Japan’s Dramatic Dream Team (DDT) Pro promotion has announced two new gaijin (foreigner) wrestlers joining the company for a tour starting next week, featuring an emerging star from both the US and Canada. They revealed that US indie star Ricky Starks and Canadian indie star “Psycho” Mike Rollins would be joining the company starting April 11, with their first match paired together in a tag team triple threat against MOONLIGHT EXPRESS (Mike “Speedball” Bailey & MAO) and DAMNATION‘s Nobuhiro Shimatani & Soma Takao. DDT Pro has proven to be a great learning ground for international wrestlers, as names like Kenny Omega, Bailey, Joey Ryan, Sami Zayn, Finn Balor, Aleister Black, Facade and Jason Kincaid have spent time with DDT Pro and come out more rounded wrestlers.
New foreigners appearing from 4.11 Shinkiba:
Ricky Starks @starkmanjones
Mike Rollins @iampsychomike#ddtpro pic.twitter.com/QTyFbNJU4x— DDT/TJPW English Update (D/TEU) (@ddtpro_eng) April 2, 2019
RICKY STARKS
Ricky Starks spent years as part of the tag team Extra Talented, but for much of the early days, his partner Aaron Solo was better known for his appearances in the WWE (in NXT and 205 Live) and being the fiancee for WWE Superstar Bayley. But the Texas indie star Starks has emerged as one of the top prospects out of the South to pay attention in 2019. He’s had some bangers the past year, and experiencing Japan will only make him a better performer – he spent time in the UK indie scene 2017, with PROGRESS, Fight Club: PRO, Southside Wrestling Entertainment (SWE) and ATTACK!
MIKE ROLLINS
Mike Rollins is a perfect Canadian indie star to send to DDT Pro, who are well known for allowing comedy to be a heavy part of its stories. “Psycho Mike” is a fan favourite in the Southern Ontario indies of Canada, where he’s a regular with Smash Wrestling, Destiny Wrestling, Superkick’D and Border City Wrestling, as well as in the Quebec indies. A lovable lunatic (who has been having some issues with his Conscience lately, hearing voices over the loudspeaker that are directing his motions – it’s been hilarious). He had one of the greatest comedy matches of 2018 in Smash against Kikutaro. But don’t be fooled by his goofiness, Rollins can wrestle. He was a former Smash Tag Team Champion with Pepper Parks in the Well Oiled Machines and a former Destiny Champion and Alpha-1 Alpha Male Champion.
