DDT D-Ou Grand Prix 2021 2 In Yokohama - 06/11/2021
D-Ou Grand Prix 2021 2 Block B Match: HARASHIMA vs. Chris Brookes
HARASHIMA loses yet another match in the D-Ou. Brookes worked the leg meticulously in the early stages before getting dragged into a battle of strikes before returning to that game plan to big benefits. HARASHIMA is one of the best grapplers in Japan but he totally got outwrestled by the persistent Brookes. Interesting match from all vantage points. ***1/2
D-Ou Grand Prix 2021 2 Block A Match: Jun Akiyama vs. Yuji Hino
Impressive main event performance by Hino. He is much more vulnerable and interesting against Akiyama, where he’s the smaller guy than against the Junior Heavyweights of the roster. He couldn’t slap his way through it as Akiyama can give as good as he gets alongside the technical skill that comes with it. Akiyama attacked the arm of Hino, forcing Hino into new ideas. Hino’s selling was really good; better than I would’ve thought. He was very sympathetic and it made me want him to win. Akiyama put him over like a champ as well. Akiyama tends to lose in upset ways - in 3-5 minutes - that don’t actually put the person over *as a star* but this was a better example of that. ***3/4
DDT D-Ou Grand Prix 2021 2 In Shinjuku - 10/11/2021
D-Ou Grand Prix 2021 2 Block B Match: Konosuke Takeshita vs. MAO
MAO isn’t the cleanest wrestler in DDT, being a former backyard wrestler, with it being a part of his charm but this is one of his more smoother displays in terms of striking, aerial moves and linking it all together. MAO rocked Takeshita’s jaw with punches throughout the match and bested him in a lot of exchanges. Takeshita took MAO lightly and almost lost the match because of it. Takeshita was a solid base for MAO’s aerial moves, coming up with sick counters which, in turn, made for some exciting near falls like the nearfall on the suplex. ***3/4
D-Ou Grand Prix 2021 2 Block B Match: Yuji Okabayashi vs. Chris Brookes
This was another quality match involving Chris Brookes, wrestling’s most improved wrestler of 2021. His smaller frame really made himself a good opponent for Okabayashi to work off. He could climb around Okabayashi like Masahiro Takanashi would try, attempting any submissions that would open up. Okabayashi powered through it with brute force though. Brookes, to his credit, took the chopping and corner splashes like a champ, and kept on going despite the difference in hitting power. ***1/4
D-Ou Grand Prix 2021 2 Block A Match: Naomi Yoshimura vs. Yuki Ueno
*Jazz Music* Nautilus Explode! I’m glad Yoshimura won this match. It’s easy to forget about him as Ueno is the prospect and gets pushed higher and more regularly but Yoshimura is starting to gain momentum and this keeps that going. Ueno doesn’t lose much from this result and it sets up a potential pathway that could be concluded in 3-5 years between the two. While this lacked a key exchange or sequence to make this great, this had plenty of solid little moments of emotion and wrestling to make this a very good match. There is more to this pairing in the future. ***
D-Ou Grand Prix 2021 2 Block A Match: Jun Akiyama vs. Tetsuya Endo
I hate it. Even some of the greatest wrestlers of all time have the worst ideas and do the most terrible finishes. And this had a finish that’s done way more often than it should at this level. Tetsuya Endo hits a sweet Tetsuya In The Sky (Shooting Star Press), lands as clean as he usually does, and Akiyama rolls him up for an inside cradle. No. As you can tell, I hate this finish but the rest of the match lived up to what I expected. Endo worked from beneath against Akiyama, working the mat surprisingly well and being able to keep on top of the veteran with his dives but Akiyama’s style is a true and tested formula in DDT (And wrestling) and he gets success with it again. ***1/2
DDT D-Ou Grand Prix 2021 2 In Osaka - 14/11/2021
D-Ou Grand Prix 2021 2 Block B Match: Chris Brookes vs. MAO
This was very experimental and idealistic, playing on the ideas of wrestling and how it could be done. In true DDT fashion. The count out teases were purposely long and played up to 10, a big wheel was used as a weapon, with a football goal in the background, they went outside of the building to have a short comedy skit. This was funny with a finish that fit it all. Brookes trapped MAO in a block of bins (?) while upside down to prevent MAO getting back in the ring for the count out. Even in this style of match, the match had a story. It was a little long though. And some of the early traditional wrestling offence didn’t look good, whatsoever. The charm was the comedy. ***1/2
D-Ou Grand Prix 2021 2 Block B Match: HARASHIMA vs. Konosuke Takeshita
HARASHIMA loses another match in the D-Ou GP. This time, to the ace of the promotion who convincingly is the better of the two judging from the performances. HARASHIMA edged Takeshita out with his grappling, because of the attack on the arm but Takeshita controlled and bested him in most other ways. Takeshita was able to successfully avoid HARASHIMA’s biggest hits, using the momentum of the missed Somato to hit the rolling German Suplex. The lack of a big match setting aside, this was a main event level match (that wasn’t the main event). ***3/4
D-Ou Grand Prix 2021 2 Block B Match: Yuji Okabayashi vs. Kazusada Higuchi
There are quite few visuals in wrestling that I enjoy more than sweat bouncing off someone's chest after a hard chop;. That’s when you know that so much energy and power was thrown beyond the strikes. Higuchi more than showed his worth, taking the chops and lariats, and everything else that Okabayashi threw at him and gave it back, along with a Claw which had way more drama behind it than a clawhold should have in the year 2021. That was down to the incredible selling from both sides to make it a credible finish, alongside everything else they did in the amazing closing stretch. This was somewhat of a clash of two giants that were slugging it away, fighting and struggling in a highly competitive match. ****1/4
DDT D-Ou Grand Prix 2021 2 In Korakuen Hall - 21/11/2021
D-Ou Grand Prix 2021 2 Block B Match: HARASHIMA vs. Yuji Okabayashi
As Okabyashi hoisted HARASHIMA onto his shoulders, desperate wrenching down on the torture rack manoeuvre, HARASHIMA hangs on until the bell rings, signianlling the 30 minute time limit, sending Okabayashi one step out of the tournament, redeeming himself after losing every match. It reads like a movie synopsis. It truly does. And on top of a great narrative that it told, it gave us the best of both wrestlers. We get a classic Okabayashi strike exchange with HARASHIMA offering his violent kicks to match Okabyashi’s chops but we get some of the excellent grappling early in the match from HARASHIMA. This was a great, great match for a ton of reasons. ****
D-Ou Grand Prix 2021 2 Block B Match: Konosuke Takeshita vs. Kazusada Higuchi
I didn’t expect Takeshita to definitively put away Higuchi to advance to the finals. It was a fun sprint, allowing for Takeshita to come off super strong which a lot of companies tend not to do with their top babyfaces, opting for the underdog approach (which Takeshita never really suited being) but Higuchi should’ve, could’ve got more shine and kept the same idea. Especially coming off that amazing match against Okabayashi on the prior show. ***
D-Ou Grand Prix 2021 2 Block A Match: Tetsuya Endo vs. Yuki Ueno
This had its strengths on top of its weaknesses. It was a good main event with a ton of stakes that make sense within how the promotion has booked Ueno for the past two years. Ueno is, again, a strong underdog, giving a good performance that kept within that spirit but still made his win come off as definitive. Endo was solid as well as the established wrestler. What this lacked was the glue to hold the good performances and spots together to make this a true dramatic contest like HARASHIMA/Okabayashi was. ***
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