Taguchi Vs Akito Confirmed, Sumi Joins Super Jr. Tag League, TJPW Injuries

October 17, 2026

DDT “WRESTLING HARVEST 2026 ~AUTUMN PRO WRESTLING HARVEST FESTIVAL~”, 18/10/2026
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. Naomi Yoshimura & Masami Inahata Vs Sanshiro Takagi & Yuki Ishida
2. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Yuki Ueno, To-y & Kaisei Takechi Vs Danshoku Dieno, Kazuki Hirata & Super Sasadango Machine
3. Special Tag Match: Jun Akiyama & Daichi Sato Vs Shinya Aoki & Junta Miwawaki
4. KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles: Daisuke Sasaki, Hideki Okatani & Ilusion (c) Vs Shunma Katsumata, Kazuma Sumi & Yuni
5. KO-D Tag Team Titles: Takeshi Masada & Yuya Koroku (c) Vs Soma Takao & Shota
6. DDT Universal Title: Ryusuke Taguchi (c) Vs Akito
7. Road To Ultimate Party 2026! Special Elimination 8-Man Tag Match: MAO, KANON, Yuki Iino & Yukio Naya (w/ KIMIHIRO & YUZUKI) Vs Chris Brookes, HARASHIMA, Antonio Honda & Hinata Kasai

With today’s title defence in New Japan done and dusted, Ryusuke Taguchi is heading back to Tokyo for tomorrow’s DDT show where it is confirmed he will be the one putting the DDT Universal Title on the line against Akito.

Even if Taguchi loses the belt tomorrow, he still has interactions with DDT coming up in the near future. Kazuma Sumi has been accepted into this year’s Super Jr. Tag League as Taguchi’s partner after a long period of the two campaigning for it to happen. The tournament will begin next weekend and Sumi will be missing the next few weeks of DDT shows to work the NJPW schedule.

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “LET’S DO OUR BEST, NANAO! NOTO! NOTO GENKI JOSHI PRO WRESTLING”, 18/10/2026
Ishikawa Nanao Wadauchi Sports Center

1. HIMAWARI Vs Chieri Sakimori
2. Rika Tatsumi & Ren Konatsu Vs Mahiro Kiryu & Chika Nanase
3. Raku Vs Mifu Ashida
4. Suzume & Sakura Hattori Vs Toga & Shion Kanzaki
5. Yuki Aino & Haru Kazashiro Vs Miyu Yamashita & Kira Summer
6. Aja Kong & Yuki Kamifuku Vs Miu Watanabe & Pom Harajuku
7. Yuki Arai, Mizuki & Uta Takami Vs Shoko Nakajima, Wakana Uehara & Shino Suzuki

Tomorrow’s Tokyo Joshi Pro show has a few changes to the undercard because both Hyper Misao and Arisu Endo are too injured to take part. Endo made it clear earlier in the week that her back has been bothering her and it’s obviously visible with the amount of medical tape she’s been using lately. Misao hasn’t said what her injury is other than she needs some rest. Raku will now face Mifu Ashida in the singles match while Sakura Hattori hops over to the other corner to be Suzume’s tag partner for Match #4.

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TJPW FALL TOUR ~RAY OF HOPE IN KASUKABE~”, 24/10/2026
Saitama Katsuki Fureai Cube Matsunaga Multipurpose Hall

1. Next Generation Tournament ’26 – Losers Bracket: Momo Sato Vs Chieri Sakimori
2. Next Generation Tournament ’26 – Winners Bracket: Ren Konatsu Vs Shion Kanzaki
3. Special Tag Match: Miyu Yamashita & Yuki Kamifuku Vs Danshoku Dieno & Super Sasadango Machine
4. Rika Tatsumi, Miu Watanabe & Kira Summer Vs Hyper Misao, Wakana Uehara & Toga
5. Mizuki Vs Mifu Ashida
6. Yuki Aino, Haru Kazashiro & Shino Suzuki Vs Raku, Pom Harajuku & Mahiro Kiryu
7. Yuki Arai, Suzume, Arisu Endo & HIMAWARI Vs Shoko Nakajima, Sakura Hattori, Uta Takami & Chika Nanase

We’ll see if Endo and Misao are cleared next weekend for the Saitama show.

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “KAMIYU AND HER MERRY FRIENDS ~A SPECIAL CLASS CURSED OBJECT I ENCOUNTERED IN SHIKAKU~”, 27/11/2026
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. Special Single Match: Sanshiro Takagi Vs Shin Sakura Katsushika Hirota
2. Special Tag Match: Aja Kong & VENY Vs Yuki Iino & Yuki Kamifuku

Well the show name says Yuki Kamifuku is gathering together some cursed objects and she’s done it here by booking a Sanshiro Takagi Vs Shin Sakura Katsushika Hirota match inside a TJPW ring. Hirota has impersonated Takagi before but she’s not just going to that again, is she?


Taguchi Defends Universal Title In NJPW

October 17, 2026

NJPW “TAICHI SCHOOL PRO WRESTLING 2 ~ISHIKARI TOURISM AMBASSADOR INAUGURATION COMMEMORATION HOMECOMING AT HIS ALMA MATER~”, 07/06/2026
Hokkaido Ishikari Municipal Hanakawa Jr. High School Gymnasium
842 Fans (Super No Vacancy)

1. DDT Universal Title: Ryusuke Taguchi (c) defeated Dick Togo with the Oh My & Garankle (15:03).
*V3 for Ryusuke Taguchi.

Earlier today in Ishikari City, Hokkaido Ryusuke Taguchi successfully defended the DDT Universal Title against Dick Togo at a New Japan show. Taguchi pulled a trick out of Antonio Honda’s book by faking an injury and telling Togo a tall tale just to lower his guard. His story was based on From The North Country but filled with “morning wood” innuendos. He also did his own version of Gongitsune called Kitakitsune (meaning Northern Fox). From there Taguchi mimicked Yuji Nagata’s eye rolling and submitted Togo with the Oh My & Garankle Lock. The result means it will be Taguchi coming to DDT tomorrow still as the Universal Champion and he will be the one facing Akito in the semi-main event title match.


DDT Around The World – September 2026

October 1, 2026

It’s a very light month this month. So much so that I kept by the news of Konosuke Takshita losing a championship in New Japan to this article just so I had something a little more to write about. It’s probably going to be even more quiet until Tokyo Joshi Pro goes on its Texas tour again. Unless Takeshita enters the Continental Classic again, there’s really just Yuki Kamifuku travelling around Asia one more time to keep an eye on.

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Videos

Konosuke Takeshita In AEW Playlist


NJPW “DESTRUCTION IN KOBE”, 27/09/2026
Kobe World Memorial Hall
4,870 Fans – Super No Vacancy

6. NJPW WORLD TV Title: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA (c) Vs Shun Skywalker

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SPW “OVERDRIVE”, 18/09/2026
Foo Chow Building, Singapore

1. Queen Of Asia Title – 3 Way Match: Ms. Selina (c) defeated Mizuki and Crystal (?:??).
*V1 for Ms. Selina.

Mizuki made a new friend during her trip to Singapore but wasn’t able to come home with the Queen Of Asia Title. That new friend wasn’t the champion Ms. Selina or the other challenger Crystal. It was Lio Rush! Probably helps that she didn’t understand his disturbed ranting half of the time. On the bright side, Rush sees Mizuki as someone to be protected so better to have him on your side than not I suppose.


NJPW “DESTRUCTION IN KOBE”, 27/09/2026
Kobe World Memorial Hall
4,870 Fans – Super No Vacancy

6. NJPW World TV Title: Shun Skywalker defeated KONOSUKE TAKESHITA (c) with the Skyfall (10:12).
*KONOSUKE TAKESHITA fails in V5. Shun Skywalker becomes the 11th NJPW WORLD TV Champion!

It’s been a nice but the time has come for Takeshita to have his last championship taken away from him. At the end of the G1 tournament, Shun Skywalker entered NJPW at Takeshita’s expense and set forth the path to an NJPW World TV Title match between the two. They’ve had one or two meetings before in America when their overseas excursions crossed over a couple years back but this was the first time a large audience would get to see the two wrestle each other one on one. Skywalker threw powder into Takeshita’s face and had the likes of Ren Narita & Dick Togo at ringside to interfere for him. Takeshita couldn’t fight off the numbers provided by the House Of Torture and lost to Skywalker’s new wonky looking finishing move, the Skyfall (aka “We have a Destino at home”). Skywalker bragged backstage that he dropped the former G1 winner Takeshita from the heavens in under 15 minutes and said New Japan shouldn’t be happy that one of their titles was taken by an outsider so easily. He has since teased vacating the belt several times because he’s already achieved his goal regarding it.

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Upcoming Appearances


SPW “ONSLAUGHT”, 13/11/2026
Foo Chow Building, Singapore

1. Yuki Kamifuku & Alexis Lee Vs Ms. Selina & Kylie Devyn

The Southeast Asia wrestling scene means a lot for Yuki Kamifuku. She’s done a lot for the women’s side of the industry in places like Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. SPW and their Queen Of Asia Title did a lot to level up Kamifuku as a wrestler without her having to fight and grind in TJPW. She comes to SPW one more time to team up with Alexis Lee again, this time to face the current Queen Of Asian Champ Ms. Selinga and Russian wrestler Kylie Devyn.


TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TJPW TEXAS STAMPEDE II – IT AIN’T OUR FIRST RODEO! – HOUSTON PART 1”, 04/12/2026
Pasadena Rodeo Arena, Pasadena, Texas, USA

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TJPW TEXAS STAMPEDE II – IT AIN’T OUR FIRST RODEO! – HOUSTON PART 2”, 05/12/2026
Pasadena Rodeo Arena, Pasadena, Texas, USA

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TJPW TEXAS STAMPEDE II – IT AIN’T OUR FIRST RODEO! – DALLAS”, 06/12/2026
Forney ISD The OC, Forney, Texas, USA

Added to the shows are Shoko Nakajima, Shino Suzuki, Mifu Ashida and Uta Takami.

