Updates From Across Golden Week 2026

May 7, 2026

NOAH “LINE YAHOO PRESENTS SPRING MAYHEM RYOGOKU 2026”, 02/05/2026
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
4,539 Fans

1. KENTA, Tetsuya Endo & HAYATA defeated Mohammed Yone, Kazuyuki Fujita & Daiki Odashima when KENTA pinned Odashima with the Go 2 Sleep (8:38).
3. 6-Man Tag 3 Way Match: Manabu Soya, Saxon Huxley & Yuki Iino defeated Kaito Kiyomiya, Harutoki & Alejandro and Masa Kitamiya, Takashi Sugiura & Tadasuke when Soya pinned Alejandro with the Passion IS (5:32).

The unit now known as Passion RATEL’S has hit a rough patch lately with some of their members being put on the shelf. They’ve been reduced to just two men but Manabu Soya claimed to have found a new member, someone who is just as filled with passion as he is. The new member is Yuki Iino and he now looks identical to Soya! How the hell did Iino find an even weirder group of people to wrestle with than the Strange Love Connection?

So far this year Tetsuya Endo has been working in NOAH as part of the White Raven Sqwad. The assumption was his excursion to the company from DDT was only for 2025 but he remained in NOAH without ever giving an update. Fans didn’t have to wait much longer because Endo teased an announcement he was going to give at the next day’s show.

NJPW “NUTS RV PRESENTS WRESTLING DONTAKU 2026”, 03/05/2026
Fukuoka International Center
2,477 Fans

5. KONOSUKE TAKESHITA & Shota Umino defeated Chase Owens & Yujiro Takahashi when Umino pinned Takahashi with the Second Chapter (11:43).

Over in New Japan the time has come for Konosuke Takeshita to start making new alliances. He recently fought Shota Umino to a draw over the NJPW World TV Title so there was some clear unfinished business for them to get to. They teamed up on night one of “WRESTLING DONTAKU 2026” and while they won the match, Takeshita rejected Umino’s handshake offer afterwards.

NOAH “AFTER MAYHEM 2026”, 03/05/2026
Shinjuku FACE
468 Fans – Super No Vacancy

5. Manabu Soya & Yuki Iino defeated Atsushi Kotoga & Hi69 when Soya pinned Hi69 with the Passion IS (3:56).
8. KENTA & Tetsuya Endo defeated Shane Haste & HAYATA when Endo pinned HAYATA with the Shooting Star Press (18:42).

Endo gave his announcement the next day. He is not leaving DDT to fully join NOAH but he is not about to go back to his home promotion anytime soon either. Endo wants to leave his mark in NOAH by winning as many of their championships and tournaments as he can so his name will be etched into the history of the GHC Championships. He will not return to DDT until he achieves the results that he wants!

NJPW “NUTS RV PRESENTS WRESTLING DONTAKU 2026”, 04/05/2026
Fukuoka International Center
3,603 Fans – No Vacancy

1. NJPW World TV Title: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA (c) defeated Chase Owens with the Raging Fire (11:32).
*V3 for KONOSUKE TAKESHITA.

Back in New Japan, Takeshita successfully defended the NJPW World TV Title against Chase Owens, surviving a C-Trigger that probably made someone’s life flash before their eyes and having Umino plus others come out to help him fight off the House Of Torture. A masked man attacked Takeshita after the match and revealed himself to be SANADA returning from injury. Takeshita is willing to defend the TV Title against him since he thinks SANADA must by dying to fight him. He then met with several wrestlers from the Hontai unit and asked if he could fight alongside them from now on. Umino said he does not intend to become friends with Takeshita because they are rivals but since Takeshita is choosing to be with New Japan, he is happy to welcome him into the unit.

NOAH “LEGACY RISE 2026”, 05/05/2026
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1,302 Fans – Super No Vacancy

3. Manabu Soya, Yuki Iino, Daiki Odashima & Super Crazy defeated Kazuyuki Fujita, Mohammed Yone, Atsushi Kotoge & Hajime Ohara when Soya pinned Ohara with the Passion IS (8:32).
5. Shane Haste & Tetsuya Endo defeated KENTA & Katsumi Inahata when Haste pinned Inahata with a Lariat (10:51).

