. According to Ishii this was the 254th time he used the move. He was eager to reintroduce himself as a member of Ganbare☆Wrestling to the Fukuoka crowd afterwards. Hashimoto said backstage that she is not used to losing. She will be embarrassed as both a Sendai Girls champion and a joshi wrestler if this turns out to be her breaking point.

Chris Brookes had to take a page out of a tag partner’s playbook to win his first match of the Grand Prix. He beat Yuki Ueno with the Itoh Special! Brookes found the opportunity to use the move when he caught Ueno’s legs to counter a Missile Dropkick. Ueno reached the bottom rope but was pulled back to the centre and Brookes leaned himself back even further to make his opponent give up.

The size difference between Daisuke Sasaki and Bull James was a factor from the very beginning. Sasaki struggled to lock up with James because he was easily bounced away at every attempt. Sasaki found his opportunity when James hit the corner post outside the ring. Sasaki used a chair to target the legs and also to add more damage to a Diving Elbow Drop. From there the size difference didn’t matter because Sasaki could hit the Pedigree and apply the Crossface Lock. James tried to get back up and lift his way out of the move but Sasaki tightened his grip and got James to give up. With this win Sasaki wonders if he can go to NXT and reunite with Candice LeRae. An angry James explained that his right arm was already weakened by Yukio Sakaguchi yesterday. Sasaki’s attacks today were intended to break his arm. James promised the next time DDT puts him in a match with Sasaki he will break his face with his fist!


DDT “D-OU GRAND PRIX 2020 IN YOKOHAMA 2 DAYS” Digest Highlights

December 6, 2019

DDT “D-OU GRAND PRIX 2020 IN YOKOHAMA 2 DAYS”, 30/11/2019
Yokohama Radiant Hall
247 Fans – No Vacancy

1. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – B Block: Yukio Sakaguchi Vs Naomi Yoshimura
2. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – B Block: Soma Takao Vs Bull James
3. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – A Block: Yuki Ueno Vs Chihiro Hashimoto
4. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – A Block: Tetsuya Endo Vs Chris Brookes
5. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – A Block: Konosuke Takeshita Vs Keisuke Ishii
6. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – B Block: Daisuke Sasaki Vs Masato Tanaka


DDT “D-OU GRAND PRIX 2020 IN ITABASHI” Results

December 5, 2019

DDT “D-OU GRAND PRIX 2020 IN ITABASHI”, 05/12/2019
Tokyo Itabashi Green Hall
183 Fans – No Vacancy

1. Akito, Makoto Oishi, Masahiro Takanashi & Saki Akai defeated Toru Owashi, Kazuki Hirata, Naomi Yoshimura & Keigo Nakamura when Oishi pinned Nakamura with the Miracle Ecstasy (7:32).
2. Soma Takao & Mad Paulie defeated Yukio Naya & Mizuki Watase when Takao pinned Watase with the Official Endless Waltz (7:38).
3. Bull James & Antonio Honda defeated Konosuke Takeshita & Shunma Katsumata when James pinned Katsumata with a Hip Drop (9:24).
4. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – A Block: Yuki Iino (4) defeated Chris Brookes (1) with the Spear (11:32).
5. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – A Block: Yuki Ueno (4) defeated Tetsuya Endo (1) with a Crushed La Magistral Cradle (15:15).
6. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – B Block: Masato Tanaka (8) defeated Yukio Sakaguchi (2) with the Sliding D (10:22).
7. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – B Block: Daisuke Sasaki (4) defeated HARASHIMA (2) with a School Boy (12:32).

A Block

1. Chihiro Hashimoto (4)
-. Yuki Ueno (4)
-. Yuki Iino (4)
4. Keisuke Ishii (2)
-. Konosuke Takeshita (2)
6. Tetsuya Endo (1)
-. Chris Brookes (1)

B Block

1. Masato Tanaka (8)
2. Daisuke Sasaki (4)
3. HARASHIMA (2)
-. Soma Takao (2)
-. Bull James (2)
-. Yukio Sakaguchi (2)
7. Naomi Yoshimura (0)

An exposed turnbuckle proved to be HARASHIMA’s downfall against Daisuke Sasaki. When Mad Paulie distracted Yukinori Matsui, Sasaki removed the turnbuckle pad from the neutral corner. HARASHIMA was thrown into the exposed corner several times but he was able to recover and keep fighting. But the end for him came when HARASHIMA missed the Somato and hit the corner again. Sasaki rolled him up in a School Boy to win the match and move up in the A Block ranking. HARASHIMA is a double champion but Sasaki is claiming to be the hero of this year’s D-Ou Grand Prix!

Masato Tanaka increases his lead in the B Block with a well earned win over Yukio Sakaguchi. He dodged the God’s Right Knee but the Sliding D was countered into a Cross Armbreaker turned into a Triangle Choke. Tanaka used Elbow Strikes to break out of the choke and hit the Sliding D for the three count. The result eliminates Sakaguchi from winning the B Block. In a post-match interview Tanaka was asked about the variety of opponents he has faced so far. Tanaka said he can handle different types of wrestlers because he has been regularly fighting against foreign opponents. It’s given him a body that can deal with anything.

