DDT “RYOGOKU PETER PAN 2013” Preview

August 17, 2013

sumohall-doubleshot

DDT “RYOGOKU PETER PAN 2013”, 18/08/2013
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

0. Dark Match: Akito & Guanchulo Vs FUMA & Daichi Kazato
0. Dark Match – KO-D 6-Man Tag Title Next Challenger Decision – Falls Count Anywhere: Antonio Honda, Hoshitango & Jun Kasai Vs Sanshiro Takagi, Toru Owashi & Akebono
1. Next KO-D Tag Team Title Challenger Finals: KUDO & Yasu Urano Vs Daisuke Sasaki & Yuji Hino Vs Keisuke Ishii & Takao Soma Vs Kenny Omega & Gota Ihashi
2. Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title – “Research Group” Presents Battle Royal: Komyo (c) Vs Yoshihiko Vs MIKAMI Vs Michael Nakazawa Vs Tomomitsu Matsunaga Vs Kazuki Hirata Vs Gorgeous Matsuno Vs DJ Nira Vs Rion Mizuki Vs Yuto Aijima Vs Mitomi Masayuki Vs Shuji Ishikawa Vs Seiya Morohashi
3. Saki Akai Debut Match: Masa Takanashi, Cherry & Saki Akai Vs Hiroshi Fukuda, Yoshiko & Hikaru Shida
4. Special Single Match: Katsuhiko Nakajima Vs Konosuke Takeshita
5. KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles: Kensuke Sasaki, Danshoku Dino & Makoto Oishi (c) Vs Winners Of Dark Match
6. KO-D Tag Team Titles: Hikaru Sato & Yukio Sakaguchi (c) Vs Yuko Miyamoto & Isami Kodaka
7. Dramatic Dream Match: Kota Ibushi Vs Kazuchika Okada
8. KO-D Openweight Title: Shigehiro Irie (c) Vs HARASHIMA

After having a go inside Budokan Hall last year for an event that luckily did not end with a satellite filled with dynamite falling from the sky and crashing into the building, DDT brings its annual Peter Pan supershow back to Sumo Hall. This time around Sanshiro Takagi’s crazy idea is to hold two shows inside Sumo Hall in the same weekend. While the first show focuses more on the entertainment side of DDT, this show right here is the culmination of everything DDT has done for the last 12 months. We have two generations of DDT aces fighting over the KO-D Championship, we have a dream match I never thought would happen between the Golden Star and the Rainmaker, we have the company’s most promising young wrestler going against one of modern wrestling’s best prodigies, we have a painting defending a championship against a bunch of people including a blow up doll and we have Akebono in a dark match. What more could you want from DDT?

0. Dark Match: Akito & Guanchulo Vs FUMA & Daichi Kazato

The afternoon begins with a dark match featuring the young lions of DDT and Union. Out of the four Akito has made the most progress this year regularly teaming with Masa Takanashi and Yukio Sakaguchi. The highlight of which was when he and Sakaguchi fought New Japan invaders Jushin Liger and Hiromu Takahashi back in February. Guanchulo arrived from Chile along with Aggressor for a learning excursion throughout the year. Aggressor returned home in June but Guanchulo extended his stay and is a last minute replacement for the injured Tetsuya Endo. FUMA was very active when he adopted his new name and tried to usurp KUDO’s spot in Ura-Shima-Kudo. Daichi Kazato is slowly but surely emerging from the dark match level in Union.

0. Dark Match – KO-D 6-Man Tag Title Next Challenger Decision – Falls Count Anywhere: Antonio Honda, Hoshitango & Jun Kasai Vs Sanshiro Takagi, Toru Owashi & Akebono

The traditional Falls Count Anywhere Tag Team dark match makes its return. Sure it wouldn’t be a Peter Pan show without it. This time around there is a prize at stake. The winners will move onto the main card where they will receive a KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Title shot. The Monster Army gain a violent ally in the form of Jun Kasai. Sanshiro Takagi and Toru Owashi fired back with a big pick, Ribera’s favourite son Akebono!

1. Next KO-D Tag Team Title Challenger Finals: KUDO & Yasu Urano Vs Daisuke Sasaki & Yuji Hino Vs Keisuke Ishii & Takao Soma Vs Kenny Omega & Gota Ihashi

A lot of guys I like are in this match. It’s a shame that many of them have been put here instead of somewhere more important on the card. Still, you can expect a fast paced sprint and maybe a great KO-D Tag Team Title match to look forward to in the future.

2. Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title – “Research Group” Presents Battle Royal: Komyo (c) Vs Yoshihiko Vs MIKAMI Vs Michael Nakazawa Vs Tomomitsu Matsunaga Vs Kazuki Hirata Vs Gorgeous Matsuno Vs DJ Nira Vs Rion Mizuki Vs Yuto Aijima Vs Mitomi Masayuki Vs Shuji Ishikawa Vs Seiya Morohashi

The illustrious history of the Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title added another fascinating entry to its hall of champions back in June. Komyo  (Guangming is another translation but I don’t think it’s the ring one) is a portrait painted by Akihiro Miwa who among other things is an actor, an author, an artist and a drag queen. Komyo was presented to DJ Nira as a bonus prize when he won the Iron Man Title. However the painting was too large and heavy for Nira to carry. The painting fell on top of Nira and ended up pinning him to win the championship. Since then Komyo has been kept under wraps by the “Research Group” and this match will be the first appearance by the champion since it won the belt. Furthermore, the “Research Group” has hired Shuji Ishikawa and Seiya Morohashi to be Komyo’s bodyguards for the match against the usual mix of DDT’s finest and oddest. Contrary to rumours, the ghost of Andre The Giant will not be competing in the Battle Royal. However I cannot rule out the ghost of Naoshi Sano’s career showing up.