Soya & Iino are quickly proving how much “Passion~!” they have together as a team. They are also currently sharing only one brain cell between them. I can’t argue with the results so far.

MARVELOUS “10TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION”, 05/05/2026
Kanagawa Yokohama BUNTAI
3,492 Fans

3. Miyu Yamashita defeated Senka Akatsuki with the Skull Kick (10:14).

We end with a sight of something that is very rare. Miyu Yamashita wrestling in another joshi company! She will wrestle for women’s companies all across the world but when it comes to Japan, it’s Tokyo Joshi Pro or bust for her. However she had a noteworthy appearance in Marvelous for their big 10th Anniversary show, taking on the promotion’s next big hope Senka Akatsuki. To say she was impressed with her opponent was an understatement. She loved fighting Akatsuki! She’s somebody almost custom built in a lab to take Yamashita’s kicks and keep on fighting. The match ended up meaning so much that Yamashita instinctively shook Akatsuki with her left hand instead of her right. There are different meanings to that (longtime readers of this blog may remember Shigehiro Irie doing this because your left hand is closer to your heart) but Yamashita thinks it represents the start of a new rivalry.


Team DDT Gets Purged By House Of Torture

November 19, 2025

NJPW “NIGHT OF THE PURGE ~PURGE NIGHT OF TORTURE~”, 07/10/2025
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1,481 Fans – No Vacancy

4. SANADA, DOUKI & SHO defeated Yuki Ueno, Akito & Kaisei Takechi by Referee Stoppage when DOUKI used the Italian Stretch No. 32 on Akito (16:08).

A few DDT wrestlers were given an invite to a dangerous event held in a New Japan ring. The House Of Torture are the latest act in the company who got to run a vanity show of their own, following in the footsteps of El Desperado and Taiji Ishimori. But while the previous shows were put together for the sake of having crazy ideas come to life, today’s event had a more evil (or should I say EVIL) motive. The House Of Torture had a list of wrestlers they wanted to purge for one reason or another and EVIL wanted to see Kaisei Takechi in particular be punished for his success.

SHO started things off by making fun of THE RAMPAGE and called everyone on Takechi’s team a bunch of country bumpkins. Akito then got under SHO’s skin by pointing out that SHO may be hiding his true feelings but he is taking everything in this match seriously. The proof is right there in how much he prepared his speech to introduce each wrestler on the team to the audience. Also you don’t get a physique with low body fat like that without some serious training.

The House ended up getting the last laugh with a destructive victory over the DDT team. SANADA broke a guitar over Yuki Ueno’s head while DOUKI used the Italian Stretch No. 32 on Akito, holding onto him with a tight grip. SHO added extra damage by hitting Akito over the head with a tray while he was stuck in the hold, leading the referee to stop the match for Akito’s safety and declare HOT the winners. The team then added extra insult to injury by attacked Takechi after the bell, holding him upside down with his legs split apart so SANADA could karate chop him in the crotch.

Backstage DOUKI said that just because Takechi is good looking, has a great body and can do super cool moves that doesn’t mean he is a match for HOT. All of his lame fans who support THE RAMPAGE shouldn’t underestimate pro wrestling! The same goes for anyone who thinks DDT and NJPW are on the same level. However Ueno noticed there was a giant glint in DOUKI’s eye while they were wrestling each other because the two of them used to train together in DDT’s old dojo ten years ago. With that being said there is only on wrestler in NJPW that makes Ueno’s heart flutter and that’s Hiromu Takahashi. If Ueno ever comes back to New Japan, he will be on the lookout for him. Meanwhile Takechi stepped forward under his own volition and told reporters he wants to have a match with Hiroshi Tanahashi somewhere before Tanahashi’s retirement takes place.


So Much Going On Even After Golden Week

May 1, 2024

“BANNY OIKAWA INDEPENDENT BOX OFFICE – GANPRO JACK”, 01/05/2024
Saitama Ice Ribbon Dojo Wrestle Butokan

1. 3 Way Match: Tsukasa Fujimoto Vs HARUKAZE Vs YuuRI
2. Takuya Wada Vs Munetatsu Nakamura
3. Ken Ohka, Shuichiro Katsumura & Choun-Shiryu Vs Keisuke Ishii, Shinichiro Tominaga & Tyson Maeguchi
4. Mizuki Watase & Banny Oikawa Vs Yumehito Imanari & Yappy

This show is happening while I write this but there was a change to the card at the last moment. Yuna Manase caught a fever and isn’t able to wrestle today. Replacing her on short notice is one of Banny Oikawa’s trainers Tsukasa Fujimoto from Ice Ribbon!

