Endo’s N1 Adventure

September 24, 2025

Okay Tetsuya Endo now it’s your turn. As part of Endo’s year long stay with NOAH he decided to take part in their annual tournament the N1 Victory. The reason is this tournament was going to be his restart point to get revenge, not just on TEAM 2000X but to give more life back to the step-sibling rivalry between NOAH and DDT. There is also the need for him to catch up with Konosuke Takeshita after his career long rival won the G1 Climax in New Japan. Only makes sense for him to match that by winning NOAH’s premier round robin tournament. He was thrown into the A Block to compete against foes old and new with plenty of potential scalps to claim along the way.

Block A

1. Masa Kitamiya (10)
2. KENTA (8)
-. Kazuyuki Fujita (8)
-. Kaito Kiyomiya (8)
-. Tetsuya Endo (8)
6. Manabu Soya (6)
7. Ulka Sasaki (4)
8. Daga (4)


NOAH “ABEMA PRESENTS N1 VICTORY”, 08/09/2025
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1,548 Fans

1. N1 Victory 2025 – A Block: Daga (2) defeated Tetsuya Endo (0) with a Jackknife Pin (10:26).

The start did not go Endo’s way as he lost to Team 2000X member Daga in the very first match of the N1. It was a bit embarrassing because before the tournament Endo said Daga had turned from a lion into a cat from staying in TEAM 2000X. Endo used the Exploder Suplex to put Daga in position for the Burning Star Press but Daga dodged the finisher. He took over and tried to apply the Diablo Wings but Endo avoided it. From there Daga went for different pinning combinations until he finally landed on a Jackknife Pin to get the three count on a surprised Endo. He tried to cover for it by saying he doesn’t mind making a sacrifice or two in order to win the N1.


NOAH “ABEMA PRESENTS N1 VICTORY”, 11/09/2025
Okayama Convention Center
420 Fans

5. N1 Victory 2025 – A Block: Tetsuya Endo (2) defeated Ulka Sasaki (0) with the Modified Shooting Star Press (10:30).

Things quickly turned around for Endo starting with the second show of the tour. He already had countermeasures ready for Ulka Sasaki based on the brief time they previously had from wrestling each other. Both of them needed a win and Endo came up on top by using a Corkscrew Shooting Star Press. He told reporters afterward he originally wanted to use the move on OZAWA but he had to pull out with an injury from the first show, so Endo used it here.


NOAH “ABEMA PRESENTS N1 VICTORY”, 14/09/2025
Acros Fukuoka Event Hall
621 Fans

6. N1 Victory 2025 – A Block: Tetsuya Endo (4) defeated Manabu Soya (2) with the Modified Shooting Star Press (12:45).

Endo wasn’t scheduled for the third show so he got a little bit of a breather before returning to face Manabu Soya next. He was looking forward to this because their previous matches in NOAH were filled with interference and this time it was truly going to be a one on one fight. Soya took Endo’s biggest hits and kept standing while shouting “Passion!” That was put to an end when Endo gave him the Torture Rack Bomb and then the Corkscrew Shooting Star Press for the win. Endo talked about how Soya is the one person he’s wrestled the most in NOAH and was where Endo first started his quest for revenge against the company. He won this match fair and square so all he had left to say was advice for Soya to take good care of his family.


NOAH “ABEMA PRESENTS N1 VICTORY”, 15/09/2025
Kumamoto Castle Hall Civic Hall
538 Fans

8. N1 Victory 2025 – A Block: Tetsuya Endo (6) defeated Kazuyuki Fujita (8) with a Crucific Pin (7:00).

Endo’s momentum just kept on rolling and he helped blow open the race for the A Block by beating the undefeated Kazuyuki Fujita! Trying to match him in brute force was like tearing down a brick wall but he did pull out a familiar move, the God’s Right Knee from Yukio Sakaguchi! That stunned Fujita long enough for Endo to hit the Burning Star Press but Fujita kicked out of it before there was even a one count (typical, eh?)! Luckily for Endo, Fujita kept his guard down as he sat up so Endo flipped him over with a Crucifix Hold to pin him. Endo called the victory a big win for pro wrestlers and also DDT. It’s what he needs because next up he will be facing the man who is carrying NOAH on his shoulders…


NOAH “ABEMA PRESENTS N1 VICTORY”, 17/09/2025
Osaka Edion Arena #2
705 Fans

8. N1 Victory 2025 – A Block: Kaito Kiyomiya (6) defeated Tetsuya Endo (6) with the Skywalk Elbow (14:26).

This was the match that most represented DDT Vs NOAH. Kaito Kiyomiya went into the match with a chip on his shoulder. He also got more fired up when Endo used the God’s Right Knee on him and then asked if that was all that Kiyomiya had got? Kiyomiya got out of the Torture Rack Bomb and did a Tiger Driver for a nearfall. He then increased the pressure on Endo until he couldn’t kick out of the Skywalk Elbow. Kiyomiya then revealed the reason he was ticked off was because he wasn’t on the cover of the new Shukan Puroresu issue! Endo hated that he lost but he admitted he still learned a lot from Kiyomiya both from wrestling and from listening to his promos.


