DDT runs their next mid-major event today, headlined by two title matches and the return of Tetsuya Endo. Endo, the former KO-D Openweight Champion, has been out since suffering a concussion at CyberFight Festival ’22 in mid-June that forced him to vacate the title ahead of the KING OF DDT Tournament. But if new champion Kazusada Higuchi has his way, Endo could get a rematch after tonight. But Higuchi needs to focus on now as his newly formed team with Naomi Yoshimura (who Higuchi beat to win the tournament and the title) challenges KO-D Tag Team Champions MAO & Asuka (Veny) for the titles today.
Today’s event will be held at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo and can be watched LIVE on WRESTLE UNIVERSE in Japanese. Japanese voice actor Takayuki Kondo, best known for his work in the anime series “The Prince Of Tennis”, will be a special guest on commentary. Also, the first 2 matches will be streamed FOR FREE on YouTube.
The card has undergone several changes due to coronavirus issues as currently 3 wrestlers-Toui Kojima, Yuya Koroku & Hideki Okatani-are off. So there could be more last-second changes.
Today’s current lineup:
Makoto Oishi Return Match: Makoto Oishi & Kazuki Hirata vs. Akito & Yuki Ishida
Yuji Hino & Yukio Naya vs. Saki Akai, Antonio Honda & Ilsion in a handicap match
Yuki Iino, Danshoku Dieno & Yumehito Imanari vs. Sanshiro Takagi, Toru Owashi & Gota Ihashi
Daisuke Sasaki, MJ Pawl & KANON vs. Shinya Aoki, Shunma Katsumata & El Unicorn
Tetsuya Endo Return Match: Tetsuya Endo, Jun Akiyama & Chris Brookes vs. HARASHIMA, Yukio Sakaguchi & Takao Soma
DDT Universal Champion Masa Takanashi vs. Yusuke Okada for the title
KO-D Tag Team Champions MAO & Asuka (Veny) vs. Kazusada Higuchi & Naomi Yoshimura for the titles
Refresh this page occasionally for the latest results.
Updates below will begin at 10:30 PM ET/7:30 PM PT. The live stream will begin at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT.
7:17 PM PT UPDATE: Live updates begin NOW.
We are LIVE from Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan. Your hosts are Haruo Murata, Kagehiro Osano & special guest Takayuki Kondo.
The paid attendance will be announced after the event. Based on how empty one section of bleachers looked, I’d estimate around 500.
The matches should begin in about 15 minutes.
In the opening card rundown, Match 1 has been changed as Yuki Ishida is now off. Unknown why but probably coronavirus related. TBA is now teaming with Akito.
Match 1: Makoto Oishi Return Match: Makoto Oishi & Kazuki Hirata vs. Akito & TBA. TBA is Yasu Urano. 30 minute time limit
Result: Akito & Yasu Urano beat Makoto Oishi & Kazuki Hirata. Urano pinned Hirata with a rollup. It was over in about 10 seconds, before Oishi even got into the ring. But as everyone left, GM Hisaya Imabayashi called everyone back. Which led to…
Match 1, Take 2: Makoto Oishi Return Match: Makoto Oishi & Kazuki Hirata vs. Akito & TBA. TBA is Yasu Urano. 30 minute time limit
Result: Akito & Yasu Urano beat Makoto Oishi & Kazuki Hirata. Akito beat Hirata with an ankle lock. Hirata did a comedy tap out. Afterwards, Oishi with microphone. He gets emotional thanking the crowd and talking about his return after over a year away due to injury.
Match 2: Yuji Hino & Yukio Naya vs. Saki Akai, Antonio Honda & Ilusion in a handicap match. 30 minute time limit. This was to have been a 3-way tag match but participants scheduled are off due to coronavirus issues.
Result: Yuji Hino & Yukio Naya beat Saki Akai, Antonio Honda & Ilusion in a handicap match. Naya beat Honda with a cobra twist.
The YouTube broadcast ends here. The next match will follow in a few minutes.
A new wrestler, Takeshi Masada, will debut on 8/14. And what a debut opponent he gets-HARASHIMA.
Match 3: Yuki Iino, Danshoku Dieno & Yumehito Imanari vs. Sanshiro Takagi, Toru Owashi & Gota Ihashi. 30 minute time limit
Result: Yuki Iino, Danshoku Dieno & Yumehito Imanari beat Sanshiro Takagi, Toru Owashi & Gota Ihashi. Iino beat Ihashi with a very NSFW technique. A masked man interfered just before the finish to help Pheromons win. Apparently the “Ultimate Pheromon”. Identity not revealed.
Match 4: Daisuke Sasaki, MJ Pawl & KANON vs. Shinya Aoki, Shunma Katsumata & El Unicorn. 30 minute time limit.
Result: Shinya Aoki, Shunma Katsumata & E Unicorn beat Daisuke Sasaki, MJ Pawl & KANON by DQ. Sasaki DQ’d. Unmasking Unicorn.
Match 5: Tetsuya Endo Return Match: Tetsuya Endo, Jun Akiyama & Chris Brookes vs. HARASHIMA, Yukio Sakaguchi & Takao Soma. 30 minute time limit
Result: Tetsuya Endo, Jun Akiyama & Chris Brookes beat HARASHIMA, Yukio Sakaguchi & Takao Soma. Endo pinned Soma after Burning Star Press.
Match 6: DDT Universal Champion Masa Takanashi vs. Yusuke Okada for the title. 1 Hour time limit
Result: DDT Universal Champion Masa Takanashi beat Yusuke Okada to retain the title. V1 for Takanashi. Okada may have hurt his legs/feet in the opening seconds when it appears he botched a suicide dive through the ropes. Next up: Yuki Ueno per GM Imabayashi post-match. Ueno is not here today. Takanashi with microphone to respond/comment. That match will happen on 8/20.
Main Event: KO-D Tag Team Champions MAO & Asuka (Veny) vs. Kazusada Higuchi & Naomi Yoshimura for the titles. 1 Hour time limit
Result: Kazusada Higuchi & Naomi Yoshimura beat KO-D Tag Team Champions MAO & Asuka to win the titles. Higuchi & Yoshimura become the 75th KO-D Tag Team Champions. Higuchi pinned MAO after Brain Claw Slam. Higuchi is now a double champion. Afterwards, he called out Endo, who Higuchi wants to be his first challenger for the KO-D Openweight Championship, ideally on 8/20. It now appears not if it will happen, but when. (UPDATE: It will happen on 8/20 at WRESTLE PETER PAN, DDT’s biggest event of the year)
The on demand replay of this event will run just over 2 1/2 hours if you missed it.
The next event is Saturday at 176BOX in Osaka. There will be no live broadcast.
UPDATE: The announced paid attendance was 624.
