Dramatic DDT

DDT “FRIENDSHIP, EFFORT, VICTORY IN NAGOYA 2024”, 08/09/2024
Nagoya International Conference Center Event Hall
781 Fans – No Vacancy

1. Keigo Nakamura & Yuki Ishida defeated Takeshi Masada & Ilusion when Nakamura pinned Ilusion with the Running Diving Headbutt (8:15).
2. Chris Brookes & Antonio Honda defeated Toru Owashi & Kazuki Hirata when Honda pinned Hirata with a Jackknife Pin (9:22).
3. Daisuke Sasaki, KANON & MJ Paul defeated Yuki Iino, Yuya Koroku & Kazuma Sumi when Paul pinned Sumi with the Reverse Splash (10:34).
4. Jun Akiyama, Makoto Oishi & Akito defeated Yuki Ueno, Shunma Katsumata & To-y when Akito pinned Katsumata with a Cradle (9:51).
*Akito wins Shunma Katsumata’s Right To Challenge Anytime, Anywhere Shield.
5. Special Single Match: Yukio Naya defeated Ryuichi “Fire” Kawakami with The World’s Best Back Drop (14:46).
6. Special 6-Man Tag Match: Kota Ibushi, Shuji Ishikawa & Danshoku Dieno defeated HARASHIMA, Yasu Urano & Michael Nakazawa when Ibushi pinned Nakazawa with the Kamigoye (12:31).
7. DDT Universal Title: MAO (c) defeated Fuminori Abe with the Iai Kick (16:58).
*V11 for MAO.
-. DDT Universal Title: Yuki Iino defeated MAO (c) with the Spear (1:10).
*MAO fails in V12. Yuki Iino cashes in his Right To Challenge Anytime, Anywhere Shield. Yuki Iino becomes the 13th DDT Universal Champion!
8. KO-D Openweight Title: Shinya Aoki (c) defeated Tetsuya Endo by Referee Stoppage with the Sleeper Hold (19:04).
*V1 for Shinya Aoki.

It’s been a weird story getting to today’s main event. From the moment when Shinya Aoki won the KO-D Openweight Title and Tetsuya Endo was the first person to challenge him, the buildup to their match centered around Endo’s knockout at the hands of Katsuhiko Nakajima two years ago. Endo was the KO-D Champion back then and the injury he suffered from that knockout caused him to vacate the title. The aftermath of that incident saw DDT going into disarray as they scrambled to crown a new ace in order to redirect the ship and deal with the damage dealt to their reputation. Fast forward to now and Aoki as the champion took it upon himself to suggest he would get revenge on Nakajima for disgracing the title because nobody else in DDT would. Endo took exception to that because it should be up to himself to climb back up to the top and eventually face Nakajima again. With Nakajima becoming such a focal point of the match’s marketing, Aoki suddenly changed his tune right in the final days heading into the show. Apparantely this was all done by Aoki to motivate Endo into overcoming his recent past and move on from Nakajima to become a strong wrestler again.

During the match itself Aoki went with different pins and submission holds to keep Endo grounded. In fact Aoki was the first one to go high risk by hitting a Topé Suicida. He was a difficult fighter for Endo to shake off. Endo tried Suplexing him to counter a Front Neck Lock but Aoki wouldn’t let go of the hold so Endo needed to do a Superplex to break it up. Later Aoki grabbed Endo in a Sleeper Hold and held on tight even after they both tumbled out of the ring. Endo finally freed himself and got to fight his way by hitting the Sasuke Special. Things were mostly going his way until he went up top for the Burning Star Press only for Aoki to chase up to him and do a Frankensteiner from the top rope! Endo scrambled out of the Manjigatame but Aoki trapped him in the Sleeper Hold again and kept on squeezing until Endo fainted. The match was stopped and Aoki won in his first KO-D Title defence.

