page_title: Kudo (wrestler)
section_title: Return to DDT (2006–present)
hierarchical_section_title: Kudo (wrestler) / Professional wrestling career / Return to DDT (2006–present)
caption_attribution_description: 5.5青森大会より
context_page_description: Atsushi Kudo is a Japanese professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Kudo. Signed to the DDT Pro-Wrestling promotion, he is currently in his seventh reign as one third of the KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Champions, while also being a former four-time KO-D Openweight Champion, four-time KO-D Tag Team Champion and the winner of the 2005 and 2011 King of DDT tournaments. Kudo has also made several trips to the United States, working for various independent promotions including Chikara, Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South, International Wrestling Cartel, IWA East Coast and NWA Upstate.
context_section_description: Kudo returned to Japan and DDT on April 2, 2006, teaming with Mikami in a tag team match, where they defeated Harashima (the now unmasked Hero!) and Jet Shogo. During the following months, Kudo feuded with former partner Harashima and his villainous Disaster-Box stable. On June 25, Kudo teamed with Masami Morohashi and Seiya Morohashi in a six-man tag team match for the DDT Jiyugaoka Six-Person Tag Team Championship, losing to the team of Harashima, Muscle Sakai and Yusuke Inokuma. On July 2, Kudo, Mikami and Shiima Xion defeated Harashima, Toru Owashi and Yusuke Inokuma to win the 2006 Takechi Six Man Tag Scramble Cup. The rivalry culminated on July 23 in an eight-man elimination tag team match, where Kudo, Mitsuya Nagai, Poison Sawada Julie and Sanshiro Takagi, representing DDT, faced Harashima, Danshoku Dino, Jet Shogo and Toru Owashi, representing Disaster-Box. Kudo scored the final elimination of the match, pinning Harashima to give DDT the win over Disaster-Box. As a result, Kudo was granted a shot at Toru Owashi's KO-D Openweight Championship on August 27, but was unable to dethrone the defending champion. After returning from a short break following an injury, Kudo turned heel and formed the Team 2 Thousand Island stable with Sanshiro Takagi and Yoshiaki Yago, continuing his rivalry with the now-face Harashima. Kudo and Harashima faced off on November 23 in a grudge match, which was won by Harashima, who, as a result, became the number one contender to the KO-D Openweight Championship, which he went on to win from Toru Owashi a month later.
  On February 16, 2007, Kudo returned to Chikara, when he, Miyawaki and Yoshiaki Yago entered the 2007 King of Trios tournament. After wins over Team DDT (American Balloon, Danshoku Dino and Masamune) and The Iron Saints (Brandon, Sal and Vito Thomaselli), the trio defeated The Kings of Wrestling (Chuck Taylor, Gran Akuma and Icarus) in their semifinal match on February 18. Later that same day, Kudo, Miyawaki and Yago were defeated in the finals of the tournament by Jigsaw, Mike Quackenbush and Shane Storm. Back in DDT, Kudo received another shot at the KO-D Openweight Championship on July 1, but was this time defeated by Koo. During the second half of 2007, Kudo began regularly teaming with Yasu Urano and on September 23, the two defeated the Nuru Nuru Brothers (Michael Nakazawa and Tomomitsu Matsunaga) to become the number one contenders to the KO-D Tag Team Championship. Kudo and Urano then went on to unsuccessfully challenge Antonio Honda and Prince Togo for the title on November 3. On March 1, 2008, Kudo returned to Chikara, when he, Miyawaki and Susumu entered the 2008 King of Trios tournament as Team Japan. After wins over The Southern Saints (Marcus O'Neil, Reno Diamond and Shawn Reed) and Team AZW (AkuA, Immortal Black and Immortal White), the trio was eliminated from the tournament in the quarterfinals by BLKOUT (Eddie Kingston, Joker and Ruckus). On April 9, Kudo and Urano entered DDT's 2008 KO-D Tag Team Title League, where they made it to the finals, before losing to Mikami and Tanomusaku Toba. On May 6, Kudo won the Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship by pinning Danshoku Dino in a tag team match, where he teamed with Urano and Dino with Masa Takanashi. He would go on to lose the title to Gorgeous Matsuno on June 11. On July 6, Kudo, Urano and Antonio Honda defeated Koo, Super Vampire and Toru Owashi to win the DDT Jiyugaoka Six-Person Tag Team Championship. On July 20, Kudo made it to the finals of a tournament to determine the number one contender to the KO-D Openweight Championship, but was there defeated by Kota Ibushi. In early 2009, Kudo made several appearances as the Frenchman Jacques de Atsushinu, teaming with Louis Takanashi XIV, Masa Takanashi's French character, working against the Italian Four Horsemen.
  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
caption: Shuten-dōji as the KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Champions in May 2014
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