(DOVE) YO-HEY'S "TRIUMPHANT HOMECOMING", THE YABU EVENT (17th September 2017)

Background to event
By late 2017, YO-HEY & HAYATA had left Dove and gone to Noah, however they were still allowed to appear for their old promotion from time to time, although this was one of the last times. At this period they were the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Champions, and YO-HEY still held the Dove Tag Championship with Kenshin Chikano.

"We started a typhoon camp"

Yabu is YO-HEY'S hometown, it's very rural and nestled amongst mountains and dense forests which have wild bear in them, and even locals still get lost in them. The town gets its name, according to folklore, from an old man who suffered flatulence.
YO-HEY'S father is part of the local government, and his parents jointly run a farm, they seem to get on well with the crazy people YO-HEY brings to their home. YO-HEY says that had he not become a wrestler, then he would have become a farmer. This was the second time that an event had been held in Yabu.

YO-HEY described his life leading up to today as drinking, training, tanning, drinking, training etc. He said that he had lived in Osaka for over ten years by this point, which probably explains why in 2019, he and HAYATA moved back there from Tokyo.

The event was held on the day Typhoon Talim hit Japan (gusts of 935mph were recorded with 5 people killed and 750million USD estimated in damages across the country), so what do you do the night before?
YO-HEY hosted a barbecue for some of the roster at his parents house, and while HAYATA was at the grill, Brother Yasshi and Gunso lazed on the lawn smoking and looking up at the sky. Earlier that day Gunso and YO-HEY had been to see the venue.

Inside the house, the music loving Gunso and Brother Yasshi had a look through the vinyl collection of YO-HEY'S parents, and the evening concluded with them playing Street Fighter 2 in a room which had a framed poster of JAWS, Stone Cold Steve Austin and a guitar stored in it (it looks like the same room that YO-HEY & HAYATA played Mario World in until 3am during Noah's last visit there in 2020.)

The event (links will take you to pictures of the show)

It was raining as fans made their way to the event from Osaka mainly, noting the warnings at the station about the weather. Referee Yoshino advised fans to either leave very early, or find accomodation for the night if they weren't going to get back to their homes that evening. Driving back was a nightmare for fans (one said they seriously thought they were going to die), strong winds meant that the steering wouldn't work properly and visibility was reduced due to heavy rain

YO-HEY came out at the start and addressed the crowd, naturally in his match he got a lot of paper tape. Main event was a battle royale, which the local boy won via Bamboo Dragonfly (he then posed with both wives, HAYATA & Kenshin Chikano)

Local boy YO-HEY 
YO-HEY came out to greet the crowd, for his match he bought both the Dove Tag Team Championship and the Noah Junior GHC Tag Belt, dressed GinGin Boys style with flashing glasses that said "YO-HEY"
HAYATA looking tired
Shoichi Uchida 
Gunso 
Kenshin Chikano 
HAYATA must have been feeling talkative (or else at ease with the photographer), as he offered to change his position if asked
YO-HEY, HAYATA & Kenshin Chikano 
Group photo (Shoichi Uchida is the only person looking at the camera, other than Gunso)

Picture credit: YO-HEY

(DOVE) Notes from "21st Century Fun" ~ 22nd November 2013

Event took place at the Dotonbori Arena, Osaka.

Tadasuke and HAYATA were on the card, as were The GinGin Boys. Tournament was held whereby the winners would face the tag champions.

GinGin Boys faced 504 (Gunso) & KabukiKid

GinGin Boys made their entry, which was done without the money, but it was typical in other ways

Yeah. Ippei. It's still there.

Match was said to be a little more hardcore than what they would normally do (KabukiKid bought a table with him to the match), YO-HEY bled. 

GinGin Boys won, and went to the finals later that evening

504 at this time seemed to be slowly creeping towards the Gunso name

KabukiKid once wanted to go home from a drunken barbecue, Tadasuke wouldn't let him, so they got into a sumo wrestling match and dented someone's car!

Tadasuke & HAYATA faced PaloBilly (Ray Paloma & BillyKenKid). During the course of the match Tadasuke got hold of some of that yellow tape used to cordon off areas, but ended up getting into a fight with it as it kept growing and growing.

Tadasuke used HAYATA'S skateboard for a move...

