GLEAT announced on their website that Yu Iizuka is taking an extended hiatus from the promotion effective at the end of the year. While he dealt with injuries this past year, including several concussions, he currently is not seriously injured or under doctor’s orders but wants to rest and focus on jiu-jitsu training while focusing on a full recovery. He is expected to still be part of the year-end 12/30 event at TDC Hall in Tokyo then will step away, based on translation of the promotion’s announcement this hiatus could be at least 6 months to a year or longer as they will check in with Iizuka every 6 months. He is also scheduled for Sunday’s event in Osaka.
Tag: wrestling
DDT 12/11/24 Results
DDT continued the Road To Ultimate Party 2024 tour today in Tokyo.
Today’s event was held at Shinjuku Face in Tokyo and can be watched on demand on WRESTLE UNIVERSE.
The announced paid attendance was 319, a full house/near sellout.
Match 1: KANON & Demus beat Yuki Iino & Kazuma Sumi. Domus pinned Sumi after Balaguese.
Match 2: Danshoku Dieno beat Kazuki Hirata & Toru Owashi in a 3-way by pinning Hirata in 17 seconds. Which led to…
Match 2 (again): Danshoku Dieno beat Kazuki Hirata.
Match 3: Jun Akiyama, HARASHIMA & Tetsuya Endo beat Yukio Naya, Daichi Sato & Yuki Ishida. HARASHIMA pinned Ishida after a right high kick. Afterwards, Naya chokeslammed Akiyama through a table.
Match 4: Ikuto Hidaka, Minoru Fujita & Fuminori Abe beat Yuki Ueno, MAO & Keigo Nakamura by ref stoppage (TKO). Abe beat Nakamura.
Match 5: To-y beat Yuya Koroku.
Main Event: In a 2/3 Falls match, Daisuke Sasaki, MJ Paul & Illusion beat Chris Brookes, Masa Takanashi & Antonio Honda 2-1. Fall 1: Illusion pinned Takanashi. Fall 2: Honda beat Paul. Fall 3: Sasaki bear Brookes.
The next event is Sunday at Konohana Community Hall in Osaka. There will be no live broadcast.
News: Tokyo Sports Awards Announced
The top Japanese newspaper/website Tokyo Sports, which tends to take a more gossip-like approach to wrestling compared to other established sources like Weekly Pro, Nikkan Sports, Daily Sports and others, has announced its annual Year-End Awards. Here are the winners:
MVP (Best Wrestler)-Zack Sabre Jr. (New Japan)
Match Of The Year-Hirooki Goto vs. Yota Tsuji, New Japan Cup Finals
Newcomer (Rookie Of The Year)-Boltin Oleg, New Japan
Skill Award-Shinya Aoki (DDT)
Fighting Spirit Award-Kaito Kiyomiya (NOAH)
Special Achievement-Award-Yuma Anzai (All-Japan)
Women’s Grand Prize-Sareee (Marigold)
Best Tag Team-Jun & Rei Saito (All-Japan)
Hot Topic Award-Dump Matsunoto (popularity & career revival thanks to new Netflix series about her life & early career), Bull Nakano (first Japanese woman inducted into WWE Hall Of Fame), Mayu Iwatani (approaching 2 years as IWGP Women’s Champion)
Special Award-Each of the 8 Japanese wrestlers who won gold medals at the 2024 Olympics
Also of note: The Saitos were a runner-up in the MVP category.
All-Japan News: Title Matches Official, Personnel Change
Some All-Japan news with the World’s Strongest Tag League in the books:
The Davey Boy Smith Jr.-Jun Saito Triple Crown match expected for 12/31 is now official. 12/31 will also have All-Asia Tag Team Champions MUSASHI & Seiki Yoshioka vs. Kento Miyahara & Ryo Inoue for the titles. With regards to the tag league, the Saitos winning marked the first time in All-Japan history the All-Japan World Tag Team Champions going into the tournament won it.
A press conference was also held today regarding a personnel change-Suwama, who had been Senior Managing Executive Officer of All-Japan Pro Wrestling (as his full real name, Kohei Suwama), will step down from the position and become Non-Executive Director (basically a pert-time position) effective January 1, 2025 and also become the president of Evolution Pro Wrestling. He will remain a member of All-Japan but his participation will be cut back to 1-2 events per month. Suwama, now 48, has been with All-Japan for over 20 years since debuting in 2003 at 27 so this is taking a small step back but it sounds like Evolution & All-Japan have formed a good working relationship and will continue to work together (Evolution is a women’s promotion). Over the past year or so he’s mostly been part of a comedy team of sorts with Hideki Suzuki, who splits his time between All-Japan, Pro Wrestling NOAH and working as a freelancer (and posting cat photos on the socials). The press conference can be watched on YouTube.
Evolution’s next event is Saturday and will have Dan Tamura participation.