NOAH “ABEMA PRESENTS N1 VICTORY”, 20/09/2025
Shizuoka Act City Hamamatsu
494 Fans

5. N1 Victory 2025 – A Block: Masa Kitamiya (8) defeated Tetsuya Endo (6) by Countout (11:48).

This is where Endo’s chance of winning the A Block came to an end. Before the tournament Endo called Masa Kitamiya a copycat for joining TEAM 2000X and dying his hair black. In Endo’s mind it was proof that the unit had become oversaturated and Kitamiya wasn’t seeing the big picture. Oh how wrong he might turn out to be. The two fought out of the ring and up the aisle after Tadasuke distrated the referee. Kitamiya then gave Endo a Piledriver onto a chair and then applied the Strangle Hold γ until it was time for him to get back into the ring, leaving Endo out there to be counted out. Kitamiya mocked him after the match for losing by countout and he suggested Endo should start over in the NOAH dojo. Endo was now out of the running and I might as well say it here, “The Chairman” went on to win the whole thing!


NOAH “ABEMA PRESENTS N1 VICTORY”, 21/09/2025
Tochigi Light Cube Utsunomiya
617 Fans

9. N1 Victory 2025 – A Block: Tetsuya Endo (8) defeated KENTA (8) with the Modified Shooting Star Press (15:02).

By the time the last match of the A Block took place, Endo was completely out of the running but he had a chance to play spoiler against the current GHC Heavyweight Champion. He was confident he could beat KENTA because he got seven hours of sleep during the night plus two more on the coach trip to the venue so there was no need for him to Go 2 Sleep. He got staggered badly though when KENTA blocked the Burning Star Press with his knees and then hit the Busaiku Knee Kick. However Endo lived up to his promise by avoiding the Go 2 Sleep and giving KENTA a Reverse Hurricanrana instead. He then hit the God’s Right Knee followed by the Corkscrew Shooting Star Press to end his tournament with a win over the GHC Champion! Endo thinks he hasn’t achieved enough during his stay in NOAH so far. When the N1 happens again next year he wants to be the first person to enter it!


NOAH “ABEMA PRESENTS N1 VICTORY”, 23/09/2025
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1,598 Fans – Super No Vacancy

1. N1 Consolation: KENTA, Manabu Soya, Ulka Sasaki & Tetsuya Endo defeated Galeno, Kenoh, Daiki Inaba & Ricky Knight Jr. when Soya pinned Inaba with the Death Valley Bomb (9:31).

Endo’s match on the final night of the tournament was an 8-Man Tag pitting the A Block against the B Block. He got to make fun of Daiki Inaba’s attempts at showing “Passion” and had a speedy back and forth with Ricky Knight Jr. Inaba got to take the lead of his team for a moment by sending Knight, Kenoh & Galeno on a train attack but he ended up injuring his leg from missing a Diving Body Press from the top rope. Soya picked up the pieces and pinned him with the Death Valley Bomb. Inaba then had to be stretchered out of the ring.

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Posted by JamieOD

DDT Involved In NOAH’s Wrestle Magic Main Event

June 30, 2025

NOAH “WRESTLE MAGIC 2025”, 03/06/2025
Tokyo Shinagawa Stellar Ball
??? Fans

8. Kaito Kiyomiya, Ryohei Oiwa, Yuki Ueno & Yuki Yoshioka defeated YOSHI-HASHI, KAI, Akito & Daiki Inaba when Kiyomiya pinned Inaba with the Shining Lancer (17:51).

The most recent season of “MONDAY MAGIC” promoted a big inter-promotional match featuring wrestlers from NOAH, New Japan, DDT and Dragongate. At the time NOSAWA Rongai acted like it would be a normal tag team match but when it was time for the main event, he surprised everyone by booking an 8-Man Tag instead. In the blue corner was YOSHI-HASHI from NJPW, KAI from DG, Akito from DDT and Daiki Inaba from NOAH. Facing them from the red corner was NOAH’s Kaito Kiyomiya, NJPW’s Ryohei Oiwa, DDT’s Yuki Ueno and DG’s Yuki Yoshioka. Kiyomiya ended up scoring the win for his team by pinning Inaba.

