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100 Percent Fordified: Dragon Gate USA Fearless

August 18, 2010 | Posted by Kevin Ford
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100 Percent Fordified: Dragon Gate USA Fearless  

Chicago, IL – 1.23.2010

Commentary is provided by Lenny Leonard and Phil Colvin.

The show opens with Jon Moxley and Brian Kendrick coming out to the ring. Moxley says they are upset because Tommy Dreamer is in the building tonight. Moxley calls him a loser and says that Dreamer has the fans fooled into thinking he is hardcore. Kendrick talks to Moxley, saying he gets that Moxley wants to prove himself by beating Dreamer. Kendrick says Moxley doesn’t need to do that, as Moxley already has Kendrick’s endorsement. Kendrick says Dreamer’s a coward and has lost his way. Moxley still demands for Dreamer to come out, and Kendrick assures Moxley that Dreamer is retired and has “become office”. They leave together as Kendrick has a match with Jimmy Jacobs to get ready for.

TJP vs. Gran Akuma

Akuma and TJP waste no time trading slaps to the face. TJP flips around on Akuma and dropkicks him in the head. TJP lays in some kicks to Akuma in the corner, then headscissors Akuma head first into the second turnbuckle. Akuma rolls to the floor, and TJP dives through the ropes onto him. Akuma kicks away at TJP back in the ring and chokes him with his boot. Akuma slaps TJP when TJP grabs his leg. TJP kicks him in the chest a couple times. TJP sunset flips Akuma into a sharpshooter. Akuma immediately grabs the ropes. TJP hits a knee drop for two. Akuma throws TJP to the ropes. TJP tangles in the ropes intentionally. Akuma drives TJP face first into the apron before kicking him in the back. Akuma locks TJP’s legs. They trade strikes. TJP grabs the ropes. Akuma drives TJP into the corner. Akuma hits a forearm and a cheetah swipe kick for two. Akuma grabs a cravate and TJP kicks away at him. TJP and Akuma tumble to the floor. In the ring both men exchange kicks to the chest. Akuma hits the ropes but eats a Baisaku knee. TJP hits a jump-up neckbreaker for two. Akuma rolls up TJP and grabs the tights for two. Akuma kicks TJP in the head for two. TJP and Akuma trade victory rolls. Akuma pump handles TJP up so Akuma can drive both knees to his chest. TJP superkicks Akuma but Akuma lariats him. Akuma pins him and TJP crucifix pins him for two. They both go up top. Perkins pushes Akuma off and sunset flips him into a figure four death lock for the submission at 8:57. This was a fun battle of two strikers, and a match that I actually was clamoring for ever since seeing TJP’s 2009 revival in Florida. I’m glad it happened on a stage like PPV, and it didn’t disappoint. **3/4

Davey Richards talks about how he lost his FIP Championship in Japan to Masaaki Mochizuki. Richards says the FIP title is all about the heart and desire put forth to win it. Richards says Mochizuki is on Richards turf, and promises to win the belt back tonight.

