Dragon Gate USA – Open The Southern Gate – 1st April 2011
It’s time for WrestleMania 2011 weekend in DGUSA, although you’d be forgiven for not realising it with this show. For one thing, in 2011 Mania was held in Atlanta whilst this show takes place in North Carolina. Oh, and half the core roster aren't actually booked tonight. Open The Freedom Gate Champion YAMATO, Open The Dream Gate Champion Masato Yoshino, independent superstars Austin Aries and Jimmy Jacobs, plus debuting Dragon Gate guest Stalker Ichikawa all don’t turn up until tomorrow evening. Granted there are still some pretty big names here though, and the promotion are making their debut in a new market with a couple of pretty neat concepts. The feud between the Blood Warriors and Ronin takes centre stage across both today and tomorrow night. Tomorrow they contest the traditional Dragon Gate WrestleMania weekend trios tag…and tonight both factions participate in the first ever ‘Stable Shootout’. The Shootout consists of four matches, with Ronin and Blood Warriors looking to put their rivals to the ultimate test. One match pits a member of each stable against each other. There are also two singles matches where a member of the faction faces an opponent chosen by the rival group. Finally we have our main event tag, again pitting a member of Ronin and a member of the Warriors against each other – with the added catch being that each faction picks the OTHER TEAM’s guest partner. It’s simpler than it sounds I assure you. Further down the card eight domestic talents compete in the ‘Breakout Challenge’ looking to earn a permanent DGUSA roster spot. Lenny Leonard and Leonard Chikarason welcome us to Burlington, NC.
SIDENOTE – Check out the promo by Jon Moxley in the DVD extras section before you watch this. It’s awesome. He runs down Reby Sky, announces plans to debut porn star Trina Michaels as his new valet, verbally tears Akira Tozawa and CIMA new ones…then reaffirms his belief that Kamikaze USA are still the top faction in DGUSA.
Ronin are in the back, fresh off their first tour of Japan. They admit they weren’t particularly successful then launch into a strange comedy skit with Rich Swann pretending to be a masked wrestler called ‘Okama’…I’ll admit to laughing even though I never really understood what was happening.
Blood Warriors march straight to the ring to get the show started – with Brodie Lee issuing an open challenge. Jon Davis (of the Dark City Fight Club) answers…
Brodie Lee vs Jon Davis
Not many people have been able to stop Brodie on his tear through DGUSA. YAMATO scored a rare victory over him over United weekend, but many others have fallen in his wake. He is the violent enforcer of the Blood Warriors and wants to make his own statement of intent before watching his colleagues participate in the Stable Shootout later tonight. In late-2010 the Dark City Fight Club were part of a whole group of talent (also including the likes of Necro Butcher and Erick Stevens) that were dropped by Ring Of Honor. After tanking in one major independent promotion the stakes are higher than ever as he looks to make his mark in another…
Davis has no entrance music, and not even crickets can be assed to chirp during his entrance. He does his best to make an impression by diving off the apron with a flying elbow strike which fells the Big Rig. Ricochet distracts him to ensure his early momentum counts for nothing…and Lee drops him on his neck with a back suplex. CIMA pops up next, choking him with Brodie’s ring vest. The small crowd shows little sign of rallying behind the hapless Davis (even as Lenny Leonard insists they are). He evades the Big Boot, botches a leapfrog then gets tossed out like a sack of trash. So far this is an ABYSMAL debut. You can see him getting frustrated at his own ineptitude, and comes back to the ring at last showing some personality as he mows Brodie down with a Pounce. Lee sells that by dropping him with the Big Boot…then the Truck Stop. Davis kicks out? What the hell? The DCFC member hits a super ugly back suplex for 2…before he finally gets finished with the Brodie Bomb at 06:02
Rating - DUD - A disastrous debut match for Jon Davis. Granted he didn’t get to join the roster against one of the recognised ‘work horses’ in the company, but his own performance was utterly shambolic. He looked sloppy at every turn, his strikes looked terrible and despite having some name recognition having appeared in ROH for a year or so…nobody even remotely cared about him. Amazingly, after this Gabe actually gave him a solid push in Evolve. What particularly irritated me was the decision to have Davis kick out of the Truck Stop. Brodie has mowed down a lot of promising up and coming talent in DGUSA – including totally burying Rich Swann (who has serious potential) at the last event. What has Davis done to deserve such special treatment? And when is Gabe going to book Brodie into a position where he actually gets to produce a good match? He is a genuinely decent worker for a guy of his size…and is still waiting for his chance to show it in DGUSA.
