A Little Extra Info For This Weekend, “Shrek” In TJPW

May 9, 2025

GANBARE☆PRO “YOUNG GANBARE SUMMIT”, 10/05/2025
Tokyo Takashimadaira Kumin Center

1. Tyson Maeguchi Vs MASA☆TAKA
2. Shota Kawakami & Shota Kofuji Vs Kazumasa Yoshida & Ali Najima
3. YuuRI, Nanami Hatano & Kirari Wakana Vs Chanyota, Honoka & Saran
4. Munetatsu Nakamura Vs Mochizuki Jr.

I only found out now that a few weeks ago Nanami changed her ring name to Nanami Hatano.

DDT “KING OF DDT 2025 2ND ROUND”, 10/05/2025
Shinjuku FACE

1. MJ Paul & Ilusion Vs Yuya Koroku & Kazuma Sumi
2. Danshoku Dieno, Toru Owashi & Kazuki Hirata Vs Shunma Katsumata, Soma Takao & To-y
3. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Chris Brookes, Akito & Antonio Honda Vs Jun Akiyama, Shinya Aoki & Daichi Sato
4. King Of DDT 2025 – Round 2: Kazusada Higuchi Vs Takeshi Masada
5. King Of DDT 2025 – Round 2: HARASHIMA Vs Hideki Okatani
6. King Of DDT 2025 – Round 2: Yukio Naya Vs KANON
7. King Of DDT 2025 – Round 2: Daisuke Sasaki Vs Yuki Ueno

There will be a public contract signing at the show between Minoru Suzuki and Danshoku Dieno for their upcoming DDT Universal Title match.

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TJPW SPRING TOUR 2025 IN SHINAGAWA VOL. 1”, 17/05/2025
Tokyo Shinagawa Prince Hotel Club eX

1. Maki Itoh Vs Uta Takami
2. Suzume, Arisu Endo & Haru Kazashiro Vs Yoshiko Hasegawa, HIMAWARI & Shino Suzuki

Two weeks before Suzume and Yoshiko Hasegawa have their International Princess Title match, the two will meet in a 6-Woman Tag Match.

Maki Itoh is already expected back this weekend but next weekend she will be used to test out how much Uta Takami is progressing by herself.

DDT “DRAMATIC DREAMS! VOL. 12 ~GIVE IT TO THE CLOUDS THE MOUNTAIN CUCKOO~”, 17/05/2025
Osaka City Sumiyoshi Civic Center

1. The Anthem Of Geniuses ~The Battle To Decide The Strongest Variety Warrior~: Danshoku Dieno, Billy Ken Kid & Trans-Am ★ Hiroshi Vs Toru Owashi, Kazuki Hirata & Soma Takao
2. Naomi Yoshimura’s Osaka Return Match ~REGGAE TOWN is back in OSAKA!~: Ryota Nakatsu & Naomi Yoshimura Vs Yasu Urano & Akito
3. Special 6-Man Tag Match ~Laughter Leads To Hell~: Kuishinbo Kamen, Shunma Katsumata & Ram Kaichow Vs Kikutaro, Antonio Honda & No Name
4. Special 6-Man Tag Match Tecnico Vs Rudo Osaka War! ~The Code Of Justice, The Pride Of Evil~: Tsubasa, Yuya Koroku & Kazuma Sumi Vs HUB, Hideki Okatani & Ilusion (w/ MJ Paul)
5. Special Tag Match – Muscle Buraikan Vs D GENERATIONS ~You Guys, You’ll Know It When You See It! It’s Me!~: Magnitude Kishiwada & Naruki Doi Vs To-y & Yuki Ishida
6. Special 6-Man Tag Match ~Heavyweight Super Carnival~: Jun Akiyama, KANON & Daichi Sato Vs Shuji Ishikawa, Yukio Naya & Takeshi Masada
7. Special Single Match ~Break Through The Top Of DDT! From Osaka To The World, A Terrifying Challenge For The Real Life Crowd!~: Chris Brookes Vs Kohei Kinoshita
8. Koyo Daiichi Consultants Presents Special Tag Match ~Head-To-Head Battle! One-Hit, Soul-Filled Attack!! Frontal Breakthrough!!!~: HARASHIMA & Kazusada Higuchi Vs Shuji Kondo & Shigehiro Irie
9. Shosho Kogyo Co., Ltd. Presents Special Tag Match ~Sakuyakonohana Dramatic Dreams Vs Superhuman Teacher & Student Wrestling Masters~: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA & Yuki Ueno Vs Daisuke Sasaki & Dick Togo

Other than the main event, the match order for Yukinori Matsui’s show has not been decided yet.

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “SAYURI NAMBA’S DREAM COME TRUE SPECIAL”, 14/06/2025
Shin-Kiba 1st RING

1. Special Rounds Match: Kazuki Hirata Vs Hideki “Shrek” Sekine
2. LEONA Vs Antonio Honda
3. Mizuki & Suzume (w/ Sayuri Namba) Vs X & X

This will not be your normal Tokyo Joshi Pro show. Sayuri Namba’s in charge before she leaves the company and she is using her powers to do things she always wanted but never got the chance to. One is to do the ring announcements for a LEONA match because the two have known each other going back to their university days. LEONA’s opponent has now been chosen and it is Antonio Honda.

Another thing Namba wants is to be a ring girl one more time. TJPW doesn’t really do round based combat sports so after some out of the box thinking the company decided to make Kazuki Hirata fight against the jacked up hybrid fighter Hideki “Shrek” Sekine. He will become maybe the most unlikley looking wrestler to ever get booked by TJPW. He also doesn’t know who Hirata is but will be happy to beat him up. Is Hirata even going to last past the first round?


Catching Up On The DDT News

April 25, 2025

DDT “SAPPORO NIGHT CRUSH”, 26/04/2025
Hokkaido Sapporo Sun Plaza

1. KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles: Shunma Katsumata, Yuni & Kazuma Sumi (c) Vs Daisuke Sasaki, Hideki Okatani & Ilusion
2. Sapporo’s Famous Trial Singles Best Of Two Matches – First Round!! ~ Sapporo Marathon Style Death Match: Akito Vs Kazuki Hirata
3. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Jun Akiyama, Noriyuki Yoshida & Daichi Sato Vs Kazusada Higuchi, Tomoya & Yuki Ishida
4. MAO & KANON Vs Yukio Naya & Yuya Koroku
5. Special Single Match: HARASHIMA Vs Danshoku Dieno
6. SCHADENFREUDE International Vs The 37KAMIINA!: Chris Brookes & Takeshi Masada Vs Yuki Ueno & To-y

Now that the American shows are nothing more than a distant memory it’s back to having matches in Japan for everybody.

A special points system will be put in place for the two Akito Vs Kazuki Hirata matches happening this weekend. There is a ten minute time limit for each match. You gets 2 Points for every 3 count pin or submission victory. You also get 1 Point if the opponent gets counted out of the ring for 20 seconds. Wrestlers are deducted 2 points if they are caught cheating or committing a foul. Akito thinks he has too much of an advantage with these rules so he allows Hirata to score 1 Point every time he puts on Hirata GO! Glasses and 5 Points if he can complete his dance during the match. The scores from both matches will be combined and whoever has the higher score is the winner.

DDT “MENKOI DAY SMASH”, 27/04/2025
Hokkaido Sapporo Sun Plaza

1. Yuni Vs Ilusion
2. Sapporo’s Famous Trial Singles Best Of Two Matches – Second Round!! ~ Sapporo Marathon Style Death Match: Akito Vs Kazuki Hirata
3. Special 6-Man Tag Match: HARASHIMA, Tomoya & Noriyuki Yoshida Vs Danshoku Dieno, Yuya Koroku & Kazuma Sumi
4. SCHADENFREUDE International Vs DAMNATION T.A!: Chris Brookes & Takeshi Masada Vs Hideki Okatani & MJ Paul
5. Yuki Ueno, Shunma Katsumata & To-y Vs Jun Akiyama, Yukio Naya & Daichi Sato
6. STRANGE LOVE CONNECTION Vs Harimao!: MAO & KANON Vs Kazusada Higuchi & Yuki Ishida

There is a new member of the Strange Love Connection but he is not available just yet. KIMIHIRO will only be accompanying MAO & KANON whenever they can afford him to travel and the airfare to Sapporo is not cheap. So KIMIHIRO won’t be joining them until next month when the travel will be a little easier on the wallet.

The Sapporo Marathon Match between Akito and Hirata gets decided here.

DDT “HELLO☆DRAMATIC DREAM 2025”, 03/05/2025
Yokohama Radiant Hall

1. Special Single Match: MJ Paul Vs Kazuki Hirata
2. Special Tag Match: MAO & KANON Vs Yukio Naya & Yuki Ishida
3. Special Tag Match: Chris Brookes & Takeshi Masada Vs HARASHIMA & Soma Takao

Another preview tag for Chris Brookes and HARASHIMA before they face each other at the King Of DDT 1st Round.

DDT “SENDAI NEW LEGEND 2025 ~SASA KAMABOKO~”, 04/05/2025
Miyagi Yume Messe Miyagi

1. Yuni & Kazuma Sumi Vs Toru Owashi & Danshoku Dieno
2. SCHADENFREUDE International Vs The 37KAMIINA!: Chris Brookes, Antonio Honda & Takeshi Masada Vs Yuki Ueno, Shunma Katsumata & To-y
3. Special Tag Match: MAO & KANON Vs HARASHIMA & Daichi Sato

And right before King Of DDT begins, DDT heads over to MAO’s home region of Miyagi.

DDT “KING OF DDT 2025 1ST ROUND”, 06/05/2025
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

0. Dark Match – 4 Way Tag Match: Yuni & Kazuma Sumi Vs MJ Paul & Ilusion Vs Toru Owashi & Yuki Ishida Vs Soma Takao & Tomomitsu Matsunaga
0. Dark Match: Jun Akiyama & Danshoku Dieno Vs MAO & Kazuki Hirata (w/ KIMIHIRO)
1. King Of DDT 2025 – Round 1A: Antonio Honda Vs Yuki Ueno
2. King Of DDT 2025 – Round 1B: Daisuke Sasaki Vs Akito
3. King Of DDT 2025 – Round 1C: KANON Vs Shunma Katsumata
4. King Of DDT 2025 – Round 1D: Yukio Naya Vs Daichi Sato
5. King Of DDT 2025 – Round 1E: Hideki Okatani Vs To-y
6. King Of DDT 2025 – Round 1F: Chris Brookes Vs HARASHIMA
7. King Of DDT 2025 – Round 1G: Takeshi Masada Vs Yuya Koroku
8. King Of DDT 2025 – Round 1H: Shinya Aoki Vs Kazusada Higuchi

Two dark matches get added to the King Of DDT opening round. It will be KIMIHIRO’s first appearance since joining Strange Love Connection.

DDT “EARLY SUMMER BEER GARDEN PRO WRESTLING 2025 – DAY 1”, 13/05/2025
Tokyo Ueno Park Outdoor Stage

1. Danshoku Dieno Produce Match ~ Woof Woof Paradise: Danshoku Dieno (w/ Haku) Vs Shunma Katsumata (w/ Ponta & Komachi) Vs Yuki Kamifuku (w/ Zac) Vs Yoshiko Hasegawa (w/ Qoo)

Here is how DDT is getting use out of Danshoku Dieno’s pet dog Haku. Dieno is booking a 4 Way Match with himself and three other devoted dog owners. So joining Dieno and his shiba inu is Shunma Katsumata with his two pugs, Yuki Kamifuku with her chihuahua Zac and Yoshiko Hasegawa with her Pomeranian.

DDT “D GENERATIONS 2 ~THERE’S NO LIMIT TO GROWING PAINS~”, 14/05/2025
Tokyo Ueno Park Outdoor Stage

1. Yuni Vs Ali Najima
2. Hideki Okatani & Ilusion Vs Munetatsu Nakamura & Shota Kawakami
3. Special Single Match: Ryoma Tsukamoto Vs To-y
4. Special Single Match: Soma Takao Vs Kazuma Sumi
5. Special Single Match: Keisuke Ishii Vs Yuki Ishida
6. Special Tag Match: Shigehiro Irie & Shota Vs Takeshi Masada & Yuya Koroku

The rivalry between Young Communication and D GENERATIONS moves on into a Best Of Three singles match series. Meanwhile the two young troublemakers from DAMNATION T.A take on Ganbare☆Pro’s two childhood friends Munetatsu Nakamura & Shota Kawakami.

To-y was originally supposed to face Daichi Sato on the show but Sato has high school exams happening around the same time and will not be available to wrestle. To-y’s new opponent is Ryoma Tsukamoto from JTO.

DDT “DRAMATIC DREAMS! VOL. 12 ~GIVE IT TO THE CLOUDS THE MOUNTAIN CUCKOO~”, 17/05/2025
Osaka City Sumiyoshi Civic Center

1. Special 6-Man Tag Match ~Laughter Leads To Hell~: Kuishinbo Kamen, Shunma Katsumata & Ram Kaichow Vs Kikutaro, Antonio Honda & No Name
2. Naomi Yoshimura’s Osaka Return Match ~REGGAE TOWN is back in OSAKA!~: Ryota Nakatsu & Naomi Yoshimura Vs Yasu Urano & Akito
3. Special 6-Man Tag Match ~Heavyweight Super Carnival~: Jun Akiyama, KANON & Daichi Sato Vs Shuji Ishikawa, Yukio Naya & Takeshi Masada
4. Special Single Match ~Break Through The Top Of DDT! From Osaka To The World, A Terrifying Challenge For The Real Life Crowd!~: Chris Brookes Vs Kohei Kinoshita
5. Special Tag Match ~Head-To-Head Battle! One-Hit, Soul-Filled Attack!! Frontal Breakthrough!!!~: HARASHIMA & Kazusada Higuchi Vs Shuji Kondo & Shigehiro Irie
6. Special Tag Match ~Sakuyakonohana Dramatic Dreams Vs Superhuman Teacher & Student Wrestling Masters~: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA & Yuki Ueno Vs Daisuke Sasaki & Dick Togo

God damn look at the card Yukinori Matsui has put together so far! Konosuke Takeshita & Yuki Ueno reunited to fight Daisuke Sasaki & Dick Togo. A heavyweight tag clash featuring HARASHIMA, Kazusada Higuchi, Shuji Kondo and Shigehiro Irie. The return of Naomi Yoshimura to Osaka as well. Plenty to look forward to here. Naruki Doi will be at the show too.

DDT “EARLY SUMMER BEER GARDEN PRO WRESTLING 2025 – DAY 2”, 21/05/2025
Tokyo Ueno Park Outdoor Stage

1. Takeshi Masada Produce Match – Hardcore Match: Chris Brookes & Takeshi Masada Vs Shunma Katsumata & To-y

Uh oh. DDT let Takeshi Masada put together a match and the idea he came up with is a Hardcore Tag bout with Brookes, Katsumata & To-y? That’s just asking for trouble.