Apparently the point of this match was to gather together two teams of wrestlers from two generations into the same magic wrestling ring. Some of the wrestlers were happy to interact with each other for the first time since the “ALL TOGETHER” shows last year. But Kiyomiya said this generation do not need magic to make the pro wrestling world advance forward. Akito said the future of wrestling is bright while YOSHI-HASHI said next time he shows up here he wants to be in the same ring as KENTA.

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Posted by JamieOD

Endo Loses Survival 3 Way Match In NOAH, Also Gets Betrayed By Sugiura

June 4, 2025

Are they called TEAM 2000X because their main events are booked liked WCW from the year 2000? Oh, I’m on… ahem…

When we last paid attention to Tetsuya Endo in NOAH he had left TEAM 2000X, joined forces with Takashi Sugiura and the two of them both got a GHC Heavyweight Title shot where they would face the champion OZAWA in a 3 Way Elimination Match. In the two weeks leading up to the title bout Endo & Sugiura would face TEAM 2000X in several kinds of tag matches. They were on the winning side for the first half of them but TEAM 2000X won the rest in the second half. OZAWA even added insult to injury by spraying a silver X over Endo’s chest after Endo was the last to be beaten in an 8-Man Elimination Tag Match. By the last prelim match the alliance between Endo and Sugiura was becoming shaky with neither of them being on the exact same page. OZAWA even started to brag that Endo would return to TEAM 2000X when he loses at the Survival 3 Way Match.

NOAH “STAR NAVIGATION 2025”, 03/06/2025
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1,233 Fans

7. GHC Heavyweight Title – Survival 3 Way Match: OZAWA (c) defeated Tetsuya Endo and Takashi Sugiura (24:38).
7a. Tetsuya Endo eliminated Takashi Sugiura with a School Boy (15:20).
7b. OZAWA eliminated Tetsuya Endo with the Real Rebel (24:38).
*V6 for OZAWA.

So when it was finally time for the title match to happen OZAWA kept his distance hoping Endo and Sugiura would fight each other and complaining that he was in a 2 Vs 1 disadvantage. The match did eventually become all against each other and that was when OZAWA pushed Sugiura into the ref and called upon the rest of TEAM 2000X to do his evil bidding. Sugiura grabbed a chair to even the odds but then turned around and hit Endo with it! He was then handed over a TEAM 2000X shirt and he put it on to show everyone he was the unit’s new member!

Endo was now the one on his own fighting against two enemies. Somehow he was able to hold his ground, knock OZAWA out of the ring and used a School Boy to eliminate Sugiura from the match. Endo now had OZAWA all by himself and grabbed him by the tongue to set up the Exploder Suplex. OZAWA tried to withstand it but Endo then struck him across the face with a big slap and hit another Exploder for a nearfall. Jun Akiyama’s finisher wasn’t working for him so he pulled something out of Yukio Sakaguchi’s book and did the God’s Right Knee in the corner! OZAWA was down and out but Sugiura pulled the ref out of the ring during the pin count. TEAM 2000X stomped on Endo but he escaped back into the ring and jumped back out with the Sasuke Special to wipe them all out. Seeing his chance Endo went for the Burning Star Press onto OZAWA but he blocked it with his knees. He tried going for a second one but OZAWA followed him up the corner and gave him the one-man Spanish Fly from the top rope. OZAWA next did his own Burning Star Press but Endo kicked out of it. OZAWA kept the pressure up and eventually had Endo beaten when he hit the Real Rebel for the finish.

After the match OZAWA referred to Sugiura as “The Godfather” and he thanked him for joining TEAM 2000X. He revealed they had this planned ever since the Sumo Hall show a month ago. Sugiura even teamed with Akiyama who he hates just to throw everyone off the scent. OZAWA then told Endo the unit never needed a lame person like him who gets knocked to the ground with only one slap. He doesn’t want Endo to act like DDT and NOAH are on the same level ever again! Endo could only curse about TEAM 2000X backstage and said they are disrespecting pro wrestling. He doesn’t understand how NOAH and the GHC committee could think this is all okay.

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Posted by JamieOD

Endo Leaves TEAM 2000X, Now Aiming To Reach The Top Of NOAH

May 18, 2025

It’s been a over a month since we last paid attention to Tetsuya Endo’s story in NOAH so what’s going on with him now? Well we rejoin Endo right after he decided to leave TEAM 2000X! When we last left him he was in a dramatic situation that led to Takashi Sugiura bringing in Jun Akiyama to try and set him straight. Endo refused to learn his lesson about being who he really is so a tag match was set up to settle their problems.