Aoki didn’t have much to say to close out the show. His message to the outside world is everyone in DDT is strong. He wants everyone in DDT to hear and understand that too because they should have more confidence in themselves. Endo then bowed to him and Aoki did the same in return. Backstage Aoki said the strength Endo showed today is not just because he climbed back up from the bottom. He believes it’s because Endo is also strong as a person. Just because his body gave up today does not mean his spirit did too. Aoki wants the DDT wrestlers to have more confidence so they can all together make the KO-D Title more stronger, more interesting and more fun. Endo said he lost to Aoki today but he didn’t lose to himself. He spent the last few weeks facing his own past and came out of this match feeling positive. He is not going to run away from himself like he did after Nakajima knocked him out. Endo now feels invigorated and wants to beat Aoki so he can stand at the top of DDT again as the KO-D Champion!

Fuminori Abe had an embarrassing moment yesterday when he threw up in the ring after getting kicked in the stomach. He tried to act like it wasn’t a big deal and threatened to eat katsudon before today’s match in an attempt to recreate the moment. Thankfully he came to his senses and instead ate a pre-match meal that was easier on his stomach. It was proven to be the right decision when MAO kicked him in the stomach again and Abe signalled to everyone afterwards that he was safe. The match went on without incident and MAO went on to successfully defend the DDT Universal Title, beating Abe with the Iai Kick. Abe was still happy with how the match went. He didn’t puke this time and he also discovered a wrestler from his generation who knows how to excite him.

MAO’s celebration was short lived though because Yuki Iino charged into the ring and took him down with the Spear. He then cashed in his Right To Challenge Shield to get a Universal Title shot right away! MAO tried to create some distance by using the Michinoku Driver to slow down Iino. But Iino got back up and caught MAO with another Spear right as MAO was rebounding off the ropes. Iino hit one more Spear to get the pinfall and become the new Universal Champion! Iino continued ranting and pacing around the ring before calling out Yukio Naya to come down to the ring. He wants to settle the score with Naya over who is the best heavyweight in DDT and can now put the Universal Title on the line for the winner to claim. The challenge was accepted and will take place in Korakuen Hall on 29th September.

Match #6 was just like old times for the DDT that existed over a decade ago. Kota Ibushi continued his series of returns to DDT, HARASHIMA and Shuji Ishikawa were striking each other back and forth, Danshoku Dieno was being lewd as always, Yasu Urano existed and Michael Nakazawa got battered like always. Everyone was happy with how the reunion went except for Nakazawa.

Naya’s war with Ryuichi “Fire” Kawakami seems to be over after Naya scored a definitive victory over his enemy. They had a hard hitting back and forth match until DAMNATION T.A caused a distraction. Kawakami then hit Naya with a chair and gave him the Thunder Fire Power Bomb but Naya kicked out. Keigo Nakamura blocked Kawakami from going for another chair attack allowing Naya to strike the chair into his opponent’s face. Daisuke Sasaki tried to interfere but Naya threw him aside, hit Kawakami with a Knee Lift and then pinned him with The World’s Best Back Drop. Naya ended up admitting that Kawakami is a great wrestler. When Naya eventually becomes the KO-D Champion he expects there will be many wrestlers who will want to challenge him. Naya said he will beat all of them and that includes Kawakami in a rematch! Kawakami thinks Naya got lucky and can only beat him once out of a hundred times. His advice to Naya is to keep training and getting stronger until the next time they have another match.

Akito got a pinfall win over Shunma Katsumata out of nowhere to take his Right To Challenge Shield. Katsumata landed the Totonou Splash on Akito but the pinfall was then reversed for the sudden turnabout result. Afterwards Akito challenged Katsumata for the DDT Extreme Title but was not cashing in his Shield to do it. He has other plans for the Shield and this is just him making the challenge because he pinned the champion. He then requested his title bout against Katsumata be the return of the IPPON Lighttube Death Match! Hisaya Imabayashi was about to confirm the challenge when Akito interrupted him with one more twist. The title will be on the line in a Tag Team IPPON Lighttube Death Match and if Akito’s team wins then Akito becomes the champion no matter who breaks the lighttube! That also means if Katsumata’s team wins then it will count as a successful defence for Katsumata no matter who broke the lighttube. The two agreed to the stipulation and it will take place at the 29th September Korakuen show. Katsumata and Akito also said they will reveal who their tag partners will be tomorrow.