3. Saki Akai Debut Match: Masa Takanashi, Cherry & Saki Akai Vs Hiroshi Fukuda, Yoshiko & Hikaru Shida

With Yuzuki Aikawa’s days of bouncing around the ring now over, it’s now time for another model to become a pro wrestler. Enter Saki Akai, the daughter of actor and retired boxer Hidekazu Akai. Masa Takanashi and Cherry have been busy training her and will be teaming with her on the show. Their opponents Yoshiko and Hikaru Shida offered some advice to Akai at a recent press conference. Yoshiko warned that she could break Akai’s bones while Shida, who knows Akai from their time working together on the TV show Muscle Girl said that friendships do not matter inside the ring. Shida also thinks it sucks that she has to team with Hiroshi Fukuda.

4. Special Single Match: Katsuhiko Nakajima Vs Konosuke Takeshita

What a year it has been for Konosuke Takeshita. The 18 year old rookie debuted at Budokan Hall against the hero to Mexican orphans everywhere El Generico (and by that point he was already a former Iron Man Champion). Since then he has been a ball of energy with some impressive performances for a teenager in his first year of wrestling. He took some crazy bumps from the Golden Lovers in separate matches, stepped in the ring with Tatsumi Fujinami and was also pinned Poison Sawada JULIE in his retirement match. His most impressive achievement yet was defeating Masa Takanashi and Yasu Urano to reach the semi final of the King of DDT tournament. Oh, and he recently had an hour long Ironman dark match. Now exactly one year after his debut Takeshita is pitted against another wrestling prodigy, Katsuhiko Nakajima!

5. KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles: Kensuke Sasaki, Danshoku Dino & Makoto Oishi (c) Vs Winners Of Dark Match

The KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles were introduced in December and crowned its first champions a month later. In its brief history the title has had few successful defences. In fact, the Monster Army are the only champions to have made at least one successful defence. The current champions are of Kensuke Sasaki, Danshoku Dino and Makoto Oishi. As odd as it is for Sasaki to team with Dino and Oishi, it’s still not as weird as the time he thought he was American.

6. KO-D Tag Team Titles: Hikaru Sato & Yukio Sakaguchi (c) Vs Yuko Miyamoto & Isami Kodaka

My dark horse pick for match of the show. Hikaru Sato & Yukio Sakaguchi defend the KO-D Tag Team Titles against Yankii Ni Cho Kenju (or Yankee Two Kenju or Yankee Trillion Pistols, I couldn’t figure out the correct translation). Isami Kodaka stepped up his game this year, taking Shuji Ishikawa’s role as the ace of Union and battling with Kenny Omega over the DDT Extreme Title. He recently brought Yuko Miyamoto into DDT to form their successful Big Japan team and they quickly climbed the ranks to get this title shot. Meanwhile Sakaguchi began to make sense of DDT and even found himself defending the promotion from Jushin Liger at one point. He and fellow shoot fighter Hikaru Sato have held the titles since May and defended against a mixture of veterans and promising rookies.

7. Dramatic Dream Match: Kota Ibushi Vs Kazuchika Okada

The match everyone is looking forward to from the moment it was announced. Unless you have been living under a rock, you would know that Kota Ibushi recently moved up to heavyweight status and competed in the G1 Climax for New Japan. As part of the deal between New Japan and DDT, the IWGP Champion Kazuchika Okada (and hopefully Gedo too) comes over for a dream match against Ibushi. So we are getting the Golden Star against The Rainmaker and I for one am quite excited for it.

8. KO-D Openweight Title: Shigehiro Irie (c) Vs HARASHIMA

The actual main event has been overshadowed by Ibushi Vs Okada but it is a pretty important match for DDT. Shigehiro Irie won the KO-D Openweight Championship in March and since then has created the most dominant title reign in DDT history. This was helped by the creation of four Right To Challenge Anytime, Anywhere Contracts that allowed its holders to get a KO-D Title shot at whenever they wanted during DDT’s events. Makoto Oishi, Keisuke Ishii, Daisuke Sasaki and Big Japan’s Yuji Okabayashi all cashed in and left with nothing. Add to that some victories over Yukio Sakaguchi, Kota Ibushi, Hikaru Sato and Sanshiro Takagi and you have yourself a very impressive title reign. But there is someone Irie hasn’t faced yet and that man is one of DDT’s best. HARASHIMA is never far away from the No. 1 Contender position and he earned his main event spot by winning this year’s King of DDT tournament. Irie has never beaten HARASHIMA in a singles match. While he has come close with a time limit draw here and there, it’s been mostly HARASHIMA left standing on top. Will we get the same result or will Irie finally beat the one man he never could?


DDT “PROGRESS AND HARMONY OF WRESTLING” Preview

August 15, 2013

DDT “PROGRESS AND HARMONY OF WRESTLING”, 17/08/2013
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

0. Dark Match – Tokyo Women’s Wrestling Offer Match: Miyu Yamashita & Shoko Nakajima Vs Chikage Kiba & KANNA
0. Dark Match: Gota Ihashi & SAGAT Vs Mitomi Masayuki & Tatsuhiko Yoshino
1. All Night Nippon GOLD Personality Battle Royal: Sanshiro Takagi Vs Nori da Funky Shibire-sasu Vs Hikaru Sato Vs Toru Owashi Vs Gorgeous Matsuno Vs DJ Nira Vs Emi Sakura Vs GAMI Vs Honey Jiro Vs Guanchulo
2. Wrestling Style Vs Van: Hiroshi Fukuda (DPG) Vs Pour Lui (BiS) (w/ Jun Kasai)
3. Ultra Seven x DDT Collaboration Match: Yoshihiro Takayama & MIKAMI Vs Michael Nakazawa & Tomomitsu Matsunaga
4. DRESSCAMP PRESENTS: Kenny Omega Vs Konosuke Takeshita
5. Idol Lumberjack 4 Way Match: Makoto Oishi (Sizukaze & Kizuna ~KIZUNA~) Vs Yuko Miyamoto (LinQ) Vs Isami Kodaka (Up Up Girls) Vs Sanshiro Takagi (Eri Nitta)
6. Monster Army Vs Sakaguchi Home: Antonio Honda, Daisuke Sasaki, Yuji Hino & Hoshitango (w/ Tetsu Watanabe) Vs Yukio Sakaguchi, Masa Takanashi, Akito & Kazuki Hirata (w/ Kenji Sakaguchi)
7. Special 6-Man Tag Team Match: Shigehiro Irie, Keisuke Ishii & Takao Soma Vs HARASHIMA, KUDO & Yasu Urano
8. The Main Event: Danshoku Dino Vs Kota Ibushi