DDT “KING OF DDT 2025 FINAL!!”, 25/05/2025
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. King Of DDT 2025 – Semi Final: X Vs X
2. King Of DDT 2025 – Semi Final: X Vs X
3. DDT Universal Title: Minoru Suzuki (c) Vs Danshoku Dieno
4. King Of DDT 2025 – Final: X Vs X

After coming out of Las Vegas with the DDT Universal Title and most of his dignity still intact, Minoru Suzuki’s match with Danshoku Dieno is now confirmed to be a title match. Can Dieno make it through another month without using his Danshoku moveset?

DDT “KIRANAH BBQ STREET PRO WRESTLING 2025 ~MEAT! BEER! FESTIVAL!~”, 28/05/2025
Tokyo Kiranah Garden Toyosu

1. Falls Count Anywhere 3 Way 6-Man Tag Match: Chris Brookes, Takeshi Masada & Mecha Mummy Vs Yuki Ueno, Shunma Katsumata & To-y Vs HARASHIMA, Danshoku Dieno & Kazuki Hirata

Speaking of asking for trouble. A BBQ Street Fight involving SCHADENFREUDE International (with Mecha Mummy), The 37KAMIINA and a DDT all star trio? Are they trying to burn the place down?!?


DDT Around The World – WrestleMania Week 2025

April 25, 2025

Still recovering from the last week? I know I am. It was a good week of wrestling over in Las Vegas. Plenty to go see and the stuff I watched in person was for the most part good to great. The return of DGUSA was alright, Pandemonium Pro was a fun time, WrestleCon had a good first half that turned bizarre in the middle before ending with a good main event and Bloodsport is a decent idea that’s getting bogged down by GCW’s working relationship with WWE. As for the DDT and Tokyo Joshi Pro related shows I enjoyed all three of them. TJPW’s show was as close to a Korakuen Hall level event they could put on in America, DDT’s show didn’t have a dull moment on it and I was surprised by how good the Vs GCW show turned out in the end. Attendance though is another thing. TJPW I think are happy with the 812 number especially since I doubt they would get that for a Golden Week Korakuen show this year even with the big main event. DDT is still keeping their numbers a secret which I am now looking at in a different light because of a certain big takeover story that happened in the industry during the weekend.* The Vs GCW show had the worst turnout yet the people who did show up wanted to watch the show so there was still a good atmosphere inside the venue.

I reckon DDT/TJPW are happy to keep working with GCW and The Collective for next year’s WrestleMania Week. There’s definitely too many shows going on and not enough of an audience to fill them up. I saw plenty of shows in person and on screen over the week where the empty seats were noticeable. However TJPW in particular was one of the success stories coming out of Vegas and they seem to be getting more out of their American shows then some of the other Japanese promotions. Hopefully the momentum carries over to their events in Texas for All In Weekend this July.

*Let the record show that the moment I learned about WWE acquiring AAA happened while Maki Itoh and Microman were fighting each other.

———————————————————————–

Videos


Video starts at 00:00 for Match #1. Go to 39:41 for Match #2.
PANDEMONIUM PRO “THE HOUSE ALWAYS WINS”, 17/04/2025
Fremont Country Club, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

1. Masha Slamovich Vs MAO
2. Maya World Vs Miu Watanabe


WEST COAST PRO “VEGAS VACATION”, 17/04/2025
Meet Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

1. MAO Vs Jiah Jewell


GCW “JOSH BARNETT’S BLOODSPORT XIII”, 17/04/2025
Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

1. Nattie Neidhart Vs Miyu Yamashita

———————————————————————–

Results


PANDEMONIUM PRO “THE HOUSE ALWAYS WINS”, 17/04/2025
Fremont Country Club, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

1. Masha Slamovich defeated MAO with a High Kick (9:30).
2. Miu Watanabe defeated Maya World with the Tear Drop (11:30).

Thursday was when the busy schedules all kicked off for everyone. Miu Watanabe not only got to wrestle a rare match outside of TJPW but she got to perform her song for everyone during the pre-show too. Apparently when the promoter for Pandemonium Pro asked her if she had any requests in regards to the booking, she made it absolutely clear she wanted to sing at the show. When it came time to wrestle, she was ready to face the power and agility of Maya World. A Gory Special Go 2 Sleep, a Crippler Crossface, a Sunset Flip Power Bomb from the corner and a hanging German Suplex were all used by World but couldn’t get her the win. Watanabe’s power won out instead thanks to the Giant Swing, Power Slam, Laserbeam and then the Tear Drop.

The first of four matches in one day for MAO began here when he fought Masha Slamovich, who is somebody else that would spend most of the week wrestling non-stop all over the place. MAO fought a little bit dirty so even though he normally does something to the ref to leap over them for a Ace Crusher, here it was done to get the fans on Slamovich’s side. The two ended up in a fighting exchange that looked like it was about to end in a draw after Double High Kicks from each other both found their targets. But MAO fell down first with Slamovich landing on top of him to get the win.


CIRCLE 6 “MAYHEM AT THE MUSEUM”, 17/04/2025
The Punk Rock Museum, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

1. MAO defeated Bestia 666 with the Cannonball 450 (?:??).

With the Pandemonium Pro done, MAO quickly travelled over to The Punk Rock Museum where Circle 6 was hosting his next match in the parking lot. There was a ring set up in the lot and MAO could not help but brawl with Bestia 666 up to the nearby concert stage. MAO took some time to sit at the drums and play them for a bit before bringing Bestia back to the ring where he beat him with the Cannonball 450.


WRESTLECON “MARK HITCHCOCK MEMORIAL SUPERSHOW”, 17/04/2025
Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

1. Mickie James defeated Maki Itoh with the Mickie DDT (14:25).
2. Minoru Suzuki Vs Butterbean (w/ Don Frye) ended in a Double Countout (R3 9:06).
*Special Guest Enforcer: Dan Severn

I wasn’t going to write about any of Minoru Suzuki’s matches on this trip but I was in attendance for this show, Suzuki had the DDT Universal Title with him so and these two matches are going to be remembered for all the wrong reasons for a long time to come. So let’s get to it. Suzuki fought against Butterbean in one of the most bizarre looking matches happening in the weekend. Dan Severn was there as the special guest referee and also Don Frye was in the room as part of Butterbean’s entourage. What followed was a car crash of a match that nobody could turn away from. Three rounds of… er… I guess you can call it combat but there wasn’t much that could actually happen given the physical limitations between those involved. In the third round Suzuki and Butterbean ended up fighting outside the ring and when the bell rang for the final time, Severn informed everyone that the two of them were both counted out. Then after the commotion settled down, Severn gave an instruction to the ring announcer and it was just to repeat that the match ended in a Double Countout (I know he did that spot somewhere before but can’t remember where). It was certainly a freak show fight I’ll never forget.

Let’s not mince words, the Mickie James Vs Maki Itoh that happened before this was complete dog shit. On paper the match layout done correctly would have been acceptable. Start the match with a challenge for a singing contest, one of them gets slighted over being upstaged and does something heelish then the other makes the babyface comeback and wins. Should be easy peasy but oh boy did they fuck this up something rotten. They already began wrestling for a few minutes while everyone noticed the microphone was still in the ring. James then finally grabs it but instead of making the challenge straight away, she instead starts talking shit about Dave Meltzer for cheap pops (apparantly he was in the crowd?). The singoff eventually starts with Itoh singing in Japanese so James makes the typical “I don’t understand what you said” joke that would have fitted in at the WrestleMania roast later that weekend given how low effort it was. Then James tried singing her song, throwing in some adlibbed insults at Itoh for having a small butt that just came off like James couldn’t think of anything funny on the spot. They finally went back to wrestling but by this point the air has already escaped the room and nobody cared how it went. An absolute bomb of a match that exposed James as being thin-skinned and unprepared while Itoh had nowhere near the ability to try and save it.


WEST COAST PRO “VEGAS VACATION”, 17/04/2025
Meet Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

1. MAO defeated Jiah Jewell with an Anaconda Vice (?:??).

Time was already getting tight for MAO heading into his third match of the day. He came out for his match with Jiah Jewell looking like he only just arrived in the venue. He also had to call his next Uber before the match began. The match itself was not much to talk about. Given the promotion was two crazy wrestlers being put against each other, there isn’t much to talk about. There was a little bit of storyline with Jewell’s rival JT Thorne sitting at ringside to watch the match and MAO has added the Anaconda Vice to his arsenal. Other than that this became one of MAO’s more quiet periods of the week.


GCW “JOSH BARNETT’S BLOODSPORT XIII”, 17/04/2025
Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

1. Charlie Dempsey defeated Shinya Aoki by Referee Stoppage with the Regal Plex (9:18).
2. Nattie Neidhart defeated Miyu Yamashita by Referee Stoppage with the Sharpshooter (7:14).

After so much time spent hyping it up Miyu Yamashita and Nattie Neidhart finally had their match, taking place in the no-rope Bloodsport ring. Yamashita countered Neidhart’s Discus Elbow with the Skull Kick but that wasn’t called as a knockout so she went for the submission. Neidhart ended up kicking Yamashita away, pushing her into the corner post. That pretty much knocked out Yamashita and when she was put in the Sharpshooter, the referee stopped the match. That’s how it was supposed to look on paper but in practice it didn’t look great, which is why a lot of the match reports out there are confused as to why Yamashita was rendered unconscious by the Sharpshooter so quickly. At least Neidhart was thrilled by how the match went and would like to fight Yamashita again, this time in the WWE.

Maybe the big upset of the show happened when Charlie Dempsey from NXT defeated Shinya Aoki. The match was mostly grappling with Dempsey throwing in some European Uppercuts late in the game. Aoki almost had the fight won with a Sleeper Hold but Dempsey grabbed victory from the jaws of defeat by countering it into the Regal Plex. Aoki didn’t respond after that and the match was called in his opponent’s favor.


BZW “VIVA LAS VEGAS”, 17/04/2025
Swan Dive, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

1. BZW Tag Team Titles: MAO & Yoshihiko (c) defeated Marcus Mathers & Alec Price when Yoshihiko pinned Mathers with a Hurricanrana (?:??).
*V4 for MAO & Yoshihiko.

This is how you end a night in Las Vegas. By teaming up with a sex doll to defend a tag team championship from France against a team with one guy who will probably end up on WWE TV somewhere in the next few year. As you do. Marcus Mathers & Alec Price were able to keep MAO at bay but Yoshihiko proved to be too much to handle. It had Price pinned with a Victory Roll counter for the Doomsday Device but the ref held his count believing that Mathers kicked out of it. So the challengers tried another double team move, this time with a Power Bomb set up. But Yoshihiko fought off Price from the corner and flipped over Mathers with a Hurricanrana to get the three count. MAO & Yoshihiko would go on to defend the BZW Tag Team Titles a second time later in the week, this time at the “DDT VS TJPW VS GCW” show.


TOKYO JOSHI PRO “QUERI PRESENTS TJPW LIVE IN LAS VEGAS”, 18/04/2025
Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
812 Fans

1. Yuki Arai defeated Arisu Endo with the Finally (7:17).
2. Yuki Aino, Ram Kaichow & Viva Van defeated Rika Tatsumi, Shino Suzuki & Vert Vixen when Aino pinned Suzuki with the Venus DDT (13:56).
3. Maki Itoh & Zara Zakher defeated Max The Impaler & Raku when Itoh submitted Raku with the Itoh Deluxe (9:44).
4. International Princess Title: Suzume (c) defeated Jada Stone with the Ring A Bell (12:36).
*V3 for Suzume.
5. Princess Tag Team Titles: Shoko Nakajima & Hyper Misao (c) defeated Yuki Kamifuku & Wakana Uehara when Nakajima pinned Uehara with the Diving Senton (13:20).
*V1 for Kyoraku Kyomei.
6. TNA World Knockouts Title: Masha Slamovich (c) defeated Miu Watanabe with the White Knight Driver (10:45).
*V8 for Masha Slamovich.
7. Princess Of Princess Title: Mizuki (c) defeated Miyu Yamashita with the Cutie Special (17:40).
*V2 for Mizuki.

A report of the show can be found here.


DDT “DDT GOES LAS VEGAS!”, 18/04/2025
Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
??? Fans – Unannounced

1. Starboy Charlie defeated Yuni with the Shooting Starboy Press (8:58).
2. 3 Way Tag Match: Daisuke Sasaki & Ilusion defeated Mizuki Watase & Shota and Dan The Dad & Kody Lane when Sasaki submitted Dan with the Crossface Lock (13:07).
3. Special Single Match: Santana Jackson defeated Antonio Honda with the Moonwalk DDT (9:37).
4. wXw Unified World Wrestling Title: 1 Called Manders (c) defeated Yukio Naya with the Lariat (9:33).
*V3 for 1 Called Manders.
5. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Nick Wayne, Shunma Katsumata & Kazuma Sumi defeated Gringo Loco, Marcus Mathers & Tyler Bateman when Wayne pinned Bateman with the Wayne’s World (13:37).
6. Special Single Match: Shinya Aoki defeated Timothy Thatcher with the Aoki Clutch (9:20).
7. DDT Universal Title: Minoru Suzuki (c) defeated Yoshihiko with the Gotch-Style Piledriver (15:10).
*V1 for Minoru Suzuki.
8. Special Single Match: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA defeated MAO with the Raging Fire (17:24).

A report of the show can be found here.


WRESTLECORE “FEAR & WRESTLECORE IN LAS VEGAS”, 18/04/2025
Swan Dive, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

1. Cutest Match In The World: Maki Itoh defeated ELP when ELP said he is not the cutest in the world. (?:??).

Things have gotten drastic between Maki Itoh and El Phantasmo over who the cutest wrestler in the world is. The only way this matter could be settled in the ring was in a fight to the death! Or at least hurt the opponent badly enough that they admit on the microphone that they are not the cutest, I Quit style. Phantasmo brought a chair into the ring only for Itoh to stop him with a Low Blow. Itoh then bashed the chair over his head and use it to choke him into submission, forcing ELP to admit he is not the cutest in the world. Itoh was happy with that and made up with ELP after the match so the two could pose together.


PRIDESTYLE “OUT OF THIS WORLD”, 18/04/2025
Swan Dive, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

0. Yoshihiko’s Super Special Open Challenge: Yoshihiko Vs Ricky Tenacious
1. G-Sharpe Vs MAO

I couldn’t find any results of the PrideStyle show. I was able to find a clip of Yoshihiko wrestling Ricky Tenacious and there were other people involved so I guess the open challenge turned into a multi-man match.


GRAPHOUSE “FOR VEGAS, BY VEGAS”, 18/04/2025
Fergusons Downtown, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

1. Gauntlet Match: Yoshihiko defeated G-Sharpe (?:??).
2. W4TN Title: Lazarus (c) defeated MAO (?:??).
*V? for Lazarus.

MAO probably saved his craziest stuff for last when he fought Lazarus over at GrapHouse. With the WILD4THENIGHT Title on the line both champion and challenger did nutty things. There was crowd brawling, there were plastic cases being smashed apart and there were plenty of chairs being used too. MAO even took a Stunner that sent him bouncing backwards into a trash can! Lazarus ended up winning to retain his W4TN Title.

From what I could find, Yoshihiko was also booked on the show as part of a Gauntlet Match and ended up winning it. But I do not know who it fought on the way to victory. I think G-Sharpe was there for part of it.