Mike Quackenbush & Jigsaw vs. CIMA & Super Crazy

Quack and Crazy wrench on each other’s arms. Quack single legs Crazy into a crab. Quack rolls into a cross-legged submission. Quack forces Crazy into a drop toe hold and Jigsaw leg drops Crazy on the back of his head. CIMA tags in and gets in Quack’s face on the apron. Jigsaw rolls up CIMA for two. CIMA locks to work on Jigsaw’s ankle, but Jigsaw turns CIMA over and stretches out his arms. CIMA grabs a half-nelson while rubbing his elbow on Jigsaw’s head. CIMA and Jigsaw trade kicks. CIMA kicks Jigsaw in the hamstring. CIMA knocks Jigsaw down and kicks him in the chest. CIMA knocks Quack to the floor. CIMA goes over Jigsaw. Quack forearms CIMA in the neck, and double teams CIMA with Jigsaw. Quack applies a submission to CIMA, but Crazy comes in and forearms Quack to break it. Crazy sunset flips Quack, and Jigsaw comes off the top with a crossbody. Jigsaw sends Crazy to the floor with a rana and Quack gives CIMA a quebradora. Jigsaw follows with a legdrop. CIMA doublestomps Jigsaw on his shoulder blades to turn the tide in his and Crazy’s favor. Crazy and CIMA beat on Jigsaw for a bit, including Crazy beating on Jigsaw with thunder sticks. Jigsaw is able to hit a flatliner/DDT combo on CIMA and Crazy after a few minutes, and tags in Quack. Quack gives Crazy an armdrag to the floor. Quack gives CIMA a Manhattan Drop. Jigsaw gives CIMA an enzugiri, and Quack rolls him up for two. They dropkick Crazy and CIMA to the floor and hit stereo tope con heilo’s. In the ring, Jigsaw is pushed off the top rope to the floor. Quack gives CIMA a hurricanrana off the top. Jigsaw follows with a top rope legdrop for two. CIMA and Crazy powerbomb Quack and Jigsaw. Crazy locks Quack in the Romero Special and CIMA double stomps him. Crazy holds on and reapplies the Romero Special. CIMA superkicks Quack and Crazy pins him for two. CIMA gives Jigsaw the Superdrol for two. CIMA hops off the ropes with a doublestomp on Jigsaw. CIMA gives Jigsaw a Tokarev and a Schwein and Quack breaks the pin. Crazy gives Quack a quebradora and powerbombs him for two. CIMA accidentally superkicks Crazy. Quack rolls Crazy up in a Skayde schoolboy for the pin at 17:50. CIMA attacks both guys afterwards, but gets thwarted with a double superkick. This was a very fun tag team contest; certainly a lot better than the last tag match Quackenbush and Jigsaw had in Chicago. Crazy held his own and CIMA was of course great. When Jigsaw was pushed off the top rope and came back immediately, that was really annoying. No complaints otherwise. ***1/4

CIMA and Crazy attack Jigsaw and Quackenbush post match. Jigsaw and Quack superkick CIMA out of the ring, and send Crazy packing. They relish in the fans applause before heading to the back.
We see Dragon Kid backstage preparing for tonight’s main event.

Jimmy Jacobs vs. Brian Kendrick

Kendrick has Lacey, Jacobs’ former valet from Ring of Honor to get the mental advantage on Jacobs. Jacobs spears Kendrick and throws him out to the floor. Jacobs threatens to attack Lacey, but Kendrick takes Jacobs to the floor and into the guardrails before he can. In the ring, Kendrick hits a dropkick to Jacobs in the corner for two. Kendrick applies a Camel Clutch while throwing forearms in Jacobs’ face. Kendrick throws Jacobs face first into the second turnbuckle and chokes Jacobs with his boot. Kendrick reapplies the Camel Clutch. Kendrick looks to choke out Jacobs, but Jacobs throws Kendrick to the floor. Jacobs misses a pescado. Kendrick crotches Jacobs on the top rope and brings him down with a superplex. Jacobs fires back up and gives Kendrick a pair of clotheslines. Jacobs takes Kendrick down with a hook clothesline for two. Kendrick superkicks Jacobs and jackknife pins Jacobs for two. Jacobs blocks Sliced Bread #2 with an ace crusher. Kendrick blocks the Contra Code, but Jacobs manages to lock in his Guillotine Choke. Lacey comes in, and Jacobs releases. He threatens to hit Lacey, but Lacey kisses him. Kendrick attacks Jacobs from behind and hits Sliced Bread #2 for the pin at 6:44. This match was fine, but the finish really soured me on it. I think it’s pretty lame that this ROH storyline carried over into DGUSA, as if everyone watching is supposed to know the history. At least she hasn’t been back. This wasn’t bad, but very uninspired and uninteresting. **

Jon Moxley comes out to celebrate. He, Kendrick, and Lacey leave. Jacobs grab the microphone. He says Kendrick’s wife Taylor is at home, and says while she may not have been “Tough Enough”, she’s good enough for Jacobs. Kendrick, Moxley, and Lacey come back and Kendrick says he will break Lacey’s heart. He teases kissing Lacey, but instead Moxley knocks Lacey down with a lariat. With that, Tommy Dreamer heads ringside. Jacobs looks to attack, but Kendrick and Moxley stop him. Dreamer comes in and kicks Moxley in the nuts. He and Moxley continue to brawl all over the place. Dreamer gets the final word, dropping Moxley with a DDT.

We then cut to BxB Hulk, who is backstage preparing for tonight’s main event.