NOAH “LINE YAHOO! PRESENTS PRO WRESTLING NOAH 25TH ANNIVERSARY MEMORIAL VOYAGE 2025 IN RYOGOKU”, 03/05/2025
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
4,521 Fans – Super No Vacancy Full House

7. Special Tag Match: Jun Akiyama & Takashi Sugiura defeated Tetsuya Endo & Owadasan when Akiyama pinned Endo with the Starness Dust α (16:49).

This match was Akiyama’s first appearance on a normal NOAH show in over four years. He has wrestled on their Limit Break spin-off events and also the two “CYBERFIGHT FESTIVAL” shows but not the regular NOAH brand in that time. Owadasan had faced Akiyama before on those Limit Break shows back when he was known as Yu Owada. During the match Endo & Owadasan cheated by targeting Sugiura’s groin but once Akiyama got into the match like a house on fire, Endo wanted to fight him clean. He even refused to hit Akiyama with the weapon Yoshitatsu handed over to him. The two exchanged Exploder Suplexes on each other until Akiyama hit Endo with a Knee Lift to the face. That got a two count so Akiyama pulled out the Starness Dust α to put him away. He patted Endo on the chest after the match and told him something before leaving. Whatever it is he said, it made Endo start to question everything he’s been doing in NOAH lately.

NOAH “STAR NAVIGATION 2025”, 18/05/2025
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1,562 Fans

3. Naomichi Marufuji, Takashi Sugiura & Masa Kitamiya defeated Tetsuya Endo, Daga & Owadasan when Sugiura pinned Owadasan with the Olympic Qualifier Slam (10:29).

Endo continued wrestling tag matches for TEAM 2000X trying to forget what happened. He had unfinished business with Sugiura and started complaining that NOAH were booking himself, an outsider, on more shows than they were booking Sugiura who belongs to the promotion. Endo again went for Low Blows on Sugiura while Owadasan did taunts saying Sugiura should be trying to rehabilitate him instead of Endo. Yoshitatsu interfered again to attack Naomichi Marufuji & Masa Kitamiya but once again when he offered a weapon to Endo it was refused. Then Endo went one step further by giving Tatsu the Exploder Suplex! He then stood aside to let Sugiura beat Owadasan to end the match.

Sugiura smiled afterwards and told Endo they should work together and aim for the top of NOAH by chasing after the GHC Heavyweight Title. Endo admitted he doesn’t like the way TEAM 2000X is being run so he is leaving the unit! The two shook hands to cement their new alliance. But there was more to come from this turn of events.

NOAH “STAR NAVIGATION 2025”, 03/06/2025
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. GHC Heavyweight Title – Survival 3 Way Match: OZAWA (c) Vs Tetsuya Endo Vs Takashi Sugiura

After OZAWA retained his GHC Title in the main event Endo got into the ring now wearing a NOAH shirt. He didn’t come to NOAH to get worthless victories with TEAM 2000X, he came here to fight OZAWA and take the GHC Title from him! OZAWA asked what is wrong with Endo because they were like twins. Now it turns out Endo is a traitor instead! OZAWA blamed Sugiura for this and demanded he get into the ring too. Why? Because OZAWA wants to fight both of them at once! He decided his next GHC Title defence will be a Survival 3 Way Match against Endo and Sugiura where the last man standing will be the champion. Endo accepted the challenge and told OZAWA they were never twins. He then put his hand on Sugiura’s shoulder and said they’re all triplets! OZAWA didn’t understand and asked if Endo took a hard slap to the head?

Backstage Endo said he’s been in NOAH for five months now and it’s best for him to act quickly. He did have a goal to get revenge on NOAH but as he felt more of a disconnect with TEAM 2000X, he felt more excitement from fighting the NOAH wrestlers. So now he has an opportunity to turn the tide and prove to fans that DDT is not inferior to NOAH. He could strategically use his alliance with Sugiura to eliminate OZAWA first but he feels that is more like a Handicap Match and it goes against his mindset.

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Posted by JamieOD

So What Has Tetsuya Endo Been Up To?

April 14, 2025

It’s been a while since we looked over at NOAH to see what Tetsuya Endo was doing. Last time I wrote about him he was losing the GHC National Title to back to Manabu Soya. Since then OZAWA won the belt to become a double champion thanks to a lot of TEAM 2000X shenanigans that Endo was included in. More shenanigans followed when he decided to immediately vacate the title because he already has the GHC Heavyweight Title. NOAH put together a mini tournament to crown the next champion and Endo took part in it.

NOAH “STAR NAVIGATION PREMIUM 2025”, 22/03/2025
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1,550 Fans – Super No Vacancy Full House

3. GHC National Title Tournament – Round 1: Tetsuya Endo defeated Takashi Sugiura with a School Boy (5:59).

Endo made a mockery of Takashi Sugiura in the 1st Round by cheating with some help from Yoshi Tatsu at ringside. He found a moment to knock the ref aside and give Sugiura a Low Blow. Then he pinned him with a School Boy and added some insult to injury by doing MIKAMI’s pose along with the count. Endo said Sugiura is one of the few wrestlers in NOAH he respects. Beating him means he has beaten half of NOAH and next he will crush the other half. Sugiura complained and asked if Endo really came over from DDT to wrestle this way in NOAH?