We can probably add VertVixen to the lineup. She’s definitely helping Tokyo Story USA with promoting the show in Texas. They were at the Tokyo X convention in Houston near the end of the month and got the big name voice actress Masako Nozawa to give the tour some attention!

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Cancelled Appearances

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “LOVE & PEACE”, 31/10/2026
Malaysia

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “LOVE & PEACE”, 01/11/2026
Malaysia

TJPW’s association with the “LOVE & PEACE” idol festival in Malaysia was supposed to continue again this year with two wrestling shows being held over there. The entire event has been cancelled over a situation with the organization and the site it was meant to be held in. Unfortunately that called off the entire Malaysian tour for TJPW and the wrestlers planned for those shows will remain in Japan and go back to their normal schedule.


Ihashi’s Leaving Too, A Lot Of Falls Count Anywhere, Universal Title Match In NJPW

September 25, 2026

DDT “FACE FINAL ~GOODBYE TO SHINJUKU FACE! WITH GRATITUDE FOR 21 YEARS! THIS IS OUR SHINJUKU DRAMATIC DREAM!~”, 27/09/2026
Shinjuku FACE

1. Jun Akiyama Vs Masami Inahata
2. Special Tag Match: Daichi Sato & Kazuma Sumi Vs Yuki Ishida & Kumadori
3. Soma Takao & Gota Ihashi’s Final Match For DDT: Soma Takao, Kazuki Hirata & Akito (w/ Gota Ihashi) Vs Sanshiro Takagi, Ken Ohka & Naomi Yoshimura
4. DDT Extreme Title – Shura Besieged On All Sides -Battlefield Of Bloody Combat-: Shunma Katsumata (c) Vs Ryota Nakatsu
5. KO-D Tag Team Titles: Shinya Aoki & Junta Miyawaki (c) Vs Takeshi Masada & Yuya Koroku
6. CASPA Presents Falls Count Anywhere Survival 4 Way 8-Man Tag Match ~FACE FINAL~: MAO, KANON, Yukio Naya & Viento Levante (w/ KIMIHIRO & YUZUKI) Vs Daisuke Sasaki, Hideki Okatani, MJ Paul & Ilusion Vs Chris Brookes, HARASHIMA, Antonio Honda & Hinata Kasai Vs Yuki Ueno, Danshoku Dieno, To-y & Yuni

Later this weekend is DDT’s turn to say goodbye to Shinjuku FACE. Their big send off is a massive 4 Way Unit Falls Count Anywhere match with no time limit. Last team left standing wins!

On short notice Shinya Aoki & Junta Miyawaki have given paleyouth a shot at the KO-D Tag Team Titles. However Aoki has already gotten into Yuya Koroku’s head by calling him fat and needing to get in shape for the match. The mind game might knock Koroku from the same page he’s on with Takeshi Masada.

The DDT Extreme Title match will be a Lumberjack match between Shunma Katsumata and Ryota Nakatsu. It has been explained that the lumberjacks are permitted to attack a wrestler thrown out of the ring but they are prohibited from getting into the ring or directly interfering in the match.

Another wrestler is saying goodbye to DDT at the same time Soma Takao will be. Gota Ihashi’s contract with the promotion is ending this month and he has decided it is time to take a different path with his life. He still intends to wrestle and ensures everyone this is not a retirement. Since this news is kind of last minute, he’s been thrown into Takao’s match as a second for that team rather than a participating wrestler.

On the injury front, Viento Levante is going to take some time off soon to get ACL surgery on his right knee. He will finish off the rest of his bookings for this month and appear at the MUSCLE show on 1st October but after that he is on the shelf. He said he recently felt something wrong with his knee and after consulting with his doctor he agreed it would be better to get surgery on it instead of continue to wrestle. That way he can come back in perfect condition for the long run.

DDT “NANIWA PRO WRESTLING ROAD 2026”, 04/10/2026
Osaka City Higashiyodogawa Ward Kumin Hall

1. Danshoku Dieno, Kazuki Hirata & Akito Vs Yuya Koroku, To-y & Hinata Kasai
2. Jun Akiyama, Junta Miyawaki & Tomomitsu Matsunaga Vs Takeshi Masada, Daichi Sato & Yuki Ishida
3. Yuki Ueno Vs Masami Inahata
4. STRANGE LOVE CONNECTION Vs FANTÔMES DRAMATIC!: MAO, KANON & Yukio Naya (w/ KIMIHIRO) Vs Chris Brookes, HARASHIMA & Antonio Honda
5. Special 8-Man Tag Match: Daisuke Sasaki, Hideki Okatani, MJ Paul & Ilusion Vs Shunma Katsumata, Yuni, Kazuma Sumi & Kumadori
6. Naomi Yoshimura 10th Anniversary Debut Match ~ Special Single Match: Zeus Vs Naomi Yoshimura

The match order outside of the main event has not been decided yet.

DDT “BEER GARDEN PRO WRESTLING 2026 ~THE FINAL~”, 08/10/2026
Tokyo Ueno Park Outdoor Stage

1. Jun Akiyama, Chris Brookes & Hinata Kasai Vs Naomi Yoshimura, Yuya Koroku & Masami Inahata
2. paleyouth Vs NωA Jr.!: Takeshi Masada & Daichi Sato Vs Kazuma Sumi & Yuni
3. A Match To Help The “Variety Team Leader” Regain His Team Leader Instincts: Toru Owashi Vs Kazuki Hirata Vs Antonio Honda
4. Newcomer Danshoku Dieno Debut Match: Veteran Yuki Ishida Vs Newcomer Danshoku Dieno
5. Special 8-Man Tag Match: MAO, KANON, Yukio Naya (w/ KIMIHIRO) & Kumadori Vs Daisuke Sasaki, Hideki Okatani, MJ Paul & Ilusion
6. Falls Count Anywhere 8-Man Tag Match: Yuki Ueno, Shunma Katsumata, To-y & Kaisei Takechi Vs Junta Miyawaki, Sanshiro Takagi, HARASHIMA & Akito

The next big step for Kaisei Takechi’s pro wrestling career is to take part in a Falls Count Anywhere match. He’s in there with some reliable people when it comes to that kind of wrestling.

The Beer Garden is a world where you can create the idea that Yuki Ishida is the salty veteran and Danshoku Dieno is the naive little rookie.

The rest of the DDT Variety Team are trying to make Toru Owashi remember why he’s in charge of the group, whether he wants to be or not.

DDT “WRESTLING HARVEST 2026 ~AUTUMN PRO WRESTLING HARVEST FESTIVAL~”, 18/10/2026
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles: Daisuke Sasaki, Hideki Okatani & Ilusion (c) Vs Shunma Katsumata, Kazuma Sumi & Yuni
2. DDT Universal Title: Ryusuke Taguchi (c) Vs Akito

There is a New Japan show taking place the day before this where Ryusuke Taguchi will be defending the DDT Universal Title against Dick Togo. The two have been building up a feud with each other on the latest tour and Taguchi’s been wanting to have a title defence in his home promotion. Given that his previous challengers have been disciples of Togo, Taguchi thinks it makes all the sense in the world for Togo to be the next opponent. Whoever wins that match must come to DDT the next day for a title defence against Akito.

DAMNATION T.A have the KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles in their grasp again but they expect DDT will find an excuse to take it away from them. They had to vacate the belts during their last reign when KANON was kicked out of the group. Daisuke Sasaki thinks they should skip over everything and vacate the belts but Ilusion wants the team to beat up some idols first. DAMNATION T.A aren’t going to miss the chance to crush NωA Jr. while it’s available to them.

DDT “ULTIMATE PARTY 2026”, 03/11/2026
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

1. Special Single Match: Jun Kasai Vs Hinata Kasai
2. Special Tag Match: To-y & Kaisei Takechi Vs KANON & Kumadori
3. Dramatic Dream Match: Zack Sabre Jr. Vs Shinya Aoki
4. KO-D Openweight Title: MAO (c) Vs Chris Brookes

There are two people in the world MAO wants to headline Sumo Hall with to show that DDT has moved past its dark times. The first is Yuki Ueno and that’s now happened twice. The other is Chris Brookes which is why MAO is defending the KO-D Openweight Title against him this November. Is the idea here to do a match you would see in the small room of Baka Gaijin + Friends in front of DDT’s biggest audience at a major venue?