Over in the A Block two wrestlers in particular have struggled to get out of the starting blocks. Tetsuya Endo is one of them, his poor form continued with an upset loss to Yuki Ueno. The Tetsuya In The Sky and the Handspring Overhead Kick both got two counts. Ueno avoided the Shooting Star Press then held Endo down with a blocked La Magistral Cradle for the surprise pin. Ueno admitted he couldn’t find a reason to enter the Grand Prix this year but beating Endo today made it worthwhile. Even if he has no reason to be here he can still win it!

Chris Brookes is the other wrestler struggling in the A Block. Yuki Iino on the other hand is doing just fine with his second win in a row. Brookes ambushed Iino with a dive out of the ring during the entrances. He placed Iino’s arm through a Chair and Double Stomped it from the ring apron. Brookes also had Iino’s Lariats scouted and used the Octopus Stretch as a counter to them. But the one move he didn’t have an answer for was the Spear. Iino hit it once to turn the tide in his favour and again to win the match. Brookes is now left wondering what it will take for him to reach the final.

Congratulations to Makoto Oishi for becoming a dad! His first child was born on 1st December and today was Oishi’s first match since. The good news was stuck in Oishi’s mind all match because whenever he was in the ring with an opponent, he would rub their face and cuddle them like they were a baby. His opponents ended up enjoying it and would ask to get tagged in. Keigo Nakamura got the tag but at that point Oishi remembered they were in a wrestling match. He gave Nakamura the Miracle Ecstasy for the three count.


DDT “D-OU GRAND PRIX 2020 IN KIMITSU ~ KIMI NO WA PRO WRESTLING FESTA” Results

December 1, 2019

DDT “D-OU GRAND PRIX 2020 IN KIMITSU ~ KIMI NO WA PRO WRESTLING FESTA”, 01/12/2019
Chiba Kimitsu Civic Gymnasium
339 Fans

1. Toru Owashi, Kazuki Hirata & Yuki Ueno defeated Danshoku Dieno, Makoto Oishi & Mizuki Watase when Hirata pinned Watase with the Egoist Driver (11:18).
2. Battle Royal: Chris Brookes defeated Antonio Honda with the Octopus Stretch (11:43).
Order Of Elimination: Andromenda KEN, Naoshi Sano, Yukio Naya, Hyper Brave G-Valion, Akito, Antonio Honda.
3. Soma Takao & Mad Paulie defeated Naomi Yoshimura & Keigo Nakamura when Takao pinned Nakamura with a Sliding Elbow Butt (11:30).
4. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – A Block: Yuki Iino (2) defeated Tetsuya Endo (1) with the Spear (12:18).
5. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – B Block: Masato Tanaka (6) defeated Bull James (2) with the Sliding D (7:46).
6. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – B Block: Daisuke Sasaki (2) defeated Yukio Sakaguchi (2) with a Cradle (2:24).
7. HARASHIMA, Minoru Tanaka & Hiroshi Yamato defeated Konosuke Takeshita, Shunma Katsumata & Jiro Kuroshio when Yamato pinned Katsumata with a Northern Lights Bomb (23:15).

A Block

1. Chihiro Hashimoto (4)
2. Keisuke Ishii (2)
-. Yuki Ueno (2)
-. Konosuke Takeshita (2)
-. Yuki Iino (2)
6. Tetsuya Endo (1)
-. Chris Brookes (1)

B Block

1. Masato Tanaka (6)
2. HARASHIMA (2)
-. Soma Takao (2)
-. Bull James (2)
-. Daisuke Sasaki (2)
-. Yukio Sakaguchi (2)
7. Naomi Yoshimura (0)

Three of the seven shows in the D-Ou Grand Prix group stage are now completed. But the headline match was all about the hometown hero Hiroshi Yamato. Everyone in the match did the X pose with their arms to mimic Yamato’s Sliding X move. Minoru Tanaka did the move into Shunma Katsumata’s crotch in the corner. Jiro Kuroshio did an X shaped Double Axe Handle to Yamato. HARASHIMA came in on a hot tag until Konosuke Takeshita stopped him with a Blue Thunder Bomb. The match came down to Yamato and Katsumata. Yamato hit the Sliding X, a Spider German Suplex, a German Suplex and a Lariat. After all of that Yamato was able to pin Katsumata with a Northern Lights Bomb at the end. Yamato talked about his 10th Anniversary show from two years ago. He couldn’t wrestle on it because he was injured at the time. Today he was able to wrestle in his hometown thanks to the local fanbase and also the DDT wrestlers that he considers his seniors. He would like to continue exciting the different regions DDT holds shows in.

In the Grand Prix, Yukio Sakaguchi’s match today was even quicker than yesterday’s. However this time he came out on the loser’s end. Daisuke Sasaki played dirty by hiding behind the referee, having Mad Paulie grab Sakaguchi’s foot and kicking Sakaguchi below the belt to roll him up for the three count. Sakaguchi cursed the result because Sasaki beat him the same way back in the King Of DDT tournament earlier this year.

The undefeated Masato Tanaka is now speeding ahead of everyone else in the B Block. His victory over Bull James means he is currently two wins ahead of his closest rivals. Tanaka couldn’t match the strength of James so he tried to attack him with chairs around ringside. James withstood the attack and brought him back into the ring, taking control when Tanaka could not Body Slam him. James kicked out of the Super Fly but missed a Hip Drop. That left him vulnerable for the Sliding D, handing Tanaka the win. James felt it was an an honour to wrestle Tanaka. He said Tanaka fought for the ECW World Heavyweight Title 20 years ago and he still has that same strength 20 years later.

