Introduction to DDT Pro Wrestling

39 Upvotes

In light of the rumors of them partnering with AEW and their latest partnership with Fight Club: Pro as of January 3rd, 2019. Here's an introduction to the promotion at large.

Often western viewers have viewed them as a comedy promotion, but it kinda goes beyond that. There's a ton of variety that tries to cater to everyone.

Get Ready

Founded: 1997
Current Owners: CyberAgent (Abema TV, CyGames, Ameba blogs, etc.). Link will take you to a PDF about the entire company overview, it's massive.
Official Website: [www.ddtpro.com](www.ddtpro.com)
Streaming Service: [DDT Universe](www.ddtpro.com/universe) (free users can watch select matches in a weekly free matches playlist along with select specials that remain forever free)
[YouTube Channel](www.youtube.com/ddtofficial) (They post free matches and press conferences)
Live Translations in English: [Twitter @ddtpro_eng](www.twitter.com/ddtpro_eng)
Quick recaps in English: [Dramatic DDT](dramaticddt.wordpress.com)

For Tokyo Joshi Pro, follow this link for a detailed introduction (information as of June 2018)

Sister Promotions

DDT overall currently has 4 promotions within an umbrella. Each are contained within their own feuds and angles. Some wrestlers can cross over between each promotion for a match or 2. The 2 main ones are DDT and Tokyo Joshi Pro while Basara and Ganbare have an indie feel to it

Active

DDT
Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling (TJPW)
Pro Wrestling BASARA - Successor to Union Pro Wrestling
Ganbare Pro Wrestling

Defunct/Inactive

DNA - DDT New Attitude, developmental brand to train new wrestlers and create their own feuds. Ended in August 2018 as the wrestlers were highly developed and the show wasn't needed anymore. Will return when new developmental talent is needed.
MUSCLE - a comedy focused show. Currently being revived for a special show in February 2018
Union Pro Wrestling - Indie variety, folded and became Pro Wrestling BASARA
BOYZ - An all female audience special show. Often showcasing the male wrestlers showing off their sex appeal
YaroZ - An all male audience special show. Often going into the lewd and perverted side of things

Partnerships with other wrestling promotions

DDT maintains a huge relationship with various promotions, past and present, in regards to bringing their wrestlers over to DDT for a one off match or sending their talent over. Some of the partnerships may have ceased already, but here's a list of promotions they've worked with.

Big Japan Pro Wrestling
All Japan Pro Wrestling
Pro Wrestling NOAH
New Japan Pro Wrestling
Dragon Gate
Sendai Girls Pro Wrestling
Gatoh Move
Marvelous
Kaientai Dojo
Michinoku Pro Wrestling
Pro Wrestling Wave
New Nemuro Pro Wrestling
Canadian Wrestling's Elite
And more

Structure of shows and extra info

DDT's major shows are usually held in Korakuen Hall (monthly) and Ryogoku Sumo Hall (2 times a year). While smaller shows they will tour around the country. The card is mixed between comedy and standard wrestling. Most of the comedy content happens up to the mid card (sometimes can main event as well), while the main events are strictly wrestling or a crazy stipulation match.

A few times a year, they will do Street Wrestling specials held in specific locations such as Theme Parks, factories, campsites, gyms, streets, etc. Often they're a self contained story and some feuds carry over (e.g. The Brahman Brothers murdered Mike Bailey at the campsite and they want to challenge for the Tag Titles next show)

There's also yearly special events such as Beer Garden Week, King of DDT Tournament, D-Oh Grand Prix Tournament.

Outside of the wrestling, some wrestlers make an appearance on Abema TV (Japanese Internet TV Platform) on TheNIGHT during the late night hours Thursday late night into Friday from 1am-3am JST where they just casually talk random things and do mini games. Often you learn more about each of their personalities and interests.

Beyond the promotion, they curently manage 2 bars and a restaurant. The bars are Drop Kick and Swan Dive, the restaurant is Ebisuko. Most of the wrestlers do visit for meet and greets or just have dinner there.

