Toru Owashi | Dramatic DDT

DDT “DDT BIG BANG 2023” Results

September 9, 2023

DDT “DDT BIG BANG 2023”, 09/09/2023
Tokyo Ota Ward Gymnasium
1,363 Fans

1. Masahiro Takanashi, Antonio Honda & Ilusion defeated Yuni, Kazuma Sumi & Rukiya when Takanashi pinned Yuni with a Rotating Crucifix Pin (8:21).
2. Pheromones Vs Subjugation Final Match! Special Single Match ~ Dissolution Contra Vice President: Akito defeated Yuki “Sexy” Iino (w/ Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno) with a Yoropean Clutch (12:09).
3. HARASHIMA, Kazusada Higuchi & Soma Takao defeated Yukio Naya, Yuya Koroku & Takeshi Masada when Higuchi pinned Koroku with the Doctor Bomb (10:45).
4. DDT Extreme Title & Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title – All Humans Are Equal! Kazuki Hirata Death Match: Kazuki Hirata (E/c) defeated Naruki Doi (I/c) with the Miracle One Shot Cradle (9:28).
*V3 for Kazuki Hirata. Kazuki Hirata becomes the 1,576th Iron Man Heavymetalweight Champion.
5. KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles & AJPW TV 6-Man Tag Team Titles: Yukio Sakaguchi, Saki Akai & Hideki Okatani (c/c) defeated Yuko Miyamoto, Isami Kodaka & Ram Kaichow when Sakaguchi pinned Miyamoto with the God’s Right Knee (12:04).
*V3 for Eruption with the KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles. V2 for Eruption with the AJPW TV 6-Man Tag Team Titles.
6. First Time In History! Time Difference Scramble Bunkhouse Current Blast 6-Man Tag Death Match: Atsushi Onita, Yoshitatsu & Toy Kojima defeated Sanshiro Takagi, Jun Akiyama & Yusuke Okada when Yoshitatsu pinned Takagi after a Sandwich Current Blast Bat Attack with Onita (9:12).
7. KO-D Tag Team Titles: Minoru Fujita & KANON defeated Yuji Hino & Makoto Oishi when KANON submitted Oishi with the Just Cobra Twist (12:54).
*Ω fails in V1. DAMNATION T.A becomes the 79th KO-D Tag Team Champions!
8. Special Tag Match: Yuki Ueno & MAO defeated KONOSUKE TAKESHITA & Daisuke Sasaki when Ueno pinned Sasaki with the BME (23:09).
9. KO-D Openweight Title: Chris Brookes (c) defeated Shigehiro Irie with two Praying Mantis Bombs (27:36).
*V1 for Chris Brookes.

The international rivalry between Chris Brookes and Shigehiro Irie begun in England, made its way to Germany and had its rubber match in Japan. The match started off quiet but notched up a level when the two took the fight outside the ring where Irie threw chairs but was then put through a table with a Piledriver. Back in the ring Irie brought out his heavy attacks like the Cannonball and Beast Bomber. He also almost knocked Brookes out with the 16 Carat Gold Elbows. However Brookes started using High Kicks to stun his opponent, following up with slaps and more kicks to the head. Irie fought back with a Headbutt and never expected Brookes to Headbutt him back. At this point Irie had already kicked out of the Praying Mantis Bomb so Brookes had to use the move again twice in a row to finish him off.

Brookes called Irie strong after the match and told him to please come over to DDT again anytime, anywhere. He also already decided who he wants the next challenger for the KO-D Openweight Title to be. Brookes then called Saki Akai to come down to the ring. He reminded her of the double title match they had in May 2021 that had to take place in an empty arena because of the pandemic. Since Akai will be retiring in two months time Brookes thought it would be a shame if they didn’t have a rematch. He also brought up that Akai had never challenged for the KO-D Title before. Akai told Brookes she doesn’t want to do the match just for the sake of making memories. She accepted the challenge and slapped Brookes across the face before shaking his hand. There is nothing more scarier than a person who has nothing left to fight for so she is fighting Brookes at Korakuen Hall on 24th September to become the KO-D Champion!

The last time Konosuke Takeshita was in DDT he gave Yuki Ueno an offer to follow his leadership and move on from The 37KAMIINA. His new attitude that formed in AEW won over his former enemy Daisuke Sasaki, so much so that Sasaki tried to help out with recruiting Ueno. Today Ueno gave his answer and it was to stay with his friends! Sasaki did his best to convince Ueno by manipulating moments of the match so Ueno and MAO would accidentally hit each other. But when the time came for Sasaki to hand a chair over to his opponents, Ueno refused to attack MAO with it. Together Ueno & MAO got rid of Takeshita with dives and Ueno went on to pin Sasaki with the BME.

After the match Ueno made his answer more clear. He knows he is going to fight Takeshita again some day and when it happens he will be the champion and Takeshita the challenger! He believes if he had taken Takeshita’s offer it would make him stronger but he already has friends in The 37KAMIINA who lend him their strength. MAO then called out Takeshita and demanded they have a singles match against each other. Later backstage MAO confronted Takeshita again to make the challenge. Takeshita said he is travelling back to America tomorrow but will return to DDT on 24th September. They will have their match on that date in Korakuen.

KANON promised he was going to get the last laugh on Ω and was proven right when DAMNATION T.A became the new KO-D Tag Team Champions! He had his chest beaten in by Yuji Hino’s chops but Minoru Fujita was there to rescue his tag partner. So was MJ Paul. It took both Fujita and Paul to hold Hino back at ringside from entering the ring while KANON submitted Makoto Oishi with the Just Cobra Twist for the title change. Backstage DAMANTION T.A’s celebration was interrupte by ROMANCE DAWN. Although they are usually a Ganbare☆Pro tag team, Shota & Soma Takao want to challenge for the KO-D Tag Titles. They will get their shot on the 4th October Shinjuku FACE show.

For the first time ever Jun Akiyama took part in an exploding death match! The match had unusual Bunkhouse Stampede rules added to it. Akiyama and Atsushi Onita would start out wrestling each other and then after three minutes the other wrestlers of both teams would all join in the match at once. Onita quickly blinded Akiyama with Poison Mist but was caught in the Front Neck Lock by the time everyone else entered. Yusuke Okada held Onita back on a chair for Sanshiro Takagi to hit him with an exploding baseball bat. Toy Kojima placed another exploding bat on top of a barbed wire board but Okada Superplexed him onto it causing a big bang. Onita used the Poison Mist again, this time on Takagi. He and Yoshitatsu then hit Takagi with the two remaining exploding bats to win the match.

Onita took the time afterwards to thank Takagi for putting this match with Akiyama together. But Onita thinks his matter with Akiyama has not been settled yet. There is another exploding death match happening on 18th September with Onita & Yoshitatsu taking on Akiyama & Kotaro Suzuki. Akiyama previously challenged Onita to put the All Asia Tag Team Titles on the line. After what happened today, Onita wants to go through with the idea and agreed to make it a title match. He then paid tribute to the late Terry Funk. Both Onita and Akiyama have All Japan blood running through their veins so Onita hopes Funk is doing his best up in Heaven. He also revealed he got to speak with Funk’s daughters recently and he’d like to visit Amarillo, Texas again some day.

There were two double title matches on the show. Eruption retained both the KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles & AJPW TV 6-Man Tag Team Titles against a team straight out of Triple Six. Akai hit Ram Kaichow with the Rookie Award but then took a Rock Punch from Isami Kodaka. Meanwhile Yuko Miyamoto dropped Hideki Okatani with the Fire Thunder. However Yukio Sakaguchi held things together for the champions and pinned Miyamoto with the God’s Right Knee for another successful defence. Okatani said he wants to defend the titles 10 times in 2 months before Akai’s retirement. Sakaguchi doesn’t mind who the opponents will be to achieve this. Akai promised to continue refining her skills until her last match on 12th November.

The other title match had both the DDT Extreme Title and Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title on the line. Kazuki Hirata made it an All Humans Are Equal Death Match where Naruki Doi was limited to only do what Hirata is capable of doing. Toru Owashi and Inoue Mic sat as judges near ringside holding up signs to tell Doi when he was and was not wrestling just like Hirata does. Not only that but Hirata convinced Doi to wear the same ring gear, setting up a curatined-off area inside the ring so he could change costumes. If this was a normal match, Doi would have won easily but the constant pausing by the judges threw him off. Doi thought he finally had the match figured out when he realised the Bakatare Sliding Kick was acceptable but when he got the three count the judges immediately invalidated it because Doi had to dance before the match could end. Doi did so in full Hirata costume (he later admitted to taking secret dance lessions to learn the routine) until Hirata suddenly pinned him with the Miracle One Shot Cradle.

Hirata is now a double champion but had other business he wanted to bring up before any new challengers appeared. He took out a letter he wrote for Hiromu Takahashi and began reading it to everyone. In the letter he talked about “ALL STAR JR FESTIVAL 2023” from earlier this year and how much it meant to him to be on the show. He also brought up Takahashi’s first ever pro wrestling win was against him but it is never acknowledged anywhere, like on their Wikipedia pages for example. Takahashi will be wrestling at DDT’s Sumo Hall show on 12th November and it would be a dream come true if he chooses Hirata as his opponent. All of a sudden, Takahashi ran into the ring and tried to pin Hirata for the Iron Man Title! Hirata kicked out and was in shock to see Takahashi standing right in front of him. Takahashi thanked him for the letter and agreed to do the match because Hirata is his favorite DDT wrestler. He then tried to pin Hirata again.

A 6-Man Tag Match had Yukio Naya, Yuya Koroku & Takeshi Masada all trying to break down Kazusada Higuchi. Koroku was able to put Higuchi in the Triangle Lancer but Takao broke it up by wrapping his Dropkick Bar shirt over Koroku’s head and pulling him back. Higuchi & HARASHIMA both hit Swan Dive moves to Koroku before Higuchi pinned him with the Doctor Bomb.

Is this finally the end of Pheromones? This was the so-called final battle in their feud with Akito with big stakes on the line. If Yuki Iino won then Akito would give up his Vice President role in CyberFight but if Akito won then Pheromones would disband. A match this dramatic needed to finish with a winner too so the usual Pheromones antics had to be tolerated by Yukinori Matsui and the Wrestle Universe broadcast was censored. Akito used that to his advantage by stripping himself down to an O-back to fight Iino on his level. He leapfrogged over him, causing Iino to Spear Danshoku Dieno by accident. Akito then pinned Iino with the Yoropean Clutch to get the climactic victory he has waited so long for.

Except this maybe is not the end for Pheromones after all. Akito admitted that the unit has become an integral part of DDT with its own supporters. So rather than break up Pheromones, Akito wants to see if they can be purified first. Over the next month Pheromones will be put on a trial period where they have to behave themselves and make up for their past transgressions. Then on 4th October Akito will decide their fate.

Antonio Honda showed up wearing Trans-Am ★ Hiroshi’s old American flag costume for the opening match. He tried his best to avoid hurting himself but as usual but it had to happen so Gongitsune could appear. It backfired slightly but he still hit Yuni with the Bionic Elbow, giving Masahiro Takanashi the opening to roll up the teenager with a Crucifix Pin.

Comments Off on DDT “DDT BIG BANG 2023” Results | Results | Tagged: AJPW TV 6-Man Tag Team Championship, Akito, All Asia Tag Team Championship, Antonio Honda, Atsushi Onita, Chris Brookes, Daisuke Sasaki, DAMNATION T.A, Danshoku Dieno, DDT Extreme Championship, DDT Pro Wrestling, Dramatic Dream Team, HARASHIMA, Hiromu Takahashi, Ilusion, Inoue Mic, Iron Man Heavymetalweight Championship, Ω (Omega), Jun Akiyama, KANON, Kazuki Hirata, Kazuma Sumi, Kazusada Higuchi, KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Championship, KO-D Openweight Championship, KO-D Tag Team Championship, Konosuke Takeshita, Kotaro Suzuki, Makoto Oishi, MAO, Masahiro Takanashi, Minoru Fujita, MJ Paul, Naruki Doi, Ota Ward Gymnasium, Pheromones, ROMANCE DAWN, Rukiya, Sanshiro Takagi, Shigehiro Irie, Shota, Soma Takao, Takeshi Masada, The 37KAMIINA, Toru Owashi, Toy Kojima (Toi Kojima), Yoshitatsu, Yuji Hino, Yuki Iino, Yuki Ueno, Yukio Naya, Yuni, Yusuke Okada, Yuya Koroku | Permalink
Posted by JamieOD

Tomorrow’s Big Bang, BASARA’s Hardcore Tag Match, “Jet” Reappears

September 8, 2023

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

1. Masahiro Takanashi, Antonio Honda & Ilusion Vs Yuni, Kazuma Sumi & Rukiya
2. Pheromones Vs Subjugation Final Match! Special Single Match ~ Dissolution Contra Vice President: Yuki “Sexy” Iino (w/ Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno) Vs Akito
3. HARASHIMA, Kazusada Higuchi & Soma Takao Vs Yukio Naya, Yuya Koroku & Takeshi Masada
4. DDT Extreme Title & Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title – All Humans Are Equal! Kazuki Hirata Death Match: Kazuki Hirata (E/c) Vs Naruki Doi (I/c)
5. KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles & AJPW TV 6-Man Tag Team Titles: Yukio Sakaguchi, Saki Akai & Hideki Okatani (c/c) Vs Yuko Miyamoto, Isami Kodaka & Ram Kaichow
6. First Time In History! Time Difference Scramble Bunkhouse Current Blast 6-Man Tag Death Match: Atsushi Onita, Yoshi Tatsu & Toy Kojima Vs Sanshiro Takagi, Jun Akiyama & Yusuke Okada
7. KO-D Tag Team Titles: Yuji Hino & Makoto Oishi Vs Minoru Fujita & KANON
8. Special Tag Match: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA & Daisuke Sasaki Vs Yuki Ueno & MAO
9. KO-D Openweight Title: Chris Brookes (c) Vs Shigehiro Irie

This is the match order for tomorrow’s show in Ota Ward Gymnasium.