Yuki Iino gets his first win in a big way, hitting two Spears to put Tetsuya Endo away. Does this mean Iino has become stronger? If you ask Endo he would say no. Instead Endo believes it is he who is getting weaker. Iino’s next group match is against Chris Brookes. He does not want to fight him for 30 minutes like Endo did.

Brookes received a 30kg bag of rice for winning the Battle Royal.


DDT “D-OU GRAND PRIX 2020 IN YOKOHAMA 2 DAYS” Results

November 30, 2019

DDT “D-OU GRAND PRIX 2020 IN YOKOHAMA 2 DAYS”, 30/11/2019
Yokohama Radiant Hall
247 Fans – No Vacancy

1. Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title – Battle Royal: Antonio Honda defeated Makoto Oishi (c) with the Gongitsune (13:17).
Order Of Elimination: Hiroshi Yamato, Keigo Nakamura, Yukio Naya, Masahiro Takanashi, Mizuki Watase, Makoto Oishi.
*Antonio Honda becomes the 1,445th champion.
-. Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title: Makoto Oishi defeated Antonio Honda (c) with the Jikiden Tornado Clutch (5:50 pm).
*Makoto Oishi becomes the 1,446th champion.
2. Akito, Shunma Katsumata & Yuki Iino defeated HARASHIMA, Toru Owashi & Kazuki Hirata when Iino pinned Hirata with the Haka Elbow (9:15).
3. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – B Block: Yukio Sakaguchi (2) defeated Naomi Yoshimura (0) with the God’s Right Knee (3:26).
4. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – B Block: Soma Takao (2) defeated Bull James (2) with a Crucifix Pin (7:40).
5. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – A Block: Chihiro Hashimoto (4) defeated Yuki Ueno (2) with the Albright (13:32).
6. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – A Block: Tetsuya Endo (1) Vs Chris Brookes (1) ended in a Time Limit Draw (30:00).
7. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – A Block: Keisuke Ishii (2) defeated Konosuke Takeshita (2) with the Kneel Kick (15:05).
8. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – B Block: Masato Tanaka (4) defeated Daisuke Sasaki (0) with the Sliding D (19:56).

A Block

1. Chihiro Hashimoto (4)
2. Keisuke Ishii (2)
-. Yuki Ueno (2)
-. Konosuke Takeshita (2)
5. Tetsuya Endo (1)
-. Chris Brookes (1)
7. Yuki Iino (0)

B Block

1. Masato Tanaka (4)
2. HARASHIMA (2)
-. Soma Takao (2)
-. Bull James (2)
-. Yukio Sakaguchi (2)
6. Daisuke Sasaki (0)
-. Naomi Yoshimura (0)

Day 2 of the D-Ou Grand Prix ended with the two outside names leading both groups. Masato Tanaka topped B Block by beating Daisuke Sasaki in the main event. The two both used chairs early in the match but the dirty wrestling went away. Sasaki countered the Sliding D into a Crucifix Pin then turned it into the Cross Facelock. Tanaka cradled Sasaki for a nearfall but it also allowed him to escape the submission. Tanaka wore down Sasaki with Elbow Stikes until he put him away with the Sliding D. Tanaka said he doesn’t talk much on the microphone in ZERO1 these days but he gets to do it in DDT today. Maybe the DDT fans are disappointed with today’s result but Tanaka still wants to give everyone an exciting tournament and go all the way to the final.

Keisuke Ishii made up for yesterday’s disappointing result in a big way by beating Konosuke Takeshita! The match was decided with a duel between Lariats and Kneel Kicks. The finish saw Takeshita hit the Lariat only for Ishii to pop back up and hit the Kneel Kick for the pin. This was the first time Ishii beat Takeshita since the latter was a rookie. However Ishii understands that the win on its own means little. He is happy that the pillar of Ganbare☆Wrestling beat the ace of DDT but the win means nothing if he doesn’t do well for the rest of the Grand Prix. Ishii now has his sights set on Chihiro Hashimoto!

After today there are now two time limit draws in D-Ou history and Tetsuya Endo has been part of both of them. Endo and Chris Brookes spent a lot of time trying to give each other wet willies. It went as far as Brookes sticking his finger in Yukinori Matsui’s mouth to wet willy his way out of Endo’s Yurikamome Hold. The moves got bigger as the minutes counted down. Endo hit Tetsuya In The Sky and a Canadian Destroyer. Brookes hit an Avalanche Double Arm Suplex and a Diving Senton. A double countout almost happened in the final minutes but both men got back in at 19. Brookes caught Endo in an Ankle Hold but the bell rang when 30 minutes passed. Endo believes his D-Ou is already over. His goal was to win every match so he treats a draw the same as a loss. Also he thinks his left foot is already weakened to the point of uselessness. Brookes however is feeling more proud over the result. It’s not embarrassing to fight Endo to a 30 minutes draw. He is always going to be fighting at 100%. He is also motivated by some disparaging comments Sasaki made about him before the Grand Prix.