DDT/TOKYO JOSHI PRO/GCW “DDT VS TJPW VS GCW”, 19/04/2025
Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
??? Fans – Unannounced

1. Mizuki, Hyper Misao, Yuki Aino, Raku & Jada Stone defeated Miu Watanabe, Suzume, Arisu Endo, Yuki Arai & Shino Suzuki when Mizuki pinned Suzuki with the Cutie Special (10:13).
2. Kidd Bandit & Shota defeated Rika Tatsumi & Antonio Honda when Bandit pinned Honda with the Hidden Lotus (10:02).
3. Gringo Loco & Arez defeated Starboy Charlie & Yuni when Loco pinned Yuni with the Base Bomb and Arez pinned Charlie with the Made In Mexico (11:23).
4. Yuki Kamifuku & Wakana Uehara defeated Brooke Havok & Sandra Moone when Kamifuku pinned Moone with the Diving Famouser (7:01).
5. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Super Crazy, Marcus Mathers & Shoko Nakajima defeated Daisuke Sasaki, Ilusion & Dark Sheik when Crazy submitted Ilusion with La Guitarra (8:48).
6. Special Tag Match: Yukio Naya & Microman defeated 1 Called Manders & Maki Itoh when Microman pinned Itoh with a Naya Assisted Body Press (11:27).
7. Hardcore Tag Match: John Wayne Murdoch & Matt Tremont defeated Mance Warner & Shunma Katsumata when Tremont pinned Katsumata with the Death Valley Driver (9:37).
8. Special Tag Match: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA & Masha Slamovich defeated Shinya Aoki & Miyu Yamashita when Slamovich pinned Yamashita with the White Knight Driver (11:10).
9. BZW Tag Team Titles – 3 Way Match: MAO & Yoshihiko (c) defeated Jimmy Lloyd & Alec Price and Jack Cartwheel & Kazuma Sumi when MAO pinned Sumi with the Ultra Big Tone (13:48).
*V5 for MAO & Yoshihiko.

A report of the show can be found here.


GCW “CLUSTERF*CK FOREVER”, 19/04/2025
Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

1. Clusterfuck Match: Brodie Lee Jr. defeated Joey Janela (2:19:45).
Order Of Elimination: Kerry Morton, The Up Up Girls, B3CCA, Steven Crowe, MBM and MBM’s Friend, Swipe Right, Shreddy, The Warlord, Tombstone Jesus, Nate Webb, Human Tornado, Santana Jackson, Yoshihiko, Blanket Jackson, Gene Snitsky, Tara Zep, Zayda Steel, Vipress, Viva Van, Sonny Kiss, Sayaka Unagi, Jai Vidal, Ashley Vox, Bodhi Young Prodigy, Channing Decker, Sonico, Randy Myers, Parrow, Rhys Maddox, CPA, Jeffery Jhn, Super Crazy, Juventud Guerrera, Dustin Thomas, Kidd Bandit, Microman, New Roy, Team Game Changer Wrestling and Team Juggalo Championship Wrestling, Sleepy Ed, Dan Barry, Frank The Clown, Dan The Dad, Cheeseburger, Jack Cartwheel, Manny Lemons, Harlon Abbot, Effy, The Invisible Man, JGeorge and Lady Killjoy, Tommy Invincible, Frankie B, Brittnie Brookes, Sam Holloway, Thomas Shire, Mike Jackson, Lena Kross, Jay Lucas and Terry Yaki, Bobby Flaco, Aerial Van Go and Davey Bang and Brayden Toon, Starboy Charlie, Paul London, Masha Slamovich, Alec Price, 1 Called Manders, Man Like DeReiss, Megan Bayne, Joey Janela.

So Yoshihiko appearing at the Clusterfuck was known in advance but The Up Up Girls showing up as Entry #1 to perform “Upper Kick”? Nobody saw that coming! Although any joy to come from that was spoiled by Kerry Morton coming out to interrupt them with a foul mouthed rant. But when he got into the ring Miu Watanabe, Raku & Shino Suzuki all beat him up and threw him out of the ring before going back to singing. The next entrant was B3CCA then tried to get on The Up Up Girls’ side only to jump them. They fought back until Zayda Steel entered the match followed by the stable Swipe Right. A distraction from Swipe Right allowed B3CCA & Steel to all eliminated The Up Up Girls from behind.

Later in the match Yoshihiko made its appearance only to get eliminated by Gene Snitsky. Hey, it wasn’t his fault…


DDT “DDT GOES LAS VEGAS!” Results

April 19, 2025

DDT “DDT GOES LAS VEGAS!”, 18/04/2025
Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
??? Fans – Unannounced

1. Starboy Charlie defeated Yuni with the Shooting Starboy Press (8:58).
2. 3 Way Tag Match: Daisuke Sasaki & Ilusion defeated Mizuki Watase & Shota and Dan The Dad & Kody Lane when Sasaki submitted Dan with the Crossface Lock (13:07).
3. Special Single Match: Santana Jackson defeated Antonio Honda with the Moonwalk DDT (9:37).
4. wXw Unified World Wrestling Title: 1 Called Manders (c) defeated Yukio Naya with the Lariat (9:33).
*V3 for 1 Called Manders.
5. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Nick Wayne, Shunma Katsumata & Kazuma Sumi defeated Gringo Loco, Marcus Mathers & Tyler Bateman when Wayne pinned Bateman with the Wayne’s World (13:37).
6. Special Single Match: Shinya Aoki defeated Timothy Thatcher with the Aoki Clutch (9:20).
7. DDT Universal Title: Minoru Suzuki (c) defeated Yoshihiko with the Gotch-Style Piledriver (15:10).
*V1 for Minoru Suzuki.
8. Special Single Match: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA defeated MAO with the Raging Fire (17:24).

With all of the wrestling going on in Las Vegas this week, DDT were in the thick of it holding their latest USA show with The Collective. The lineup was not DDT at its fullest with half the roster remaining in Japan to continue running shows over there. What Vegas did get though was still a mix of the weird and wonderful you can find in pro wrestling. DDT still gave fans something they weren’t going to get anywhere else in Vegas this week.

In the main event Konosuke Takeshita returned to DDT to test out just how much MAO has grown without him. MAO has recently made a similar decision that Takeshita went through a few years ago and that is to leave The 37KAMIINA to move in a new direction. MAO’s path is a little different though and he used what tricks he could to go against Takeshita’s world class abilities. At one point he hit Takeshita square with the Iai Kick but Takeshita collapsed out of the ring. Takeshita did big damage back by dropping MAO on the ring apron with the Wicked Driver. MAO gambled it all by going for a Phoenix Splash but Takeshita got out of the way. He moved so quick that he got in position to throw an Elbow Stike at MAO in midair but the wild shot missed. It didn’t matter though because Takeshita remained on the attack and pinned MAO with the Raging Fire.

After the match MAO got to give a speech but felt bad about it because losers shouldn’t talk. However he has a dream to tell the fans and it is to “Make DDT Dramatic Again”. He invited everyone back out to end the show but had more to say backstage. He is going to follow in Takeshita’s footsteps by attacking New Japan! To give more back to DDT his goal is to win the Best Of The Super Jr. and then take the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title! Meanwhile Takeshita told reporters about all of the opponents he has fought this week with more to come tomorrow. He cannot go back on his triple contracts now. He also gave advice to MAO and that is to cherish the people who support you because they are the ones who will protect you in the end. With that, he will look forward to seeing how MAO will do in May

Las Vegas got to witness the fight of the century! In the middle of what is part of the most bizarre schedule of matches anyone has taken for WrestleMania Weekend ever, Minoru Suzuki fought Yoshihiko with the DDT Universal Title on the line. All throughout the buildup Suzuki didn’t believe in Yoshihiko’s powers and thought the match was a joke. So when the match began he had fun kicking and throwing the doll around while the audience reacted in horror to the violence put on display. Yoshihiko even produced a crimson mask, getting blood gushing from its face. However things took a turn when all of a sudden Yoshihiko grabbed Suzuki and fought back with submission holds. Suzuki was at the risk of getting outgrappled and soon found himself getting bumped around the ring. But in the end he countered Yoshihiko’s Reincarnation into the Gotch-Style Piledriver, spinning around in circles before hitting the move to make it more powerful. After winning the match, Suzuki shook Yoshihiko’s hand before throwing it out of the ring. Backstage he asked the reporters if Americans are stupide because they made such a big fuss over a doll. He then brought up his singles match with Danshoku Dieno happening on 25th May, insinuating that he wants it to be a Universal Title match. Yoshihiko made no comment backstage.

Something that was completely different from the rest of the card could be seen in Match #6. Shinya Aoki and Timothy Thatcher kept most of their match to the mat with grappling exchanges and submission holds. When the action brought them back to their feet, Aoki hit a dive out of the ring but Thatcher returned fire back inside with a Piledriver. Aoki got the better of him in the end though when he applied the Full Nelson and pulled Thatcher down into the pinning manoeuvre that is now called the Aoki Clutch. Thatcher had no answer to it and was counted for three.

People were flying everywhere in the 6-Man Tag Match. Gringo Loco threw his body around with high risk moves and Marcus Mathers did the same. Kazuma Sumi got to stretch his feet out a little bit and do some more high flying of his own than we’re used to seeing him on regular DDT shows. Nick Wayne was also chomping at the bit to get things done but at times it put him at odds with Sumi & Shunma Katsumata. That was only a blip though and the trio remained strong, ending with Wayne pinned Tyler Batemen with the Wayne’s World.

Big beefy brutes collided over the wXw Unified Title. It’s a belt that 1 Called Manders recently won in Germany and brought with him to Vegas for a few title defences. Yukio Naya got to be one of the challengers but couldn’t knock the cowboy off his throne with strikes and Choke Slams. Instead Manders took Naya’s best shot and took him down with the Lariat to keep his championship. The two earned each other’s respect and Manders raised Naya’s hand as he was heading to the back.

Anton, are you okay? Are you okay? Are you okay, Anton? Antonio Honda couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Just the sight of Santana Jackson moving like Michael Jackson was enough to make his knees quiver and his mind unfocused. It must have been why he injured his knee again when trying to do a dive. Honda had the courage to tell everyone a Gongitsune story in English about the time Gone went to Vegas to see Caesars Palace but wound up at Caesars Penis instead. It was all a trick to cheap shot Jackson, who fled beneath the ring. When he returned he had become the werewolf from Thriller and he gave Honda the Moonwalk DDT for the victory.

A 3 Way Match pitted DAMNATION T.A against two teams that were very different from each other. Mizuki Watase & Shota were teaming up as a Ganbare☆Pro adjacent pair while Dan The Dad & Kody Lane were along for what sounded like a fun vacation the whole family could enjoy. Too bad Daisuke Sasaki wanted to drink beer and Ilusion kept swearing at everybody. Dan also lost his temper at Shota for standing on the top turnbuckles for too long like a bold boy. Dan & Lane hit some big moves including a Topé Suicida Doomsday Device onto a pile of wrestlers outside the ring. But Ilusion caught Dan with the Swanton Bomb and Sasaki ran in to give him the Crossface Lock for the submission win.

It was like a mirror match in the opener. Both Yuni and Starboy Charlie tried to match each other flip for flip to impress the fans. Charlie won out on the contest thanks to the Standing Corkscrew Moonsault and also the Shooting Starboy Press.


Guide To DDT In Las Vegas

April 16, 2025

DDT “DDT GOES LAS VEGAS!”, 18/04/2025
Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

1. Yuni Vs Starboy Charlie
2. 3 Way Tag Match: Daisuke Sasaki & Ilusion Vs Mizuki Watase & Shota Vs Dan The Dad & Kody Lane
3. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Nick Wayne, Shunma Katsumata & Kazuma Sumi Vs Gringo Loco, Marcus Mathers & Tyler Bateman
4. Special Single Match: Antonio Honda Vs Santana Jackson
5. Special Single Match: Shinya Aoki Vs Timothy Thatcher
6. Special Single Match: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA Vs MAO
7. wXw Unified World Wrestling Title: 1 Called Manders (c) Vs Yukio Naya
8. DDT Universal Title: Minoru Suzuki (c) Vs Yoshihiko

Bright lights, the sound of money being lost everywhere and of course there’s an impersonator nearby. DDT has come to Las Vegas for WrestleMania Week! Things really feel different with the show this year as many of DDT’s main roster are not making the trip out of Japan. Instead they are going to run more shows side by side with the group going to America. It means a lot of big names you come to expect from DDT are missing and the people brought in to fill those gaps seem a bit random at first. Some start to make sense the more you think about it but if you look at the card above it kind of looks like bits and pieces from other shows all being grouped together into something else. I still bet it will be a good time and if you want to know what’s going on with everything, you’ve come to the right place. You won’t get any gambling tips from me though. I’m already gambling my Switch 2 money to the Fortune Cup machines as you read this.

When and where is the show taking place?

The two shows will be held at the Pearl Theater found inside Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. “DDT GOES LAS VEGAS!” is taking place on Friday, 18th April at 3pm local time. “DDT VS TJPW VS GCW” is taking place on Saturday, 19th April at 2pm local time.

Where can I watch it online?

Both “DDT GOES LAS VEGAS!” and “DDT VS TJPW VS GCW” will air live on Triller TV with English commentary through the TrillerTV+ subscription service. The on-demand versions of both shows will be available to watch on Wrestle Universe a few weeks after the live broadcast.

Is this a proper DDT show?

Ehhhhhhh…… There’s a lot missing. When it comes to expanding into the USA, CyberFight thinks Tokyo Joshi Pro has become the better bet. I don’t think you will get the full DDT experience compared to their shows in Japan or even their recent previous American shows. It will be entertaining and mostly looks unique compared to anything else happening this week but I can’t say this looks like a complete DDT experience. Maybe treat it as a sampler if this is your first time watching the product.

Look at it this way. I’m playing Promoter Mode on Fire Pro Wrestling and I’m trying to remake DDT. A lot of the roster I want too book isn’t unlocked yet and I spent so much money on the couple of star wrestlers I love that I have to make do with who’s available in the Freelance section to fill out the rest of the card. I might end up discovering some new wrestlers I like in the process but the whole package just never seems right. This show kind of feels like that. DDT is always open to becoming a mish-mash of different styles and philosophies which is probably why some of the matches here look like they could have been booked on some of the other prominent shows happening in Vegas.

Got any non-wrestling tips for visiting Las Vegas?

Every casino looks closer to each other than they appear so be prepared to walk a lot. Even in real life The Sphere looks like it is CGI’d into the background when you see it from a distance. I like Secret Pizza in The Cosmopolitan but would not rely on it at all for a full meal. Pin-Up Pizza on the strip is the same quality as Sbarro so only go near it if you really want the novelty of eating a gigantic slice. If you’re going to see Penn & Teller at the Rio Casino, get there early to get a close up look at an old timey magician’s stage while Penn plays jazz music with his band. You might also get to be part of an inside joke that happens during the show. Tape Face is a really fun show to loosen up at. BattleBots Destruct-A-Thon is enjoyable but a little too Medieval Times for my tastes. It is also closer to pro wrestling than some of the actual pro wrestling shows happening this week.