It’s that time again when DDT takes over Sumo Hall and puts on its biggest show of the year. This time however DDT will be holding two shows on back-to-back days. First up is “PROGRESS AND HARMONY OF WRESTLING”. This event will be more sports entertainment than usual for DDT. Those looking forward to title matches or anything that will contain significant progress for DDT’s storylines are probably better off waiting for the second show. This here is more like a variety show with the amount of celebrity guests showing up to get involved. That’s not to say there will not be any matches to look forward to of course.

0. Dark Match – Tokyo Women’s Wrestling Offer Match: Miyu Yamashita & Shoko Nakajima Vs Chikage Kiba & KANNA

Formed in June 2012, Tokyo Women’s Wrestling was created by DDT to bring in a new generation of girls into joshi wrestling. The project skid off track when its first and only trainee at the time NOZOMI quit the promotion after her brother Takashi Dai was forced into retirement due to spinal injuries suffered in his debut match. It wasn’t until November when the project emerged again with three brand new rookies Miyu Yamashita, KANNA and Chikage Kiba. They were soon joined by Shoko Nakajima and together the four spent all of this year competing in exhibition matches inside a tiny Akihabra concert hall. Now the time has come for the four girls to make their official pro wrestling debut.

0. Dark Match: Gota Ihashi & SAGAT Vs Mitomi Masayuki & Tatsuhiko Yoshino

The unsuccessful Kota Ibushi cloning experiment finally made some improvements this year. Gota Ihashi found some winning form as part of the Golden Rendezvous, winning the KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles. SAGAT is an indy wrestler who often competed in Union’s dark matches until Choun-Shiryu force fed him a potion that turned him into a Chinese Vampire. Now he spends his time hopping on the spot and looking like a male Hsien-Ko from Darkstalkers. Mitomi Masayuki is Union’s newest signed wrestler and has a cult following from his student wrestling days. Unfortunately his Union debut was delayed for a long time after he was injured in a car crash and it was only last month when he was finally able to wrestle. Tatsuhiko Yoshino is from Guts World. That’s everything I know about him… Ta da!

1. All Night Nippon GOLD Personality Battle Royal: Sanshiro Takagi Vs Nori da Funky Shibire-sasu Vs Hikaru Sato Vs Toru Owashi Vs Gorgeous Matsuno Vs DJ Nira Vs Emi Sakura Vs GAMI Vs Honey Jiro Vs Guanchulo

The show starts proper with a Battle Royal sponsored by the All Night Nippon radio show. The usual gang of misfits you would expect in a DDT Battle Royal are here along with former TKG48 member Nori da Funky Shibire-sasu, Gatoh Move founder Emi Sakura, Pro Wrestling WAVE founder GAMI, Chilean Dick Togo student Guanchulo and comedian/part time wrestler/lucky bastard who once dated Sora Aoi, Honey Jiro.

2. Wrestling Style Vs Van: Hiroshi Fukuda (DPG) Vs Pour Lui (BiS) (w/ Jun Kasai)

Hiroshi Fukuda recently took an unexpected career change by forming his own music group with a bunch of friends (and Antonio Honda) where they dress up as super heroes. After the DPG (Dramatic Perfect Group) launched their debut video, Fukuda picked a fight with Pour Lui, the leader of a girl group called BiS (Brand-New Idol Society). So a match was made and Lui was given a wrestler to be in her corner to make things even. That wrestler is Jun Kasai.

3. Ultra Seven x DDT Collaboration Match: Yoshihiro Takayama & MIKAMI Vs Michael Nakazawa & Tomomitsu Matsunaga

Yoshihiro Takayama & MIKAMI join forces due to their love of Ultraman. Nothing more needs to be said.

4. DRESSCAMP PRESENTS: Kenny Omega Vs Konosuke Takeshita

We’re getting a little fancy with this one. DRESSCAMP is a fashion brand and they are providing some glamour to go along with Kenny Omega versus Konosuke Takeshita. Japanese-Swedish celebrity LiLiCo is the special guest ring announcer while models Saki Akai (who makes her pro wrestling debut the next day) and Ayumi Goto will also appear. The match itself looks promising. Takeshita has had a heck of a rookie year while Omega has been really strong with a KO-D Openweight and DDT Extreme Title run throughout the first half of the year.

5. Idol Lumberjack 4 Way Match: Makoto Oishi (Sizukaze & Kizuna ~KIZUNA~) Vs Yuko Miyamoto (LinQ) Vs Isami Kodaka (Up Up Girls) Vs Sanshiro Takagi (Eri Nitta)

Wrestling match or a Japanese take on the TV show X-Factor? You decide. What we have here is a Lumberjack match. The roles of the lumberjacks have been given to a bunch of different music idols, each one represented by one of the wrestlers competing inside the ring. The idols are allowed to attack any wrestler who leaves the ring. However none of the wrestlers are allowed to touch any of the idols or else they will be immediately disqualified.

