DDT ran the penultimate event of the D KING GP 2022 today, which would set up the Finals but also had the potential to require additional tiebreaker matches pending the outcomes of today’s matches.
Today’s event was held at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo and can be watched on demand on WRESTLE UNIVERSE.
The announced paid attendance was 450. Vocal cheering was allowed so with further capacity limits this was about 65% full.
Match 1: Pre-show match: Yusuke Okada beat Yuki Ishida.
Match 2: Pre-show match: In a handicap match, Yuki Iino, Yumehito Imanari & Koju Takeda beat Akito, Masa Takanashi, Antonio Honda & Gorgeous Matsuno. Iino beat Honda with Sexy Lockup. This became a handicap match because Danshoku Dieno had to miss the card due to a possible fever.
During the opening announcements, Matsuno announced he would be having kidney transplant surgery but promised to make a comeback (Matsuno is well into his 50s if not his 60s). Announced for upcoming events are a “New Year’s Electric Blast” match at the request of Shunma Katsumata, likely involving Atsushi Onita, on 1/7/23 and, on 12/29, LiLiCo will participate in the opening ritual of anal explosion with her husband’s consent. Only in DDT. If anybody in attendance wants a refund after seeing that, shame on them. Anyway, Moving On…
Match 3: Minoru Fujita, MJ Pawl & KANON beat Yukio Sakaguchi, Hideki Okatani & Yuya Koroku. KANON pinned Koroku after Sleepy Hollow.
Match 4: In a No Touch Rule match, HARASHIMA, Naruki Doi, Toru Owashi & Kazuki Hirata beat MAO, Shunma Katsumata, Toui Kojima & Takeshi Masada. Doi pinned Kojima after Bakatare Sliding Kick. Afterwards, Doi participation for 12/21 & 12/29 was announced, with one event possibly having him in a match against HARASHIMA.
Match 5: D KING GP 2022 Block A: Joey Janela vs. Rickey Shane Page went to a double countout. No points.
Match 6: D KING GP 2022 Block A: Naomi Yoshimura beat Tetsuya Endo.
Match 7: D KING GP 2022 Block A: Yuki Ueno beat Daisuke Sasaki. As a result, Ueno wins Block A and advances to the Finals.
Match 8: D KING GP 2022 Block B: Chris Brookes beat Yuji Hino.
Main Event: D KING GP 2022 Block B: Yukio Naya beat Kazusada Higuchi. As a result, Naya wins Block B and advances to the Finals and it will be Ueno-Naya on 12/4 with the winner facing Higuchi on 12/29 for the KO-D Openweight Championship.
The Final is 12/4. The next event is 11/27 at JR Omori Station East Exit Square in Tokyo. This is a free outdoor event. There will be no live broadcast.