TOKYO JOSHI PRO “TJPW CITY CIRCUIT ’23 ~FIRST ATTACK ON HIROSHIMA~”, 09/09/2023
Hiroshima Industrial Hall West Exhibition Hall 2nd Exhibition Hall

1. Yuki Aino Vs HIMAWARI
2. Mahiro Kiryu Vs Kaya Toribami
3. Yuki Kamifuku Vs Toga
4. Mizuki, Wakana Uehara & Shino Suzuki Vs Yuki Arai, Suzume & Arisu Endo
5. Rika Tatsumi & Miu Watanabe Vs Miyu Yamashita & Moka Miyamoto
6. Princess Tag Team Titles 1st Qualifier ~ 3 Way Tag Match: Shoko Nakajima & Hyper Misao Vs Hikari Noa & Nao Kakuta Vs Raku & Pom Harajuku

The first three matches are all changed around due to two wrestlers being pulled from the show on short notice. Haruna Neko is out with a knee injury and Haru Kazashiro tested positive for Covid.

BASARA “BASARA 228 ~TAKAGARI 19~”, 17/09/2023
Tokyo Takashimadaira Kumin Center

1. Daiki Shimomura Vs Takato Nakano
2. Hardcore Tag Match: Isami Kodaka & Lil’ Kraken Vs Takumi Tsukamoto & SAGAT
3. Ryota Nakatsu Vs Hijo del Alebrije
4. Ajikan International Police Vs Expendables Allied Forces: FUMA, KUBITO & Trans-Am ★ Hiroshi Vs Kaminold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Uranone & Jason Abeham
5. Enter Kazato The Road To The Death Game Of Anger: Daichi Kazato Vs Choun-Shiryu

There is a Hardcore Tag Match on the show that for some reason is also being called a 6-Man Tag on the BASARA site even though only four names are mentioned with no X or empty spots next to them. Normally I think it is just a mistake but this is a show being put together by Asian Kung Fu Revolution so there may be something flying over my head.

BASARA “BASARA 229 ~TAKAGARI 20~”, 18/09/2023
Tokyo Takashimadaira Kumin Center

1. Takato Nakano Vs Yasu Urano
2. KUBITO, Trans-Am ★ Hiroshi & Daichi Kazato Vs Tsutomu Oosugi, Banana Senga & Fuminori Abe
3. SAGAT Vs Masato Kamino
4. Hardcore Tag Match: Isami Kodaka & Takumi Tsukamoto Vs FUMA & Ryota Nakatsu
5. IRON FIST Tag Team Titles: Daiki Shimomura & Minoru Fujita (c) Vs Lil’ Kraken & Leo Isaka

The Hardcore Tag Match on this show is definitely supposed to be 2 Vs 2. I’m certain of it.

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

1. Yukio Sakaguchi, Isami Kodaka & Ken Ohka Vs MAO, Daiki Shimomura & Munetatsu Nakamura
2. Special Exhibition: Masahiro Takanashi Vs KUDO
3. Gauntlet Tag Match: Shogo “Jet” Takagi & Antonio Honda (w/ Toru Owashi) Vs Takashi Sasaki & Baliyan Akki, Choun-Shiryu & Shin Suzuki Vs Chie Koishikawa & Hagane Shinno
4. Special Single Match: Mei Suruga Vs Minoru Suzuki
5. Chris Brookes Vs Masahiro Takanashi

A Gauntlet tag match is added to the show which includes the reappearance of Shogo “Jet” Takagi! He showed up at one of the Toryumon tribute shows Dragongate put together last year but other than that he’s been away from the spotlight for a long while now. He is entering the Gauntlet teaming with Antonio Honda with the injured Toru Owashi standing in their corner.

Yasu Urano and Saki Akai will also be on the show.

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
2. Union MAX Title: FUMA (c) Vs Eisa8

BASARA got word from Eisa8 that he is accepting FUMA’s challenge for the Union MAX Title.

Comments Off on Tomorrow’s Big Bang, BASARA’s Hardcore Tag Match, “Jet” Reappears | News | Tagged: Antonio Honda, Asian Kung Fu Revolution, DDT Pro Wrestling, Dramatic Dream Team, Eisa8, FUMA, Haru Kazashiro, Haruna Neko, Hiroshima Industrial Hall, Masahiro Takanashi, Osaka Active Square Daito, Ota Ward Gymnasium, Pro Wrestling BASARA, Shinjuku FACE, Shogo "Jet" Takagi, Takashimadaira Kumin Center, TJPW, Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling, Toru Owashi, Union MAX Championship | Permalink
Posted by JamieOD

TAKESHITA Sides With Sasaki? Next Union MAX Challenger, Akito Vs Pheromones One Last Time, Itoh Brings GCW Feud To DDT

July 25, 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: Rika Tatsumi Vs Shoko Nakajima
7. Tokyo Princess Cup – Quarter Final: Miyu Yamashita Vs Moka Miyamoto

The Tokyo Princess Cup moves over to Korakuen Hall for its remaining rounds. Next up is the Quarter Finals this Saturday.

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. Yuji Hino, Makoto Oishi & Yukio Naya Vs Jun Akiyama, Yusuke Okada & Yuya Koroku
3. Chris Brookes, Antonio Honda & Takeshi Masada Vs Kazusada Higuchi, Kotaro Suzuki & Yuki Ishida
4. Special Tag Match: Yuki “Sexy” Iino & Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno Vs Akito & Naruki Doi
5. Yukio Sakaguchi 50th Birthday Match ~ Special 6-Man Tag Match: Yukio Sakaguchi, Saki Akai & Hideki Okatani Vs Shuji Ishikawa, Thanomsak Toba & Masahiro Takanashi
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

The final image everyone saw at the end of “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2023” was Konosuke Takeshita and Daisuke Sasaki shaking hands in a hallway backstage. Now we see Takeshita is teaming up with DAMNATION T.A to take on The 37KAMIINA! Takeshita denies having any intention of joining DAMNATION T.A. Instead he claims The 37KAMIINA no longer needs him so he now wants to stand across the ring from them. That Takeshita is choosing to team with Sasaki & KANON in order to do this is an unusual turn of events. It’s another chance for Yuki Ueno to chase after his friend. Toy Kojima also hasn’t been happy with Takeshita’s change in behaviour. MAO is a wild card coming out of Sumo Hall with a big win behind him.

Today Kazuki Hirata announced the match stipulation for his DDT Exteme Title defence against HARASHIMA. His big idea to even the odds is to use every idea he has. So it’s a Captain’s Fall Handicap Match with no tags needed, you only need a 2 count pinfall to win and HARASHIMA is on his own while Hirata’s team is filled up with a bunch of inanimate objects.

Two injuries came out this weekend. Tetsuya Endo suffered a left hand injury and later found out his fractured a metacarpal bone. Toru Owashi had a neck injury that was then diagnosed as a cervical spine injury. Both are now out of action with no timetable yet for either to return.

BASARA “BASARA 226 ~HAKUSEKIREI NO YORU~”, 06/08/2023
Tokyo Itabashi Green Hall

1. Takumi Tsukamoto Vs Lil’ Kraken
2. SAGAT & Akiyori Takizawa Vs Takato Nakano & Masato Kamino
3. Trans-Am ★ Hiroshi Vs Shinichiro Tominaga
4. KUBITO Return Match: KUBITO & Daichi Kazato Vs Yasu Urano & Fuminori Abe
5. Isami Kodaka & Daiki Shimomura Vs Tsutomu Oosugi & Banana Senga
6. Union MAX Next Challenger Match: FUMA Vs Ryota Nakatsu

Both FUMA and Ryota Nakatsu wanted to be the next challenger for the Union MAX Title so we’re getting a No. 1 Contender’s match between them.

KUBITO returns for his first match since April. He’s been out of action ever since dealing with health problems involving his pancreas.

Shinichiro Tominaga comes over to pay BASARA a visit. Although he is a regular with Ganbare☆Pro his actual home promotion is with a small indy in Tokyo called Come On Wrestling Party.

BAKA GAIJIN + FRIENDS “VOL. SEVEN: CHRISSY B’S BIRTHDAY BASH”, 24/08/2023
Tokyo ARENA Shimokitazawa

1. Special Single Match: Mecha Mummy (w/ Mad Dr. Ueki) Vs Takeshi Masada
2. Special Single Match: Antonio Honda Vs Ram Kaichow
3. Special Single Match: Hagane Shinno Vs Maya Yukihi
4. Special Single Match: Chris Brookes Vs Yoshihiko

The next Baka Gaijin + Friends show is also a big birthday party for Chris Brookes! Among the invited guests are Yoshihiko, Hagane Shinno, Maya Yukihi, Antonio Honda, Ram Kaichow, Mecha Mummy and Takeshi Masada.

Looks like Takayuki Ueki is fully adopting a mad doctor gimmick for these shows.

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

1. IRON FIST Tag Team Titles: Daiki Shimomura & Minoru Fujita (c) Vs Tsutomu Oosugi & Banana Senga
2. Union MAX Title: Takumi Tsukamoto (c) Vs Winner Of 06/08 Match

The winner of FUMA Vs Nakatsu will face Takumi Tsukamoto for the MAX Title. Tsukamoto wanted to wait until the 29th August show for his next title defence because that show is when BASARA will be going back to serving all you can drink beers at Shin-Kiba 1st RING.

Sento Minzoku are now the undisputed IRON FIST Tag Team Champions but they have former two time champions Speed Of Sounds as their next challengers.

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. Current Blast Death Match: Atsushi Onita Vs X
3. KO-D Openweight Title: Chris Brookes (c) Vs Shigehiro Irie

Sunday was a dream come true for Brookes after he won the KO-D Openweight Title. He now has a big challenge in the form of Shigehiro Irie to prepare for this September. Irie coming out to challenge him was a surprise because Brookes expected somebody like Ueno to do that first. The two know each other from wrestling in Europe and they currently have a 1-1 singles record together. Irie has world domination on his mind so he intends to win the KO-D Title and bring it with him on his upcoming overseas tours (because that worked out sooooo well last time).

Akito has called out Pheromones and wants to put an end to their feud once and for all. For real this time. No seriously. He means it. He will face Yuki Iino in a match that will not be prematurely stopped or called off for any reason. If Akito wins then Pheromones must disband. However Danshoku Dieno complained that the match was put together without Akito putting anything at risk. After having a public meeting with Dieno today, Akito agreed to put his Vice President position on the line!

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

1. Special Single Match: Mei Suruga Vs Minoru Suzuki
2. Chris Brookes Vs Masahiro Takanashi

For the first time ever Mei Suruga takes on Minoru Suzuki in what will surely become a bloodbath! What caused Masahiro Takanashi to come up with such a sadistic idea for a match?

DDT “WHO’S GONNA TOP? 2023”, 24/09/2023
Tokyo Korakuen Hall

1. DDT Universal Title: Matt Cardona (w/ Steph De Lander) (c) Vs Maki Itoh

The next DDT Universal Title match brings one of the big feuds in GCW over to Japan. Matt Cardona is still soaking in the glory of his title win and now calls the belt the DMK (Death Match King) Universal Championship. Meanwhile Steph De Lander is wondering if she would go on a date with the injured Tetsuya Endo as long as he pays for every single thing she wants. Maki Itoh was so annoyed to see Cardona win the title she immediately sent a video to DDT demanding a title shot. She is certain she is the right person to bring the belt back to DDT and restore its prestige.

Comments Off on TAKESHITA Sides With Sasaki? Next Union MAX Challenger, Akito Vs Pheromones One Last Time, Itoh Brings GCW Feud To DDT | News | Tagged: Akito, Antonio Honda, ARENA Shimokitazawa, Baka Gaijin + Friends, Chris Brookes, Daisuke Sasaki, DAMNATION T.A, Danshoku Dieno, DDT Extreme Championship, DDT Pro Wrestling, DDT Universal Championship, Dramatic Dream Team, FUMA, Hagane Shinno, HARASHIMA, Iron Fist Tag Team Championship, Itabashi Green Hall, KANON, Kazuki Hirata, Konosuke Takeshita, Korakuen Hall, KUBITO, Mad Dr. Ueki, Maki Itoh, MAO, Masahiro Takanashi, Matt Cardona, Maya Yukihi, Mecha Mummy, Mei Suruga, Minoru Suzuki, Ota Ward Gymnasium, Pheromones, Pro Wrestling BASARA, Ram Kaichow, Ryota Nakatsu, Sento Minzoku, Shin-Kiba 1st RING, Shinichiro Tominaga, Shinjuku FACE, Speed Of Sounds, Steph De Lander, Takayuki Ueki, Takeshi Masada, Takumi Tsukamoto, Tetsuya Endo, The 37KAMIINA, TJPW, Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling, Tokyo Princess Cup, Toru Owashi, Toy Kojima (Toi Kojima), Union MAX Championship, Yoshihiko, Yuki Iino, Yuki Ueno | Permalink
Posted by JamieOD

DDT “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2023” Results

July 23, 2023

DDT “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2023”, 23/07/2023
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan
3,465 Fans – No Vacancy

