100 Percent Fordified: Dragon Gate USA Chasing the Dragon 2011

Indianapolis, IN – 9.9.2011

Commentary is provided by Lenny Leonard and Rob Naylor.

The show starts with one of the teams in tonight’s main event backstage: PAC, Rich Swann, and AR Fox. PAC says tonight starts his challenge weekend with Ricochet. All PAC hears is people debating which of them are the best high-flier. He doesn’t think that’s relevant, and he chose two other awesome high-fliers to be on his team for that reason. Swann speaks a little Japanese trash talk and says his team is Ichiban (number 1). We then cut to Jon Davis. He’s happy Dragon Gate USA took his request to face certain people across this weekend (A D.U.F. member, a homegrown DGUSA star and a Japanese Dragon Gate talent). Tonight he faces Arik Cannon of the D.U.F., who left a bad taste in his mouth based when he and Callihan defeated him and Kory Chavis in Atlanta. He hopes Cannon is ready for their match.

Tag Team Discovery
The Scene (Scott Reed & Caleb Konley) vs. Remi Wilkins & Tripp Cassidy

The winning team moves on to face another tag team tomorrow night in Chicago. Konley shoves Cassidy to the corner after they trade holds. Reed slaps Cassidy from behind when Wilkins accidentally distracts the referee. Reed sends Cassidy to the floor from the apron. Reed chops him in the back and throws him back to Konley. Konley Regalplexes Cassidy for two. Reed gives him a crucifix powerbomb in the corner. Konley sweeps his legs and Reed drops an elbow. A low clothesline from Konley gets Reed a two count. Cassidy slips out of a slam and tags in Wilkins. Wilkins dropkicks Reed. Wilkins whips Reed who nails Cassidy with a clothesline. Konley hip tosses Wilkins into the corner. The Scene hit the Ob-Scene (a DDT/wheelbarrow suplex combo) for the pin at 3:17. Thankfully this was kept short because it was quite atrocious. No cohesion whatsoever and awkwardness aplenty. I chalk it up to nerves. ½*

Larry Dallas enters the ring to congratulate The Scene. He puts them over as the best team in DGUSA. However, Dallas stated at the last show that he would leave DGUSA forever if his man Ahtu lost in a FRAY! Ahtu lost, so Dallas was out. DGUSA officials and others come out to escort Dallas backstage.

Backstage Ricochet is with his partners CIMA and Akira Tozawa. Ricochet tonight is all about him proving he is the best high-flier in the world. Nobody on PAC’s team is going to stop him from proving that. When his hand is raised in the air, everyone will know he is better than PAC.

Uhaa Nation vs. Aaron Draven

These two impressed in a seminar earlier this afternoon and get this opportunity because of it. Nation forearms Draven instead of shaking his hand. Nation suplexes Draven with the impact sending him to the floor. Nation slingshots into a sunset flip. Draven rolls through a kicks Nation. Draven legdrops him across the middle rope for a one count. Nation catches him with a backbreaker. Nation shoulder blocks Draven in the corner. A few kicks from Draven lead to somersault senton while Nation is against the ropes. Nation catches Draven coming off the ropes. He powerbombs him three times, with the third being off the ropes for two. Nation hits a standing shooting star press for the win at 2:42. This was a great first impression that Nation made, but we would see much more of him down the line. This is to take nothing away from Draven who is also very solid. I’d like to see him back too. *1/2

Johnny Gargano and Chuck Taylor are sitting on an easy chair and couch with Taylor reading a newspaper. Gargano is trying to talk about his big match with Chuck tonight against YAMATO and Masato Yoshino. They make fun of the Junction 3 stable name too. Gargano reminds Chuck that their opponents are the Open the Freedom Gate and Open the United Gate champions respectively. Taylor now understands why it’s such a big match, but goes back to reading the newspaper as opposed to doing something else to get prepared.

