By Oliver Taylor

DDT Pro-Wrestling

DDT Pro-Wrestling has announced its DDT TV SHOW! series will go ahead.

Starting Saturday, May 2, there will be four episodes airing every Saturday on DDT UNIVERSE at 7pm JST, 11am BST, 6am.

“DDT TV SHOW!”, DDT’s TV-style wrestling show on #DDTUNIVERSE , will stream under the following schedule:



Saturday May 2 (19:00): #1

Saturday May 9 (19:00): #2

Saturday May 16 (19:00): #3

Saturday May 23 (19:00): #4https://t.co/5f5CDD3aU3#ddtpro #StayHomeWithDDT #StayHome pic.twitter.com/Rrkwj7cgPZ — DDT ProWrestling #StayHomeWithDDT (@ddtpro) April 28, 2020

The card for this Saturday’s show is as follows:

Yoshihiko vs. Yuki Iino

Konosuke Takeshita vs. MAO vs. Naomi Yoshimura

Chris Brookes and Maki Itoh vs. HARISHIMA and Pokotan

Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship: Danshoku Dino (c) vs. Akito

DDT Universal Championship: Daisuke Sasaki (c) vs. Antonio Honda

K-OD Openweight Championship challenger sword: Tetsuya Endo (current holder) vs. Kazusada Higuchi

The episode will be Daisuke Sasaki’s first defense of the DDT Universal Championship after winning it from Chris Brookes at Judgement in March.

The original first episode of the DDT TV SHOW! scheduled for April 12 was set to feature Masato Tanaka defending the K-OD Openweight Championship against Yukio Sakaguchi. It’s unconfirmed, although possible, that the match could still take place on a later episode.

All Japan Pro Wrestling

The full card for All Japan Pro Wrestling’s show on April 30 has been revealed.

Black Menso~re vs. Yuma Aoyagi

Izanagi and Zeus vs. Jake Lee and Koji Iwamoto

Jun Akiyama and TAJIRI vs. Shuji Ishikawa and Yusuke Okada

Dan Tamura and Yoshitatsu vs. Hikaru Sato and SUWAMA

Hokuto Omoro and Takao Omori vs. Shotaro Ashino and ‘X’

All Asia Tag Team Championships: Isami Kodaka and Yuko Miyamoto (c) vs. Francesco Akira and Kento Miyahara

Two candidates for Ashino’s mystery partner could be Kuma Arashi or Yusuke Kodama, after Ashino recently mentioned both men in a PKDX interview:

Ashino also talked about his former WRESTLE-1 colleagues: “Ashino, Kodama, Higuma (Kuma Arashi) & Ikemen. If these four guys make it to All Japan, I think I can show them that WRESTLE-1 is capable of doing it [winning titles]. From the point of view of All Japan fans …

… the promotion was split up. That’s how people look at us, but we can provide proper professional wrestling. I want the All Japan Pro Wrestling fans to think that we’re better than them. If you don’t do that, there was no point in WRESTLE-1.”

Ashino also talked about his former WRESTLE-1 colleagues: "Ashino, Kodama, Higuma (Kuma Arashi) & Ikemen. If these four guys make it to All Japan, I think I can show them that WRESTLE-1 is capable of doing it [winning titles]. From the point of view of All Japan fans … — Eastern Lariat (@EasternLariat) April 11, 2020

… the promotion was split up. That's how people look at us, but we can provide proper professional wrestling. I want the All Japan Pro Wrestling fans to think that we're better than them. If you don't do that, there was no point in WRESTLE-1." — Eastern Lariat (@EasternLariat) April 11, 2020

Arashi and Kodama were also members of Ashino’s Enfacts Terribles stable in Wrestle-1.

All Japan will also be airing a show on May 5, with only Ashino and Jiro “Ikemen” Kuroshio confirmed so far.

Both shows will air on Samuari TV and the company’s streaming service, AJPW TV, at 7pm JST, 11am BST, 6am ET.

Big Japan Pro Wrestling

Big Japan Pro Wrestling’s Ikkitousen Strong Climb 2020 finals took place yesterday.

Current BJW World Strong Heavyweight Championship holder Daichi Hashimoto won the tournament.

Hashimoto defeated Daisuke Sekimoto in the first semi-final, followed by Quiet Storm defeating Jake Lee by countout in under five minutes to set up the Hashimoto versus Storm final.

Hashimoto defeated Storm in 18 minutes, becoming the first BJW World Strong Heavyweight Championship holder to win the Ikkitousen Strong Climb.

A possible challenger for Hashimoto in the near future could be Ryuichi Kawakami, who was the only man to defeat Hashimoto in block competition.