DDT “DRAMATIC INFINITY 2026 ~PRO WRESTLING IN AUTUMN~” Results

September 21, 2026

DDT “DRAMATIC INFINITY 2026 ~PRO WRESTLING IN AUTUMN~”, 21/09/2026
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
??? Fans – Unannounced

0. Dark Match: Naomi Yoshimura & Kazuma Sumi defeated Tomomitsu Matsunaga & Yuni when Sumi pinned Yuni with the School Boy (9:25).
1. Daichi Sato 5th Anniversary Match – The 37KAMIINA Vs paleyouth!: Takeshi Masada, Yuya Koroku & Daichi Sato defeated Yuki Ueno, Shunma Katsumata & To-y when Masada pinned To-y after The Roar For Tomorrow Created By Takeshi And Yuya (10:30).
2. Special Single Match: Soma Takao defeated Kazuki Hirata with the Gin And Tonic (8:27).
3. 3 Way Tag Match: Shinya Aoki & Junta Miyawaki defeated Chris Brookes & Hinata Kasai and Yuki Ishida & Masami Inahata when Miyawaki pinned Kasai with the Sunshine Suplex (7:28).
4. Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title – Jun Akiyama 34th Anniversary Debut Match ~Special Tag Match~: Jun Akiyama & Yuji Nagata defeated HARASHIMA & Danshoku Dieno (c) when Akiyama submitted Dieno with the Front Neck Lock (9:59).
*Jun Akiyama becomes the 1,908th champion.
-. Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title: Yuji Nagata defeated Jun Akiyama (c) with a Cradle (12:03 pm).
*Yuji Nagata becomes the 1,909th champion.
5. KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles: Daisuke Sasaki, Hideki Okatani & Ilusion defeated KANON, Yukio Naya & Viento Levante (c) (w/ KIMIHIRO & YUZUKI) when Ilusion pinned Levante with the Chinga Tu Madre! (12:40).
*STRANGE LOVE CONNECTION fails in V2. DAMNATION T.A becomes the 62nd KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Champions! Ilusion wins Viento Levante’s Right To Challenge Anytime, Anywhere, Anytime, Anywhere Gauntlet.
6. DDT Universal Title: Ryusuke Taguchi (c) defeated Antonio Honda with the Modified Ankle Hold (12:49).
*V2 for Ryusuke Taguchi.
7. KO-D Openweight Title: MAO (c) defeated Fuminori Abe with a Bridging Gedo Clutch (19:14).
*V3 for MAO.
-. Emergency Match: Ilusion defeated Sanshiro Takagi with the Chinga Tu Madre! (1:12).
*Ilusion cashes in his Right To Challenge Anytime, Anywhere, Anytime, Anywhere Gauntlet. Ilusion wins Sanshiro Takagi’s Right To Challenge Anytime, Anywhere Gauntlet.
-. KO-D Openweight Title: MAO (c) defeated Ilusion with the Cannonball 450° (4:35).
*V4 for MAO. Ilusion cashes in his Right To Challenge Anytime, Anywhere Gauntlet.

The KO-D Openweight Title situation is now changing to the point that wherever MAO goes, chaos ends up following him. For the second time in his reign he has now defended the title twice in back to back matches thanks to shenanigans involving the Right To Challenge Anytime, Anywhere Gauntlets. Today’s main event started off with MAO putting the belt on the line against Fuminori Abe. The match called back to a bout they had two years ago when a kick to the gut led to Abe throwing up in his mouth a little. There was a risk of it happening again today but Abe was able to prevent himself from repeating his embarrassing moment. The playful actions between the two turned more competitive as the match went on, turning to a tit-for-tat game of one-upmanship. MAO was one step ahead of Abe for the finish, countering the Manjigatame and setting up a series of back and forth cradle pins that ended with MAO using a bridging version of the Gedo Clutch to win the match.

Then things started to get crazy. Sanshiro Takagi walked out after the match promising to avenge Abe’s defeat by cashing in his Right To Challenge Gauntlet on MAO just like he did at Sumo Hall last month. However, Ilsuion then showed up carrying the Right To Challenge Anytime, Anywhere, Anytime, Anywhere Gauntlet he won earlier in the night (and also created in the very first place) and he declared he was cashing it in on Takagi’s Gauntlet! A match between Takagi and Ilusion began right away and the two tried to out-Stunner each other. Ilusion caught Takagi with an Enzuigiri afterward and grabbed him into the Chinga Tu Madre! cradle for a three count out of nowhere. So now Ilusion holds the last remaining Gauntlet for a KO-D Title shot. Ilusion told MAO he is too tired from the match he just had to cash in and he still has the rest of the month to use his prize so he’s going to make MAO wait for their title match…

Just kidding! Ilusion suddenly gave MAO a Low Blow and decided he was cashing in his title show right away! A bonus KO-D Title match then began with Ilusion trying to roll up MAO for a quick win while other wrestlers from DAMNATION T.A removed one of the turnbuckle pads. MAO hit the exposed buckle but was able to dodge the Swanton Bomb. Ilusion used another Low Blow and got to do the Chinga Tu Madre! again but MAO kicked out of it. DAMNATION T.A interfered further until Yukio Naya, KANON & KIMIHIRO showed up to fight them off, leaving MAO to knock down Ilusion with a Palm Strike and then pin him with the Cannonball 450°. When that was over MAO talked about the chaos that’s happening in DDT right now before turning his thoughts over to Abe. MAO wants to keep fighting Abe as his ideal rival even when they both grow old because they get to discover how deep the world of pro wrestling can go.

The KO-D Title picture is now completely cleared out after today. All of the Right To Challenge Gauntlets have been used up and a No. 1 Contender has not emerged while the dust is still settling. Hisaya Imabayashi asked MAO to nominated his next challenger for the Sumo Hall show on 3rd November. MAO said he had already faced Yuki Ueno in the main event of Ryogoku but there is one other person he wants to share that experience with. It’s Chris Brookes! He is the person MAO keeps coming back to because Brookes chose DDT and stayed with them at a time when all of his friends in the UK chose other companies. MAO wants himself, Ueno and Brookes to be part of this moment where it feels like DDT has finally overcome its tough times. He doesn’t mind if the match gets so crazy it ends in a Double Count Out as long as the match is with Brookes. They have been setting ARENA Shimokitazawa on fire with Baka Gaijin + Friends so now they will do the same to Sumo Hall!

Ryusuke Taguchi was putting more than just the DDT Universal Title on the line when he fought Antonio Honda. He was also fighting for his son’s admiration! Ryusuke’s son Shisho Taguchi is currently a musician and became acquainted with Honda after seeing his band Daisetz live. Honda taunted Ryusuke by making it his goal to win the Universal Title and use it to pose for a picture with Shisho, something that Shisho has never done with his father throughout his life! Shisho was in attendance for the match and Honda couldn’t resist to get him involved. He held Ryusuke for Shisho to chop him but Shisho couldn’t bring himself to attack his own dad. However when Ryusuke reversed the position with Honda, Shisho also couldn’t bring himself to hit his friend! Ryusuke brought the match back to the ring where he worked over Honda’s knee. Honda used the powers of Gongitsune and Hiroyoshi Tenzan to fight back but Taguchi would keep the match in his control and submit Honda with the Ankle Lock. The match got a happy ending backstage when Ryusuke, Shisho and Honda all took a picture together with the Universal Title belt.

The Universal Title is also going to take a trip over to New Japan soon. Taguchi asked Akito after the match if he could defend the belt over there because he is feuding with Dick Togo on the current tour. Taguchi pointed out that he has already defended the title against Daisuke Sasaki and Antonio Honda so it would be a great story if his next defence would be against their mentor Togo. Akito said plans were already being made for a title defence to happen at DDT’s next Korakuen Hall show on 18th October but he will allow Taguchi to defend it in NJPW before then. After the show had ended it was confirmed that Taguchi will put the title on the line against Togo at New Japan’s 17th October show in Hokkaido. Then the winner will come back to DDT on the 18th for a title match against Akito! Taguchi promised to give it his all and return to DDT with the Universal Title, but he also admitted he may only give Togo 50% effort so he apologizes to everyone in DDT in advance should he end up losing the belt to Togo. He also promised to continue pitching Kazuma Sumi to be his tag partner for the upcoming Super Jr. Tag League.

You can see why Ilusion had a plan in place for today. He’s been collecting so many championship belts lately that he could have ended the day with the cherry on top that is the KO-D Title. Instead he just has to live with winning the KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles with DAMNATION T.A again. He continues his masked man rivalry with Viento Levante and had MJ Paul to pull out the referee just when it looked like the match would be lost to Strange Love Connection. More cheating happened with Daisuke Sasaki & Hideki Okatani attacking KANON & Yukio Naya with chairs and bamboo sticks. Levante finally got his hands on Ilusion and tried to choke him out with a Sleeper Hold but Ilusion escaped and trapped Levante in the Chinga Tu Madre! to pin him and win the titles. Ilusion added insult to injury after the match by telling Levante it doesn’t matter if he changes his name and goes to Mexico, he is still the same small fry he always was.

DAMNATION T.A then announced they will not be taking on all comers for the KO-D 6-Man Tag Titles. Instead they will decide who they will defend the belts against. However, NωA Jr. entered the ring to make their argument towards getting a title shot. Sumi said now is a crucial moment for the trio because they are all back together now. Shunma Katasumata has returned from injury while Yuni had finished his college entrance exams. The three of them now want to show everyone a view that only they can create as the champions. Ilusion said he might accept the challenge if NωA Jr. approach him backstage and beg on their knees for the match. Hisaya Imabayashi ignored him and confirmed NωA Jr. will get a title shot on 27th September. Backstage Sasaki predicted DDT are going to strip DAMNATION T.A of the titles again like last time so they may as well vacate them before it happens. Ilusion wants the group’s top priority to be them crushing the wannabe idols first and then they can vacate the belts.

Has Mr. IWGP now become Mr. Iron Man? Yuji Nagata was the special guest for a match celebrating the 34th Anniversary of Jun Akiyama’s debut. Nagata and Akiyama bought made their debuts in 1992 and have been generational counterparts divided by separate companies ever since. Akiyama got to start off the match with HARASHIMA and that meant Nagata was paired off with Danshoku Dieno. That meant Nagata would inevitably get a face full of Dieno’s Hell Gate but that just awakened the demon inside him! Nagata threw Dieno over with an Exploder Suplex and then pulled HARASHIMA into the Nagata Lock II. Akiyama meanwhile applied the Front Neck Lock onto Dieno, who rather than tap out decided to pull down his tights instead. Yukinori Matsui called off the match to avoid the incident from getting worse and declared that Akiyama had won the Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title from Dieno. But while Akiyama celebrated with his title, Nagata rolled him up for a pinfall and won the belt off him! Akiyama later tried to win it back off him backstage but couldn’t pull it off. Now the question is does this count as a New Japan wrestler taking away the Iron Man Title or is it a Super Japan wrestler that did it?

