On March 30th and 31st, DDT Pro-Wrestling held two shows that were scheduled in Los Angeles as part of GCW The Collective series of events. This was the first time that DDT Pro-Wrestling held shows in the USA since 2019. The two events were highly anticipated by the American fans who have been waiting 4 years for the stars of DDT Pro to return to the States.
The most common name associated with DDT Pro-Wrestling currently that fans in the USA know of is Konosuke Takeshita. Takeshita has had incredible success since coming to America in 2021 as he has become a regular for All Elite Wrestling. Tony Khan was so impressed with Takeshita that he signed the star to a contract which gives the promotion exclusive rights to Takeshita in the United States. Takeshita is still signed with DDT Pro and is exclusive to them in Japan.
On March 30th at DDT Pro Goes Hollywood, Konosuke Takeshita went one on one with an opponent he is very familiar with, Yuki Ueno. For 15 minutes, they electrified the crowd in attendance and just about everyone watching on Fite plus. Takeshita and Ueno put on a tremendous match that was by far the best of the two day DDT Pro USA tour. While most people watching knew what to expect from Takeshita, it was Yuki Ueno that really opened a lot of eyes and introduced numerous fans to his incredible talent.
There were many compliments on social media regarding the Takeshita vs Ueno match as well as praise for Ueno. With that said, I have this question – “Could Yuki Ueno be the next DDT Pro-Wrestling star to find success in the USA?” Let’s dive in and take a look.
Yuki Ueno is a gifted athlete who can step into the ring with any type of opponent and have an entertaining match. Many people compare him to Kota Ibushi. Yuki Ueno can thrive as a high flyer or as a technical wrestler. He has proven that he can adapt to basically any style of pro wrestling.
Ueno made his pro wrestling debut back in 2016 and has worked mainly for DDT Pro-Wrestling over the course of his career. He has held numerous titles for DDT Pro including the KO-D Universal Championship on two occasions. He was ranked at #143 in the 2021 PWI Top 500. He is 27 years old and entering the prime years of his career.
Admittedly, I began watching DDT Pro-Wrestling back in December of 2022. The very first match I watched for the promotion was the D-Oh Grand Prix 2022 Tournament Final in which Yuki Ueno defeated Yukio Naya. While I was impressed with Naya, there was something very special I could see immediately in Yuki Ueno. That match made me a fan of DDT Pro and a huge fan of Yuki Ueno. I decided to begin watching DDT Pro on a regular basis and Yuki Ueno was the main reason why.
That tournament win over Yukio Naya earned Ueno a shot at then KO-D Openweight Champion Kazusada Higuchi. The two met at DDT Never Mind 2022 and they gave the fans a classic that lasted almost 30 minutes. Once again, while Higuchi was very impressive and actually won the match, there was something incredibly special about Ueno. He just seemed just about flawless in the ring. Everything came so natural to him. There was no denying that Yuki Ueno has proved to be a talent that everyone who watches will appreciate.
Back in January 2023, it was announced that former WWE star Samuray Del Sol FKA Kalisto would be making his DDT Pro-Wrestling debut. Del Sol didn’t waste anytime in proclaiming that he wanted Yuki Ueno to be his opponent for that debut match. Ueno was the perfect opponent for Samuray Del Sol and the two had a fantastic match on March 21st at DDT Judgement 2023. Ueno, who was victorious against Del Sol, once again proved that he has what it takes to reach superstar status and quite possibly a chance to show off his talents in the USA.
Yuki Ueno has indicated on social media that he would like to appear more in the USA.
I wanna fight more in US.‼︎
If everyone waits for me, I can come back‼︎NEッPOWER!!!#ddtpro #DDTHollywood #DDTvsGCW pic.twitter.com/O0ZYWMswvV
— 上野 勇希 YUKI UENO @サウナカミーナ (@dna_ueno) April 1, 2023
When I think of US based promotions that I could see give Yuki Ueno an opportunity, one company comes to mind -All Elite Wrestling. With the working agreement between AEW and DDT Pro, I think its time that Tony Khan contact DDT Pro and bring in Yuki Ueno for a few appearances. Ueno appeared on the AEW Fight Forever Tokyo event back in September 2022 where he defeated Michael Nakazawa. I think its time we see Ueno showcased on AEW Dark or Ring of Honor here in the USA.
In addition to AEW, Yuki Ueno could also make the rounds on the US pro wrestling independent scene. Indy companies such as GCW, West Coast Pro, Limitless Wrestling, Prestige and many more would welcome Yuki Ueno to their respective promotions for even more exposure. I could even see Konosuke Takeshita and Yuki Ueno coming together as a tag team, challenging for tag team titles all over the US and even in AEW.
When it comes to Yuki Ueno, he has all the tools to become a big star much like Konosuke Takeshita in the USA. I truly believe if the fans of AEW and indy promotions get to see Yuki Ueno and his in ring talents, they will become fans and will want to see more and more of him. All he needs now is that opportunity, all he needs now is someone such as Tony Khan to give him that chance. If anyone from DDT Pro-Wrestling deserves that opportunity, it’s Yuki Ueno.
What do you think? Share your thoughts, opinions, feedback, and anything else that was raised on Twitter @PWMania and Facebook.com/PWMania.