Davis was SO bad in that match that Blood Warriors actually almost turn babyface when they attack him afterwards.
AR Fox reminds everyone that he won last time DGUSA was on ppv (against Cheech Hernandez at United Finale). He’s in the Breakout Challenge tonight and wants to taste victory again…
Kyle Matthews vs Sugar Dunkerton vs Lince Dorado vs Jimmy Rave
This is the first of two Four Way Freestyle’s in the Breakout Challenge. The winners of those two matches advance to the finals later tonight. Dorado and Dunkerton are both Chikara regulars, with Dorado making a return having popped up on several pre-shows (and I think a couple of main shows) over the course of DGUSA’s existence. Obviously Rave probably has the most name value of the four. He hadn’t been in ROH for quite a while by this point, but is still fondly remembered for his time in Prince Nana’s Embassy in that promotion. I think he was being thrown a bone by Gabe at this point after spending time in rehab battling addiction. Admirably he is now looking to get his wrestling career back on track.
Dunkerton’s mini-freak out for ruining the ring with his talcum powder then watching as Bryce Remsburg has to clear it up, is pretty funny. He isn’t interested in playing nice with his fellow Chikara competitor…and slaps him right in the face. A double springboard, corkscrew lucha armdrag from Lince soon evens the balance between them though. Matthews is in next, and looks BRUTALLY green. Getting in there with someone like Dorado really exposes how bad he is…and he rightly gets punished with a running STO on the apron from Rave. Asai Moonsault INTO THE CROWD by Lince! Sugar gets dropped on his neck with another running STO from Jimmy. Dorado nearly snatches victory from under the veterans nose with a shooting star press on Matthews. Cross-arm Piledriver by Dunkerton on him! Matthews makes like a mini-Austin Aries with an IED on Rave, then hits a wild cannonball senton off the apron. SUPER BOTCHED flying headscissors! SUPER UGLY SUPLEX! Seriously, Matthews is terrible! CRAPPY WIZARD! Rave beats Sugar at 05:01
Rating - ** - A tough match to rate, simply because three of the guys in there were commendably decent but kept getting dragged down by one painfully green performer. Matthews obviously has a bit of talent, but he was utterly dreadful in this – coming close to hurting both himself and his co-workers on multiple occasions. Putting him in there with an old pro like Rave, a super-slick flier like Lince and an entertaining comedy guy like Dunkerton only served to emphasise how out of his depth he was. Credit to Jimmy for producing some hard-hitting moments. Dorado, as usual, looked so slick almost to the point of being business-exposingly choreographed...and I like Dunkerton. I’d welcome him back since his zany mix of comedy and cool spots would actually go down rather well in this promotion.
Johnny Fairplay (what is Gabe’s obsession with this guy?) struts down the ramp. Apparently he’s going to ‘sign’ the winner of the Breakout Challenge tonight. Sign them to what? Jimmy Rave is his ‘fave’ apparently. Jimmy looks less than pleased…
Rich Swann vs Sami Callihan – Stable Shootout
This is our first Stable Shootout match, pitting Rich Swann of Ronin against an opponent of Blood Warriors’ choosing. Clearly they were impressed with Callihan when he stepped up to face them as part of Jimmy Jacobs’ team at United Finale. He’s a hard-hitting, tough and slightly psychotic individual making him an intimidating opponent for the diminutive Swann.
