DDT “SOMA TAKAO LOCAL TRIUPMH! MEMORIES OF SUMMER VACATION 2023 TOUR IN OTA-KU” Results

August 19, 2023

DDT “SOMA TAKAO LOCAL TRIUPMH! MEMORIES OF SUMMER VACATION 2023 TOUR IN OTA-KU”, 19/08/2023
Tokyo Ota Ward Industrial Plaza PiO Small Exhibition Hall
240 Fans – Super No Vacancy

1. Just No Fall No Rope Match: Makoto Oishi defeated KANON by Countout (11:07).
2. 1 Vs 2 Handicap Match: Yuki “Sexy” Iino defeated Akito & Yusuke Okada when Iino submitted Akito with the Judgement Of Pheromones (9:03).
3. Special Tag Match: Masamune & Yukio Naya defeated Hideki Okatani & Kazuma Sumi when Masamune submitted Sumi with the Komoritsuri-katame (8:40).
4. Jun Akiyama, Saki Akai & Antonio Honda defeated Kazusada Higuchi, Yuki Ishida & Rukiya when Honda pinned Rukiya with a Rotating Leg Hold (12:31).
5. DAMNATION T.A Vs The 37KAMIINA!: Daisuke Sasaki & MJ Paul defeated Toy Kojima & Yuya Koroku when Sasaki submitted Kojima with the Crossface Lock (12:17).
6. Special Tag Match: Chris Brookes & Yuji Hino defeated HARASHIMA & Takeshi Masada when Brookes pinned Masada withe the Praying Mantis Bomb (14:22).
7. Special Tag Match: Soma Takao & Shota defeated Yukio Sakaguchi & Kazuki Hirata when Takao pinned Hirata with the Gin And Tonic (16:04).

A fired up Soma Takao went on to win in his hometown with Shota as his tag team partner. Together they beat Yukio Sakaguchi & Kazuki Hirata in the main event. Takao tried to get the three count by using the Endless Waltz, scoring nearfall after nearfall on Hirata. So he changed tactics and landed a Perfect Driver. That also wasn’t enough for the win. Takao had to use the Gin And Tonic in the end to pin Hirata. ROMANCE DAWN now want to win as many tag team championships as they can starting with the ones in DDT and Ganbare☆Pro. Takao will be celebrating his 15th anniversary in wrestling next year and to have it take place in Ota Ward while he is a champion would make him very happy.

Saki Akai described her trios side with Jun Akiyama and Antonio Honda as a “Triple A” tag team. She also asked Akiyama if it is possible they could wrestle against each other before she retires. Akiyama said he will do it if fate allows them.

The Just No Fall No Rope Match ended up with Makoto Oishi and KANON fighting each other outside the ring and around the room. They eventually realised the referee was counting them out so they got in each other’s way trying to make it back to the ring. Oishi kicked KANON away from the apron and climbed back in right before the count of 20 to win. Oishi is now confident he will easily defend the KO-D Tag Team Titles against KANON on 9th September. However he is still careful to treat KANON like an enemy even if right now he sees him more like a little brother.


TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TJPW INSPIRATION” Results

August 17, 2023

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TJPW INSPIRATION”, 17/08/2023
Shin-Kiba 1st RING
222 Fans – No Vacancy

1. Mahiro Kiryu defeated Pom Harajuku with the Spinebuster (7:12).
2. Saki Akai, Haru Kazashiro & Runa Okubo defeated HIMAWARI, Toga & Shino Suzuki when Akai pinned HIMAWARI with the Rookie Award (12:07).
3. Mizuki defeated Aiger with the Aquamarine (9:47).
4. Debut 10th Anniversary Memorial Match: Miyu Yamashita defeated Shoko Nakajima with the Skull Kick (19:53).

Today is the 10th anniversary of Miyu Yamashita and Shoko Nakajima’s pro wrestling debut. The two of them had done a handful of exhibition matches in Tokyo Joshi Pro’s early preview events before their “flag raising” show in 2013 but their official debut happened in Sumo Hall for DDT on this date ten years ago. In that debut match they teamed together and lost to Chikage Kiba & KANNA, the two other women from TJPW’s first class who have long since graduated from wrestling. To celebrate the 10th anniversary Yamashita and Nakajima faced each other in the latest “TJPW INSPIRATION” show.

Given the short nature of the show’s length their main event had a 20 minute time limit. With seven seconds left to go, Yamashita pinned Nakajima with the Skull Kick. Nakajima said she wanted to cherish her 10 years in TJPW because Yamashita and Maki Itoh both travel often while Yuka Sakazaki will be graduating soon. Nakajima thought everyone would stay together forever but knew if she didn’t fight Yamashita again she would regret it. Now that they’ve had the match she doesn’t want to do it again for another 10 years. Yamashita said there’s been times they hadn’t gotten along but Nakajima is like family to her. All of TJPW is like that to her. No matter where she goes or what she does, that will never change.

There were some more comments to take note of. During the show closing speech Yamashita made a mistake regarding the date of their debuts (she thought it was on 13th August) which the audience caught. Backstage she said she currently holds championships from England (EVE) and America (Spark Joshi) so she wants to add the Princess Of Princess Title and fight in even more places. Nakajima brought up Saki Akai’s quote about deciding to retire as a flower that still blooms beautifully. Nakajima wants to be the opposite and keep wrestling until she dries up and returns to the soil as mulch.

For the first time in about 8 years Mizuki had to step into the ring and fight Aiger. The joshi ghost was a terrifying threat not just to Mizuki but also the wrestlers seconding at ringside (which included SAKI) and the referee Daisuke Kiso. Aiger brought out a chain to use as a weapon but Mizuki used it against her, setting up the Aquamarine for the finish. Mizuki was relieved with the result and thinks it proves how much she has grown in the last 8 years. She used the Aquamarine because the first time she won a match was with that move. As for Aiger, the story is she will soon disappear in September alongside Mizuki Endo’s retirement.

One of the things Akai wanted to accomplish before she retires is to spend time in the ring with TJPW’s new generation of wrestlers. She ticked that off today by teaming with the teenagers Haru Kazashiro & Runa Okubo against HIMAWARI, Toga & Shino Suzuki. Arai praised her two partners and thinks if she wasn’t already holding the KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles with Eruption, she could have gone after the belts with these two instead. Their three opponents today all cried with tears of joy backstage for getting to wrestle with Akai.

For once somebody was apologizing to Mahiro Kiryu instead of the other way around. One day Pom Harajuku broke the key to the dojo and blamed it on Kiryu. In search of forgiveness, Harajuku brought a package into the ring and said it is for Kiryu. But when she handed it over to her, Harajuku launched an ambush to start the match with the upper hand. Kiryu took control and kneeled on top of Harajuku. But instead of her usual apology, Kiryu instead opened the package to reveal rice crackers inside. She got to eat one of the crackers while wrestling and went on to win the match. She thanked Harajuku for the crackers afterward.

None of The Up Up Girls were at the show today so Sayuri Namba brought Moka Miyamoto into the ring to hype up the card at the beginning of the show.


Beer Garden Tomorrow, All Asia Tag Titles, Doi Is Immersed In DDT, Yamashita Challenges Mizuki

August 15, 2023

DDT “FIGHTING BEER GARDEN – DAY 1”, 16/08/2023
Tokyo Ueno Park Outdoor Stage

1. Yusuke Okada Vs Rukiya
2. Daisuke Sasaki, MJ Paul & KANON Vs Toy Kojima, Yuya Koroku & Takeshi Masada
3. Blindfold Hidden Breast 4 Way Death Match: HARASHIMA Vs Kazuki Hirata Vs Antonio Honda Vs Yuki “Sexy” Iino
4. Special Tag Match: Manpuku Hirutaro & Yuki Ueno Vs MAO & Pokotan
5. The Scariest Event In History! Ghost Story New Numabukuro Death Match: Saki Akai Vs Yuni Vs Hideki Okatani Vs Kazuma Sumi (Ghost Story Reading Artist: Hisaya Imabayashi)
6. YOROKOBI BREWERY Infomercial Match: Yuji Hino, Yukio Sakaguchi & Soma Takao Vs Kazusada Higuchi, Yukio naya & Yuki Ishida
7. Special Tag Match: Chris Brookes & Masahiro Takanashi Vs Shigehiro Irie & Jun Akiyama

The official mascot of the Fuji TV show “Poka Poka” is Yuki Ueno’s mystery tag team partner. Manpuku Hirutaro got a lot of attention after its first appearance on the show for having an “ugly cute” look and lazy behaviour. Chris Brookes tweeted “this thing is ugly as hell and I hate it” in response to the reveal but he may have also been talking about Pokotan.

Danshoku Dieno is taking the next couple of shows off to get surgery for a nasal bone fracture he suffered at the Yamagata show two weeks ago. So he will have to miss the Ghost Story Death Match.

DDT “SOMA TAKAO LOCAL TRIUPMH! MEMORIES OF SUMMER VACATION 2023 TOUR IN OTA-KU”, 19/08/2023
Tokyo Ota Ward Industrial Plaza PiO Small Exhibition Hall

1. 1 Vs 3 Handicap Match: Yuki “Sexy” Iino Vs Akito, Yusuke Okada & Yuya Koroku
2. Jun Akiyama, Saki Akai & Antonio Honda Vs Kazusada Higuchi, Yuki Ishida & Rukiya
3. DAMNATION T.A Vs The 37KAMIINA!: Daisuke Sasaki & MJ Paul Vs Yuki Ueno & Toy Kojima
4. Special Tag Match: Masamune & Yukio Naya Vs Hideki Okatani & Kazuma Sumi
5. Special Tag Match: Chris Brookes & Yuji Hino Vs HARASHIMA & Takeshi Masada
6. Special Single Match: Makoto Oishi Vs KANON
7. Special Tag Match: Soma Takao & Shota Vs Yukio Sakaguchi & Kazuki Hirata

Recent opponents are now teaming up together. Brookes & Yuji Hino are pairing off for a match against HARASHIMA & Takeshi Masada while Yukio Sakaguchi & Kazuki Hirata join forces against ROMANCE DAWN.

With Dieno out of action and Yumehito Imanari being too busy at the moment to be “Fantastic”, Yuki Iino is all on his own for the time being. Akito sees this as the perfect time to strike Pheromones when the unit is at its weakest.

The next KO-D Tag Team Titles program begins its buildup with Makoto Oishi taking on KANON.

