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DDT Pro-Wrestling is a Japanese independent wrestling promotion founded in 1997 as Dramatic Dream Team by Sanshiro Takagi. (The promotion's name was changed in 2004.) DDT's style is a unique blend of puroresu, sports entertainment, and comedy. In many respects, DDT is a parody of American professional wrestling, with many over-the-top gimmicks and sometimes bizarre match types.

It was an affiliate of the Global Pro Wrestling Alliance, which also included Ring of Honor, Pro Wrestling NOAH and Pro Wrestling ZERO1. In 2017, DDT was purchased by Japanese digital advertising firm CyberAgent, which in turn purchased Pro Wrestling NOAH in 2020, with DDT executives taking over NOAH's operations. Shortly thereafter, CyberAgent established CyberFight as the umbrella brand for its wrestling properties, also including the DDT sub-brands Ganbare Pro Wrestling and Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling. All brands continue to maintain their identities.

In March 2022, it was announced that DDT had entered a working partnership with All Elite Wrestling.

DDT currently recognizes nine championships that are defended at its shows:

  • KO-D Openweight Championship: Chris Brookes since July 23, 2023
  • DDT Universal Championship: Matt Cardona since July 23, 2023
  • DDT Extreme Championship: Kazuki Hirata since June 25, 2023
  • KO-D Tag Team Championship: Damnation T.A (Daisuke Sasaki and MJ Paul) since June 25, 2023
  • KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Championship: Eruption (Yukio Sakaguchi, Saki Akai and Hideki Okatani) since July 23, 2023
  • KO-D 10-Man Tag Team Championship:note  MAO, Yuki Ueno, Shunma Katsumata, Toui Kojima and Shinya Aoki since June 25, 2022
  • O-40 Championship: Makoto Oishi since March 21, 2023
  • World Ōmori Championship: Soma Takao since November 27, 2022
  • Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship: Great Koji since November 19, 2023


"Dramatic Dream Tropes":