NOAH “SUNNY VOYAGE 2025”, 11/04/2025
Niigata City Gymnasium
1,092 Fans

8. GHC National Title Tournament – Final: Galeno defeated Tetsuya Endo with the Galeno Special (23:46).
*Galeno becomes the 17th GHC National Champion!

Endo was now one step away from reclaiming the National Title for himself. Now he had to go through the really big wall that is Galeno. The latest luchador from the famed Wagner family to ply his trade on the NOAH canvas. TEAM 2000X interfered at the start of the match and Endo relied on using a Low Blow again. But Galeno fought back against the odds and ultimately got the win with the Galeno Special to become the new champion! Endo tried to get a last word in by saying just because Galeno won the title doesn’t mean he is on the same level as his brother El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. However Endo admitted he was beaten and acknowledges that Galeno has gone from a third rate wrestler to a first and a half rate wrestler.

NOAH “STAR NAVIGATION 2025”, 14/04/2025
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1,550 Fans – Super No Vacancy Full House

8. No DQ Tag Match: KENTA & Kenoh defeated OZAWA & Tetsuya Endo when KENTA pinned OZAWA with the Go 2 Sleep (25:33).

With Endo now outside of any title picture currently going on, he moved back to TEAM 2000X stuff. He teamed up with OZAWA to take on KENTA & Kenoh in a wild No DQ Match to build up OZAWA’s GHC Title defence against KENTA coming up next month. There were fights in the aisle, attacks with bamboo canes plus weapons like ladders and tables being used. At one point there were a pile of chairs in the ring where every wrestler crashed into when they missed a top rope move. Yoshi Tatsu interfered only for Ulka Sasaki to come out and stop him. KENTA knocked OZAWA off a Giga Ladder through some tables below and pinned him with the Go 2 Sleep afterward.

Backstage Endo was cutting a promo to reporters when Takashi Sugiura approached him. He wanted to know how much longer Endo was going to behave like this and asked if this is what he wants to do in NOAH? Endo won’t answer him so he brought along someone that Endo will listen to. Jun Akiyama! He asked Endo the same questions and Sugiura and told him to remember who he really is. Sugiura suggested he and Akiyama should team up against Endo to help guide him back on the right path. Endo eventually agreed to the challenge because anyone who stands in front of him is his enemy!

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Posted by JamieOD

Endo Loses National Title In NOAH, Takeshita Defends NEVER Title In NJPW

February 12, 2025

Yesterday two of DDT’s biggest exports were both involved in title matches for different companies. Let’s see how they got on.


NOAH “STAR NAVIGATION PREMIUM ~NOAH JR. TAG LEAGUE 2025~”, 11/02/2025
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1,560 Fans – Super No Vacancy

5. GHC National Title: Manabu Soya defeated Tetsuya Endo (c) with the Dando (12:20).
*Tetsuya Endo fails in V1. Manabu Soya becomes the 15th GHC National Champion!

Well that puts a dampener of Tetsuya Endo’s heel turn. Not long after he won the GHC National Title and joined TEAM 2000X he loses it back to Manabu Soya in the rematch. In the preview matches coming up to this bout, Endo taunted Soya by telling him the result would be the same and his family would get so fed up by Soya’s failure they would abandon him! However Soya was determined to reclaim his championship even if he had to overcome a damaged elbow to do so. He also got help from the RATEL’S unit to fend off interference from TEAM 2000X. With the fight now evened out, Soya went on to beat Endo and win back the National Title.

Endo blamed the loss on the referee’s pin count but will not dwell on it for long. He is already missing the sweet voice of a NOAH championship and does not intend to return to DDT empty handed. He has long stay in NOAH ahead of him and when the time comes for him to go back home, he will bring a souvenir for DDT back with him.


NJPW “THE NEW BEGINNING IN OSAKA”, 11/02/2025
Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium (Osaka Edion Arena)
5,502 Fans – Super No Vacancy

6. NEVER Openweight Title: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA (c) defeated Oleg Boltin with the Raging Fire (11:33).
*V3 for KONOSUKE TAKESHITA.

Fortunes fared better for Konosuke Takeshita over in New Japan. He put the NEVER Openweight Title on the line against Oleg Boltin in a rematch from last year’s G1 Climax. This time Takeshita was able to survive the Kamikaze Drop and use a Front Neck Lock to sap the life out of his opponent. Boltin was unable to kick out of the Raging Fire after that. Backstage Takeshita said he was thankful to Boltin ever since the G1 match because losing to him only made Takeshita stronger. He looks forward to a third and final showdown to happen some day.

