By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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DDT Pro Wrestling “DDT Goes Las Vegas”
Streamed on TrillerTV+
April 18, 2025, in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Pearl Theater at Palms Casino
This is the 8th show of the 13-event Collective, featuring promotions from quite literally across the world. This began at 3 p.m. local time and was the second show of Friday’s four-event lineup here. The Collective logo is in the center. The lighting over the ring was really good. Dave Prazak, Jordan Castle and Nick Knowledge provided commentary.
* Like the Tokyo Joshi-Pro stars, I saw most of these DDT stars at last year’s Collective and maybe once since.
1. Starboy Charlie vs. Yuni. Yuni is a teenager and he brings his backpack to the ring, and he has a private school attire. Charlie, of course, is only 20 or 21. Some really fast-paced reversals to open that were very acrobatic. Yuni hit a top-rope moonsault to the floor at 2:00. Castle talked about Charlie doing a recent tour in Japan. In the ring, Charlie tied him in a surfboard and kept Yuni grounded. Charlie hit a Pele Kick, then a Gory Bomb for a nearfall at 6:00. Yuni hit a tornado DDT. Charlie hit a corkscrew senton for a believable nearfall at 8:00; we actually had a bell but ref Scarlette Donovan waived it off. Charlie hit the top-rope Shooting Starboy Press for the pin. Good opener.
Starboy Charlie defeated Yuni at 8:53.
2. Daisuke Sasaki and Ilusion vs. Kody Lane and Dan the Dad vs. Mikuse Watase and Shota in a three-way tag. I’ve described Daisuke as the Japanese version of Raven; moping and downtrodden. My first time seeing the black-masked Ilusion. Koda and Dan are regulars in the St. Louis/Chicago corridor. Again, this Shota is NOT Shota Umino; he’s older and a bit chubby and he opened against Ilusion. Dan and Daisuke traded standing switches at 2:30 while Dan held his coffee cup. Daisuke got a beer and they toasted their drinks, but then Sasaki sprayed his beer in Dan’s face! The crowd reacted in horror! Ilusion hit a top-rope missile dropkick at 4:30.
Daisuke’s team worked over Dan. Kody finally got a hot tag at 7:00 and hit a senton, then a moonsault onto Daisuke and Ilusion. Shota got back in. Blond-haired Watase finally entered for the first time and battled Daisuke. Shota dove through the ropes onto Kody at 10:30. Ilusion hit a trust-fall off the top rope onto several guys on the floor. Dan dove through the ropes to hit a Doomsday Device on the floor. In the ring, Dan and Watase traded forearm strikes. Kody hit his one-footed moonsault. Kody hit his top-rope senton. Ilusion hit a Swanton Bomb. However, Daisuke tied Dan in a crossface, and Dan tapped out. Fun match.
Daisuke Sasaki and Ilusion defeated Kody Lane and Dan the Dad, and Mikuse Watase and Shota in a three-way tag at 13:04.
3. Antonio Honda vs. Santana Jackson. I still think it’s disgusting and short-sighted to have a Michael Jackson impersonator in 2025; maybe they can have a Jared impersonator come and hand out Subway sandwiches to kids in the front row while they are at it. Honda is bald and wears a one-strap singlet. Of course, Santana put on the wolf mask and hit a Moonwalk DDT for the pin.
Santana Jackson defeated Antonio Honda at 9:35.
4. 1 Called Manders vs. Yukio Naya for the wXw World Title. Again, Manders just returned from a two-month excursion in Germany, where he won this belt. I don’t think I’ve seen Naya before, but his gear and long blond hair made me think he’s the Japanese version of He-Man. They tied up, and Naya is maybe 2-3 inches taller and appears a bit thicker, too. Manders hit a shoulder block that barely budged Naya. Naya knocked Manders down at 2:00. Castle said this is Naya’s first-ever match in the U.S. (I knew I hadn’t seen him before!) They traded forearm strikes and chops, with the crowd reacting to each blow.
Naya again dropped Manders with a roundhouse kick. He hit a big elbow drop for a nearfall at 6:00, and the commentators talked about how rare it is to see Manders “manhandled” like this. Manders fired up and hit a series of rapid-fire chops in the corner, then hit a shotgun dropkick! He hit some clotheslines in the corner, and he hit the Oklahoma Stampede (Bulldog Powerslam) for a nearfall at 7:30. They got up and traded slaps to the face. Naya hit a chokeslam for a believable nearfall at 9:00. They hit stereo clotheslines, then Manders dropped him with a stiff clothesline for the pin! This will be a highly underrated match from this weekend; worth checking this one out.
1 Called Manders defeated Yukio Naya at 9:31.
5. Nick Wayne, Kazuma Sumi, and Shunma Katsumata vs. Gringo Loco, Marcus Mathers, and Tyler Bateman. Wayne wore his newly won ROH TV Title belt. Mathers had nine or so matches in Vegas between Wednesday and Sunday. Mathers opened against Shunma and they traded quick armdrags, both missed dropkicks, and had a standoff. Blond-haired Sumi, who is really undersized, entered at 1:30 to face Gringo Loco. (Cagematch.net lists Sumi at 5’4″ and just 143 pounds.) They traded quick reversals with Loco landing on his feet after a flip; he paused to dance, so Sumi also danced, then he hit a huracanrana on Loco.
