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Q&A w/ KANON on DDT, Strange Love Connection, KO-D Tag Titles, Damnation T.A, Life + More!

4 days ago Vertical Bison | MP

Vertical Bison | MP

Q&A w/ KANON on DDT, Strange Love Connection, KO-D Tag Titles, Damnation T.A, Life + More!

By: Pep S. Caro

DDT Pro Wrestling has been running its autumm programming in Japan and will host a new edition of BE AMBITIOUS in November. The 2025 edition of the event includes many title matches on November 30 at Korakuen Hall. One of the matches confirmed is a showdown between Strange Love Connection (c) and Damnation T.A for the KO-D Tag Team Championship.

I had the opportunity to interview KANON, one half of DDT’s KO-D Tag Team Champions, before their next title defense. The topics covered include his beginnings in wrestling, JTO, DDT, Damnation T.A, winning Championships, Strange Love Connection, Kazusada Higuchi, his personal life, and much more.

Monthly Puroresu: Let’s start from the beginning of your story. Why did you decide to become a professional wrestler?

KANON: It’s actually been very long ago for me. For a lot of Japanese wrestlers, they used to watch wrestling when they were kids. But, for me, it was during my university days, I was watching a Dragon Gate show late at night and then I thought it was really interesting. I think because of that, I got the idea and I wanted to become a wrestler.

Monthly Puroresu: Are there any wrestlers you consider role models?

KANON: So, from there, after watching Dragon Gate, I started to watch New Japan Pro Wrestling. The person who really influenced me as a wrestler is currently in AEW: Katsuyori Shibata. His fighting style is very intense, very, very strong. I really want to do that kind of wrestling. He’s the wrestler that really influenced me.

Monthly Puroresu: In the first part of your career, you competed in JTO, an organization led by Taka Michinoku. What do you consider was the most important thing you learned there? What does the organization mean to you?

KANON: JTO is a place where they do a lot of stuff with the submission style. And I’m one of the first generation trainees in JTO. So, for all their shows, we were told to finish all that matches with a submission move.

One thing I learned that was important for me in JTO was that every move that I do in the ring is important. So, for example, if we see how a lot of modern wrestling works, they do one move, they link it to another move, and then they link it to another move. It’s like very, very fast pace, right? So instead of that, I was told that I have to take pride in doing each and every individual move I do in the ring. Whether it’s my finishing move or my signature moves, I was told to take pride in each and every one of them.

JTO was my home, it’s my origin in pro wrestling. They were the company that gave me my first steps into the industry.

Don’t worry, I won’t let it out. I’m going to play a game that’s relationship between the two of us. I think it’s a good idea to have this kind of relationship between the two of us.

Monthly Puroresu: You are part of DDT. What does the organization mean to you? What does it mean to you to represent DDT in other organizations?

KANON: It’s been around 3 years since I joined DDT. It might be a lot of time or maybe not but there’s still things that I’m learning in DDT. And there’s a lot of different things that we can see. You can see a comedy match, a straightforward hard hitting match, a unique match.

DDT right now is giving my place to be in the wrestling industry. I think I’m still evolving because there’s always a lot of excitement that’s happening in DDT.  Right now, to be a member of the DDT roster, you cannot just be strong. You have to be able to do anything. You have to be very flexible to be in DDT.

Monthly Puroresu: Even though you are no longer part of DAMNATION T.A., it was an important part of your DDT career. Why did you decide to join this unit? What do you consider to be the most important thing you learned there?

KANON: When I joined DDT, I felt like strength was everything. And the easiest path to get there was to be under the learning tree of Daisuke Sasaki. So, that’s why I chose Damnation T.A. Even though, there were a little bit of a low blows, a bit of cheating, a bit of illegal stuff. But I really learned there. I really had a good experience learning there. So, in joining Damnation, I felt that I basically wanted to become stronger.

And after joining Damnation and obviously being removed from Damnation, I felt like just becoming strong is a very small view of what it means to be a wrestler.

Monthly Puroresu: As part of DAMNATION T.A., you won the KO-D Six Man Tag Team Championships alongside Daisuke Sasaki and MJ Paul. What did winning your first title in DDT mean to you? What was the experience of that first reign like?

KANON: When I became a six-man tag champion, I won a few times, lost a few times as well. And I believe that we actually re-recorded the longest record of KO-D six-man tag defenses as well. So, it really gave me confidence. It’s the same for us winning the KO-D tag championships with Minoru Fujita.

Monthly Puroresu: You would later win the titles two more times with them. How do you see the difference between your third reign and your first?

KANON: I don’t really feel there was much difference in the first time and the third time round, but, compared to the first time, which was three years ago, and then the third time, which was much more recent, I felt like Damnation was in a stronger position at the third time round.

Monthly Puroresu: You also won the KO-D Tag Team Championships first with Minoru Fujita and then with Sasaki. What did winning this championship mean to you? How do you see the difference between the two reigns?

KANON: The first time around, we won (with Fujita) beating Omega, the team of Makoto Oishi, and Yuji Hino. I was very happy to win it.

I was expecting like, I’m gonna defend this belt many, many times, but we lost it to Romance Dawn without a single successful defense. I was a little bit disappointed, and then he managed to get the belt back from Romance Dawn with Sasaki. And then once again, zero defenses. So, I don’t really have very good memories with the KO-D Tag Team titles.