Callihan ploughs into Swann as he prances around the ring like an idiot during his entrance. Such is the ferocity of Sami’s assault that it’s genuinely impressive when Swann hits back at him with a superkick. Moonsault off the apron misses…and Callihan decks the kid again with a rebound lariat. QUEBRADA OFF THE APRON! Second time of asking Swann hits the dive. EXPLODER ON THE RAMP BY SAMI! Somehow Rich crawls back towards the ring…and spits in Sami’s face before getting drilled into the mat with a powerbomb. ELBOWS TO THE SKULL! Callihan is being absolutely brutal here, and Swann has had enough of being his whipping boy. He BACKFLIPS into a running mafia kick, then drops him on top of his head with a satellite headscissors for 2. Handspring Elbow COUNTERED WITH A SAITO SUPLEX! Running elbow smash gets 2 for Callihan. A close-up reveals that Swann has been hitting Sami so hard that his chest is bleeding too. Standing frankensteiner/Red Star Press combo gets another nearfall for the Ronin representative. Rich Kick blocked with a kick to the face! HEADLOCK DRIVER by Sami! That looked twice as violent as Matt Taven’s version. He pummels Swann with more strikes…KAWADA KICKS BY SWANN! SUPERKICK! TORNADO KICK! NO SOLD! STRETCH MUFFLER! WITH BODY SCISSORS! Swann taps at 09:42
Rating - **** - I adored this match. Swann isn’t known for his strong-style work, so it really surprised me how well he could hang in a match like this with a guy like Callihan. The whole match was stiff as hell, featured numerous incredibly violent moments, really played up the respective characters of both guys extremely well before building to an exceptional finish. Unlike United Finale, when Swann’s easy demise against Brodie annoyed me – this one was perfectly booked. As the charismatic voice of Ronin he’s already really over in DGUSA. His credibility was infinitely boosted by showing his resilience, tenacity and toughness against Sami. And Callihan himself badly needed this win. He seems on the cusp of really breaking out in this promotion, and a big win in the Stable Shootout obviously bolsters his stock again after his great showing over United weekend. This one packed a lot of really great stuff into less than ten minutes…
Jon Moxley has had a haircut. He’s also wearing a giant oversized woollen poncho…so sort of looks like a little boy. He is without anyone else from Kamikaze USA tonight, and has been selected by Ronin as part of the Stable Shootout. He plans to use his selection to inflict serious damage to the Blood Warriors – thus cementing Kamikaze’s place as the top faction. He also introduces porn star Trina Michaels as his newest valet…
Façade vs Shiima Xion vs AR Fox vs Arik Cannon
This is the second Breakout Challenge semi-final match, with the winner advancing to face Jimmy Rave in the final. Cannon has had the most DGUSA exposure so far, and has actually looked pretty impressive whenever he’s been inside a DGUSA ring. He’s also already worked tours of Dragon Gate in Japan so he will feel he has an experience edge on his opponents. Fox looked impressive when he appeared during United weekend and is now looking to solidify his roster spot. Façade and Xion make debuts tonight. Shiima is Zema Ion from TNA for those that didn’t know. He worked all over the indies and internationally for years before finally getting his TNA break in 2011/2012.
Façade and Cannon’s entrance themes give me a headache, and send several people in the arena off to the restrooms. Arik has problems dealing with the speed of AR Fox...and in turn Fox gets ambushed by Xion who gives him a launchpad double boot to the face! Façade contributes the Kyle Matthews ‘way too green to be here’ factor to the match apparently, and runs through a horribly contrived exchange with Shiima. DOUBLE JUMP SOMERSAULT PLANCHA by Façade! Ok, he’s better than Matthews. He then WALKS THE ROPES into a tumbling hip attack on Fox for 2. For his next trick he tumbles backwards through the ropes into a satellite headscissors on the floor to Xion. FLYING AR-KO by Fox! Shiima starts working the dreadlocks of Façade, using it to hold him down into a sit-out Alabamaslam variant for 2. DJ Z then has to block Total Anarchy from Cannon…leaving him vulnerable to the springboard Codebreaker from AR. LARIATOOOOOOOOOO from Cannon to Fox! Façade tries to interrupt…so gets a Hostile Makeover/superkick COMBO from Xion and Cannon. Super Crazy-style moonsault nailed…before Cannon COUNTERS a crossface into Total Anarchy. NECK DROP MICHINOKU DRIVER from Fox, who then hits a SPRINGBOARD 450 SPLASH TO THE FLOOR! Diving leg drop to the apron misses! BERMUDA TRIANGLE MOONSAULT by Xion. In the ring Cannon punches Façade in the face then finishes him with Total Anarchy at 09:24
Rating - ** - This was clearly the better of the two Breakout Challenge freestyles...although I still don’t think this was particularly outstanding. This one had far more jaw-dropping moments and impressive high spot exchanges. However, it still had plenty of sloppiness and DGUSA have done far better mindless spot-fests than this in the past. Cannon is the right call to go over, albeit with hindsight I’d have put Jimmy Rave in this one, and move AR Fox to win the other match – giving us a Cannon/Fox final. Those two are the only guys who contribute anything remotely long term to DGUSA/WWNLive moving forward…
Jimmy Rave looks rather bruised and battered backstage. He looks forward to facing Cannon in the Breakout Challenge finals.