DDT “OSAKA BAY BLUES SPECIAL 2023”, 20/08/2023
Osaka Edion Arena #2

1. Makoto Oishi, Yuni & Rukiya Vs Yusuke Okada, Yuya Koroku & Ilusion
2. 3 Way Match: Kazuki Hirata Vs Yuki “Sexy” Iino Vs Saki Akai
3. Yuji Hino & Yukio Naya Vs KANON & MJ Paul
4. Osaka Specialty Special Tag Match: Sanshiro Takagi & Tsutenkakka Vs Akito & Kazuma Sumi
5. BURNING Vs Harimao!: Jun Akiyama & Kotaro Suzuki Vs Kazusada Higuchi & Yuki Ishida
6. Special Tag Match: Chris Brookes & Takeshi Masada Vs Shigehiro Irie & HARASHIMA
7. Special Single Match: Daisuke Sasaki Vs Yuki Ueno
8. Current Blast Bat & Board 6-Man Tag Death Match: Atsushi Onita, Yoshitatsu & Toy Kojima Vs Yukio Sakaguchi, Hideki Okatani & Soma Takao

The latest turn of events over the upcoming Explosion Death Matches in DDT now involves the All Asia Tag Team Titles. The two male members of Eruption are demanding if they beat Atsushi Onita’s team in Osaka then he has to give them a title shot next month in Nagoya.

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “HAPPY SUMMER VACATION! ~TJPW SUMMER VACATION 2023~”, 26/08/2023
Osaka Hanamizuki Hall

1. Kaya Toribami Vs Runa Okubo
2. 3 Way Match: Mahiro Kiryu Vs Haruna Neko Vs Shino Suzuki
3. Hyper Misao & Haru Kazashiro Vs Hikari Noa & Toga
4. Miu Watanabe, Suzume & Wakana Uehara Vs Yuki Aino, Raku & Moka Miyamoto
5. Rika Tatsumi Vs Demonio Dos
6. Chu! Summer Party ~ Tides Match 2023: Mizuki & HIMAWARI Vs Shoko Nakajima & Pom Harajuku

There’s been several times over the years when the old indies gimmick Demonio Uno showed up on DDT and Tokyo Joshi Pro shows held in Tsurumi. Rika Tatsumi defeated him one of those times. Well there is also a Demonio Dos and he’s coming to get revenge on Tatsumi for his tag team partner!

Runa Okubo gets to wrestle in Osaka for the first time because she is on summer vacation from school.

Several regulars will be missing this show. Miyu Yamashita will be wrestling in England that weekend, Yuki Kamifuku is attending an event in Taiwan, Nao Kakuta is performing in a stage play and Arisu Endo is out of action with a back injury.

DDT “MEMORIES OF SUMMER VACATION 2023”, 27/08/2023
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

0. Dark Match: Yuki “Sexy” Iino & Akito Vs Yuni & Kazuma Sumi
1. Yuji Hino, Makoto Oishi & Rukiya Vs Minoru Fujita, KANON & MJ Paul
2. Kazusada Higuchi, Toy Kojima, Yuki Ishida & Takeshi Masada Vs Yukio Naya, Yusuke Okada, Hideki Okatani & Yuya Koroku
3. Saki Akai Photobook “GRACIA” Infomercial Match: Kazuki Hirata Vs Antonio Honda Vs Saki Akai Photobook “GRACIA”
4. Special Single Match: Daisuke Sasaki Vs MAO
5. HARASHIMA Debut 22nd Anniversary Match: HARASHIMA, Yasu Urano & Ken Ohka Vs Daisuke Sekimoto, Sanshiro Takagi & Yukio Sakaguchi
6. Saki Akai Debut 10th Anniversary Match Vol. 3 ~ Special Single Match: Danshoku Dieno Vs Saki Akai
7. Special Tag Match: Chris Brookes & Yuki Ueno Vs Shigehiro Irie & Jun Akiyama

Dieno should be cleared in time to have his match with Saki Akai.

Akito came up with another idea to try and destroy Pheromones. He is going to team with Iino for one match in order to infiltrate Pheromones and investigate how they are preparing for the final battle between the two sides on 9th September.

GANBARE☆PRO “THE TRIPLE CROSS 2023”, 02/09/2023
Tokyo Oji BASEMENT MON☆STAR

1. HARUKAZE & YuuRI Vs Sumire Natsu & Riara
2. GanPro 2 Big Singles Match: Shota Vs Kuma Arashi
3. GanPro 2 Big Singles Match: Keisuke Ishii Vs Tyson Maeguchi
4. Ken Ohka, Soma Takao & Shinichiro Tominaga Vs Yumehito Imanari, Mizuki Watase & Munetatsu Nakamura

Kuma Arashi is back in Ganbare☆Pro after missing the previous event. Shota experienced his power first hand in his last appearance but now he wants to fight him one on one.

GANBARE☆PRO “KAMIKAZE TAXI 2023”, 02/09/2023
Tokyo Oji BASEMENT MON☆STAR

1. HARUKAZE & YuuRI Vs Tae Honma & Yoshiko Hasegawa
2. Shuichiro Katsumura & Munetatsu Nakamura Vs Shota & Soma Takao
3. Secret Captain’s Fall Elimination 6-Man Tag Match: Ken Ohka, Mizuki Watase & Shingo Vs Keisuke Ishii, Yumehito Imanari & Takuya Wada
4. Spirit Of Ganbare World Openweight Title: Isami Kodaka (c) Vs Shinichiro Tominaga

Shingo returns for his second GanPro appearance. The DEEP fighter finds himself facing Pancrase fighter Takuya Wada in a Secret Captian’s Fall Tag Match.

DDT “DDT BIG BANG 2023”, 09/09/2023
Tokyo Ota Ward Gymnasium

1. Pheromones Vs Subjugation Final Match! Special Single Match ~ Dissolution Contra Vice President: Yuki “Sexy” Iino (w/ Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno) Vs Akito
2. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Yukio Sakaguchi, Saki Akai & Hideki Okatani Vs Yuko Miyamoto, Isami Kodaka & Ram Kaichow
3. Current Blast Death Match: Atsushi Onita, Yoshitatsu & Toy Kojima Vs Sanshiro Takagi, Jun Akiyama & Yusuke Okada
4. Special Tag Match: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA & Daisuke Sasaki Vs Yuki Ueno & MAO
5. KO-D Tag Team Titles: Yuji Hino & Makoto Oishi Vs Minoru Fujita & KANON
6. DDT Extreme Title & Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title: Kazuki Hirata (E/c) Vs Naruki Doi (I/c)
7. KO-D Openweight Title: Chris Brookes (c) Vs Shigehiro Irie

This past weekend Naruki Doi won his third DDT championship, becoming the new Iron Man Heavymwetalweight Champion. He feels like he has immersed himself into DDT and wants to ingrain himself even more by adding the DDT Extreme Title to his collection. Kazuki Hirata’s current title reign best represents DDT in Doi’s eyes so a big stakes double title match is now on the cards. However Doi is at risk of losing the Iron Man Title anywhere, even outside of DDT because he has a bunch of bookings in other companies coming up. He is getting his Extreme Title match with Hirata no matter what but if he was to lose the Iron Man Title before that it would sour their match a little bit.

The new KO-D Tag Champions Hino & Oishi aren’t done with DAMNATION T.A just yet. KANON is calling on Minoru Fujita to help mentor him towards winning the belts off of them.

DDT “DRAMATIC EXPLOSION 2023”, 18/09/2023
Nagoya International Conference Center Event Hall

1. Current Blast Death Match: Atsushi Onita & Yoshitatsu Vs X & X

If Eruption win the 6-Man Tag Explosion Death Match this weekend then Yukio Sakaguchi & Hideki Okatani will be the team facing Onita & Yoshitatsu in Nagoya with the All Asia Tag Titles on the line.

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TJPW CITY CIRCUIT ’23 ~YOKOHAMA PERFORMANCE~”, 23/09/2023
Yokohama Radiant Hall

1. Sakisama & Mei Saint-Michel Vs X & X

The next time we see NEO Biishiki-gun will be in Yokohama at the end of September. Sakisama & Mei Saint-Michel are having a tag match there.

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “WRESTLE PRINCESS IV”, 09/10/2023
Tokyo Tama Mirai Messe

1. Sakisama, Mei Saint-Michel, Martha & Yukio Saint Laurent Vs X, X, X & X
2. Special Single Match: Nyla Rose Vs Maki Itoh
3. Princess Tag Team Titles: X & X Vs X & X
4. Princess Of Princess Title: Mizuki (c) Vs Miyu Yamashita

Yamashita defeated Mizuki in the 1st Round of this year’s Tokyo Princess Cup. She decided she would not challenge her for the Princess Of Princess Title unless she went on to win the tournament. Yamashita did so, finally ending the one accomplishment in TJPW that’s been her Achilles Heel for her entire career.

The next Princess Tag Team Champions will be crowned on this show. They have been vacant since June because of Yuka Sakazaki’s injury. That it’s taken them this long to decide new champions makes me think the plan all along was for The Magical Sugar Rabbits to keep the belts all the way through to Sakazaki’s graduation.

Nyla Rose returns for a first time singles match against Maki Itoh. They’ve had a few AEW tag matches both against and teaming with each other.

The main foursome of NEO Biishiki-gun will appear for an 8-Person Tag Match.