FIP World Heavyweight Championship
Masaaki Mochizuki (Champion) vs. Davey Richards

Mochizuki won the belt from Richards in Japan (see the Bonus Disc for further details); this is the rematch and Mochizuki’s second defense of the championship. Mochizuki and Richards feel each other out to start. Mochizuki lays in the kicks to Richards in the corner. Richards kicks Mochizuki’s arm after whipping him into the opposite corner. Richards rolls into an armbar. Richards works over the arm before applying a cloverleaf. Mochizuki escapes and kicks Richards off the apron to the floor. Mochizuki goes to the floor. Richards misses a kick and kicks the ring post. Mochizuki throws Richards back inside the ring and targets Richards’ weakened leg. Richards instinctively throws a kick here and there, but it does him more harm than good. Mochizuki brings Richard to the apron. Mochizuki looks to kick Richards off the apron, but Richards kicks Mochizuki in the face and then connects with a top rope dropkick. Richards hits the back handspring kick for two. Richards hits a bridging suplex for two and transitions into a Kimura Lock. Mochizuki escapes. He traps Richards’ leg in the corner and hits a running kick to it. Mochizuki blocks an enzugiri by applying an ankle lock. Richards uses the rope to break it. Mochizuki gives Richards a running boot. Richards responds with his own, and each man throws their own kicks at one another. Mochizuki suplexes Richards and gives him a running kick to the chest for two. Mochizuki runs up the ropes to deliver an enzugiri. Richards low bridges the ropes to send Mochizuki to the floor, then gives Mochizuki a tope suicida into the crowd. In the ring, Richards pulls Mochizuki off the top rope and kicks him in the chest. Mochizuki hits a bridging German suplex for two, and Richards turns into the Kimura Lock. Both guys exchange kicks, with Mochizuki delivering the Saikyou High Kick for two. Mochizuki gives Richards a few more kicks, including one to the head. Richards stops Mochizuki as he heads up top, giving him a super release German suplex. Richards hits a running forearm and a rolling lariat. He hits a bridging German suplex for two. Richards nails a shooting star press for two then goes back to the Kimura Lock. Richards picks up Mochizuki for the D.R. Driver. Mochizuki blocks, but Richards rolls into a cross armbreaker. Mochizuki rolls through into an ankle lock, and Richards rolls Mochizuki up for two. Richards kicks Mochizuki in the side of the head and hits the D.R. Drive for two. Again, Richards goes to the Kimura Lock. Mochizuki tries a pin so Richards reapplies the cross armbreaker and then transitions into a triangle choke. Mochizuki taps out at 19:06 to give Richards the win and the title. What a fantastic match this was. This was a dream match as two notorious strikers facing each other for the first time in the U.S. The cool thing was that they each had separate game plans; Mochizuki focused on Richards’ leg while Richards focused on Mochizuki’s arm. You really felt both guys were doing their damndest to win the match, and the final stretch with both guys on the match was unreal. This was a damn fine way to debut Mochizuki in the U.S., and Richards goes out with 3 phenomenal DGUSA matches under his belt. ****

Mike Quackenbush and Jigsaw are backstage. Quackenbush says after tonight, he feels their business with CIMA is done and now they’re refocused on Gran Akum and YAMATO. They say they will show why people are talking about them being the best team in DGUSA.

Elimination Tag Team Match
Masato Yoshino & Naruki Doi [World-1] vs. Shingo Takagi & YAMATO [Kamikaze] vs. Matt & Nick Jackson [The Young Bucks]