Will The Steiner Brothers be at the show?

No.

———————————————————————–


1. Yuni Vs Starboy Charlie

We open up with two heartthrobs in the making being pitted against each other. Yuni is part of NωA Jr. (New Wrestling Idol Jr.), a pop idol unit that’s been given the task by DDT to go and win a Best Newcomer category at a famous music awards ceremony by the end of the year. All three members of the group will be at this show so you may get a singing performance from them. Starboy Charlie isn’t singing yet but it might be in his future if The Crush Boys project he is involved in with Chigusa Nagayo ever decides to take the musical route. These two boys might just end up being two peas in a pod.

Yuni – See this 17 year old? Yuni made his pro wrestling debut at 8 years old when he and his mom convinced Sanshiro Takagi to let him try out for DDT. How did DDT get away with this at the time? Well it turns out the mom is a retired dancer from a popular idol group in the 90’s so the family is already in show business. Yay nepotism! Now fully ingrained in the business and at an age where DDT won’t get into trouble when he takes a bump, Yuni wants to live his dream of becoming a cool wrestler with loads of high flying moves in his arsenal.
Moves To Watch Out For: Phoenix Splash, Sky Twister Press, Moonault, Spinning Headscissors

Starboy Charlie – Currently making waves on the indies as one half of The Crush Boys with Titus Alexander. Charlie is more familiar with the other side of CyberFight where he has wrestled several tours in NOAH and once challenged for the GHC Jr. Heavyweight Title. Yes, he still wrestles in the denim dungarees. I still remember Jim Ross joking that the kid thinks he’s like Jerry Lawler in Memphis when he pulls the straps down.
Moves To Watch Out For: Shooting Star Press, Standing Corkscrew Moonsault, Kip Up into an Overhead Kick


2. 3 Way Tag Match: Daisuke Sasaki & Ilusion Vs Mizuki Watase & Shota Vs Dan The Dad & Kody Lane

A 3 Way Tag Match like this always looks like it’s thrown together but it makes a little bit of sense here. Two of the three teams are more likely to appear in Ganbare☆Pro rather than DDT. DAMNATION T.A is the odd one out although a previous version of the group did get into a feud with GanPro in 2017 that nearly put the promotion’s entire existence in jeopardy. Mizuki Watase has travelled to Las Vegas before and has gone through the problems such a trip would give anyone. Hopefully he’s better prepared this time. Dan The Dad & Kody Lane have toured in GanPro before so this isn’t unusual territory for them. They are also already an accomplished tag team called Home Cookin’.

Daisuke Sasaki – Here is the grimiest heel you’re ever going to find in DDT. Dirty, drunk and depressed, Daisuke Sasaki is the leader of DAMNATION T.A because this way of life is a “Total Addiction”. He has the talent to reach bigger heights and has achieved success in DDT but every time there is a setback it sends him tumbling back down into despair. Despite putting himself in a self-fulfilled cycle of destruction you can never really count him out of the running.
Moves To Watch Out For: Crossface Lock (sometimes set up with La Mistica), Crossover Face Lock (Gargano Escape), Sasaki-Style Hurricanrana, Diving Elbow Drop

Ilusion – This young masked wrestler started off his career leaning as a heel but showed traces of babyface behaviour when he wanted to join SCHADENFREUDE International. It all turned out to be a ruse he planned with DAMNATION T.A to betray his new friends and leave them with broken hearts. Now Ilusion is just a prick to everyone outside of DAMNATION T.A, flipping off his opponents and cheating like hell.
Moves To Watch Out For: Swanton Bomb, RE:VISION1 (Modified Angels Wings), Missile Dropkick, Giving everyone middle fingers

Mizuki Watase – A former comedian turned pro wrestler and he is freshly back from a ruptured Achilles tendon. He speedran his rehabilitation and made it back to the ring in only 4 months which sounds absolutely crazy when you think about it. He wants to make up for lost time which is why he is putting in four times the amount of effort needed.
Moves To Watch Out For: Venetian (Wrist-Clutch Michinoku Driver), Running Elbow Butt, Back Drop, Hanori Tiger Suplex

Shota – A reliable handyman both inside and out of the ring. Shota has spent the last few years working as a freelancer to do what’s best for himself after spending so many years putting other people in the business first. He still helps out from time to time and likes to wrestling across the indies scenes in both Japan and America. I’m under suspicion that he still helps out CyberFight as a talent scout of some sort from time to time.
Moves To Watch Out For: Gannosuke Clutch, Frog Splash, Sharpshooter

Dan The Dad – Your father’s favorite wrestler. He sometimes has to wrestle the match while drinking his morning cup of joe from his World’s No. 1 Dad mug. He also isn’t afraid to dish out punishment the old fashioned way by whipping the opponent’s behind with his belt. He got involved at last year’s DDT show in Philadelphia where his open challenge was answered by the psycho mascot Chiitan.
Moves To Watch Out For: Baby On Board (Backpack Stunner), You’re Grounded (rope draping Flatliner)

Kody Lane – Wherever Dan The Dad goes, “The Southern Flamingo” is never that far behind him. Although usually they just see each other all the time in Glory Pro anyway. The two travelled together to Japan for a GanPro tour two years ago and they are familar with each other either as partners or opponents. In the ring though Lane loves nothing more than to springboard or slingshot himself off of the ropes.
Moves To Watch Out For: Diving Senton to a bent over opponent, Jay Driller, Top Rope Springboard Moonsault, Waffle Stomp (Elevated Double Stomp to a bent over opponent in the corner)


3. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Nick Wayne, Shunma Katsumata & Kazuma Sumi Vs Gringo Loco, Marcus Mathers & Tyler Bateman

Not much to say here other than throw a few high flyers into the ring with a couple of bases and let them all do their thing. Nick Wayne is calling over from AEW to get some ring time before he heads over to New Japan for the summer. Shunma Katsumata & Kazuma Sumi are the other two members of NωA Jr. Maybe they can convince Wayne to be their fourth man. Gringo Loco, Marcus Mathers & Tyler Bateman are all going to try and ruin the other team’s day.

Nick Wayne – It’s been said before that Nick Wayne is a young wrestler who has the world at his feet. That’s all well and good but he really needs to get moving because maybe his father figure in AEW doesn’t have what’s best in mind for him. The son of the late Buddy Wayne toured with DDT in the past to get himself ready for his move to the big leagues. Now the next time he returns to Japan it will be for the Best Of The Super Jr tournament. There will come a day when Wayne is watching over the wrestling scene as a grizzled veteran with hundreds of matches under his belt while still only being in his mid twenties. But he needs to start making his moves sooner rather than later.
Moves To Watch Out For: Wayne’s World (Sprinboard Flying Cutter), Inverted Hurricanrana, Snap Dragon Suplex, Fisherman Suplex

Shunma Katsumata – Nobody in DDT loves saunas as much as this guy. Don’t let his hobby or his eternally youthful looks fool you though. Katsumata can get crazy violent whenever he wants even when his weapons of choice turn out to be Lego and party poppers. That kind of behaviour took its toll and put him on the shelf for a year. So when he came back he traded in the Lego for a microphone to become part of NωA Jr.
Moves To Watch Out For: ¡Hasta la vista! (Lightning Spiral), Totonou Splash (straight Diving Body Press), Aufguss (Diving Foot Stomp to a standing opponent)

Kazuma Sumi – Where does DDT find so many young wrestlers to train and debut quickly? Well the quiet part is they usually attract trainees who dropped out of other company dojos. Kazuma Sumi is one such example because he originally trained with Dragongate before bouncing over to DDT. One year after his debut he was taken under the wing of former DDT mainstay MIKAMI and adopted one of his most successful moves… the School Boy! There’s an alternate reality where he should be doing Swanton Bombs off of ladders instead but we don’t live in it.
Moves To Watch Out For: Lionsault, Standing Moonsault, School Boy

Gringo Loco – Do you need an opponent to be the yin to your high flyer’s yang? Then go get “The Base God”. Gringo Loco left his mark in DDT last November when he unexpectedly won the DDT Universal Title during a series of shows in Seattle. He defended the belt around North America a little bit before losing it once he actually had a title match in Japan. This match will be Loco’s return to DDT, doing what he does best.
Moves To Watch Out For: Base Bomb (Spinning Sit Down Power Bomb), Olympico Slam (Inverted Angle Slam), Gorilla Press Driver, Gringo Cutter

Marcus Mathers – It’s looking like Marcus Mathers is one of the early standouts among the WWE ID class. IWTV is also currently counting on him as their Independent World Wrestling Title. He made one previous appearance in DDT as part of GCW’s Japan tour last August. His big viral spot was crying crocodile tears with Maki Itoh during their match. That might not work here. The guy’s a pretty good spot monkey but that stuff doesn’t get over with WWE’s online fanbase unless it happens inside a WWE ring.
Moves To Watch Out For: 450 Splash, Cutter, Blue Thunder Bomb, 999 (Diamond Dust)

Tyler Bateman – Vegas is a familiar haunt for Tyler Bateman so you may see him a couple of times throughout the week, particularly in the Shooting Star Fest series of shows. He thinks pretty highly of himself and is often introduced as “The God Damn Man”. He finds his moments to strike when the opponent’s guard is down. The big move to watch out for is when he goes for Death From Above, a falling Forearm Smash he usually hits immediately after his opponent kicks out of a pin.
Moves To Watch Out For: Death From Above (Falling Forearm Smash to a grounded opponent), This Is A Kill (Tombstone Piledriver), Love Kill (Northern Lights Bomb)


4. Special Single Match: Antonio Honda Vs Santana Jackson

This is it! Antonio Honda’s love of classic American pop culture has brought forward the perfect opponent for him. Why is he Wanna Be Startin’ Something’ to get into a fight with a living, breathing Michael Jackson impersonator? It will be kind of like fighting The Man In The Mirror. If you think a match like this is going to be Bad then I advise you can go Beat It over to the concession stand…… Thriller.

Antonio Honda – He has almost two decades of experience under his belt while his knees behave like he’s gone through four. Antonio Honda went through several phases of an unlikely pro wrestling career, settling into this weird mix of tranquil slapstick with hints of Memphis wrestling hidden beneath. Honda is the poster child of high risk equals high failure because he injures his knee in a clumsy way in almost every match he’s in. The pain is so bad he threatens to retire every time unless he gets to tell the story of Gon The Little Fox, a child’s tale that he then turns into a filthy joke. But it’s all a ruse so he can poke people in the eyes while his hand is in the shape of Gon. Honda loves classic American pop culture too so DDT went and found him the perfect opponent for his visit to Vegas.
Moves To Watch Out For: Octopus Hold, Diving Fist Drop, Bionic Elbow, Gongitsune/Gon The Fox (makes a fox out of his hand, says a lewd joke and pokes people in either the eyes or the nipples).

Santana Jackson – How’s this for a double life? A Michael Jackson tribute act in Vegas who moonwalks moonlights as a pro wrestler with the same gimmick. Genius! Santana Jackson usually goes viral for doing Moonwalk DDTs or replicating the baby balcony spot in Hardcore Matches. Think of an MJ cliche and he’s probably done it in the ring. Honda is going to have the time of his life against this guy. Although believe it or not, Santana is not the first Michael Jackson impersonator to wrestle in DDT. Someone by the name of Michael Okamoto beat him to the punch around 17 years ago.
Moves To Watch Out For: Sleepwalk DDT, King Of Pop Elbow Drop, Rope Walk Arm Drag, Dancing like Michael Jackson


5. Special Single Match: Shinya Aoki Vs Timothy Thatcher

Are we sure this wasn’t meant to be booked for Bloodsport? I mean are we really, really sure? Okay then. DDT has somehow become the pro wrestling home for MMA fighter Shinya Aoki. He certainly made the most of it so far. His opponent is someone you couldn’t find in DDT at all yet is still a fitting match for him. If Timothy Thatcher is going to feel a thrill from going hold to hold against Aoki, we’re not going to see it on his face. He’s there to win or accept total defeat from trying.

Shinya Aoki – If you were never around for even the immediate post-glory years of Japanese MMA then you missed a magical time. Shinya Aoki played a role in it as this little asshole who would come out to the Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo theme song and then rip his opponents apart with submission holds. It was wonderful. He unexpectedly turned to DDT in 2018 and gradually made himself at home by winning several championships including DDT’s main belt, the KO-D Openweight Title. Thankfully for everybody and their arms his personality had mellowed out by then and he has found wrestlers to get along with. His skills on the mat are still unmatched to this day and his mind for fighting is his most valuable weapon. Even his biggest doubters in wrestling couldn’t help but be impressed to see him develop the humble little Full Nelson Hold into a nigh-on unbreakable pinning manoeuvre.
Moves To Watch Out For: Sleeper Hold, Full Nelson Hold, European Clutch, Topé Suicida

Timothy Thatcher – In Europe he was once the housewive’s favourite but nowadays you can find him tangling with WWE ID recruits. No nonsense to a fault, Timothy Thatcher takes to the mat like no one else and braces for his opponent’s strikes the same way a brick wall would. You may think DDT would be the most uncharacteristic place for a guy like Thatcher to wrestle in but the company has always embraced wrestlers with catch style or MMA related backgrounds. It goes all the way back to their very beginning with the late Koichiro Kimura. So there’s sort of a legacy he can fit into.
Moves To Watch Out For: Fujiwara Armbar, Butterfly Suplex, Enzuigiri, European Uppercut


6. Special Single Match: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA Vs MAO

Nothing is stopping the Konosuke Takeshita hype train! The man has been on a roll lately and he may not be done just yet. He has some old business to deal with back in DDT where he tests how much his former allies in The 37KAMIINA have grown without him. MAO has certainly found ways to progress up the card and make himself feel a level above what he was before. But he might be in for a rude awakening if Takeshita doesn’t budge to his antics anymore.

Konosuke Takeshita – No matter where his career in AEW and now New Japan will take him, Takeshita will always have a home in DDT. He is gradually taking over the wrestling world while holding contracts with those three companies. Once he was part of a unit of sauna loving wrestlers called The 37KAMIINA until he left to chase his biggest dreams. That journey so far has evolved him into “The Alpha” you see today. He has done everything there is to do in DDT and only comes back to fight opponents he wants to fight. So you know this match matters to him when you see who his opponent is.
Moves To Watch Out For: Raging Fire (Spinning Falcon Arrow), Powerdrive Knee/Wagamama (V-Trigger style Knee Strike), German Suplex, Blue Thunder Bomb, Takeshita Line (Leaping Clothesline from the ropes)

MAO – Lives by the motto “Fucked up wrestling for a fucked up world!” so you can’t say he’s out of place in 2025. He was scouted by DDT as a teenager when they found his Youtube videos of him doing wrestling moves at home and outdoors. Just like Takeshita, MAO was part of The 37KAMIINA but very recently decided to leave the unit to move in a fresh direction. He has been immature for his entire career but in recent times developed an unshakeable confidence in his abilities and wrestling philosophy. MAO feels at his most alive during Falls Count Anywhere style situations. Putting him in an environment like Las Vegas is just asking for trouble.
Moves To Watch Out For: Iai Kick (Powerful Thrust Kick), Cannonball 450 (450 Splash), Michinoku Driver, Whirlwind Kick


7. wXw Unified World Wrestling Title: 1 Called Manders (c) Vs Yukio Naya

All of a sudden we’ve got an extra title match on our hands! Straight from Germany the wXW Unified World Wrestling Title will be defended in Las Vegas a few times this week. If all goes to plan, 1 Called Manders will put the belt on the line against his scheduled DDT opponent Yukio Naya. Manders is having a breakthrough year, one that I can’t help but wonder if Naya could have gotten in the past if things had turned out differently for him.

