Sanshiro Takagi
On March 27, 2009, Kudo made another trip to the United States and Chikara to take part in the 2009 King of Trios tournament, from which he, Kota Ibushi and Michael Nakazawa, as Team DDT, were eliminated in the first round by the Future is Now (Equinox, Helios and Lince Dorado). Two days later, on the final day of the tournament, Kudo teamed with Nakazawa, Amasis and Ophidian in an eight-man tag team match, where they defeated Darin Corbin, Ryan Cruz, Fire Ant and Soldier Ant. Upon his return to DDT, Kudo was named the number one contender to the KO-D Openweight Championship, but would once again fail to capture the title from Harashima on May 31. On July 5, Kudo and Yasu Urano wrestled Jun Kasai and Mikami to a thirty-minute time limit draw in a number one contender's three-way elimination match, which also included the team of Hoshitango and Masa Takanashi. On August 23, Kudo and Urano defeated Kasai and Mikami, Kenny Omega and Mike Angels, and defending champions Francesco Togo and Piza Michinoku in a four-way elimination match to become the new KO-D Tag Team Champions. Kudo and Urano made their first successful title defense on September 27 against the team of Great Sasuke and Sanshiro Takagi, and followed that up by also successfully defending the title against Takagi and Ultraman Robin on October 25, Danshoku Dino and Keisuke Ishii on November 15, Belt Hunter×Hunter (Hikaru Sato and Masa Takanashi) on December 6, and in a three-way match against the teams of Belt Hunter×Hunter and the Italian Four Horsemen (Antonio Honda and Sasaki &amp; Gabbana) on December 13. On February 11, 2010, Kudo and Urano lost the title to Munenori Sawa and Sanshiro Takagi in their sixth title defense. On July 25, Kudo, Urano and Antonio Honda also lost the Jiyugaoka Six-Person Tag Team Championship to Great Kojika, Mr. #6 and Riho in a three-way match, which also included Hikaru Sato, Keisuke Ishii and Yoshihiko, and was also contested for the DDT Nihonkai Six-Man Tag Team and UWA World Trios Championships.