Yuki Ueno

Ueno in January 2023

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Osaka, Japan

**Yuki Ueno** (上野勇希, *Ueno Yuki*, born September 1, 1995) is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working for Dramatic Dream Team (DDT), where he is a former two-times DDT Universal Champion while also being a former one-time KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Champion and the winner of the 2023 D-Oh Grand Prix.

## Early Life

In high school, Ueno participated in gymnastics and track and field. He was classmates with Konosuke Takeshita. Takeshita's determination to join professional wrestling touched Ueno and inspired him to follow suit.

## Professional wrestling Career

### DDT Pro-Wrestling (2016-Present)

On September 25, 2016 Ueno was announced to be the newest rookie on Dramatic Dream Team sub-brand DDT New Attitude, facing Akito in a Exhibition match, that ended in a time limit draw. It was then announced that Ueno would take in the DNA Grand Prix, where he would make his proper debut match. In his televised debut match he would loose to Kazusada Higuchi. Ueno ended losing all of his match in the DNA Grand Prix. As is customary for most professional wrestlers, Ueno spent most of his matches losing to other, more experienced wrestlers, which would help put over other wrestlers while at the same time give Ueno some in-ring, televised, experience. In May, Ueno took part of Kaientai Dojo's K-Metal League, finishing with a record of three wins and one loss, advancing to the finals. In the finals, Ueno lost to GO Asakawa. On September 10, Ueno competed in his biggest match that day when he was defeated by former classmate and then-reigning KO-D Openweight Champion Konosuke Takeshita.

On November 28, Ueno and Takeshita won the cross-promotional 2017 Differ Cup by defeating the Pro Wrestling Noah team of Hitoshi Kumano and Katsuhiko Nakajima in the finals. This marked the first Differ Cup held in 10 years. In February 2018 Ueno started a short feud with Kota Umeda which he later lost. On February 25 Ueno, Umeda and Koju Takeda challenged Masahiro Takanashi, Kudo and Yukio Sakaguchi for a title match at Judgement for their KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Championship. On March 25 Ueno, Umeda and Takeda defeated Takanashi, Kudo and Sakaguchi to win the KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Championship with the three winning their first professional wrestling titles. They lost the titles to Konosuke Takeshita, Akito and Shunma Katsumata on June 24. On June 11, it was announced that DNA would be suspended, leading to Ueno being transferred to the DDT main roster. After the split of T2Hii it was announced that he and HARASHIMA and Toru Owashi would reform their old stable Disaster Box. On November 3, 2020 at Ultimate Party Ueno defeated Chris Brookes to become the new DDT Universal Championship winning his second singles championship in the process. On August 21, 2021 at Wrestle Peter Pan Ueno lost the DDT Universal Championship to Daisuke Sasaki. From November 3 until December 5, Ueno took part in the 2021 II D-Oh Grand Prix, where finished his block with a record of three wins and two losses, he would his block after defeating Tetsuya Endo and advanced to the finals of the tournament. On December 5, Ueno was defeated in the finals of the tournament by his fellow 37KAMIINA stablemate Konosuke Takeshita. From November 1 until December 4, Ueno took part in the 2022 D-Oh Grand Prix, where finished his block with a record of three wins, and two losses, advancing to the finals of the tournament. On December 4, Ueno defeated Yukio Naya in the finals to win the D-Oh Grand Prix. On December 29, Ueno unsucessfully challenged Kazusada Higuchi for the KO-D Openweight Championship.

On January 13, 2023, Ueno lost the DDT Universal Championship to Naruki Doi in a three-way survival match, also involving Daisuke Sasaki. On February 26, Ueno, Shinya Aoki and Super Sasadango Machine defeated Kotaro Suzuki, Tetsuya Endo and Yusuke Okada to win the KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Championship. They lost the titles to Kazusada Higuchi, Ryota Nakatsu and Yuki Ishida on May 14. On June 13, during a backstage interview, Ueno unexpectedly threw out a challenge to The 37KAMIINA stablemate Konosuke Takeshita to a match at Wrestle Peter Pan. During the year, they had two singles matches, once for a 10 minute exhibition match on January 5 and another for DDT’s show in Los Angeles on March 30. At the event, on July 23, Ueno was defeated by Takeshita. Following the match, Ueno refused to shake Takeshita's hand, then Toi Kojima decided to step in between them and push Takeshita away. Afterwards, Takeshita alligned himself with DAMNATION T.A. to opose The 37KAMIINA, while trying to get Ueno to join him. On July 30, following a six-man tag team match between both sides, Ueno was advised again by Takeshita to start following him, leading Takeshita to be confronted by Shunma Katsumata, who was attacked by Daisuke Sasaki. After MAO chased Sasaki out, MAO lost his temper at Takeshita for not helping Katsumata. Takeshita then announced that he would return on September 9 and expected to hear an answer from Ueno by then. On August 27, after Sasaki attacked Kojima after their match, Ueno ran into the ring to rescue Kojima. Sasaki stopped, before telling Ueno to give him an answer for his offer. Ueno did not excepted a handshake from Sasaki, so he whispered something into his ear. On September 9, Ueno revealed his choice and decided to stay at The 37KAMIINA. On September 24, at Who's Gonna Top? 2023, after Chris Brookes successfully defended the KO-D Openweight Championship against Saki Akai, Ueno challenged Brookes to a title match, which he accepted. On November 12 at Ultimate Party, Ueno defeated Chris Brookes to win the KO-D Openweight Championship. From November 26 until December 24, Ueno took part in the 2023 D-Oh Grand Prix, where he finished the tournament with a record of two wins, one draw and two losses, with a loss against Yuki Iino on the final day, costing him a spot in the finals of the tournament.

## In wrestling

* **Finishing moves**
	+ *Best Moonsault Ever* (Double jump moonsault)
	+ Frog splash
	+ *Jul. 2* (Double wrist-clutch somersault overdrive)
	+ *WR* (Cross-armed jumping ranhei) - adopted from HUB
* **Signature moves**
	+ Bridging exploder suplex
	+ Dragon suplex
	+ Dropkick, sometimes from the second rope
	+ Elbow strike
	+ Frankensteiner
	+ Jumping bronco buster
	+ Uranage
	+ Vertical suplex
	+ Wrist-clutch spin-out powerbomb
	+ *Yuki Ueno-style Konaki Crash* (One-handed bulldog)
* **Entrance Themes**
	+ **“Song 2”** by Blur
	+ "Song3"
	+ "ENERGY DANCE (Special Edit) by RYO the SKYWALKER (used while teaming with Naomi Yoshimura, as part of Nautilus)

## Championships and accomplishments

* **Dramatic Dream Team**
	+ KO-D Openweight Championship (1 time, current)
	+ DDT Universal Championship (2 times)
	+ KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Kota Umeda and Koju Takeda (1) and Shinya Aoki and Super Sasadango Machine (1)
	+ KO-D 8-Man Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with MAO, Shunma Katsumata, Toi Kojima and Shinya Aoki
	+ KO-D Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Naomi Yoshimura
	+ Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship (7 times)
	+ Differ Cup (2017) – with Konosuke Takeshita
	+ D-Oh Grand Prix (2023)