1. Takeshi Masada defeated Kazuma Sumi with the Masada Power KOBU Mukimuki (6:48).
2. Sanshiro Takagi, Shinichiro Kawamatsu & Yuni defeated Masahiro Takanashi, Toy Kojima & Rukiya when Kawamatsu pinned Rukiya with the Shitamachi Rocket (8:30).
3. 3 Way 6-Man Tag Match: Minoru Fujita, MJ Paul & KANON defeated Naruki Doi, Toru Owashi & Kazuki Hirata and Kotaro Suzuki, Yusuke Okada & Yuya Koroku when KANON pinned Koroku with the Vietnam Driver II (11:45).
4. Yuki “Sexy” Iino, Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno & Yumehito “Fantastic” Imanari (w/ Kachikire Hisaya) defeated Akito, Soma Takao & Yoshitomo Shimohigashi (w/ Buchigire Ujihara) when Iino pinned Akito after the Sexy Cannon (9:42).
5. Special Tag Match: Chiitan☆ & Pokotan defeated Andreza Giant Panda & Super Sasadango Machine when Chiitan☆ pinned Sasadango after the ChiiPoko☆Trigger (11:50).
6. KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles: Yukio Sakaguchi, Saki Akai & Hideki Okatani defeated Kazusada Higuchi, Ryota Nakatsu & Yuki Ishida (c) when Okatani pinned Ishida with the Double Arm Suplex (9:27).
*Harimao fails in V1. Eruption becomes the 52nd KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Champions!
7. Special Single Match: MAO defeated TAKA Michinoku with the Phoenix Splash (13:11).
8. Special Tag Match ~ Yukio Naya Return Match: Jun Akiyama & Shigehiro Irie defeated HARASHIMA & Yukio Naya when Irie pinned Naya with the Beast Bomber (13:25).
9. Special Single Match: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA defeated Yuki Ueno with the Brainbuster onto the corner turnbuckle (12:53).
10. DDT Universal Title: Matt Cardona (w/ Steph De Lander) defeated Tetsuya Endo (c) with the Radio Silence (15:43).
*Tetsuya Endo fails in V2. Matt Cardona becomes the 11th DDT Universal Champion!
11. Mexico Kanko Presents Dramatic Dream Match: El Desperado defeated Daisuke Sasaki with the Numero Dos (20:32).
12. KO-D Openweight Title – Good Com Asset Presents: Chris Brookes defeated Yuji Hino (c) with the Praying Mantis Bomb (21:04).
*Yuji Hino fails in V3. Chris Brookes becomes the 81st KO-D Openweight Champion!

In 2019 Chris Brookes came over from the British indepedents to DDT, taking to Japan’s wrestling scene like a duck to water. As his stay laster longer and longer he ticked off the most hardcore of bucket lists you can come up with in wrestling. He wasn’t just here to step inside Korakuen Hall, grab a Ribera jacket and have an excuse to start writing his name in Japanese for merchandise reasons. He ingrained himself into different pockets of all sizes in the wrestling industry. All the desire and hard work paid off with different accomplishments being added to his name over the years. The biggest one happened today when Brookes headlined “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2023” in Sumo Hall and became the new KO-D Openweight Champion! His challenge against the champion Yuji Hino was a big one but Brookes had a secret weapon ready for the ocassion.

The pre-match hype video revealed Brookes had spent time training with KUDO in order to add the High Kick to his moveset. KUDO won his first KO-D Title in Sumo Hall in 2011 and that inspired Brookes to get in touch and learn from him. Not only did he take the High Kick from training, he also used KUDO’s Diving Double Knee Drop on Hino. However Hino took that move as well as the Praying Mantis Bomb and shook off the attack. He fought back with a Lariat and Exploder Suplex. Then Hino made a mistake of putting his hands behind his back and daring Brookes to strike him. Brookes hit a few Flying Knee Strikes that Hino brushed off but it was the High Kick that rocked the champion. Then Brookes pulled out another secret weapon, hitting HARASHIMA’s finisher the Somato! Brookes then dropped Hino with a second Praying Mantis Bomb to become the new champion.

After the match Brookes was given the KO-D Title by special guest Kenta Kobashi. Brookes said Hino was really strong and he thanked him for the match today. He then wasted no time and asked if there was somebody out there to be his first challenger. Shigehiro Irie walked down to the ring. He congratulated Brookes and the two of them talked about the times they wrestled together in Europe. Irie also pointed out that he too has gone to foreign countries and won championships there. They haven’t had a match against each other in Japan yet so Irie wants to challenge Brookes for the belt. It was accepted and will take place at Ota Ward Gymnasium on 9th September. Irie warned that he’s come to take the KO-D Title and he’s the one who will bring it over to Europe. After he left, Brookes called out the DDT roster and paid his thanks to every one of them for their support. He reminded everyone that DDT stands for Dramatic Dream Team and everyone here is part of a team. He also went into the crowd to celebrate with the fans.

According to El Desperado, he is one of Daisuke Sasaki’s few friends and he offered him a bouquet of roses before their match as proof. Sasaki repaid Desperado by attacking him with the bouquet while they brawled outside. Sasaki also laid out Desperado on the front row of chairs and hit a Diving Elbow Drop from the top rope into him. Back in the ring Sasaki pulled off a Destroyer counter for Desperado’s Tombstone Piledriver. But La Mistica Crossface Lock was countered and Desperado stuck up his middle finger to Sasaki before trapping him in the Numero Dos to make him submit.

Desperado called the match fun but he now has a year’s worth of tequila that he won’t be able to drink all by himself. Sasaki confessed he is now feeling emotional about the match they just had and might start crying. Maybe they can have a rematch someday but this time in New Japan? Desperado joked that he has a spare key for the NJPW office so he might be able to sneak Sasaki in for something down the line. Backstage he told reporters he is going to split the tequila prize in half with Sasaki. Also if the sponsor allows it he wants to autograph the empty bottles with Sasaki and sell them with all of the proceeds going towards Yoshihiro Takayama and Shinjiro Otani.

The second of three title changes took place in Match #10 when Tetsuya Endo lost the DDT Universal Title to Matt Cardona thanks to the interference of Steph De Lander. Cardona & De Lander entered the ring carrying all of their championships, including Cardona wearing a replica of the WWE Women’s Tag Team Title that currently belongs to his wife Chelsea Green. De Lander’s constant interference backfired at one point when Cardona’s belt shot aimed for Endo hit her instead. Endo took control and had Cardona all set up for the Burning Star Press when De Lander recovered and distracted him again. This time she started flirting with Endo and gave him a bunch of kisses! Meanwhile Cardona turned the ref’s back to them so De Lander could kick Endo below the belt. Cardona then pinned Endo with the Radio Silence to add a new championship to his collection.

Cardona & De Lander’s celebration was quickly interrupted by the video screen. A live message from Maki Itoh started playing where she challenged Cardona for the Universal Title! She promised to take the championship and leave her GCW enemy covered in blood! The title match was later approved for the 24th September Korakuen Hall show. Backstage Cardona bragged about his title win and said he came here to conquer the world. It’s his first time in DDT and he already made the company and Endo his bitch. He’s not going back to WWE or AEW but when he leaves DDT he will be bringing the Universal Title with him!

Can the version of Konosuke Takeshita that showed up in Sumo Hall today be called new and improved? He was different than the Takeshita of old from before his AEW run that’s for sure. Yuki Ueno found that out up front during the latest match in their rivalry. Takeshita removed his own elbow pad to deliver raw Elbow Strikes and later dropped Ueno with an Implant Driver on the entrance ramp. Ueno fought back but his BME attempt was blocked with him getting kicked in midair. Takeshita then hit the Zahi into the corner and deadlifted Ueno up into a top rope Brainbuster onto the turnbuckle! Ueno had no answer for that and took the fall, losing again to his friend. Or is that now former friend?

Tension could be felt after the match when Ueno refused to shake Takeshita’s hand after the match. Then Toy Kojima decided to step in between them and push Takeshita away! Backstage Takeshita’s message towards Ueno was a blunt one. If Ueno ever wants to win the KO-D Title he should keep quiet and follow Takeshita! Elsewhere, Ueno said he needs to get stronger and increasing DDT’s audience is a way to do that. But after losing again today he doesn’t know what he should do next.

Yukio Naya went straight into the thick of things with his return match from injury. He started off the match with Shigehiro Irie and was just as eager to face off with Jun Akiyama. HARASHIMA was happy to fight Irie for the first time in a while although his opinion might have changed after Irie gave him a Piledriver on top of Naya. The Beat Bomber was blocked with a Knee Strike by Naya but Akiyama came in and threw Naya with the Exploder Suplex. Irie got a nearfall with a Running Cannonball into the corner and then got the three count after he hit the Beast Bomber. Both Akiyama & Irie spoke of their surprise by how powerful Naya was in his first match back. But Irie is on a mission to take everything in the world that he can, as shown by his appearance at the end of the show.

Start paying attention because MAO is back on track with a massive victory over TAKA Michinoku! MAO used his own versions of his influence’s moveset, using the Alien Plancha with an added midair twist and then two versions of the Michinoku Driver including one from the top rope. He then finished TAKA off with a Phoenix Splash. MAO said he was really happy to have this match because he’s been losing confidence in himself as a singles wrestler lately. He always admires TAKA so to beat him inside Sumo Hall using his own techniques means so much to him. However TAKA said in beating him in this day and age is not worth even a medal. MAO should be beating him and he should also be aiming for the top!

Just because Saki Akai is retiring later this year doesn’t mean she’s done winning championships. She achieved her goal of winning the KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles with Eruption one more time! Eruption defeated Harimao, the team led by their former “brother” Kazusada Higuchi to claim the belts. Akai herself went head to head with Higuchi and took his best shot. She held her ground and performed the Quetzalcoatl with some help from Yukio Sakaguchi hitting Higuchi with the God’s Right Knee. Akai then dived onto Higuchi & Ryota Nakatsu outside the ring, leaving Hideki Okatani to face off with Yuki Ishida. Okatani kicked out of the Dosukoi Hold and pinned Ishida with the Double Arm Suplex to cause the title change. Both teams shook hands after the match to show there is no bad blood between them.

Afterwards Akai said her retirement match will be at Sumo Hall later this year so she’s going at full speed for her remaining months as a pro wrestler. She wanted to win the titles with Sakaguchi & Okatani in this building and is glad to have done so. She is especially happy for Okatani because this is his first championship win. Okatani then revealed Eruption’s next big plan. If they have the power to challenge anybody then they want to go to All Japan and win the AJPW TV 6-Man Tag Team Titles! They are even willing to put the KO-D 6-Man Tag Titles on the line in a double championship match to get what they want. Akai is already booked for AJPW’s show in Nagoya on 27th August and she heard that their trios champions put out an open challenge regardless of company or gender. So she’s bringing the rest of Eruption with her!

There was a reason why Andreza Giant Panda & Super Sasadango Machine were given the tag team name Food Chain. Sasadango wrestled the match wrapped together in giant bamboo leaves, just like a real sasadango. The reason why was shown when Andreza started to deflate with hunger. Sasadango made himself bait to be sacrificed to the panda! The venue went dark and in the darkness Andreza swallowed Sasadango whole, leaving only his mask behind for a horrified Yukinori Matsui to discover. Now fully fed and powered up, Andreza went on a rampage of Headbutts against the ChiiPoko☆Ultra Cute Alliance. However Chiitan pulled out a samurai sword and stabbed Andreza in the stomach with it. The venue went dark again sparing the audience from seeing a giant panda throw up. The lights came back on and Sasadango was back in the ring in one piece, covered in bits of vomit. Pokotan took advantage by giving Sasadango the Swanton Bomb. Then the two mascots joined forces and did the ChiiPoko☆Trigger together on Sasadango to score the win. Backstage Sasadango explained what it was like being eaten by Andreza. He said Andreza’s stomach was bigger than he thought and would make for a comfortable living space in Tokyo.

The comedian Buchigire Ujihara was given the full Pheromones experience, something that the former Hisaya Imabayashi was happy to see because it wasn’t him getting humiliated for once. However he overstepped his bounds when he tried to interfere and attack Akito with a chair. Akito dodged it and the chair hit both Yuki Iino & Danshoku Dieno instead. Yumehito Imanari then caused a mess using a fire extinguisher on Akito, Soma Takao & Yoshitomo Shimohigashi. Dieno then launched Iino across the ring with a hip thrust, causing Iino to pin Akito with the Spear.

A victorious Hisaya celebrated Pheromones winning the match but didn’t expect them to turn on him. Imanari suddenly grabbed him and gave him a DDT inbetween Iino & Dieno’s backsides, leaving him vertically jammed upside down in the gap! Ujihara gave them a nod of approval, coming around to understand what Pheromones is like. Backstage Akito approached Pheromones asking for one more match. If Akito wins then Pheromones will disband but if Pheromones win then Akito will stop trying to destroy them. Dieno demanded that Akito crawl between Iino’s legs and then press his own face into Iino’s backside to prove he is being sincere. Akito did so and said he wanted the match to happen on 9th September at Ota Ward Gym.

DAMNATION T.A won the 3 Way Trios match against BURNING and the Dragon Gene team. KANON pulled out the Vietnam Driver II, a move previously used by Daisuke Sasaki to beat Yuya Koroku for the finish. KANON was of mixed emotions backstage afterwards. He was so happy that Minoru Fujita made it to the show on time and also that MJ Paul did his best. But then he got mad that the three of them were thrown into a nothing 3 Way Tag Match! Fujita had to calm him down. The BURNING team took the loss in good grace. Kotaro Suzuki was happy to wrestle in DDT again while Yusuke Okada was thankful to wrestle inside Sumo Hall again. Koroku said he will take the loss as another learning experience. Neither Naruki Doi, Toru Owashi or Kazuki Hirata gave any comments after the match.