  • The Ace:
    • Kota Ibushi, when he was with the promotion, was a high-flying, shoot-stylist, power-wrestling, living-bishonen wrestler with an accomplishment list which dwarves most wrestlers from his generation. If you heard this description without knowing him, you would probably feel more inclined to think he's a customized character from a wrestling game than a real, living wrestler.
    • HARASHIMA is known as "King Of The Indies" as was the ace of DDT for a long while.
  • A Taste of Their Own Medicine: Akira Tozawa got so fed up with Danshoku Dino, he tried to out gay him...he failed but Dino was thrown off his game for a little bit.
  • Badass Bystander: A random photographer won the Ironman Heavymetal Weight Championship by hitting Aja Kong with a hammer while she was coming out for a match. After the match, she tracked him down and gave him a uraken.
  • Banana Peel: Super Sasadango Machine wore one on his head to counter Kazushi Sakuraba's double face stomp finishing move.
  • Battle Strip: Danshoku Dino and Michael Nakazawa wore multiple thongs, which they continually stripped off during a match, almost to the point of them getting naked.
  • Bearded Lady: Subverted, Ladybeard is actually a man.
  • Comedic Spanking: HARASHIMA spanked Kota Ibushi for attempting climb up the ropes for a moonsault during HARASHIMA's open weight title defense.
  • Camp Gay: Danshoku Dino
  • Captain Ersatz: The IMGP to the International Wrestling Grand Prix, IWGP, the governing body who sanction most of New Japan's title defenses. There is even an IMGP World Heavyweight Title.
  • Commuting on a Bus: Kota Ibushi due to a dual priority contract with New Japan Pro-Wrestling.
  • Cool Mask: Subverted by Kazushi Sakuraba's, as he can't see through it and risks running into things or falling off the stage during his entrance.
  • Crossover
    • The KO-D Tag Team Titles are said to be CMLL certified because the first champions were decided under their banner, rather than DDT's.
    • American Balloon, Danshoku Dino and Masamune competed as Team DDT in CHIKARA King of Trios 2007.
    • Dramatic Dream Gate and DDG Returns 2008
    • The Differ Cup Scramble Tag Team Tournament, hosted by DDT, IWA Japan, Michinoku Pro Wrestling, Pro Wrestling NOAH and Pro Wrestling ZERO1.
    • Kota Ibushi's commuting status did lead to him defending the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title on DDT shows, his first defense against Kenny Omega was in fact. Omega lost, but would later save face by bringing in and defending the AJPW Junior Heavyweight Title belt against Minoru Tanaka.
    • DDT has had two "child promotions" in Union Pro Wrestling and Tokyo Joshi Pro. Even after Union shutdown(again), DDT continued to host defenses of it's "Max" and "Fly To Everywhere" World Titles and even created the Union Non-Certified US Heavyweight Title. Mio Shirai has won the SGP Global Junior Heavyweight Title from Ken Oka on a Union Pro show.
  • Death from Above: Buenos Aires Gozen Reiji, the finishing move of the Argentine sumo wrestler Hoshitango Imachi.
  • Enforced Plug: At DDT White Flight in Nagoya 2011 there was Umemura Personal Computer School Sponsored Match between Danshoku Dino and Masa Takanashi
  • Exact Words: The DDT have a variant on the Ladder Match where a wrestler has to fight against an actual ladder. The result is less a display of wrestling power than talent at mime. And since anyone (or anything) can hold the title, the DDT Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship has been held by three different ladders. And by the title belt itself.
  • Expy
    • Sanshiro Takagi himself is an Expy of "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, right down to having the same glass shattering sound that begins his entrance music.
    • Hiroshi Fukuda is an expy to Mr. Perfect Curt Hennig, with added elements of All-American Face thrown in, such as wearing a stars and stripes jacket(that's a little too small for him).
  • Evil Foreigner: Ivan Markov and Bonnie(Russians) of KGB48, though their partner Vladimir Nagai was really Japanese and they were all overshadowed by the much larger Japanese majority TKGB48.
  • Fan Disservice: Suguru Miyatake and Takayuki Ueki bra and panty from bubble match, unless two hairy guys in that situation is your thing.
  • Foe Romance Subtext: This is the promotion that installed a "Gay Anal World Title" in 2005 and promoted it in some way shape or form for four years after all.
  • Fully Absorbed Finale: They used the defunct Universal Wrestling Association's World trios title belts until 2010.
  • Funny Foreigner: Kenny Omega, the Canadian Cartoon Character, Ladybeard, the male Australian Pinup Model.
  • Garbage Wrestler: Generally those who compete for the DDT Extreme Title belt.
  • Gimmick Matches
    • No rope escape match, no grappling allowed match, two count pin to win match, give up only, super TLC match (they fight for a tote bag)
    • A rumbles rules match sees the gimmick of the match change multiple times as it goes on.
    • DDT Ryogoku Peter Pan 2011 saw Danshoku Dino take on Bob Sapp in a "30 3 Minute Rounds with Alternating Bob Rules & Gay Rules" match.
    • DDT Non-Fix 10.5 had "The King Of Laughter" match, where the winner is the one to make his opponents...laugh. Michael Nakazawa won a four way.
    • Sanshiro Takagi and HIROKI fought Michael Nakazawa and Chiharu in a "100 Nunchuks & Flower Pots Death Match" at DDT Sapporo Puroresu Festival.
  • Gorgeous George: Gorgeous Matsuno is an expy of the trope namer
  • Groin Attack: In a now-infamous spot, Danshoku Dino tried to grab Joey Ryan's…well, you know. Only, to his shock and horror, Dato soon found that he had made a grave mistake, and Ryan judo flipped Dato with his genitals.
  • Handshake Refusal: HARASHIMA refused to shake Kota Ibushi's hand after losing the Open Weight title to him, leading to Ibushi to follow HARASHIMA trying to get a hand shake and HARASHIMA punching Ibushi's palm.
  • I Have Many Names: Sanshiro Takagi is also known as Doku Mamushi Sanshiro,Sanshiro Miyamoto, "Stone Cold" Steve Sanshiro, Mr. Strawberry, Italian Warrior, Francoise*Takagi, Sanshiro Takagi Binsebun, Tadashi Kimala, Sazae, Brassière Chono, Great Slave #643, Sexy X, S. Hansen, Takagi Genjin, New Keizo Matsuda and Narita Nagachika. Whew.