DDT “KING OF DDT ~20TH ANNIVERSARY~ SUPER EVE FESTIVAL!”, 02/05/2024
Tokyo Ota Ward Industrial Plaza PiO Large Exhibition Hall

1. Yuya Koroku Vs Kazuma Sumi
2. Ura King Of DDT Final: Yoshihiko Vs Gota Ihashi
3. Kazuki Hirata & Soma Takao Vs Keigo Nakamura & Ilusion
4. Special Single Match: Shunma Katsumata Vs Yuni

Tomorrow’s opening match is changed from a tag bout to a singles match because Rukiya has a neck injury. He is currently undergoing examination to see if it is serious.

BASARA “BASARA 247 ~AKATSUKA ROKKAMURA 2~”, 05/05/2024
Tokyo Narimasu Act Hall

1. Daichi Kazato Vs Fuminori Abe
2. 3 Way Match: FUMA Vs SAGAT Vs Ryota Nakatsu
3. Takato Nakano & Masato Kamino Vs Lil’ Kraken & Gaia Hox
4. Takumi Tsukamoto & Judomaster Vs Ryuichi Sekine & Chicharito Shoki
5. Isami Kodaka & Minoru Fujita Vs KUBITO & Yasu Urano

The Union MAX Title scene is a little murky at the moment. Both Daichi Kazato and Isami Kodaka are on course to fighting over the No. 1 Contendership but the match has not been booked yet. It will happen eventually but first BASARA is putting together an extra show this month to capitalise on Golden Week.

UJPW “ALL TOGETHER”, 06/05/2024
Tokyo Nippon Budokan

1. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Sanshiro Takagi & Naomichi Marufuji Vs EVIL, Ren Narita & Yujiro Takahashi
2. Kenoh Vs Kosei Fujita
3. Starlight Kid & Natsupoi Vs AZM & Miyu Amasaki
4. Tomohiro Ishii & Daisuke Sekimoto Vs Jeff Cobb & Masa Kitamiya
5. El Desperado, HAYATA, Ninja Mack, MAO & Kota Minoura Vs Hiromu Takahashi, Dragon Bane, Alpha Wolf, Tetsuya Endo & YAMATO
6. Taichi & KAI Vs Zack Sabre Jr. & Chris Brookes
7. Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi & Yota Tsuji Vs Jake Lee, David Finlay & Gabe Kidd
8. Shota Umino, Kaito Kiyomiya & Yuki Ueno Vs Yuya Uemura, KONOSUKE TAKESHITA & Shun Skywalker

A change happened to one of the DDT related matches. SANADA has been taken off the road by New Japan due to an undisclosed injury. KAI will now be teaming with Taichi in the match against Zack Sabre Jr. & Chris Brookes.

GANBARE☆PRO “EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE 2024”, 18/05/2024
Shin-Kiba 1st RING

1. Shota Kawakami Debut Match: Ken Ohka Vs Shota Kawakami
2. Kitsune World Title: Sayaka Unagi (c) Vs YuuRI
3. Spirit Of Ganbare World Tag Team Titles: Shuichiro Katsumura & Takuya Wada (c) Vs Shinichiro Tominaga & CWP X
4. Spirit Of Ganbare World Openweight Title: Keisuke Ishii (c) Vs Kouki Iwasaki

The new Spirit Of Ganbare Champion wasted no time in picking his first challenger. Keisuke Ishii thinks Kouki Iwasaki is a suitable opponent to defend the title against first. The two are good friends and are certain to bring the best out of each other for the championship.

Shuichiro Katsumura is down one championship but still holds the Spirit Of Ganbare Tag Team Titles with Takuya Wada. Now that might be under threat with Shinichiro Tominaga demanding a title shot. The only problem is when Tominaga went looking for a tag partner he found nobody in Ganbare☆Pro wanting to team with him. He is now searching deep into the student pro wrestling scene and promised to find somebody in CWP who will agree to join him in the fight against GROUND ABSOLUTE.