Being born and raised in Ryogoku was enough motivation for Shinichiro Kawamatsu to go out there and win. With Sanshiro Takagi & Yuni on his team the three of them were able to beat Masahiro Takanashi, Toy Kojima & Rukiya. Takagi stacked Takanashi and Kojima on top of him to deliver a Double Samoan Drop. Yuni followed up with a Moonsault out of the ring. Kawamatsu then targeted Rukiya’s mid-section with the Shitamachi Rocket Spear to get the three count. Yuni called it a memorable experience because it is the first time he won a match inside Sumo Hall. His effort didn’t go unnoticed by Kojima because Kojima blames Yuni for his team losing! Takagi told Kawamatsu DDT will be back here in November so he’ll find a great opponent for him if he wants to wrestle then.

The opening match of the show saw Takeshi Masada use the Samurai Driver ’01 to beat Kazuma Sumi. However here the move was called the Masada Power KOBU Mukimuki. It’s been almost a year since Masada debuted and he feels like he has regressed since the end of the D GENERATIONS CUP. Today’s win against his classmate Sumi is a good step forward towards DDT’s next major shows in Ota Ward and Sumo Hall happening later this year. Sumi is frustrated to lose but he promises to do his best until he can win, no matter how many more times he loses.

When the show finally ended and all the wrestlers left ringside, the credits began to roll. And then it stopped for a sudden post-credits sequence. A fallen Sasaki was seen sitting on a hallway floor when he is approached by Takeshita. The scene ends with Takeshita offering his hand and Sasaki shaking it! To add more to the confusing scene, it was reported that Takeshita’s post-show meet and greet took place at the DAMNATION T.A merch table. What made things even more confusing is Takeshita afterwards said he has no intention of joining DAMNATION T.A. Instead he is doing this to position himself against The 37KAMIINA because he thinks the unit no longer needs him.

Comments Off on DDT “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2023” Results | Results | Tagged: Akito, Andreza Giant Panda, Buchigire Ujihara, ChiiPoko☆Ultra Cute Alliance, Chiitan, Chris Brookes, Daisuke Sasaki, Danshoku Dieno, DDT Pro Wrestling, DDT Universal Championship, Dramatic Dream Team, El Desperado, Eruption, HARASHIMA, Harimao, Hideki Okatani, Hisaya Imabayashi, Jun Akiyama, KANON, Kazuki Hirata, Kazuma Sumi, Kazusada Higuchi, Kenta Kobashi, KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Championship, KO-D Openweight Championship, Konosuke Takeshita, Kotaro Suzuki, KUDO, Maki Itoh, MAO, Masahiro Takanashi, Matt Cardona, Minoru Fujita, MJ Paul, Naruki Doi, Pheromones, Pokotan, Rukiya, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Ryota Nakatsu, Saki Akai, Sanshiro Takagi, Shigehiro Irie, Shinichiro Kawamatsu, Soma Takao, Steph De Lander, Sumo Hall, Super Sasadango Machine, TAKA Michinoku, Takeshi Masada, Tetsuya Endo, The 37KAMIINA, Toru Owashi, Toy Kojima (Toi Kojima), Yoshitomo Shimohigashi, Yuji Hino, Yuki Iino, Yuki Ishida, Yuki Ueno, Yukio Naya, Yukio Sakaguchi, Yumehito Imanari, Yuni, Yusuke Okada, Yuya Koroku | Permalink
Posted by JamieOD

DDT “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2023” Preview

July 21, 2023

DDT “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2023”, 23/07/2023
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

1. Takeshi Masada Vs Kazuma Sumi
2. Sanshiro Takagi, Shinichiro Kawamatsu & Yuni Vs Masahiro Takanashi, Toy Kojima & Rukiya
3. 3 Way 6-Man Tag Match: Naruki Doi, Toru Owashi & Kazuki Hirata Vs Minoru Fujita, MJ Paul & KANON Vs Kotaro Suzuki, Yusuke Okada & Yuya Koroku
4. Yuki “Sexy” Iino, Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno & Yumehito “Fantastic” Imanari (w/ Kachikire Hisaya) Vs Akito, Soma Takao & Yoshitomo Shimohigashi (w/ Buchigire Ujihara)
5. Special Tag Match: Chiitan☆ & Pokotan Vs Andreza Giant Panda & Super Sasadango Machine
6. KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles: Kazusada Higuchi, Ryota Nakatsu & Yuki Ishida (c) Vs Yukio Sakaguchi, Saki Akai & Hideki Okatani
7. Special Single Match: TAKA Michinoku Vs MAO
8. Special Tag Match ~ Yukio Naya Return Match: HARASHIMA & Yukio Naya Vs Jun Akiyama & Shigehiro Irie
9. Special Single Match: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA Vs Yuki Ueno
10. DDT Universal Title: Tetsuya Endo (c) Vs Matt Cardona (w/ Steph De Lander)
11. Mexico Kanko Presents Dramatic Dream Match: Daisuke Sasaki Vs El Desperado
12. KO-D Openweight Title – Good Com Asset Presents: Yuji Hino (c) Vs Chris Brookes

Welcome to the 15th annual “WRESTLE PETER PAN”! This year DDT is bringing their flagpole supercard back to Sumo Hall for the first time sine 2018. There is a lot to go through. It’s a twelve match card and all of it is included on the main card. No dark matches, pre-show exhibitions or whatever you want to call them. DDT needs to put their best foot forward on Sunday as they struggle to regain the ground they lost over the pandemic years. A few matches on the card looks like they’re throwing different ideas to the wall and seeing what sticks. It hasn’t reached the depths of desperation yet but they could really do with this show becoming a hit.

I’ll go through each topic in more detail below when it applies to the match but DDT has been hampered by a few things this year. There is a little bit of an identity crisis in there, perhaps the wrong people were chosen to hold a few of the championships and an injury bug keeps getting in the way of every attempt to elevate people. There is also a staleness to the humour and the fresh blood are not being given enough opportunities to come up with their own jokes. I will listen to any arguments that CyberFight should stop being scared of mixing DDT and NOAH together for more inter-promotional matches. Keiji Muto’s retirement show was a great demonstration what DDT and Tokyo Joshi Pro wrestlers would look like under NOAH’s top notch presentation. The problem there is the people in charge are determined not to make any of the same mistakes SWS did in the early 90s when it comes to to managing multiple companies in a “room-by-room” manner. It’s a delicate task having to juggle several different rosters with their own differing views on what kind of wrestling show to put on.

1. Takeshi Masada Vs Kazuma Sumi

The day kicks off with a match between two wrestlers from the current crop of rookies that have been at times referred to as D GENERATIONS. The name came from the D GENERATIONS CUP tournament that was held in the Spring to give DDT’s fresh blood the chance to earn the last spot on the company’s trip to Los Angeles for their DDT USA shows. The winner of the tournament was Takeshi Masada who was already being marketed as the highest prospect to come out of DDT’s dojo in years. Getting to debut after only three months of training will give you that kind of hype. He was the first from a group of five to debut. The second is his opponent here Kazuma Sumi. Officially it took him half a year of training before debut but in reality Sumi was previously attached to Dragongate’s dojo and dropped out. If there is more to the story about how, when and why he jumped to DDT, it hasn’t been told to anyone publicly so I doubt there is anything unusual or controversial behind it. So much of DDT’s talent development throughout its history is built around taking in dropouts from other dojos anyway. They’re not a picky company and if they are I can’t imagine what kind of trainees they’ve turned down for reasons involving quality.

The current state of DDT’s training system is sort of displayed with this matchup. The rookies they’ve been debuting over the last twelve to eighteen months are all functionally good. Masada’s been the best of the bunch and has clearly been positioned as such. Sumi gets to display his athleticism but not much else in the form of character. While I enjoy seeing fresh faces coming in and have fun following the careers that last, the underlying problem so far is the lack of creativity given to their roles. I can tell they get to have fun doing what they do and are willing to join in whatever silliness is thrown their way. It’s just that so far none of it is by their own creation. DDT needs to come up with new jokes and gimmicks. Keigo Nakamura is an example of somebody who is standing out as his own character and personality but unfortunately he’s become injury prone and I fear his wrestling career has been shortened for that reason. It’s fine that the company is able to attract new trainees on a regular basis but I would like to see them become more than just extra bodies to drop falls to the veterans.

2. Sanshiro Takagi, Shinichiro Kawamatsu & Yuni Vs Masahiro Takanashi, Toy Kojima & Rukiya

A battle between generations young and old with a few returns from injury added too. Sanshiro Takagi has been rehabbing a torn calf in his left leg in order to make this show. He is also the current Iron Man Heavymetalweight Champion at the time of writing. You’d think he’d be tempting fate by telling the other wrestlers not to take advantage of his weakened state but everyone followed the order and left him be. The politician Shinichiro Kawamatsu had a failed attempt at becoming the new O-40 Champion back in March but made up for it a month later by directly winning a match for the first time. Yuni has been the most active out of anyone from the team. The youngster unmasked himself to end his El Unicorn gimmick and graduated from child pro wrestler to teenage pro wrestler. The other team has Masahiro Takanashi as the veteran captaining two young prospects. Toy Kojima is finding his place in the world as part of The 37KAMIINA. He recently lost a feud to DAMNATION T.A but showed a lot of fire standing up for himself and his friends. Rukiya is at the time of writing still recovering from a cracked sternum. He only debuted in April so hopefully it’s just a minor setback. Still though, I always say rookies break easily. DDT is only just coming out of an injury bug too.

3. 3 Way 6-Man Tag Match: Naruki Doi, Toru Owashi & Kazuki Hirata Vs Minoru Fujita, MJ Paul & KANON Vs Kotaro Suzuki, Yusuke Okada & Yuya Koroku

Long story short this is three wrestlers who all carry the Toryumon gene in some form taking on both DAMNATION T.A and the lower ranked wrestlers in BURNING. Ever since he went freelance Naruki Doi has been on a tear by winning championships in both DDT and All Japan. His brightest moment in DDT was short lived but he still shows up from time to time where he is stuck with Toru Owashi & Kazuki Hirata due to their shared wrestling heritage. Yes, even including Hirata. DAMNATION T.A have sort of been inconsistent this year. KANON got injured with a dislocated shoulder and just came back to the ring recently. Minoru Fujita was busy wrestling elsewhere so DDT was not a priority for him. MJ Paul is the same as always but at least he gets a KO-D Tag Team Title reign out of it. BURNING’s two youngest wrestlers have spent a lot of time on the undercard. That’s fair for Yuya Koroku given how young his career is but Yusuke Okada never progresses anywhere and I’m not sure why. Kotaro Suzuki leads the team into the match and remains involved with BURNING as an extra guiding hand whenever they need it.

4. Yuki “Sexy” Iino, Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno & Yumehito “Fantastic” Imanari (w/ Kachikire Hisaya) Vs Akito, Soma Takao & Yoshitomo Shimohigashi (w/ Buchigire Ujihara)

DDT was spared from having the main event scene successfully taken over by Pheromones after “MEGA MAX BUMP 2023” back in May. Yuki Iino has brushed aside his short lived “Strong” persona to become “Sexy” again and is back to pushing the envelope with Danshoku Dieno & Yumehito Imanari. The boss Takagi has long since passed the responsibility of suppressing Pheromones down to his Vice President Akito. It’s a thankless task but Akito keeps agreeing to the job in the hopes it will take him right to the top of CyberFight management whenever Takagi calls it a day. Soma Takao is dragged into the mission as the man in charge of the Dropkick Bar. That makes him a vital employee in the eyes of Akito so he must take part whether he wants to or not. Filling out the team is Akito’s secret weapon. One with a origin that goes back to Kota Ibushi. It’s not Ibushi himself though. He was busy this week.

Remember the Ibushi Wrestling Institute? It’s that project Ibushi put together after he ended his double contract with DDT and New Japan. It turned out there actually was somebody who debuted as a pro wrestler under that banner in 2018. Meet Yoshitomo Shimohigashi, aka “Golden Stardust” the first man to carry on Ibushi’s pro wrestling legacy. His background is in pro bowling, his wife is a competitive eater and he’s barely wrestled much in the 5 years since. Boy, Ibushi sure knows how to pick them. Shimohigashi’s most high profile matches have been with Tokyo Gurentai and I haven’t been able to find anywhere else he’s been. He is a figure more known inside the pro wrestling business than out and Akito is attached to him through having an advisory role in the Institute.

One last addition to the match is the involvement of Buchigire Ujihara, a comedian on Youtube who was just a bystander at a restaurant where Pheromones and Akito’s team got into a fight. He got caught in the crossfire along with the DDT GM Hisaya Imabayashi. When Imabayashi found out who Ujihara is, he flipped his lid. Ujihara gets to make a living off of playing pranks and acting a fool on Youtube while Imabayashi has to work several different part time jobs along with his subcontracted DDT role in order to get a decent salary. The jealousy caused Imabayashi to unexpectedly side with Pheromones because he no longer sees the point of defending DDT against them when he is not a full time employee. Now going by the name Kachikire Hisaya, this time he’ll get to join in with the Pheromones abuse after years of having to take it.

5. Special Tag Match: Chiitan☆ & Pokotan Vs Andreza Giant Panda & Super Sasadango Machine

What can I say? Mascots are big in Japan. Chiitan’s crazy debut in May lured DDT’s own mascot Pokotan back to the ring out of jealousy. They settled their differences in a tag match and discovered they can work quite well together as a team. They also already came up with their own tag team finisher called the Chi☆Poco Trigger. All that was left needed is a tag team name. DDT fans did the job for them, coming up with ChiiPoko☆Ultra Cute Alliance as the name. Everything’s ready so let’s see what their opponents get up to. Andreza Giant Panda & Super Sasadango Machine have prior history with each other. In 2018 Sasadango made it his mission to put a stop to Andreza because the panda’s gigantic appitite was a danger to the local environment. He failed but ended up on Andreza’s good side afterward. Almost four years later and they are back in the ring together going against two violent mascots. Andreza defeated Pokotan in a preview singles match that saw Andreza take off Pokotan’s head with an uppercut! Will Chiitan be given the same fate? Normally Sasadango would come up with a big plan and happily tell the audience what he means to achieve, slide by slide. He won’t have to do that with something as powerful as Andreza by his side Headbutting mascots left, right and centre.

6. KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles: Kazusada Higuchi, Ryota Nakatsu & Yuki Ishida (c) Vs Yukio Sakaguchi, Saki Akai & Hideki Okatani

Aw man, we’re getting closer towards saying goodbye to Saki Akai. I don’t want to do that yet. She is set to retire from pro wrestling on 12th November, ending a decade long career on her own terms without injury and away from life changing circumstances (she has since called out the double standard in the industry where men always assume a female wrestler’s decision to retire is because of marriage or pregnancy). Until that day comes, Akai has one goal in mind and that is to win the KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles with Eruption one more time. It is a belt she has held just once before with the original Eruption trio. That is what makes this match a little more spicy because this time Akai & Yukio Sakaguchi are teaming with Hideki Okatani while Kazusada Higuchi is now on the other side defending the championship against them!

We are well past Higuchi’s reign at the top of the mountain sadly enough. Harimao wanted to blow a new wind across DDT but that plan hit a massive wall when Naomi Yoshimura took time off to deal with a herniated disc. Higuchi did his best to rebuild the unit to make up for Yoshimura’s absence. He called in his DNA generation rival Ryota Nakatsu from BASARA not to replace Yoshimura but to add more firepower for when he returns. The decision worked out as Harimao went on to win the KO-D 6-Man Tag Titles, giving the third man Yuki Ishida plenty of experience to gain. Ishida himself is gradually levelling up by relying heavily on having Dosukoi spirit. It inspired a new pinning hold he uses that has scored the three count on both Sakaguchi and Akai. Those results have left Sakaguchi in a bad mood. So not only does Eruption want to win the titles one more time, Sakaguchi wants Ishida’s head on a plate too!

7. Special Single Match: TAKA Michinoku Vs MAO

MAO has spent the month in America and is coming back ready for an important match against one of his inspirations. Growing up in the Tohoku region as a wrestling fan means it is obvious that MAO would look up to somebody like TAKA Michinoku. The Spaceman Plancha and use of the Michinoku Driver are as clear nods as you can get. This is not the first time MAO and TAKA have fought each other though. Back in 2017 TAKA defeated MAO on a DNA event. TAKA was complimentary towards him then. A few months later MAO avenged the loss a little bit by pinning TAKA at the annual New Year’s Eve Korakuen Hall show. What’s noteworthy about that is it happened right when the countdown reached zero so it was both the last pro wrestling result in Japan of 2017 as well as the first pro wrestling result of 2018! The two have not fought each other since then and a lot has changed. TAKA is a key part of Just 5 Guys in New Japan while 2023 became the year MAO started getting noticed on the American indies for his nutty antics inside and out of the ring.

This singles match will be a good test to see where MAO fits in from this point forward. His strongest work in DDT is as a tag team wrestler. His run with the KO-D Tag Titles as part of ShunMao is a highlight of DDT’s 2023 that sadly had to end when Shunma Katsumata fractured his ankle. That point I made for the first match about DDT giving the younger wrestlers more chances to be creative? MAO is a good example of letting that happen, especially when he used the recent USA excursion to spread his wings. Who ever thought we would see him cosplay as Don Callis for example? His feud with Yoshihiko and Kazuki Hirata over the vacant DDT Extreme Title was a fun way to shine a bigger spotlight over that part of the roster too. I hope to see that sort of energy going into the match with TAKA. Would his opponent be up for it though?

8. Special Tag Match ~ Yukio Naya Return Match: HARASHIMA & Yukio Naya Vs Jun Akiyama & Shigehiro Irie

The injury bug has been a regular problem for DDT this year. Several times they try to build up wrestlers and then bam! They go down with an injury. Yukio Naya is probably the biggest example of that given his main event push. After years of trying, the big lug finally started to click things together and had a strong run in the D-Ou Grand Prix, beating Higuchi in an upset to reach the final. He didn’t win the tournament but the push continued into Spring where he main evented DDT’s Korakuen shows two more times, including the 26th Anniversary show. Then his ankle went kaput and he’s been out of action ever since. Four months later and he finally gets to return and start climbing the ranks again. The question now is if the injury was disruptive enough to wipe away the progress he made since the winter? Before he got hurt he had improved a bunch but boy did it take a long time for that to happen. DDT wants to build their main events around heavyweights which is why they are determined to get a guy like Naya over. Him being part of a famous sumo family is a reason too.

So if Naya is back to being able to give and take a lot of big impact moves, DDT have found the right people to put him in the ring with. HARASHIMA was one of the wrestlers who lost to Naya as part of Naya’s rise up to the main event spot in the first half of the year. So it makes sense to have those two teaming up. Jun Akiyama is always there for Naya’s generation to chase after. There will be a day where Naya scores a fall on Akiyama but it won’t be here. Shigehiro Irie running into people at full speed is always as fun as it is dangerous. I’ll be sweating bullets thought if Irie does the Running Cannonball spot against the ropes to Naya. A guy Naya’s size will take the move better than Yumehito Imanari ever could but that injury bug is still hanging around.

9. Special Single Match: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA Vs Yuki Ueno

I don’t know how many more times I’ll get to write about Konosuke Takeshita in these kind of show previews so enjoy them while we can. A heel turn in AEW has him firmly placed in a storyline with The Elite over on the Dynamite half of the company. With that heel turn comes questions about how Takeshita will behave when he is back in DDT wrestling against his longtime friend Yuki Ueno. The hint is in how his name is now spelt. He has ditched the hiragana writing to go completely romanized in the upper case, becoming KONOSUKE TAKESHITA! Shout it as loud as that one Wakana Uehara fan for full effect. So how will Takeshita treat Ueno? Is he still a sauna loving member of The 37KAMIINA? Did Don Callis tell him to ditch the Cinnabon takeouts and go on a diet? Will he become Chris Jericho’s next clout victim? So many questions to answer and only some will be given at this match.

Takeshita and Ueno have had two previous singles matches this year. The first was only a ten minute long draw that was done as a new year bonus for the fans. The second took place in Los Angeles as the main event for DDT’s USA show with Takeshita coming out on top. While he’s been sorting out things in AEW, Ueno’s been advancing up the ranks in DDT by winning the D-Ou Grand Prix and working towards becoming the guy to carry the company on his back. The results so far have not matched his ambition. As much as I think the guy is talented in the ring, a bland personality continues to hold him back. I don’t know if the solution is to make him find a rotten side by turning heel or take some comedy classes to develop a wackier character but what he is right now does not connect. Something he has been up to recently is getting an acting role for a children’s TV show on NHK. So maybe the next step is booking him into becoming a hero to children? Ueno has always been in Takeshita’s shadow though. If the Takeshita that turns up is nothing like the one Ueno knows then there could be a harsh lesson to learn there.

10. DDT Universal Title: Tetsuya Endo (c) Vs Matt Cardona (w/ Steph De Lander)

2022 turned into a year to forget for Tetsuya Endo and not by choice either. There is no denying the diamond’s shine has been diminished ever since Katsuhiko Nakajima knocked him out and he hasn’t come close to reclaiming it. 2023 has been better. He has bounced back somewhat by holding the KO-D 6-Man Tag Titles with BURNING and then went on to win the DDT Universal Title. He is now being positioned in an important match of the card against a big international name. Not bad but given the high hopes I’ve always held for they guy I’m always going to think he should be doing better. How much that should be blamed on him is a bitter pill for me to swallow. That slap is going to keep haunting him for quite a while yet and it doesn’t look like he’ll a chance to exorcise that ghost anytime soon.

Next question to ask, is Endo’s opponent a good fit for DDT? Matt Cardona was the success story of the American indies in 2021 with his heel run in GCW reinventing himself into something way more newsworthy than just another ex-WWE superstar. He’s gone on to win championships across America and now sets his sights on winning the DDT Universal Title with a big pay day to go along with it. That last piece of info touched a nerve with the champion. He was told to expect a former WWE wrestler to come challenge him. But he didn’t know DDT was allegedly paying the challenger 30 million yen to do the match! That Cardona is the person chosen to fight him after so much hype does not impress Endo one bit. He doesn’t think of him as a strong opponent if it’s being based on how many social media followers he has. If that much money is being spent then Endo thinks it should have been given to himself instead! One thing to watch out for is Cardona’s partner in crime Steph De Lander. The former NXT wrestler has benefited greatly from working with Cardona as his Sensational Sherri equivalent. She won’t be afraid to do some nasty things to Endo in the ring if the opportunity presents itself. She said it herself in the hype video “When the Indy God and the Baddest Bitch come to DDT, you’re all fucked!”

11. Mexico Kanko Presents Dramatic Dream Match: Daisuke Sasaki Vs El Desperado

It’s not often that Daisuke Sasaki springs up a surprise for DDT fans that everyone approves of. So everyone was thrilled when he pulled some strings and got this as the first match announcement for the show. For somebody who always threatens to quit and go home every time he suffers a setback, the match has been keeping Sasaki focused for the last few months. That it’s being sponsored by a tourism company willing to reward the winner with a year’s worth of tequila probably helps. The company has already been warned that one year’s worth for Sasaki is equal to five year’s worth for anyone else. Sasaki is already promising to drink through three bottles a day if he wins. Can you blame the guy when he’s had to spend the last couple of weeks feuding with somebody as persistent as Toy Kojima? All that chair swinging is thirsty work you know.

Who right now is living a happier wrestling life than El Desperado? The masked man has been ticking off a bucket list of goals this year while somehow championing the independents as a New Japan wrestler. He’s been repping Junior Heavyweight wrestling, getting into death matches with Jon Moxley, fighting in the GCW Tournament Of Survival, popping through the Forbidden Door, getting a tour with CMLL that includes a visit to Arena Mexico and even found a way to get Jun Kasai inside the NJPW ring for the first time ever. The man loves the indies so much he wrestled Evil Uno on a Mystery Wrestling show for God’s sake! So when he got challenged by Sasaki, who is he to say no? In a wrestling world where it feels like every important match needs something on the line, both Sasaki and Desperado are happy to just have it be for the tequila. They don’t see the need for a championship to be on the line or for masks and hair to be wagered. Just the two of them as they are will be enough to promise an intense fight in the ring.

12. KO-D Openweight Title – Good Com Asset Presents: Yuji Hino (c) Vs Chris Brookes

The running storyline that carried DDT’s main event scene across 2022 was whoever was KO-D Openweight Champion became the man to carry DDT on their back from that point forward. In Higuchi’s case he was literally turned into the company’s flag bearer. The rest of the year was spent having Higuchi defend the title against the likes of Endo, Takeshita, Shinya Aoki, Sakaguchi and Ueno. Unfortunately he didn’t become much of a difference maker for DDT. As much as the foreign fanbase approves of Higuchi, he doesn’t have the same hold on the home audience. That’s why in 2023 the value of the KO-D Title has felt a little off. Yuji Hino defeated Higuchi to take the title in January and has held onto it ever since. What has felt off the entire time is Hino himself. He hasn’t been the big nasty heel that longtime fans remember from K-DOJO. In fact he’s been pretty supportive of DDT as their champion. He does his part to promote the company as the place to be, it just hasn’t been working out that way despite his efforts. DDT also really wants to get more heavyweights going in the main event position, as shown by having Hino’s defences so far be against Naya and Iino. It’s been a criticism towards DDT for quite a while now. Why fight to compete against the heavyweight divisions of the bigger companies when your appeal was always supposed to be something entirely different?

So if they story for DDT is the search for the right person to carry the company, they may have had him in the background the entire time. Chris Brookes from the moment he stepped foot in the company got what DDT is. Not just from a fanboy level by getting to relive everything he ever downloaded from Megaupload but also understanding a company spirit that is all parts open minded, anarchic and most of all daft. The dedication was also there when he chose to stay in Japan during the pandemic. Ever since then he’s been an integral part of DDT as well as Gatoh Move and a few other indies. He also went ahead and crafted his own little hub in the Japanese wrestling scene with the Baka Gaijin + Friends shows. At a time when DDT is trying to develop something that’s as prestigious as whatever NOAH or All Japan are doing, Brookes is busy digging up Mecha Mummy and putting together events that capture the warm vibes of DDT’s Beer Garden shows. The company always has a high ambition of where they want to go but perhaps how they get there is all wrong. It’s time to switch things up and Brookes looks like the guy to lead the pack.

That’s all easier said then done though. Brookes dislocated his shoulder two months ago and was out of action for a lot of the build up to this main event. He even admits he might have come back to wrestle too soon with his shoulder being anywhere from 70% to 90% recovered. His injury time has left Hino feeling annoyed for several reasons. Hino goes into his matches hurt too but he never takes time off. He argued why does Brookes get to stay home and rest while he has to keep wrestling on shows? Then Hino’s attitude towards Brookes changed into something more mocking. He started cracking jokes and treating Brookes like a rookie making his debut instead of an established wrestler coming back from injury. It was up to the challenger’s friends to step up and fight Hino on his behalf. Even when Brookes started wrestling again and won a tag match, Hino would still make fun of him for only beating Makoto Oishi. Brookes will have to work real hard to prove Hino wrong. He has taken big guys down with the Octopus Stretch in the past but Hino has been winning matches with the King Kong Sleeper. The champion also has the Fuckin’ BOMB, one of the most devastating moves in DDT. Does Brookes have the strength to lift up Hino with the Praying Mantis Bomb to combat this? The result of this match can lead to a different looking DDT for the rest of the year.