This one will likely get crazy, so I apologize in advance if the play-by-play isn’t incredible. Yoshino, Matt, and Shingo start off with a chain of waistlocks and wristlocks. Each guy tries a pin on one another and reach a stalemate. We get a three way test of strength. Yoshino gets the advantage. He takes down Shingo and Matt, sending them to the floor. Doi, Nick, and YAMATO tag in. Doi and Nick go back and forth while YAMATO tries to get an opening. YAMATO created a headlock chain. Nick and Doi give YAMATO a double hip toss and sloppily hit stereo dropkicks. Doi then turns on Nick and YAMATO boots Nick on the mat. Doi pops up Nick, who dropkicks YAMATO to the floor. Nick dropkicks Doi to his corner. Yoshino hops in and knocks Nick down with an elbow for two. All the competitors in the match create a headscissors chain with YAMATO on the end. Shingo looks to join, but he’d be hurting his own partner. So instead he turns the chain over in a major sharpshooter which hurts his partner on the end the most. Oh, wrestling. Shingo decides to isolate Nick, but Matt comes in to double suplex Shingo. YAMATO stops them, and asks for Yoshino’s help. Yoshino screws YAMATO and helps the Young Bucks suplex Kamikaze. The Bucks give Yoshino a neckbreaker/backbreaker combo. Kamikaze bring the Bucks to the floor and throw them into the guardrails. Shingo gives Nick some jabs and Mongolian chops in the ring. Kamikaze double team Nick. The beatdown goes to the floor where Matt interjects. Shingo drops Matt neckfirst on the guardrail as YAMATO goes to work on Nick inside the ring. Nick makes a tag to Matt, and World-1 run in. Matt backflips into a headscissors on Doi and gives Yoshino a standing shiranui for two. Matt catches Yoshino off the second rope with a dropkick and hits a wheelbarrow facebuster for two. Yoshino locks on From Jungle. Nick gives Kamikaze the Worst Case Scenario. Shingo blocks a DDT from Nick, and powers Nick into a suplex. Shingo nails Nick with a hard right hand, but Nick wheelbarrows into an ace crusher. YAMATO breaks the pin and Matt tosses him to the floor. The Bucks attack Shingo with some tandem offense, but can’t score the pin. Yoshino comes in and gives Shingo the slingblade. Doi DDT’s Matt and YAMATO suplexes Doi. The Bucks hit YAMATO with Mor Bang For Your Buck. Shingo gives Matt a deadlift German suplex. Doi and Yoshino attack Shingo and Matt Jackson in the corner. Doi sends Nick to the floor and gives Matt the Doi 555. Yoshino gives Matt the Lightning Spiral for the pin and elimination at 14:54. Doi and Yoshino take out Shingo then give YAMATO a flapjack/bulldog combo. Yoshino gives YAMATO the slingblade off of Doi’s shoulders for two. Yoshino tries From Jungle, Shingo turns it into a powerbomb. Yoshino sunset flips Shingo for two. Shingo and YAMATO hit a big boot/death valley driver combo for two. Doi and Shingo trade shots in the middle of the ring. Yoshino gives Shingo the Lightning Spiral. Doi follows with the Bakatare Sliding Kick, but YAMATO breaks the pin. Doi sends YAMATO to the floor. Yoshino gives Shingo a modified powerbomb. He drops Shingo with the Torbellion and locks in Sol Naciente for the submission and victory at 18:57. This was a fantastic, fast-paced trios tag team match where everyone was on point. Things got a lot better when the Bucks were eliminated, but they held their own as well. All six of these guys have had such a stellar year, and putting them together in one match was magic. It was fun, filled with energy, and leads to Yoshino’s eventual title shot for both the Freedom and Dream Gate titles. ****

Open The Freedom Gate Championship
BxB Hulk (Champion) vs. Dragon Kid

Since “Open The Freedom Gate”, Dragon Kid has left Kamikaze and aligned himself with the WARRIORS faction. WARRIORS member CIMA seconds Kid to the ring. This is Hulk’s second defense of the title. Both guys take it to the mat, looking for the advantage. Hulk pounds on Kid’s back and twists his wrist. Kid flips out of a snapmare and wheelbarrows into an armdrag. Kid takes Hulk down with a headscissors and Hulk retreats to his corner. Kid gives him a delayed dropkick in the corner. Kid applies a Muta lock. Hulk escapes and gives Kid axe kicks to his back and shoulders. Hulk knocks down Kid with a dropkick for two. Kid hits a jumping spin kick to Hulk’s chest. Hulk elbows Kid down and hits a twisting senton for two. Hulk locks on a cloverleaf variation. Kid goes to the floor, but Hulk follows and throws him into the guardrail. In the ring, Kid springboards into an ace crusher. Hulk cracks Kid with a spinwheel kick. Kid goes to the ropes and Hulk knocks him down to the ring apron. Hulk jumps in with a springboard hurricanrana. He gives Hulk a 619 to his back on the apron, then follows with the Bermuda Triangle. Kid hits a springboard dropkick in the ring for two. Kid hits a chinbreaker for two. Hulk looks to hop in the ring and Kid stops him. Hulk catches Kid with a springboard spinwheel kick for two. Hulk sweeps Kid’s legs and hits the BxB Star Press for two. Kid comes back with Cristo. Hulk gives Kid a side slam. Kid hits a tilt-a-whirl DDT for two. Hulk catches Kid with a urinage and the BxB smash for two. Kid hits a top rope ace crusher and rolls to the apron. He hits the Ultra Huricanrana for two. Hulk hits a spinwheel kick on Kid on the top rope. Hulk brings Kid off the top rope with the EVO for two. Hulk hits an EVO on the mat for two. Kid hits a chinbeaker and Hulk hits a jumping enzugiri. Hulk drops him with the FTX for two. Hulk superkicks Kid and hits the EVOP for the win at 17:09. This was a more serious match than you usually see out of these two, and it turned out really well. I think Hulk has a lot of nay sayers as champion, and hopefully this match silences some of them. He and Kid were on point and fluid in their transitions as well. It was a well paced, well put together match that was quite fun. Great stuff, and a great match to end the show. ***3/4

