Taiga | Monthly Puroresu
DDT Pro KO-D Openweight Title defended by Yuki Ueno, while Shunma Katsumata won the DDT Extreme Title
By: Thom Fain
After a hard-fought D-Oh Grand Prix in which Yukio Naya came out victorious in an emotional bout vs. Tetsuya Endo, the man who hoisted his glimmering trophy on Jan. 3rd returned to the same venue to claim his shot at the KO-D Openweight Title.
Although the bigger man, Naya fought as the underdog in this particular bout, a match months in the making. Yuki Ueno sounded confident in the build and determined to prove that he was out of Naya’s league. For his part, the challenger had much more to prove than the spectacular champ whose ballet of maneuvers and his fighting spirit are as awe-inspiring as anyone wrestling in Japan today.
The match didn’t disappoint – the pair traded high risk maneuvers, suplexes, counters and submission holds until both men were barely able to stand under their own volition. A raucous Korakuen Hall brought them back on their feet time and time again, until it was Ueno with a submission that finally ended the bout as wall-to-wall cheers greeted Ueno’s music to close the show.
Naruki Doi vs. Konosuke Takeshita was a tough act to follow, but the pair pulled it off.
At #ddtpro today @Takesoup told reporters that he’s showing the strength of Japanese wrestling, which is why he fought the veteran Naruki Doi, one of the worldwide recognized best wrestlers to come out of Japan. pic.twitter.com/1ZgqnLQxxC
— Monthly Puroresu (@MonthlyPuroresu) January 28, 2024
Following the main event, President Sanshiro Takagi refused to allow a pleading Danshoku Dieno to challenge Yuki Ueno at Shinjuku FACE at T37K’s Produce show next month. But Ueno insisted he wants to position the Openweight Title as DDT’s premiere belt for fighting champions, forcing Takagi’s hand. The match will take place Feb. 14.
Ueno: Whether its a DDT show, T37K show, Ryogoku Sumo Hall, Korakuen or even Shinjuku FACE. Japan or anywhere in the world. People are interested in DDT. I want to bring DDT everywhere to these people.
I'll say this at the 81st Champion, let me face Dieno!#ddtpro pic.twitter.com/7IyC1sHaYI
— DDT Pro-Wrestling (English) (@ddtproENG) January 28, 2024
Jun Akiyama, Makoto Oishi and Dieno also retained their KO-D 6-man tag team straps in a match I quite frankly have no words for.
EXPLODER SUPLEX!#ddtpro pic.twitter.com/hikYB0GD4s
— DDT Pro-Wrestling (English) (@ddtproENG) January 28, 2024
DDT Extreme Title Changes Hands
The DDT Extreme Title was also on the line in a ridiculous bout that highlighted DDT’s ability to push the boundaries of what pro-wrestling can be – Shunma Katsumata and Kabuki Hirata squared off with stipulations even the NBA All-Star Game committee would be jealous of like a 2-count pinfall and Kojima Challenge with various stipulations set by Toy Kojima.
If the match winner were to fail against Kojima’s challenge, the match would keep going – suffice it to say Hirata got a pinfall victory forcing Kojima to be tickled for and last 30 seconds (he only lasted 15).
After the title match between Katsumata and Hirata continued before the Kojima challenge was to then drink a Coke within 30 seconds – he failed at 10, and the challenge moved to its final phase after Hirata got a pin. The next phase of the Kojima Challenge: Make a pirate stay in a barrel for 10 hits… you can guess how that went.
Shunma got the next pin as the DDT Extreme title match came to a close, and the Kojima Challenge moved to its final phase – get a Kendama ball on a stick within three tries, and to the surprise of everyone at Korakuen he nailed it, making Shunma the newest DDT Extreme champ.
Region Break: From Managers to Translators, Bringing Puro to the West
Chris Brookes Returns from Injury
Chris Brookes and CDK were back in the ring after abdomen surgery put him on the shelf for just over a month following the diagnosis of a malignant tumor. If Brookes had any ring rust it was barely noticeable. Schadenfreude International has built up some hype and it’s by no accident, either; the group’s DIY ethos very much runs through the so-called Baka Gaijin as his starpower grows now going into his 4th year in Japan.
Brookes and DDT are set to return in action on February 4th in Nagano.
All Photos by Taiga for Monthly Puroresu
Date:
January 28, 2024
Category:
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