MAO Retains KO-D Openweight Title at DDT Ultimate Party, Yukio Naya Steps Up as Next Challenger

By: Noah Leatherland

DDT hosted Ultimate Party in the Ryogoku Kokugikan, headlined by MAO defending the KO-D Openweight Championship against his longtime friend Chris Brookes. The main event clash was as bizarre and chaotic as promised, with MAO managing to retain and a new challenger stepping up to him backstage.

MAO and Brookes did battle for over half an hour in the Ryogoku Kokugikan. They started as they meant to go on, with MAO moonsaulting of the stage apparatus onto Brookes to kick things off.

The match took them around the arena, with both men getting assists from their allies. Brookes received help from BAKA GAIJIN + FRIENDS, while Strange Love Connection jumped in to even things out for MAO. Zack Sabre Jr. was unmasked as one of the characters assisting Brookes, and Yoshihiko even got involved, acting as referee for a while before ultimately splashing both men through a table.

With some form of order restored, MAO and Brookes continued to battle around the venue. Their outside-the-box and outside-the-ring wrestling led to the climax of the match, with MAO ending up retaining his belt due to countout. MAO held Brookes in an octopus stretch for much of the referee’s count, and managed to dive back into the ring before the 20, with Brookes left on the ramp.

After celebrating with Strange Love Connection and the fans, MAO made his way backstage where he was met by Sanshiro Takagi. However, Takagi did not launch into a challenge this time, letting MAO relax for the time being. Then, Yukio Naya, who defeated Yuki Iino in his farewell match earlier in the night, approached MAO to become his next challenger. MAO accepted, and the all-SLC match has been made for November 29th.

Speaking to the press, MAO looked ahead to the challenge:

I’m proud of myself for making a bit of history by winning by ring-out in the main event of the Ryogoku show—the KO-D Openweight Match. Since it was Chris, I was aiming for this kind of victory. Next up is Yukio Naya. I want to put on a match that only we can deliver.

(Quote translated via DeepL)

MAO wasn’t the only champion to retain at DDT Ultimate Party. Shunma Katsumata managed to retain the DDT Extreme Title against Yuki Ueno in a match where both men were bound together by rope. Katsumata did not have much chance to celebrate before Naomi Yoshimura appeared as the next challenger.

paleyouth retained the KO-D Tag Team Championships against the pair of Hideki Okatani and Ilusion. The youngsters were met after the bell by Sanshiro Takagi, who elected himself as the next challenger, but kept his partner a secret. The partner’s identity will remain a mystery until they make their entrance for the bout on November 29th.

Other marquee matches saw Zack Sabre Jr. and Shinya Aoki put on a grappling display in the semi-main event. The Brit came out as the victor, tangling Aoki up in a hold reported as ‘I’ve Accidentally Run to Windsor’ that forced a submission.

Konosuke Takeshita was back in DDT for a three-way bout against Daisuke Sasaki and Danshoku Dieno. The bout saw various articles of clothing removed, but The Alpha powered through with a Raging Fire on Sasaki to claim the win.

Jun Kasai had a hand in brutalising his own son, Hinata Kasai, as the two faced off.

Despite ending up on the losing end, the younger Kasai spoke from the heart on his love for pro wrestling after the bout:

Dad, hold up. I’ve always love wrestling and wanted to be a wrestler. My dream finally happened but I still trip up here and there. I started to hate wrestling. But today, I will break out of my shell today for the first time in my 22 years life. Who cares about my first win, I’m going to enjoy wrestling. Facing you, Dad, I really love wrestling after all!

(Quote translated via ddtproENG on X)

Yukio Naya gave Yuki Iino his final match in DDT, with both big men going hell for leather to send Iino off properly. Naya took the win with a huge backdrop on Iino, with an emotional farewell seeing Naya in tears as he spoke to reporters backstage:

Iino, thank you. I’ve really enjoyed meeting you, teaming up with you, and wrestling together. I’ll definitely keep the promise I made to you. I’m absolutely going to become the KO-D Openweight Champion. Watch this, Iino—I’m going to do it…!

(Quote translated via DeepL)

Here are the full results for DDT Ultimate Party, courtesy of DramaticDDT.com:

• Shivam & Yuni def. Tomomitsu Matsunaga & Yuki Ishida (7:50)
• HARASHIMA & Naomi Yoshimura def. Jun Akiyama & Masami Inahata (7:29)
• Sanshiro Takagi, Toru Owashi & Kazuki Hirata def. Super Sasadango Machine, Antonio Honda & Akito (8:01)
• Junta Miyawaki & Daichi Sato def. Mansoor & Mason Madden, Soma Takao & Shota and MJ Paul & Demus (8:39)
• Jun Kasai def. Hinata Kasai (11:10)
• DDT Extreme Title: Shunma Katsumata (c) def. Yuki Ueno (16:42)
• To-y & Kaisei Takechi def. KANON & Kumadori (11:30)
• Yukio Naya def. Yuki Iino (17:19)
• KO-D Tag Team Titles: Takeshi Masada & Yuya Koroku (c) def. Hideki Okatani & Ilusion (11:30)
• KONOSUKE TAKESHITA def. Danshoku Dieno and Daisuke Sasaki (17:04)
• Zack Sabre Jr. def. Shinya Aoki (17:27)
• KO-D Openweight Title: MAO (c) def. Chris Brookes (33:42)