With MMA now seemingly behind him, Shinya Aoki can put more of his focus on being a menace in the pro wrestling ring. He quickly showed off his skill in the 3 Way Tag by grabbing both Brookes and Yuki Ishida in a Double Manjigatame style hold at the same time. Junta Miyawaki carried over the momentum by cutting off a double team from Hinata Kasai and Masami Inahata. Aoki also ruined the rubber band spot and threw the thing away. He paid for that when Ishida got to use the spot against him. Miyawaki found himself alone against the two other teams but the action broke down to the point where Aoki could take out a bunch of wrestlers with a Topé Suicida, leaving Miyawaki alone with Kasai in the ring. Kasai didn’t have what it takes to take Miyawaki down and the match ended with him getting pinned with the Sunshine Suplex.

The KO-D Tag Team Champions were then confronted by paleyouth after the match. Both Takeshi Masada & Yuya Koroku claimed they have been starving ever since they lost the KO-D 6-Man Tag Titles. Aoki disagreed and pointed to Koroku, calling him fat. Masada said Aoki is wrong because Aoki is super skinny compared to everyone else. paleyouth then asked for a title shot and got what they wanted. Miyawaki was complimentary to Masada because they are both the same age but Aoki continued to call Koroku fat and advised him to slim down before the match takes place on 27th September. Koroku promised to get himself shredded but he doesn’t appreciate having to do it on a week’s notice.

Soma Takao’s farewell tour of DDT continues with a singles match against Kazuki Hirata happening today. He was on pace to beat Hirata in quick fashion but when he held him upside down for the Gin And Tonic, Hirata pleaded to be let go because he had something important to say. When Hirata was freed he took out a heartfelt letter he wrote about the memories he made with Takao. He is sad that their time together is ending so before Takao goes, Hirata wanted to dance with him one more time. Takao wasn’t really interested in doing that but Hirata forcefully put the Hirata GO! glasses onto his face and he couldn’t help but get into the mood when the music played. They danced together and then continued to wrestle, ending in short order when Takao pinned Hirata with the Gin And Tonic.

Before Akiyama’s 34th Anniversary match happened, there was Daichi Sato’s 5th Anniversary to celebrate first. The teenage heavyweight was on the winning side with the rest of paleyouth as they defeated The 37KAMIINA in the opener. To-y got a mouthful of Masada’s fingers once again and was double teamed by different combinations of paleyouth until Masada & Koroku finished him off.

Two of the NωA Jr. had a tune up tag match on the pre-show. Kazuma Sumi and Yuni were on opposite sides of a tag match with Naomi Yoshimura and Tomomitsu Matsunaga also involved. Matsunaga was put off by Sumi’s speed and threatened to use a fan in the front row as a human shield to stop Sumi from doing a dive out of the ring. Yuni did not use such outside the box thinking tactics and was pinned by Sumi who used the School Boy as a counter for Yuni’s own cradle attempts.


Daisuke Sasaki’s BOSJ Adventure

June 14, 2026

Last year DDT regained a presence in New Japan’s annual Best Of The Super Jr. tournament by sending MAO over to compete. Things worked out very well for him and he narrowly missed out on qualifying into the final rounds outside of the group stage. I had expectations that MAO would compete again this year but it turns out his focus on becoming the most square shaped wrestler to ever live had the side effect of him growing too big to be eligible for the tournament. Instead, DDT decided to enter Daisuke Sasaki 14 years after his last appearance in BOSJ. He’s done this twice before to poor results. In 2011 he only got one win and in 2012 he only got two. He’s mostly a different wrestler in 2026 and he was able to have his best results ever. Too bad he peaked very early in the tour and just kept falling until the end. The moral of this story is MAO needs to go on a diet.

B Block

1. Robbie Eagles (12)
-. YOH (12)
-. El Desperado (12)
-. SHO (12)
-. Taiji Ishimori (12)
6. Daisuke Sasaki (6)
-. Yoshinobu Kanemaru (6)
-. Hyo (6)
-. Jakob Austin Young (6)
-. KUSHIDA (6)


NJPW “SEKICHU PRESENTS BEST OF THE SUPER JR. 33”, 14/05/2026
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1,445 Fans (No Vacancy)

8. BEST OF THE SUPER JR. 33 – B Block: Daisuke Sasaki (2) defeated El Desperado (0) with La Mistica Crossface Lock (16:10).

Sasaki jumped out of the starting blocks very well on opening day. His first match in the B Block was against his good old friend El Desperado. Things got off to a friendly start with some polite hand kissing but they decided to turn up the aggression by fighting outside over to the commentary table. Back in the ring the match went back and forth until Sasaki shoved the referee into Despy’s way, allowing him to catch Despy with a Low Blow kick by the corner. Sasaki then used La Mistica Crossface Lock to make his friend submit. Obviously due to the way Sasaki won the match, Desperado didn’t want to shake his hand afterwards. He flipped him off instead. In the leadup to the tournament, Sasaki bragged that he was going to win it but secretly doubted himself. But after beating Desperado he is now 100% see himself going all the way!


NJPW “SEKICHU PRESENTS BEST OF THE SUPER JR. 33”, 16/05/2026
Tokyo Esforta Arena Hachioji
1,076 Fans

5. BEST OF THE SUPER JR. 33 – B Block: Daisuke Sasaki (4) defeated KUSHIDA (2) with La Mistica Crossface Lock (7:17).

Sasaki fought KUSHIDA in the BOSJ once before, losing to him in 2011. KUSHIDA is making a habit of wrestling barefoot nowadays so Sasaki dared him into doing it for this match and he would join in. The plan was to target KUSHIDA’s left leg because it wasn’t 100% and he hit it with a chair against the ring post. When KUSHIDA kept making comebacks, Sasaki would fight dirty to cut him off so KUSHIDA used a trick of his own and tried to shove his sock into Sasaki’s mouth. Sasaki went one step further by grabbing KUSHIDA’s foot and taking a bite out of it! He then applied the Cross Facelock while smothering KUSHIDA with the sock to make him give up. Sasaki complained about how awful KUSHIDA’s feet taste like but at least he got revenge from their first match 15 years ago. Now that he has beaten Despy, KUSHIDA and Hiromu Takahashi in BOSJ matches Sasaki called himself the next symbol of New Japan’s junior heavyweight division.


NJPW “SEKICHU PRESENTS BEST OF THE SUPER JR. 33”, 17/05/2026
Tokyo National Yoyogi Stadium Gymnsium #2
1,664 Fans

6. BEST OF THE SUPER JR. 33 – B Block: Daisuke Sasaki (6) defeated Hyo (2) with the Crossover Face Lock (9:34).

The good times kept on rolling for Sasaki when he got his third win in a row. Hyo from Dragon Gate was his next opponent and this guy had a tendency of using a stuffed leopard named Myonmyon to gather fan support. Sasaki took advantage by grabbing Myonmyon and throwing it away so Hyo would be too distracted to defend himself from getting a chair thrown at him. Hyo did have the awareness to avoid a Low Blow after the referee distraction but he still got caught with Sasaki’s finisher. Sasaki then switched it over to the Crossover Face Lock for the victory. He said Hyo was so fast he couldn’t see him but he got out of the match unscathed. He is now confident he will go undefeated without a scratch. Instead the opposite happened and he wouldn’t win a block match again for the rest of the tournament.


NJPW “SEKICHU PRESENTS BEST OF THE SUPER JR. 33”, 20/05/2026
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1,257 Fans

5. BEST OF THE SUPER JR. 33 – B Block: Taiji Ishimori (4) defeated Daisuke Sasaki (6) with a Gedo Clutch (11:36).

The match against Taiji Ishimori turned into more of a DDT Vs NJPW battle than expected. The two promotions had an inter-promotional show coming up after BOSJ and Sasaki made it known to everyone that the commentator Haruo Murata was a DDT guy first and foremost. He then tried to use Murata as a shield when the match broke out of the ring. Ishimori responded by threatening to use Milano Collection A.T. as his human shield. Sasaki soon got a taste of his own medicine when Ishimori used the ref push spot against him and did a Low Blow of his own. Sasaki was in too much pain to kick out of the Gedo Clutch after that and complained that Ishimori didn’t fight fair and square. He then got paranoid thinking that by losing the match he was already eliminated from the tournament. He’ll get revenge by kicking every New Japan wrestler in the dick!


NJPW “SEKICHU PRESENTS BEST OF THE SUPER JR. 33”, 22/05/2026
Osaka Municipal Central Gymnasium Sub-Arena (Asue Arena Osaka)
1,192 Fans – No Vacancy

2. Jakob Austin Young & Zane Jay defeated Daisuke Sasaki & Masatora Yasuda when Young pinned Yasuda with the Jakob’s Ladder (6:33).

A couple of the shows gave Sasaki warmup matches for some of his upcoming opponents. He was given the young lion Masatora Yasuda as his main tag partner for these matches. First up they took on a pair of American wrestlers from United Empire. Sasaki’s focus was on Jakob Austin Young while Yasuda got scrappy with Zane Jay. The pairings swapped over and Young ended up beating Yasuda with his finisher. He then taunted Sasaki by taking his chair and sitting on it in the ring. Sasaki showed some sympathy towards Yasuda and warned Young he will end up getting beaten up like Yasuda in their block match.


NJPW “SEKICHU PRESENTS BEST OF THE SUPER JR. 33”, 23/05/2026
Hyogo Arcrea Himeji
1,153 Fans

6. BEST OF THE SUPER JR. 33 – B Block: Jakob Austin Young (4) defeated Daisuke Sasaki (6) with a BITES THE DUST onto a chair (6:58).