DDT “SAKI AKAI 10TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR IN KORAKUEN!!” Results

August 13, 2023

DDT “SAKI AKAI 10TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR IN KORAKUEN!!”, 13/08/2023
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
816 Fans

0. Dark Match: Yuya Koroku defeated Rukiya with the Modified Triangle Lancer (7:14).
1. Special Single Match: KANON defeated Hideki Okatani with the Vietnam Driver II (8:04).
2. Diya Diamond Presents 6-Man Tag Match: Jun Akiyama, Yukio Naya & Yusuke Okada defeated Kazusada Higuchi, Yuki Ishida & Takeshi Masada when Naya pinned Masada with the World’s Best Back Drop (9:19).
3. Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title – marcheur Presents Battle Royal: Naruki Doi defeated Sanshiro Takagi (c), HARASHIMA, Yuki “Sexy” Iino, Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno, Antonio Honda, Akito and Kazuma Sumi (14:37).
3a. Naruki Doi eliminated Sanshiro Takagi (c) with a Cradle (6:58).
*Naruki Doi becomes the 1,573rd champion.
3b. Antonio Honda eliminated Kazuma Sumi by Ring Out (11:41).
3c. Naruki Doi (c) eliminated Antonio Honda by Ring Out (11:59).
*V1 for Naruki Doi.
3d. HARASHIMA eliminated Yuki “Sexy” Iino and Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno by Double Ring Out (13:24).
3e. Naruki Doi (c) eliminated HARASHIMA by Ring Out (13:54).
*V2 for Naruki Doi.
3f. Naruki Doi (c) eliminated Akito with the Bakatare Sliding Kick (14:37).
*V3 for Naruki Doi.
4. Jemile Fran Presents Special 6-Man Tag Match: Yuki Ueno, MAO & Toy Kojima defeated Kyusei Sakisama, Chris Saint Laurent & Martha when Ueno pinned Sakisama with a Cradle (9:58).
5. KO-D Tag Team Titles: Yuji Hino & Makoto Oishi defeated Daisuke Sasaki & MJ Paul (c) when Oishi pinned Paul with the Jikiden Tornado Clutch (11:13).
*DAMNATION T.A fails in V1. Ω becomes the 78th KO-D Tag Team Champions!
6. DDT Extreme Title – Weakness Explosion!! Activation Conditions Are Up To You! Fall & Escape = Ghost & Balloon Explosion Death Match: Kazuki Hirata (c) defeated Yukio Sakaguchi with the Miracle One Shot Cradle from a huge balloon explosion (14:27).
*V2 for Kazuki Hirata.
7. Nivea Body Wash Presents Saki Akai Debut 10th Anniversary Match Vol. 2 ~ Special 6-Woman Tag Match: Saki Akai, Maya Yukihi & Asuka defeated Takumi Iroha, Rina Yamashita & Shoko Nakajima when Akai pinned Nakajima with the Quetzalcoatl (19:01).

It came a couple of days early but Saki Akai celebrated the 10th anniversary of her debut pro wrestling match in DDT. With her retirement coming up later this year, Akai is getting several matches dedicated to her decade in the business and today gathered together a lot of women she has attachments with. In the main event Akai teamed up with Maya Yukihi & Asuka, two women who have been her biggest opponents in DDT over the last two years. Their opponents were a trio of wrestlers who all debuted in the same year as Akai. It was the first time Takumi Iroha, Rina Yamashita & Shoko Nakajima all teamed together. Iroha & Yamashita quickly thought up a move where they gave Nakajima a Double Splash Mountain onto Akai. Asuka Moonsaulted onto Iroha & Yamashita outside the ring and Akai rolled out of the way from Nakajima’s Diving Senton. Akai then hit the Rookie Award and pinned Nakajima with the Quetzalcoatl.

Akai thanked the other wrestlers for accepting her invitation, knowing how busy all of their schedules are. She wanted to show the fans all of the wonderful friends she made outside of DDT over the years. She knows they will all continue to shine a light on pro wrestling when she’s gone so everyone should keep watching them. She isn’t sure how many more matches she has left until her retirement but she is going to hone her strength and run all the way to the end. Asuka said she wished the three of them had teamed together sooner and wonders if they could have chased after one of the KO-D championships together. Yamashita overheard that idea and told them they should do it anyway, even if it’s for the KO-D 10-Man Tag Team Titles. Her advice to Akai is to be greedy from this point until the end because she isn’t finished yet. Yukihi feels lucky she got to do her rivalry with Akai in DDT because she didn’t expect Akai’s retirement announcement to come when it did. Akai described all of the women are a fun loving group of people with good hearts.

Kazuki Hirata’s bizarre ideas to even the playing field against his opponents are working for him. The DDT Extreme Champion is normally scared of having to fight Yukio Sakaguchi but this time he got to turn the tables against him. Hirata’s stipulation for the match was to add ghosts and balloons whenever there was a kickout or rope break. Sakaguchi hates the sound of balloons bursting and also fears ghosts so we got the unlikely sight of Sakaguchi being submissive to Hirata and fleeing in fear whenever a ghost chased after him! Sakaguchi tried to fight his fears and found his spots to kick the hell out of Hirata. But by this point there were three ghosts in the ring haunting him with one popping a gigantic balloon right in his face. The fright made Sakaguchi walk right into the Miracle One Shot Cradle and Hirata got the win.

Once all of the ghosts vanished, Sakaguchi calmed down and handed the Extreme Title over to Hirata. He then attacked him a little bit and walked off. Hirata got on the microphone, said he was feeling mentally exhausted and now wants to know who his next challenger is. Naruki Doi walked out carrying the Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title he won earlier in the show. Doi said his title win makes him feel more absorbed into DDT and he now wants to win the Extreme Title to become fully immersed in the company. He especially wants to beat Hirata for the belt because Hirata is the DDT wrestler who best expresses what the company is all about. Hirata refused but Hisaya Imabayashi ignored him. A double title match between Hirata and Doi will take place on 9th September. If Doi loses the Iron Man Title before that date then the match will just be for the Extreme Title. Hirata then tried to pin Doi to win the Iron Man Title but only got a two count. Doi chased him back to the locker room.

The KO-D Tag Team Titles aren’t ready to settle down with a team yet. DAMNATION T.A’s reign ended in their first defence, losing the belts to Ω. The champions tried to isolate Makoto Oishi and also get KANON involved to interfere for them. Yuji Hino came in to make a difference but his attempt to Fuckin’ BOMB MJ Paul was cut off by Daisuke Sasaki. That left Oishi to deal with Paul by himself. Paul threw Lariats at him but Oishi caught him with the Jikiden Tornado Clutch for the flash pinfall and title change. Hino praised Oishi for winning the KO-D Tag Titles under his own strength, calling it a miracle. Oishi was too exhausted to respond so Hino encouraged the audience to give him a round of applause.

KANON then entered the ring demanding a title shot but not as a member of DAMNATION T.A. There is another wrestler out there he considers a mentor. Hino thought he meant TAKA Michinoku but KANON said it is actually someone else because TAKA is busy. KANON’s partner is going to be Minoru Fujita! Imabayashi granted the request and booked the title match for 9th September. KANON helped Oishi back up to his feet, shook his hand… and then gave him a Clothesline before leaving.

Before Match #4 could begin it was announced that Chris Brookes & Masahiro Takanashi were not at the show because they were both too hungover to wrestle. Then “The Rose Of Versailles” began to play and what appeared to be NEO Biishiki-gun walked out. Martha was there but instead of Yukio Saint Laurent we got Chris Saint Laurent instead. Also Sakura Hirota was nowhere to be seen, seemingly replaced in the match by Kyusei Sakisama. Despite their appearance looking weirder than usual, they were still NEO Biishiki-gun through and through. The 37KAMIINA had to deal with the unit’s antics. “Saint Laurent” jabbed an injection needle into Yuki Ueno’s neck, Martha was a nuisance towards MAO and Toy Kojima ended up suffering a Kancho attack involving Martha’s mop. “Sakisama” used the Academy Award finisher on Ueno but her glamorous pin was reversed and Ueno posed on top of her for the three count instead. The 37KAMIINA celebrated with their sponsored prize after the match until all of NEO Biishiki-gun gave them Kancho attacks and took the prizes for themselves.

Doi won the Iron Man Title pretty early in the Battle Royal. In fact him pinning Sanshiro Takagi to become champion was the first elimination in the match. Doi then had to fight through the rest of the field to survive. He still got caught up in the Pheromones experience with Kazuma Sumi, fell for Antonio Honda’s Gongitsune joke and outsmarted HARASHIMA. All that was left for him was a battle with Akito that ended with the DOI 555 and the Bakatare Sliding Kick. Doi promised to raise the value of the Iron Man Title then immediately had to fight off Sumi. That was when he realised the title is defended 24/7. He will stick to his promise anyway even if there’s a risk of him losing it in another company. Rukiya then tried to pin him so Doi kicked him away.

The 2nd match was overshadowed by the appearance of Evolution from All Japan. During the week Suwama told Tokyo Sports he had tickets for this show and was going in order to confront Jun Akiyama over a grudge held going back to Akiyama’s time as AJPW president. Suwama sat in his seat along with other Evolution members Hikaru Sato & Dan Tamura to see Akiyama’s team beat Kazusada Higuchi, Yuki Ishida & Takeshi Masada. Then after the match Evolution approached the ring, throwing aside Yuya Koroku and Rukiya who were trying to block them. Naya then wanted to stand in Suwama’s way but Suwama said he isn’t here for him. Suwama asked “useless former president” Akiyama why he is going to do an Exploding Death Match soon when he hated the idea of Suwama doing one six years ago? He then challenged Akiyama to come to Yoyogi on 8th September when AJPW is running a show there. He can even bring along Takagi so they can do a big Evolution Vs DDT match! Akiyama called the idea crazy but agreed to do it. He then told Suwama to stop making decisions without the AJPW president’s approval! Backstage Sato told DDT to send their icons like Dieno or HARASHIMA because as a former KO-D Openweight Champion and winner of a DDT General Election himself, he thinks he should be a DDT icon too. Tamura said he wants Yusuke Okada to come over because they have unfinished business from Okada’s time in AJPW.

KANON is sticking with the Vietnam Driver II as his new finisher, using it to beat Hideki Okatani in their first singles match against each other. KANON said the match left him more tired than he expected but that’s probably because of the summer heat. Okatani didn’t like the result and warned KANON he will beat him the next time they meet.

Koroku and Rukiya probably thought their dark match was the only physicality they would both experience today. Then Evolution came along and beat them up later in the show. In the match itself Rukiya tried to win with a Running Elbow Strike but Koroku took him down into a Modified Triangle Lancer to win by submission.

Chris Brookes has been appointed as the sales manager for “DDT BIG BANG 2023” at Ota Ward Gymnasium on 9th September. Also announced was Mei Suruga being at the 30h September show in Kyoto KBS Hall. That show is part of Akai’s countdown towards her retirement.


Akai Explains Her Choices, Suwama Coming To DDT Looking For Akiyama

August 10, 2023

GANBARE☆JOSHI “GANJO BATTLE GAREGGA ’23”, 11/08/2023
Tokyo Itabashi Green Hall

1. Miyako Matsumoto Vs Banny Oikawa
2. Ice Ribbon Offer Match: Ibuki Hoshi & Kaho Matsushita Vs Yappy & Tsukina Umino
3. Yoshiko Hasegawa Vs Sayaka Unagi
4. Sumire Natsu & Riara Vs Maya Yukihi & Alex Lee
5. ICEx∞ Title: YuuRI (c) Vs Ami Manase

The first time the ICEx∞ Title is defended in Ganbare☆Joshi takes place tomorrow. The Ice Ribbon schedule is doing wonders for YuuRI’s progress lately.