Takeshita quickly found out who is next to face him for the title. Ryohei Oiwa approached him after the match. He said it would be interesting to see Takeshita’s worldwide wrestling style line up against Oiwa’s Japanese only style (Oiwa famously never went on the traditional overseas excursion every young lion goes through). Takeshita warned him that a world class wrestler like himself is very strong.

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Posted by JamieOD

UJPW Becomes Incorporated

January 20, 2025

Last July members of the United Japan Pro Wrestling association had met to discuss what their next movements should be with the concept. It was decided that UJPW would go from a voluntary organization to an incorporated group. After going quiet for the rest of the year, representatives from all of the member promotions gathered today to announce that UJPW went through with the plan and has now become incorporated as a non-profit organization. With this move UJPW aims to strengthen its governance in Japan’s pro wrestling scene, become more transparent with its management and improve wrestling’s social credibility. They also came up with a slogan: “Pro Wrestling will always be a driving force for the people of Japan.”

The move gives UJPW greater legal options with the example the Japanese press have given being to open up accounts and hold business assets under the corporate name. Sanshiro Takagi has taken on the role as the Representative Director even though the UJPW office will be located inside New Japan’s HQ. Takagi along with the other directors on the board will all serve two year terms. They were all chosen based on the number of voting rights they have in their respective companies. The board of directors will meet twice a year within the fiscal calendar.

Takagi said it is possible for more UJPW events to be held in the future but it is not the goal of the organization and there are no plans to run another event like “ALL TOGETHER” at this time. However there could still be more interactions coming between the promotions. For example, Hiroshi Tanahashi said he would like to appear in the other companies as part of his year long road to retirement.

There are currently ten members of UJPW. They are New Japan, All Japan, NOAH, DDT, Ganbare☆Pro, Big Japan, Dragongate, Stardom, Tokyo Joshi Pro & Kyushu Pro. Seven requirements have been laid out for future members to meet if they would like to join UJPW. They include needing a regular event schedule, being a legally recognized company, having at least one wrestler under a full time contract, having an annual revenue of over 50 million yen, been active for at least two years, have a corporate compliance system and want to improve the wrestling scene even when competing against other members. There will also in the future be a lower tier created place for supporting members to join that involve less demanding requirements. When I posted about these plans last July I mentioned DIANA had representatives at the meeting in an observing capacity. There has been no mention of them being involved since then but I imagine they can end up becoming one such example of a supporting member.

Wrestlers and staff from each of the member promotions were in attendance to give speeches about the news. I’m just going to focus on the companies I usually cover (although I’d like to point out that Takaaki Kidani put his foot in his mouth again). Takagi wants UJPW to also cooperate with as many of the different indies across Japan as possible. Michiyoshi Mishima said GanPro is the smallest member of the group but thinks they can set an example for other promotions of the same size. Chris Brookes spoke about wrestling being something that can unite people. Utami Hayashishita Miyu Yamashita talked about the respect that wrestling fans around the world has for Japan. Haru Kazashiro said she loved wrestling ever since she joined TJPW and wants to see more children drawn to the industry if UJPW can establish the safety and medical standards needed. Ken Ohka believes this attempt at bringing pro wrestling together will take the industry to new heights. Yuna Manase is happy to be able to exchange ideas with wrestlers from other companies that will bring more happiness to the fans.

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Posted by JamieOD

Endo Wins A Championship In NOAH, Also Joins TEAM 2000X

January 11, 2025

NOAH “STAR NAVIGATION PREMIUM 2025”, 11/01/2025
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1,535 Fans – Super No Vacancy

8. GHC National Title: Tetsuya Endo defeated Manabu Soya (c) with the Burning Star Press (19:30).
*Manabu Soya fails in V6. Tetsuya Endo becomes the 14th GHC National Champion!

Well so much for entering NOAH to learn more about his BURNING roots. Tetsuya Endo instead showed that you can take him out of DAMNATION but you cannot take DAMNATION out of him! During his GHC National Title main event against the champion Manabu Soya, Endo paused on the top rope when he saw all of TEAM 2000X approach ringside. Endo went back to Soya but missed the Burning Star Press. However when Soya was on the verge of winning the match, Yoshitatsu pulled the referee out of the ring. Soya fought off several members of TEAM 2000X and Endo grabbed a nightstick from Yoshitatsu’s hands. However he then turned around and hit Soya with it! Endo then gave Soya the Swivel Torture Rack Bomb and pinned him with the Burning Star Press to become the new National Champion!