Jon Davis vs. Arik Cannon

Pinkie Sanchez is in Cannon’s corner. He is wearing a towel around his head mimicking Sabu’s head gear (he will wrestle Sabu later in the weekend). After Davis shoulder blocks Cannon, Cannon throws forearms until Davis is on the mat. Cannon forearms Davis and rolls him into a dropkick to his neck for two. Davis powerslams Cannon. Cannon rolls to the floor where Sanchez tries to cool him off. Davis comes out and takes some strikes. He throws Cannon back first into the guardrail and clotheslines him into the audience. Cannon dropkicks Davis as he’s seated on some bleachers. Sanchez tries to clothesline Davis as they make their way ringside (Davis has taken control). Davis shrugs it off. Sanchez grabs Davis’ leg. The distraction allows Cannon to hit an enzuigiri. Cannon chokes Davis against the mat. Cannon chokes Davis with his shirt. Cannon pokes Davis in the eyes when he throws a chop in the corner. Cannon throws a couple punches to Davis’ cheeks for two. Davis grabs the ropes to avoid being whipped across the ring. Cannon whips him across after a right hand. Davis delivers a back elbow and clothesline. Davis powerbombs Cannon for two after avoiding a leapfrog. Cannon hits a clothesline and goes for a brainbuster. Davis blocks it. Cannon kicks Davis in the gut before hitting Total Anarchy. As Cannon sets up for his next move, Davis gives Cannon a spinebuster. Sanchez flies in. Davis ducks and pounces Sanchez onto his head! The fans reaction here is great. Cannon delivers a haymaker, superkick and a brainbuster for a two count. Cannon ducks a leg lariat. Davis does however deliver a lariat. This leads to him hitting 3 Seconds Around the World for the pin at 11:45. This could have stood to lose a few minutes, possibly cutting the crowd brawling completely. Aside from the Pounce this was pretty slow and not all that interesting. Solid effort though. **

The Scene are backstage with Larry Dallas. Dallas is displeased with how he was treated by the Dragon Gate USA staff. Konley says he and Reed winning is the much more important part of the night. Reed says they will show once again what they are all about tomorrow night. He plans to destroy tag teams until they get respect. Dallas likes the sound of that.

Elimination Match
Gregory Iron vs. BJ Whitmer vs. Sugar Dunkerton vs. Billy Roc vs. Flip Kendrick vs. Mike Sydal

The Blood Warriors stable (Brodie Lee, CIMA, Naruki Doi, Akira Tozawa, and Ricochet) come to the ring when Gregory Iron comes to the ring. Lee doesn’t care that CM Punk put Iron over since he was put over by Kevin Nash. He thinks Iron gets everything handed to him because of his Cerebal Palsy. Lee boots him in the face and powerbombs him twice. Ricochet slaps Iron and CIMA gives him a Schwein for good measure. With Iron incapacitated, Lee takes his place in the elimination match.

Elimination Match
Brodie Lee vs. BJ Whitmer vs. Sugar Dunkerton vs. Billy Roc vs. Flip Kendrick vs. Mike Sydal