Once again Sasaki now knows what it is like when the cheating happens against him. Young had Zay in his corner for the match and relied on him to interfere or distract the referee when necessary. Sasaki evened the odds by grabbing a chair from the commentary table (and was angry to find another announcer there instead of Murata). Sasaki would then make Young tap out to the Crossface Lock but Jay prevented the ref from seeing it. Sasaki tried to hit Young with the chair during the distraction but Young Dropkicked him in the leg instead, making Sasaki fall face first onto the chair. Young then gave him a Wrist Clutch DDT onto the chair and got rid of the evidence before the ref could turn back around and count the pinfall. With two block losses in a row, Sasaki was now getting paranoid he was falling out of contention.


NJPW “SEKICHU PRESENTS BEST OF THE SUPER JR. 33”, 24/05/2026
Kyoto KBS Hall
767 Fans

1. Daisuke Sasaki & Masatora Yasuda defeated Toru Yano & Tatsuya Matsumoto when Sasaki submitted Matsumoto with the Crossface Lock (5:43).

Speaking of cheating, Sasaki took on a master of it in a non-tournament tag bout next. Toru Yano was there to look over the young lion Tatsuya Matsumoto but then raced with Sasaki to remove the turnbuckle pads from the opposite corners. Sasaki pushed Matsumoto into one of the exposed buckles and then did a Diving Elbow Drop for a nearfall. Matsumoto showing guts by kicking out only meant Sasaki had to make him submit instead. Sasaki again stood up for Yasuda then started acting like he is from DDT. Yasuda got nervous and started apologizing when Sasaki ordered him to start talking.


NJPW “SEKICHU PRESENTS BEST OF THE SUPER JR. 33”, 27/05/2026
Shizuoka Kira Messe Numazu
777 Fans

4. BEST OF THE SUPER JR. 33 – B Block: Yoshinobu Kanemaru (6) defeated Daisuke Sasaki (6) with a Figure 4 Leg Lock (6:47).

By this point of the tour, Sasaki figured out the cheating that worked out so well for him at the start had now become ineffective. The solution to this is to cheat even more! Learning from his match with Young, Sasaki was now bringing in his DAMNATION T.A stablemate Ilusion to be his ringside attendant for the match against Yoshinobu Kanemaru. Ilusion’s interference worked up to a point but backfired when Sasaki took a drink of Kanemaru’s whiskey. Sasaki spat out Whiskey Mist but Kanemaru ducked and Ilusion got blinded with it instead. Kanemaru then gave Sasaki a series of Knee Crushers before putting him in a Figure 4 Leg Lock to make him submit. He said the result showed the difference between brains and skill. Sasaki tried to shrug off the loss because he got to drink some of Kanemaru’s whiskey.


NJPW “SEKICHU PRESENTS BEST OF THE SUPER JR. 33”, 29/05/2026
Niigata Tsubame City Gymnasium
825 Fans

2. Robbie Eagles, Ryohei Oiwa & Hartley Jackson defeated Daisuke Sasaki, Toru Yano & Masatora Yasuda when Jackson pinned Yasuda with a Senton (6:51).

This time Sasaki & Yasuda had Yano teaming up with them as the three faced off against TMDK. For Sasaki it would give him a taste of wrestling Robbie Eagles before their block match the next day. He got to wrestle Ryohei Oiwa a little bit too but that meant poor Yasuda had to fight off the big boy Hartley Jackson. He got crushed with a Senton for his troubles. Yano started arguing with Sasaki over it because he didn’t want to team up with a DDT wrestler in the first place. Sasaki later tried to convince Yasuda they should go challenge for the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Titles.


NJPW “SEKICHU PRESENTS BEST OF THE SUPER JR. 33”, 30/05/2026
Toyama Takaoka Techno Dome
957 Fans

7. BEST OF THE SUPER JR. 33 – B Block: Robbie Eagles (8) defeated Daisuke Sasaki (6) with the Ron Miller Special (13:17).

Although Sasaki did take Murata’s chair and used it as a weapon on Eagles, he was polite enough to give it back to the commentator and fought the rest of the match only by bending a few rules instead of breaking them. Other than that the match came down to a test of skill. Sasaki almost got the win using the Sasaki-Style Hurricanrana but Eagles outdid him by kicking out and then wrapping Sasaki up in the Ron Miller Special to make him give up. Eagles said backstage that he and Sasaki share a closer connection than people may realize. Eagles has trained under Ikuto Hidaka in the TAKESHIBA Colosseum so that means he learned from the tag partner of Sasaki’s mentor Dick Togo.


NJPW “SEKICHU PRESENTS BEST OF THE SUPER JR. 33”, 02/06/2026
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1,310 Fans

4. BEST OF THE SUPER JR. 33 – B Block: SHO (10) defeated Daisuke Sasaki (6) with the Shock Arrow (6:43).

With only two block matches remaining and having been stuck in the mud with 6 points, Sasaki was now on his last legs in the block. He needed to beat SHO from House Of Torture just to stay in the running even if his hopes of reaching the playoff rounds were slim. Sasaki was led down to the ring by Hideki Okatani while wearing a full entrance costume until SHO ambushed the two of them. But as SHO stomped on “Sasaki” in the ring, the real Sasaki showed up behind him and launched a counter attack. The first one was just Ilusion in disguise! Yujiro Takahashi got involved to help SHO but a ref bump allowed Okatani to attack them with his bamboo sword. Sasaki then pulled out a stun gun but SHO distracted him by holding up a metal plate with a picture of Dick Togo on it. Sasaki hesitated to risk besmirching his mentor but closed in to use the stun gun. SHO blocked him with the plate, used the plate to hit Sasaki over the head with and then pinned him with the Shock Arrow. SHO explained he was able to block the stun gun with a metal plate because there was a layer of cardboard behind the picture of Togo that absorbed the electricity.


NJPW “SEKICHU PRESENTS BEST OF THE SUPER JR. 33”, 03/06/2026
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1,255 Fans

4. BEST OF THE SUPER JR. 33 – B Block: YOH (12) defeated Daisuke Sasaki (6) with the Five Star Clutch (9:42).

No result would send Sasaki into the semi finals so all he could do on the final day of block matches was play spoiler against YOH. As you all know by now that did not happen and YOH went on to win the whole tournament. YOH was in a DDT kind of mood because he kept flashing Gongitsune hand signs during the match. He also grabbed Milano’s chair to match with Sasaki taking Murata’s chair at ringside. Both sides stared each other down until they rushed back into the ring to avoid getting counted out. Sasaki got out of an Anaconda Vice by poking the ref in the eye and then poking YOH. He also avoided the Direct Drive but a scramble for cradling pins led to YOH catching Sasaki in the Five Star Clutch for the three count. While Sasaki was lamenting over only gaining one extra BOSJ win than his previous attempts 14 years ago, El Desperado barged in complaining about Sasaki’s defeat knocking himself out of the tournament. Despy cannot believe he lost to Sasaki but Sasaki couldn’t beat YOH! Sasaki promised he will do better when he comes back to BOSJ in another 14 years time.


NJPW “SEKICHU PRESENTS BEST OF THE SUPER JR. 33”, 05/06/2026
G-Messe Gunma
1,102 Fans

5. El Desperado & Hyo defeated Daisuke Sasaki & Dick Togo when Desperado submitted Togo with the Numero Dos (6:20).

All that was left to do for Sasaki’s final tour dates were take part in non-tournament tag matches. Desperado wanted to team up with Hyo so the two of them took on Sasaki and his mentor Togo. It was then revealed that Togo had kidnapped Myonmyon at some point before the show. Hyo was able to rescue his little buddy while Despy got Togo to submit to the Numero Dos. Togo quickly got revenge by kidnapping Myonmyon again while Sasaki used a stun gun to keep Hyo at a distance.


NJPW “SEKICHU PRESENTS BEST OF THE SUPER JR. 33”, 07/06/2026
Tokyo Ota Ward Gymnasium (EBARA WAVE Arena Ota)
3,969 Fans (No Vacancy)

3. Master Wato, Ryusuke Taguchi, Daisuke Sasaki, Nick Wayne & Valiente Jr. defeated Taiji Ishimori, Robbie X, Titán, Gedo & Daiki Nagai when Taguchi submitted Gedo with the Oh My & Garankle (10:25).

Sasaki’s last match on the final night was a complete smorgasbord of wrestlers from all over including some from AEW and CMLL. Gedo was the odd man out because he was the only person in the 10-Man Tag Match to have not competed in BOSJ this year. Sasaki wasn’t enthusiastic to team with Ryusuke Taguchi but did seem to get along with Master Wato. After the match Sasaki told New Japan when he comes back in 14 years he doesn’t want to team with wrestlers like those two again.


DDT/NJPW “ONE-ON-ONE CONFRONTATION PART 2” Results

June 8, 2026

DDT/NJPW “ONE-ON-ONE CONFRONTATION PART 2 ~SASADANGO-GUN VS YANO-GUN 5-ON-5 ELIMINATION TAG BATTLE~”, 08/06/2025
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
??? Fans – Unannounced

0. Special Exhibition Match: Hinata Kasai Vs Tatsuya Matsumoto ended in a Time Limit Draw (3:00).
0a. Overtime: Tatsuya Matsumoto defeated Hinata Kasai with a Crab Hold (3:32).
1. Fluorescent Lighttube IPPON Hell: MAO & Akito defeated El Desperado & KUSHIDA by IPPON when Desperado broke the Lighttube (8:46).
2. Blindfold Butt-Finding Hell: YOH & Ryusuke Taguchi defeated MAO & Akito when MAO & Akito had their bare butts exposed (6:51).
3. Give UP A Hellish Situation Where Only Submission Is Possible: Kazuki Hirata & Antonio Honda Vs YOH & Ryusuke Taguchi ended in a Draw when they all submitted to Milano Collection A.T.’s Paradise Lock (11:08).
4. If Your Junior Laughs, You Lose! A Junior Role Model Death Match: Hirooki Goto defeated Super Sasadango Machine by Submission with the GTR (8:50).
5. Danshoku Dieno Vs Hirooki Goto ended in a No Contest (7:55).
6. Weapon Rumble Hell: Sanshiro Takagi Vs Toru Yano ended in a No Contest when the match gets cancelled (23:31).
7. Special Match: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA defeated Toru Yano & Super Sasadango Machine when TAKESHITA pinned Sasadango with the Raging Fire (2:01).
8. Special Match: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA, Toru Yano, Hirooki Goto, El Desperado, Ryusuke Taguchi, KUSHIDA, YOH, Masatora Yasuda, Tatsuya Matsumoto, Taisei Nakahara, Super Sasadango Machine, Danshoku Dieno, MAO, KANON, Kazuki Hirata, Akito, Antonio Honda & Hinata Kasai defeated Sanshiro Takagi when TAKESHITA pinned Takagi with a Stunner (1:38).