HAYATA (or the "125th annual Handsome Festival")

Although they lost to PaloBilly, Fans wanted to see more HAYATA & Tadasuke tags

THE TOURNAMENT FINAL 
GinGin Boys vs PaloBilly
(A turtle bug appeared in the ring)

YO-HEY'S bandage also made him look like he was wearing a bobble hat

"Pervert Attack"

After rubbing his mouth against the mat to get rid of the taste, BillyKenKid got his revenge

The match was won by PaloBilly, and the Kubota Brothers came out to address the crowd wearing suits, they looked like businessmen (well one of them did, the other looked like a gangster). They were the current tag champions, and so would be facing PaloBilly for the title defense.

Then there was the traditional Tequila drink in the ring at the end, BillyKenKid refused to drink one, but HAYATA did

(DOVE) Pero-Pero Wrestling. YO-HEY'S Produce.

YO-HEY'S produce took place at the Dove Dojo in Hiroshima on the 5th December 2015. YO-HEY promised an entertainment that "no one understands." HAYATA, Tadasuke, Gunso (who also calls Tadasuke "Okasan") and Kabuki "Soup" Kid were all on the card. A BBQ was to be held afterwards for fans. YO-HEY had said the event was going to be "very quick", and it was only a couple of matches. Fans said it was more of an end of year party.
 The event had been filmed by someone, but very sadly the video has long since gone.

According to YO-HEY 2500 yen would get you "1 drink + BBQ + Kabuki juice is included!" (it was actually the soup that KabukiKid brought to the BBQ). Fans were intrigued (but slightly worried, "there are many mysteries") about just what YO-HEY was going to come up with

The plan for the show was done with Tadasuke over a few drinks, but it seems they threw out the first plan, and wrote another, and "Representative YO-HEY" turned up with a hangover as a result.

The event

YO-HEY & Tadasuke had a beer garden match. The match came to a draw, and HAYATA interfered in it on YO-HEY'S side.

The moment the first match had ended, the Dove trainee, Aoki, came out with a push up bar and started talking loudly about body training and the need for exercise, and in a lecturing tone told his seniors that the reason why the match came to a draw was because they both lacked "basic physical strength". He then started doing push ups. He was still doing push ups as YO-HEY (along with some the roster who had come out) addressed the crowd.
HAYATA stood with his arms crossed watching YO-HEY

The BBQ was lit after the first match by the dojo trainees, and smoke went everywhere! KabukiKid served his soup, and there was some entertainment in the ring, featuring a singer.

The main event (or second match) was a four on four, which included a "horseback" fight in which two wrestlers fought while sitting on the back, supported by the other three. YO-HEY also decided to sing for the crowd! (HAYATA is staring straight ahead and trying not to laugh )

Fans had a group picture take in the ring (I think you can tell how smoky it was)
Obligatory HAYATA picture (don't say I didn't warn you)

While the BBQ was going on, the ring was dismantled. Tadasuke's comment was "Beero Beero".
As for YO-HEY after singing..

HAYATA, Tadasuke and YO-HEY after the produce

PICTURE CREDIT: YO-HEY

Links will take you to various Twitter accounts who have posted pictures. 

(DOVE) Notes from 18th October 2013 Dotonbori Arena Event

"Wrestling and music while drinking ... It's the best"

HAYATA, YO-HEY & Tadasuke are on the card
(all links will take you to pictures of the show)

Gunso made some kind of rambling statement about being chosen by the God of Wrestling and the God of music. The break was three reggae songs, and two women in leopard skin leotards having a dance battle.

Ray Paloma's stickers 

The GinGin boys vs 504 & Kabuki Kid
Today's GinGin Boys currency to be stuffed down pants
Although the GinGin Boys hadn't yet reached era of YO-HEY & Kenshin, some things stayed the same, as did others...

YO-HEY'S beautiful dropkick was commented on

Gunso gets grabbed 

Tadasuke vs Kaiki vs HAYATA
Tadasuke used HAYATA'S skateboard to do a move (I did find out the name of this once, all I remember is that it has "Sonic" in the title)
Tadasuke also wore a hockey mask to the ring for some reason 
HAYATA was still HAYATA 
Tadasuke was a lot bigger than he is now 
HAYATA and Tadasuke lost, and neither could believe it

Tadasuke and HAYATA in JOKER T-shirts come to the ring after Kabuki Kid declares a one day open tournament for the tag titles

Tequila shots were done in the ring after the announcement, which YO-HEY drank in usual exuberant style

BillyKenKid didn't want to drink his tequila, so Ray Paloma drank it for him (and BillyKenKid had to hold him up afterwards)
HAYATA after drinking tequila 

(DOVE) Notes from 23rd August 2013 ~ Dotonbori Arena

"Today is Dove! Different from usual? You can come see me!"
YO-HEY

Despite the fact that the day was (as referee Yoshino put it) perfect for swimming or going to the beach, some of the roster had problems when a sudden rainfall ruined their laundry.