The Blood Warriors stay in the ring as Mike Sydal comes out. Lee gives him a spinebuster. Dunkerton stands up to Brodie only for Tozawa and Doi to attack him from behind. Lee boots Kendrick off the apron and slaps Roc to the floor. This leaves BJ Whitmer who is the only one close to Lee’s size. He calls Lee a pussy and wants to fight him one on one. Whitmer’s name calling gets Lee to oblige. All five participants attack Lee. Whitmer clotheslines him to the floor. Kendrick slingshot armdrags Whitmer. Kendrick headscissors him to the floor. Roc backslides Kendrick for two. Roc armdrags Kendrick into a crucifix pin for two. Dunkerton boots Lee on the apron as Kendrick trips Roc. Roc evades a standing moonsault. He and Kendrick dropkick Lee off the apron. Roc maneuvers Kendrick and Dunkerton so that they take each other down. Dunkerton trips Roc into a side headlock. Dunkerton escapes and delivers an Irabu punch. He slams Roc face first onto his shoe and hits Bow Chicka Wow Wow. Sydal enters and ducks a lariat. He hits an enzuigiri to Dunkerton. Whitmer Northern Lights suplexes Sydal for two. Same after a Dragon suplex. Sydal fights Whitmer off the ropes. Sydal huracanrana’s him, but Whitmer picks him up for a Buckle Bomb. Dunkerton gets in Whitmer’s face after he knocks Lee off the apron. He stands up to Whitmer leading to a chop battle. Whitmer suplexes himself and Dunkerton to the floor. Roc takes out Kendrick with a spinwheel kick. Roc slingshot dropkicks Kendrick and dives onto Dunkerton and Whitmer on the floor. Sydal moonsaults onto them. Kendrick corkscrew dives onto that group of men. In the ring, Sydal rolls up Lee for two. Lee powerbombs Sydal for the pin at 7:14. Dunkerton dives in as Lee and Whitmer are staring each other down. Roc trips Dunkerton and kicks Dunkerton from a headstand position. Dunkerton counters the Playmaker. Dunkerton suplexes him into a falling lariat for two. Roc backslides Dunkerton for the pin at 8:58. Lee big boots Roc right after for the pin at 9:17. Tozawa tosses Brodie a chair. Whitmer catches it and hits Lee with, getting himself disqualified around 9:42. Kendrick tries to a steal a pin but only gets two. He grazes Brodie with a moonsault senton. Kendrick flips out of a chokeslam attempt. He missile dropkicks Lee from the second rope. Kendrick moonsaults onto Lee’s shoulders. Lee spins him out into the Truck Stop for the pin at 11:27. Given how much I like most everyone in this match, I was really disappointed in how aside from Lee’s dominance there was nothing to this. Multiple flubs and stalling took me out of the action. If nothing else, it made Lee look even better than he already did and made me want to see him take on Whitmer in the future. *1/2

Uhaa Nation formerly introduces himself. He says the impact he made tonight was just a taste of what to expect. He will accept the challenge of any man in the locker room. He uses the Pledge of Allegiance with his name thrown in which actually works really well.

Naruki Doi vs. Sami Callihan

Doi is good little Rudo, getting angry at the crowd for chanting his name. He also dropkicks Callihan before the bell. Doi gets two with a powerbomb. Callihan flips off Doi causing Doi to stomp him down in the corner. Doi smacks Callihan in the face. Callihan chops Doi after breaking a headlock. Doi back elbows Callihan for a one count. Callihan slips out of a suplex attempt. Doi gives him multiple overhand chops. Callihan comes out of the corner with his own chops. Doi hot shots Callihan on the top rope and delivers a neckbreaker. Doi hits a flip senton for two. Doi traps Callihan in the ropes. He back elbows and dropkicks Callihan in the chest. Doi hits a flip senton off the top as Callihan is draped on the second rope. Callihan avoids a corner elbow. He gives Doi a couple bicycle kicks while Doi is seated. They each hit each other as they come off the ropes. Callihan suplexes Doi for two. Callihan clotheslines Doi off the apron and suicide dives after him. Callihan chops him against the guardrail. Back in the ring Callihan misses a splash. Doi dropkicks Callihan to the corner. He stomps on Callihan before attempting the Dai Bosou. Callihan catches him with a clothesline. Callihan hits a Death Valley Driver for two. Doi ends a strike exchange with a Ryeen Bomb for two. Doi successfully delivers the Dai Bosou. Doi smiles as Callihan goes limp mid-ring. It turns out to be a trick, allowing Callihan to deliver a Saito suplex and the Forearm 2 Remember. Doi manages to kick out. They trade blows again from their knees. Doi slaps Callihan silly as they get to their feet. Callihan spits in Doi’s face. Callihan side steps the Bakatare Sliding Kick and puts on the Stretch Muffler. Doi rolls Callihan into a cradle for two. Doi catches him with Doi 555. He then hits the Bakatare Sliding Kick for two. Callihan gamengiri’s Doi on the top rope. Callihan however gets caught with a Super Doi 555. The second Bakatare Sliding Kick gets Doi the pin at 13:04. That was some excellent back and forth wrestling from both guys. The finish was strange as Callihan basically put himself on Doi’s shoulders to take the super Doi 555. Other than that small faux pa, I very much enjoyed the action and story. ***1/2