One year ago a rivalry between Super Sasadango Machine and Toru Yano brought DDT and New Japan together, mending a decade long broken relationship in the process. The event was such a success that both parties agreed to do it again, this time under more friendlier circumstances. With a hot summer of sport about to begin, an agreement was made by both sides to provide the best sportsmanship and keep things fair throughout the day. But as the show hit its stride, the trust between DDT and NJPW would be taken advantage of by some for the sake of getting the competitive advantage.

For an inter-promotional show such as this it was necessary that everything would be presented 50/50. It aired as a PPV on both NJPW World and Wrestle Universe with each streaming service providing their own full scale broadcast on separate screens side-by-side. That meant separate commentary teams with their own special guests, separate ring announcers, alternating referees, etc. Korakuen Hall even tried to split itself in half with the green DDT side having a security fence installed while the red NJPW side was barrier free. The NJPW World commentators were Yohei Onishi, Milano Collection A.T. and special guest Hiroshi Tanahashi. The Wrestle Universe commentators were Haruo Murata, Ken Suzuki.txt and special guest Yuki Ueno. Murata wants to be neutral because he works with both companies but his interactions with Daisuke Sasaki during the Best Of The Super Jr. meant he was DDT through and through no matter what he says.

A signing ceremony was planned to take place but first Yano had an announcement to make regarding his team. Tomoaki Honma was unable to appear at the show today because of illness so a substitute was called in at the last minute. His replacement is KUSHIDA! With that news out of the way, Sasadango and Yano signed the contract and started to hype up the fans to chant for their favorite side.

The chants turned into a cheering contest with Yano ordering Tatsuya Matsumoto to encourage even louder chants for New Japan. Hinata Kasai tried to do the same with the DDT fans, leading the two young wrestlers to get in each other’s way and then begin arguing. The arguing turned into a staredown and the staredown was going to turn into a fight!

All of a sudden a three minute long wrestling exhibition broke out between Matsumoto and Kasai. The two fought back and forth until the time expired but both kept trying to fight so they were allowed another five minutes to settle their differences. Kasai locked in an STF but Matsumoto broke free and got a nearfall with a Body Slam. As the match hit the 3 minute mark, Matsumoto put Kasai in a Crab Hold and got him to give up.

Everything was now calm again after that fired up display so it was time for the show to begin proper. DDT and New Japan would face each other in a gauntlet of singles matches with mystery lineups made out of five participants on each team. However a match could be turned into a tag team bout if both sides agree to the change beforehand. Sasadango and Yano together gave an oath promising to uphold good sportsmanship in every match… but it was all a trick! A video played on the two screens showing an unmasked Sasadango dressed up as the famous fortune teller Kazuko Hosoki. Here, “Kazuko Sasaki” informed Yano that DDT had just invited NJPW into taking part in a special tour… The DDT Hell Tour!

Sasadango admits he was foolish to think his team could beat New Japan in five regular pro wrestling matches so he hatched a plan. The DDT GM Hisaya Imabayashi then showed Yano the contract he signed included an extra sentence written in English that was not included in the Japanese print. “All match rules must be accepted as decided by DDT.” Yano was tricked into letting DDT decide the rules for every match tonight!

DDT used the surprise to their immediate advantage by making the first match an IPPON Lighttube Tag Death Match! In this match there is only one lighttube and the loser is the person whose body breaks it. DDT sent the master of the match Akito out there to team with MAO while NJPW were represented by KUSHIDA & El Desperado. The sudden rule change made things more dangerous for KUSHIDA because lately he likes to wrestle barefoot. Akito made fun of that by shoving a sock into KUSHIDA’s mouth near the end of the match. However as everyone fought over the lighttube or tried to avoid touching it, MAO and Desperado formed their own alliance because of their friendship and agreed to break the lighttube together. They both climbed up the same turnbuckle, counted down together and… only Desperado went ahead with the trust fall. He smashed landed on the lighttube while MAO remained on the turnbuckles to celebrate winning the match. Desperado was so furious over the betrayal he abducted Viento Maligno at ringside and threatened to harm him with the remains of the broken lighttube unless MAO apologizes.

Akito & MAO remained in the ring to take part in the second match. This one showed everybody how DDT’s plan could backfire on them in a spectacular manner. It was a Blindfold Butt-Finding Hell Match where every wrestler had to fight blindfolded in their underwear and the first one to have their backside exposed would lose. NJPW sent out the two wrestlers that were guaranteed to thrive under such a ruleset, YOH & Ryusuke Taguchi! Both men walked out wearing an extra pair of underwear over their heads along with slingkinis and stockings. Keep in mind this show is taking place exactly one day after YOH won BOSJ! The blindness led to Akito & MAO almost fighting each other until they recognized each other by their body shape. The two of them as well as YOH all ended up wandering outside the ring while back inside Taguchi was trying to do Hip Attacks into thin air. When everyone got back into the ring MAO slid up from underneath Taguchi only to bump into YOH and accidentally Lip Lock him. The four wrestlers then formed a chain by all reaching out to the person in front of them to grab their tights. The NJPW team won the duel and exposed the DDT wrestlers’ butts to win the match. According to MAO, the lesson he learned from this match is everybody from Miyagi is weird. YOH proved it later by telling reporters backstage that the experience he went through today feels so good.

Match #3 had DDT send out reinforcements in the form of Antonio Honda & Kazuki Hirata because the only way to win the match was to make your opponents give up. The DDT team jumped YOH & Taguchi but the NJPW duo would taunt them on the microphone whenever they were asked to give up. Honda told Hirata to put them in the Paradise Lock but Hirata confessed he does not know how to do the move. Honda went outside to bring Milano Collection A.T. into the ring so they could learn it from him. But Honda tripped over the ropes on the way back in. He had injured himself and decided it was time to give up but first he needed to tell his latest Gongitsune joke. It turned into an attack that led to everyone brawling. As the dust settled, only Milano was left standing. He noticed a pair of Hirata GO! glasses had fallen onto the canvas so he put them on and “Tokyo GO!” began to play. He tried to ignore it until he couldn’t help but dance to the music belonging to an old foe. As this was happening, Honda and Taguchi were doing Gongitsune attacks and they both wound up pinching Milano by the nipples. Milano’s response was to put the both of them in Paradise Locks and then continue dancing on top of them. Both Honda and Taguchi gave up at the same time, causing the match to end in a tie.

The series was reaching its halfway point so Sasadango decided now was a good time to do a PowerPoint Presentation… From Hell! He explained to the audience that the ideal way of doing inter-promotional matches is to help develop the next generation. His presentation was suddenly interrupted when his laptop decided to reset itself for updates. While the fans started chanting for the laptop to restart, Sasadango handed his microphone to Hiroshi Tanahashi and asked him to talk for a bit. Tanahashi spoke about the repaired relationship between New Japan and DDT, entirely crediting himself for making it happen. Sasadango then gave up on the laptop and tried to continue his presentation without PowerPoint. He and Yano then broke out into an argument until they noticed Rukiya and Tatsuya Matsumoto both laughing at them nearby. Sasadango and Yano agreed they need to set a good example to their juniors or they would lose their respect. So for the next match the wrestlers involved would lose if their junior laughs at them!

Sasadango would step into the ring to finally be part of the action but his opponent was Hirooki Goto! Rukiya and Matsumoto were made to sit down near the ring with instructions to fill their mouths with water. Every time one of them laughed and spat the water out, their respective wrestler would lose a point. The first to lose three points would lose the match. Both of them laughed at the same time when Goto accidentally unmasked Sasadango during a Headlock off of the ropes. Rukiya then laughed a second time when Sasadango took a Lariat, apologized to Goto and then retreated from the ring. When Sasadango returned, he all of a sudden looked like a completely different person with a ripped physique. Goto was able to unmask him, revealing it was KANON under the mask. That made Matsumoto laugh. The real Sasadango returned to launch a sneak attack on Goto but that failed. He then challenged Goto to a sumo match and encouraged the fans to chant “Edmond” at Goto (because he plays E. Honda in the upcoming Street Fighter movie). Sasadango tricked Goto into taking a Dropkick but Goto got back up and grabbed his opponent. Just when Goto was in position to do the GTR, Sasadango instantly gave up so he wouldn’t take the move. Rukiya laughed at this, taking away Sasadango’s last point. Goto gave him th GTR anyway and pinned him for the three count so he ended up having three different ways to claim victory for the match.

Sasadango was beaten but DDT was not. He still had one more card to play. For many weeks leading up to this show, Sasadango has been trying to recruit one wrestler more than any other but his advances were rejected every time. Well it turns out this person finally agreed to show up because Danshoku Dieno made a big entrance to have a match with Goto! It didn’t take long for the match to get out of hand because the referees Yumehito Imanari, Marty Asami and Daisuke Kiso were all knocked out with Lip Locks that were intended for Goto. Akito ran into the ring to help put Dieno into the Hell Gate position over the top turnbuckle. Chaos then broke out with many wrestlers from both teams all running down to the ring to fight each other and then get their heads shoved into Dieno’s backside. Everything was so out of control that the match had to be called off.