Hashimoto leads the A Block on her own after a win over Yuki Ueno. The Albright German Suplex was countered into a Rolling Cradle the first time but Hashimoto kicked out and hit the move properly the second time. With two wins in two matches Hashimoto wants to go on undefeated, win the Grand Prix and become the face of DDT! Ueno describes Hashimoto’s strength as identical to Yuki Iino’s. He accepts defeat today but thinks he will become better tomorrow.

Soma Takao used the referee as a shield against Bull James then spat Red Mist to blind his opponent. The distraction worked and Takao pinned James with a Crucifix Pin. Takao wants to know why a super heavyweight is in the tournament. James swore revenge on DAMNATION and he will get it when he faces Sasaki.

Yukio Sakaguchi and Naomi Yoshimura both wasted no time in trying to get their first win. Yoshimura attacked Sakaguchi before the bell. But Sakaguchi kicked his way into recovery and won with a Sleeper Hold and the God’s Right Knee. Even though it was short, Sakaguchi thanked Yoshimura for giving him a good fight. The pre-match attack made Sakaguchi remember what he has been missing lately.

In one of the non-tournament matches, Iino turned the HIRATA GO! dance into a group Haka involving everyone in the match.

Every entrant in the Battle Royal took the time to tell Makoto Oishi how much it would mean to them to win the Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title. In the end Antonio Honda won the Battle Royal, last eliminating Oishi to become the champion. Oishi shook his hand afterwards but it was a trap to School Boy him and take his title back.


DDT “D-OU GRAND PRIX 2020 IN YOKOHAMA 2 DAYS” Results

November 29, 2019

DDT “D-OU GRAND PRIX 2020 IN YOKOHAMA 2 DAYS”, 29/11/2019
Yokohama Radiant Hall
166 Fans

1. 3 Way Tag Match: Toru Owashi & Kazuki Hirata defeated Akito & Shunma Katsumata and Antonio Honda & Keigo Nakamura when Hirata pinned Nakamura with the Miracle One Shot Cradle (8:44).
2. Daisuke Sasaki, Tetsuya Endo & Mad Paulie defeated Masahiro Takanashi, Yukio Naya & Mizuki Watase when Sasaki submitted Watase with the Cross Facelock (11:45).
3. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – A Block: Yuki Ueno (2) defeated Keisuke Ishii (0) with a Korubata Cradle (9:27).
4. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – B Block: Bull James (2) defeated Naomi Yoshimura (0) with the Doink Drop (8:48).
5. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – A Block: Konosuke Takeshita (2) defeated Yuki Iino (0) with the Nishinari Driver (16:35).
6. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – A Block: Chihiro Hashimoto (2) defeated Chris Brookes (0) with the Abright (12:28).
7. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – B Block: Masato Tanaka (2) defeated Soma Takao (0) with the Sliding D (15:10).
8. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – B Block: HARASHIMA (2) defeated Yukio Sakaguchi (0) with the Somato (15:13).

A Block

1. Chihiro Hashimoto (2)
-. Konosuke Takeshita (2)
-. Yuki Ueno (2)
4. Tetsuya Endo (0)
-. Keisuke Ishii (0)
-. Yuki Iino (0)
-. Chris Brookes (0)

B Block

1. HARASHIMA (2)
-. Masato Tanaka (2)
-. Bull James (2)
4. Daisuke Sasaki (0)
-. Naomi Yoshimura (0)
-. Soma Takao (0)
-. Yukio Sakaguchi (0)

The 3rd D-Ou Grand Prix begins with the reigning KO-D Openweight Champion winning in the main event. HARASHIMA’s opening day opponent was Yukio Sakaguchi. HARASHIMA blocked the God’s Right Knee with the Somato but a follow up Somato was dodged. Sakaguchi caught HARASHIMA in the Sleeper Hold and alomst choked him out. But HARASHIMA lifted Sakaguchi up in a piggyback and dropped him onto his head to break free. HARASHIMA then hit the Somato for the victory. He said this match and the Masato Tanaka match are especially important for him. He cleared one of them today so he is confident he has the momentum to win the Grand Prix!

Speaking of Tanaka, he expected Soma Takao to put up a tough fight because he is a KO-D Tag Team Champion. There were times when Tanaka provoked Takao to put more strength behind his Elbow Strikes. Takao did get one up on his opponent by dodging the Sliding D then rolling him around in the Official Endless Waltz. But Tanaka kicked out and prevented Takao from hitting either the Gin And Tonic or the Reverse Gory Special Bomb. Tanaka countered the Gin And Tonic into a Sunset Flip then popped Takao with the Sliding D to win the match. Tanaka’s next match is against Daisuke Sasaki tomorrow. He heard Sasaki has charisma but does it compare to the charisma of Jun Kasai or Atsushi Onita? Tanaka will find out tomorrow.

Chris Brookes doesn’t get along with the Sendai Girls. So it was fitting that his first match of the tournament was against the promotion’s champion Chihiro Hashimoto. Brookes lit up Hashimoto’s chest with Chops and and locked in the Octopus Stretch but it was the difference in strength that decided the match. Hashimoto got out of the Octopus by using a Back Flip, hit a Lariat then pinned Brookes with the Albright German Suplex. Hashimoto greeted the DDT fans and said it’s been a long time since she previously wrestled here. It doesn’t matter if she is against a man or a woman, she will be the one standing tall at the end! Brookes didn’t want to admit it but he warned the rest of the A Block to be careful against Hashimoto.