DDT “SAKI AKAI 10TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR IN KORAKUEN!!”, 13/08/2023
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

0. Dark Match: Yuya Koroku Vs Rukiya
1. Special Single Match: Hideki Okatani Vs KANON
2. Diya Diamond Presents 6-Man Tag Match: Jun Akiyama, Yukio Naya & Yusuke Okada Vs Kazusada Higuchi, Yuki Ishida & Takeshi Masada
3. Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title – marcheur Presents Battle Royal: Sanshiro Takagi (c) Vs HARASHIMA Vs Naruki Doi Vs Yuki “Sexy” Iino Vs Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno Vs Antonio Honda Vs Akito Vs Kazuma Sumi
4. Jemile Fran Presents Special 6-Man Tag Match: Chris Brookes, Masahiro Takanashi & Sakura Hirota Vs Yuki Ueno, MAO & Toy Kojima
5. KO-D Tag Team Titles: Daisuke Sasaki & MJ Paul (c) Vs Yuji Hino & Makoto Oishi
6. DDT Extreme Title – Weakness Explosion!! Activation Conditions Are Up To You! Fall & Escape = Ghost & Balloon Explosion Death Match: Kazuki Hirata (c) Vs Yukio Sakaguchi
7. Nivea Body Wash Presents Saki Akai Debut 10th Anniversary Match Vol. 2 ~ Special 6-Woman Tag Match: Saki Akai, Maya Yukihi & Asuka Vs Takumi Iroha, Rina Yamashita & Shoko Nakajima

The main event is now sponsored by Nivea. They have done a few sponsorship deals with CyberFight events every now and then thanks to Saki Akai. A few years ago she tweeted about what her skincare routine looks like as a pro wrestler which included the use of Nivea products. The tweet went viral, the company saw it and the two parties made contact with each other to do some business together.

In an interview on DDT’s website, Akai brought up the reasons why she chose the wrestlers in her main event. Her and Shoko Nakajima debuted around the same time and actually trained together despite Akai belonging to DDT and Nakajima being attached to the still in development Tokyo Joshi Pro. Akai knows how much TJPW separates itself from the rest of the joshi scene so she wanted to see Nakajima experience what it is like to wrestle with people from other promotions. Rina Yamashita is Akai’s favourite wrestler to have matches with, either as partners or opponents. She is excited to see where Yamashita’s career will go next. When Akai briefly got to wrestle in Stardom back in 2014, Takumi Iroha was the only person in the locker room to greet her. Akai became a fan of hers over the years and wanted to be in the same ring with her. Maya Yukihi is somebody Akai credits for making her the wrestler she is today because of how many times they wrestled each other in the first half of last year. Last but not least, Akai calls Asuka a genius who everyone can see is strong but also works very hard. Akai thinks the atmosphere created in her matches is wonderful and that she has everything important needed to be a wrestler.

All Japan wrestler Suwama told Tokyo Sports yesterday he will be attending this show in order to confront Jun Akiyama. Back in 2017 Suwama took part in an Explosion Death Match with Atsushi Onita. Akiyama was the AJPW president at the time and he criticised Suwama for taking part in the match. So when Suwama heard about Akiyama accepting a challenge from Onita to take part in a similar death match next month, it drove him mad. Suwama is even blaming his failure to win the Triple Crown a few days ago on Akiyama’s hypocritical decision. He got himself a ticket for Korakuen Hall this Sunday to see where the old man Akiyama has been isolating himself all this time.

DDT “FIGHTING BEER GARDEN – DAY 1”, 16/08/2023
Tokyo Ueno Park Outdoor Stage

1. Yusuke Okada Vs Rukiya
2. Daisuke Sasaki, MJ Paul & KANON Vs Toy Kojima, Yuya Koroku & Takeshi Masada
3. The Scariest Event In History! Ghost Story New Numabukuro Death Match: Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno Vs Saki Akai Vs Yuni Vs Hideki Okatani Vs Kazuma Sumi (Ghost Story Reading Artist: Hisaya Imabayashi)
4. Blindfold Hidden Breast 4 Way Death Match: HARASHIMA Vs Kazuki Hirata Vs Antonio Honda Vs Yuki “Sexy” Iino
5. Special Tag Match: Yuki Ueno & X Vs MAO & Pokotan
6. YOROKOBI BREWERY Infomercial Match: Yuji Hino, Yukio Sakaguchi & Soma Takao Vs Kazusada Higuchi, Yukio naya & Yuki Ishida
7. Special Tag Match: Chris Brookes & Masahiro Takanashi Vs Shigehiro Irie & Jun Akiyama

A few of DDT’s young generation take on DAMNATION T.A.

DDT “SOMA TAKAO LOCAL TRIUPMH! MEMORIES OF SUMMER VACATION 2023 TOUR IN OTA-KU”, 19/08/2023
Tokyo Ota Ward Industrial Plaza PiO Small Exhibition Hall

1. Jun Akiyama, Saki Akai & Antonio Honda Vs Kazusada Higuchi, Yuki Ishida & Rukiya
2. Masamune & Yukio Naya Vs Hideki Okatani & Kazuma Sumi
3. DAMNATION T.A Vs The 37KAMIINA!: Daisuke Sasaki & MJ Paul Vs Yuki Ueno & Toy Kojima
4. Special Tag Match: Soma Takao & Shota Vs Yukio Sakaguchi & Kazuki Hirata

Special guest Masamune teams up with Yukio Naya for the first time. The pair will go against Hideki Okatani & Kazuma Sumi.

DDT “OSAKA BAY BLUES SPECIAL 2023”, 20/08/2023
Osaka Edion Arena #2

1. Osaka Specialty Special Tag Match: Sanshiro Takagi & Tsutenkakka Vs Akito & Kazuma Sumi
2. BURNING Vs Harimao!: Jun Akiyama & Kotaro Suzuki Vs Kazusada Higuchi & Yuki Ishida
3. Special Tag Match: Chris Brookes & Takeshi Masada Vs Shigehiro Irie & HARASHIMA
4. Special Single Match: Daisuke Sasaki Vs Yuki Ueno
5. Electric Explosion Bat & Board 6-Man Tag Death Match: Atsushi Onita, Yoshi Tatsu & Toy Kojima Vs Yukio Sakaguchi, Hideki Okatani & Soma Takao

Before Onita gets his death match with Akiyama, he has another one to deal with coming up first. The type of death match happening in Osaka is an Electric Explosion Bat & Board 6-Man Tag Death Match. The explosions will be rigged to use three times more ammunition than the normal amount.

GANBARE☆PRO “TOKOROZAWA PARK TOWN SHOPPING STREET 2023”, 26/08/2023
Saitama Tokorozawa Park Town Shopping Street Special

1. GanPro Specialty Mixed 6-Man Tag Match: Shuichiro Katsumura, HARUKAZE & Riara Vs Shinichiro Tominaga, YuuRI & Yoshiko Hasegawa
2. ROMANCE DAWN Vs Japan-Australia Giant Duo: Shota & Soma Takao Vs Hartley Jackson & Gota Ihashi
3. Fresh Ariyama Presents Special 6-Man Tag Match: Ken Ohka, Keisuke Ishii & Seiya Morohashi Vs Tatsuhito Takaiwa, Mizuki Watase & Munetatsu Nakamura

The annual Ganbare☆Pro outdoor show held over at Tokorozawa street is set for the end of the month.

DDT “DRAMATIC EXPLOSION 2023”, 18/09/2023
Nagoya International Conference Center Event Hall

1. Current Blast Death Match: Atsushi Onita Vs X

Shigehiro Irie and Shinya Ishida will both be on the show along with Minoru Suzuki.


Ghost And Balloon Death Match, Saki Akai Sponsorship Everywhere, Tominaga Faces His Union Pro Past, Final Sparky Match

August 8, 2023

DDT “SAKI AKAI 10TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR IN KORAKUEN!!”, 13/08/2023
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

0. Dark Match: Yuya Koroku Vs Rukiya
1. Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title – marcheur Presents Battle Royal: Sanshiro Takagi (c) Vs HARASHIMA Vs Naruki Doi Vs Yuki “Sexy” Iino Vs Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno Vs Antonio Honda Vs Akito Vs Kazuma Sumi
2. Diya Diamond Presents 6-Man Tag Match: Jun Akiyama, Yukio Naya & Yusuke Okada Vs Kazusada Higuchi, Yuki Ishida & Takeshi Masada
3. Special Single Match: Hideki Okatani Vs KANON
4. Jemile Fran Presents Special 6-Man Tag Match: Chris Brookes, Masahiro Takanashi & Sakura Hirota Vs Yuki Ueno, MAO & Toy Kojima
5. KO-D Tag Team Titles: Daisuke Sasaki & MJ Paul (c) Vs Yuji Hino & Makoto Oishi
6. Saki Akai Debut 10th Anniversary Match Vol. 2 ~ Special 6-Woman Tag Match: Saki Akai, Maya Yukihi & Asuka Vs Takumi Iroha, Rina Yamashita & Shoko Nakajima
7. DDT Extreme Title – Weakness Explosion!! Activation Conditions Are Up To You! Fall & Escape = Ghost & Balloon Explosion Death Match: Kazuki Hirata (c) Vs Yukio Sakaguchi

Yesterday Kazuki Hirata and Yukio Sakaguchi met with Hisaya Imabayashi to sign the contract for their DDT Extreme Title match. Hirata admitted he could not think of a match stipulation in time but promised he would come up with something that Sakaguchi would be pleased with. Sakaguchi signed the contract and Hirata suddenly burst into laughter. He actually did come up with rules and Sakaguchi cannot back out now. The match Hirata wants is a Ghost & Balloon Death Match! The match can be won and lost as normal but whenever there is a kickout or rope break either a “Ghost” or a “Balloon” will enter the ring. It turns out that Sakaguchi does not like either ghosts or balloons so Hirata figured out he can use that information to unsettle his opponent. His point was proven when he took out a pair of rubber gloves, blew them up like balloons and then popped them, causing Sakaguchi to flee the room.

Several matches on the show are being sponsored by different beauty products and salon businesses.