BREAKING: Dragon Gate Investigation, Titles Vacated
Major breaking news from Dragon Gate-BIGBOSS Shimizu has been suspended indefinitely amidst a suspected serious breach of contract. No further details have been released, but as a result the Open The Triangle Gate Championship Shimizu held with Strong Machine J & U-T is now VACANT. Determination match between BxB Hulk, Susumu Yokosuka & Kagetora and KAI, ISHIN & Yoshiki Kato to crown new champions will be held Sunday at THE FINAL GATE 2024 in Fukuoka.
More as it becomes available.
Stardom 12/7/24-12/8/24 Results
Stardom wrapped up the Goddess Of Stardom Tag League this weekend with a doubleheader in Shizuoka.
Both events were held at Twin Messe Shizuoka Exhibition Hall Block 2. Saturday’s event can be watched on demand on Stardom World. Sunday’s event can be watched on demand as a PPV until Wednesday morning-you can also watch the first 2 matches FOR FREE on YouTube.
Saturday:
The announced paid attendance was 572.
Match 1: Tam Nakano & Sayaka Kurara beat Aya Sakura & Yuna Mizumori. Nakano pinned Sakura with a tiger suplex hold. After the match, Sayaka Unagi returned to Stardom after 2 years away as a freelancer (and, apparently more recently, injury). Challenge issued to Nakano for a match. That match will happen on 1/3.
Goddess Of Stardom Tag League:
Match 2: Red Block: Maika & HANAKO beat Natsuko Tora & Ruaka. HANAKO beat Ruaka with egret. As a result, Maika & HANAKO advance to the Semifinals.
Match 3: Blue Block: Hanan & Saya Iida beat Starlight Kid & Suzu Suzuki. Iida pinned Suzuki after Iidabashi. As a result, Hanan & Iida advance to the Semifinals.
Match 4: Waka Tsukiyama beat Rian.
Match 5: AZM, Mei Seira & Miyu Amasaki beat Mayu Iwatani, Momo Kohgo & Matoi Hamabe. AZM beat Hamabe with Numero Uno.
Match 6: Momo Watanabe, Konami, Saya Kamitani, Rina & Fukigen beat Syuri, Saki Kashima, Ranna Yagami, Hina & Lady C. Konami beat Syuri with a sleeper hold. This apparently has set up Konami vs. Syuri on 12/29. This wa also the return match for Fukigen after the woman underneath the clown paint & outfit-Kaori Yoneyama-had been out a few months due to injuries.
Goddess Of Stardom Tag League Semifinals:
Match 7: Red Block: Maika & HANAKO beat Hazuki & Koguma. HANAKO pinned Koguma after JP Coaster.
Main Event: Blue Block: Hanan & Saya Iida beat Saori Anou & Natsupoi. Hanan pinned Anou with a backdrop hold.
Sunday:
The announced paid attendance was 790, a full house/near sellout.
Match 1: Hazuki beat Matoi Hamabe by submission.
Match 2: Koguma beat Waka Tsukiyama & Ranna Yagami in a 3-way by pinning Yagami.
Match 3: Natsuko Tora beat Rian. This apparently set up Tora vs. Maika on 12/29.
Match 4; Momo Watanabe, Ruaka & Fukigen beat Saki Kashima, Hina & Lady C. Fukigen pinned Hina.
Match 5: In a 2/3 Falls match, Starlight Kid, AZM, Mei Seira, Suzu Suzuki & Miyu Amasaki beat Natsupoi, Saori Anou, Yuna Mizumori, Aya Sakura & Sayaka Kurara 2-1. Fall 1: Kurara pinned Amasaki. Fall 2: AZM pinned Sakura. Fall 3: Kid beat Natsupoi. These results have set up 2 more title matches: Kurara vs. Amasaki for the Future Of Stardom Championship on 12/24 and Kid vs. Natsupoi for the Wonder Of Stardom Championship on 12/29.
Match 6: Mayu Iwatani beat Momo Kohgo.
Match 7: Saya Kamitani & Konami beat Tam Nakano & Syuri. Kamitani pinned Nakano after a Frankensteiner.
Main Event: Goddess Of Stardom Tag League Finals: Hanan & Saya Iida beat Maika & HANAKO to win the tournament. Iida pinned HANAKO after Be A Master! As a result, Hanan & Iida will face Goddesses Of Stardom Champions Momo Watanabe & Thekla for the titles on 12/29. What a way to cap a true breakout year for Hanan. Although she & Iida did lose the New Blood Tag Team Championship this year and she missed out on her current stated goal-the Wonder Of Stardom Championsip-Hanan did win the annual Cinderella Tournament in the spring and now this, which should catapult her much closer to the superstardom that is expected of her as she is widely considered one of Stardom’s future torch-bearers along with her sisters Hina & Rina. The only thing that briefly kept her down this year was an injury that caused her to miss a few weeks. Young Lioness is a very appropriate nickname for the 19-year-old, and it seems like 2025 is going to be her year. Maybe even World Of Stardom Champion by this time next year?
The next event is Saturday at G Messe Gunma Exhibition Hall A in Gunma. Broadcast plans TBA (live or on demand determination has apparently not been made yet).