Endo told the fans he is a member of TEAM 2000X and he was never interested in the origins of BURNING. The only reason he came to NOAH is to destroy it, even if it means putting his life on the line! He explained more backstage that this was his goal from the beginning when he jumped from DDT to NOAH. It was NOAH’s style of wrestling that ruined his life so in 2025 he has come to destroy NOAH. Winning the National Title was his first step and an easy one at that. Elsewhere Jun Akiyama on Twitter said he does not care what decision Endo makes. As long as he thinks and acts for himself Akiyama will support him. He is going to tell Kenta Kobashi about it though.

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Posted by JamieOD

Tetsuya Endo Is Spending 2025 In NOAH

January 2, 2025

NOAH “NEW YEAR REBOOT 2025”, 02/01/2025
Shinjuku FACE
480 Fans

3. Tetsuya Endo defeated Atsushi Kotoge with the Burning Star Press (14:16).

There was another Tetsuya Endo appearance in NOAH today and we all learned he is going to make many more this year. After the confrontation he had with Atsushi Kotoge in Budokan Hall yesterday, NOAH booked them in a singles match today. Endo used the Exploder Suplex and then the Torture Rack Bomb on Kotoge before finishing him off with the Burning Star Press. After the match Endo greeted the NOAH fans and explained to them the BURNING unit in DDT that connects him to Jun Akiyama and Kenta Kobashi. In order to get further in touch with the origins of BURNING, Endo has decided he will spend 2025 wrestling in NOAH!

His ultimate goal is to win the GHC Heavyweight Title but he will have his eye on winning all of the championships available to him in NOAH. He later proved this by coming out to challenge Manabu Soya for the GHC National Championship after Soya won his latest title defence. Soya scalded Endo for approaching him because Soya normally decides by himself who he wants his next challenger to be. He also does not know what BURNING means because “Passion” is more his thing. Endo later defended himself because in DDT it’s normal for wrestlers to confront champions and challenge them. You can’t get to the top by being a good boy so if Endo has to break the rules to get what he wants in NOAH then he’ll do it.

DDT later announced that Endo will be wrestling on the 3rd and 5th January shows. After that he will be taking an indefinite leave from the promotion in order to take on a regular schedule with NOAH. The way DDT talks about it sounds like it’s an idea Endo wanted to do. So I don’t know if we have a trade coming up and tomorrow somebody from NOAH will jump over to DDT.

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It’s about time a move like this is happening yet I’m still surprised they’re finally going through with it. Endo has pretty much done it all in DDT across his almost 13 year career and DDT should be doing talent exchanges with NOAH through their CyberFight connection more often to freshen up both rosters. Endo already has a good link to fit him in with NOAH from the get go because of his association with Akiyama and Kobashi in recent years. Given his workout habits he will likely bounce back and forth between heavyweight and Jr. heavyweight throughout the year. While I would be thrilled to see him win a championship over there I’m not expecting him to beat Soya for the National Title. At least not the first time around. So is this it for Endo and DDT? It’s possible the indefinite absence can turn into a permanent transfer in a year or so. I’ll keep an eye on how he does over there and post about any big matches or achievements that comes his way.

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Posted by JamieOD

Endo Moving To NOAH, Lumber Snake Death Match, Ashida Joins TJPW, GanPro Ready For 2025

January 2, 2025

DDT “NEW YEAR☆DRAMATIC PARADE 2025 ~ANSWERS WILL BE REVEALED ONE YEAR LATER~”, 03/01/2025
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. To-y, Akito & Soma Takao Vs Toru Owashi, Super Sasadango Machine & Tomomitsu Matsunaga
2. Daisuke Sasaki, MJ Paul, Demus & Ilusion Vs Yuni, Kazuma Sumi, Daichi Sato & Yuki Ishida
3. BZW Tag Team Titles: MAO & Yoshihiko (c) Vs Kazuki Hirata & Antonio Honda
4. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Chris Brookes, Masahiro Takanashi & Takeshi Masada Vs Shinya Aoki, Yuki Ueno & Keigo Nakamura
5. Special Single Match: Tetsuya Endo Vs Yuya Koroku
6. Special Tag Match: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA & Jun Akiyama Vs Yuki Iino & Yukio Naya
7. KO-D Openweight Title Next Challenger 4 Way Match: Danshoku Dieno Vs Shuji Ishikawa Vs HARASHIMA Vs KANON

I’ll write a separate post about today’s Tetsuya Endo news after this one. Long story short Endo will be taking a leave of absence from DDT after 5th January to go wrestle on a regular basis for NOAH. He is also going to challenge Manabu Soya for the GHC National Title soon as part of this sudden turn of events.