DDT “FIGHTING BEER GARDEN – DAY 1”, 16/08/2023
Tokyo Ueno Park Outdoor Stage

1. The Scariest Event In History! Ghost Story New Numabukuro Death Match: Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno Vs Saki Akai Vs Yuni Vs Hideki Okatani Vs Kazuma Sumi (Ghost Story Reading Artist: Hisaya Imabayashi)
2. Blindfold Hidden Breast 4 Way Death Match: HARASHIMA Vs Kazuki Hirata Vs Antonio Honda Vs Yuki “Sexy” Iino
3. Special Tag Match: Yuki Ueno & X Vs MAO & Pokotan
4. YOROKOBI BREWERY Infomercial Match: Yuji Hino, Yukio Sakaguchi & Soma Takao Vs Kazusada Higuchi, Yukio naya & Yuki Ishida
5. Special Tag Match: Chris Brookes & Masahiro Takanashi Vs Shigehiro Irie & Jun Akiyama

The latest match added to the show has some mystery to it. Yuki Ueno’s unannounced teammate is somebody he believes can become a new rival for Pokotan. Who (or what) could it be? Another mascot?

DDT “MEMORIES OF SUMMER VACATION 2023”, 27/08/2023
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. Saki Akai Photobook “GRACIA” Infomercial Match: Kazuki Hirata Vs Antonio Honda Vs Saki Akai Photobook “GRACIA”
2. Special Single Match: Daisuke Sasaki Vs MAO
3. Saki Akai Debut 10th Anniversary Match Vol. 3 ~ Special Single Match: Danshoku Dieno Vs Saki Akai
4. Special Tag Match: Chris Brookes & Yuki Ueno Vs Shigehiro Irie & Jun Akiyama
5. HARASHIMA Debut 22nd Anniversary Match: HARASHIMA, Yasu Urano & Ken Ohka Vs Daisuke Sekimoto, Sanshiro Takagi & Yukio Sakaguchi

Wrestlers close to HARASHIMA are being called together to celebrate his 22nd anniversary in wrestling. Daisuke Sekimoto is the big guest taking part in the match.

DDT wanted to do a match promoting Saki Akai’s new photobook “GRACIA”. Akai is already booked on the show so DDT decided to put together a 3 Way Match between Hirata, Antonio Honda and… the photobook. This is now going to be the second Saki Akai photobook to wrestle in DDT. The first one is a former Iron Man Heavymetalweight Champion because of course it would be! It even beat The Young Bucks autobiography to win it.

BASARA “BASARA 227 ~UTAGE~”, 29/08/2023
Shin-Kiba 1st RING

1. Isami Kodaka & Ryuichi Sekine Vs Lil’ Kraken & Leo Isaka
2. IRON FIST Tag Team Titles: Daiki Shimomura & Minoru Fujita (c) Vs Tsutomu Oosugi & Banana Senga
3. Union MAX Title: Takumi Tsukamoto (c) Vs FUMA

Over the weekend FUMA defeated SAGAT to become the new No. 1 Contender for the Union MAX Title. On a roster as small as BASARA it is one of the strongest challengers Takumi Tsukamoto is going to get.

Part-time roster member Ryuichi Sekine returns to team with Isami Kodaka again.

GANBARE☆PRO “KAMIKAZE TAXI 2023”, 02/09/2023
Tokyo Oji BASEMENT MON☆STAR

1. Spirit Of Ganbare World Openweight Title: Isami Kodaka (c) Vs Shinichiro Tominaga

The second challenger for Kodaka quickly made himself known over the weekend. Shinichiro Tominaga had a brief stare down with Kodaka at the Ganbare☆Pro show on Sunday afternoon and then later that evening threw out the challenge after he beat Trans-Am ★ Hiroshi in BASARA. The two wrestlers go way back to the final years of Union Pro. Tominaga came into the promotion at the beginning of 2012 as the hot new rookie with a lot of promise behind him. His run in that promotion only lasted 6 months of ring time when he fractured his forearm. Then when 2012 rolled around he declined to renew his contract and went back to the lower independents. It is a decision that has stayed on his mind ever since. Was he right or wrong to leave back then? He eventually bounced back by finding GanPro and becoming a regular part of their shows. He now thinks he is able to catch up with Kodaka. If he beats him for the Spirit Of Ganbare Title then it will prove he made the right choice all those years ago.

Soma Takao will be on the show.

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TJPW CITY CIRCUIT ’23 ~RIKA TATSUMI LOCAL TRIUMPH~”, 16/09/2023
Nagano Kissei Bunka Hall Middle Hall

1. Aja Kong Vs X

Not only is this show a homecoming for Rika Tatsumi but it is also where Maki Itoh will return from her latest overseas tour. Aja Kong is coming back to Tokyo Joshi Pro for another match too.

BASARA “BASARA 230 ~OSAKA SUMMER SIEGE – DAITO~”, 23/09/2023
Osaka Active Square Daito

1. Sparky Final Match ~Final Battle At The Place Of Formation~ Elimination 8-Man Tag Match: Ryota Nakatsu, SAGAT, Naoki Tanizaki & Akiyori Takizawa Vs Isami Kodaka, Ryuichi Sekine, Daiki Shimomura & Minoru Fujita

As was promised by Ryota Nakatsu a few months ago, his unit Sparky is going to split up after the entire group gets together one last time. The full goodbye is happening in September due to Naoki Tanizaki & Akiyori Takizawa having their own schedules that conflict with BASARA’s dates. Sparky’s final match as a group is against the full force of Sento Minzoku in an Elimination Match.

Kohei Kinoshita will also be on the show, going along with Tanizaki as the second Dove Pro representative.


DAMNATION Vs 37KAMIINA Getting More Volatile, Akai’s Anniversary Plans Grow, Onita Gets His Match With Akiyama

August 2, 2023

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TJPW CITY CIRCUIT ’23 ~SHOKO NAKAJIMA LOCAL TRIUMPH~”, 05/08/2023
Niigata Dúo CEREZO

1. Special Single Match: Aja Kong Vs Super Sasadango Machine
2. Suzume Vs Runa Okubo
3. 3 Way Match: Hyper Misao Vs Haruna Neko Vs HIMAWARI
4. Hikari Noa & Nao Kakuta Vs Mahiro Kiryu & Toga
5. Mizuki, Shino Suzuki & Haru Kazashiro Vs Yuki Arai, Raku & Pom Harajuku
6. Rika Tatsumi & Miu Watanabe Vs Moka Miyamoto & Kaya Toribami
7. Shoko Nakajima & Yuki Aino Vs Miyu Yamashita & Arisu Endo

Both Yuki Kamifuku and Wakana Uehara will not be on the show due to other priorities that day. Kamifuku is attending an event in Fujisawa City while Uehara is performing on a stage show.

GANBARE☆PRO “UNDER THE SILVER LAKE 2023”, 06/08/2023
Tokyo Takashimadaira Kumin Center

1. Keisuke Ishii Vs Munetatsu Nakamura
2. GanJo Vs JTO!: Yoshiko Hasegawa & Riara Vs Misa Kagura & HisokA
3. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Yumehito Imanari, Mizuki Watase & Tyson Maeguchi Vs Shota, Soma Takao & Shinichiro Tominaga
4. Special Single Match: Ken Ohka Vs Koji Doi
5. Spirit Of Ganbare World Tag Team Titles: Shuichiro Katsumura & Takuya Wada (c) Vs Hartley Jackson & HARUKAZE
6. Spirit Of Ganbare World Openweight Title: Isami Kodaka (c) Vs YuuRI

The long delayed Spirit Of Ganbare Tag Team Title belts have finally been completed and are being sent over to Ganbare☆Pro in time for this weekend’s show. The belts will be presented to Shuichiro Katsumura & Takuya Wada on the day as part of a contract signing ceremony with Hartley Jackson & HARUKAZE for their title match later in the show.

DDT “MEMORIES OF SUMMER VACATION 2023 TOUR IN YAMAGATA”, 06/08/2023
Yamagata Big Wing

1. Yuki “Sexy” Iino & Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno Vs Akito & Makoto Oishi
2. Kazuki Hirata & Kazuma Sumi Vs Yukio Sakaguchi & Hideki Okatani
3. Daisuke Sasaki & KANON Vs Yuji Hino & Rukiya
4. Yuki Ueno, MAO & Toy Kojima Vs HARASHIMA, Yusuke Okada & Yuya Koroku
5. Yamagata Specialty Special Tag Match: Kazusada Higuchi & Yuki Ishida Vs Yukio Naya & Keisuke Goto
6. Special Tag Match: Chris Brookes & Takeshi Masada Vs Shigehiro Irie & Jun Akiyama

Good luck to Kazuki Hirata having to fight Yukio Sakaguchi more so than usual this month because they have a DDT Extreme Title match coming up.

GANBARE☆JOSHI “GANJO BATTLE GAREGGA ’23”, 11/08/2023
Tokyo Itabashi Green Hall

1. Ice Ribbon Offer Match: Ibuki Hoshi & Kaho Matsushita Vs Yappy & Tsukina Umino
2. Miyako Matsumoto Vs Banny Oikawa
3. Sumire Natsu & Riara Vs Maya Yukihi & Alex Lee
4. Yoshiko Hasegawa Vs Sayaka Unagi
5. ICEx∞ Title: YuuRI (c) Vs Ami Manase

I was wondering why Yoshiko Hasegawa was missing from the lineup. Turns out there was one more match left to announce and it’s her against Sayaka Unagi!

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TOKYO PRINCESS CUP”, 12/08/2023
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. Suzume Vs Juria Nagano
2. Wakana Uehara, Toga & Runa Okubo Vs HIMAWARI, Shino Suzuki & Haru Kazashiro
3. Hyper Misao, Hikari Noa, Nao Kakuta & Kaya Toribami Vs Yuki Aino, Raku, Pom Harajuku & Haruna Neko
4. Shoko Nakajima & Miu Watanabe Vs Moka Miyamoto & Arisu Endo
5. Sakisama & Mei Saint-Michel Vs Mizuki & Mahiro Kiryu
6. Tokyo Princess Cup – Semi Final: Rika Tatsumi Vs Yuki Kamifuku
7. Tokyo Princess Cup – Semi Final: Miyu Yamashita Vs Yuki Arai

The summer is nearing its end and so too is this year’s Tokyo Princess Cup. Four women are left standing and two of those will be next to fall. Miyu Yamashita is trying to win the tournament for the first time after a decade of trying, Yuki Arai is benefitting from adding Saki Akai’s Rookie Award finisher to her moveset, Rika Tatsumi is in the middle of one hell of a run and Yuki Kamifuku is showing everyone just how successful she can be when she puts her mind to it.