The two ALL OUT members entering the Grand Prix faced off in their first match. Yuki Iino is fresh off of challenging for the KO-D Title. Unfortunately his run begins with a loss to the previous KO-D Champion Konosuke Takeshita. For this match Takeshita used a Michinoku Driver II to pin Iino. He says it is not supposed to be a secret finishing move, it was just the last thing he could think of when the German Suplex didn’t work. When Takeshita uses the move he wants it to be called the Nishinari Driver. Iino believes his power comes from the Haka Elbow so he will aim to use the move early in his next match.

Bull James returned to DDT and sent a big message by toppling over the young powerhouse Naomi Yoshimura. Lariats were thrown until James grabbed Yoshimura and threw him over with a T-Bone Suplex. Not even Yoshimura could kick out of the Doink Drop afterwards. James said he will knock down everybody in his block. However he did have good words to say about Yoshimura and told him he is the future of DDT.

The opening bout of the tournament turned out to be a pretty big upset. Yuki Ueno dodged Keisuke Ishii’s Pink Kneel Kick then used a Headscissors to cradle Ishii into a three count pin. Ishii was disappointed to lose as the Independent World Jr. Heavyweight Champion. Ueno said nobody thought he would beat Ishii today. He’ll do it again and beat Hashimoto tomorrow.

In one of the non-tournament matches Keigo Nakamura vanished only to reappear wearing an Ultraman head crest. It gave him the power to fire head rays at his opponents but Kazuki Hirata blocked it with his hand sword. Nakamura got the better of him but missed a Superhero Diving Body Press. Hirata rolled him up for the victory.


D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 Schedule

October 29, 2019

The participants for the 3rd annual (I guess?) D-Ou Grand Prix was already revealed this month and now the block schedule has come out. The usual round robin rules apply: 30 minute time limits, 2 points for a win and 1 point for a draw. Tiebreakers are determined by the direct match result(s) between the tied wrestlers. Something to note is at the time of writing the prize for the winner has not been announced yet. Something like a KO-D Openweight Title shot is expected but where and when would be a mystery unless DDT announces a big arena show for next spring. I can’t see the winner holding onto the prize long enough for “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2020” in June.

A Block

Konosuke Takeshita (3rd Appearance, 1 Time Winner)
Tetsuya Endo (3rd Appearance)
Keisuke Ishii (2nd Appearance)
Yuki Ueno (1st Appearance)
Yuki Iino (1st Appearance)
Chris Brookes (1st Appearance)
Chihiro Hashimoto (1st Appearance)

B Block

HARASHIMA (3rd Appearance, 1 Time Runner Up)
Daisuke Sasaki (3rd Appearance)
Soma Takao (3rd Appearance)
Yukio Sakaguchi (2nd Appearance)
Naomi Yoshimura (1st Appearance)
Bull James (1st Appearance)
Masato Tanaka (1st Appearance)

———————————————————————–

DDT “D-OU GRAND PRIX 2020 IN YOKOHAMA 2 DAYS”, 29/11/2019
Yokohama Radiant Hall

1. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – A Block: Konosuke Takeshita Vs Yuki Iino
2. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – A Block: Keisuke Ishii Vs Yuki Ueno
3. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – A Block: Chris Brookes Vs Chihiro Hashimoto
4. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – B Block: HARASHIMA Vs Yukio Sakaguchi
5. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – B Block: Soma Takao Vs Masato Tanaka
6. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – B Block: Naomi Yoshimura Vs Bull James

———————————————————————–

DDT “D-OU GRAND PRIX 2020 IN YOKOHAMA 2 DAYS”, 30/11/2019
Yokohama Radiant Hall

1. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – A Block: Konosuke Takeshita Vs Keisuke Ishii
2. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – A Block: Tetsuya Endo Vs Chris Brookes
3. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – A Block: Yuki Ueno Vs Chihiro Hashimoto
4. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – B Block: Daisuke Sasaki Vs Masato Tanaka
5. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – B Block: Soma Takao Vs Bull James
6. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – B Block: Yukio Sakaguchi Vs Naomi Yoshimura

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DDT “D-OU GRAND PRIX 2020 IN KIMITSU ~ KIMI NO WA PRO WRESTLING FESTA”, 01/12/2019
Chiba Kimitsu Civic Gymnasium

1. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – A Block: Tetsuya Endo Vs Yuki Iino
2. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – B Block: Daisuke Sasaki Vs Yukio Sakaguchi
3. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – B Block: Bull James Vs Masato Tanaka

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DDT “D-OU GRAND PRIX 2020 IN ITABASHI”, 05/12/2019
Tokyo Itabashi Green Hall

1. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – A Block: Tetsuya Endo Vs Yuki Ueno
2. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – A Block: Yuki Iino Vs Chris Brookes
3. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – B Block: HARASHIMA Vs Daisuke Sasaki
4. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – B Block: Yukio Sakaguchi Vs Masato Tanaka

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DDT “D-OU GRAND PRIX 2020 IN OSAKA”, 08/12/2019
Osaka City Suminoe Maikon Hall

1. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – A Block: Konosuke Takeshita Vs Yuki Ueno
2. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – A Block: Tetsuya Endo Vs Chihiro Hashimoto
3. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – A Block: Keisuke Ishii Vs Yuki Iino
4. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – B Block: HARASHIMA Vs Naomi Yoshimura
5. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – B Block: Daisuke Sasaki Vs Soma Takao
6. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – B Block: Yukio Sakaguchi Vs Bull James