A championship from America is going to be defended in GanPro for the first time because YuuRI wants to break into the international scene. She thinks the quickest way to do that is to win the Kitsune World Title from Sayaka Unagi. The Kitsune promotion is still young but Unagi has brought their title belt everywhere with her ever since she won it, making sure plenty of people see it. She doesn’t think YuuRI will be as dedicated as she is should she win the title off her.

Please welcome GanPro’s first rookie under their new management system, Shota Kawakami! He was born in Ichikawa, Chiba on 21st July, 2001. He is 177cm tall and weighs 80kg. His sports background is in baseball up until middle school and then tennis in high school.

DDT “DRAMATIC DREAMS! VOL. 11 ~ YUKINORI MATSUI REFEREE 30TH ANNIVERSARY BOX OFFICE ~ MAKING THE SQUARE WORLD INTERESTING”, 19/05/2024
Osaka City Sumiyoshi Civic Center

1. Future Is Here!: Yuni & Rukiya Vs Kazuma Sumi & Ilusion
2. Staggered Entry Tag Battle Royal “Surprise! Tag Rumble”: Keisuke Ishii & Akito Vs Masahiro Takanashi & Makoto Oishi Vs Soma Takao & Shota Vs KANON & MJ Paul Vs Yuki Iino & Yuki Ishida Vs Toru Owashi & Black Menso-re Vs X & X
3. An Absolutely Outrageous Tag Match Between The Four Heavenly Kings Of The Variety Team: Danshoku Dieno & Super Sasadango Machine Vs Kazuki Hirata & Trans-Am ★ Hiroshi
4. ACF & Koyo Daiichi Consultants Co., Ltd. Presents Single Match: Bushimasa Vs Thanomsak Toba
5. THE Non-Stop Action Battle! ~Three High Speed Crows Vs Naniwa Pro Wrestling Three Musketeers~: Naruki Doi, Shunma Katsumata & Keigo Nakamura Vs Yuto Kikuchi, Harutoki & Kohei Kinoshita
6. Battle Between Generations! Legends Vs Next Generation Special 6-Man Tag Match: Jun Akiyama, Jinsei Shinzaki & Sanshiro Takagi Vs Takeshi Masada, To-y & Yuya Korku
7. Special 6-Man Tag Match – “20 Years Ago THE OSAKA”: Magnitude Kishiwada, HUB & Kengo Takai Vs Tsubasa, Billy Ken Kid & Shoichi Uchida
8. Special 6-Man Tag Match ~Everyone Is Superhuman!~: HARASHIMA, Yuji Hino & Chris Brookes Vs Shuji Ishikawa, Shigehiro Irie & Yukio Naya
9. Special Tag Match Wrestling Masters Vs Let’s Go 40’s ~With The Bolivian Wind~: Dick Togo & Daisuke Sasaki Vs Yasu Urano & Antonio Honda
10. Triple Main Event – Special Single Match Kuishinbo Kamen & Kikutaro & Yukinori Matsui, Everyone’s 30th Anniversary, Add Them To Get 90th Anniversary(!) Commemorative Match ~Laughing Fukuraimon~: Kuishinbo Kamen Vs Kikutaro
11. Triple Main Event – Special Tag Match ~DDT PRIDE~: Yuki Ueno & Kazusada Higuchi Vs MAO & Tetsuya Endo
12. Triple Main Event – From All Over The World, Arriving In Osaka. Special Singles Match ~THE ALPHA Vs King Of Pro Wrestling~: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA Vs Minoru Suzuki

The last couple of matches have been added to a gargantuan lineup. The Tag Rumble match doesn’t even have all of the teams announced yet! There is one mystery team showing up on the day.

Kyohei Wada will be on the show as a special guest referee for some of the matches.