In usual Dove style no one had any idea of the card until the last moment, not even the referee had an idea of the card, and neither did fans when they saw how the card had been written, as no one could make any sense of it as it seemed to only be advertising a few matches, and not the whole card. 

Tequila was the drink of the day. Just don't drink it on an empty stomach...

Three of RATELS were on today's card; Tadasuke & HAYATA vs GinGin Boys (YO-HEY and Ippei)

YO-HEY naturally went to have his hair done, and had a crazy picture taken with the hairdresser, who he said was trying to lick his hair.

"Awesome bad ass look"
Tadasuke painted half his face, to match HAYATA'S skull design - but people thought they should have used it while they were in Glare.

(DOVE) Notes from "Choten 2013 Opening" ~ 5th May 2013

"A chaotic picture"

Event took place at Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Hall West Building 4th Exhibition Hall, on "National Children's Day" in Japan, and as a result on the journey from Osaka referee Yoshino found himself plagued with lively kids behind him who shook his seat.

Usual chaos behind the scenes; Gunso telling people not to throw the microphones down, but others saying it was okay and one of the main eventers (it was either Shoichi Uchida or Kaiki)  saying "I was drunk yesterday and was told I was in the main event, I didn't know". Match turned out to be a rugged one, not a technical one.

There was a camera crew here today

"Choten" is a league event, and the wrestlers came out in their two blocks A and B, all except Diablo that is. He refused to attend, and then got mad at the referee during his match because he thought the count was too slow.

HAYATA was on the card, taking on Keita Yano, HAYATA wrestled "at a disturbing speed".

HAYATA wearing a "Glare" t-shirt, which was kind of the early RATELS faction

"The back view is also nice" (well, this is HAYATA...)

The Kubota brothers defended the tag titles against Ray Paloma & Billy KenKid (this was their second defense), however after the match the team of "Palobilly" fell apart when Billy blamed Paloma for the loss.

Kabuki Kid bought the usual homemade food to the party afterwards, which included steamed chicken, cheese steak, sandwiches, omelettes "and more".

(DOVE) Notes from "BUMP BUMP Revolution 8" ~ 16th December 2012

Note: all links in this article will take you to pictures taken at the event.

Event took place at the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Hall West Building 4th Exhibition Hall (the ceiling was low, so fans thought that aerial skills were likely to be limited). Fans commented that Dove's practice of playing music throughout the entire event drowned out some cheering and the sound of impact of the moves, but this is something that only Dove can do, it wouldn't work anywhere else. 

It looks like Tadasuke and referee Yoshino travelled together from Osaka.

On the card was Shoichi Uchida vs 504, which Gunso (504) called the "Hiroshima\Osaka Zombie King Battle", which Uchida won after a vertical drop brainbuster on a chair.

The Kubota brothers faced Tadasuke and HAYATA and Keiki and Souther for the tag titles in a three way in the main event. One of the brothers suggested that as HAYATA is a local, they should kidnap one of his parents as out of filial piety, HAYATA would have to quit the match, they should just have threatened to steal his cigarettes. They didn't resort to that (although they did try to isolate HAYATA away from Tadasuke), they eventually won, and were challenged by 504 (Gunso) and Kabuki Kid.

At the end of the event, the roster got in the ring and joined hands in celebration for the past year, and thanked everyone for coming.

After the event Dove held an end of year party. All you can drink, chankonabe and other food. Kabuki Kid catered with homemade Philadelphia cheesecake, Chicken Wings and other food. Fans sat around the tables and drank and ate with the wrestlers (here is Tadasuke, who was serving salad)

A couple of pictures were taken by fans of Tadasuke (I'm not sure that HAYATA even went)
Tadasuke with Rey Paloma 

(DOVE) Notes from "SETOUCHI SUMMER BOMB 12" (23rd September 2012)

"Before the start, the wrestlers are usually wandering around the lobby". 

Event took place at Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Hall West Building 4th Exhibition Hall, the bell sounded at 18.30

The Dove creed is, "No Alcohol, No Dove".
Fans agreed with this and said its better to watch it when you have had a few drinks, or else when you were drunk.