1 Called Manders – Previously known for being part of The Second Gear Crew in GCW and the surrounding indies, Manders went his own way and his hard work over the last few years is now paying off. His feud on the indies with Mad Dog Connelly consisting of Dog Collar and Texas Bull Ropes matches found its audience and received great acclaim online. Then a lengthy trek to Europe this year rewarded him with more success, particularly in Germany where he won the fabled 16 Carat Gold tournament and soon after that took the vacant wXw Title. He’s your man if you like your wrestling to be hard hitting with a bit of grit.
Moves To Watch Out For: Lariat, Stampede Slam, Chops

Yukio Naya – The Heavyweight division is something DDT has been trying to boost up for the last few years. Yukio Naya is someone they’ve had high hopes for in the past due to his lineage coming from a famous family of sumo wrestlers. His grandfather was the 48th yokozuna, his father was kicked out of the sport in disgrace and his three younger brothers are all currently active up and down the divisions. Sumo was never the road that Naya wanted to take though and instead he was directed towards pro wrestling by Satoru Sayama. Development was slow but when DDT became his home he eventually started to piece things together. He is in no way a finished product but through sheer determination it may someday finally all click into place for him. Watch out if he does because he can run you over easy.
Moves To Watch Out For: The World’s Best Back Drop, Choke Slam, Knee Lift


8. DDT Universal Title: Minoru Suzuki (c) Vs Yoshihiko

There’s going to be a few bruised egos in Vegas this week over a sex doll getting more bookings than some of the wrestlers coming to town. I’m not even making a crass joke at someone’s expense, Yoshihiko really has a couple of non-DDT matches going on as well as possibly getting the main event of this show! It is facing the one man who isn’t playing along with the joke though. Minoru Suzuki currently holds the DDT Universal Title and wants to travel the world defending it against all comers. So a sex doll suddenly appearing nearby wherever he goes is just an unfunny prank to him that is better off ignoring. With that being said have you seen what Suzuki’s schedule for this week looks like? This genuinely will end up being one of the more entertaining matches. Yoshihiko just needs to figure out how to make its dark power have an effect on Suzuki even a little bit. It’s almost as if it’s just an inanimate object…

Minoru Suzuki – The “Pirate King” of pro wrestling recently returned to DDT when Yuki Ueno used the Universal Title as a piece of treasure to lure him into a match. Ueno’s plan backfired spectacularly and now Suzuki holds DDT’s second most important championship. Since it is an international title, Suzuki now comes to America looking for anyone brave enough to challenge him. He has seen it all in his travels across the wrestling world but even he cannot believe who was first to answer his call. He’s going to show up to the event expecting to fight somebody because he isn’t buying that he’ll be headlining a wrestling show against a Dutch Wife.
Moves To Watch Out For: Gotch-Style Piledriver, Rear Naked Choke, Heel Hook, Slaps

Yoshihiko – The Grave Digger Doll From Hell has been a mysterious force in DDT for almost two decades now. It first showed up as the brother of Muscle Sakai, constantly replacing him in matches whenever Sakai suffered gun-related injuries backstage (it’s a long story). Yoshihiko vanished after that only to reappear years later as Danshoku Dieno’s surprise tag team partner. Over time the doll’s powers have only gotten stronger. It gained the ability to transform into powerful wrestlers such as The Great Muta, The Undertaker and Hulk Hogan. You can rip it limb from limb and it will survive. You can drive over it with a car and it will survive. You can throw it off a building and it will survive. To fight Yoshihiko is almost like fighting yourself. Only then can you discover your true talent as a pro wrestler.
Moves To Watch Out For: Reincarnation (multiple rotations into a Hurricanrana), Canadian Destroyer, Yoshihiko Destroyer (multiple Canadian Destroyers in a row)

———————————————————————–


DDT/TOKYO JOSHI PRO/GCW “DDT VS TJPW VS GCW”, 19/04/2025
Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

1. Mizuki, Hyper Misao, Yuki Aino, Raku & Pom Harajuku Vs Miu Watanabe, Suzume, Arisu Endo, Yuki Arai & Shino Suzuki
2. Yuki Kamifuku & Wakana Uehara Vs Brooke Havok & Sandra Moone
3. Rika Tatsumi & Antonio Honda Vs Kidd Bandit & Shota
4. 3 Way Match: MAO & Yoshihiko Vs Jimmy Lloyd & Alec Price Vs Jack Cartwheel & Kazuma Sumi
5. Special Tag Match: 1 Called Manders & Maki Itoh Vs Yukio Naya & Microman
6. Special Tag Match: Mance Warner & Shunma Katsumata Vs John Wayne Murdoch & Matt Tremont
7. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Daisuke Sasaki, Ilusion & Dark Sheik Vs Super Crazy, Marcus Mathers & Shoko Nakajima
8. Special Tag Match: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA & Masha Slamovich Vs Shinya Aoki & Miyu Yamashita

I made the Fire Pro comparison earlier but holy hell does this card look like I random selected everything on my save. Now don’t get me wrong, the lineup we have so far is so nutty looking that I’m looking forward to it. This isn’t even the full line up yet. Out of all the shows happening this week this may end up being the one with the most amount of never seen before and never seen again matches ever. I can’t do a proper preview of this justice so just join me in confusion at the sight of Super Crazy and Shoko Nakajima are doing double team moves together, Manders punting Microman into the third row and Yoshihiko taking Jack Cartwheel’s WWE ID deal away from him.

———————————————————————–

There will be other chances to see a few DDT wrestlers in action across Philadelphia that week. Mainly MAO. You are going to get a lot of MAO. Yoshihiko is in demand quite a bit too.


PANDEMONIUM PRO “THE HOUSE ALWAYS WINS”, 17/04/2025
Fremont Country Club, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

1. Masha Slamovich Vs MAO

MAO is taking on the crazy schedule of wrestling 8 matches in just over 48 hours. He first match of the trip at Pandemonium Pro is already putting the pedal to the metal because his opponent is Masha Slamovich! The woman is one of the toughest people you will find in either TNA or GCW and just the kind of person who likes to match crazy with crazy.


CIRCLE 6 “MAYHEM AT THE MUSEUM”, 17/04/2025
The Punk Rock Museum, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

1. Bestia 666 Vs MAO

Around the same time MAO is fighting Slamovich he also has a match with Bestia 666 at a Circle 6 show. They’re only like a 10 minute drive away from each other so which will happen first?


WEST COAST PRO “VEGAS VACATION”, 17/04/2025
Meet Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

1. MAO Vs Jiah Jewell

Forget about LSU Vs Ole Miss. Louisiana Vs Osaka? Now there’s a real sports rivalry! Although I can’t find Modesto on the map of Louisiana and any cajun I ask tells me the only place I’ll find a Modesto over there would be in the craft beer aisle. Jiah Jewell is another crazy opponent for MAO to fight.


GCW “JOSH BARNETT’S BLOODSPORT XIII”, 17/04/2025
Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

1. Charlie Dempsey Vs Shinya Aoki

Look, I’m not saying I want to see Aoki break Charlie Dempsey’s arm and flip him off afterwards. It’s just that if you’re going to call this Bloodsport then give us a bloodsport. Dempsey’s dad would understand that.


BZW “VIVA LAS VEGAS”, 17/04/2025
Swan Dive, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

1. BZW Tag Team Titles: MAO & Yoshihiko (c) Vs Marcus Mathers & Alec Price

If you haven’t heard, MAO & Yoshihiko have a side story going on where they are the tag team champions of Banger Zone Wrestling in France and Belgium. BZW are among the more obscure wrestling companies that decided to run a show in Vegas this year but at least they’re taking a good swing at it. The champs were originally meant to face The Gahbage Daddies for the belts but Cole Radrick is unfortunately out of action. Alec Price was able to get Marcus Mathers in as a substitute so wacky times are still a go-go.


PRIDESTYLE “OUT OF THIS WORLD”, 18/04/2025
Swan Dive, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

0. Yoshihiko’s Super Special Open Challenge: Yoshihiko Vs X
1. G-Sharpe Vs MAO

MAO is also taking in favours from the Nevada based promotions during the week. There is a heel unit in PrideStyle named The Cartel de Los Villanos who have called MAO in to deal with one of their enemies G-Sharpe. While that is going on, Yoshihiko will also be there on the pre-show looking to put out an open challenge.


GRAPHOUSE “FOR VEGAS, BY VEGAS”, 18/04/2025
Fergusons Downtown, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

1. Lazarus Vs MAO

By the looks of things MAO ends his run of Vegas shows with one of the local promotions called GrapHouse. His opponent Lazarus is being advertised as the W4TN Champion but I’m not sure if the title will be on the line. Lazarus is also nicknamed “The Cannibal Cryptid”. Sounds about right. Also I think the venue is near Fremont Street so MAO should find a way to do a Moonsault off of Vegas Vic.


GCW “CLUSTERF*CK FOREVER”, 19/04/2025
Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

1. Clusterfuck Match: Yoshihiko Vs X

Almost anyone and anything could show up at GCW’s annual Clusterfuck match that usually draws the non-WWE side of the week to a close. Yoshihiko has been confirmed to take part in the match for a second year in a row. Last year it made it all the way to the final three. Former TJPW wrestler Sayaka Unagi is also being advertised to take part. Can you imagine the kind of eye opening things Unagi would do in Vegas?


Sudden KO-D Tag Titles Match, Strange Love Connection, Making Kanda Myojin As Exciting As Las Vegas

April 7, 2025

I’ll write more about this in next week’s DDT Around The World article but congratulations go out to Shoko Nakajima for winning the MLW Women’s World Featherweight Championship in America on Saturday! That’s the good news. The bad news is her and HIMAWARI are currently stranded in America because according to their tweets their flight home was delayed for half a day and then cancelled. Hopefully that gets sorted out quickly.

DDT “D GENERATIONS 1”, 08/04/2025
Tokyo Ueno Park Outdoor Stage

1. Oji Shiiba Vs Yuni
2. Special Single Match: Daichi Kazato Vs Keigo Nakamura
3. Munetatsu Nakamura & Ali Najima Vs Takeshi Masada & Yuki Ishida
4. Special Tag Match: Soma Takao & Shota Vs Yuya Koroku & Kazuma Sumi
5. Special Single Match: Shigehiro Irie Vs Daichi Sato
6. Special Single Match: Keisuke Ishii Vs To-y

There will be a press conference involving Keigo Nakamura taking place during tomorrow’s show. He hinted it will be about a big challenge he wants to take on and he would like to talk about it in front of his supporters.

M&A “SANSHIRO TAKAGI 30TH ANNIVERSARY PROJECT ~MATCHMAKE & AGENT~”, 09/04/2025
Tokyo Ueno Park Outdoor Stage

1. Shota Vs Mikiya Sasaki
2. 3 Minutes Impact: Shigehiro Irie Vs Ryoma Tsukamoto
3. Special Tag Match: Yumiko Hotta & Miku Kanae Vs Mio Shirai & Saran
4. Special Single Match: Jun Kasai Vs Maki Itoh
5. Special Tag Match: Yuji Nagata & Kuroshio TOKYO Japan Vs Brahman Shu & Brahman Kei
6. Special Single Match: Andreza Giant Panda Vs Poison Sawada JULIE
7. KO-D Tag Team Titles: Fuminori Abe & Takuya Nomura (c) Vs Hikaru Sato & Ippanjin Munenori Sawa

After getting through their first KO-D Tag Team Titles defence, Fuminori Abe & Takuya Nomura decided their goal as champions is to break the record for most defences. The current record is 12 wins as held by Sanshiro Takagi & Munenori Sawa. Knowing it is a long road ahead, Astronauts quickly came up with the idea to put the titles on the line in their next match which just so happens to be against the SEX-MEN of Sawa & Hikaru Sato on a show that Takagi is booking.

DDT “MENTAI WARS”, 12/04/2025
Fukuoka Nishitetsu Hall

1. Kazuma Sumi Vs Ilusion
2. Jun Akiyama, Yuya Koroku & Daichi Sato Vs Kazusada Higuchi, Soma Takao & Yukio Naya
3. HARASHIMA, Azul Dragon & Kazuki Hirata Vs Toru Owashi, Akito & Yuki Ishida
4. Special Single Match: Hideki Okatani Vs Keigo Nakamura
5. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Chris Brookes, Danshoku Dieno & Takeshi Masada Vs Yuki Ueno, Shunma Katsumata & To-y
6. Special Tag Match: Daisuke Sasaki & MJ Paul Vs MAO & KANON

A new alliance has been formed in DDT. It turns out MAO has been wanting to team up with KANON for quite some time and now is the time for them to join forces like some sort of Strange Love Connection. They’re going straight for the enemy because their first opponents as a tag team is against Daisuke Sasaki & MJ Paul from DAMNATION T.A.

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “KANDA MYOJON CULTURAL EXCHANGE CENTER PRESENTS THIS IS JAPAN”, 19/04/2025
Tokyo Kanda Myojin Hall

1. International Princess Title Next Challenger Tournament: HIMAWARI Vs Toga Vs Haru Kazashiro Vs Mifu Ashida Vs Kira Summer Vs Chika Nanase Vs Uta Takami Vs Ivy Steele
1a. Round 1: X, X, X & X Vs X, X, X & X
1b. Round 2: X & X Vs X & X
1c. Final: X Vs X

One day after the International Princess Title is being defended in America, the next No. 1 Contender will be decided back in Japan. An unusual tournament format will be used in a series of matches between wrestlers from the 2023 and 2024 classes. The first match will be an 8-Woman Tag Match with the two teams randomly selected by lottery. The winning team will move onto the next round where they will randomly split into two teams for a regular tag team match. The winning team from that will reach the final where the two remaining wrestlers face each other to become the No. 1 Contender. The date of the winner’s title shot depends on the result of the Suzume Vs Jada Stone title match happening in Las Vegas.

DDT “KANDA MYOJON CULTURAL EXCHANGE CENTER PRESENTS LAS VEGAS SERIES ~JITSUGETSU~”, 19/04/2025
Tokyo Kanda Myojin Hall

1. Yuki Ueno & To-y Vs Danshoku Dieno & Soma Takao
2. Special Tag Match: Chris Brookes & Takeshi Masada Vs HARASHIMA & Daichi Sato
3. DDT Extreme Title: Super Sasadango Machine (c) Vs Kazuki Hirata

The card for DDT’s show in Japan during the American trip is starting to take up shape. Super Sasadango Machine’s has his first DDT Extreme Title defence coming up and Kazuki Hirata is the challenger.