Mizuki & Mahiro Kiryu are the two women teaming together to fight NEO Biishiki-gun.

Match #4 is made up of the four women who were knocked out in the Quarter Finals.

The 6-Woman Tag Match in Match #2 is entirely made up of the 2023 class.

DDT “SAKI AKAI 10TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR IN KORAKUEN!!”, 13/08/2023
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

0. Dark Match: Yuya Koroku Vs Rukiya
1. Jun Akiyama, Yukio Naya & Yusuke Okada Vs Kazusada Higuchi, Yuki Ishida & Takeshi Masada
2. Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title – Battle Royal: Sanshiro Takagi (c) Vs HARASHIMA Vs Naruki Doi Vs Yuki “Sexy” Iino Vs Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno Vs Antonio Honda Vs Akito Vs Kazuma Sumi
3. Special Single Match: Hideki Okatani Vs KANON
4. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Chris Brookes, Masahiro Takanashi & Sakura Hirota Vs Yuki Ueno, MAO & Toy Kojima
5. KO-D Tag Team Titles: Daisuke Sasaki & MJ Paul (c) Vs Yuji Hino & Makoto Oishi
6. DDT Extreme Title: Kazuki Hirata (c) Vs Yukio Sakaguchi
7. Saki Akai Debut 10th Anniversary Match Vol. 2 ~ Special 6-Woman Tag Match: Saki Akai, Maya Yukihi & Asuka Vs Takumi Iroha, Rina Yamashita & Shoko Nakajima

Akai’s next 10th Anniversary match will feature her teaming with Maya Yukihi & Asuka. They were two of her recent big opponents here in DDT. Their opponents all debuted in 2013, the same year as Akai. Takumi Iroha & Rina Yamashita were already announced and this past weekend Shoko Nakajima was revealed to be the third woman on the team.

Hirata found a way to beat HARASHIMA. He’s also beaten Sakaguchi once before but as Extreme Champion he will come up with any stipulation that will tip the scales in his favour. Otherwise Sakaguchi is going to kill him and take his title!

Makoto Oishi has convinced Yuji Hino to go after the KO-D Tag Team Titles with him. Maybe Hino would be better off teaming with Yukio Naya for the match but Oishi being such a caring father for his children convinced Hino to stick with him.

DDT “FIGHTING BEER GARDEN – DAY 1”, 16/08/2023
Tokyo Ueno Park Outdoor Stage

1. The Scariest Event In History! Ghost Story New Numabukuro Death Match: Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno Vs Saki Akai Vs Yuni Vs Hideki Okatani Vs Kazuma Sumi (Ghost Story Reading Artist: Hisaya Imabayashi)
2. Blindfold Hidden Breast 4 Way Death Match: HARASHIMA Vs Kazuki Hirata Vs Antonio Honda Vs Yuki “Sexy” Iino
3. YOROKOBI BREWERY Infomercial Match: Yuji Hino, Yukio Sakaguchi & Soma Takao Vs Kazusada Higuchi, Yukio naya & Yuki Ishida
4. Special Tag Match: Chris Brookes & Masahiro Takanashi Vs Shigehiro Irie & Jun Akiyama

The Fighting Beer Garden shows now has a craft beer sponsor.

DDT “SOMA TAKAO LOCAL TRIUPMH! MEMORIES OF SUMMER VACATION 2023 TOUR IN OTA-KU”, 19/08/2023
Tokyo Ota Ward Industrial Plaza PiO Small Exhibition Hall

1. Special Tag Match: Soma Takao & Shota Vs Yukio Sakaguchi & Kazuki Hirata
2. Jun Akiyama, Saki Akai & Antonio Honda Vs Kazusada Higuchi, Yuki Ishida & Rukiya
3. DAMNATION T.A Vs The 37KAMIINA!: Daisuke Sasaki & MJ Paul Vs Yuki Ueno & Toy Kojima

The recent actions of Konosuke Takeshita has fired up the rivalry between DAMNATION T.A and The 37KAMIINA. The one here is a rematch from the end of June when Daisuke Sasaki & MJ Paul beat Yuki Ueno & Toy Kojima to win the vacant tag titles.

DDT “OSAKA BAY BLUES SPECIAL 2023”, 20/08/2023
Osaka Edion Arena #2

1. Osaka Specialty Special Tag Match: Sanshiro Takagi & Tsutenkakka Vs Akito & Kazuma Sumi
2. BURNING Vs Harimao!: Jun Akiyama & Kotaro Suzuki Vs Kazusada Higuchi & Yuki Ishida
3. Special Tag Match: Chris Brookes & Takeshi Masada Vs Shigehiro Irie & HARASHIMA
4. Special Single Match: Daisuke Sasaki Vs Yuki Ueno
5. Current Blast Death Match: Atsushi Onita, Yoshitatsu & Toy Kojima Vs Yukio Sakaguchi, Hideki Okatani & Soma Takao

Sasaki has a few singles matches against different members of The 37KAMIINA this month. Yuki Ueno keeps being told by Takeshita to follow his lead and Sasaki has become a big supporter of that idea.

DDT “MEMORIES OF SUMMER VACATION 2023”, 27/08/2023
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. Saki Akai Debut 10th Anniversary Match Vol. 3 ~ Special Single Match: Danshoku Dieno Vs Saki Akai
2. Special Single Match: Daisuke Sasaki Vs MAO
3. HARASHIMA Debut 22nd Anniversary Match: HARASHIMA Vs X

Sasaki also has to face MAO. He might start regretting taking Takeshita’s side in the matter just because of how much extra ring work it’s giving him.

Akai asked Danshoku Dieno for a singles match to call back memories of the Extreme Title bout from 2016. Their match back then featured a stipulation that nobody was allowed to cry or else they would lose. It was a match that Akai learned a lot and still thinks about after all this time. Dieno understands how much it means to her and will not be using his “Dandy” persona for that reason.

DDT “ROJO PRO WRESTLING IN IZUKOGEN GRANILLUMI”, 02/09/2023
Shizuoka Izu Granpal Park

1. Falls Count Anywhere 4 Way 6-Man Tag Match: Chris Brookes, HARASHIMA & Saki Akai Vs Yuki Ueno, MAO & Toy Kojima (w/ Shunma Katsumata) Vs Sanshiro Takagi, Shinya Aoki & Takeshi Masada Vs Yuki “Sexy” Iino, Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno & X

A lot of people are gathering together to wrestle among the bright lights of Izu Granpal Park. Not only is Shinya Aoki showing up but Pheromones will be joined by a mystery wrestler.

DDT “DDT BIG BANG 2023”, 09/09/2023
Tokyo Ota Ward Gymnasium

1. Pheromones Vs Subjugation Final Match! Special Single Match ~ Dissolution Contra Vice President: Yuki “Sexy” Iino (w/ Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno) Vs Akito
2. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Yukio Sakaguchi, Saki Akai & Hideki Okatani Vs Yuko Miyamoto, Isami Kodaka & Ram Kaichow
3. Special Tag Match: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA & Daisuke Sasaki Vs Yuki Ueno & MAO
4. Current Blast Death Match: Atsushi Onita, Yoshi Tatsu & Toy Kojima Vs Sanshiro Takagi, Jun Akiyama & Yusuke Okada
5. KO-D Openweight Title: Chris Brookes (c) Vs Shigehiro Irie

Sick of his demands being ignored, Atsushi Onita took it upon himself last week to crash a training session at the DDT dojo and confront Jun Akiyama. Apparently Onita got in touch with Kojima and demanded to find out when Akiyama was in the building. Kojima told him but didn’t actually expect he would show up. Onita told Akiyama the names of many famous wrestlers who fought him in Explosion Death Matches then asked why is he the only person who refuses to take part? Onita also reminded Sanshiro Takagi he was promised this match would happen. Akiyama accepted the challenge and both sides decided their teams. Onita will team with Yoshi Tatsu & Toy Kojima while Akiyama & Takagi will add Yusuke Okada to their team.

Is the team of Ueno & MAO enough to beat Takeshita & Sasaki? We’re heading into dangerous territory here as tensions raise higher and higher.

If Eruption are still the KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Champions coming out of their All Japan appearance at the end of this month then their match against Yuko Miyamoto, Isami Kodaka & Ram Kaichow will be a title match.

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TJPW CITY CIRCUIT ’23 ~NAGOYA PERFORMANCE~”, 18/09/2023
Nagoya International Conference Center Event Hall

1. Saki Akai & Yuki Arai Vs X & X

This will be the final time Reiwa AA Cannon will team together, just two months before Akai retires.

DDT “DRAMATIC EXPLOSION 2023”, 18/09/2023
Nagoya International Conference Center Event Hall

1. Current Blast Death Match: Atsushi Onita Vs X

Minoru Suzuki will be on the show. This is happening the same day as the Bullet Train match with Takagi by the way. How else were they making it to Nagoya?

“MASAHIRO TAKANASHI 20TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW”, 19/09/2023
Shinjuku FACE

1. Special Exhibition: Masahiro Takanashi Vs KUDO
2. Yukio Sakaguchi, Isami Kodaka & Ken Ohka Vs MAO, Daiki Shimomura & Munetatsu Nakamura
3. Special Single Match: Mei Suruga Vs Minoru Suzuki
4. Chris Brookes Vs Masahiro Takanashi

No way was KUDO going to miss Masahiro Takanashi’s big show. He isn’t in ring shape to do a full wrestling match so Takanashi decided KUDO will face him in a 5 minute exhibition instead.

Saki Akai will also be on the show.