6. Monster Army Vs Sakaguchi Home: Antonio Honda, Daisuke Sasaki, Yuji Hino & Hoshitango (w/ Tetsu Watanabe) Vs Yukio Sakaguchi, Masa Takanashi, Akito & Kazuki Hirata (w/ Kenji Sakaguchi)

The Monster Army never learns. Last year Antonio Honda went on a stealing spree, robbing the DDT locker room of their gear and selling it online. The problem got so bad Sanshiro Takagi had to call in Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Satoshi Kojima to arrest them. Unfortunately only half a year passed until Honda and Daisuke Sasaki began stealing gear again. The line they crossed this time was when they stole the ring robe of Seiji Sakaguchi, Yukio Sakaguchi’s father. Speaking of fathers, Antonio Honda then revealed that his father Tetsu Watanabe is the Monster Army Marshall who ordered them to steal it! In response Yukio and his famous brother Kenji Sakaguchi planned to bring together a crack team of fighters to go to war with the Monster Army and win back the robe. Unfortunately, Jushin Liger thinks Yukio is a dick and he knows pretty much everybody in the industry so that probably stopped any hope of the plan from happening. So Yukio has to rely on DDT’s local crew Masa Takanashi, Akito and Kazuki Hirata instead.

7. Special 6-Man Tag Team Match: Shigehiro Irie, Keisuke Ishii & Takao Soma Vs HARASHIMA, KUDO & Yasu Urano

Team Dream Futures and Ura-Shima-Kudo have had plenty of 6-Man Tag Team matches together since both units were formed. What makes this one different is Shigehiro Irie will have his entrance song “Tachimukau” performed live by Kenji Ohtsuki. Also Irie will be in the ring with HARASHIMA the night before they main event Sumo Hall in the KO-D Openweight Title match.

8. The Main Event: Danshoku Dino Vs Kota Ibushi

The final match is a fitting main event between DDT’s two most loved wrestlers. Kota Ibushi and Danshoku Dino face each other for the first time since December 2010. They have had eight singles matches together in their careers (more like six, one was a backstage Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title change and the other was a wrestling match disguised as a figure dancing performance). While Ibushi is the favourite to win, Dino has had his number many times. Dino knows the Gedo Gay-do Clutch and that move has been Ibushi’s Achilles heel in the past. Ibushi also has bigger things to worry about the next day. If he can beat Dino and his eternal lust for anything male, then he can clear his head for The Rainmaker.


Tetsuya Endo Misses Sumo Hall, Guanchulo’s Japanese Radio

August 9, 2013

guanchulo-honeyjiro

DDT “PROGRESS AND HARMONY OF WRESTLING”, 17/08/2013
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

0. Dark Match – Tokyo Women’s Wrestling Offer Match: Miyu Yamashita & Shoko Nakajima Vs Chikage Kiba & KANNA
0. Dark Match: Gota Ihashi & Kazuki Hirata Vs Mitomi Masayuki & Tatsuhiko Yoshino
1. All Night Nippon GOLD Personality Battle Royal: Sanshiro Takagi Vs Nori da Funky Shibire-sasu Vs Hikaru Sato Vs Toru Owashi Vs Gorgeous Matsuno Vs DJ Nira Vs Emi Sakura Vs GAMI Vs Honey Jiro Vs Guanchulo
2. Wrestling Style Vs Van: Hiroshi Fukuda (DPG) Vs Pour Lui (BiS) (w/ Jun Kasai)
3. Ultra Seven x DDT Collaboration Match: Yoshihiro Takayama & MIKAMI Vs Michael Nakazawa & Tomomitsu Matsunaga
4. DRESSCAMP PRESENTS: Kenny Omega Vs Konosuke Takeshita
5. Idol Lumberjack 4 Way Match: Makoto Oishi (Sizukaze & Kizuna ~KIZUNA~) Vs Yuko Miyamoto (LinQ) Vs Isami Kodaka (Up Up Girls) Vs Sanshiro Takagi (Eri Nitta)
6. Monster Army Vs Sakaguchi Home: Antonio Honda, Daisuke Sasaki, Yuji Hino & Hoshitango (w/ Tetsu Watanabe) Vs Yukio Sakaguchi, Masa Takanashi, Akito & Kazuki Hirata (w/ Kenji Sakaguchi)
7. Special 6-Man Tag Team Match: Shigehiro Irie, Keisuke Ishii & Takao Soma Vs HARASHIMA, KUDO & Yasu Urano
8. The Main Event: Danshoku Dino Vs Kota Ibushi

Unfortunately Tetsuya Endo had to pull out of both Sumo Hall shows after he dislocated his left elbow during his match against Konosuke Takeshita at the 3rd August Beer Garden show. Endo will be gone for a couple of months at least. Kazuki Hirata replaces Endo on Yukio Sakaguchi’s team in Match #6.

Guanchulo crashed a press conference held by Sanshiro Takagi to promote the two Sumo Hall shows demanding he be entered into the All Night Nippon GOLD Battle Royal. Guanchuro claimed he listened to All Night Nippon on the radio in Chile ever since he was in elementary school. He proved this by humming “Bittersweet Samba”, the theme song of the show.

DDT “RYOGOKU PETER PAN 2013”, 18/08/2013
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

0. Dark Match: Akito & Guanchulo Vs FUMA & Daichi Kazato
0. Dark Match – KO-D 6-Man Tag Title Next Challenger Decision – Falls Count Anywhere: Antonio Honda, Hoshitango & Jun Kasai Vs Sanshiro Takagi, Toru Owashi & Akebono
1. Next KO-D Tag Team Title Challenger Finals: KUDO & Yasu Urano Vs Daisuke Sasaki & Yuji Hino Vs Keisuke Ishii & Takao Soma Vs Kenny Omega & Gota Ihashi
2. “Research Group” Presents – Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title – Battle Royal: Komyo (c) Vs Yoshihiko Vs MIKAMI Vs Michael Nakazawa Vs Tomomitsu Matsunaga Vs Kazuki Hirata Vs Gorgeous Matsuno Vs DJ Nira Vs Rion Mizuki Vs Yuto Aijima Vs Mitomi Masayuki Vs Shuji Ishikawa Vs Seiya Morohashi
3. Saki Akai Debut Match: Masa Takanashi, Cherry & Saki Akai Vs Hiroshi Fukuda, Yoshiko & Hikaru Shida
4. Special Single Match: Katsuhiko Nakajima Vs Konosuke Takeshita
5. KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles: Kensuke Sasaki, Danshoku Dino & Makoto Oishi (c) Vs Winners Of Dark Match
6. KO-D Tag Team Titles: Hikaru Sato & Yukio Sakaguchi (c) Vs Yuko Miyamoto & Isami Kodaka
7. Dramatic Dream Match: Kota Ibushi Vs Kazuchika Okada
8. KO-D Openweight Title: Shigehiro Irie (c) Vs HARASHIMA

Guanchulo takes Tetsuya Endo’s place in the first dark match.