The voice actor Tetsu Inada will be attending both shows in Japan that weekend as an ambassador. He doesn’t know what that role entails but he will do whatever it takes to make Kanda Myojin just as exciting as Las Vegas for a weekend!

DDT “KANDA MYOJON CULTURAL EXCHANGE CENTER PRESENTS LAS VEGAS SERIES ~NESHIN~”, 20/04/2025
Tokyo Kanda Myojin Hall

1. Twilight Rouge Cup Battle Royal: X Vs X

The second show will feature the voice actress Sumire Uesaka as a special guest. She will be there to promote her pop-up café called Twilight Rouge. As part of the collaboration, the café is sponsoring a battle royal on the show.

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TJPW SPRING TOUR 2025 IN SAPPORO”, 26/04/2025
Hokkaido Sapporo Sun Plaza

1. Mizuki, Suzume & Arisu Endo Vs Miu Watanabe, Yuki Arai & Moka Miyamoto

It’s been six years since Tokyo Joshi Pro last held a show in Sapporo.

DDT “DRAMATIC DREAMS! VOL. 12 ~GIVE IT TO THE CLOUDS THE MOUNTAIN CUCKOO~”, 17/05/2025
Osaka City Sumiyoshi Civic Center

1. Special 6-Man Tag Match ~Laughter Leads To Hell~: Kuishinbo Kamen, Shunma Katsumata & Ram Kaichow Vs Kikutaro, Antonio Honda & No Name

Konosuke Takeshita will be at the show.

DDT “KING OF DDT 2025 FINAL!!”, 25/05/2025
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. King Of DDT 2025 – Semi Final: X Vs X
2. King Of DDT 2025 – Semi Final: X Vs X
3. Special Single Match: Minoru Suzuki Vs Danshoku Dieno
4. King Of DDT 2025 – Final: X Vs X

Who knew that one of Danshoku Dieno’s biggest desires was to get into the fight of his life against Minoru Suzuki? The two of them fought to a double countout in yesterday’s tag match after Suzuki demanded Dieno to take things seriously. Dieno is willing to do that and completely drop his Danshoku moveset in order to get a singles match against Suzuki. For the moment this match has nothing to do with Suzuki’s DDT Universal Title. We’ll have to wait and see how his match with Yoshihiko goes in Vegas.


DDT “CHANGE AGE 2025 ~YOUR LIE IN APRIL~” Results

April 6, 2025

DDT “CHANGE AGE 2025 ~YOUR LIE IN APRIL~”, 06/04/2025
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
??? Fans – Unannounced

0. Dark Match: MJ Paul & Ilusion defeated Toru Owashi & Antonio Honda when Ilusion pinned Honda with the Swanton Bomb (7:30).
1. Naomi Yoshimura’s Return Match: Kazusada Higuchi, Naomi Yoshimura, Ryota Nakatsu & Yuki Ishida defeated Yukio Naya, To-y, Takeshi Masada & JJ Furno when Higuchi pinned Furno with the Claw Slam (8:26).
2. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Shunma Katsumata, Yuni & Kazuma Sumi defeated MAO, Kazuki Hirata & Kumadori when Katsumata pinned Hirata with an Inside Cradle (9:53).
3. Special Single Match: Jun Akiyama defeated Daichi Sato with the Exploder Suplex (11:03).
4. 2 Vs 1 Special Handicap Match: Daisuke Sasaki & Hideki Okatani defeated KANON when Okatani pinned KANON with a Vertical Drop Brainbuster (11:55).
5. Special Tag Match: Minoru Suzuki & Yuki Ueno Vs HARASHIMA & Danshoku Dieno ended in a Double Countout (13:29).
6. KO-D Tag Team Titles: Fuminori Abe & Takuya Nomura (c) defeated Shinya Aoki & Keigo Nakamura when Abe pinned Nakamura with the O-Manji Clutch (11:46).
*V1 for Astronauts.
7. KO-D Openweight Title: Chris Brookes (c) defeated Yuya Koroku with the Praying Mantis Bomb (23:38).
*V4 for Chris Brookes.

Today was Yuya Koroku’s big chance to step up and prove to Chris Brookes that he is not a generic Tetsuya Endo but the man who will lead DDT’s new generation. He didn’t have Brookes’s respect at the start though. Brookes threw a chair at him to stop a dive and targeted the leg to keep him grounded. When Koroku found an opening to go on the attack he went after Brookes’s arm. However the damage done to his leg came back to haunt him when he did the Sky Twister Press and was slow enough to go for the cover that Brookes could kick out of it. The frustration got to Koroku and he shouted “I am not Endo”, leaving his guard down for Brookes to slap him senseless. From there Brookes did the Somato but Koroku kicked out at one. Brookes then stunned Koroku with a Buzzsaw Kick and pinned him with the Praying Mantis Bomb to retain the KO-D Openweight Title.

After the match Brookes finally paid Koroku some respect. He spent all this time badmouthing him but admitted today was fun. Now Brookes is looking forward to winning this year’s King Of DDT so he can choose his next challenger for the KO-D Title. He celebrated the win by sharing drinks with Antonio Honda & Takeshi Honda. They brought a spare can into the ring for the injured Masahiro Takanashi. Backstage the three of them wondered what could happen if the King Of DDT final is between two wrestlers from SCHADENFREUDE International? Meanwhile Koroku said he has learned something from this period of his career. Between this title match and getting to wrestle in New Japan a few days ago, he realized he can’t think of himself as a junior wrestler forever. Today he fought to the end believing in the wrestling he loves. He promises he will come back to this stage and win the KO-D Title.

A tough challenge was given to Astronauts for their first KO-D Tag Team Titles defence. Shinya Aoki & Keigo Nakamura has been working well together as a teacher and student pairing. They also matched the champions strike for strike, hold for hold. There was a moment where Fuminori Abe put Nakamura in the Manjigatame so Aoki did the same to Takuya Nomura. The two then had a strike exchange while still applying the submission holds on the others. Aoki & Nakamura got the upper hand by giving Astronauts stereo Piledrivers. But when Nakamura went to finish Abe off with the Full Nelson Hold, Abe countered it into the O-Manjigatame and modified the submission into a cradle to pin Nakamura for the three count. Astronauts now want to break the record for most KO-D Tag Title defences but found out the current record is held by Sanshiro Takagi & Munenori Sawa at 12 wins. Astronauts just so happen to have a tag match against Sawa & Hikaru Sato (together known as SEX-MEN) coming up at Takagi’s MatchMake & Agent show on Wednesday so they now want to make it a title match!

It’s not often when Minoru Suzuki meets his match in the wrestling ring. It’s even more weird when the person he’s in a stalemate with is Danshoku Dieno! Suzuki did not want to deal with Dieno’s usual shenanigans during their tag match. He asked Dieno if he wants to do the same stuff he’s been doing for 20 years or if he wants to fight? Dieno took Suzuki’s comments to heart and decided to pull his tights back up in order to give Suzuki the serious fight he’s been asking for. The two of them tangled themselves into dueling Leg Locks that rolled them out of the ring. They brawled up among the fans while HARASHIMA and Yuki Ueno fought each other by the stage. As the referee was reaching the 20 count, HARASHIMA & Ueno rushed back into the ring. However neither of them were the legal man meaning Dieno and Suzuki got each other counted out for a draw!

Both were still hurting from the fight when they got back into the ring. Dieno straight up told Suzuki he wants to keep fighting so he challenged him to a singles match. Suzuki wanted to know what is with this company when they’re first putting him in a match against a doll and now in a match with Dieno? At least he enjoys teaming with Ueno and would be happy to keep doing that. He can’t tell if Dieno is serious because fighting Suzuki one on one means it is a fight to the death! Dieno understands that and is willing to throw away the Danshoku moveset so he can have a match with Suzuki. Hisaya Imabayashi agreed to book it for 25th May. Dieno then had a close staredown with Suzuki and resisted the temptation to give him the Lip Lock. Then when Suzuki left the ring Yoshihiko appeared from the balcony and lowered itself down to the entrance aisle. Suzuki no sold it and pushed Yoshihiko aside as he walked back to the locker room.

KANON showed up for his Handicap Match against DAMNATION T.A in new ring gear to show he is now fully separated from the unit. Hideki Okatani also had new gear for his comeback match but that was to show he has fully embraced becoming DAMNATION T.A’s newest member. The match was supposed to be just KANON fighting both Okatani & Daisuke Sasaki but the other DAMNATION T.A members unsurprisingly got involved. MJ Paul and Ilusion did what they could to interfere while Sasaki distracted the referee. KANON put up a valiant fight until Sasaki hit him with a chair and Okatani pinned him with a Vertical Drop Brainbuster.

After the match Sasaki said KANON is no longer of any interest to them but Okatani wanted to give him one last finishing blow. KANON blocked Okatani’s chair attack but couldn’t fight back against the numbers. Suddenly a mystery person looking like Kyonin Shihan from IWA Japan ran into the ring and cleared DAMNATION T.A out of it. The person then turned to KANON and offered to help him stand back up. He then removed his disguise to reveal he is MAO! KANON accepted his help and the two left ringside together. Backstage MAO explained that KANON is not an unwanted child because MAO needs him. He always wanted them to team up because KANON is the only one he feels can help him turn DDT upside down in one go. KANON noted that MAO has a busy schedule coming up so while MAO is away, KANON promises he will become somebody worthy enough to be by his side. MAO said they can spread a Strange Love Connection across wrestling. KANON misunderstood and said he only knows “Bad Communication”…

Young Daichi Sato is now DDT’s latest signing so leave it up to Jun Akiyama to try and kill him on his first day. Akiyama gave him a Piledriver, threw him into the corner post, hit him with Knee Strikes including one with the kneepad pulled down and also made contact with a Headbutt. Sato got to show how tough he is to kick out of pins and fight back with Middle Kicks but Akiyama eventually put him down with the Exploder Suplex. He encouraged Sato to get back up under his own power after the match. Sato did so and hit Akiyama with an Elbow Strike. Akiyama ignored it and walked off. He told reporters backstage that Sato needs to build up more stamina because if he can throw a Forearm Strike after the match then he should have done it during the match. Sato admits he was no match against Akiyama but he wants to grow in DDT and become a wrestler who will surpass Akiyama.

The masked dancer Kumadori returned to DDT for his second ever wrestling match. He had to deal with NωA Jr. who felt his abilities were overshadowing their own musical talent. Kazuki Hirata was on Kumadori’s team but put forth such a weak performance he came close to costing his team the win on several occasions. But when Shunma Katsumata declared that the era of TOKYO GO! is over, Hirata found it in himself to fight back with the power of dance. Yuni & Kazuma Sumi joined Katsumata for a singalong but that was countered by MAO & Kumadori joining in with Hirata’s dancing. A dance battle broke out between the two teams and Katsumata succeeded in pinning Hirata with an Inside Cradle for the victory.

After the match Katsumata signaled to Kumadori that he wants to wrestle him again. He then announced that NωA Jr.’s second single called “Oshi Towel de Blow Off Lucha♪” will be released on 6th May. Suddenly Sanshiro Takagi came out and told NωA Jr. the harsh reality. They made 10,000 copies of their first single and only sold 800 of them. The reason for that is because the unit does not have a clear goal. Takagi came up with a solution because he wants to see NωA Jr. win the New Artist Award at the next Japan Record Awards. So Takagi booked an NωA Jr. at Shinjuku Loft on 23rd December and their goal is to sell it out!

All of Harimao were reunited for Naomi Yoshimura’s long awaited return from injury. Yukio Naya wasted no time in calling Yoshimura to start the match against him. To-y was eager to get “T! O! Y!” chants going but Ryota Nakatsu wanted to replace it with “N! K! T!” chants. Takeshi Masada Power Bombed Yuki Ishida into the turnbuckles but was thrown aside by Yoshimura with the Harai Goshi. JJ Furno came close to winning when he hit the Firebird Splash on Kazusada Higuchi but the count was broken up by the rest of Harimao. Higuchi then caught Furno on a dive and gave him the Claw Slam for the finish. It was as good a result that Harimao could ask for because Yoshimura is back and Higuchi got his first direct win since returning too. Yoshimura said his goal is to help Harimao in both DDT and BASARA. This match was Furno’s last appearance in DDT for this tour. He is sure this isn’t the end of him coming here. He says next time he comes to DDT he won’t be coming alone.

In the dark match Toru Owashi wanted to show off his lucha skills against DAMNATION T.A. Honda tried to use the power of love by forming a heart with Owashi using their hands. Paul & Ilusion attacked them only to almost embrace with each other. Honda’s plan didn’t work in the end. Instead Paul & Ilusion squashed him with a Double Body Press and Ilusion went on to pin him with the Swanton Bomb.

The show ended with the King Of DDT 1st Round matches begin announced. The matches taking place on 6th May are Antonio Honda Vs Yuki Ueno, Daisuke Sasaki Vs Akito, KANON Vs Shunma Katsumata, Yukio Naya Vs Daichi Sato, Hideki Okatani Vs To-y, Chris Brookes Vs HARASHIMA, Takeshi Masada Vs Yuya Koroku and Shinya Aoki Vs Kazusada Higuchi.


Too Many Shows To List This Weekend, Kong Enters Seafood Vs Meat War, Vegas Updates

March 28, 2025

DDT “WEDDING HALL PRO WRESTLING SPRING FESTIVAL IN SENTIR LA SAISON GIFU”, 30/03/2025
Gifu Sentir la Saison

1. Daisuke Sasaki, MJ Paul & Ilusion Vs JJ Furno, Yuni & Keigo Nakamura
2. Yuya Koroku Vs Yuki Ishida
3. Special 6-Man Tag Match: MAO, Jun Akiyama & Yukio Naya Vs Kazusada Higuchi, Toru Owashi & Kazuma Sumi
4. SCHADENFREUDE International Vs The 37KAMIINA!: Chris Brookes, Antonio Honda & Takeshi Masada Vs Yuki Ueno, Shunma Katsumata & To-y

There are so many shows happening this weekend it would take up too much space to include the ones that haven’t been changed going into it. One of the wedding shows on Sunday now has its match order confirmed. This will also be the first match The 37KAMIINA having after MAO leaves the unit tomorrow.

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TJPW SPRING TOUR 2025 IN HIROSHIMA”, 05/04/2025
Hiroshima Industrial Hall

1. Kaya Toribami Vs Uta Takami
2. Yuki Aino, Raku & Pom Harajuku Vs Mahiro Kiryu, Moka Miyamoto & Chika Nanase
3. Rika Tatsumi Vs Mifu Ashida
4. Miu Watanabe, Haru Kazashiro & Toga Vs Yuki Kamifuku, Kira Summer & Ivy Steele
5. Hyper Misao & Haruna Neko Vs Suzume & Arisu Endo
6. Miyu Yamashita Vs Yoshiko Hasegawa
7. Mizuki & Wakana Uehara Vs Maki Itoh & Shino Suzuki

The cards for Tokyo Joshi Pro’s first weekend of shows in April were announced before Yoshiko Hasegawa’s announcement but they seem to be more fitting now in hindsight. Hasegawa wants to wrestle everybody on the TJPW roster before she retires and this match here with Miyu Yamashita will be a first time singles match between the two.