BAKA GAIJIN + FRIENDS “VOL. FOURTEEN: NONE OF THEM KNEW THEY WERE ROBOTS”, 21/05/2024
Tokyo ARENA Shimokitazawa

1. Special Single Match: Antonio Honda Vs Mr. BUENO
2. Special Single Match: Masahiro Takanashi Vs Ram Kaichow
3. Special Single Match: Chris Brookes Vs The Invisible Man
4. Special Single Match: Mecha MAO (w/ Mad Dr. Ueki) Vs Takagi Sanshirobo (w/ Mad Dr. Hige)

Turning MAO into a dinosaur isn’t enough to defeat Takagi Sanshirobo so he has to take one step deeper into the madness. With the help of Mad Dr. Ueki it is time for Mecha MAO to return! But Sanshirobo has its own mad doctor by its side. The sinister science on display could end up destroying the entire building if they are not careful!

The rest of the card looks just as wacky. Chris Brookes will fight The Invisible Man in the ultimate test of public performance. Masahiro Takanashi faces Ram Kaichow one on one in what looks like the only normal match of the show. Who is Mr. BUENO? We are going to find out at the same time when Antonio Honda does.

GANBARE☆PRO “DISASTER ARTIST 2024”, 15/07/2024
Tokyo Takashimadaira Kumin Center

1. Moeka Haruhi Comeback Match: Moeka Haruhi Vs X

After taking a year away from wrestling in order to donate a kidney to her sister, Moeka Haruhi is getting ready to return this summer!


New All Together Matches, One Night Only Smile Squash Return, CDK & Kiso Anniversary Plans

April 24, 2024

UJPW “ALL TOGETHER”, 06/05/2024
Tokyo Nippon Budokan

1. El Desperado, HAYATA, Ninja Mack, MAO & Kota Minoura Vs Hiromu Takahashi, Dragon Bane, Alpha Wolf, Tetsuya Endo & YAMATO
2. Starlight Kid & Natsupoi Vs AZM & Miyu Amasaki
3. Kenoh Vs Kosei Fujita
4. SANADA & KAI Vs Zack Sabre Jr. & Chris Brookes
5. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Sanshiro Takagi & Naomichi Marufuji Vs EVIL, Ren Narita & Yujiro Takahashi
6. Tomohiro Ishii & Daisuke Sekimoto Vs Jeff Cobb & Masa Kitamiya
7. Shota Umino, Kaito Kiyomiya & Yuki Ueno Vs Yuya Uemura, KONOSUKE TAKESHITA & Shun Skywalker

The pairing of Zack Sabre Jr. & Chris Brookes worked out so well they get to team up again for “ALL TOGETHER”. Their opponents will be a reunion of SANADA and KAI. Those two have a long history together in All Japan and WRESTLE-1.

The Jr. Heavyweight Divisions of several companies are mixing it up with a big 10-Man Tag Match. Tetsuya Endo and MAO are both involved representing DDT on opposite teams.

DDT “DRAMATIC DREAM TOUR 2024 IN MIYAGI”, 12/05/2024
Miyagi Yume Messe West Building Hall

1. Akito & Yuya Koroku Vs Makoto Oishi & Yukio Naya
2. Yuki Ueno & To-y Vs Jun Akiyama & Rukiya
3. Special Single Match: Yoshitatsu Vs MJ Paul
4. The 37KAMIINA Vs DAMNATION T.A!: MAO & Shunma Katsumata Vs Daisuke Sasaki & KANON

A DDT show in Miyagi means it is a homecoming for MAO! To celebrate, ShunMao are teaming up to face DAMNATION T.A.

What in the hell did we do to deserve Yoshitatsu Vs MJ Paul? Why?

DDT “EARLY SUMMER BEER GARDEN PRO WRESTLING – DAY 1”, 16/05/2024
Tokyo Ueno Park Outdoor Stage

1. Yuki Ishida Return Match ~ The 37KAMIINA Vs Harimao!: Yuki Ueno, MAO & To-y Vs Kazusada Higuchi, Ryota Nakatsu & Yuki Ishida
2. Smile Squash Vs DAMNATION T.A!: HARASHIMA, Yasu Urano & Akito Vs Daisuke Sasaki, KANON & MJ Paul

Special things happen at Beer Garden shows. This one will have a one night only reunion of Smile Squash! The trio of HARASHIMA, Yasu Urano & Akito will be back teaming together.