Gravure idol Ayaka Sayama is the latest celebrity to be involved with the show. I’m pretty much only saying this so you can go Google her.


Next Stop Sumo Hall!

August 5, 2013

DDT “PROGRESS AND HARMONY OF WRESTLING”, 17/08/2013
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

0. Dark Match – Tokyo Women’s Wrestling Offer Match: Miyu Yamashita, KANNA, Chikage Kiba and Shoko Nakajima
0. Dark Match: Gota Ihashi & Kazuki Hirata Vs Mitomi Masayuki & Tatsuhiko Yoshino
1. All Night Nippon GOLD Personality Battle Royal: Sanshiro Takagi Vs Nori da Funky Shibire-sasu Vs Hikaru Sato Vs Toru Owashi Vs Gorgeous Matsuno Vs DJ Nira Vs X
2. Wrestling Style Vs Van: Hiroshi Fukuda (DPG) Vs Pour Lui (BiS) (w/ Jun Kasai)
3. Ultra Seven x DDT Collaboration Match: Yoshihiro Takayama & MIKAMI Vs Michael Nakazawa & Tomomitsu Matsunaga
4. DRESSCAMP PRESENTS: Kenny Omega Vs Konosuke Takeshita
5. Idol Lumberjack 4 Way Match: Makoto Oishi (Sizukaze & Kizuna ~KIZUNA~) Vs Yuko Miyamoto (LinQ) Vs Isami Kodaka (Up Up Girls) Vs Sanshiro Takagi (Eri Nitta)
6. Monster Army Vs Sakaguchi Home: Antonio Honda, Daisuke Sasaki, Yuji Hino & Hoshitango (w/ Tetsu Watanabe) Vs Yukio Sakaguchi, Masa Takanashi, Akito & Tetsuya Endo (w/ Kenji Sakaguchi)
7. Special 6-Man Tag Team Match: Shigehiro Irie, Keisuke Ishii & Takao Soma Vs HARASHIMA, KUDO & Yasu Urano
8. The Main Event: Danshoku Dino Vs Kota Ibushi

DDT “RYOGOKU PETER PAN 2013”, 18/08/2013
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

0. Dark Match: Akito & Tetsuya Endo Vs FUMA & Daichi Kazato
0. Dark Match – KO-D 6-Man Tag Title Next Challenger Decision – Falls Count Anywhere: Antonio Honda, Hoshitango & Jun Kasai Vs Sanshiro Takagi, Toru Owashi & Akebono
1. Next KO-D Tag Team Title Challenger Finals: KUDO & Yasu Urano Vs Daisuke Sasaki & Yuji Hino Vs Keisuke Ishii & Takao Soma Vs Kenny Omega & Gota Ihashi
2. “Research Group” Presents – Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title – Battle Royal: Komyo (c) Vs Yoshihiko Vs MIKAMI Vs Michael Nakazawa Vs Tomomitsu Matsunaga Vs Kazuki Hirata Vs Gorgeous Matsuno Vs DJ Nira Vs Rion Mizuki Vs Yuto Aijima Vs Mitomi Masayuki Vs X
3. Saki Akai Debut Match: Masa Takanashi, Cherry & Saki Akai Vs Hiroshi Fukuda, Yoshiko & Hikaru Shida
4. Special Single Match: Katsuhiko Nakajima Vs Konosuke Takeshita
5. KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles: Kensuke Sasaki, Danshoku Dino & Makoto Oishi (c) Vs Winners Of Dark Match
6. KO-D Tag Team Titles: Hikaru Sato & Yukio Sakaguchi (c) Vs Yuko Miyamoto & Isami Kodaka
7. Dramatic Dream Match: Kota Ibushi Vs Kazuchika Okada
8. KO-D Openweight Title: Shigehiro Irie (c) Vs HARASHIMA

Previews to come soon.


Progress, Harmony And Peter Pan, It’s DDT At Sumo Hall

July 21, 2013

DDT “PROGRESS AND HARMONY OF WRESTLING”, 17/08/2013
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

0. Dark Match – Tokyo Women’s Wrestling Offer Match: Miyu Yamashita, KANNA, Chikage Kiba and Shoko Nakajima
0. Dark Match: Gota Ihashi & Kazuki Hirata Vs Mitomi Masayuki & Tatsuhiko Yoshino
1. All Night Nippon GOLD Personality Battle Royal: Sanshiro Takagi Vs Nori da Funky Shibire-sasu Vs Hikaru Sato Vs Toru Owashi Vs Gorgeous Matsuno Vs DJ Nira Vs X
2. Wrestling Style Vs Van: Hiroshi Fukuda (DPG) Vs Pour Lui (BiS) (w/ Jun Kasai)
3. Ultra Seven x DDT Collaboration Match: Yoshihiro Takayama & MIKAMI Vs Michael Nakazawa & Tomomitsu Matsunaga
4. DRESSCAMP PRESENTS: Kenny Omega Vs Konosuke Takeshita
5. Idol Lumberjack 4 Way Match: Makoto Oishi (Sizukaze & Kizuna ~KIZUNA~) Vs Yuko Miyamoto (LinQ) Vs Isami Kodaka (Up Up Girls) Vs Sanshiro Takagi (Eri Nitta)
6. Monster Army Vs Sakaguchi Home: Antonio Honda, Daisuke Sasaki, Yuji Hino & Hoshitango (w/ Tetsu Watanabe) Vs Yukio Sakaguchi, Masa Takanashi, Akito & Tetsuya Endo (w/ Kenji Sakaguchi)
7. Special 6-Man Tag Team Match: Shigehiro Irie, Keisuke Ishii & Takao Soma Vs HARASHIMA, KUDO & Yasu Urano
8. The Main Event: Danshoku Dino Vs Kota Ibushi

Shigehiro Irie will enter Sumo Hall to a live performance of his theme song, “Tachimukau” by Kenji Ohtsuki.