By this point the DDT had run out of all of their players while the NJPW team still had only Toru Yano remaining. Yano thought this meant the series was over and his team had won without him even having to do anything. However Sasadango had one more trick up his sleeve. As much as he works hard for DDT, he does not have a contract with them and in fact wrestles as a freelancer. He is not really a DDT wrestler so that means the result of his match against Goto does not count towards the contest! Yano was furious over the revelation and demanded whoever is in charge of DDT to come out and face him. Sanshiro Takagi did just that and introduced himself to Yano as the supreme commander of DDT. For one more twist of the knife, Takagi and Yano would now face off in a Weapon Rumble!

The rules are a new weapon would be brought down to the ring Royal Rumble style and each weapon was decided upon by either DDT or New Japan. Yano complained that his team didn’t prepare any weapons but Sasadango revealed that he surveyed YOH about it beforehand and was able to get the weapons he suggested. The weapons included a blonde wig, a fire extinguisher, a “Yano Set” of a chair and sake, Mecha Mummy armed with the Mecha Drill, Daisuke Sasaki drinking tequila and El Desperado drinking tequila. The big surprise of all came when Takagi brought out his greatest weapon, Konosuke Takeshita! He had travelled to Japan just to be at this show and he attacked Yano on Takagi’s behalf. But just as Takeshita was about to give Yano the Raging Fire, the countdown for Yano’s next weapon fell to zero and it was revealed to be… Konosuke Takeshita?!? He played along with the rules and switched to attacking Takagi until Takagi started protesting. He said Takeshita belongs to DDT while Yano argued he also belongs to New Japan. Sasadango then stepped into the ring with Tanahashi as everyone agreed this was an issue that needed to be sorted out immediately.

Sasadango pointed out to Takeshita that this is the drawback to having contracts with three different wrestling companies. Two of them are here today so he needed to make a choice between them. Takagi spoke about Takeshita contacting him at 15 years old asking to become a pro wrestler because he was so confident he could reach to the top. Takagi always believes Takeshita will come back to DDT even when he is winning championships in AEW and New Japan. Tanahashi reminded Takeshita of the singles match they had in Sumo Hall back in 2014. He could feel Takeshita’s potential all the way back then and he still has high expectations for him going forward.

Sasadango handed Takeshita a “Final Rose” for him to give to the person he wants to be with (exactly like what Yuma Anzai experienced in Japan’s version of The Bachelorette recently). Takeshita said when he watched NJPW as a kid it gave him dreams and DDT made those dreams come true. He belongs to both companies solely out of gratitude with a desire to repay their kindness. He told Tanahashi he will do his best to protect NJPW from now on. He also made a promise to Takagi he will work hard to help him bring DDT to the Tokyo Dome!

Takeshita was about to hand the Final Rose to both Tanahashi and Takagi when Yano angrily cut him off. Yano complained he cannot choose both and Sasadango agreed that nobody would be satisfied with this ending. Sasadango then said if DDT carelessly goes into the Tokyo Dome and fails miserably then DDT will be finished and everyone will be left out on the streets! All of a sudden Yano & Sasadango now wanted to fight Takeshita in a Handicap match. It didn’t take long for Takeshita to dispatch both of them before pinning Sasadango with the Raging Fire.

After the impromptu match, Takeshita felt it was time he explained himself. He couldn’t find the way to properly convey his feelings up to this point so he got Muscle Sakai to help him out by creating a PowerPoint Presentation for him. It is titled “Why I Belong To Three Pro Wrestling Organizations” He introduced himself as a 31 year old wrestler currently living in Orlando with two special skills: working out and pro wrestling. He won the KO-D Openweight Title in DDT at a young age and still holds the record for most title defences. In New Japan he won the G1 Climax and then held the IWGP World Heavyweight Title. Recently in AEW he defeated Kazuchika Okada (the crowd popped at the mention of this) to become the new AEW International Champion. He is confident he is one of the busiest wrestlers in the world.

He gets all sorts of requests from the companies he works for. NJPW wants him on more domestic tours, DDT wants him to bring them to the Tokyo Dome and AEW doesn’t want any other company taking him away from them. The reason he is signed to all three companies is a simple one. He wants to share his world of pro wrestling to more people. He felt left out when he was not a part of last year’s DDT Vs New Japan show and it is one of his biggest regrets because he belongs to both companies. An all star show like this is supposed to be the most entertaining showdown but there are many ways for people to entertain themselves these days. Takeshita has other hobbies to keep himself occupied but pro wrestling will always be the most interesting.

So Takeshita has come up with three ideas that will prove his point. The first idea is he wants to hold the world’s largest pro wrestling league consisting of 365 wrestlers all fighting each other in a gigantic year long round robin tournament! He watches so much wrestling in his off time that he is subscribed to all of the different streaming services. That means he’s been able to carefully select a list of 365 wrestlers from all over the world he wants to compete and has also created a tentative schedule of matches to be held across Japan so there will be tournament events every single day from the opening bouts on 1st January all the way to the final night on 31st December! He understands the schedule might be difficult to pull off which is why he thinks the league should only be held once every four years likes the Olympics.

 

Takeshita’s second idea is to revise pro wrestling’s rules so they are more in line to modern times. He recognizes that violence doesn’t solve anything and disputes can be resolved through discussion. A suggestion he has is to introduce AI judging and a scoring system based on technical points, artistic points, and compositional skills. His example of a scoring system that works is the annual M-1 Grand Prix comedy show that is always a huge hit at the end of the year. His third idea is to ultimately unify the world of pro wrestling. Today the polar opposites that are New Japan and DDT fought each other in exciting ways because of their completely different styles. If doing this with two companies is exciting then imagine adding countless more into the mix. In order to achieve that goal, Takeshita believes he must first become the world’s No. 1 pro wrestler! He asked for everyone’s support so they can all create the perfect world where pro wrestling is the best.

The presentation touched the hearts of everyone who listened… Well, almost everyone. Takagi was still in a fired up competitive mood and wasn’t going to stand there letting the action go to waste. He tried to rally the other wrestlers around him but everyone went over to the other side of the ring and all stared him down. It was time for the final match where Takagi had to fight everyone else all by himself! He got pummeled by everyone one after the other until Takeshita finished him off with a Stunner.

The show was now reaching its end and a few wrestlers wanted to give their final words. Sasadango asked all of the NJPW fans watching to continue supporting Takeshita. That request goes to the wrestlers in Hontai too. Yano announced that Takeshita was the winner of today’s series and Takagi told him to liven up the wrestling world even more. Tanahashi then led everyone to say the same catchphrase that was used to end last year’s show: “3, 2, 1, Love Muscle! Muscle!”

Wait, wait, wait, hang on. There’s one more thing. After everyone left the ring, Sasadango and Akito both suddenly remembered something and ran out of the room. They rushed through a hallway to find a closed out locker room featuring the final secret weapon that they completely forgot to use during the show. They opened up the door and there inside was the furious NOAH wrestler Kenoh! He demanded to know where Toru Yano was while Sasadango & Akito both desperately apologized to him. It turns out that even though DDT is the last place Kenoh ever wants to be, he has been trying to pick a fight with Yano for ages and agreed to be part of Sasadango’s plan if it meant he could finally get his hands on Yano. That didn’t happen so Kenoh stormed out of Korakuen Hall and went down to the NJPW store in near Suidobashi in search of Yano. The shop was closed and Yano was nowhere to be found so Kenoh decided to start a livestream on his YouTube channel and complain about the whole thing.


Video – NJPW/DDT Alliance Vs World Pro Wrestling Union Peacekeeping Force

June 5, 2026


DDT/NJPW “ONE-ON-ONE CONFRONTATION ~SUPER SASADANGO MACHINE VS TORU YANO~”, 09/06/2025
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
??? Fans – Unannounced

-. New Japan Pro Wrestling & DDT Pro Wrestling Alliance Vs World Pro Wrestling Union Peacekeeping Force: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Toru Yano, YOH, Super Sasadango Machine, Akito & Antonio Honda Vs Sanshiro Takagi, HARASHIMA, Toru Owashi, Shuji Ishikawa, Ken Ohka & MAO


Housekeeping Notes, Thoughts On The NJPW Sale

June 5, 2026

I now got a proper domain for the blog simply because I am very close to maxing out the free tier image limit WordPress has. That’s right folks, it’s taken me almost 17 years but I’m finally about to hit the ceiling as a freeloader. I admit doing the DDT Around The World articles helped speed up the decision. So I opened up the wallet and https://dramaticddt.com/ has now become active along with https://dramaticddt.wordpress.com/ which should still work. Kind of surprised the domain was available all this time. Dramatic DDT is a name I put one minute of thought into back when I started because I couldn’t think of any clever DDT related phrase at the time. There was a precursor blog in the 2000s called Dramatic Fantasia (named after the Samurai! TV show) that existed back on the old PuroresuFan group of fansites so I wasn’t going to copy that. Dramatic DDT is also somehow distinct enough that DDT themselves never had a problem with me using it. And that’s more or less the only change to the site I have in mind. I’m happy with the basic website layout. I also think adding pictures to the show reports, title histories and overseas excursions does so much to paint pictures of everything that I cover on this site so the increase of the image limit was necessary. I have an idea for setting up an archive site for Tokyo Joshi Pro in order to have a cleaner written history of the company available so you can read about its past without having to dig through the DDT content but that’s way down on my list of priorities in life right now. And given how much thought I put into the name Dramatic DDT, it would probably be called something like Tokyo TJPW or Princess TJPW. I’ll let you know if it ever comes to pass.