Championships

KO-D Openweight Championship - Their main singles title
DDT Extreme Champsionship - Their secondary title, but have unique rules
KO-D Tag Team Championship - Tag Team title
KO-D 6 Person Championship - For Trios tag teams
DDT Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship - 24/7 Belt and can travel outside of the promotion.
Pro Wrestling Basara's Union Max Championship - Singles title
Tokyo Joshi Pro's Tokyo Princess of Princess Championship - Singles title
Tokyo Joshi Pro's Tokyo Pricess Tag Team Championship - Tag Team
Ganbare Independent World Junior Heavyweight Championship - Singles

Match types

These can vary depending on the current storylines

Singles
Tag (2, 4, 6, 8, 10) person
3 way, 4 way, 5 way
DDT EXTREME Title Match - Current champion decides on the rules.
Battle Royal/Rumble match - over the top rope
Comedy - Mostly vary by wrestlers involved.
Falls Count Anywere - A grand chunk of their legendary Street Wrestling comes from.

Wrestlers

Due to the massive roster, probably better off placing a giant table on this. Most of the wrestlers can cross over between their sister promotions anytime.

Wrestler	Promotion	Alignment	Faction	Position in Card	Notes
Isami Kodaka	Basara			Main	Basara owner and ace, also appears in BJW
FUMA	Basara
Trans am Hiroshi	Basara
Goma Ryu	Basara
Daichi Kazato	Basara
Best Stretch Man V3	Basara
SAGAT	Basara
Yusuke Kubo	Basara
Ryota Nakatsu	Basara				Union Max Champion
Takumi Tsukamoto	Basara
Ryuichi Sekine	Basara
Daiki Shimomura	Basara
Takato Nakano	Basara
Fuminori Abe	Basara
Masato Kamino	Basara
Rikiya Shindo	Basara
Yasu Urano	Basara
Akito	DDT	Face	ALL OUT	Upper to Main	Current 6 person tag champ
Antonio Honda	DDT	Tweener	The Compliance	Mid	Mostly in comedy, always give Gon the Fox stories mid match
Daisuke Sasaki	DDT	Heel	DAMNATION	Upper to Main	Ace, KO-D Openweight Champ
Danshoku Dino	DDT	Face	The Compliance	Upper to Main	the most gay wrestler you can think of
Gorgeous Matsuno	DDT	Face		Low
Gota Ihashi	DDT	Face		Low to Mid	Kota Ibushi's best friend
HARASHIMA	DDT	Face	DISASTER BOX	Upper to Main	Ace
Hoshitango	DDT	Face		Low	Former sumo wrestler
Kazuki Hirata	DDT	Face	DISASTER BOX	Mid	Tokyo Go!
Kazusada Higuchi	DDT	Face		Mid	Former sumo wrestler
Konosuke Takeshita	DDT	Face	ALL OUT	Upper to Main	Ace, Current Ironman and 6 person tag Champ
KUDO	DDT	Tweener	Shuten Douji	Upper to Main
Ladybeard	DDT	Face	Deadlift Lolita	Low
Mad Paulie	DDT	Heel	DAMNATION	Mid	Doesn't talk much
Makoto Oishi	DDT	Face	The Compliance	Mid to Upper	Married to Misaki Ohata
Masahiro Takanashi	DDT	Tweener	Shuten Douji	Upper to Main
Mike Bailey	DDT	Face	Moonlight Express	Upper to Main	Current KO-D Tag and K-Dojo STRONGEST-K Tag
Naomi Yoshimura	DDT	Face	The Compliance	Mid	Injured as of Jan 3 2019
Saki Akai	DDT	Tweener	Shuten Douji	Mid
Sanshiro Takagi	DDT	Tweener		Mid	President of DDT
Shuji Ishikawa	DDT/AJPW	Heel	DAMNATION	Upper to Main	Currently in AJPW
Soma Takao	DDT	Heel	DAMNATION	Upper to Main
Super Sasadango Machine	DDT	Face	The Compliance	Mid	Powerpoint presentations
Tetsuya Endo	DDT	Heel	DAMNATION	Upper to Main	Likes bugs
Tomomitsu Matsunaga	DDT	Face		Low to Mid
Toru Owashi	DDT	Face	DISASTER BOX	Mid
Yoshihiko	DDT	Tweener		Everywhere	The infamous doll who weighs beyond the average human.
Yukio Sakaguchi	DDT	Tweener	Shuten Douji	Upper to Main
Yuni	DDT	Face		Low	11 yrs old, Only wrestles whenever DDT is in Osaka due to his primary schooling
Kota Umeda	DDT	Face		Mid
Yuki Ueno	DDT	Face	DISASTER BOX	Mid
Keisuke Okuda	DDT	Heel?		Low to Mid
Shinya Aoki	DDT	Tweener		Upper to Main	Current guest and EXTREME Title holder
MAO	DDT	Face	Moonlight Express	Upper to Main	Current KO-D Tag and K-Dojo STRONGEST-K Tag
Shunma Katsumata	DDT	Face	ALL OUT	Mid to Upper
Mizuki Watase	DDT	Tweener		Mid
Yuki Iino	DDT	Face	The Compliance	Mid	Current 6 person tag champ
Nobuhiro Shimitani	DDT	Heel	DAMNATION	Low to Mid	DAMNATION Hype Man
Tanomusaku Toba	DDT	Face		Low to Mid	Kickboxer, DDT Video Production
Keisuke Ishii	Ganbare	Face		Upper to Main	Transferred from DDT
Ken Ohka	Ganbare	Tweener		Upper to Main	Ganbare Owner
Yumehito Imanari	Ganbare			Upper to Main	DDT Video Production
Shota	Ganbare			Mid	DDT Video Production
Koki Iwasaki	Ganbare
Shuhe Washida	Ganbare
Miyu Yamashita	TJPW	Face		Upper to Main	Ace, Sauceboss, mega champ, Singles Champion
Shoko Nakajima	TJPW	Face	Miraclans	Upper to Main	Little Big Kaiju
Yuka Sakazaki	TJPW	Face	Magical Sugar Rabbits / Miraclans	Upper to Main	Tag Team Champion
Rika Tatsumi	TJPW	Face		Upper to Main	The White Dragon
Hyper Misao	TJPW	Heel		Mid	Indefinite Leave as of Jan 4, 2019
Nodoka Tenma	TJPW	Face	Bakuretsu Sisters	Mid
Marika Kobashi	TJPW	Face		Low to Mid	A fan of Abdullah Kobayashi
Reika Saiki	TJPW	Face	Deadlift Lolita	Upper to Main	Muscle Idol
Yuna Manase	TJPW	Tweener		Low to Mid
Mizuki	TJPW	Face	Magical Sugar Rabbits/Ito Respect Army	Upper to Main	Tag Team Champion
Maki Ito	TJPW	Tweener	Ito Respect Army	Mid to Upper	The Prettiest Wrestler in the world, hunts down idol groups
Yuki Kamifuku	TJPW	Tweener		Low to Mid	Kamiyu
Yuki Aino	TJPW	Face	Bakuretsu Sisters	Mid
Miu Watanabe	TJPW	Face	Up Up Girls	Mid
Pinano Pipipipi	TJPW	Face	Up Up Girls	Mid
Hikari Noa	TJPW	Face	Up Up Girls	Mid
Raku	TJPW	Face	Up Up Girls	Mid
Mina Shirakawa	TJPW	Face		Low to Mid
Natsumi Maki	TJPW	Tweener		Mid	Transferred from ActWres Girlz
YUMI	TJPW	Face	Rookie	Low
Haruna Neko	TJPW	Face	Rookie	Low
Pom Harajuku	TJPW	Face	Rookie	Low
Himawari Unagi	TJPW	Face	Rookie	Low