DDT “SUMMER VACATION 2023” Results

July 30, 2023

DDT “SUMMER VACATION 2023”, 30/07/2023
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
761 Fans

0. Dark Match: Yuni defeated Kazuma Sumi with the Phoenix Splash (5:22).
1. Minoru Fujita & MJ Paul defeated Soma Takao & Rukiya when Paul pinned Rukiya with the Death Valley Bomb (8:24).
2. Special Tag Match: Yuki “Sexy” Iino & Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno defeated Akito & Naruki Doi when Iino pinned Akito after the Muscular Sexy Driver (12:15).
3. Yuji Hino, Makoto Oishi & Yukio Naya defeated Jun Akiyama, Yusuke Okada & Yuya Koroku when Hino pinned Koroku with the Fuckin’ BOMB (8:07).
4. Yukio Sakaguchi 50th Birthday Match ~ Special 6-Man Tag Match: Yukio Sakaguchi, Saki Akai & Hideki Okatani defeated Shuji Ishikawa, Thanomsak Toba & Masahiro Takanashi when Sakaguchi pinned Toba with the God’s Right Knee (11:26).
5. Chris Brookes, Antonio Honda & Takeshi Masada defeated Kazusada Higuchi, Kotaro Suzuki & Yuki Ishida when Brookes pinned Ishida with the Praying Mantis Bomb (11:49).
6. DDT Extreme Title – Super Fierce Battle! Hirata’s Miraculous Allies Gather! No Touch Captain’s Fall & 2 Count Hall Handicap Death Match: Kazuki Hirata (C/c), Broom, Kokeshi Doll, Chair, Yakitori, Baby Doll, Watch Dog, Cold Spray & Toru Owashi Doll defeated HARASHIMA (C) when Hirata pinned HARASHIMA with the Miracle One Shot Cradle (13:21).
*V1 for Kazuki Hirata.
7. Special 6-Man Tag Match: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA, Daisuke Sasaki & KANON defeated Yuki Ueno, MAO & Toy Kojima when Sasaki submitted Ueno with La Mistica Crossover Face Lock (17:44).

A new direction for Konosuke Takeshita now sees him stand across the ring from his friends in The 37KAMIINA. If that’s not weird enough, he decided to become an ally with Daisuke Sasaki and DAMNATION T.A to further his agenda. Takeshita got his moments to fight Yuki Ueno, MAO & Toy Kojima throughout the main event. Sasaki & KANON were there to back him up for a triple submission spot. Ueno & Kojima had Sasaki beaten with the My MADMAX but Takeshita came back with a big rally. He used a Double German Suplex to throw both MAO & Kojima at the same time then hit Ueno with the Zahi. Sasaki then lined Ueno up for La Mistica Crossover Face Lock to win the match.

Afterward Takeshita again advised Ueno to start following him if he really wants to carry DDT on his back. Even Sasaki agreed with him and said he would support anybody who has Takeshita’s approval. If Takeshita tells Ueno to do something like join DAMNATION T.A then Ueno should have no other choice but to do it. By this point Shunma Katsumata was in the ring using a crutch to move around. Sasaki suddenly attacked him and knocked the crutch away until MAO chased him out of the ring. MAO lost his temper at Takeshita for doing nothing to stop Sasaki and not helping Katsumata afterwards. He understands now that Takeshita is The 37KAMIINA’s enemy from this point forward! Takeshita said he is going back to America but will return to DDT for the Ota Ward Gymnasium show on 9th September. He expects to hear an answer from Ueno by then. Ueno said he wants to team up with MAO to take on Takeshita & Sasaki on the show.

It was a Handicap Match for the ages when Kazuki Hirata gathered together his own army of inanimate objects to fight against HARASHIMA. It was part of a collection of rule stipulations the DDT Extreme Champion came up with to ensure his defence was going to be a fair fight, otherwise HARASHIMA was going to destroy him without much effort. Another rule was Hirata only needed a 2 Count pin to win. First HARASHIMA fought a Kokeshi Doll and almost got outwrestled by it. A Chair somehow put HARASHIMA in a Cross Armbreaker submission. HARASHIMA hesitated trying to fight a Baby Doll because nobody wanted to see him attack something cute like that. He instead played a Watch Dog toy game that bit his finger, giving Hirata a 1 Count nearfall with a roll up. The next fighter to enter was a Yakitori chicken skewer. HARASHIMA ate it, causing Hirata to attack him with a Broom out of anger for his fallen comrade. Hirata climbed the top rope with the Broom to do a Kiki’s Delivery Service Dive but it was blocked by HARASHIMA’s boots. HARASHIMA did a Falcon Arrow onto a pile of the objects for a nearfall. He went for the Somato but Hirata blocked it with the Broom and used the Miracle One Shot Cradle to win with a 2 count pinfall.

When the match was over HARASHIMA congratulated Hirata for beating him by wrapping the Extreme Title around his waist. Hirata thanked him and said no matter what the rules were, today he was able to beat HARASHIMA! He now feels like he can beat anybody. As soon as he finished saying that, Yukio Sakaguchi appeared and entered the ring. Hirata immediately offered to give up and forfeit his title to Sakaguchi. It was declined because Sakaguchi didn’t want to look like he is bullying Hirata. He wants to challenge him instead because winning the Extreme Title for the first time in his career would be a good birthday present for himself. Hirata’s cries of refusal were ignored by Hisaya Imabayashi and the match was made for 13th August. Sakaguchi then told Hirata “What’s mine is mine, what’s Hirata’s is mine.”

Chris Brookes paid his first visit to Korakuen Hall since winning the KO-D Openweight Title. There was no Shigehiro Irie appearance on the show so the new champion was in a 6-Man Tag Match with two of his buddies Antonio Honda & Takeshi Masada. Their attempt to pull off a triple team pose on Kotaro Suzuki failed when Honda overshot his jump and fell onto the canvas. Suzuki then interruped the Gongitsune speech. Later in the match he tried to interrupt it again but his own partners Kazusada Higuchi & Yuki Ishida pleaded with him to let Honda proceed. The match continued from there and Brookes pinned Ishida with the Praying Mantis Bomb to win. Backstage Brookes acted like the Shukan Puroresu reporter was spreading rumours about Irie being scared of Brookes.

As mentioned a little bit earlier, Yukio Sakaguchi celebrated his birthday this week, turning 50 years old. Today he teamed with the rest of Eruption to take on a team of three opponents who all have ties to him. Shuji Ishikawa was a former rival, Thanomsak Toba trained with him and Masahiro Takanashi used to be his stablemate in Shuten-dōji. Speakin of that unit, KUDO was at ringside for the match too. He presented Sakaguchi with a gift of alcohol before the match. Sakaguchi picked up the win for Eruption by using the God’s Right Knee on Toba.

After the match everyone including KUDO raised each other’s hands in the ring. Then all of a sudden two unexpected guests appeared. It was Isami Kodaka & Yuko Miyamoto! The tag team known as Yankee Two Kenju were carrying bouquets and said they were here to wish Sakaguchi a happy birthday. Sakaguchi did not believe them and knew they had another reason for showing up. Kodaka dropped the facade asked if he and Miyamoto could get a shot at the KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles? Sakaguchi was fine with the idea while Hideki Okatani was suddenly all fired up to pick a fight with Miyamoto. Yankee Two Kenju then revealed the third person on their team is going to be Ram Kaichow! Eruption accepted the challenge knowing full well they already have a title defence coming up in All Japan on 27th August. They are confident they will win that so their match against the Triple Six team on 9th September will have the titles on the line if they are still the champions by then.

It’s time for Ω to go take a fresh route and reevaluate their goals. Yuji Hino needed a bounce back win after losing the KO-D Title and found it here by teaming with Makoto Oishi & Yukio Naya. After defeating the BURNING team of Jun Akiyama, Yusuke Okada & Yuya Koroku their plans became more clear backstage. Oishi gets upset every time he sees Hino without a championship so he should go fight for the KO-D Tag Team Titles. Hino liked the idea and started to think about teaming with Naya again. However Oishi meant himself and Hino should be the team. Hino wasn’t sure because he thinks Oishi should take the rest of the summer off to be with his family. Oishi then said his eldest son sent him a message about wanting to see his dad win a championship. Hearing that cheered Hino up and he agreed to chase after the tag titles with Oishi. It was later confirmed Ω will face Sasaki & MJ Paul for the titles on 13th August.

Like many other people Naruki Doi wanted nothing to do with the Pheromones match. However Akito is desperate to build up momentum for his singles match against Yuki Iino so he was able to convince him to take part. Danshoku Dieno also taunted Doi by telling him his reputation would be tainted if he ran away from Pheromones. Doi picked up the courage to fight them head on but Akito ended up getting isolated and beaten two on one.

Saki Akai entered the ring after the match wanting to speak to Dieno. She reminded him of the singles match they had for the Extreme Title back in 2016. It’s a match that stuck with her ever since because Dieno taught her how wrestlers show their struggles with a human touch. However Akai still wonders if that lesson is true. She thinks pro wrestling is a dream job and wants Dieno to definitively prove her otherwise by facing her one more time before she retires this November. Dieno said Akai has a problem that hasn’t been solved yet and accepted her challenge. The match will take place on 27th August.

DAMNATION T.A overwhelmed Soma Takao & Rukiya in the opening match starting with a surprise attack. Takao found the energy to fight back against Minoru Fujita until the match switched over to Rukiya against Paul. Rukiya’s volley of Elbow Strikes were cut off with a Lariat and Paul pinned him with the Death Valley Bomb.

In the pre-show dark match Yuni defeated Kazuma Sumi one on one. He avoided the Lionsault, kicked out of a Brainbuster and pinned Sumi with the Phoenix Splash.

Shoko Nakajima was revealed to be Takumi Iroha & Rina Yamashita’s tag partner for the 6-Woman Tag Match against Akai, Asuka & Maya Yukihi on 13th August. The match is part of Akai’s retirement tour. She is teaming with her two recent rivals in DDT against a team of opponents who all debuted in 2013, the same year as her.


TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TOKYO PRINCESS CUP” Results

July 29, 2023

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TOKYO PRINCESS CUP”, 29/07/2023
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
437 Fans

1. Juria Nagano & Kaya Toribami defeated Wakana Uehara & HIMAWARI when Nagano pinned HIMAWARI with the Whirlwind Kick (7:47).
2. Hyper Misao, Nao Kakuta & Yuki Aino defeated Mahiro Kiryu, Pom Harajuku & Haruna Neko when Misao pinned Kiryu with La Magistral Cradle (0:42).
2a. Rematch: Hyper Misao, Nao Kakuta & Yuki Aino defeated Mahiro Kiryu, Pom Harajuku & Haruna Neko when Kakuta submitted Harajuku with the Kamitaka (6:02).
3. Hikari Noa, Raku, Suzume & Shino Suzuki defeated Mizuki, Toga, Haru Kazashiro & Runa Okubo when Noa pinned Toga with the Blizzard Suplex (12:31).
4. Tokyo Princess Cup – Quarter Final: Yuki Arai defeated Arisu Endo with the Finally (13:01).
5. Tokyo Princess Cup – Quarter Final: Yuki Kamifuku defeated Miu Watanabe with the Famouser (12:22).
6. Tokyo Princess Cup – Quarter Final: Miyu Yamashita defeated Moka Miyamoto with the Skull Kick (12:55).
7. Tokyo Princess Cup – Quarter Final: Rika Tatsumi defeated Shoko Nakajima with the White Dragon Sleeper (19:10).

