Peatzilla | MP
By Noah Leatherland
DDT boasts a large array of talent across its roster from exciting prospects to famed legends, zany characters to wrestling purists. Every year, the KING OF DDT tournament pits the full spectrum of talent against each other in a single elimination tournament. For the winner, a shot at the promotion’s top prize, the KO-D Openweight Championship.
With such a valuable reward, the KING OF DDT tournament is an important part of the DDT calendar. Looking back over the years, KING OF DDT tournament winners include marquee members of DDT’s history, including MAO, Chris Brookes, Kazusada Higuchi, Konosuke Takeshita, Kota Ibushi and Kenny Omega. This year, a new name was etched onto the hardware—Shinya Aoki.
Aoki began competing in DDT in 2018, but he has been fighting much longer than that. Aoki had his first MMA bout back in November 2003, and since then has battled in practically every major fighting league, including PRIDE, Strikeforce, Bellator, RIZIN and ONE Championship. Since joining DDT, he has become a heavily decorated member of the roster, holding various tag team championships, the DDT Extreme Title, and even the KO-D Championship.
With the KING OF DDT trophy added to his collection, and a championship match with Yuki Ueno set for June 28th, Monthly Puroresu had the opportunity to interview Aoki.
Photo Credit: DDT Pro Wrestling
Monthly Puroresu:
You have been competing in DDT for several years now. What is it about DDT that appeals to you?
Shinya Aoki:
The appeal of DDT lies in its diversity. There are so many different styles. And above all, it’s the fact that it accepts your own style.
Monthly Puroresu:
Over the past few years, you have also been competing in mixed martial arts in ONE Championship. What is it like to balance your career as a professional wrestler with that of a mixed martial artist?
Shinya Aoki:
Since professional wrestling and mixed martial arts are essentially the same thing, I don’t see them as separate pursuits. I treat them as one and the same.
Monthly Puroresu:
Your fans in the West may also remember your match at Bloodsport back in 2015. Do you have any particular memories of that weekend in Las Vegas?
Shinya Aoki:
Naturally, there are many pro wrestlers who head to America full of hope, and although I went there with high hopes, I felt as though I’d been shown just how high the bar really is—that I still had a long way to go.
Photo Credit: DDT Pro Wrestling
Monthly Puroresu:
This was your third time competing in the KING OF DDT Tournament, and you finally managed to win it. How did you it feel to lift the trophy?
Shinya Aoki:
The greatest feeling of comfort came from having earned the trust and confidence of both the organization and our fans.
Monthly Puroresu:
In this tournament, you faced four opponents who were all completely compete with very different styles; KANON, HARASHIMA, Minoru Suzuki and MAO. You managed to defeat them all. What does that say about your own grappling style?
Shinya Aoki:
I fought four opponents with different styles, but the key to my victory was that I was able to fight in a way that suited my own style. Ideally, I would have liked to have been able to adapt my fighting style to suit each of them.
Photo Credit: DDT Pro Wrestling
Monthly Puroresu:
You now go on to challenge for the KO-D Openweight Championship. This is a title that you have previously held. How do you think you have grown and developed since then?
Shinya Aoki:
Simply put, my horizons have broadened. I think it was good that I was able to keep an open mind about what I was lacking and how to broaden my capabilities.
Monthly Puroresu:
It was Yuki Ueno that you defeated to win the KO-D Openweight Championship back in 2024. Do you think that victory will give you an advantage in the upcoming title match?
Shinya Aoki:
Not at all. Ueno is a completely different person from who he was back then. I’ve changed too. So, it’s simply a case of two entirely different people fighting in the main event at Korakuen Hall in 2026—that’s all.
Photo Credit: DDT Pro Wrestling
Monthly Puroresu:
After you won the KING OF DDT Tournament, Ueno met you in the ring and the two of you spoke very highly of each other. How do you think your mutual respect might affect the title match?
Shinya Aoki:
I think it will make for a much better match. When fighters battle with animosity and hurl insults at each other, it tends to turn into a match where they just wear each other down—a sort of zero-sum game—but I believe this will be a match where both sides come out on top.
Monthly Puroresu:
Thank you very much for your time. Do you have any final words for your fans overseas?
Shinya Aoki:
I don’t often get the chance to compete abroad, but when I do, I’d appreciate your support.
(Answers translated into English via DeepL)
Monthly Puroresu would like to extend our sincere gratitude to DDT Pro Wrestling for facilitating this interview with Shinya Aoki.
Shinya Aoki challenges Yuki Ueno for the KO-D Openweight Championship at DDT KING OF KINGS on June 28th at Korakuen Hall.
Date:
June 18, 2026