Pinkie Sanchez vs. Louis Lyndon

Sanchez has his Sabu headwear on as he comes to the ring. Lyndon hooks his mouth while applying a hammerlock. Lyndon uses the ropes to headscissors Sanchez. Sanchez lands on his feet. He and Lyndon trip each other for a quick one count. Sanchez kicks out Lyndon’s leg. Lyndon moves out of the way of a running headbutt. Lyndon gets two with a crossbody. Sanchez uses the referee to distract Lyndon. Lyndon catches his bicycle kick and forearms Sanchez in the face. Sanchez shoves Lyndon off the top rope and to the floor. Sanchez drops Lyndon stomach first on the guardrail. Sanchez spits water in Lyndon’s face. He double stomps Lyndon onto the ringside steps. Lyndon blocks a stomp and kicks Sanchez in the face. Sanchez elbows Lyndon but eats Lyndon’s knee strike. A few kicks send Sanchez to the floor. Lyndon dives out after him. Lyndon Dragon suplexes him for two. He goes for another Dragon suplex. Sanchez grabs his groin and…dragonscrews it? Lyndon counters the Shining with a roll-up. He palm strikes Sanchez for two. Lyndon misses a springboard moonsault. Sanchez hits the Shining for two. Sanchez back rakes Lyndon before giving him the Burning Snicklefritz for the pin at 7:10. This was actually fairly good for being a post intermission bout. Lyndon got more of a chance to shine than he ever has in any FRAY or other multi-man match he has been in. Sanchez and Callihan being in the same stable yet working heel/face in back to back matches is confusing. **1/4

Jon Davis says he was successful tonight and plans to be successful again by going through Rich Swann tomorrow night.

Chuck Taylor and Johnny Gargano come out for the semi-main event. Their opponents, Open the Freedom Gate champion YAMATO and one-half Open the Twin Gate champions Masato Yoshino then make their way to the ring. Gargano tells YAMATO he’s going to tap him out in this match, and then Taylor and Swann will win the United Gate titles. Taylor grabs the microphone and corrects Gargano by saying that he will go after the Freedom Gate while Johnny and Swann go for the United Gate. They seem to not have any tension afterwards.

Junction 3 (YAMATO & Masato Yoshino) vs. Ronin (Chuck Taylor & Johnny Gargano)