In other news, it was just announced today that Syuri will be part of a theatrical performance of a play called “The Woman Without A Shadow” scheduled from 3/24-3/31 at Kichijoji Theater in Tokyo. There will be 10 total performances over that week with shows each day except 3/25. Tickets will go on sale on 1/11.
BREAKING: New Japan Tag Titles Vacated, Title Match Changes
As part of a number of changes for the second Tokyo Dome event on 1/5, New Japan has announced that the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship is now VACANT. Great-O-Khan & HENARE have vacated the titles due to a HENARE injury. They were supposed to defend the titles against The Young Bucks. It will now be Khan & TBA (partner of his choice) vs. the Bucks for the vacant titles. Although Tetsuya Naito & Hiromu Takahashi won the World Tag League and should get a title shot, it won’t happen until after Tokyo Dome.
It was also announced that on 1/5, whoever is the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion and IWGP Global Champion after 1:4 eill defend the titles that day. That means either Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Ricochet or Shota Unino vs. Claudio Castagnoli will be for the World title and David Finlay vs. Brody King or Yota Tsuji vs. Jack Perry will be for the Global title.
Injury Report: Bad Nai(eye)to
At a press conference today, New Japan announced some bad news for Tetsuya Naito after his World Tag League win with Hiromu Takahashi: He’s headed to the sidelines again. Left eye surgery. Out the rest of the year but will compete at Tokyo Dome. That means he will miss the Road to Tokyo Dome tour (5 events, only the last 2 televised). He was not on the card for STRONG STYLE EVOLVED this coming weekend in the US. This actually happened last year too before Naito won the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship on 1/4. His match with Hiromu Takahashi this year will be the 8th match of 9 on the card.
Pro Wrestling NOAH 12/8/24 Results
Pro Wrestling NOAH wrapped up the never-ending SUNNY VOYAGE 2024 Tour today with the last house show of the year.
Today’s event was held at Kira Messe Numazu in Shizuoka and will be available on demand on WRESTLE UNIVERSE Tuesday. There was no live broadcast.
The announced paid attendance was 365.
Match 1: Ulka Sasaki beat Daiki Odashima by ref stoppage (technical submission).
Match 2: Shuji Kondo beat Black Menso-re.
Match 3: Daga beat Eita & Shuhei Taniguchi in a 3-way by beating Eita.
Match 4; Naomichi Marufuji & Takashi SUgiura beat Titus Alexander & Tadasuke. Sugiura beat Alexander with a neck lock.
Match 5: Manabu Soya, HAYATA & YO-HEY beat Masa Kitamiya, AMAKUSA & Junta Miyawaki. Soya beat AMAKUSA with a dragon sleeper.
Main Event: Kaito Kiyomiya, Kenoh, Alejandro, Kai Fujimura & Harutoki beat Go Shiozaki, Mohammed Yone, Atsushi Kotoge, Hajime Ohara & Yu Owada. Alejandro pinned Owada after Zero Gravity.
The next event is 12/19 at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo for the final STAR NAVIGATION 2024 event of the year. Roughly half of the matches (4 of 8) will not be announced in advance (including 2 matches where participants, except for Kaito Kiyomiya & Manabu Soya in a 6-man tag, will be determined by fan lottery the day of the event) while the announced matches include Go Shiozaki vs. Yuji Nagata (New Japan). Live streaming on WRESTLE UNIVERSE will begin at 1:30 AM PT/4:30 AM ET.
DDT 12/8/24 Results
DDT began their year-ending Road To Ultimate Party 2024 Tour today in Nagoya.
Today’s event was held at Imaike Gas Hall in Nagoya and will be available on demand on WRESTLE UNIVERSE at a later date. There was no live broadcast.
The announced paid attendance was 324, a legit advance sellout.
Match 1: Yukio Naya & Takumi Saito beat Keigo Nakamura & Yuki Ishida. Naya pinned Ishida after a chokeslam.
Match 2: Tetsuay Endo & Toru Owashi beat Danshoku Dieno & Kazuki Hirata. Owashi pinned Hirata.
Match 3: Jun Akiyama & MAO beat HARASHIMA & Tomomitsu Matsunaga. Akiyama pinned Matsunaga after Exploder.
Match 4: Akito beat Takao Soma.
Match 5: Yuki Ueno & To-y beat Yuki Iino & Yuya Koroku. To-y pinned Koroku after a Frankensteiner.
Main Event: In an elimination match, Daisuke Sasaki, MJ Paul, KANON, Demus & Illusion beat Chris Brookes, Masa Takanashi, Antonio Honda, Takeshi Masada & Munetatsu Nakamura. Order of elimination: Honda by Sasaki, Demus by Brookes, Illusion by Nakamura, Nakamura by Paul, Masada by Sasaki, Paul by Brookes, Brookes & Sasaki together, Takanashi by KANON. KANON is the only winner left.
The next event is Wednesday at Shinjuku Face in Tokyo. Live streaming on WRESTLE UNIVERSE will begin at 2 AM PT/5 AM ET.