  • Immigrant Patriotism: Kenny Omega loves Japan, took up residence and doesn't even consider himself an outsider.
  • Japanese Ranguage: Cherry is sometimes billed as Che Li
  • Jobber: There is even a title for them, The King Of Dark Championship belt, which is retained by being defeated. And, as the name implies, it is "defended" in dark matches, meaning a good deal of the audience doesn't even know it exists! This too has obscure roots in American wrestling, specifically a "hot potato" title belt from Chicago.
  • Legion of Doom: DDT Ryogoku Peter Pan 2011 saw The Susan Guard team up with the remaining members of the Shit Heart Foundation to become The Susan Shit Heart Superstars. This did little to slow their mutual downward spirals, however and they ended up being dismantled by TKG48 in little over a month...only to come back months later and begin to star winning.
  • Masked Luchador: El Generico, the generic luchador.
  • Mind Screw: The Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship changed hands in a dream.
  • Monkey Morality Pose: DDT Beer Garden Pro Wrestling 2011 - Day 5 - Kenny Omega & Michael Nakazawa Day had a "3 Monkies Match"[sic] between No Hearing Monkey, No Speaking Monkey and No Looking Monkey. The deaf one was victorious.
  • Mummy: Mecha Mummy
  • Name of Power: Jet Shogo's Jet Punch finisher. Yes, just a punch.
  • New Year Has Come: The New Year's Gift Special...specials, they celebrate it
  • Odd Job Gods: DDT Chartiy Wrestling on the Road Series 2nd ~ Storage Yard Pro Wrestling saw the god of the storage yard get ganged up on and beaten by Sanshiro Takagi, Kota Ibushi, Michael Nakazawa and Mitsuhiro Yoshida after they were beaten in a five way match by Jun Kasai.
  • Older Than They Look: In a case of Dawson Casting that was Played for Laughs, Cherry was billed as 18 when she debuted at age 30. That said, she did look much younger than most people her age.
  • Open Secret: KUDO keeps his true name secret, despite it was ousted a long time ago as Atsushi Kudo when some fans looked on his former university's database.
  • Power Stable: Akebono Army, Yoshiko Army, Nakazawa's Army, Danshoku Dino's Army, TKG48, Smile Squash, Homoiro Clover Z, Homoiro Clover Z Green
  • Power Trio: The KO-D Six Man Championship contenders. More specifically, Man's Club, Susan Guard, HERO! Gundan, KGB48
  • Repetitive Name: The Omori Dream Fair World Omori Title
  • Revival: In 2013, DDT revived an earlier nineties Puroresu promotion called Union Pro by creating two titles for it. DDT, however, promoted UPW as a Joshi(all women) fed when it actually started running shows until retiring that and just making them part of it's own.
  • Rock–Paper–Scissors: One of the ways the Ironman Heavymetalweight Title has changed hands.
  • Running Gag: Ironman Heavymetalweight Title, a Parody of the WWE Hardcore Title's "24/7 Rules," taken up to eleven. Not only can anyone claim the title at anytime, but anything can claim the title for the slightest of win conditions. At one point the Title itself held the title. This playlist alone shows the title changing hands over 101 times in one of it's tours in the US, including at one point the audience winning it via Joey Ryan accidentally forfeiting it by saying it's their title too... only for the audience accidently losing it due to their clapping counting as a tap out.
  • She Is the King: The letters KO-D stand for King Of DDT, which most of the main titles are labeled but AJA Kong held one of the 6-Man Tag Team title belts as part of Team Homo sapiens with Danshoku Dino and Makoto Oishi, and Meiko Satomura won the Openweight championship.
  • Shout-Out: The stable of Danshoku Dino, Masa Takanashi, Hikaru Sato and Keisuke Ishii, Belt Hunter × Hunter.
  • Slow Motion
    • Those who participate in a "Silence Match" where making loud noises draws a disqualification, will often end up fighting in slow motion in an effort to keep quiet.
    • The final of the Kazushi Sakuraba vs Super Sasadango Machine match at Saitama Super DDT 2015 was live action slow motion, with dimmed lights, and narration coming off the big screen. When the special effects cut off they went back to regular speed and Machine lost quickly.
  • Spaghetti and Gondolas: The Italian Four Horsemen, who went through several different incarnations to both mirror the various versions of The Four Horsemen and to squeeze in as many Italian stereotypes as possible.
  • Spell My Name With An S: Is sometimes written as D2T
  • Squash Match
    • Sometimes one match will go on so long that there isn't enough time for anything else but an deliberately one sided contest meant to be over with quickly, such as DDT Charity Wrestling Series on the Road – Factory Pro Wrestling Again where TKG48's Sanshiro Takagi and Munenori Sawa had a Tag Team match with Kota Ibushi and Michael Nakazawa that ate up all the time, so a four on one handicap match featuring the same wrestlers punishing Kojo no Kamisama for about a minute and a half. The charity shows are particularly susceptible to these, actually.
    • At DDT Wrestling Master Final Countdown ~ Dick Togo Last Local Triumphant Return MIKAMI squashed DJ Nira in four seconds, twice in a row. On his third try Nira managed to last six minutes, but still lost.
  • Start My Own
    • "Jet" Shogo's JET World Title in 2006. It has had a bit of staying power and been won by a few people.
    • Danshiko Dino's "Umemura Personal Computer School World Copy and Paste Title", which hasn't.
  • Tournament Arc: DDT48 and King of DDT are two of their big annual events.
  • Twofer Token Minority: Hoshitango Imachi, a Jewish Argentine sumo wrestler. It wasn't just a gimmick, it was true.
  • Unrelated Brothers: Brazo de Gotha has no known relations to the Brazo family or Shadito Cruz.
  • Wholesome Cross Dresser: Rookies Shun Miyatake and Hiroshi Fukuda were made to dress like women and dance to entrances of Kazuki Hirata and Magnum HIRATA.
  • Wrestling Monster: Shigehiro Irie as a Captain Ersatz of Big Van Vader.

Alternative Title(s): DDT Pro Wrestling

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