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DDT “D-OU GRAND PRIX 2020 IN FUKUOKA”, 09/12/2019
Fukuoka Nishitetsu Hall

1. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – A Block: Konosuke Takeshita Vs Tetsuya Endo
2. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – A Block: Keisuke Ishii Vs Chihiro Hashimoto
3. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – A Block: Yuki Ueno Vs Chris Brookes
4. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – B Block: HARASHIMA Vs Soma Takao
5. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – B Block: Daisuke Sasaki Vs Bull James
6. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – B Block: Naomi Yoshimura Vs Masato Tanaka

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DDT “D-OU GRAND PRIX 2020 IN HIROSHIMA”, 10/12/2019
Hiroshima Aster Plaza Multipurpose Hall

1. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – A Block: Konosuke Takeshita Vs Chihiro Hashimoto
2. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – A Block: Keisuke Ishii Vs Chris Brookes
3. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – A Block: Yuki Ueno Vs Yuki Iino
4. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – B Block: HARASHIMA Vs Bull James
5. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – B Block: Soma Takao Vs Naomi Yoshimura

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DDT “D-OU GRAND PRIX 2020 IN HARAJUKU 2 DAYS”, 14/12/2019
Tokyo Belle Epoque Beauty School 2nd School Hall

1. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – A Block: Konosuke Takeshita Vs Chris Brookes
2. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – A Block: Tetsuya Endo Vs Keisuke Ishii
3. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – A Block: Yuki Iino Vs Chihiro Hashimoto

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DDT “D-OU GRAND PRIX 2020 IN HARAJUKU 2 DAYS”, 15/12/2019
Tokyo Belle Epoque Beauty School 2nd School Hall

1. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – B Block: HARASHIMA Vs Masato Tanaka
2. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – B Block: Daisuke Sasaki Vs Naomi Yoshimura
3. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – B Block: Soma Takao Vs Yukio Sakaguchi

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DDT “D-OU GRAND PRIX 2020 THE FINAL!!”, 28/12/2019
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 – Final: Winner Of A Block vs Winner Of B Block


D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 Blocks Decided

October 11, 2019

D-Ou Grand Prix 2020

Block A

Konosuke Takeshita
Tetsuya Endo
Keisuke Ishii
Yuki Ueno
Yuki Iino
Chris Brookes
Chihiro Hashimoto

Block B

HARASHIMA
Daisuke Sasaki
Soma Takao
Yukio Sakaguchi
Naomi Yoshimura
Bull James
Masato Tanaka

The winner of each group will qualify for the final. Every group match will have a 30 minute time limit. A win is worth 2 points, a draw is worth 1 point and a defeat is worth 0 points. Match results will be used as a tiebreaker for wrestlers with the same points total. The final will have no time limit.

The match schedule has not been completed yet. DDT will announce the show lineups as soon as they are all determined.


DDT “WHO’S GONNA TOP 2019” Results

September 29, 2019

DDT “WHO’S GONNA TOP 2019”, 29/09/2019
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
931 Fans

0. Under Match: Nobuhiro Shimatani defeated Takato Nakano with a Midified Camel Clutch (7:06).
1. Danshoku Dieno, Hoshitango & Gota Ihashi Vs Toru Owashi, Yukio Sakaguchi & Kazuki Hirata ended in a No Contest when Saki interfered (6:48).
2. Masahiro Takanashi & MAO defeated Shunma Katsumata & Mizuki Watase when Takanashi pinned Watase with a Leg Lock Cradle (5:35).
3. 4 Way Tag Match: Cody Hall & Antonio Honda defeated Makoto Oishi & Yukio Naya, Hiroshi Yamato & Mad Paulie and Yuki Ueno & Naomi Yoshimura when Hall pinned Ueno with the Thunder Buster (7:40).
4. O-40 Title: Gorgeous Matsuno defeated Sanshiro Takagi (c) with a School Boy (8:33).
*Sanshiro Takagi fails in V2. Gorgeous Matsuno becomes the 2nd O-40 Champion!
5. Special Single Match: Konosuke Takeshita defeated Asuka with a Rotating Prawn Hold (11:25).
6. KO-D Tag Team Titles: Daisuke Sasaki & Soma Takao (c) defeated Akito & Yuki Iino when Sasaki submitted Iino with the Cross Facelock (14:35).
*V7 for DAMNATION.
7. DDT Extreme Title – Survival 3 Way Match: HARASHIMA defeated Jiro Kuroshio (c) and Tetsuya Endo (20:01).
7a. HARASHIMA eliminated Jiro Kuroshio with the Somato (15:10).
7b. HARASHIMA eliminated Tetsuya Endo with the Somato (20:01).
*Jiro Kuroshio fails in V2. HARASHIMA becomes the 47th DDT Extreme Champion!

The stage is now set for DDT’s Ultimate Party in Sumo Hall this November. HARASHIMA was the last man standing in the Survival 3 Way match, eliminating both Jiro Kuroshio and Tetsuya Endo to win the DDT Extreme Title! Kuroshio was the first man eliminated when the numbers game overwhelmed him. He blocked Endo’s Shooting Star Press and dropped him with the Implant. But when he pinned Endo it left him vulnerable for HARASHIMA to hit him with the Somato. Everyone was surprised to see the champion eliminated first! Endo went into full on attack mode against HARASHIMA but after weeks of insults, HARASHIMA finally proved he can still beat Endo when he pinned him with the Somato.