YAMATO, Davey Richards, and Gran Akuma rush the ring to attack Kid and Hulk. Shingo comes out, seemingly to help his friend Dragon Kid, but Shingo lays him out. CIMA takes Kid to the back as everyone else beats on Hulk. Akuma stands guard, preventing any scrubs from helping. Arik Cannon and Brad Allen get in some shots but are disposed of. The CHIKARA crew of Mike Quackenbush, Jigsaw, Hallowicked, and Lince Dorado come out to make the save. Quack and YAMATO fight on the floor, calling back to the first DGUSA show where they got in a tussle. CIMA comes out with a broom to literally clean house. CIMA then grabs the microphone and speaks his awesome broken English to thank the crowd, ending another fantastic DGUSA Pay Per View.

Bonus Disc

Elimination Match
Lince Dorado vs. Arik Cannon vs. Brad Allen vs. Jon Moxley vs. Kyle O’Reilly vs. Johnny Gargano

Cannon and Allen start on the mat vying for the advantage. Allen shoulder blocks Cannon, but fails to knock him down. Cannon does the same. Allen knocks Cannon down with a shoulder tackle and a scoop slam. Allen hops onto Cannon with a springboard crossbody. Allen gives Cannon a bulldog. Cannon blocks a slingshot senton. Moxley runs in and attacks every competitor in the match. Brian Kendrick runs in and helps Moxley attack them. Moxley gets eliminated at 1:40 for his conduct. O’Reilly and Dorado end up in the ring together. Dorado hits a corkscrew plancha. O’Reilly and Dorado reach a stalemate with stereo dropkicks. Dorado schoolboys O’Reilly for two. O’Reilly gives Dorado a trifecta of rolling butterfly suplexes for two. Allen blind tags in, and Dorado takes him over with a headscissors. Allen clotheslines Dorado down. Dorado gives Allen a tilt-a-whirl DDT. Gargano blind tags in and dropkicks Dorado as he goes for a quebrada. Allen gives Gargano a spinebuster for two. Gargano rolls up Allen and grabs his tights for the pin at 4:56. O’Reilly blocks a superkick from Gargano and suplexes him for two. Gargano superkicks O’Reilly and lawn darts him into the second turnbuckle for two. O’Reilly and Gargano exchange strikes, knocking each other down. Dorado and Cannon tag in. Dorado hits a handspring elbow for two. Dorado hits a springboard crossbody and a quebrada. Cannon drops Dorado with a brainbuster and hits the Glimmering Warlock for the pin at 7:45. O’Reilly and Cannon exchange shots, and Gargano nails O’Reilly with a slingshot spear. Gargano gives Cannon double knees in the corner. Gargano looks for another spear, but Cannon catches him with the Total Anarchy and the Glimmering Warlock for the pin at 8:44. O’Reilly gives Cannon a Saito suplex for two. Cannon drops O’Reilly with a Saito suplex and a lariat for two. O’Reilly boots Cannon a few times. Cannon ducks a superkick and nails a big right punch. O’Reilly hits a superkick but gets another right hand. O’Reilly hits a superkick and a tornado DDT. Cannon gives O’Reilly the Total Anarchy. Cannon gives O’Reilly an exploder suplex. O’Reilly blocks a brainbuster and hits a sick kick. O’Reilly hits a tornado DDT and a brainbuster for the pin at 11:45. This was a really fun elimination match that served as basically a showcase for EVOLVE. Everyone however did have enough time to make an impression and get their signature stuff in. I imagine some of these guys will become regulars at some point, which is fine by me. **3/4

