Christopher James Brookes[1] (born 24 August 1991), better known by his ring name Chris Brookes, is an English professional wrestler who works for Japanese promotion DDT Pro-Wrestling (DDT), where he is the current KO-D Openweight Champion in his second reign, while also being a former one-time KO-D Tag Team Champion, a former one-time DDT Extreme Division Champion and a former two-time and the inaugural DDT Universal Champion.
Brookes also worked for various promotions on the British independent circuit and alongside Kid Lykos, they formed the tag team "CCK" and have collectively they also added Jonathan Gresham and Travis Banks for a derivation of CCK the "Commonwealth Catch Kings" with Banks and the "Calamari Catch Kings" with Gresham. Brookes and Lykos collectively held the Attack! Tag Team Championship in Attack! Pro Wrestling, the CZW World Tag Team Championship in Combat Zone Wrestling, the FCP Tag Team Championship in Fight Club: Pro, the Progress Tag Team Championship in Progress Wrestling, and the SWE Tag Team Championship in Southside Wrestling Entertainment.
Professional wrestling career[]
DDT Pro-Wrestling (2019–present)[]
After weeks of New Japan Pro-Wrestling airing videos of a mystery man targeting Juice Robinson, known as the Death Rider, during the footage, a man with a jacket with the United Kingdom's Union Flag was shown, this led to the speculation of being whether Brookes or Jon Moxley being the man in the vingette. Soon after on May 19, DDT aired a parody of the vingette of the Death Rider's debut, with Danshoku Dino being instead the targeted man, this led to DDT announcing Brookes to be the wrestler to debut in DDT. After making his debut, he notably began teaming with Masahiro Takanashi dubbing themselves as "CDK" (Calamari Drunken Kings). On July 15 at Wrestle Peter Pan, Brookes and Takanashi defeated Moonlight Express (MAO and Mike Bailey). On July 21 at Summer Vacation, Brookes unsuccessfully challenged Konosuke Takeshita for the KO-D Openweight Championship. From November 29 until December 14, Brookes took part in the 2020 D-Oh Grand Prix, where finished his block with a record of three wins, one draw and two losses, finishing tied with Tetsuya Endo in the first place. On December 14, Brookes was defeated by Endo in the deciding match for the spot in the finals of the tournament.
In January 2020, Brookes announced that he would be moving to Japan for the whole year to work more regularly for DDT. On February 23, at Into The Fight, Brookes defeated Takeshita to become the inaugural DDT Universal Champion. He lost the title to Daisuke Sasaki on March 20 at Judgement. On June 27, 2020 Brookes won the title back from Sasaki. At Ultimate Party Brookes lost the title to Yuki Ueno on November 3, 2020. On March 14, 2021 at Day Dream Believer, Brookes defeated Shunma Katsumata to win DDT Extreme Division Championship. In May, Brookes and Antonio Honda took part in the 2021 Ultimate Tag League, finishing the tournament with a record of one wins and three losses, failing to win the tournament. From November 3 until December 5, Brookes took part in the 2021 D-Oh Grand Prix II, where finished his block with a record of two wins, and three losses, failing to advance to the finals of the tournament. On March 20, 2022 at Judgment, Brookes and Masahiro Takanashi defeated Disaster-Box (HARASHIMA and Naomi Yoshimura) to win the KO-D Tag Team Championship. They lost the KO-D Tag Team Championships to ASUKA and MAO on May 22, 2022. From November 1 until December 4, Brookes took part in the 2022 D-Oh Grand Prix, where finished his block with a record of two wins, and three losses, failing to advance to the finals of the tournament.
On January 3, 2023, Brookes and Takanhashi were defeated by MAO and Shunma Katsumata for the vacant KO-D Tag Team Championship. On May 21, Brookes defeated Kazusada Higuchi in the finals to win the 2023 King of DDT, earning his spot the main event for Wrestle Peter Pan. Afterwards, Brookes announced that he was going to set his sights at the KO-D Openweight Championship. Brookes was pulled from DDT's Yokohama Unlimited Vol. 3 tour due to a shoulder injury, but it was announced that he would be returning before Peter Pan. On July 7, Brookes made his return from injury teaming with CDK teammate Masahiro Takanashi and Hino with Makoto Oishi. The match ended with Hino scoring a direct victory over Brookes, by submitting in the match. On July 23 at Wrestle Peter Pan, Brookes defeated Hino to win the KO-D Openweight Championship. He lost the title to Yuki Ueno on November 12 at Ultimate Party. From November 26 until December 21, Brookes took part in the 2023 D-Oh Grand Prix, however, it was that Brookes had tumor in his abdomen that required surgery, leading him to forfeit his remaining matches of the tournament. On November 4, 2024, Brookes defeated Shinya Aoki to win the KO-D Openweight Championship for the second time.
In wrestling[]
- Finishing moves
- Bacchus (Rolling cross-armed Gannosuke Clutch)
- Bridging cross-legged deathlock pin
- Elevator Action Death Parade (La Ayakita)
- Octopus hold
- One More Round (High-angle legtrap crucifix pin)
- Praying Mantis Bomb (Double underhook piledriver, sometimes over the shoulder)
- Signature moves
- Brainbuster
- Cloverleaf
- Death by Roll-Up (Wheelbarrow victory roll)
- Diving foot stomp
- Michinoku driver
- Multiple dropkick variations
- Missile dropkick, sometimes as a flapjack counter
- Moonsault
- Multiple suplex variations
- German
- Saito
- Multiple dive variations
- Suicide dive
- Suicide somersault senton
- Pop-up powerbomb
- Running uppercut
- Springboard cutter
- Springboard clothesline
- Standing senton bomb
- Whiplash to a rope hung opponent
- Yakuza Kick (Running big boot to a cornered opponent)
- Nicknames
- "Calamari Catch King"
- "Death by Roll-Up"
- "Schadenfreude"
- Entrance themes
- "Human Fly" by The Cramps
Championships and accomplishments[]
- Gatoh Move Pro Wrestling
- Asia Dream Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Masahiro Takanashi
- DDT Pro-Wrestling
- KO-D Openweight Championship (2 times, current)
- KO-D Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Masahiro Takanashi (1) and Takeshi Masada (1)
- DDT Extreme Division Championship (1 time)
- DDT Universal Championship (2 times, inaugural)
- Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship (3 times)
- King of Street Wrestling (2022)
- King of DDT (2023)
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- PWI ranked him #291 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2017
- PWI ranked him #416 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2018
References[]
- ↑ Search Results for Civil Births in Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records . England & Wales Births 1837–2006.