HARASHIMA thanked the fans for their support because they are the reason he won today. He told Kuroshio it is okay if he is going to America or if he is staying in Japan. He’ll always be waiting to see him again. Konosuke Takeshita was then brought down from the broadcast table to confirm the main event for “ULTIMATE PARTY 2019!” is between him and HARASHIMA for both the KO-D Openweight Title and the DDT Extreme Title. Takeshita said he is surprised to face HARASHIMA again. He beat him for the KO-D Title in Saitama Super Arena two years ago which was when the previous era of DDT moved towards the current era. HARASHIMA told Takeshita that he has never forgotten that match. He knows Takeshita is both young and in perfect physical condition but he can still stand against him! He ended by saying all of the DDT brands will gather together at Sumo Hall to deliver a great show.

The power of rugby was on ALL OUT’s side especially since this show was happening the day after Japan defeated Ireland in the Rugby World Cup (Editor’s note: boo!). Yuki Iino entered the ring in almost full rugby gear taken from the No Side Game TV drama he worked on. But Daisuke Sasaki was in the same mindset and when the bell rang he rugby tackled Iino! Sasaki attacked him with chairs until Iino stopped him with his own rugby tackle Spear. However Iino’s rugby tactics backfired when he missed another Spear and tackled Daisuke Kiso by accident. Soma Takao blinded Iino with red Mist and sent him Spearing Akito out of the match. Takao dropped Iino with the Gin And Tonic then Sasaki applied the Cross Facelock. Iino tried to fight out by summoning power from his rugby ball but he eventually tapped out.

Sasaki yelled that just because Japan defeated Ireland in rugby doesn’t mean that Iino could beat DAMNATION in pro wrestling! He called out for any new team to challenge them. FUMA & Yusuke Kubo from BASARA came out. Sasaki asked if they were at the show. FUMA said that the BASARA roster has a plan to win all of DDT’s championships before BASARA splits off and becomes independent. FUMA challenged DAMNATION and also demanded it to be a Hardcore Match! Before Sasaki could answer, two men walked out wearing bags over their heads. They pulled the bags off to reveal it was Minoru Fujita & Daiki Shimomura! They like the idea of a Hardcore Match and asked to make it a 3 Way Tag. Shunma Katsumata then got in the ring and said he should be in the match because he is DDT’s hardcore wrestler! Akito agreed to be his tag partner because he wants to wrestle the BASARA guys. Sasaki accepted all of the challenges so the KO-D Tag Team Titles are being defended in a Hardcore 4 Way Tag Match at Sumo Hall!

Takeshita went into his match against Asuka with his lower back heavily taped up. Two days before the show he suffered a back injury from weightlifting. It effected his performance with limited movement after leap frogs and back pain preventing him from doing the German Suplex. Asuka took advantage but couldn’t beat Takeshita with the Swinging Choke Slam. Takeshita blocked the Moonsault with his knees and countered a cradle with one of his own for a flash three count on Asuka. The result left Asuka annoyed because she went into the match without any injuries and couldn’t beat a less than 100% Takeshita.

You’re never too old to succeed. Just ask Gorgeous Matsuno. At first things were going badly for him against Sanshiro Takagi. He missed the Gorgeous Superstar Elbow and had his left arm targeted from there. Matsuno would have chances to turn the tables but kept missing his signature Elbow Drop. Desperate, Matsuno took out powder and threw it. Unfortunately he didn’t realise that Daisuke Kiso was standing in front of him, not Takagi. With the ref blind, Takagi brought in chairs and plastic boxes to use as weapons. He lifted Matsuno up for the Himawari Bomb but something unexpected happened. Matsuno countered it into a Frankensteiner that sent Takagi crashing into the cases. Matsuno then rolled up Takagi into the School Boy and won the match! The new O-40 Champion told everyone he never gave up on his dream even at 58 years old. But today is not the end of his story. Matsuno’s dream will continue and he wants to share his dreams, courage and energy with everybody!

Cody Hall and Yukio Naya continue to be at each other’s throats, targeting each other in the 4 Way Tag. There was no such problems between Hiroshi Yamato & Mad Paulie. Paulie watched on while Yamato sang his way down to the ring. Antonio Honda tricked Naomi Yoshimura into hitting Yuki Ueno with a Lariat. Hall then picked up the pieces and beat Ueno with the Thunder Buster. Naya tried to get back in the ring to continue fighting Hall but Makoto Oishi held him back on the apron.

Masahiro Takanashi pinned Mizuki Watase to win his tag match with MAO but his thoughts are entirely on Sumo Hall. He challenges Ryuichi Sekine for the Union MAX Title at “ULTIMATE PARTY 2019!” and he isn’t happy that Sekine referred to him under his old ring name Masa Takanashi. Takanashi thinks that means Sekine has only seen him in DDT and is not aware of his work on the independent scene. He will teach Sekine who Masahiro Takanashi really is!

