Yuki Ueno Retains KO-D Openweight Title Over Yuki Iino at DDT Dream Lights

By Noah Leatherland

DDT took their talents to Korakuen Hall for Dream Lights ~ How Do You Like DDT Wednesday? ~, with the promotion’s top prize on the line in the main event. Yuki Ueno managed to maintain his title reign, defeating a very tough challenger in Yuki Iino.

Ueno stepped into Korakuen Hall with six defences already to his name, and looking for a seventh. Iino came into the match with clear size advantage, which he used to great effect throughout the match.

Ueno battled back, with his submission game proving to be the deciding factor in the bout. Ueno retained his title after locking Iino into a sleeper hold and squeezing tight until the referee called for the stoppage. Addressing the fans after the match, Ueno promised a bright future for his ongoing reign:

I’ve got 7 defenses already. I hope everyone can learn to love DDT through me. I hope I can keep DDT more fun and exciting even during the weekday. I’ll do my best too!

(Quotes translated via ddtproENG on X)

In his post-match comments, Iino licked his wounds, but still showed determination:

I didn’t win the KO-D Openweight title! Damn it! But Yuki Ueno! Yuki! It was absolutely brilliant! But I didn’t get the belt here! That’s a massive disappointment! But next time I challenge for it, I’ll definitely win!

Following a match that pit two stars named Yuki against each other, Ueno looked to the next one, Yuki Ishida:

Iino, don’t go saying that the chance is slipping away. As long as we’re in this together, we’ll have a good time. Ishida, there’s no one else to take the lead from now on. Put your heart and soul into it. I’ve still got this belt, after all.

(Quotes translated via DeepL)

Other titles were on the line at the Korakuen Hall event. The KO-D Six Man Tag Team Titles were successfully defended by paleyouth, picking up the win against Fantomes Dramatic’s Chris Brookes, HARASHIMA and Hinata Kasai. Hideki Okatani also put up his DDT EXTREME Title against Yukio Naya in a match decided by pinfall, submission, or putting your opponent through a table. Okatani took that third route to victory, using the furniture to secure the win.

Here are the full results for DDT Dream Lights ~ How Do You Like DDT Wednesday? ~, courtesy of purolove.com:

• Yoshihiko def. Ilusion (15:03)
• Jun Akiyama & Rukiya def. Akito & Masami Inahata (7:32)
• Kumadori Crisis Rules: Kazuma Sumi & Yuni def. Naomi Yoshimura & Kumadori and Danshoku Dino & Kazuki Hirata (7:36)
• MAO, KANON, Viento Maligno & Yuya Aoki def. Shunma Katsumata, To-y, Junta Miyawaki & Yuki Ishida (11:26) 
• YOH def. Antonio Honda (13:45)
• KO-D Six Man Tag Team Title: Takeshi Masada, Yuya Koroku & Daichi Satoh (c) def. Chris Brookes, HARASHIMA & Hinata Kasai (12:54)
• DDT EXTREME Title ~ – Hardcore Table Crash Match: Hideki Okatani (c) def. Yukio Naya (14:40)
• KO-D Openweight Title: Yuki Ueno (c) def. Yuki Iino (21:45)