Comments Off on DDT “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2023” Preview | Previews | Tagged: Akito, Andreza Giant Panda, Buchigire Ujihara, BURNING, ChiiPoko☆Ultra Cute Alliance, Chiitan, Chris Brookes, Daisuke Sasaki, DAMNATION T.A, Danshoku Dieno, DDT Pro Wrestling, DDT Universal Championship, Dramatic Dream Team, El Desperado, Eruption, HARASHIMA, Harimao, Hideki Okatani, Hisaya Imabayashi, Jun Akiyama, KANON, Kazuki Hirata, Kazuma Sumi, Kazusada Higuchi, KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Championship, KO-D Openweight Championship, Konosuke Takeshita, Kotaro Suzuki, MAO, Masahiro Takanashi, Matt Cardona, Minoru Fujita, MJ Paul, Naruki Doi, Pheromones, Pokotan, Rukiya, Ryogoku Kokugikan, Ryota Nakatsu, Saki Akai, Sanshiro Takagi, Shigehiro Irie, Shinichiro Kawamatsu, Soma Takao, Steph De Lander, Sumo Hall, Super Sasadango Machine, TAKA Michinoku, Takeshi Masada, Tetsuya Endo, Toru Owashi, Toy Kojima (Toi Kojima), Yoshitomo Shimohigashi, Yuji Hino, Yuki Iino, Yuki Ishida, Yuki Ueno, Yukio Naya, Yukio Sakaguchi, Yumehito Imanari, Yuni, Yusuke Okada, Yuya Koroku | Permalink
Posted by JamieOD

DDT “DDT TANABATA SPECIAL 2023 IN SHINJUKU” Results

July 7, 2023

DDT “DDT TANABATA SPECIAL 2023 IN SHINJUKU”, 07/07/2023
Shin-Kiba 1st RING
305 Fans – No Vacancy

1. Toru Owashi & Kazuma Sumi defeated Yuki “Sexy” Iino & Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno when Sumi pinned Dieno after the Kamigoye from Yoshitomo Shimohigashi (9:38).
2. DISASTER BOX Vs BURNING!: HARASHIMA & Kazuki Hirata defeated Jun Akiyama & Yusuke Okada when HARASHIMA pinned Okada with the Somato (8:15).
3. Yukio Sakaguchi, Saki Akai & Hideki Okatani defeated Kazusada Higuchi, Yuki Ishida & Ilusion when Okatani pinned Ishida with a Running Elbow Butt (9:20).
4. KANON Debut 4th Anniversary Match ~ Special Tag Match: TAKA Michinoku & KANON defeated Tetsuya Endo & Yuya Koroku when KANON submitted Koroku with the Ground Cobra Twist (11:12).
5. International Special Single Match: Yuki Ueno defeated Nick Wayne with the WR (14:29).
6. Special Single Match: Daisuke Sasaki defeated Toy Kojima with the Crossface Lock (10:26).
7. Road To PETER PAN 2023! Special Tag Match: Yuji Hino & Makoto Oishi defeated Chris Brookes & Masahiro Takanashi when Hino submitted Brookes with the King Kong Sleeper (10:43).

Today saw the return of Chris Brookes to the ring after spending over a month recovering from a dislocated shoulder. He only has a little over two weeks now to get into his best condition for “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2023”. The start of his “Champion’s Road” could not have gotten off to a rockier start when CDK took on Ω. Brookes showed some some threat to Yuji Hino by countering the Fuckin’ BOMB into an Octopus Stretch. But Hino powered his way out of the move and submitted Brookes with the King Kong Sleeper. Hino taunted Brookes after the match by pretending his opponent was an amateur making his debut today. Makoto Oishi had to remind him it’s his challenger for Sumo Hall. Backstage Brookes admitted he is lacking confidence but he will get it back and win the KO-D Openweight Title from Hino. A lot can change in two weeks.

After weeks and weeks of cheating and dirty fighting from Daisuke Sasaki towards Toy Kojima, their grudge match today went by mostly without incident. Sasaki was by himself and fought clean the entire match. Kojima almsot beat him with the Kojima In Wonderland but then missed a Totonou Splash. That allowed Sasaki to take over and submit him with the Crossface Lock. Sasaki then gave Kojima an offer to join DAMNATION T.A after the match! Kojima refused and left the ring.

Sasaki changed the subject by promising a big surprise for the fans in attendance. El Desperado’s music suddenly played but nobody came out. Sasaki then stopped the music and made fun of everyone for thinking he was going to invite him here. Desperado’s music then played again and this time he really did appear! He asked Sasaki what was going to be at stake for their match at “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2023”? Neither of them have any championships but the match sponsor will reward the winner with a year’s supply of tequila. That’s good enough for them! On 23rd July Sasaki and Desperado will fight not for championships, not for hair, not for masks and it will not be a No DQ Match. The two of them are just going to enjoy an intense fight against each other.

A big week is coming up for Nick Wayne. His official debut for AEW back in America was announced for next week but first he had to finish off his tour with DDT today. He lost to Yuki Ueno but left a good impression on his opponent. Ueno said in his post-match comments that Wayne’s potential is not his physcial ability but his love for pro wrestling. It’s on the same level as Brookes and Konosuke Takeshita and will take him wherever he wants to go. Wayne said he learned a lot from the wrestlers on this tour professionally, physically and mentally. He thinks being able to learn stuff like that right before his AEW debut will benefit him.

KANON got to celebrate the 4th Anniversary of his debut match by teaming with his mentor TAKA Michinoku. They defeated Tetsuya Endo & Yuya Koroku with KANON submitting Koroku. Endo doesn’t mind the result because he got to hit the Sasuke Special on Michinoku. Apparantely that was all that mattered to him today because he didn’t care it was KANON’s anniversary. Michinoku will be back in DDT on 23rd July to face MAO so he feels like he is currently standing in the eye of a hurricane. He also hopes to be brought back for KANON’s 5th anniversay. KANON suggests maybe then they can fight each other for that occasion.

The boost of momentum Yuki Ishida has gotten against Eruption lately was brushed aside by Hideki Okatani. The Dosukoi Hold Ishida’s been using to be Yukio Sakaguchi & Saki Akai did not work here and instead Okatani pinned him with a Running Elbow Butt. Sakaguchi asked Harimao after the match what is the point of “Dosukoi”? If they care that much about it they can go eat yakitori in Ryogoku and leave the KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles to them. This attitude was in contrast to the start of the show when the two teams signed the contract for their title match at “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2023”. During that Eruption said this is their last chance to win the 6-Man Tag Titles because of Akai’s retirement at the end of the year.

Kazuki Hirata would have lost his tag match several times over if it wasn’t for HARASHIMA running in to break the pin every time. Everything Jun Akiyama did to Hirata would have been a one hit kill otherwise. HARASHIMA kept his team in the game and scored the win over Yusuke Okada with the Somato. His performance today got Hirata to ask if HARASHIMA has any weaknesses at all? It’s becoming very difficult for Hirata to think of a stipulation that will give him any chance of beating HARASHIMA when their DDT Extreme Title match takes place on 30th July.

Akito was at ringside for the entrances in the opening match with the intention of ambushing Pheromones. His goal was to eliminate them before they could reach the ring so their match would be cancelled. Toru Owashi & Kazuma Sumi agreed to look the other way and let Akito go ahead with his plan. It didn’t work. Yuki Iino & Danshoku Dieno survived Akito’s ambush and gave him a face full of Iino’s backside in front of the fans. The match went ahead as usual until all of a sudden Yoshitomo Shimohigashi interfered! He knocked out Dieno with a Bowling Uppercut followed by the Kamigoye, allowing Sumi to pin Dieno for the first time. Akito said Shimohigashi and Soma Takao are part of his Pheromones Subjugation Squad and they are going to drive Pheromones out of Sumo Hall!

Comments Off on DDT “DDT TANABATA SPECIAL 2023 IN SHINJUKU” Results | Results | Tagged: Akito, CDK (Calamari Drunken Kings), Chris Brookes, Daisuke Sasaki, Danshoku Dieno, DDT Pro Wrestling, Dramatic Dream Team, El Desperado, Eruption, HARASHIMA, Harimao, Hideki Okatani, Ω (Omega), Jun Akiyama, KANON, Kazuki Hirata, Kazuma Sumi, Makoto Oishi, Masahiro Takanashi, Nick Wayne, Pheromones, Saki Akai, Shin-Kiba 1st RING, TAKA Michinoku, Tetsuya Endo, Toru Owashi, Toy Kojima (Toi Kojima), Yoshitomo Shimohigashi, Yuji Hino, Yuki Iino, Yuki Ishida, Yuki Ueno, Yukio Sakaguchi, Yusuke Okada, Yuya Koroku | Permalink
Posted by JamieOD

DDT “WHAT ARE YOU DOING 2023” Results

June 25, 2023

DDT “WHAT ARE YOU DOING 2023”, 25/06/2023
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
755 Fans

0. Dark Match: Yuki “Sexy” Iino, Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno, Toru Owashi & Yuni Vs Akito, Soma Takao, Kazuma Sumi & Rukiya ended in a No Contest (5:44).
1. Special Single Match: Naruki Doi defeated Takeshi Masada with a Cradle (7:04).
2. Ryota Nakatsu, Yuki Ishida, Yusuke Okada & Yuya Koroku defeated Yukio Sakaguchi, Saki Akai, Hideki Okatani & Sanshiro Takagi when Ishida pinned Sakaguchi with the Dosukoi Hold (9:22).
3. Special Single Match: HARASHIMA defeated Minoru Fujita by Disqualification after Fujita attacked the Referee (7:31).
4. International Special Single Match: Tetsuya Endo defeated Nick Wayne with the Burning Star Press (13:44).
5. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Yuji Hino, Jun Akiyama & Makoto Oishi defeated Kazusada Higuchi, Masahiro Takanashi & Antonio Honda when Hino submitted Honda with the King Kong Sleeper (13:23).
6. KO-D Tag Team Titles: Daisuke Sasaki & MJ Paul defeated Yuki Ueno & Toy Kojima when Sasaki submitted Kojima with the Crossface Lock (15:29).
*DAMNATION T.A becomes the 77th KO-D Tag Team Champions!
7. DDT Extreme Title – 3 Way Dance: Kazuki Hirata defeated MAO and Yoshihiko (21:25).
7a. MAO and Kazuki Hirata eliminated Yoshihiko with a Double Reincarnation Cutback (17:36).
7b. Kazuki Hirata eliminated MAO with the Miracle One Shot Cradle (21:25).
*Kazuki Hirata becomes the 58th DDT Extreme Champion!

Believe it or not Kazuki Hirata is now a singles champion! For weeks leading up to the 3 Way Dance, everybody including Hirata himself expected him to be taken out of the picture very quickly so MAO and Yoshihiko would fight each other over the vacant DDT Extreme Title. Instead Hirata persisted against his two opponents. He and MAO used their combined power to roll over from Yoshihiko’s Reincarnation and together pin the doll to eliminate it from the match. MAO took control of the match but none of his big moves could work. Hirata ended up countering the Michinoku Driver II into the Miracle One Shot Cradle to pull off the shock of all shocks. He is now the new Extreme Champion!

Hirata now finds himself in a position he never thought about previously. As a champion he now gets to nominate his challengers. Hisaya Imabayashi asked him who he wants to face in his first defence on 30th July. Hirata said there is a lot of people he wants to fight and he gets to pick the rules that will make him beat them too. So his first opponent is his DISASTER BOX stablemate HARASHIMA! He admits he can never beat HARASHIMA in a regular head-to-head fight but he can come up with funny rules that will even the odds. HARASHIMA accepted the challenge because he is a mutltiple time Extreme Champion and has fought in many different kinds of matches over the years.

Poor Toy Kojima suffered so much abuse at the hands of DAMNATION T.A and unfortunately it was all for nothing. The vacant KO-D Tag Team Titles were on the line when Kojima & Yuki Ueno represented The 37KAMIINA against Daisuke Sasaki & MJ Paul. Ueno & Kojima used their new double team move the My MADMAX on Sasaki but Paul broke up the pin. Then when Kojima used the Kojima In Wonderland on Sasaki, the injured KANON ran down to the ring armed with a stungun! The referee Tomomitsu Matsunaga ran over to stop KANON from entering the ring and missed Sasaki giving two Low Blows to Kojima. Sasaki stayed on the offensive and made Kojima tap to the Crossface Lock to make DAMNATION T.A the new Tag Champions. Backstage Sasaki said Kojima must never forget this day because today is the day he experienced absolute despair and humiliation! Now that DAMNATION T.A is back to full force, they are going to make the second half of 2023 crazy for everybody. Sasaki also said if Ueno, Kojima or anybody else wants to do something about it they are always welcome to join DAMNATION T.A.

Jun Akiyama found a way to fit in with Ω by wearing their shirt along with a bandana and sunglasses. The fun and games for Yuji Hino sort of stopped when Antonio Honda tried standing up to him on behalf of his friend Chris Brookes. The match then moved on to Hino and Kazusada Higuchi squaring off again while Makoto Oishi dealt with Masahiro Takanashi. Honda tagged in ready for his moment when he tripped over the ropes and fell like he always does. But instead of telling a Gongitsune joke, Honda asked himself why does he always fall down? He figured out it’s to get back up! If his best friend Brookes goes back to England, he will get back up. If he gets injured, he will get back up. He will always get back up because he is chasing his dream! A fired up Honda then poked Hino in the eyes and knocked him down with the Bionic Elbow for a nearfall. Unfortunately Hino recovered and countered the Octopus Hold into the King Kong Sleeper to make Honda give up.

After the match Ω called for Brookes’ attention while Honda was being tended to outside the ring. Oishi lambasted him for taking it easy while Hino’s been working hard in the ring week after week. How can Brookes become the KO-D Openweight Champion when all of Hino’s hard work has made him reach his perfect condition? Hino calmed Oishi down and asked Brookes when he can start wrestling again? Brookes said 7th July. Hino said that is a long way off so he is going to make sure that date will become Brookes’ retirement match! Backstage Brookes admits he is feeling guilty over not being able to wrestle because of his injury. He promised to do his best when he returns as his way of showing thanks for everyone who fought for him while he’s been out of action.