Tadasuke was on the card, teaming with HAYATA against Gunso, and a mystery opponent (later revealed to be Keita Yano). HAYATA and Tadasuke had wrestled twice in one day in Osaka for Osaka Pro, and then it was on the bullet train down to Hiroshima for Dove. Referee Yoshino also had been at Osaka Pro with them and they travelled together. He said that HAYATA called the smoking compartment "the hut".
Gunso kissed Yano and said, "I love someone like you who lacks something"
Match was not quite but "almost" hardcore (by Dove standards that is). Tadasuke won the match by pinning Gunso after doing the Outkast on a chair.

During the course of the evening, Tadasuke and HAYATA challenged for the tag titles.

A launch party was held after the show; referee Yoshino went as did Tadasuke (and apparently HAYATA), Yuko Miyamoto, Keita Yano and Shoichi Uchida, who was wearing a "cute t-shirt". Chanko was served.

(DOVE) Notes from "OSAKA SUMMER BOMB" 16th September 2012

The event took place at the Osaka Minami Move On Arena. A party was held afterwards at Minami's BAR A-Toys. Kabuki Kid bought his mobile cafe back and bought Philly cheese steak, mackerel salad and other food. Other wrestlers would also be in attendance (I didn't see HAYATA'S name anywhere though, although he was on the card). 

Kabuki Kid described the event as "Gaijin Showdown, Lucha, Mixed Match, Hardcore, and Music". (Scissors apparently came out along with chairs in the main event).

"Is this darkness and smoke a Dove production?"
The atmosphere was said to be amazing though.

"Dove Pro Wrestling, chaos!"
Yes, as was the screen falling down!

Yuko Miyamoto was almost thrown off the second floor balcony

I think there is a rivalry (dare I say jealousy?) between Osaka and Hiroshima fans, with the Osaka fans feeling superior. One fan made the comment that the Dove Osaka event was better than the Dove Hiroshima card, and someone wondering if people from Hiroshima will come to Osaka for fun. Plus someone from Osaka telling the Hiroshima fans not to see Dove there.

The aftershow party was attended by Kabuki Kid, Apple Miyuki, Gurukun Mask, Shoichi Uchida, Ray Paloma (who apparently got drunk and answered questions, gave advice etc), and Quiet Storm bought Yuji Hino along.

(DOVE) Notes from the June 10th 2011 Dove Pro Wrestling Dojo Event

Kaiki drove up to his match in his car, and Ray Paloma arrived on his moped. When I say "arrived" he drove it into the dojo for his match, and parked it near the ring.

It was Tigre Oriental's 19th year in wrestling.

Gunso and Ray Paloma (who had been drinking the night before and was hungover) had the following exchange;
Gunso (with blonde hair): In your mid 30s, only a successful dealer* can have such a hairstyle.
Paloma: I think that hairdo is popular!
Gunso alleged that is why he changes his hairstyle, to BE popular.
Kaiki was forced by Gunso to agree!

*He never said what kind of dealer...

In the tag match....
Kaiki (Paloma's tag partner) pointed at their opponents and said "Go!"
Paloma: I drunk too much yesterday

(DOVE) Notes from 14th October 2011, "OSAKA BIG TAKE OVER 2"

Venue: Osaka Minami move-on-Arena

While in Osaka Ray Paloma did a radio interview, which apparently took a dark turn, which I have no details on I am afraid. He talked about Shoichi Uchida and said "What I am missing in Shoichi is flashiness". They had a match later in the evening which was a championship match for the Dove World Heavyweight, Paloma was the reigning champion which Uchida won via Diving Body Press. Referee Yoshino was smiling when Paloma made his entrance.

HAYATA was on the card (he must have been about 22 or 23), he teamed with Sky Fang against 504 & Kabuki Kid, the match went no contest. Hiroshima fans wanted this to be done there.
As it was round about Halloween, pumpkins became weapons, and the match went outside the venue.

Kabuki Kid bought homemade cooking, this time it was homemade potato salad omelet.

(DOVE) Notes from 1st May 2011, "WAR FOR TERRITORY" Industrial Hall, Hiroshima

"Dove does not give Hiroshima away to anyone!" 
Kabuki Kid

Kabuki Kid opened what he termed as a "mobile dining hall" the day prior to the event starting, he bought candy and handmade food (he doesn't say whether it was from local people, the dojo or the roster). The event was allowed to continue for half an hour after it was meant to end.

BillyKenKid had wrestled twice in one day, wrestling in the day in Osaka and then travelling on to Hiroshima to wrestle that evening.

