Legendary Japanese grappler Jun Akiyama has won DDT Pro Wrestling’s D-Oh Grand Prix tournament and is now set to challenge current KO-D Openweight Champion Tetsuya Endo next year.
The D-Oh, established in 2017, follows a similar pattern to the likes of New Japan’s G1 Climax, featuring 14 performers, split across two blocks, competing in a round robin style tournament.
The finals were contested between B Block winner Akiyama and A Block winner Konosuke Takeshita, the later of whom was looking to avenge his loss to Akiyama from DDT’s Ultimate Party event earlier in the year.
However, the veteran would again topple the younger man, securing the stoppage via Chicken Wing Arm Lock, at just shy of 25 minutes.
Post match, the former All Japan Pro Wrestling president caused quite a stir among the Japanese media by mentioning both IWGP Champion Tetsuya Naito (NJPW) and GHC Heavyweight Champion Go Shiozaki (Pro Wrestling NOAH) in his post-match address:
Naito, the IWGP Champ, Shiozaki, the GHC Champ and Endo, the KO-D champ. The 3 greatest champions in wrestling right now. I’m challenging for one of them, now that I’ve won the D-Oh Grand Prix.
The title match between Akiyama and Endo, slated for DDT’s February 14th show in Kawasaki, will have greater intrigue due to Endo having defeated the older man during the D-Oh tournament itself.
Akiyama, now 51, continues his impressive run in DDT, having moved from All Japan as a ‘rental’ earlier in 2020.
The former AJPW Triple Crown winner was reportedly due to work as a guest coach at the WWE Performance Centre in May, prior to travel restrictions coming into place.
With thanks to DDT English Update for the post match translations.