Nick Wayne was thrown into the deep end for his Japanese DDT debut when he took on Tetsuya Endo. The young American went for impactful moves like the Poison Hurricanrana and Dragon Suplex. But Endo hit back with the Tetsuya In The Sky and also caught him in mid-air to set up the Swivel Torture Rack Bomb. Wayne kicked out of both moves but became a sitting duck for the Burning Star Press. Endo thinks Wayne will absorb the Japanese way of wrestling during his stay here and it will expand his range. It makes Endo look forward to having a rematch some day. One he thinks he will still win of course. Wayne told reporters he is very inspired by the wrestlers in DDT and being in the same environment makes him feel like he can give 100% every match.

The match between HARASHIMA and Minoru Fujita started off awkwardly when Fujita refused to shake his opponent’s hand and instead give him the HERO! pose. He then accepted HARASHIMA’s handshake but only so he could cheap shot him afterwards. Fujita continued fighting dirty by using the ropes for pin leverage and bringing a chair into the ring. He threw the chair at HARASHIMA right when he was setting up the Somato. Then he gave Yukinori Matsui a Low Blow to purposely get disqualified. Fujita also gave HARASHIMA a Low Blow before doing another HERO! pose and leaving.

In a KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles match preview, Harimao scored a big win over Eruption with an unlikely result. Yuki Ishida ended up pinning Yukio Sakaguchi! He used a move that looks similar to a backwards Gannosuke Clutch to get the three count. He told Ryota Nakatsu that he used “Dokusoi” spirit to beat Sakaguchi so the two of them agreed to call the move the Dosukoi Hold. The move is based on a sumo technique so you can bet Ishida wants to use it again at Sumo Hall. However Sakaguchi wants him to know today’s result isn’t the end of their story so he shouldn’t be getting carried away. Saki Akai was interested to fight Nakatsu for the first time today because they are both from Kyoto. Unfortunately for Sanshiro Takagi, his time in the ring today didn’t last long. According to a tweet he posted after the show he tore a muscle in his leg during the match.

Naruki Doi was the latest big name opponent for the super rookie Takeshi Masada to face one on one. Masada did quite well and looked to be on his way towards scoring a huge upset. But Doi countered the Samurai Driver ’01 into a Cradle to win instead.

Strange bedfellows were put together for the dark match because Toru Owashi & Yuni had to team with Pheromones. Usually the likes of them would be their opponents. We found out the reason why because Akito wanted to ruin Yuni’s reputation by getting pictures of him doing lewd stuff with Pheromones in the ring! Imabayashi told Akito off because creating a scandal like that would harm CyberFight too. Still when Yuki Iino & Danshoku Dieno stacked themselves in the corner with their backsides exposed, Akito tried to force Yuni head first into there. It didn’t matter to him if Kazuma Sumi & Rukiya had to suffer the same fate. Just when Akito looked like he was going to succeed, Imabayashi cancelled the match. Akito went out of control throwing more wrestlers into butts until Soma Takao stopped him. Akito then invited Takao to help him destroy Pheromones. Takao tried not to listen but was eventually convinced to join Akito’s side.

The injured Shunma Katsumata was at ringside for the final two matches. He had to vacate both the Extreme Title and KO-D Tag Title due to a foot injury. He told the fans it will be a while until he gets back to wrestling again but he is currently feeling fine with his recovery.

Also making an appearance today was Yukio Naya. He came here to announce his return match from injury will be “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2023” on 23rd July! He’s been recovering from a fractured right ankle since the end of March. His goal once he returns is to reach the top of DDT in the shortest amount of time possible.

Shota was at the show during the opening announcements. He was there to promote Ganbare☆Pro’s big event “WRESTLE SEKIGAHARA II” at Ota Ward Gymnasium on 9th July.

DDT will also be going to Ota Ward this Autumn. They announced “DDT BIG BANG 2023” will take place there on 9th September. Another announcement regarding the event will be revealed tomorrow.

DDT “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2023”, 23/07/2023
Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

1. Takeshi Masada Vs Kazuma Sumi
2. Sanshiro Takagi, Shinichiro Kawamatsu & Yuni Vs Masahiro Takanashi, Toy Kojima & Rukiya
3. Yuki “Sexy” Iino, Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno & Yumehito “Fantastic” Imanari Vs Akito, Soma Takao & Yoshitomo Shimohigashi
4. 3 Way 6-Man Tag Match: Naruki Doi, Toru Owashi & Kazuki Hirata Vs Minoru Fujita, MJ Paul & KANON Vs Kotaro Suzuki, Yusuke Okada & Yuya Koroku
5. Special Tag Match: Chiitan☆ & Pokotan Vs Andreza Giant Panda & Super Sasadango Machine
6. Special Tag Match ~ Yukio Naya Return Match: HARASHIMA & Yukio Naya Vs Jun Akiyama & Shigehiro Irie
7. Special Single Match: TAKA Michinoku Vs MAO
8. Special Single Match: KONOSUKE TAKESHITA Vs Yuki Ueno
9. KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Titles: Kazusada Higuchi, Ryota Nakatsu & Yuki Ishida (c) Vs Yukio Sakaguchi, Saki Akai & Hideki Okatani
10. Mexico Kanko Presents Dramatic Dream Match: Daisuke Sasaki Vs El Desperado
11. DDT Universal Title: Tetsuya Endo (c) Vs Matt Cardona (w/ Steph De Lander)
12. KO-D Openweight Title: Yuji Hino (c) Vs Chris Brookes

Comments Off on DDT “WHAT ARE YOU DOING 2023” Results | Results | Tagged: Akito, Antonio Honda, Chris Brookes, Daisuke Sasaki, DAMNATION T.A, Danshoku Dieno, DDT Extreme Championship, DDT Pro Wrestling, Dramatic Dream Team, Eruption, HARASHIMA, Harimao, HERO!, Hideki Okatani, Hisaya Imabayashi, Ω (Omega), Jun Akiyama, KANON, Kazuki Hirata, Kazuma Sumi, Kazusada Higuchi, KO-D Tag Team Championship, Korakuen Hall, Makoto Oishi, MAO, Masahiro Takanashi, Minoru Fujita, MJ Paul, Naruki Doi, Nick Wayne, Pheromones, Rukiya, Ryota Nakatsu, Saki Akai, Sanshiro Takagi, Shota, Shunma Katsumata, Soma Takao, Takeshi Masada, Tetsuya Endo, The 37KAMIINA, Toru Owashi, Toy Kojima (Toi Kojima), Yoshihiko, Yuji Hino, Yuki Iino, Yuki Ishida, Yuki Ueno, Yukio Naya, Yukio Sakaguchi, Yuni, Yusuke Okada, Yuya Koroku | Permalink
Posted by JamieOD

DDT “WHAT ARE YOU DOING 2023 TOUR IN OSAKA” Results

June 10, 2023

DDT “WHAT ARE YOU DOING 2023 TOUR IN OSAKA”, 10/06/2023
Osaka Suminoe Maikon Hall
190 Fans

1. 2 Vs 1 Handicap Match: Akito defeated Yuki “Sexy” Iino & Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno when Akito pinned Iino with a Back Kangaroo Clutch (6:20).
2. Yukio Sakaguchi, Saki Akai & Hideki Okatani defeated Sanshiro Takagi, Makoto Oishi & Rukiya when Okatani pinned Rukiya with a Northern Lights Suplex (12:13).
3. Yuki Ueno defeated Kazuma Sumi with a Frog Splash (10:28).
4. Tetsuya Endo & Jun Akiyama defeated Yusuke Okada & Yuya Koroku when Endo pinned Koroku with the Rotating Torture Rack Bomb (11:59).
5. Special Tag Match: Toru Owashi & “brother” YASSHI defeated Naruki Doi & Kazuki Hirata when YASSHI pinned Hirata with the Flying Big Head (11:23).
6. DAMNATION T.A Vs The 37KAMIINA!: Daisuke Sasaki & MJ Paul defeated MAO & Toy Kojima when Paul pinned Kojima with the Death Valley Bomb (13:56).
7. Maikon no Kohara Presents Special Tag Match: Yuji Hino & HARASHIMA defeated Kazusada Higuchi & Takeshi Masada when Hino pinned Masada with the Fuckin’ BOMB (17:05).

Yuji Hino had some harsh words for the missing Chris Brookes after the main event, accusing him of not being strong because he dislocated his shoulder. Kazusada Higuchi and HARASHIMA disagreed and both defended Brookes for being absent. Higuchi told Hino that Brookes will take the KO-D Openweight Title from him and HARASHIMA said Brookes never disappoints the fans. Their opinions made Hino realise that he himself is busy fighting and getting hurt while his challenger is currently resting. Could Hino be going into his big KO-D Title defence at a disadvantage?

DAMNATION T.A are getting annoyed by Toy Kojima’s persistence. No matter how much of a beating they give him in and outside the ring he still tries to fight them. After today’s match Sasaki decided he’s now going to try and break Kojima before 25th June so the vacant KO-D Tag Team Titles match will be turned into a 2 Vs 1 Handicap bout! If Sasaki & MJ Paul get their way, Kojima will never get to stand inside Korakuen Hall ever again!

Speaking of persistence. Kazuki Hirata said he was in great shape today and still got beaten up by Toru Owashi & “brother” YASSHI. Their match also featured Naruki Doi, making it heavily Toryumon flavored. After the match Doi told the fans that the “Dragon” genes are scattered throughout various wrestling promotions.

Hirata claims he is preparing something crazy if he gets to choose the stipulation for the DDT Extreme Title match against MAO. All he said is it will be something outrageous. Meanwhile MAO once again threatened to kick Hirata to death.

The odds were against Akito today but he pulled off the upset by beating Pheromones in a Handicap Match! He was originally supposed to have a team of his own outnumbering Yuki Iino & Danshoku Dieno but changes due to illnesses left Akito having to fight them by himself. Pheromones did their usual acts of humiliation but Akito countered the Cross Ass Sexy Lock Ass into a Kangaroo Clutch to pin Iino for the three count. Akito said DDT is wondering if he really is serious in trying to take down Pheromones? He’ll show the company he is by beating them and forcing them to disband on 23rd July in Sumo Hall!

Saki Akai was given an award by the president of the show’s sponsor Maikon no Kohara. The prize for the award was a year’s worth of Maikon NMN vitamins.

Comments Off on DDT “WHAT ARE YOU DOING 2023 TOUR IN OSAKA” Results | Results | Tagged: "brother" YASSHI, Akito, Chris Brookes, Daisuke Sasaki, DAMNATION T.A, Danshoku Dieno, DDT Pro Wrestling, Dramatic Dream Team, HARASHIMA, Kazuki Hirata, Kazusada Higuchi, MAO, MJ Paul, Naruki Doi, Osaka Suminoe Maikon Hall, Pheromones, Saki Akai, Toru Owashi, Toy Kojima (Toi Kojima), Yuji Hino, Yuki Iino | Permalink
Posted by JamieOD

DDT “DDT YOKOHAMA UNLIMITED VOL. 3” Results

June 3, 2023

DDT “DDT YOKOHAMA UNLIMITED VOL. 3”, 03/06/2023
Yokohama Radiant Hall
189 Fans – No Vacancy

1. Yuya Koroku defeated Kazuma Sumi with a Running Elbow Butt (6:20).
2. Yuki “Sexy” Iino & Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno defeated Antonio Honda & Rukiya when Iino submitted Honda with the Cross Ass Sexy Lock Ass (8:56).
3. Yukio Sakaguchi & Hideki Okatani defeated Yusuke Okada & Yuki Ishida when Okatani pinned Ishida with the Double Arm Suplex (9:21).
4. Sanshiro Takagi & Akito defeated Yuki Ueno & Yuni when Takashi submitted Yuni with a Texas Cloverleaf (9:05).
5. Special Tag Match: MAO & Mei Suruga defeated Toru Owashi & Kazuki Hirata when Suruga pinned Hirata after the Houkiboshi (11:49).
6. Toy Kojima defeated Daisuke Sasaki (w/ MJ Paul) by Disqualification when Sasaki attacked Kojima with a Chair (8:25).
7. Tetsuya Endo & Jun Akiyama defeated HARASHIMA & Soma Takao when Endo pinned Takao with the Burning Star Press (11:03).
8. Special Tag Match: Yuji Hino & Makoto Oishi defeated Kazusada Higuchi & Takeshi Masada when Hino submitted Masada with the King Kong Sleeper (14:20).

The show began with Chris Brookes greeting the fans and announcing his dislocate shoulder turned out not to be a serious injury. His recovery is on track and he will return to action on 7th July. However Masahiro Takanashi pulled out of the show at the last minute with a fever. In the main event Yuji Hino submitted Takanashi’s replacement Takeshi Masada and then blamed Brookes for having to get chopped by Kazusada Higuchi today! Hino also admitted he hurt his own back last week so they should agree to give each other time to recover. He is really looking forward to their KO-D Openweight Title match so he wants himself and Brookes to be healthy for it. Brookes said he is frustrated he couldn’t wrestle today and currently has no confidence until he returns on 7th July.

Daisuke Sasaki & MJ Paul kept attacking Toy Kojima with chairs, causing Sasaki to get Disqualified. After arguing with the referee over the result, Sasaki then declared that he & Paul will be the other team facing Kojima & Yuki Ueno for the vacant KO-D Tag Team Titles on 25th June. In fact, Sasaki thinks it is guaranteed DAMNATION T.A will win the titles so 25th June will be more like a title presentation ceremony. Kojima stood up to Sasaki and told him he is prepared to fight for Shunma Katsumata. No amount of cheating will stop Kojima from beating Sasaki for the belts! Backstage Sasaki warned that when DAMNATION T.A win the titles they will turn the belts even more red by dying them with human blood!