Naruki Doi vs Jon Moxley – Stable Shootout
The second Stable Shoout match sees Ronin select an opponent for Blood Warrior Naruki Doi. They’ve picked the anarchic, unpredictable and dangerous leader of Kamikaze USA to face him. Moxley is without his Kamikaze cohorts Shingo and YAMATO tonight (is Gran Akuma still in the group?) but comes in highly motivated. He is determined to prove that Kamikaze are still the dominant faction and has vowed to take out the ‘super group’ of Blood Warriors single-handedly if he has to.
Brodie Lee assaults Moxley during his entrance, with Doi at his side cheering him on. The Kamikaze USA leader gets beaten to pieces with steel chairs by the Big Rig then left laying with a chokeslam. Naruki then demands that the ref rings the bell so he can start the match at a seemingly insurmountable advantage. He targets Mox’s leg meaning he’s now semi-conscious and struggling to walk…then left writhing in pain on the floor again after Doi back drops him over the top rope. Jon collapses through the ropes trying to re-enter the ring and gets crushed again with Doi’s somersault senton. Figure 4 Leglock applied to do yet more damage to that bad leg…and when that doesn’t force a submission Doi simply pounces on his opponent again to mount him with a sleeper hold instead. Some sluggish offence is thrown back his way by Moxley who continues to struggle with his knee. Somehow he traps the Blood Warrior in a Fujiwara armbar…before changing it to a crossface because his knee can’t support the previous submission. Bakatare Sliding Kick blocked…ACE CRUSHER! DREAMER DDT! Moxley channels some of his fiercest rivals in DGUSA (Homicide and Tommy Dreamer) to come perilously close to victory. Dai Bosou back at him…DOI 555 ON NARUKI! He then attempts the Baketare Sliding Kick! COUNTERED TO DOI 555! BAKETARE SLIDING KICK! Doi wins at 10:51
Rating - *** - Not as downright exciting as the Callihan/Swann match but this was still a really solid encounter and definitely one of Moxley’s best singles matches in DGUSA. For the life of me I can’t understand why Gabe books his most engaging and unique American talent (Moxley) to lose on every show…but he was undeniably compelling viewing yet again tonight. Surprisingly cast as the babyface underdog, he sold his knee like a champ, survived a hell of a beating from one of Dragon Gate’s top workers then nearly pulled out an unlikely victory by stealing moves from everyone he could think of. By this point you could really see Mox becoming a genuine superstar with serious potential. Technically that puts the Blood Warriors 2-0 up over Ronin in the Stable Shootout.