Gargano looks to start off the match with YAMATO. Taylor blind tags in before the match can begin. YAMATO and Taylor reach a stalemate after trading control on the mat. Taylor does the belt around the waist hand motion and tags in Gargano. Yoshino also tags in. Yoshino slaps Gargano after breaking a leg drop. Gargano tries to do the same but eats a dropkick instead. Gargano stomps Yoshino’s back and gives him a neckbreaker. Taylor gets in some stomps. Gargano comes back in and gets wishboned by Junction 3. Gargano backs YAMATO to his corner. Taylor hurts himself on a headbutt. Gargano does the same from the apron. YAMATO and Yoshino back elbow Taylor for two. Yoshino and YAMATO double team Taylor in their corner. Taylor thrusts his hands into Yoshino’s throat. He and Gargano do a little dancing before stomping on Yoshino. Yoshino and YAMATO each come off the top with an attack to Gargano’s arm. Junction 3 work over Gargano’s arm while keeping Taylor at bay. Gargano drops them with a DDT/complete shot combo. Taylor tags in only for YAMATO to boot him right away. Taylor manages to hit a springboard dropkick to send YAMATO to the floor. Taylor overhead suplexes Yoshino and hits the IED. Taylor gets two with a Northern Lights suplex. Yoshino puts Taylor in From Jungle. Taylor grabs the ropes to escape. As Taylor uses the ropes to get to his feet, Yoshino stomps his arm. Taylor superkicks Yoshino. They both tag out. YAMATO and Gargano trade forearms. YAMATO ducks a rolling kick and puts on the CBV. Gargano grabs the ropes immediately. YAMATO misses a punt. He stomps on Gargano’s foot and delivers an enzuigiri. Gargano reverses a brainbuster for two. He puts on the Garga-No Escape which Yoshino breaks for him. YAMATO spears Taylor when Ronin try a double clothesline. Yoshino elbows Gargano in the corner. He missile dropkicks Taylor, falling into a senton on Gargano. Gargano slingshot spears Yoshino. Taylor gets a two count with a quebrada. He turns Yoshino over into a Cross Crab. YAMATO punches Taylor until he releases it. YAMATO delivers a brainbuster for two. Yoshino hits Ude Yoshino on Taylor. Gargano breaks the cover. Gargano and Yoshino fight on the floor, leaving YAMATO room to attempt Galleria. Gargano superkicks YAMATO. Taylor tosses YAMATO into an Ace Crusher from Gargano for two. Yoshino breaks up the pin after Gargano hits the Hurts Donut. Yoshino delivers the Sling Blade. Taylor gives him Sole Food. YAMATO dropkicks Taylor. Gargano gives him the Hurts Donut and puts on the Garga-No Escape. Yoshino puts Taylor in Sol Naciente. Taylor submits first of the two submissions, giving Junction 3 the win at 18:05. That finish was very confusing as the fans had no clue who was legal. The rest of this match was fine and dandy, but really lacked a crowd who cared or any real vibe. After the match YAMATO says he would challenge either Ronin member in a title match. ***1/4

Backstage BJ Whitmer says he wants to be a member of the DGUSA roster. However, Brodie Lee costing him tonight’s match may make that difficult. If DGUSA officials will have him back, he wants Brodie.

Captain’s Fall Six Man Tag
Junction 3 (PAC (Captain) & Rich Swann) & AR Fox vs. Blood Warriors (Ricochet (Captain), CIMA & Akira Tozawa)

The captains fall rule means that only the captains can be involved in the decision. That is to say, Ricochet has to pin/submit PAC or PAC has to pin/submit Ricochet for the match to be over. None of the other four participants can be involved. Also, Rich Swann at this point is now a member of both Ronin and Junction 3.