Upcoming DDT Extreme Title opponents MAO and Kazuki Hirata faced off in a preview tag match with Mei Suruga and Toru Owashi also involved. MAO & Suruga’s trickery along with Owashi’s insistence to side with them against Hirata made the match feel more like a 3 Vs 1 Handicap bout. Suruga countered the Hirata GO! glasses with her own pair of apple shaped glasses and then used the Houkiboshi double pin with MAO to beat Hirata. After the match MAO & Suruga admitted it was probably a mistake to bring their tag team to DDT but at least they now have a good win rate here. MAO also threatened to kick Hirata to death in order to win the Extreme Title. However Hirata said he is always ready to be kicked to death!

Sanshiro Takagi & Akito were both impressed with Yuni’s performance in their tag match. If Yuni keeps showing the kind of toughness and fearlessness he had today then they think he will be successful. Meanwhile Yuni said he now wants to have a singles match against Takagi.

Comments Off on DDT “DDT YOKOHAMA UNLIMITED VOL. 3” Results | Results | Tagged: Akito, Chris Brookes, Daisuke Sasaki, DAMNATION T.A, DDT Pro Wrestling, Dramatic Dream Team, Kazuki Hirata, Kazusada Higuchi, KO-D Tag Team Championship, MAO, Masahiro Takanashi, Mei Suruga, MJ Paul, Sanshiro Takagi, Takeshi Masada, The 37KAMIINA, Toru Owashi, Toy Kojima (Toi Kojima), Yokohama Radiant Hall, Yuji Hino, Yuki Ueno, Yuni | Permalink
Posted by JamieOD

DDT “KING OF DDT 2023 FINAL!!” Results

May 21, 2023

DDT “KING OF DDT 2023 FINAL!!”, 21/05/2023
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
677 Fans

0. Dark Match: Yuki “Sexy” Iino, Danshoku “Dandy” Dieno & Yumehito “Fantastic” Imanari defeated Akito, Yusuke Okada & Rukiya by TKO when Iino used the Radio Taiso Exercise on Rukiya (6:01).
0. Dark Match: Yukio Sakaguchi, Saki Akai, Soma Takao, Yuni & Yuki Ishida defeated Toru Owashi, Makoto Oishi, Antonio Honda, Kazuki Hirata & Kazuma Sumi when Akai pinned Hirata with the Quetzalcoatl (7:39).
1. King Of DDT 2023 – Semi Final: Kazusada Higuchi defeated Yuki Ueno with the Brain Claw Slam (10:57).
2. King Of DDT 2023 – Semi Final: Chris Brookes defeated Jun Akiyama with the Praying Mantis Bomb (11:20).
3. BURNING Vs DAMNATION T.A!: Tetsuya Endo & Kotaro Suzuki defeated Daisuke Sasaki & MJ Paul when Endo pinned Paul with the Burning Star Press (11:02).
4. Special 8-Man Tag Match: Yuji Hino, Sanshiro Takagi, HARASHIMA & Naruki Doi defeated MAO, Toy Kojima, Yuya Koroku & Takeshi Masada when Hino submitted Koroku with the King Ghidorah Sleeper (10:32).
5. DDT Extreme Title – Piercing Death Match: Shunma Katsumata (c) defeated Hideki Okatani with an Inside Cradle (12:02).
*V1 for Shunma Katsumata.
6. King Of DDT 2023 – Final: Chris Brookes defeated Kazusada Higuchi with the Ground Octopus Stretch (24:28).

Four years ago an English wrestler from the independents named Chris Brookes came to DDT. He took to Japan’s wrestling scene like a duck to water, ticking off a hardcore puroresu bucket list of things to do that isn’t just wrestle in Korakuen Hall and getting a Ribera Steakhouse jacket. What was supposed to be a year long visit to Japan became a four year stay, partly due to the pandemic, but that only helped his career grow. He ingrained himself into Japan’s wrestling scene from as many corners as he could whether it was for DDT, Gatoh Move or somewhere else. Today that four year journey reached its highest point for now because Brookes is the winner of this year’s King Of DDT tournament!

Brookes earned his victory by beating last year’s winner Kazusada Higuchi in the final. Higuchi kicked out of the Praying Mantis Bomb and used the Brain Claw to set up an Exploder Suplex. That almost resulted in a double KO countout but both men got up at 9. Higuchi did the Doctor Bomb but Brookes kicked out at two. Higuchi provoked Brookes into Headbutting him several times and then fired back with one of his own. But when Higuchi charged in to do the Buchikamashi, Brookes jumped onto him and latched on the Octopus Stretch. The move took Higuchi off his feet and Brookes kept finding ways to twist him until Higuchi finally gave up.

Brookes shook hands with Higuchi after the match and was presented with the trophy. He then celebrated with his cornermen Masahiro Takanashi, Drew Parker and Antonio Honda. Brookes told the fans he was able to win because of their cheers. But his “Dramatic Dream” is not over yet because Brookes is now setting his sights on the KO-D Openweight Title! Backstage he told the reporters that it was not a hard decision to stay in Japan during the pandemic because his friends and family are with DDT and he will always be a part of the company. He beat HARASHIMA, Sanshiro Takagi, Jun Akiyama and Higuchi to win this tournament so he isn’t intimidated with fighting Yuji Hino for the KO-D Title. Higuchi praised Brookes for his persistence and tenacity. He credits that as the difference maker today.

The DDT Extreme Title was on the line in a Piercing Death Match. It was a No DQ match featuring nothing but sharp weapons for Shunma Katsumata and Hideki Okatani to stab each other with. Okatani purposely dyed his hair blonde for the match so he could cover it in Katsumata’s blood! An extra stipulation was added where piercing your opponent’s ear three times was a valid way to win the match. That wasn’t needed in the end although both men did get their ears stapled a lot. Okatani had his back rolled over a pile of thumbtacks while Katsumata was pushed through a barbed wire board. However Katsumata got away with the win thanks to an Inside Cradle.

Afterwards Katsumata said he always thought Okatani had what it takes to do hardcore and death match wrestling. He wants to do a rematch some day. Okatani agreed because he had fun doing his first death match. Katsumata then suggested when Atsushi Onita comes back to DDT on 1st July, they can get him involved too for a tag team match. However when Yukio Sakaguchi heard about the idea backstage he got angry over hearing Onita’s name.

Before Hino knew who his next challenger was going to be, he led his squad to victory in an 8-Man Tag Match. It was a rocky start with MAO’s team setting up a Kongo style train of Elbow Drops onto Takagi. Takeshi Masada attacked Takagi, complaining to his boss that he wants to travel to shows on the bullet train. Takagi ordered him while fighting back to take the bus instead because he’s too immature. Naruki Doi also got more annoyed at his younger opponents as the match progressed. Hino sorted that problem out, hitting both Yuya Koroku and Toy Kojima with his big Chops. Kojima withstood the Chops as best as he could until Hino held both him and Koroku in a Double Dragon Sleeper for the win. When Hino does the move to one person it’s called the King Kong Sleeper. But when he does it to two people at the same time it’s called the King Ghidorah Sleeper!

Tetsuya Endo faced his past in the BURNING Vs DAMNATION T.A tag match. Daisuke Sasaki attacked him before the bell and took a moment to look at the DDT Universal Title. Endo fought back and had help from Kotaro Suzuki against MJ Paul. Suzuki blocked Paul from doing the Reverse Splash and then he along with Endo gave Paul a Power Bomb/Neckbreaker combo. Later Sasaki missed a Diving Clothesline and accidentally hit Paul from behind. That gave Endo the opening to knock Sasaki outside, wipe him out with the Sasuke Special and then climb the turnbuckles to pin Paul with the Burning Star Press.

After the match Endo called for the big announcement over the ex-WWE wrestler coming to DDT soon to be revealed. He doesn’t care who it is but he heard that this person is being paid 30 million yen to come over! A video played revealing the wrestler is Matt Cardona! The man who now calls himself the “Indy God” is going to face Endo for the Universal Title at “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2023” and he is bringing former NXT wrestler Steph De Lander along with him. Endo was not impressed. He expected a big name but this exceeded his expectations in a bad way. He thinks no amount of money or Twitter followers directly relates to how strong a wrestler is. Endo swore he will defend the Universal Title, take Cardona’s Twitter followers and also take the 30 million yen! Endo also put out word he is waiting for KANON to come back from injury because he owes him a match. KANON was supposed to be part of today’s tag match but is out of action with a dislocated shoulder.

Brookes had to go through Akiyama in the King Of DDT semi-finals earlier in the show. Akiyama threw his Knee Strikes, Exploder Suplexes and even applied the Front Neck Lock to no success. Brookes recovered some ground by countering another Exploder into a Cradle for a nearfall. Akiyama went for the move again but Brookes cut him off with a Knee Strike of his own and used the Praying Mantis Bomb to get the win out of nowhere. Akiyama said afterwards he has to get back into the swing of things otherwise he will wind up like the NOAH Health Club. That is a nickname he gave to Jun Izumida, Masao Inoue and Kishin Kawabata back in 2004 for their lackadaisical efforts in training at the time.

Higuchi’s path to the final saw him go through Yuki Ueno in a rematch of their KO-D Title bout from last December. The two know each other well by this point and had counters for each other’s signature moves. Ueno just couldn’t go through with the WR and was stunned with a Headbutt. Higuchi ran him over with a Lariat and finished him off with the Brain Claw Slam. Ueno told the reporters that results like this should prove he is not good enough. But he beat Naruki Doi and Kotaro Suzuki to get to this point so giving up now would only be disrespectful to them. So Ueno will not stop fighting until he makes it to the top of DDT!

The final rounds of the tournament taking up so much of the main card resulted in a lot of the roster being relegated to the dark matches. A 10-Man Tag featured the usual mix. Kazuki Hirata was briefly abandoned by the rest of his side, leaving him alone in the ring with Sakaguchi. That led to a train attack on Hirata until he was able to tag in Toru Owashi. Then Yuni gave Makoto Oishi a top rope Frankensteiner and got a two count that was broken up by Kazuma Sumi. A circle of split leg submissions formed in the ring with Honda and Yuki Ishida both being left out so they joined together in the center of the circle for a Gongitsune spot. The spot went out of control with Honda striking everybody until he and Ishida started pinching each other’s nipples. Hirata broke it up with his dance but that got intercepted by an attack from Sakaguchi. Saki Akai then joined in wearing the Hirata GO! glasses and pinned Hirata with the Quetzalcoatl.

The pre-show began in the morning time so Pheromones had an idea in mind to wake everyone up. They started playing exercise music from a morning TV show midway through the match so they could do lewd looking exercises while fighting off the opposition. Akito & Yusuke Okada both had their attempts to stop the workout fail, leaving Rukiya to take the worst of it. The exercises Pheromones did to him rendered him unconscious so the match ended by TKO.

When the show had ended and Korakuen started clearing out, Daisuke Sasaki urgently called for the media to meet him in the waiting room backstage. There he told them he was waiting for El Desperado to show up because New Japan were running the next event in Korakuen later in the evening. He claimed he only wanted to meet with Desperado and take a picture together to promote their match at “WRESTLE PETER PAN 2023”. However the venue staff started to complain and told Sasaki to leave so they could clean the place up before New Japan arrived. Management then approached Sasaki telling him to leave and he tried to pay them 1,000 yen and then promised that Sanshiro Takagi will pay for an extension fee. He finally gave up and left when the staff started pushing him out of the room with their mops.

The Yuki Ueno & Yuni Vs Nick Wayne & Takeshi Masada that was meant to take place in Yokohama Budokan earlier this month is now happening at Yokohama Radiant Hall on 1st July. Yuni backstage said he is very excited and wil be waiting for Wayne right here in DDT.

Fighting Beer Garden 2023 will be held at Ueno Park on 16th and 29th August. For the first time in four years it will be a full fledged drinking show for the fans like it used to be.

Starting on 23rd May DDT will be doing a free ticket campaign for preschool, elementary school and junior high school students at all of their shows. The plan was originally going to be for just preschoolers but DDT decided to include other students due to Yuki Ueno’s recent appearances on the NHK show Tensai TV-kun.

ShunMao’s next KO-D Tag Team Titles defence was announced to take place at Korakuen on 25th June.

Comments Off on DDT “KING OF DDT 2023 FINAL!!” Results | Results, Tournaments | Tagged: Akito, Antonio Honda, Atsushi Onita, BURNING, Chris Brookes, Daisuke Sasaki, DAMNATION T.A, Danshoku Dieno, DDT Extreme Championship, DDT Pro Wrestling, DDT Universal Championship, Dramatic Dream Team, Drew Parker, El Desperado, Fighting Beer Garden, HARASHIMA, Hideki Okatani, Jun Akiyama, KANON, Kazuki Hirata, Kazuma Sumi, Kazusada Higuchi, King Of DDT, KO-D Tag Team Championship, Korakuen Hall, Kotaro Suzuki, Makoto Oishi, MAO, Masahiro Takanashi, Matt Cardona, MJ Paul, Naruki Doi, Nick Wayne, Pheromones, Rukiya, Saki Akai, Sanshiro Takagi, Shunma Katsumata, ShunMao, Soma Takao, Steph De Lander, Takeshi Masada, Tetsuya Endo, Toru Owashi, Toy Kojima (Toi Kojima), Yuji Hino, Yuki Iino, Yuki Ishida, Yuki Ueno, Yukio Sakaguchi, Yumehito Imanari, Yuni, Yusuke Okada, Yuya Koroku | Permalink
Posted by JamieOD

Dramatic DDT