Nick Wayne made a blind tag at 3:30 and was booed. Tyler Bateman tagged in, wearing regular wrestling gear (he usually is dressed more like Raven, especially in his past ROH runs in the Sinclair era.) Loco hit a standing moonsault. Loco pulled Sumi to his corner and they worked the small guy over. Mathers hit a back suplex at 5:30. Prazak pointed out how “chiseled” Mathers is looking (he’s not the first commentator to praise the improved physique this weekend!) The crowd chanted “Where’s your mom?” at Nick Wayne. Funny. Sumi hit a series of dropkicks. Wayne entered and hit a flying forearm on Mathers and those two traded blows, as Castle pointed out this is “WWE vs. AEW.”
Mathers hit a top-rope crossbody block on Wayne. Sumi tagged back in at 9:30, but Mathers hit him with a stunner, then a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall. All six brawled in the ring. Shunma hit a flip dive to the floor to crash onto everyone. In the ring, Mathers hit a superkick on Sumi, then a Swanton Bomb on Shunma. Loco hit a second-rope Falcon Arrow for a nearfall on Shunma, but Wayne made the save at 12:00. Bateman hit a brainbuster on Wayne. Loco hit a Falcon Arrow. Sumi hit a tornado DDT on Loco. Mathers hit his kip-up stunner. Wayne hit a Wayne’s World fadeaway stunner on Bateman for the pin. Really good action with a lot of guys who may never meet in the ring again.
Nick Wayne, Kazuma Sumi, and Shunma Katsumata defeated Gringo Loco, Marcus Mathers, and Tyler Bateman at 13:36.
6. Shinya Aoki vs. Timothy Thatcher. Aoki competed in Bloodsport a day earlier, but I am otherwise unfamiliar with him. He’s tall and thin. They traded offense while in a knuckle lock, and Thatcher applied a half-crab and tied up the leg. Aoki tied him in a pretzel, rolled him over in a crucifix and got a nearfall at 7:00. Aoki dove through the ropes onto Thatcher. They got back into the ring, where Thatcher hit a piledriver for a nearfall. Aoki rolled Thatcher over, got his weight on top and scored the pin. Not much to describe, but a good mat-based match.
Shinya Aoki defeated Timothy Thatcher at 9:15.
7. Minoru Suzuki vs. Yoshihiko for the DDT Pro Title. Yes, they are bringing in Suzuki to fight a lifeless mannequin. I can’t help but think of how many wrestlers are in Las Vegas that just wish they could get a shot to fight Suzuki… while he’s fighting a doll. On the plus side, Yoshihiko will undoubtedly show more life and movement than Butterbean did 24 hours earlier. (Admittedly, what makes these matches work is a lively crowd; a slap to the face of the doll gets a loud reaction; a stomp gets a “you sick f—!” chant.) The doll was also ‘busted open’ with ‘blood’ running down its face. Suzuki hit the Gotch-style Piledriver for the pin. While it is absurd and silly, I give credit to anyone who can carry an inanimate object to an amusing battle for this long of a match.
Minoru Suzuki defeated Yoshihiko to retain the DDT Pro Title at 15:05.
8. Mao vs. Konosuke Takeshita. This, of course, was the reason I tuned in for this show. Again, Mao is shaggy-haired (think Tetsuya Naito’s haircut); he’s a very good wrestler but he’s giving up a lot of size to Takeshita. Konosuke wore his NEVER Openweight Title. Standing switches and a feeling-out process to open. Mao dropped him with a dropkick at 2:30. He hit a stiff kick to the spine for a nearfall. Takeshita hit a standing powerbomb at 4:00. Mao hit a dropkick that sent Takeshita to the floor at 7:00 and he hit an Asai Moonsault. Mao ran and leapt off the stage, hitting a somersault splash onto Takeshita. Back in the ring, Mao hit a stunner at 10:00.
Takeshita nailed a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall and they were both down. They got up and traded forearm strikes; Nick Knowledge said it was a bad idea for Mao to go toe-to-toe with the bigger Takeshita. Konosuke nailed a brainbuster and they were both down at 12:00. Mao hit two tornado kicks to the head for a nearfall. Takeshita hit a Tombstone Piledriver on the ring apron at 14:30. Takeshita shoved Mao back into the ring and hit a Helluva Kick. They traded clotheslines and picked up the pace. Mao hit a clothesline for a nearfall at 16:30. They mis-timed a move where Takeshita was supposed to strike Mao as Mao flipped off the ropes but they kept going. Takeshita hit a running knee for a nearfall, then the Raging Fire (spinning Falcon Arrow) for the pin. A really good match.
Konosuke Takeshita defeated Mao at 17:20.
Final Thoughts: Some really good action here on a strong show. The main event easily takes best match, but Manders-Naya was a standout and takes second. The six-man tag with Nick Wayne was really good action for third. No, the Yoshihiko silliness isn’t my thing, but dang it the crowd makes it work, and all the credit to any wrestler who goes out there and has to carry 100% of 15 minutes with a doll. The Santana stuff is gross and tone-deaf but otherwise the show was good stuff.
Just wanted to say thanks for putting in the time, and all of your outstanding reviews during this wrestlemania week.