Apparently Osaka humor is not well understood in Hiroshima, and some things were lost on the audience.

Dark match: Tigre Oriental vs Masataka Kawamoto

Fans estimated that there were about 400 people in attendance, they had even done their own promotion, one fan mentioned that they had put up a poster in a big local flea market. However, not all the fans were so courteous, there was trouble in the crowd when a "fan in a bandana" provoked one of the wrestlers.
Lighting was also an issue, and there were less than usual due to funds, but for the hardcore match there were barbed wire bats and 5 inch nail brushes.   

As it was Golden Week there was a party after the event with Takashi Sasaki (representing FREEDOMS) as the special guest which BillyKenKid turned up to. The party was also known in his honor as "The Lord's Party".

(DOVE) The GinGin Boys come to Dove

Warning: This contains explicit sexual content and references, if you are easily offended please do not read this article...or watch Dove. Maybe both. The video starts at 1 minute 41 should you want to see the footage.

The camera brings us to a sunny rooftop in 2014 (although I believe this to be January) where YO-HEY and Ippei are sunbathing in deckchairs ironically called "Captain Stag". YO-HEY is resting his beer can on his crotch, for reasons that will soon become painfully clear. In typical Dove style the door does not open at first, and for a couple of seconds the cameraman has to fight with it.
Our heroes seem contemplative as they look up at the sunny sky, but they are not thinking of blue skies and clouds. YO-HEY has a problem, and don't say I didn't warn you when you find out what it is.

IPPEI: I'm getting a nice tan
YO-HEY: No matter what I do, heating it up is no good.
IPPEI sits up and looks at him
YO-HEY (cont) What do you think I need, a woman?
IPPEI: A woman?
YO-HEY (reaching down to grasp his beer can): Recently really hard cock, suddenly feeling horny, and like a drink cooler I have to cool it. 

YO-HEY sits up, after rearranging himself

IPPEI: It's moving
YO-HEY: That's the amount of tissue used
IPPEI: Solitary style
YO-HEY: I want a woman
IPPEI: I want to go where there are alot of women
YO-HEY: Dove Pro Wrestling. There are many cute women there. Wrestling = popularity
IPPEI: Are pro wrestlers popular?
YO-HEY: It's settled that we will be hot. Do you wrestle?
IPPEI: I want to wrestle
YO-HEY: So, our team name...

They think

YO-HEY: "Cock"? "No end to the tissue?"
IPPEI: I want to include everything
YO-HEY: But I want excitement....I want excitement.

They look at each other and then at the camera

Both: Gingin* Boys!

Having decided their name, which is an onomatopoeic Japanese word which means "excitement, ecstatic", they get off the roof congratulating each other as "I'm Too Sexy" starts playing, and we see from the following footage that not only where they popular, YO-HEY'S problems were sorted out...

Gif credit: Dove Pro, Tuberide19

(Dove Pro) YO-HEY & Shoichi Uchida ~ Count 2.99-1, 3rd November 2014

This event took place in Count 2.99-1, which is a Pro Wrestling Bar in Osaka. 

The match is basically YO-HEY putting Shoichi Uchida (known as "Sho"), in a headlock, that is until Uchida manages to break free. The noise in this video is immense - the venue is small, the audio strains because of the noise feeding back to the static cam, and pretty much everyone is drunk and shrieking, and so at times it makes it hard to understand what is being said (that and the Osaka dialect), so the below is the best I can do given the quality of the footage, and if you look to the left hand side of the screen during the video, you will see HAYATA, but he doesn't get involved.

The commentators behind Uchida are very much on his side, although it is tongue in cheek, variously calling out "Let's go Uchida" and "This is Uchida Sho..." and"this is serious".

When the headlock is broken YO-HEY (drunk) squares up to Uchida (who takes a couple of swipes at him) saying "Come on! Come on!" 

There then follows some dialogue which I can't make out, but the ref gets between them and tells them to "Fight", everyone laughs, and YO-HEY sways drunkenly. 

It sounds like Uchida then has a proposal, instead of fighting, they can have a talk battle, and what he wants to say to YO-HEY, he wants to make clear...he points at him and tells him he's a "stupid bastard". 

YO-HEY says something like he is the best, and gets told "The best? Don't kid yourself, stupid bastard". 

After this, YO-HEY decides he wants another drink, and he will drink anything. 

...this fight (whatever it is, and whatever form it is going to take) is going to Hiroshima!