Sanshiro Takagi has inserted himself into the Idol Lumberjack Match by convincing singer Eri Nitta to be in his corner. As mentioned before, the role of the idols is to attack anyone who leaves the ring during the match. However, if any of the wrestlers attack an idol they will be immediately disqualified.

Kenny Omega Vs Konosuke Takeshita will also feature Saki Akai and Ayumi Goto. A half Swedish half Japanese singer named LiLiCo will be the special ring announcer.

I don’t know if Match #2 is a wrestling match or a musical contest, since Pour Lui is a J-pop idol from the BiS group. Then again she has Jun Kasai in her corner so that evens things out.

DDT “RYOGOKU PETER PAN 2013”, 18/08/2013
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

0. Dark Match – KO-D 6-Man Tag Title Next Challenger Decision – Falls Count Anywhere: Antonio Honda, Hoshitango & Jun Kasai Vs Sanshiro Takagi, Toru Owashi & X
1. “Research Group” Presents – Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title – Battle Royal: Komyo (c) Vs Yoshihiko Vs X
2. Saki Akai Debut Match: Masa Takanashi, Cherry & Saki Akai Vs Hiroshi Fukuda, Yoshiko & Hikaru Shida
3. Special Single Match: Katsuhiko Nakajima Vs Konosuke Takeshita
4. KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles: Kensuke Sasaki, Danshoku Dino & Makoto Oishi (c) Vs Winners Of Dark Match
5. KO-D Tag Team Titles: Hikaru Sato & Yukio Sakaguchi (c) Vs Yuko Miyamoto & Isami Kodaka
6. Dramatic Dream Match: Kota Ibushi Vs Kazuchika Okada
7. KO-D Openweight Title: Shigehiro Irie (c) Vs HARASHIMA

Saki Akai is the daughter of actor and retired boxer Hidekazu Akai. There is a connection between her and Hikaru Shida from Ice Ribbon. They both had a supporting role in a TV show called Muscle Girl.

Voice actor Norio Wakamoto will provide vocieovers for the video segments aired throughout the show.


Practice Makes Perfect For HARASHIMA, Genius Vs Rainmaker

July 8, 2013

ibushi-vs-okada

DDT “RYOGOKU PETER PAN 2013”, 18/08/2013
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

1. Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title – “Research Group” Battle Royal: Komyo (c) Vs
2. Dramatic Dream Match: Kota Ibushi Vs Kazuchika Okada
3. KO-D Openweight Title: Shigehiro Irie or Yuji Okabayashi (c) Vs HARASHIMA

As the 2013 King of DDT winner, HARASHIMA gets a main event KO-D Title shot at Sumo Hall. It is a title shot that has alluded the challenger ever since February when HARASHIMA fought and lost to Kenny Omega. All that is left to figure out now is who the champion will be. Shigehiro Irie defends the championship against Big Japan’s Yuji Okabayashi in Korakuen Hall on 21st July. If Okabayashi wins, it will bring back memories of “RYOGOKU PETER PAN 2010” when HARASHIMA challenged Daisuke Sekimoto for that very championship. A victory for Irie however will continue what is now arguably the most successful KO-D Title reign in DDT history.

Meanwhile a co-main event has been signed and I am so excited to see it happen. It will be the Independent Genius taking on the Rainmaker when Kota Ibushi faces the current IWGP Heavyweight Champion, Kazuchika Okada from New Japan. This will continue Ibushi’s move up to heavyweight status along with his recent weight gain (it is currently 88kg). What’s interesting to note is the match will take place one week after the final of the G1 CLIMAX, which both men have entered. Ibushi thinks he will win the G1 and is interested, is highly motivated to wrestle Okada and wants to challenge for the IWGP Title. However, since there has been no mention of the championship during the announcement, I believe that Ibushi Vs Okada will be a non-title bout if Okada is still the champion when “RYOGOKU PETER PAN 2013” takes place.

Speaking of Ibushi and the G1 CLIMAX, his group match with Shinsuke Nakamura in Osaka on 4th August will be shown live on Ustream iPPV.


Guanchuro Added To Tomorrow’s Show, King Of DDT Nagoya, Fifth Women’s Meeting, Ultraman Mania

June 29, 2013

DDT “ROAD TO RYOGOKU IN KANAZAWA ~DRAMATIC DREAM TORIYASAI~”, 30/06/2013
Ishikawa Kanazawa

1. Antonio Honda & Daisuke Sasaki Vs Masa Takanashi & Akito
2. DJ Nira Vs Keisuke Ishii
3. Danshoku Dino & Makoto Oishi Vs Michael Nakazawa & Guanchuro
4. Yukio Sakaguchi Vs Kazuki Hirata
5. Kota Ibushi, Kenny Omega & Gota Ihashi Vs HARASHIMA, Yasu Urano & KUDO
6. Shigehiro Irie & Takao Soma Vs Sanshiro Takagi & Toru Owashi

MIKAMI is out of action with a concussion. Guanchuro is his replacement for Match #3.