Both Shoko Nakajima and HIMAWARI will be missing the two shows because they will be wrestling in America for MLW that weekend.

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TJPW SPRING TOUR 2025 IN FUKUOKA”, 06/04/2025
Acros Fukuoka

1. 3 Way Match: Raku Vs Kaya Toribami Vs Shino Suzuki
2. Moka Miyamoto Vs Mifu Ashida
3. Mahiro Kiryu & Haruna Neko Vs Yoshiko Hasegawa & Chika Nanase
4. Rika Tatsumi & Toga Vs Kira Summer & Ivy Steele
5. Suzume & Arisu Endo Vs Miu Watanabe & Uta Takami
6. Mizuki & Aja Kong Vs Hyper Misao & Pom Harajuku
7. Miyu Yamashita, Yuki Aino & Haru Kazashiro Vs Maki Itoh, Yuki Kamifuku & Wakana Uehara

The homecoming show for Yamashita and Maki Itoh has turned slightly bitter now that 121000000 have disbanded. The two of them will be on opposite sides of a 6-Woman Tag Match in the main event.

Aja Kong comes along to team up with Mizuki. Eh, I think Hyper Misao & Pom Harajuku can handle them.

DDT “MENTAI WARS”, 12/04/2025
Fukuoka Nishitetsu Hall

1. Kazuma Sumi Vs Ilusion
2. HARASHIMA, Azul Dragon & Kazuki Hirata Vs MAO, Toru Owashi & Akito
3. Jun Akiyama, Yuya Koroku & Daichi Sato Vs Kazusada Higuchi, Soma Takao & Yukio Naya
4. Special Tag Match: Daisuke Sasaki & MJ Paul Vs KANON & Yuki Ishida
5. Special Single Match: Hideki Okatani Vs Keigo Nakamura
6. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Chris Brookes, Danshoku Dieno & Takeshi Masada Vs Yuki Ueno, Shunma Katsumata & To-y

Does Hideki Okatani have any grief with the other wrestlers from his generation? He’s only been dealing with KANON so far although he hasn’t properly come back to action yet.

DDT “U1 CLIMAX EEL LOVING WRESTLERS BOX OFFICE”, 13/04/2025
“Unagi no Eki” Special Venue, Shibushi City, Kagoshima

1. KANON Vs Keigo Nakamura
2. Jun Akiyama & Yukio Naya, Vs Kazusada Higuchi & Yuki Ishida
3. Daisuke Sasaki, MJ Paul, Hideki Okatani & Ilusion Vs MAO, Kazuki Hirata, Daichi Sato & Kazuma Sumi
4. Special Single Match: Danshoku Dieno Vs To-y
5. Special Tag Match: Chris Brookes & Takeshi Masada Vs Naomichi Marufuji & Yuki Ueno
6. Yamada Suisan Fish Army Vs Meat Alliance Army, The Final Showdown! Special 6-Man Tag Match: Shishamo Power, Unagi Mask & Super Unagi Mask Vs Aja Kong, Shunma “EL TURKEY” Katsumata & Yuya “GIBIE” Koroku

New enemies are emerging to the surface in the seafood versus meat feud that DDT and Yamada Suisan dive into on an annual basis. Shunma “EL TURKEY” Katsumata wants revenge for the meat eating side losing last year’s battle so he went and recruited new teammates. One of them is Yuya “GIBIE” Koroku but the big weapon he’s bringing along is pro wrestling’s most dangerous carnivore Aja Kong! The trio of Shishamo Power, Unagi Mask & Super Unagi Mask are a well armed team at this point but this could be their biggest threat yet!

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “QUERI PRESENTS TJPW LIVE IN LAS VEGAS”, 18/04/2025
Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

1. Special Single Match: Masha Slamovich Vs Miu Watanabe
2. International Princess Title: Suzume (c) Vs Jada Stone
3. Princess Tag Team Titles: Miyu Yamashita & Maki Itoh (c) Vs Yuki Kamifuku & Wakana Uehara
4. Princess Of Princess Title: Mizuki (c) Vs Miyu Yamashita

Vert Vixen has been added to the lineup. She was on last year’s TJPW USA shows in Philadelphia and Seattle.

DDT “DDT GOES LAS VEGAS!”, 18/04/2025
Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

1. Special Single Match: Antonio Honda Vs Santana Jackson
2. Special Single Match: Shinya Aoki Vs Timothy Thatcher
3. Special Single Match: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA Vs MAO
4. DDT Universal Title: Minoru Suzuki (c) Vs Yoshihiko

The match made in hell! Minoru Suzuki said he will defend the DDT Universal Title against any challenger when he travels over to Las Vegas. Be careful what you wish for because Yoshihiko answered the challenge! The doll was already Vegas bound because of a Banger Zone Wrestling booking now it’s taking the gamble to leave with two championships (it still has the BZW Tag Team Titles with MAO).

DDT/TOKYO JOSHI PRO/GCW “DDT VS TJPW VS GCW”, 19/04/2025
Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

1. Special Tag Match: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA & Masha Slamovich Vs Shinya Aoki & Miyu Yamashita

Alright this is a good start for a card that needs to be as crazy as possible to attract a right crowd before Wrestlemania begins. Konosuke Takeshita has fought Shinya Aoki several times before. Same goes for Yamashita and Masha Slamovich. So let’s mix them all up together for a unreal tag team battle!


To-y Still Injured, Ohka Gets Mochizuki, TJPW Title Matches Confirmed

March 24, 2025

Apparently tomorrow is when the official DDT website gets a makeover while Tokyo Joshi Pro will finally get an official website of their own again. For my own sake I hope it’s not going to make getting info more difficult.

BASARA “BASARA 274 ~UTAGE AKA – HIEN~”, 25/03/2025
Shin-Kiba 1st RING

1. Takato Nakano Vs Shota Kofuji
2. Isami Kodaka Vs Kosuke Sato
3. Daiki Shimomura Vs Keisuke Ishii
4. Masato Kamino Vs Yuko Miyamoto
5. Ryuichi Sekine, FUMA & Ryota Nakatsu V Takumi Tsukamoto, SAGAT & Yasu Urano

The match order for tomorrow’s BASARA show is swapped around a little bit.

DDT “O-HANAMI PRO WRESTLING 2025 – DAY 1”, 26/03/2025
Tokyo Ueno Park Outdoor Stage

1. MJ Paul & Ilusion Vs Kazusada Higuchi & JJ Furno
2. 3 Way Match: Shishamo Power Vs Takeshi Masada Vs Yuni
3. Falls Count Anywhere Blindfold Scramble Bunkhouse Match: Chris Brookes Vs Danshoku Dieno Vs HARASHIMA Vs Antonio Honda Vs Kazuki Hirata
4. Hanami KING OF DRUNK Preliminary Rumble: Yuki Ueno Vs MAO Vs Shunma Katsumata Vs Daisuke Sasaki Vs Soma Takao Vs Yukio Naya Vs Kazuma Sumi Vs Yuki Ishida
5. Special Tag Match: Takuya Nomura & Tomomitsu Matsunaga Vs Jun Akiyama & Yuya Koroku
6. Special Single Match: Fuminori Abe Vs Keigo Nakamura

To-y hasn’t recovered from his injury yet so he will be missing this week’s shows. The show on 26th March now has one less match on it after a bunch of wrestlers were moved around for To-y’s absence.

DDT “O-HANAMI PRO WRESTLING 2025 – DAY 2”, 27/03/2025
Tokyo Ueno Park Outdoor Stage

1. 3 Way Tag Match: Makoto Oishi & Akito Vs Kazusada Higuchi & Tomomitsu Matsunaga Vs MJ Paul & Ilusion
2. Maximum Allowance Of 5,000 Yen For Bringing The Weapons Death Match: Takeshi Masada & Keigo Nakamura Vs Yuni & Munetatsu Nakamura
3. Special Single Match: Yuya Koroku Vs JJ Furno
4. Special Tag Match: Chris Brookes & Danshoku Dieno Vs Kazuki Hirata & Antonio Honda
5. Hanami KING OF DRUNK Hangover 6-Man Tag Match For Losers Of The Preliminary Rumble: X, X & X Vs X, X & X
6. Hanami KING OF DRUNK Final: X Vs X

Not as many changes to Night 2 but a chunk of that lineup depends on how the KING OF DRUNK stuff turns out anyway. Makoto Oishi is now on the show though.

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “YUKI ARAI’S LAST TWO-SWORD STYLE ~ GO FOR THE VICTORY!!”, 29/03/2025
Aichi Chunichi Hall (Nagoya City)

1. Suzume, Mahiro Kiryu & Haruna Neko Vs Yuki Aino, Kaya Toribami & Ivy Steele
2. 3 Way Match: Pom Harajuku Vs Arisu Endo Vs Chika Nanase
3. Maki Itoh Vs Yoshiko Hasegawa
4. Shoko Nakajima & Hyper Misao Vs Yuki Kamifuku & Kira Summer
5. Yuki Arai, Miu Watanabe, Raku, Shino Suzuki & Uta Takami Vs Wakana Uehara, HIMAWARI, Haru Kazashiro, Toha & Mifu Ashida
6. Mizuki & Rika Tatsumi Vs Miyu Yamashita & Moka Miyamoto

At first it seems weird that Yuki Arai’s match isn’t the main event of this show but then I remember she has a concert to prepare for that’s happening at the end. Also there’s a Princess Of Princess Title match that needs to be built up. Priorities, people!

DDT “OWARI WARS 2025”, 29/03/2025
Aichi Chunichi Hall & Conference

1. 3 Way Match: Yukio Naya Vs JJ Furno Vs Yuki Ishida
2. Daisuke Sasaki, MJ Paul & Ilusion Vs Toru Owashi, Yasu Urano & Yuni
3. Special Single Match: Jun Akiyama Vs Antonio Honda
4. Special Tag Match: Chris Brookes & Kazuma Sumi Vs Yuya Koroku & Kazusada Higuchi
5. Special Tag Match: Minoru Suzuki & Akito Vs Shinya Aoki & Keigo Nakamura
6. MAO’s Last The 37KAMIINA Match: Yuki Ueno, MAO, Shunma Katsumata & To-y Vs HARASHIMA, Danshoku Dieno, Kazuki Hirata & Takeshi Masada

DDT have put together a ragtag team for MAO’s last match as a member of The 37KAMIINA. It starts out looking like an all-star squad with HARASHIMA and Danshoku Dieno then we get wacky with Kazuki Hirata and end with a youthful wild card in Takeshi Masada.

DDT “DDT MEET & GREET & FIGHT APRIL”, 03/04/2025
Tokyo Ueno Park Outdoor Stage

1. HARASHIMA & Yukio Naya Vs Kazuma Sumi & Yuki Ishida
2. Ilusion Vs Yuni
3. Special Tag Match: Yuya Koroku & Keigo Nakamura Vs To-y & Takeshi Masada

The young wrestlers take most of the stage for April’s “MEET & GREET & FIGHT” show including a return to the generational rivalry between Yuni and Ilusion.

DDT “CHANGE AGE 2025 ~YOUR LIE IN APRIL~”, 06/04/2025
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

0. Dark Match: Toru Owashi & Antonio Honda Vs MJ Paul & Ilusion
1. Special 6-Man Tag Match: MAO, Kazuki Hirata & Kumadori Vs Shunma Katsumata, Yuni & Kazuma Sumi
2. Special Single Match: Jun Akiyama Vs Daichi Sato
3. Naomi Yoshimura’s Return Match: Kazusada Higuchi, Naomi Yoshimura, Ryota Nakatsu & Yuki Ishida Vs Yukio Naya, To-y, Takeshi Masada & JJ Furno
4. 2 Vs 1 Special Handicap Match: Daisuke Sasaki & Hideki Okatani Vs KANON
5. Special Tag Match: Minoru Suzuki & Yuki Ueno Vs HARASHIMA & Danshoku Dieno
6. KO-D Tag Team Titles: Fuminori Abe & Takuya Nomura (c) Vs Shinya Aoki & Keigo Nakamura
7. KO-D Openweight Title: Chris Brookes (c) Vs Yuya Koroku

This looks a little bit awkward. Minoru Suzuki clearly enjoys being in the ring with Yuki Ueno but he did just take the DDT Universal Title away from him. How is Ueno going to act next to him when they team up together? The match is a chance for either HARASHIMA or Danshoku Dieno to nab themselves a future Universal Title shot if things go their way too.

GANBARE☆PRO “MAD MAX 2025 ~ GANBARE☆PRO WRESTLING 12TH ANNIVERSARY BOX OFFICE”, 11/04/2025
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. Mixed 6-Man Tag Match: Hartley Jackson, Daisuke®️ & HARUKAZE Vs Yasu Urano, PSYCHO & Banny Oikawa
2. Hikaru Sato & Tyson Maeguchi Vs Toru Sugiura & Munetatsu Nakamura
3. Mizuki Watase’s Return Match: Mizuki Watase, Shigehiro Irie, Choun-Shiryu & Rekka Vs Kouki Iwasaki, Takuya Wada, Fuminori Abe & Shota Kawakami
4. Special 6-Woman Tag Match: Yuna Manase, Koguma & Hazuki Vs Moeka Haruhi, YuuRI & Ami Manase
5. Special Single Match: Ken Ohka Vs Masaaki Mochizuki
6. Special Tag Team Match: Shuichiro Katsumura & Keisuke Ishii Vs Yuji Nagata & Tatsuhito Takaiwa
7. Spirit Of Ganbare World Openweight Title: Yumehito Imanari (c) Vs Shinichiro Tominaga

Here’s the full line up for Ganbare☆Pro’s return to Korakuen Hall. After weeks of searching Ken Ohka found his star opponent. It’s Masaaki Mochizuki from Dragongate! We also have Mizuki Watase returning in an 8-Man Tag (looks to me like he isn’t 100% ready yet) and a reunion of the Hentai Punch Drunkers. Meanwhile Munetatsu Nakamura picked up a friend from his recent FREEDOMS appearance, bringing Toru Sugiura over to team with him.

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “QUERI PRESENTS TJPW LIVE IN LAS VEGAS”, 18/04/2025
Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

1. Special Single Match: Masha Slamovich Vs Miu Watanabe
2. International Princess Title: Suzume (c) Vs Jada Stone
3. Princess Tag Team Titles: Miyu Yamashita & Maki Itoh (c) Vs Yuki Kamifuku & Wakana Uehara
4. Princess Of Princess Title: Mizuki (c) Vs Miyu Yamashita

The three title matches for Las Vegas are now confirmed. Mizuki has taken the risk of choosing Miyu Yamashita for her next Princess Title defence in the hopes she can finally beat her one on one. Yuki Kamifuku & Wakana Uehara have formed the team Ober Eats to challenge Kyoraku Kyomei for the Princess Tag Team Titles. Last but not least there is the rematch of Suzume versus Jada Stone with the International Princess Title again on the line.