Guests

Many guests come and go for a match, or stay awhile for a short feud. There's too many to list...

Minoru Suzuki
Meiko Satomura
Daisuke Sekimoto
Ryuji Ito
Sammy Guevara
Veda Scott
Priscilla Kelly
Joey Ryan
Colt Cabana
Ethan Page
Jun Kasai
Masashi Takeda
Chigusa Nagayo
Takumi Iroha
Cherry
ASUKA (Pro Wrestling Wave)
Kana/Asuka (WWE)
Riho
Su Yung
Hiroshi Tanahashi
Go Shiozaki
Naomichi Marufuji
Jun Akiyama
Kikutaro
Kuishinbo Kamen
Tsukasa Fujimoto
Aja Kong
Space Monkey
Puma King
CIMA
T-Hawk
El Lindaman
Duan Yingnan
Keiji Mutoh
Genichiro Tenryu
And many more

4 comments

r/DDTPro • u/KonamiIsBestJoshi • 1d ago

Did DDT ever upload the full match between Sanshiro Takagi and Minoru Suzuki on the bullet train?

11 Upvotes

2 comments

r/DDTPro • u/MrPuroresu42 • 2d ago

DDT PRO 8.30.26 - Ryusuke Taguchi (c) vs. Daisuke Sasaki - DDT UNIVERSAL Championship - Result & Aftermath Spoiler

15 Upvotes

In a damn good match (that would even see Sasaki forced to “get serious” and take his shirt off), Taguchi would force Sasaki to tap with the Ankle Lock. Taguchi makes his first successful defense.

Antonio Honda would come out and make the next challenge for the Belt.