Yuki Ishida’s return match brings Harimao back over to DDT.

DDT “EARLY SUMMER BEER GARDEN PRO WRESTLING – DAY 2”, 17/05/2024
Tokyo Ueno Park Outdoor Stage

1. Chris Brookes Vs Yuya Koroku
2. Danshoku Dieno Birthday Eve Commemorative Match ~ Special 3 Way Match: Takeshi Masada Vs Kazuma Sumi Vs Rukiya (Special Referee: Danshoku Dieno)
3. DDT Extreme Title: Shunma Katsumata (c) Vs Antonio Honda

It will be the day before Danshoku Dieno’s birthday so he got to decide a match that he wants to do. He came up with a 3 Way Match but he will not be wrestling in it. Oh no! He is instead the referee for Takeshi Masada Vs Kazuma Sumi Vs Rukiya. He promises to be very strict towards all three of them.

DDT “DRAMATIC DREAMS! VOL. 11 ~ YUKINORI MATSUI REFEREE 30TH ANNIVERSARY BOX OFFICE ~ MAKING THE SQUARE WORLD INTERESTING”, 19/05/2024
Osaka City Sumiyoshi Civic Center

1. A Truly Outrageous Tag Match Between The Four Heavenly Kings Of The Variety Team: Danshoku Dieno & Super Sasadango Machine Vs Kazuki Hirata & Trans-Am ★ Hiroshi
2. Special 6-Man Tag Match – “20 Years Ago THE OSAKA”: Magnitude Kishiwada, HUB & Kengo Takai Vs Tsubasa, Billy Ken Kid & Shoichi Uchida
3. ACF & Koyo Daiichi Consultants Co., Ltd. Presents Single Match: Bushimasa Vs Thanomsak Toba
4. Battle Between Generations! Legends Vs Next Generation Special 6-Man Tag Match: Jun Akiyama, Jinsei Shinzaki & Sanshiro Takagi Vs Takeshi Masada, To-y & Yuya Korku
5. Special 6-Man Tag Match ~Everyone Is Superhuman!~: HARASHIMA, Yuji Hino & Chris Brookes Vs Shuji Ishikawa, Shigehiro Irie & Yukio Naya
6. Special Tag Match Wrestling Masters Vs Let’s Go 40’s ~With The Bolivian Wind~: Dick Togo & Daisuke Sasaki Vs Yasu Urano & Antonio Honda
7. Triple Main Event – Special Single Match Kuishinbo Kamen & Kikutaro & Yukinori Matsui, Everyone’s 30th Anniversary, Add Them To Get 90th Anniversary(!) Commemorative Match ~Laughing Fukuraimon~: Kuishinbo Kamen Vs Kikutaro
8. Triple Main Event – Special Tag Match ~DDT PRIDE~: Yuki Ueno & Kazusada Higuchi Vs MAO & Tetsuya Endo
9. Triple Main Event – From All Over The World, Arriving In Osaka. Special Singles Match ~THE ALPHA Vs King Of Pro Wrestling~: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA Vs Minoru Suzuki

Two more matches added to Yukinori Matsui’s big show. One of them brings in six well known wrestlers from the Osaka scene while the other gathers together four of the silliest acts that orbit around DDT.

Black Menso~re will also be on the show.

DDT “WHAT ARE YOU DOING 2024 TOUR IN SHINJUKU”, 05/06/2024
Shinjuku FACE

1. Daisuke Kiso Referee 14th Anniversary Match ~ Special Tag Match: Keisuke Ishii & Shigehiro Irie Vs To-y & Yuni
2. CDK 5th Anniversary Match ~ Special Tag Match: Chris Brookes & Masahiro Takanashi Vs Makoto Oishi & Shiori Asahi

Two important milestones to celebrate in June. CDK will have been together for five years while Daisuke Kiso will have been a referee for fourteen. CDK will get a match against Makoto Oishi & Shiori Asahi for the occasion. All for of them are friends with Kiso outside of shows. Kiso also gets to referee a match pitting Keisuke Ishii & Shigehiro Irie against the young boys To-y & Yuni. Kiso has known Ishii since before he became a ref and he was also the ref for Irie’s debut match. He wanted to have them in particular to face against two of DDT’s future stars.