Arik Cannon wants to break ‘Jimmy Rave’s teeth’ later tonight…
Reby Sky is somehow still getting booked. She thanks the fans for supporting DGUSA, and flogs a dead horse trying to get them to pop for her asinine schtick. Jon Moxley finally puts the segment out of it’s misery by interrupting her – still selling his knee injury from the previous match. Trina Michaels, Moxley’s new porn star valet, jumps Reby from behind…only to get DDT’d into the mat. Sky promises Mox will get what is coming to him…
Johnny Gargano vs CIMA – Stable Shootout
Match #3 in the Shootout is the singles match between members of Ronin and Blood Warriors. It’s fitting that it is the apparent ‘front men’ of the two factions that collide here, as in many ways it was the rivalry between Gargano and CIMA which started this whole feud in the first place. Johnny desperately wanted to earn a spot in DGUSA, and pleaded to be recruited into several factions – but he particularly wanted the favour of Dragon Gate legend CIMA. At every turn CIMA spurned his advances, even after a commendable performance in the first singles match between these guys at Enter The Dragon 2010. Fed up of the rejection, Gargano reached out to Chuck Taylor and Rich Swann to form Ronin – the stable that has been wreaking havoc on CIMA’s plans ever since…in particular at United weekend when they beat both Blood Warrior teams to eliminate them from the Open The United Gate Title tournament. Gargano actually made CIMA tap during their tag match in Philly.
We get some thoroughly gross attempts at handshakes before the action begins in earnest. Gargano starts confidently and spends several minutes comprehensively out-wrestling the veteran. Cima reacts angrily to his dominance and lashes out with a series of vicious strikes…so Johnny double stomps his back then drops him with a jumping neckbreaker. The American is focusing his offence on Cima’s midsection possibly looking to soften him up again for the Gargano Escape. Once more though, Cima’s nasty striking brings him back into proceedings. He slows the match almost to a halt as he repeatedly takes liberties with Gargano via his strike-based onslaught…then pulls him towards the edge of the ring where Brodie and Doi are waiting to give him a sneak shot or two. Cima and Doi then crotch him against the ringpost whilst Brodie and the rest of Ronin argue with the referee. The heel performance from Cima is stunning and he smiles broadly as he suplexes Gargano over the top rope then peppers him with disrespectful little slaps. SLINGSHOT SPEAR BY GARGANO! HANGING GARGANO ESCAPE! With the Dragon Gate star rattled he sprints straight at him into the Baby Ace Crusher for 2. Cima leaves the ring for some respite…but finds his way blocked as Johnny flies off the apron with a cannonball senton. Gargano’s momentum is building, before he takes too long playing to the fans and eats the Venus strike…then the Iconoclasm. Now it’s the Blood Warrior that is desperate to end the match by repeatedly jumping on the fallen Gargano – hitting him with splashes, sentons, knee drops and anything else he can think of. Perfect Driver blocked into the LAWN DART! Black Superkick nearly caves Cima’s face in for 2. B*TCH SLAP DUEL! SUPERKICK DUEL! BOTH MEN DOWN! MORE SLAPS! Gargano is nearly out but he still refuses to back down! F*CKING HEADBUTTS BY CIMA! SCHWEIN BLOCKED…HURTZ DONUT! GARGANO ESCAPE…COUNTERED TO THE SCHWEIN! BOTH MEN DOWN AGAIN! Cima has had enough, and nails Johnny with a sneaky kick to the balls. PERFECT DRIVER! GARGANO KICKS OUT! SCHWEIN! METEORA! Finally he defeats Gargano at 20:09, giving Blood Warriors an unassailable 3-0 lead in Stable Shootout.
Rating - ****1/2 - I worry that I may be accused of over-rating this match…but I honestly can’t think why people wouldn’t consider this an MOTYC. The execution was flawless. CIMA’s performance as the cocky, heel veteran looking to slap down a tenacious little sh*t American who simply won’t leave it alone was jaw-droppingly good. And it’s also the match that cements Gargano’s place as a main eventer in DGUSA. From an unknown American working pre-show matches this is the one that cements his rise to the very top of this company. Here he went toe-to-toe with the icon of Dragon Gate, giving as good as he got every step of the way until the dastardly CIMA resorted to a cheap low blow to finally gain a decisive edge over him. This is must-see, so it’s a real shame it took place on comfortably the least important show of the weekend.
Swann and Taylor have to rescue their fallen comrade from the gloating clutches of the Blood Warriors as they cockily celebrate CIMA’s tainted victory.