The mysterious letter that was sent to the DDT office during the week left some of the roster spooked. The wrestlers in the opening match gathered together in the locker room before the show to receive amulets that would protect them from any supernatural threats. Everyone except for Kazuki Hirata. He didn’t believe there was anything to worry about. But when the first match took place and Hirata wore his Hirata GO! glasses, his music was replaced with cries of “Help me…” The demon Saki emerged and entered the ring. She bit Hirata on the shoulder causing the match to get called off. Saki then chased everyone out of the ring and a message appeared on the screen saying “Let’s play a game…”

There was no waiting until Sumo Hall to get an inter-brand match. Nobuhiro Shimatani defeated Takato Nakano in a DDT Vs BASARA pre-show match. Nakano was angry he lost after recently becoming one third of the UWA World 6-Man Tag Team Champions. Shimatani on the other hand is now so confident, he wants to fight Isami Kodaka!

Trainee Keigo Nakamura was given exciting news to start the show. He will have his official debut match on 19th October! Naomi Yoshimura will be his opponent but Yoshimura wasn’t impressed by Nakamura’s size. He thinks Nakamura can’t fight him with such a skinny body. Yoshimura placed down a weighing scale and got Nakamura to weigh himself. He weighs 72kg. Actually it was 71.1kg and that was with Nakamura wearing clothes. Yoshimura told Nakamura to reach 75kg before their match.

Kazusada Higuchi gave an update on his PCL injury. He is out of action for the rest of the year and will do his best to rehabilitate and return next year.

The final part of the show was a video message from Kenny Omega promoting his match with Riho against Antonio Honda & Miyu Yamashita at Sumo Hall. Omega said he is nervous about the match but also looking forward to it.

The D-Ou Grand Prix 2020 competitors are Konosuke Takeshita, HARASHIMA, Daisuke Sasaki, Tetsuya Endo, Some Takao, Yukio Sakaguchi, Yuki Ueno, Naomi Yoshimura, Yuki Iino, Keisuke Ishii, Bull James, Chris Brookes, Masato Tanaka and Chihiro Hashimoto!

The KO-D 10-Man Tag Team Titles (remember them?) have been vacated because the champions have not defended the belts since November 2017. New champions will be crowned at Sumo Hall in a match between teams captained by Danshoku Dieno and Super Sasadango Machine.

DDT “ULTIMATE PARTY 2019! DDT GROUP BIG SET!”, 03/11/2019
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

0. Under Match – Tokyo Joshi Pro Offer Match: X Vs X
0. Under Match – Time Difference Battle Royal: X Vs X
0. Under Match: Tomomitsu Matsunaga, Mizuki Watase & Keigo Nakamura Vs Daichi Kazato, Masato Kamino & Shuhei Washida
1. Gauntlet Tag Match: Yuki Ueno & Naomi Yoshimura Vs Yukio Sakaguchi & Ryota Nakatsu Vs Shuichiro Katsumura & Kouki Iwasaki Vs Maki Itoh & Chris Brookes
2. KO-D 10-Man Tag Team Titles: Danshoku Dieno Army Vs Super Sasadango Machine Army
3. Princess Tag Team Titles: Sakisama & Misao (c) Vs X & X
4. KO-D Tag Team Titles – 4 Way Hardcore Match: Daisuke Sasaki & Soma Takao (c) Vs Akito & Shunma Katsumata Vs FUMA & Yusuke Kubo Vs Minoru Fujita & Daiki Shimomura
5. Independent World Jr. Heavyweight Title: Keisuke Ishii (c) Vs Fuminori Abe
6. Union MAX Title: Ryuichi Sekine (c) Vs Masahiro Takanashi
7. Princess Of Princess Title: Shoko Nakajima (c) Vs Yuka Sakazaki
8. Special Single Match: Sanshiro Takagi Vs Isami Kodaka
9. Dramatic Dream Match: Kenny Omega & Riho Vs Antonio Honda & Miyu Yamashita
10. KO-D Openweight Title & DDT Extreme Title: Konosuke Takeshita (K/c) Vs HARASHIMA (E/c)

DDT: Tetsuya Endo, Yuki Iino, Toru Owashi, Kazuki Hirata, Mad Paulie, Nobuhiro Shimatani, Makoto Oishi, Yukio Naya, Gorgeous Matsuno, Pokotan, Yoshihiko

Tokyo Joshi Pro: Rika Tatsumi, Nodoka Tenma, Yuki Aino, Pom Harajuku, YUMI, Himawari Unagi, Mahiro Kiryu, Mirai Maiumi, Suzumi, Miu Watanabe, Hikari Noa, Raku, Yuna Manase, Yuki Kamifuku, Mina Shirakawa, Mizuki

BASARA: Takumi Tsukamoto, Trans-Am ★ Hiroshi, SAGAT, Takato Nakano

Ganbare☆Wrestling: Ken Ohka, Yumehito Imanari, Shota, HARUKAZE

Other: Jiro Kuroshio, Asuka, Hiroshi Yamato, Yasu Urano, Miss Mongol


Video – Yumehito Imanari Vs Masato Tanaka

May 10, 2019

GANBARE☆WRESTLING “MIRACLE EARTH 2019”, 06/05/2019
Tokyo Itabashi Green Hall
145 Fans – No Vacancy

Dangan Senshi, Attack On Ganpro!: Yumehito Imanari Vs Masato Tanaka