Swann dances to annoy Tozawa. A Lucha sequence ends with Swann dropkicking Tozawa to the floor and faking a dive. Ricochet pitches Swann to the floor. CIMA distracts PAC so that Ricochet can dropkick him to the floor. Fox and Ricochet each hit a sole butt. Fox nails a dropkick. Fox hops off the top with a back elbow. Fox kickflips to the floor but Ricochet moves. PAC dropkicks Ricochet and CIMA to the floor. Fox and PAC hit stereo dives onto them. Tozawa boots Swann down in the corner. Swann responds with some chops and ten punches. PAC also boots Tozawa in the corner. Tozawa attacks him from behind and tags in CIMA. CIMA and Tozawa back elbow PAC for two. The CIMA and Ricochet each get in their shots. PAC picks up and slams Ricochet in his corner. Fox hits a split-legged senton and instinctively goes for a pin. Swann does the same after a standing frogsplash. PAC back elbows Ricochet for two. Tozawa runs in and illegally boots PAC. Ricochet backs PAC to his corner so his partners can take control again. The Warriors decimate PAC, going as far as to knock his partners off the apron so he can’t tag out. PAC and Tozawa each throw kicks. Tozawa misses a corner attack and eats a springboard dropkick. PAC finally tags in Swann. CIMA however boots Swann and rakes his eyes right away. Swann comes in from the apron with an enzuigiri. Swann hops of Tozawa’s back and legdrops him. Fox hits a springboard 450 splash onto CIMA and Tozawa on the floor. Swann hits a back handspring Ace Crusher and PAC hits a springboard Ace Crusher. Swann’s standing moonsault and PAC’s standing shooting star press don’t get them the pin as CIMA breaks it up. CIMA stomps Swann, boots him in the head, and a lands a flip senton. Swann blocks the Perfect Driver. He superkicks CIMA and Finlay rolls him. CIMA gets his knees up to block the FIREBIRD. Tozawa bicycle kicks Swann. Fox stuns Tozawa. Tozawa kicks and Saito suplexes him. Tozawa blocks PAC’s missile dropkick with a dropkick of his own. PAC gets boots from all Warriors in the corner. CIMA hits the Venus and Iconoclasm. A standing moonsault senton gets Ricochet two. Swann gamengiri’s Ricochet on the top rope. Fox hits Lo Mein Pain and PAC a springboard shooting star press. CIMA breaks the pin at the last moment. Tozawa and CIMA trip PAC and dropkick Swann and Fox off the apron. Tozawa bicycle kicks PAC in the back of the head. He hits a German suplex. CIMA hits the Schwien. Ricochet lands the 630 splash for the pin at 17:30. I thought the action here would be hindered by the Captain’s stipulation, but it didn’t whatsoever. Both teams played the match very smartly. The action itself was insane and crazy fun. This main event really saved the show, and is just as good as the 2011 Mania weekend six man. ****

The Blood Warriors continue to attack PAC after the bell. Ricochet slaps him while CIMA and Tozawa hold on. YAMATO and Yoshino hit the ring to join the fight. Naruki Doi and Brodie Lee join to help their fellow Blood Warriors. Chuck Taylor and Johnny Gargano come out to help clear the Blood Warriors out of the ring. Taylor takes the mic. He wants to know which stable Swann’s with. Taylor says they had to come out and save the Junction 3 even after losing to them. He’s planning to go after the Freedom Gate while Gargano and Swann go for the tag belts. Taylor passes Gargano the mic and superkicks Yoshino. Taylor smirks as he and Gargano leave the ring. Taylor tells Swann to come with him while PAC tries to convince him he’s with Junction 3. Swann decides to go with Ronin but is not happy at all with Taylor. PAC’s go home speech is indecipherable due to the audio quality. Yoshino then thanks the fans for coming out and says they will be back.

Sami Callihan is outside puking in a garbage can. He tells his D.U.F. partners Arik Cannon and Pinkie Sanchez that they should be in a bad mood instead of laughing at him for puking. Callihan chops Sanchez and slaps Cannon’s nachos out of his hands. Callihan wants them to get serious. He then turns his attention to AR Fox. He promises that the D.U.F. will make his life a living hell for the rest of the weekend. Callihan tells Sanchez to get ready for Sabu and chops him again.

The 411: The decision on whether or not you want this show is based on the main event match and not much else. While Doi and Callihan also had a very good undercard bout and the Junction 3/Ronin tag match was solid enough, the rest of the card leaves something to be desired. The lesson to be learned here is that it's not always the best idea to load up the main event because the rest of the card has potential to suffer. There's some storyline stuff but not enough for me to say you should absolutely plunk down $20 for. I'd say if you can get the show at a discount during one of DGUSA's sales, go for it, but otherwise I'd get almost any other DGUSA show. You can pick up this DVD from Dragon Gate USA's store or On Demand from WWN Live. You can check out all of my DGUSA, ROH, and other non-CHIKARA reviews over at the 100% Fordified blog.

Final Score:  7.0   [ Good ]