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TOKYO JOSHI PRO ’25”, 04/01/2025
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. HIMAWARI, Mifu Ashida & Chika Nanase Vs Shino Suzuki, Toga & Uta Takami
2. Aja Kong, Mahiro Kiryu & Haruna Neko Vs Yuki Aino, Raku & Pom Harajuku
3. Ryo Mizunami, Kaya Toribami & Yoshiko Hasegawa Vs Matcha, Ivy Steele & Kira Summer
4. Yuki Kamifuku & Lei Ying Lee Vs Rika Tatsumi & Wakana Uehara
5. Yuka Sakazaki & Moka Miyamoto Vs Arisu Endo & Haru Kazashiro
6. New Year! Lumbersnake Death Match: Shoko Nakajima Vs Hyper Misao
7. International Princess Title: Yuki Arai (c) Vs Suzume
8. Princess Tag Team Titles: Miyu Yamashita & Maki Itoh (c) Vs Masha Slamovich & Zara Zakher
9. Princess Of Princess Title: Miu Watanabe (c) Vs Mizuki

We’re not done with Poison Sawada JULIE just yet. He is sticking around for another show as the special guest referee for Shoko Nakajima Vs Hyper Misao. That’s not all, his presence means the match is also going to be a Lumbersnake Death Match! The match rules will be announced at the show but the name suggests it is a Lumberjack Match where all of the lumberjacks will be controlled by Sawada’s snake magic.

A few days ago I asked if Tokyo Joshi Pro was going to dive into the loaded joshi free agency scene this year. Then on New Year’s Day they announced at noon on the dot that Mifu Ashida has joined the company. Ashida was among the group of wrestlers from Ice Ribbon who announced in November that they would be leaving the company over payment issues. Ashida only just had her last match with the company on New Year’s Eve. She has a background in cheerleading and became a pro wrestler in 2023 after she was cast in a movie called “THE CHALLENGER: Ring Of Hope” that Ice Ribbon helped produce.

BASARA “BASARA 266 ~SOUEN~”, 10/01/2025
Shin-Kiba 1st RING

1. Turnabout Pro Wrestling Trial: Minoru Fujita Vs Gouma Ryu Vs Banana Senga
2. SAGAT Vs Takeru Inoue
3. 3 Way Tag Match: KUBITO & Daichi Kazato Vs Daiki Shimomura & Tsutomu Oosugi Vs Yasu Urano Vs Judomaster
4. Isami Kodaka, Takumi Tsukamoto & Ryota Nakatsu Vs Takato Nakano, Masato Kamino & Lil’ Kraken
5. Ryuichi Sekine Vs FUMA

Minoru Fujita has gone from from losing the championship straight to the courthouse, er… ring. Always sad to see a champion spiral out of control after they lose their title. What does Banana Senga have on him and can Gouma Ryu get him out of trouble?

GANBARE☆PRO “NEW YEAR’S BLUES 2025”, 13/01/2025
Shin-Kiba 1st RING

1. Munetatsu Nakamura Vs Shota Kawakami
2. Shigehiro Irie, Rekka & Moeka Haruhi Vs Hartley Jackson, Choun-Shiryu & HARUKAZE
3. Tyson Maeguchi Vs Fuminori Abe
4. Kitsune World Title Next Challenger Decision Match: Yuna Manase Vs YuuRI
5. Shinichiro Tomingaga Return Match: Ken Ohka, Shuichiro Katsumura & Takuya Wada Vs Keisuke Ishii, Shinichiro Tomingaga & Daisuke®️
6. Yumehito Imanari Vs Yasu Urano

Many years ago (2017 to be exact) Yumehito Imanari lost a match to Yasu Urano by submitting to a Headlock. Now this isn’t actually as pathetic as it sounds because Urano has used the move to win matches several times in his career. It’s rare but does happen. With that being said, it is a loss that still haunts Imanari so right after he won the Spirit Of Ganbare World Title, he brought up that memory as a reason to challenge Urano to a match. Ganbare☆Pro have not decided to make it a title match yet but Imanari wants to put the belt on the line.

Last May was when Shinichiro Tomingaga blew out his Achilles tendon. After almost 8 months on the shelf he is ready to come back and make up for lost time.

Before Ganbare☆Joshi holds its joint show with Kitsune on 28th January there is the little matter of who should face MICHIKO for the Kitsune World Title to sort out first. Obviously Yuna Manase wants to get a rematch so she can win the title back. But YuuRI also showed interest in challenging MICHIKO for the title. The only way to solve this conundrum is to have Manase and YuuRI fight each other for the No. 1 Contendership.

Tyson Maeguchi Vs Fuminori Abe sounds like a match that is going to hurt.

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Posted by JamieOD

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