The final four has been decided. Not only is this year’s Tokyo Princess Cup going to give us a first time winner but we are also going to get two first time finalists out of who is left in the race. Rika Tatsumi continues her strong year of performances with a big victory over Shoko Nakajima in the main event. The Princess Cup has always been good to Nakajima but she has now been eliminated in the Quarter Final stage for the second year in a row. Tatsumi is full of praise for her though, saying she is very happy to fight somebody as amazing as Nakajima today. Nakajima shook her hand and gave her support towards Tatsumi winning the entire tournament. What’s motivating Tatsumi is an unnamed opponent she hasn’t fought yet and she wants to fight that person with a championship on the line. Hmmm. Is she talking about the International Princess Title or something else?

Dare I say it but is this finally the year? Miyu Yamashita is through to the semi-finals, cutting off any hope Moka Miyamoto had of developing a Cinderella run through the tournament. Miyamoto threw everything she had including the Zero-sen Kick to the back of the head as well as a big Neckbreaker. But Yamashita avoided the Korokan, threw her opponent over with the Attitude Adjustment and pinned her with the Skull Kick. Yamashita backstage said Miyamoto still has a long way to go until she can beat her but she still looks forward to fighting her again. Yamashita has her sights set on finally winning the Princess Cup with her ultimate goal being to challenge Mizuki for the Princess Of Princess Title. She already beat her clean in Round 1 but it seems like Yamashita is not satisfied with using that as a reason to deserve a title shot. Miyamoto said today reminded her of how big a wall Yamashita is for her to climb over. She wants to do her best so she will surpass her someday.

Miu Watanabe’s dramatic summer last year will not be repeated. Instead 2023 is for Yuki Kamifuku to prove her doubters wrong! She hates competing in tournaments but what annoys her even more is when people say she doesn’t try hard enough. Giving Watanabe a Superplex and cutting off the Tear Drop by hitting the Famouser twice for victory should get that message through loud and clear. Also using Mahiro Kiryu as a human shield outside the ring early in the match helped a bit. Watanabe said she trained hard as always but she already learned years ago that training isn’t enough to win wrestling matches. She wonders if her mistake is she thought too hard about wanting to win this year. Even though Kamifuku hates tournaments she knows there are fans and people close to her cheering her on. She also wants to inspire new women and girls to join Tokyo Joshi Pro so she can have more friends to drink with.

The first Quarter Final of the day was a battle between two wrestlers both born in 1998. Arisu Endo’s use of the Camel Clutch ultimately failed when Yuki Arai reached the ropes. She kept trying to find an opening to hit the Finally but Endo kept her guard up. Arai switched plans and used the Rookie Award to break through Endo’s defence, opening her up for the Finally and a three count. Arai said she was happy to fight Endo for the first time because they are good friends outside of wrestling and they both represent the same generation. She thinks getting to fight her is a good test to see how far both have come. Endo is open to the friendly competition because she now has a new target to overtake. Despite losing today she is pleased with the improvement from last year’s tournament run.

The Semi Final draw took place hours after the show had finished. The four remaining wrestlers all randomly chose an envelope in front of them and then pulled out the cards inside. Whoever pulled the same colours would face each other in the next round. The result we got is Miyu Yamashita Vs Yuki Arai and Rika Tatsumi Vs Yuki Kamifuku! Yamashita said it will be her first singles match against Arai since December 2021. Arai told her she isn’t afraid. What’s funny is both Tatsumi and Kamifuku are relieved they don’t have to fight Yamashita next! They are both rooting for Arai to knock her out of the tournament.

At least the rest of The Up Up Girls had fun today. Hikari Noa, Raku & Shino Suzuki all did their thing with Suzume in tow to beat Mizuki and the trio of rookies Toga, Haru Kazashiro & Runa Okubo. The match came down to Noa against Toga. The big Elbow Strikes from Toga weren’t enough to win. Noa showed her toughness against those strikes and hit back with a Thrust Kick. The Blizzard Suplex then finished Toga off.

Match #2 began with Hyper Misao pointing out that everybody on the opposing team has nothing in common with each other. Mahiro Kiryu tried to make up for it by saying she can bring herself together with Pom Harajuku & Haruna Neko no matter how strange they are. Harajuku & Neko took exception to her phrasing and stomped her! That led to the trio falling apart with bad teamwork and Misao pinned Kiryu in quick fashion. Kiryu apologised to her partners and asked for a rematch. Everyone agreed and this time things went a little bit better for them. But Misao’s teamwork with Nao Kakuta & Yuki Aino was still too strong for them. Kakuta used a new Front Neck Lock finisher called the Kamitaka to submit Harajuku.

Due to Juria Nagano being injured for most of the year, today is her first win since January. She spent most of her match fighting against HIMAWARI while Kaya Toribami dealt with Wakana Uehara. Nagano’s strike offence overwhelmed HIMAWARI until she finished her off with the Whirlwind Kick.

Two new trainees introduced themselves to the fans at the start of the show. Chika is 19 years old and from Osaka. Kirra is 26 years old and from Australia. She spoke to the audience in Japanese.

It was announced that the 18th September show in Nagoya will be the last time Reiwa AA Cannon is teaming together before Saki Akai retires from pro wrestling. Their opponents are to be announced.


DDT Faces A Paradigm Shift, New Beer Garden Matches, ROMANCE DAWN For Takao’s Homecoming

July 28, 2023

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TOKYO PRINCESS CUP”, 29/07/2023
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. Juria Nagano & Kaya Toribami Vs Wakana Uehara & HIMAWARI
2. Hyper Misao, Nao Kakuta & Yuki Aino Vs Mahiro Kiryu, Pom Harajuku & Haruna Neko
3. Mizuki, Toga, Haru Kazashiro & Runa Okubo Vs Hikari Noa, Raku, Suzume & Shino Suzuki
4. Tokyo Princess Cup – Quarter Final: Arisu Endo Vs Yuki Arai
5. Tokyo Princess Cup – Quarter Final: Yuki Kamifuku Vs Miu Watanabe
6. Tokyo Princess Cup – Quarter Final: Miyu Yamashita Vs Moka Miyamoto
7. Tokyo Princess Cup – Quarter Final: Rika Tatsumi Vs Shoko Nakajima

It hasn’t been mentioned yet if the draw for the Tokyo Princess Cup Semi Finals will take place in front of everyone at the end of the show. Last year the draw took place backstage a few hours after the show had ended.

DDT “SUMMER VACATION 2023”, 30/07/2023
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

0. Dark Match: Yuni Vs Kazuma Sumi
1. Minoru Fujita & MJ Paul Vs Soma Takao & Rukiya
2. Special Tag Match: Yuki “Sexy” Iino & Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno Vs Akito & Naruki Doi
3. Yuji Hino, Makoto Oishi & Yukio Naya Vs Jun Akiyama, Yusuke Okada & Yuya Koroku
4. Yukio Sakaguchi 50th Birthday Match ~ Special 6-Man Tag Match: Yukio Sakaguchi, Saki Akai & Hideki Okatani Vs Shuji Ishikawa, Thanomsak Toba & Masahiro Takanashi
5. Chris Brookes, Antonio Honda & Takeshi Masada Vs Kazusada Higuchi, Kotaro Suzuki & Yuki Ishida
6. DDT Extreme Title – Super Fierce Battle! Hirata’s Miraculous Allies Gather! No Touch Captain’s Fall & 2 Count Hall Handicap Death Match: Kazuki Hirata (C/c), Broom, Kokeshi, Chair, Yakitori & X (w/ Other Merry Ultimate Fighters) Vs HARASHIMA (C)
7. Special 6-Man Tag Match: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA, Daisuke Sasaki & KANON Vs Yuki Ueno, MAO & Toy Kojima

DDT is describing the main event as a “Paradigm Shift” in their marketing for the show.

DDT “FIGHTING BEER GARDEN – DAY 1”, 16/08/2023
Tokyo Ueno Park Outdoor Stage

1. The Scariest Event In History! Ghost Story New Numabukuro Death Match: Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno Vs Saki Akai Vs Yuni Vs Hideki Okatani Vs Kazuma Sumi (Ghost Story Reading Artist: Hisaya Imabayashi)
2. Blindfold Hidden Breast 4 Way Death Match: HARASHIMA Vs Kazuki Hirata Vs Antonio Honda Vs Yuki “Sexy” Iino
3. Special Tag Match: Chris Brookes & Masahiro Takanashi Vs Shigehiro Irie & Jun Akiyama

The Chris Brookes Vs Shigehiro Irie build up continues into the Beer Garden shows. Jun Akiyama has become Irie’s tag partner for these matches so let’s see what CDK can do against them.

A few other annual events for the Beer Garden shows take place here. HARASHIMA and Antonio Honda involved in a Bra & Blindfold match is one. Hisaya Imabayashi scaring the roster with horror stories is the other.

DDT “SOMA TAKAO LOCAL TRIUPMH! MEMORIES OF SUMMER VACATION 2023 TOUR IN OTA-KU”, 19/08/2023
Tokyo Ota Ward Industrial Plaza PiO Small Exhibition Hall

1. Special Tag Match: Soma Takao & Shota Vs Yukio Sakaguchi & Kazuki Hirata

When Soma Takao found out he was getting a homecoming show in Ota Ward, his immediate request was to team up with Shota as ROMANCE DAWN again. They normally team together in Ganbare☆Pro so this gives DDT fans a chance to see the team in person. Takao also wanted Yukio Sakaguchi & Kazuki Hirata to be his opponents because he is very close to both of them and thinks those two teaming together would be like putting oil and water together.

DDT “FIGHTING BEER GARDEN – DAY 2”, 29/08/2023
Tokyo Ueno Park Outdoor Stage

1. Drunk Tag Match: Yukio Sakaguchi & Saki Akai Vs HARASHIMA & Akito
2. Beer Garden Specialty Customer Lottery 6-Man Tag Match: Chris Brookes, Jun Akiyama, Kazusada Higuchi, Yuki Ueno, Yukio Naya and Takeshi Masada

A lottery picked by random fans determines who teams with who in the main event.

This will be Saki Akai’s last time wrestling on a Beer Garden show so DDT is giving her an excuse to drink on the job.