Jimmy Rave vs Arik Cannon – Breakout Challenge Final
So the finals of the ‘Breakout Challenge’ features two guys who have been working the indies for approaching a decade, who have both already toured Dragon Gate in Japan, and have both worked for nationally televised promotions in the past? I like the concept but this probably isn’t the final I’d have booked. Having said that, these guys are experienced old pro’s, comfortable in their styles, movesets and personalities. It should be interesting to see how they mesh with a more permanent roster spot with DGUSA on the line.
After all the excitement of CIMA/Gargano it’s understandable that the crowd don’t get into these guys working the most basic of holds. First blood goes to Cannon who stomps on his opponent’s exposed arm. Determined to emphasise just how much victory means to him, he does his best to cave in Jimmy’s chest with a couple of chops. Cannon is also a proficient mat technician, which he demonstrates by continually escaping Rave’s holds to tag him with more strikes. Forced into a mistake, Jimmy sprints at him in the corner then topples over the turnbuckles to the floor when Arik ducks. Cannon’s frustration starts to boil over. He accidentally punches the ringpost, then peels his shirt off to use as a weapon with which to throttle Rave. Jimmy lunges into the Crappy Wizard for a nearfall. Cannon then destroys him with a spinning brainbuster. Moonsault misses for the Anarchist, who then eats spear. Total Anarchy again, then the Glimmering Warlock finishes Rave off at 08:54
Rating - ** - This was basically a complete squash. Cannon dominated almost from the opening bell, and leaves Burlington with a convincing win in the Breakout Challenge tournament. I’ve long been a fan of Arik Cannon, so I have no problem with this if the idea is to get behind him with a serious push in DGUSA. However, I can’t feel that the entire concept would have gone over a lot better if this was Cannon/Fox in the finals – in a more competitive match. The majority of people who watch this promotion are workrate fans. They will support pushes for guys who produce great matches – not who bore them senseless in elongated squashes like this.
Johnny Fairplay isn’t happy with the result since Rave was his ‘fave’. He tells Cannon that he will ‘never be a breakout star’…so Cannon kills him with Total Anarchy.
Chuck Taylor/Akira Tozawa vs Ricochet/Pac – Stable Shootout
For the last leg of the shootout each faction got to pick a partner for their rivals to team with. Ronin chose Pac to team with Ricochet since they are feuding and don’t get on. It’s not really explained why Blood Warriors picked Tozawa to be Chucky’s partner. He went 3-0 over United weekend including victories over BxB Hulk and Austin Aries so he is clearly a dangerous competitor. Presumably it’s because he’s totally insane therefore an entirely unreliable tag team partner. With the Warriors already 3-0 down in the Stable Shootout, this is the last chance for Ronin to salvage some dignity.
Ricochet smirks and shoves Pac into the ring to start for their team. Tozawa starts in the ring with him in a preview of their Open The Brave Gate Title match tomorrow night in Atlanta. Pac needs every bit of his speed to survive the early firepower Tozawa throws in his direction. The second Pac establishes his dominance he receives an unwanted pat on the back…and is made to exit the ring by Ricochet. Rico and Taylor renew their age-old rivalry, drawing a few laughs and looking super-fluid in the process. Taylor actually gets a standing ovation for his work…so Pac SHOVES Ricochet out of the way then hits a RUNNING MOONSAULT TO THE FLOOR! Next Pac doesn’t look particularly keen to assist Ricochet as he takes some abuse from Akira. Taylor and Tozawa have ridiculous chemistry as goofball tag partners by the way. They join forces looking to isolate Pac, who is continually distracted by the reel of orders and instructions being barked in his direction by his tag partner. He then gets BUSTED OPEN on the floor by Tozawa. Blood covers his arm and head…and his own partner again makes it worse by insisting he springboard off him in an ill-advised double team. Pac’s eventual standing moonsault of Rico’s back misses – meaning he lands straight on his bloody face. Ronin have a few moments alone with the ‘Future Of Flight’ as Pac leaves ringside getting medical attention. The Brit returns looking no less bloody