Monthly Puroresu: This year you were expelled from DAMNATION T.A. and joined MAO, forming Strange Love Connection. What does this faction mean to you? What is your relationship with MAO like now?

KANON: After being expelled from Damnation, we formed Strange Love Connection. The original goal was just to really enjoy ourselves as a unit. When people form units, like The37Kamiina or Burning and others, they normally have the same goals before they form the unit already. But this time, we didn’t really have similar or the same goals. On the other end, we have unlimited potential because anything can possibly happen with this tag team or unit. So, it felt like it really suits me better.

MAO and I have the same age. But MAO has maybe double the length of my career. But right now, I’m just like playing to MAO’s whims and MAO is just like stringing me all along.

Monthly Puroresu: You reached the finals of the King of DDT 2025 tournament, but unfortunately lost to Kazusada Higuchi. What were your feelings about this match? What are your impressions of Higuchi as a competitor?

KANON: I really enjoyed that match in particular among this whole year because like I said earlier when I watched New Japan Pro Wrestling or Shibata, those were very intense Bachi Bachi style bouts and like the best guy in DDT that would really take in that style is obviously Higuchi.

So, while I was a bit disappointed that I lost the match, during and after the match I felt like “I’m really enjoying myself today”. So, it was one of my most enjoyable matches.

Higuchi is a competitor that is very strong, he’s very tough, he’s physically and mentally tough and he’s like a really big tall giant tree with very firm legs. I definitely want to get revenge one day but man he’s so strong.

Monthly Puroresu: At Ultimate Party 2025, Strange Love Connection (MAO and KANON) defeated The Apex (Yukio Naya and Yuki Iino) and TEAM 200KG (Chihiro Hashimoto and Yuu) to win the KO-D Tag Team Championships. What were your impressions of this match? What do you think of them as competitors?

KANON: Team 200 KG, they have been tagging for quite a couple of years now. The combinations, they know how to get the crowd going. Obviously, Chihiro Hashimoto and Yuu, they have this way where they can just bring the entire audience to their whims. They really know how to take the crowd to their favor.

And the Apex, they’ve been defending the belt since before the summer. They had like multiple defenses in DDT. And I think one of the goals or the thing that people need to work with is looking to have long reigns with the KO-D Tag Team Championships. And you can see that the Apex did have many defenses. Like five or six times defending the belts. And every time they defended the belts, they just kept getting stronger and stronger. So, being big in the industry is obviously a strength, but the Apex really made it their strength and then added some more.

Monthly Puroresu: At BE AMBITIOUS, Strange Love Connection will defend the titles against Sasaki and Hideki Okatani of DAMNATION T.A. What are your expectations for this match? How has the preparation been to face opponents you know so well and who are part of your history in DDT?

KANON: Sasaki and Okatani, they are definitely two opponents with whom I have history. Very good and very bad history. And I feel that I might not be able to control my emotions going to the match because, they beat him up many, many times. They also beat Kimihiro as well, like just last week before the defense. So how much can I control myself during the match is also a key to the match.

And one more thing is, when you face against Damnation, you’re not just fighting the guys in the ring, obviously, because they’re always waiting outside the ring. I’m sure Illusion and MJ Paul, they’re all just waiting to get into the match and mess with us. So, I definitely want to make sure that I have a way to keep them in check.

And for me, obviously, to continue our reign as the KO-D (Tag Team) Champions, I definitely want to get this Damnation issue out of the way first.

Monthly Puroresu: We’d like to know a little about KANON. Could you tell us about your hobbies?

KANON: I love to watch anime and support idols.

Monthly Puroresu: Could you please tell us some idol groups that you support and animes that you watch?

KANON: Idols would be Fruits Zipper and =LOVE. And about animes Tougen Anki: Legend of the Cursed Blood, SANDA and SpyXFamily.

Monthly Puroresu: When you don’t have a match or a show to participate in, what’s a typical day like for you?

KANON: So, it’s a very, very simple process. A regular day would be go to the gym, watch some anime, buy some stuff. And that’s it.

Monthly Puroresu: We’re nearing the end of 2025. What are your goals for 2026?

KANON: My goal is to bring a Strange Love Connection to more fans in DDT, to more fans outside of DDT. And now that I’m free from the shackles of Damnation T.A, I want to show everybody what Kanon can do as a singles competitor, as well as a tag wrestler. So, obviously, I myself want to get better from there.

And obviously, win singles gold. And obviously, singles gold means the KO-D Openweight Championship.

Monthly Puroresu: You’ve competed abroad a few times already. Also, your current teammate is one of the most internationally experienced DDT fighters. Would you like to compete abroad again?

KANON: I’ve been to two American shows, so international fans have seen me in America twice as well. So obviously, if I have another opportunity, I would love to, you know, wrestle in America again, because the vibes in the arena is different, it’s a very interesting space, so he would love to go back to America again.

Monthly Puroresu: Thank you for participating in this interview. To wrap up, do you have a message for your fans and DDT fans?

KANON: This is KANON! Please continue to learn more about KANON of DDT. I’m going to continue to grow bigger and better. So, please keep watching and continue supporting me!

DDT Pro Wrestling presents BE AMBITIOUS 2025 this November 30 at Korakuen Hall. You can watch the stream of the show live on Wrestle UNIVERSE.

We would like to thank Vertical Bison for the Art Direction, Ash Mann for the live interpretation and the DDT Pro Wrestling team for all the facilities provided to conduct this interview.

Date:

November 26, 2025

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