DDT “KING OF DDT NAGOYA 2013”, 06/07/2013
Nagoya Telepia Hall

1. Battle Royal: Kota Ibushi Vs Danshoku Dino Vs MIKAMI Vs KUDO Vs Masa Takanashi Vs Michael Nakazawa Vs DJ Nira
2. Keisuke Ishii, Takao Soma & Tetsuya Endo Vs Kengo Takai, Makoto Oishi & Akito
3. King Of DDT Round 2 – Block A: Kenny Omega Vs Daisuke Sasaki
4. King Of DDT Round 2 – Block B: Konosuke Takeshita Vs Yasu Urano
5. King Of DDT Round 2 – Block C: Antonio Honda Vs Yukio Sakaguchi
6. King Of DDT Round 2 – Block D: Hikaru Sato Vs HARASHIMA
7. KO-D Openweight Title: Shigehiro Irie (c) Vs Sanshiro Takagi

A draw will be held to determine the King of DDT semi-finals.

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “THE FIFTH MEETING”, 11/07/2013
Shibuya Deseo

1. Miyu Yamashita Vs Shoko Nakajima
2. Chikage Kiba Vs KANNA

Both matches will have a ten minute time limit.

DDT “PROGRESS AND HARMONY OF WRESTLING”, 17/08/2013
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

1. Wrestling Style Vs Van: BiS Vs DPG
2. All Night Nippon GOLD Personality Battle Royal: Sanshiro Takagi Vs X
3. Idol Lumberjack 3 Way Match: Makoto Oishi (Sizukaze & Kizuna ~KIZUNA~) Vs Yuko Miyamoto (LinQ) Vs Winner of 6/7 Up Up Girls Match (Up Up Girls)
4. Ultra Seven x DDT Collaboration Match: Yoshihiro Takayama & MIKAMI Vs Michael Nakazawa & Tomomitsu Matsunaga
5. Danshoku Dino Vs Kota Ibushi

Yoshihiro Takayama is the latest big name added to DDT’s Sumo Hall festivities. He will team with MIKAMI to face Michael Nakazawa & Tomomitsu Matsunaga in a match dedicated to the 50th anniversary of Tsuburaya Productions, the company behind Ultraman and Ultra Seven. Both MIKAMI and Takayama are big Ultraman fans and are put together to form the ultimate tag team to represent Ultraman Mania.


Sumo Hall Update, It’s Madness

June 24, 2013

DDT “PROGRESS AND HARMONY OF WRESTLING”, 17/08/2013
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

1. Wrestling Style Vs Van: BiS Vs DPG
2. All Night Nippon GOLD Personality Battle Royal: Sanshiro Takagi Vs X
3. Idol Lumberjack 3 Way Match: Makoto Oishi (Sizukaze & Kizuna ~KIZUNA~) Vs Yuko Miyamoto (LinQ) Vs Winner of 6/7 Up Up Girls Match (Up Up Girls)
4. Danshoku Dino Vs Kota Ibushi

Danshoku Dino Vs Kota Ibushi is confirmed as the main event for Night 1. This event is more of a entertainment variety show rather than a typical pro wrestling show (which DDT doesn’t do that often at Sumo Hall anyway).

The Idol Lumberjack 3 Way Match is exactly what it sounds like. Each idol group will represent a wrestler and then surround the ring as the lumberjacks. They will be armed with weapons and are allowed to attack anyone who leaves the ring. Any wrestler who comes into physical contact with an idol will be immediately disqualified. Makoto Oishi and Yuko Miyamoto are two of the confirmed participants. The third will be decided in a match between Sanshiro Takagi and Isami Kodaka that takes place on 14th July. So far the idol groups involved are Sizukaze & Kizuna ~KIZUNA~ on Oishi’s side, LinQ on Miyamoto’s side and the Up Up Girls siding with the remaining wrestler.

The Battle Royal is sponsored by the All Night Nippon GOLD radio programme.

The opening contest involves two male music groups that Hiroshi Fukuda has some association with.

Mita Sayako from Samurai! TV and Ryota Yamasato from Nankai Candies are the two hosts for the show. Other artists and personalities scheduled to appear are Tetsu Watanabe (Antonio Honda’s father), Kenji Sakaguchi (Yukio Sakaguchi’s brother), Kenji Otsuki and Jun Retsu.

DDT “RYOGOKU PETER PAN 2013”, 18/08/2013
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

1. Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title – “Research Group” Battle Royal: Komyo (c) Vs X
2. KO-D Openweight Title: Shigehiro Irie (c) Vs 2013 King Of DDT Winner

Komyo is a large framed autograph from artist Akihiro Miwa and it is currently the Iron Man Heavymetalweight Champion. Komyo is also currently in possession of a Research Institute Group and most likely won’t show up at another wrestling event before this show. So it’s probably safe to say the painting will stay as champion until the show takes place. Unless DJ Nira sneaks into the building with a hammer.

Last but not least, I assume many of you have seen the poster advertising the two shows? The nude photographs of the DDT roster were taken by professional photographer Leslie Kee and are part of a photobook DDT will release that weekend. Don’t worry, it won’t be exclusively nude photos.


Fukuda & Oyaji Are Not Good Wingmen, Road To Ryogoku Cards, Progress & Harmony Cast

May 31, 2013

aipoke-fukuda-oyaji

UNION “NIMOMAKEZU RAIN 2013”, 09/06/2013
Shin-Kiba 1st RING

1. Daichi Kazato Vs Kotaro Nasu
2. Cherry & Masako Takanashi Vs Tsukushi & Aoi Kizuka
3. Ryu Gouma Vs SAGAT
4. Idea Pocket Presents: Hiroshi Fukuda Vs Menso~re Oyaji
5. Madoka, Gabaiji-chan & Kaori Yoneyama Vs Nazo Fukumen A, Nazo Fukumen B & Nazo Fukumen P
6. Isami Kodaka, Shuji Ishikawa & FUMA Vs Jun Kasai, Nazo Fukumen K & Nazo Fukumen M

Tsubasa Amami and Rika Seibi return for the next Idea Pocket sponsored match. The winner of Hiroshi Fukuda Vs Menso~re Oyaji gets a date with Seibi.