than when he left…and determinedly re-enters the ring making a beeline for Tozawa. Ricochet hits a standing moonsault…so Pac shoves him aside again to one-up him with a standing SSP! Elbow smashes exchanged between Tozawa and Pac before once again some teamwork from the makeshift Blood Warrior duo fails. Ricochet tries to springboard off Pac’s back this time – propelling himself straight into Akira’s knees. Chucky T drives both opponents out of the ring for REPEATED TANDEM DIVES INTO THE CROWD! Pac retaliates by somersaulting around like a crazy person – into a springboard frog crossbody for 2. Sole Food/Rock Bottom combo on him. Apron Kara Tozawa misses! STANDING BACK FLIP SENTON BY RICOCHET! Still Rico and Pac are struggling to stay on the same page and keep tossing each other aside in their efforts to out-do each other. ROPE RUN FRANKENSTEINER BY RICO! STANDING RED ARROW BY PAC! Tozawa breaks the fall then savagely boots Ricochet off the apron. BICYCLE KICK/SUPERKICK COMBO ON PAC! BACK DROP DRIVER…GETS 2! Ricochet accidentally socks his own partner with a corkscrew enzi, knocking him backwards into the bridging German from Tozawa for 2. Ricochet misses Chocolate Rain. 630 SENTON INSTEAD! Has it won…but Pac shoves him out of the way and hits the RED ARROW! PAC WINS! 20:44 is your time. Blood Warriors get a 4-0 sweep
Rating - **** - As well as delivering the usual dose of high octane, action-packed, non-stop craziness you expect from Dragon Gate tag matches, this one also accomplished a surprising amount of storyline and character advancement. As well as the obvious Warriors/Ronin stuff you had Taylor’s never-ending feud with Ricochet acknowledged, Tozawa and Pac’s match tomorrow teased, Tozawa’s main event push continued, and the quite brilliant spectacle of Pac and Ricochet’s tag team dynamic. The way they interacted throughout the match was simply awesome to watch. Once again, it’s a shame it took place on such a minor show because more people should check it out. Far from the best tag match in DGUSA history…but when four guys of this calibre get together in the ring you’re more or less guaranteed a high quality encounter. This one did not disappoint
Pac and Ricochet get into a shoving match as the referee tries to raise their hands. In the end Pac dismisses Ricochet, stares down Tozawa once more before their match…then stands alone in the ring for the traditional ‘thanks and goodnight’ scene.
Tape Rating - *** - Clearly this is the least significant show of DGUSA’s WrestleMania 2011 weekend. So the fact that it’s a bit of a sleeper hit is all the more surprising. I can’t pretend there isn’t some bad on it (Jon Davis and Kyle Matthews are utterly dreadful for instance)…but considering this is an obvious throwaway B-show for the company with multiple major attractions for the weekend not even booked tonight I was blown away. Admittedly the Breakout Challenge wasn’t particularly great but it did provide a purpose for all the crappy undercard matches featuring cheap-to-book domestic talent, made for a unique gimmick, and ended with Arik Cannon getting a well-deserved little push which I’m looking forward to watching develop. And the Stable Shootout, which I’d not heard much hype for, was utterly fantastic. When I read the results and saw Ronin’s 4-0 loss I was a little confused. Gabe has a real habit of crushing the momentum of his top American stars, and I was concerned that would be the case here. But after Ronin defeated both Blood Warriors teams at United weekend, it actually made perfect sense that the Warriors would extract revenge with a 4-0 sweep here. The aforementioned 4-0 scoreline does no justice to the astounding, astonishing and quite brilliant star-making match Johnny Gargano had with CIMA either. Two DGUSA weekends ago Ronin were born. At the last set of DGUSA shows (United weekend) Ronin became one of the most popular acts in the promotion. Now tonight Gargano has risen to legitimate main event status. If you have money in your pocket and you’ve seen all of DGUSA’s major shows and want something new to check out – then you owe it to yourself to pick this show up for that match alone. Although the limited quality of the undercard means it has the same rating – this show was way more enjoyable than United Finale.
Top 3 Matches
3) Sami Callihan vs Rich Swann (****)
2) Ricochet/Pac vs Chuck Taylor/Akira Tozawa (****)
1) CIMA vs Johnny Gargano (****1/2)