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “GOLDEN WEEK FAN APPRECIATION DAY 「WEST」”, 05/05/2025
Osaka Edion Arena #2

1. SETUP All Asia Women’s Title: Raku (c) Vs Nor ‘Phoenix’ Diana

TJPW’s Golden Week shows will feature the Japanese debut of Malaysian wrestler Nor ‘Phoenix’ Diana. As part of her tour she will face Raku for the SETUP All Asia Women’s Title. Diana currently holds the APAC Women’s Title in Malaysia and is the latest name from the Southeast Asian wrestling scene to work with TJPW.


DDT “JUDGEMENT 2025 ~28TH ANNIVERSARY 5 HOUR SPECIAL~” Results

March 20, 2025

DDT “JUDGEMENT 2025 ~28TH ANNIVERSARY 5 HOUR SPECIAL~”, 20/03/2025
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
??? Fans – Unannounced

1. 57th KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Champions Decision Match – Kazusada Higuchi & Shunma Katsumata Double Return Match: Shunma Katsumata, Yuni & Kazuma Sumi defeated Kazusada Higuchi, Ryota Nakatsu & Yuki Ishida when Sumi pinned Ishida with the School Boy (11:29).
*NωA Jr. becomes the 57th KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Champions!
2. 3 Way Match: Toru Owashi defeated Antonio Honda and Kazuki Hirata when Owashi pinned Honda with La Magistral Cradle (8:40).
3. Special Tag Match: MJ Paul & Ilusion defeated JJ Furno & Tomomitsu Matsunaga when Paul pinned Matsunaga with the Reverse Splash (7:23).
4. Yukio Naya, Yuya Koroku & Keigo Nakamura defeated Makoto Oishi, Akito & Soma Takao when Koroku submitted Takao with the Modified Triangle Lancer (11:42).
5. Special Tag Match: HARASHIMA & Takeshi Masada defeated Jun Akiyama & Daichi Sato when HARASHIMA pinned Sato with the Somato (13:39).
6. DDT Extreme Title – Loser Joins Match: Super Sasadango Machine defeated Danshoku Dieno (c) with the Avalanche Vertical Drop Lehman Shock (8:33).
*Special Observer: Amon Tsurumi. Danshoku Dieno fails in V3. Super Sasadango Machine becomes the 62nd DDT Extreme Champion! Dieno’s pet dog Haku must now join DDT!
7. Special Single Match: Daisuke Sasaki defeated KANON with La Mistica Crossface Lock (11:34).
8. KO-D Tag Team Titles: Fuminori Abe & Takuya Nomura defeated MAO & To-y (c) when Abe submitted To-y with the O-Manjigatame (16:17).
*The 37KAMIINA fails in V2. Astronauts become the 86th KO-D Tag Team Champions!
9. DDT Universal Title: Minoru Suzuki defeated Yuki Ueno (c) with the Gotch-Style Piledriver (23:32).
*Yuki Ueno fails in V1. Minoru Suzuki becomes the 18th DDT Universal Champion!
10. KO-D Openweight Title: Chris Brookes (c) defeated Masahiro Takanashi with the Praying Mantis Bomb (21:17).
*V3 for Chris Brookes.

What was supposed to be a big DDT show to celebrate the 28th Anniversary of their debut show turned into a scary ending in the main event. Chris Brookes and Masahiro Takanashi wanted to give it their all for their KO-D Openweight Title match with neither holding back their efforts. A table was set up at ringside and Takanashi tried to put Brookes through it with the Takatonic. However Brookes blocked the move and countered it into an Implant through the table instead, busting Takanashi open in the process. KUDO made a surprise appearance at ringside to psyche up Takanashi and get him to continue the match. That inspired Takanashi to use KUDO’s Diving Double Knee Drop on Brookes but Brookes blocked it with his own knees. The fight went back up to the top turnbuckle where Brookes stopped Takanashi from doing the Avalanche Takatonic. Instead Brookes gave him the Avalanche Praying Mantis Bomb, causing Takanash’s head to hit off the back of the canvas. Brookes followed up with a regular version of the Praying Mantis Bomb for the three count.

Things quickly became concerning once the match was over when Takanashi was unable to move. He was still conscious and could talk to Brookes, Yukinori Matsui and the ring doctor. Brookes held the microphone to Takanashi so he could thank the fans, Brookes and DDT that he loves them all. The ending of the show was paused and everyone remained in their seats so the ambulance could arrive and the medical team could safely take Takanashi away on a stretcher. He was still conscious, was able to speak and he even raised his fist to the crowds as he was being taken away. As the show was officially brought to a close, Sanshiro Takagi told the fans on the microphone he is confident that Takanashi will definitely come back from this injury.

DDT are currently waiting to hear on his diagnosis before they announce any further details. Tokyo Sports were able to get a comment from the ring doctor. Takanashi told him his upper body was feeling numb and he couldn’t move his lower body. While the news article suggests there is a possibility of a cervical spine injury based on that description, the doctor himself cannot say what the extent of the injury is until they get the MRI results.

While Takanashi was being tended to in the ring, DDT tried to keep the show going by having Yuya Koroku approach Brookes at ringside. Brookes was holding the KO-D Title while Koroku carried out the D GENERATIONS CUP trophy. Koroku said he is not the same person he used to be. He is no longer the Koroku from BURNING and he is no longer a “Generic Endo” either. He found his confidence, won the DGC and will be facing Brookes for the KO-D Title on 6th April. Brookes understandably wasn’t in the mood to spend much time on this so he had a brief staredown with Koroku before trying to close out the show with the rest of SCHADENFREUDE International.

Great job, Yuki Ueno. You used the DDT Universal Title as bait to get a match with Minoru Suzuki and he just came over, beat the crap out of you and won the championship. This definitely didn’t go the way he thought it would. The “Pirate King” overwhelmed Ueno with his power and took the fight out to the bleachers. Ueno was able to fight back and even use a chair as a weapon against Suzuki. He seemed to find some joy in the fight and even used Takagi’s finisher the Sit Down Himawari Bomb for a nearfall. But Suzuki kicked out of the BME and eventually got Ueno to crack by putting him in the Sleeper Hold. The Dropkick to the face that usually works out so well for Ueno couldn’t take Suzuki off his feet. Instead Suzuki dropped Ueno with the Gotch-Style Piledriver to win his first ever DDT championship.

Suzuki could see that Ueno was in pain and agony after the match but he couldn’t help but tell him he had fun today. Suzuki will happily “play” with him again anytime. Ueno left the ring in frustration while Suzuki could hear a voice coming from the championship telling him to bring it to the outside world. Suzuki is travelling to Las Vegas next month so if anybody wants to aim for him and the Universal Title, he welcomes them to come forward and challenge him. There are no borders for him and he won’t discriminate against class or gender. Wherever there is pro wrestling Suzuki can defend the championship there as long as he can find an opponent who is undoubtedly strong. Meanwhile Ueno is coming to terms with just how big of a mistake he made by doing this match.

The Astronauts have successfully landed in DDT by beating MAO & To-y to become the new KO-D Tag Team Champions! The Bati-Bati style of the “Fighting Detectives” is just what was needed to match MAO’s fucked up wrestling along with To-y’s fiery attitude. Fuminori Abe was almost beaten when he took the Whirlwind Kick from MAO followed by the Kojima Wonderland but Takuya Nomura broke the pin. MAO attacked Nomura with a Quebrada leaving Abe and To-y left in the ring to fight each other. Abe countered the Kojima Wonderland into the Manjigatame and then forced To-y down onto the mat with a grounded version of the hold to make him give up.

Astronauts were quickly met by one of their first challengers when Keigo Nakamura got into the ring. Nakamura wants to challenge them with Shinya Aoki as his tag partner. Abe said they would be happy to do the match and it was confirmed for the 6th April Korakuen Hall show. Nakamura said backstage he’s been relying on Aoki so much that he wants to win the tag belts under his own power. Astronauts told reporters they want to use the KO-D Tag Titles to help them investigate not just DDT but the wider pro wrestling scene to prove they are the best tag team in the world!

As for the former tag champs, MAO dropped a big announcement by telling reporters he will now leave The 37KAMIINA! He believes he has done everything he can do with the group and has nothing more to teach To-y. In fact now is the time he expects To-y to try and beat him. There are many more things away from The 37KAMIINA that MAO wants to do including things he admits he should have already done by now. He already made his mind up to leave once he lost the KO-D Tag Titles with To-y so that means today is the day. DDT is going to completely change because of this decision and MAO wants to bet on that happening. He said he’s not quitting DDT but his schedule for the next four months is going to make people a bit dizzy when they see it.

KANON Vs Daisuke Sasaki was advertised as a singles match but it may as well have been a Handicap Match given how much DAMNATIONA T.A got involved. KANON took a bamboo stick beating from Hideki Okatani, had Ilusion all over his back and just when he though the coast was clear MJ Paul was there to cause more trouble. In the end another stick strike from Okatani set KANON up for La Mistica Crossface Lock so Sasaki could win. After the match Sasaki called KANON weak but took back the claim he is an unwanted child. He is in fact needed to serve as a sacrifice for Okatani’s return match on 6th April. Sasaki decided the match at that show will be Sasaki & Okatani against KANON in a 2-on-1 Handicap Match! Hell is still to come for KANON and Okatani told him not to run away. KANON was in an emotional mess backstage but accepted the match because he has nothing left to lose.

The DDT Extreme Title match is meant to be Super Sasadango Machine’s last time fighting for the belt so he, Danshoku Dieno and Amon Tsurumi wanted to make it as dramatic as possible. Dieno chose a stipulation that would force Sasadango to join DDT full time if Dieno won the match. But if Sasadango won the match then Dieno’s beloved pet dog Haku would join the DDT roster instead. It became the topic of Sasadango’s pre-match PowerPoint presentation where he talked about labour regulations and the risks of forced labour. Tsurumi argued Sasadango’s point by reminding him he retired from wrestling once before and came back anyway. To make the match even more dramatic it slowed down and paused at points so the audience could listen in to the thoughts and feelings of those at ringside. Yukinori Matsui wondered when to step in and ask if the wrestlers would give up, the cameraman was complaining about how difficult it is to film Dieno without getting into trouble and Dieno wanted to convince Sasadango just how fun pro wrestling can be. The audience even heard the thoughts of the celebrity guest commentator Leyla Ikeda from the comedy duo Kanjuku Fresh. She was completely bored out of her mind by the match and was waiting for the handsome wrestlers to show up. Tsurumi however was thinking the complete opposite and was moved by the match his friends were putting on. Dieno called his shot to finish the match with three Moonsaults in a row but Sasadango caught up to him and hit the Lehman Shock from the top rope to win the match and the Extreme Title!

Tsurumi complained about the finish and told Sasadango he couldn’t do a top rope move in slow motion. Sasadango admitted it didn’t turn out the way he expected. He apologised to everyone including Stardom and their company president Taro Okada for some reason. Haku was brought down to the ring by Makoto Oishi to give a comment about becoming DDT’s newest roster member but all he did was sniff the microphone. Sasadango later said he wanted to do his best for Yuki Iino because Iino’s injury made him miss out on an Extreme Title shot. Sasadango also announced he has an event coming up in Tokyo on 9th June and advised fans to keep their schedule free for that day. Dieno admitted he is a bad owner and bad father for letting Haku join such a barbaric wrestling company. However he knows Haku has guts and they will do their best together side by side. He also needs to negotiate what percentage of Haku’s merchandise they’re going to get from the company once DDT starts selling it.

In just a few weeks time Daichi Sato will become DDT’s newest roster member (getting beaten to the punch by Haku is DDT in a nutshell) so he was given a big tag match teaming with Jun Akiyama to take on HARASHIMA & Takeshi Masada. Sato wasted little time going toe to toe with HARASHIMA and linked together well with Akiyama when it came to fighting against Masada. But HARASHIMA won out in the end by pinning Sato with the Somato. Akiyama was pleased with Sato’s performance and challenged him to a singles match on 6th April as Sato’s first official match as a DDT wrestler. Akiyama encouraged Sato to hunt the old man down!

Part of Koroku’s preparation for his KO-D Title match was to show up in new wrestling gear for his match today. However Akito had new gear too so that spoiled things a little bit. He had Yukio Naya & Keigo Nakamura teaming with him but went at it alone with Soma Takao for the final stretch. Koroku was able to counter Takao’s Gin And Tonic into the Triangle Lancer and held onto the move to make Takao give up.

DAMNATION T.A also ruined JJ Furno’s DDT debut. Ilusion didn’t know who he was and made fun of his hair. He seemed to care more about his brand new college diploma, until he used that to hit Tomomitsu Matsunaga over the head with. MJ Paul then went on to pin Matsunaga with the Reverse Splash.

The 3 Way Match was filled with the nonsense you’d expect from the people involved. Kazuki Hirata was ignored and felt left out. Then he got mad when Antonio Honda and Toru Owashi decided to act like a tag team against him. He powered up with the Hirata GO! glasses but was stopped when Honda tripped over the ropes and summoned Gongitsune. Honda and Owashi fought each other but it slowly turned into something more romantic with Honda forming Owashi’s hands into a heart sign. Just when they were about to kiss, Hirata interrupted the moment so he could get a kiss from Matsui. However Owashi rolled up Hirata in a School Boy so the match continued. Honda hit Hirata with the Shining Gongitsune but Owashi then rolled up Honda with La Magistral Cradle to get the win.

New KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Champions were guaranteed in the opening match. It was also the return bouts for both Kazusada Higuchi and Shunma Katsumata so one of them was becoming a champion in their first match back from injury. Kazuma Sumi & Yuni did stereo Moonsaults out of the ring while Ryota Nakatsu & Yuki Ishida doubled up with sumo slaps to the opponents. It all came down to Sumi catching Ishida by surprise with a School Boy to make NωA Jr. the new champions at Harimao’s expense. Sumi said it was speed and quickness that defeated power and strength today. Katsumata said no matter how many times he falls he always crawls and gets back up. He wants to show his true colors and show everyone bigger dreams with NωA Jr.

There is more good news for Harimao coming up though. Naomi Yoshimura gave everyone an update on his health since he took time off from wrestling in November 2022 to rehab his neck injury. He will soon return to the ring and have his first match back on 6th April! He promised to repay all of the kindness he received during his absence and will show his wrestling to new fans who haven’t seen him before. He is not going to return to a full time schedule at first but whenever DDT wants to book him he will be available. Yoshimura’s first match back will be an 8-Man Tag featuring all of Harimao teaming together.

The field for King Of DDT 2025 was revealed. The 16 participants announced for this year’s tournament are Chris Brookes, HARASHIMA, Daisuke Sasaki, Kazusada Higuchi, Yuki Ueno, Yukio Naya, KANON, Takeshi Masada, Masahiro Takanashi, Shunma Katsumata, Akito, Hideki Okatani, To-y, Yuya Koroku, Daichi Sato and Shinya Aoki. Obviously with Takanashi’s injury he will no longer be taking part.

Things are going to be different for DDT’s usual biggest show of the year this time round. “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2025” will be held over a two day weekend. Day 1 will be held at Higashin Arena in Sumida on 30th August and Day 2 will be in Korakuen Hall on 31st August.