DDT “ROAD TO RYOGOKU IN KUMAMOTO ~DRAMATIC DREAM VERMICELLI SOUP~”, 13/06/2013
Kumamoto Prefecture Hall

1. Sanshiro Takagi & Yuto Aijima Vs Antonio Honda & Daisuke Sasaki
2. Hikaru Sato & Yukio Sakaguchi Vs Kenny Omega & Masa Takanashi
3. Crazy Independent Tag Team Match: Kota Ibushi & TAKA Michinoku Vs Danshoku Dino & Makoto Oishi

It’s been a while since Kota Ibushi & TAKA Michinoku have been in the ring together. They will need to get along if they want to have a chance against Danshoku Dino & Makoto Oishi. Dino & Oishi have been on a roll lately.

DDT “ROAD TO RYOGOKU IN KOKURA ~DRAMATIC DREAM TORI KASHIWA RICE~”, 14/06/2013
Fukuoka Kokura Gymnasium

1. DDT x Gamushara Pro Wrestling Collaboration: Sanshiro Takagi, Dynamite Kyushu & Tetsuo Vs MIKAMI, Sexy Rosie & Nicholas Jolly Imanaka
2. Kota Ibushi, Kenny Omega & Gota Ihashi Vs Shigehiro Irie, Keisuke Ishii & Takao Soma

Independent wrestlers Isamu Taniguchi and Kibo Kubo will also wrestle on the show.

DDT “ROAD TO RYOGOKU IN FUKUOKA ~DRAMATIC DREAM TORIMON~”, 16/06/2013
Fukuoka Make Utopia

1. Rings or Retainer Supplanting His Lord! Good Battle Plentifully Heisei!: Sanshiro Takagi Vs Batten Tamagawa
2. Hakata Specialty 3 Way Super Tag Battle: Shigehiro Irie & Takao Soma Vs Kota Ibushi & Kenny Omega Vs Danshoku Dino & Makoto Oishi

Yuto Aijima and Azul Dragon are scheduled to compete on this show.

DDT “PROGRESS AND HARMONY OF WRESTLING”, 17/08/2013
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

There is a difference between the two Sumo Hall events DDT is holding this August. While the second event will be about DDT’s biggest matches of the year, the first will be a collaboration of wrestling and acts from other forms of entertainment. DDT announced several acts who will be present for the first show. The overall host is comedian Ryota Yamasato from Nankai Candies. The musicial acts involved are Kenji Otsuki, Jun Retsu, Net Burst (Kazuyoshi Sakai’s music group), Up Up Girls, Sizukaze and Kizuna ~KIZUNA~. Finally, actor Tetsu Watanabe will appear. Watanabe is the father of Antonio Honda.


HARASHIMA Vs Irie Goes Hardcore, Ibushi Vs Kotoge In NOAH, Budokan Card Almost Complete

July 12, 2012

DDT “ROAD TO BUDOKAN 2012”, 22/07/2012
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. MIKAMI Return Match: MIKAMI Vs Tatsumi Fujinami
2. Sanshiro Takagi, Takao Soma & Yukio Sakaguchi Vs Hikaru Sato, Michael Nakazawa & Tanomusaku Toba
3. Hardcore Match: HARASHIMA Vs Shigehiro Irie
4. KO-D Tag Team Title: KUDO & Makoto Oishi (c) Vs Shigehiro Irie & Keisuke Ishii
5. Kota Ibushi & Kenny Omega Vs Danshoku Dino & YOSHIHIKO

The rivalry between HARASHIMA and Shigehiro Irie has been bubbling up the last couple of months. The two had to be seperated after HARASHIMA’s victory over Irie at the April Korakuen Hall show. Then a rematch in the King Of DDT tournament saw HARASHIMA win again, this time by knockout. Now the grudge will go a step higher when the two meet in a Hardcore match later this month. That won’t even be the last time these two will face each other. As you will see below.

NOAH “GREAT VOYAGE 2012 IN RYOGOKU”, 22/07/2012
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

1. Starting Point Revolution ~ Classmates Confrontation: Taiji Ishimori Vs Masa Takanashi
5. Special Singles Match – NOAH Vs DDT: Atsushi Kotoge Vs Kota Ibushi

Kota Ibushi’s opponent for his return to Pro Wrestling NOAH has been confirmed to be Atsushi Kotoge. The former Osaka Pro wrestler now calls NOAH his home promotion and this match will be one of his biggest challenges since making the switch.

DDT “BUDOKAN PETER PAN 2012 ~ DDT 15TH ANNIVERSARY”, 18/08/2012
Tokyo Nippon Budokan

0. Special Dark Match: Muscle Sakai Vs X
1. Konosuke Takeshita Debut Match: Konosuke Takeshita Vs El Generico
2. Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title – Royal Rumble: Choun-Shiryu (c) Vs Toru Owashi Vs Mio Shirai Vs Batten Tamagawa Vs X
3. Tag Team Gauntlet:
4. 5 Vs 5 Soccer Match: X, X, X, X & X Vs X, X, X, X & X
5. Special Singles Match: Sanshiro Takagi Vs Minoru Suzuki
6. Special Tag Team Match: HARASHIMA & X Vs Shuji Ishikawa & Shigehiro Irie
7. KO-D Tag Team Title: KUDO & Makoto Oishi (c) Vs X
8. KO-D Openweight Title: Kota Ibushi (c) Vs Kenny Omega

HARASHIMA will have to face Irie again when the 15th Anniversary Show rolls around. This time Irie will have Shuji Ishikawa by his side for a big tag team match. HARASHIMA will have to spend a long time thinking who will be the best wrestler to fight BIG “G” BANG with him.