It’s been a week since BushiRoad sold New Japan to TV Asahi & CyberAgent. I never wrote about the news on here because the more I thought about it, the less it seemed relevant to DDT and TJPW. The evidence is how quiet CyberAgent has been over the story and that the name CyberFight appears nowhere in any of the official reports about the sale. So if DDT and NOAH became step-siblings then this makes NJPW a cousin by marriage, I guess? Stardom remaining with BushiRoad through the deal is odd but makes sense after listening to others give their opinion about it. BushiRoad likely figured the time had come to cash in on NJPW while there is still a lot of potential growth in the Stardom brand. The relationship between NJPW and Stardom still remains although I get the sense the NJPW side would be happy if they never do the “HISTORIC X-OVER” shows ever again. If you want to know why it can be so difficult to put these kind of inter-promotional events together, you just need to look at how much of the NJPW roster would distance themselves from having to wrestle the Stardom talent. Now imagine the same thing trying to juggle a NOAH roster, a DDT roster and a TJPW roster all under the one umbrella. There are reasons why SWS collapsed trying to manage multiple locker rooms and their conflicting egos all at once!

There is something of a monopoly slowly developing around Japanese wrestling lately but these companies were already circling the wagons with the creation of United Japan Pro Wrestling two years ago. Shinya Aoki wrote on his blog that he heard rumours that WWE were interested in acquiring New Japan raised my eyebrow but he’s the only person so far to bring up that idea. And since I brought up UJPW, keep in mind that Sanshiro Takagi’s term as the organisation’s head of the board will be finishing by the end of the year. I would be surprised if the second president is anyone other than a New Japan representative but that’s been my prediction even before this sale took place.

Also, hey CyberAgent! You have a video games division. You also now have full access to at least four different wrestling promotions. Can we get a new pro wrestling game? If it has to be gacha I at least have the confidence it will still turn out better than MyFaction in the WWE 2K series…


Sumi Injured, Aoki Vs Ueno For KO-D Title, Sasaki’s Deflating Summer

June 2, 2026

DDT “DDT MY LOVE 2026”, 03/06/2026
Shinjuku FACE

1. Special Tag Match: Yuki Ueno & Shunma Katsumata Vs Sanshiro Takagi & Akito
2. 3 Way 6-Man Tag Match: Takeshi Masada, Yuya Koroku & Munetatsu Nakamura Vs Hideki Okatani, MJ Paul & Ilusion Vs Danshoku Dieno, Naomi Yoshimura & KANON
3. Junta Miyawaki Three Match Trial – Match 2: Junta Miyawaki Vs Kazuki Hirata
4. MAO & Yukio Naya (w/ KIMIHIRO) Vs Jun Akiyama & Tomomitsu Matsunaga
5. Special Single Match: Shinya Aoki Vs Viento Maligno
6. Special 8-Man Tag Match: Chris Brookes, HARASHIMA, Antonio Honda & Hinata Kasai Vs Daichi Sato, To-y, Yuni & Yuki Ishida

You can add Kazuma Sumi to the injury list along with Rukiya. He suffered an eye injury while wrestling in France last month but worked through it up to this past weekend. He was then diagnosed with a fractured medial wall in his right orbit and told not to wrestle for a month. He will be back after the 27th June show but until then DDT has to shuffle around their upcoming cards for his absence as well as Rukiya being hurt too. Tomorrow’s show had a couple of changes to its matchmaking from the main event right down to the opener.

Something is up with Viento Maligno and Shinya Aoki has figured it out. Well he had to go do something else when he couldn’t find Keigo Nakamura anywhere. Whatever it is he wants Maligno to admit in front of everybody, he has a chance to stretch it out of him tomorrow.

DDT “DRAMATIC DREAM TAKASHIMAYA VOL. 4”, 06/06/2025
Tokyo Shinjuku Takashimaya 1st Floor JR Exit Special Venue

0. Surprise Match – Tokyo Joshi Pro Offer Match: Haru Kazashiro & Chika Nanase Vs Ren Konatsu & Shion Kanzaki
1. Shinjuku Takashimaya Half-Day Promotional Ambassador Time-Lag Entry Battle Royal: Kazuma Sumi Vs Junta Miyawaki Vs Yukio Naya Vs Kazuki Hirata Vs Yuni Vs Yuki Ishida Vs Rukiya Vs Hyper Misao Vs Yuki Kamifuku Vs Pokotan
2. paleyouth Vs FANTÔMES DRAMATIC!: Takeshi Masada, Yuya Koroku & Daichi Sato Vs Chris Brookes, HARASHIMA & Hinata Kasai
3. The 37KAMIINA Vs STRANGE LOVE CONNECTION!: Yuki Ueno, Shunma Katsumata & To-y Vs MAO, KANON & Viento Maligno (w/ KIMIHIRO)

A bonus Tokyo Joshi Pro tag match is happening before DDT’s day at Shinjuku Takashimaya officially begins. For Shion Kanzaki she will be returning to the scene of the crime where she witnessed Sumire Uesaka assault her boss Tetsuya Koda in the lead up to “GRAND PRINCESS ’26” earlier this year.

DDT/NJPW “ONE-ON-ONE CONFRONTATION PART 2 ~SASADANGO-GUN VS YANO-GUN 5-ON-5 ELIMINATION TAG BATTLE~”, 08/06/2025
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. Sasadango-gun Vs Yano-gun: X Vs X
2. Sasadango-gun Vs Yano-gun: X Vs X
3. Sasadango-gun Vs Yano-gun: X Vs X
4. Sasadango-gun Vs Yano-gun: X Vs X
5. Sasadango-gun Vs Yano-gun: X Vs X

Sasadango-gun: Super Sasadango Machine, MAO, Kazuki Hirata, Akito, Antonio Honda

Yano-gun: Toru Yano, El Desperado, Ryusuke Taguchi, Tomoaki Honma, Hirooki Goto

On paper this looks like the final lineup because it’s five versus five but who knows what other surprises are in store. Toru Yano has added a strong wrestler to his team with Hirooki Goto as the fifth man. Super Sasadango Machine had to do with just picking Antonio Honda because Danshoku Dieno keeps finding excuses not to take part. The latest is he wants to balance his sleeping schedule in order to watch World Cup matches live in the middle of the night.

The show is going for more of a sports feel by having Yano’s team be in red while Sasadango’s team will be in green. Fans are being encouraged to show up wearing the colour of the team they want to support.

GANBARE☆PRO “STENDHAL SYNDROME 2026”, 14/06/2026
Tokyo Takashimadaira Kumin Center

1. Shuichiro Katsumura 50th Birthday Match: Shuichiro Katsumura, Yuya Susumu & Kikujiro Umezawa Vs Yumehito Imanari, Takuya Wada & Moeka Haruhi
2. Spirit Of Ganbare World Openweight Title: Mizuki Watase (c) Vs Tyson Maeguchi

It will be champion versus champion for the next Spirit Of Ganbare Title Match. Tyson Maeguchi currently holds one of the tag titles but he wants to fight Mizuki Watase for the singles championship. In return Watase will get to face The Deadlock for the tag titles somewhere down the line.

A party match is being thrown for Shuichiro Katsumura just a few days before he turns fifty. Some familiar faces will be there like Moeka Haruhi who Katsumura used to team with as part of THE HALFEE. The new face showing up is a wrestler from Tokyo named Kikujiro Umezawa. Katsumura used to wrestle him often on the smaller indies over a decade ago.

DDT “KING OF KINGS ~TENKA TAIRAN~”, 28/06/2026
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. Soma Takao Comeback Match: Soma Takao Vs X
2. KO-D Openweight Title: Yuki Ueno (c) Vs Shinya Aoki

This year’s King Of DDT winner Shinya Aoki is ready to fight his friend Yuki Ueno for DDT’s top prize once again. They fought over the KO-D Openweight Title once before back in August 2024 and Aoki won that encounter. How much they hold each other in high esteem promises both will be fighting their very best to be the KO-D Champion once again.

After being away from six months to deal with a knee injury, Soma Takao is ready to make his comeback. He thinks he has been away for so long that there’s since been a turnover in the DDT audience and the new fans don’t know him as anything other than the Dropkick Bar manager.

DDT “CHARISMANIA IV”, 02/07/2026
Shinjuku FACE

1. O-40 Title: Daisuke Sasaki (c) Vs X

Well, the Best Of The Super Jr. isn’t working out the way Daisuke Sasaki would have liked it to. He still has the O-40 Title though and wants to defend it at his next “CHARISMANIA” show.

DDT “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2026”, 11/08/2026
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

1. Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title – Time Delayed Entry Battle Royal: Sumire Uesaka (c) Vs X
2. Special Tag Match: Daisuke Sasaki & X Vs Antonio Honda & X
3. Dramatic Dream Match: Konosuke Takeshita Vs Kaisei Takechi

If that news doesn’t float your boat then how about Antonio Honda as one of his opponents for Sumo Hall this summer, huh? Huh? DDT doesn’t even want to put in the effort of booking their tag team partners so they told Sasaki and Honda to go find their own. There is still the competition attached to this where fans can predict what the match is going to be. Honda wants to find a partner that no one could ever guess. Sasaki is thinking the opposite and might go with his most obvious option available. Even then that leaves a big gap for guessing. Is it someone from DAMNATION T.A? How about Dick Togo, Shuji Ishikawa, El Desperado or AMAKUSA? See, it’s not be as obvious as it sounds.

GANBARE☆PRO “IT’S A SUMMER FILM 2026”, 15/08/2026
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. Munetatsu Nakamura Vs Chris Brookes

There might have been a chance Munetatsu Nakamura would be Watase’s next title challenger but it turns out the youngster already had a different idea he asked Ganbare☆Pro to set up for him. He wants a singles match against Chris Brookes as his way of saying thanks for everything Brookes has done for him up until now. This goes all the way back to Nakamura being a fan of Brookes to Brookes taking him under his wing as a wrestler and even helping pay for some of his medical treatment when he was out with a neck injury. The best way for Nakamura to pay him back is to beat him in a wrestling match!