AAW Heavyweight Championship Match
Silas Young (Champion) vs. Hallowicked

Hallowicked won this title shot by winning a six-man mayhem match at AAW’s “Chaos Theory” show the previous night. Hallowicked traps Young in a headscissors on the mat, but Young transitions into a single leg crab. Hallowicked rolls up Young for two. Hallowicked rolls up Young’s shoulders into an armdrag. Hallowicked snapmares Young over, but Young attacks Hallowicked in the corner. Hallowicked takes Young down with the step-up Frankensteiner and step-up enzugiri. A super snapmare gets Hallowicked two. Young hits a backbreaker. Young targets Hallowicked’s back. Young throws Hallowicked down by his stem. Young hits a second backbreaker, and Hallowicked knees Young in the face three times to free himself from a stretch. Hallowicked whips Young into the corner. Young flips up to his feet and each guy hits a big boot simultaneously. Hallowicked drops Young with a Rydeen Bomb for two. Young hits a backbreaker into a lariat. Young applies a full nelson stretch. Hallowicked looks for Go Too Sleepy Hollow, but Young rolls through. Hallowicked gets a back slide, but Young escapes. Young gives Hallowicked a Finlay roll into an Arabian press for the pin at 9:12. This was a good exhibition match to give AAW a nice rub. I really like both guys so it was nice to see them in this spot. Solid stuff to get things rolling. **1/2

FIP Heavyweight Championship Match
Davey Richards (Champion) vs. Masaaki Mochizuki

Gate of Generation 2009 – Hokkaido, Japan – 12.6.2009

Mochizuki attacks Richards at the bell with a flurry of kicks in the corner. Richards suplexes Mochizuki to the apron. Richards lays in kicks to the chest, but misses one and kicks the ring post. Mochizuki drops Richards knee first on the ring apron. Mochizuki sends Richard to the floor and Richards lands on his bad leg. Mochizuki follows to the floor with a topé. In the ring, Mochizuki continues to target Richards’ leg. Richards grabs the bottom rope to escape a single leg submission. Richards kicks Mochizuki in the chest, and Mochizuki turns an enzugiri into an ankle lock. Richards grabs the rope to escape. Richards kicks Mochizuki’s arm in the corner. Mochizuki runs the ropes, but gets caught with a kick in the face from Richards. Richards hits a top rope dropkick, sending Mochizuki to the apron. Richards drops Mochizuki shoulder first on the ring apron. Richards throws Mochizuki shoulder first into the ring post. Richards rolls into a cross armbreaker and Mochizuki gets the rope to escape. Richards attacks Mochizuki in the corner and gives him a Northern Lights suplex for two. Richards transitions into a Kimura Lock. Mochizuki escapes. Richards hits a shoulder breaker off the second rope and applies an armbar. Mochizuki gives Richards a knee strike and a running kick to the chest. Mochizuki gives Richards Ikkakugeri. Richards responds with a backspring kick to the face. Mochizuki fires up at a series of kicks from Richards. Mochizuki gives Richards a bridging Geman suplex for two. Richards counters into a Kimura Lock. Mochizuki transitions into an ankle lock, and grapevines Richards legs to add more pressure. Richards escapes, and rolls through a powerbomb from Mochizuki for two. Mochizuki gives him a kick to the head for two. Richards catches Mochizuki on the ropes and brings him down with a super German suplex. Both guys charge on another with big boots. Richards gives Mochizuki the alarm clock and a straight-jacket German suplex for two. Richards connects with a diving headbutt for two. Richards misses a shooting star press. Mochizuki hits him with a sole butt to the face and the Twister for two. Mochizuki is able to hit Richards with the Saikyou High Kick for the victory and the title at 19:07. This was a fantastic match, and was a nice set up for what would come in the rematch on the PPV. I’m really happy this was provided in full so we could see just how fantastic the two matches these two had. ****

Open The Freedom Gate Championship Match
BxB Hulk (Champion) vs. Susumu Yokosuka

Gate of Generation 2009 – Hokkaido, Japan – 12.6.2009

This is Hulk’s first defense of the Freedom Gate championship. Hulk dropkicks Yokosuka right off the bat and stomps on him in the corner. Yokosuka catches Hulk with a hard lariat and sends Hulk to the floor. Yokosuka throws Hulk chest first into the ring post. Yokosuka slams a chair across Hulk’s leg behind the referee’s back. Yokosuka stomps away at the inside of Hulk’s knee. Hulk’s knee buckles as he hits the ropes. Yokosuka focuses his attack on Hulk’s left leg, wearing down the champion for quite awhile. Real Hazard (which is Yokosuka’s stable alignment) helps attack Hulk on the floor as well. Hazard involves their patended blue box foreign object, which Yokosuka drops Hulk knee first onto. Yokosuka applies a figure four leg lock and Hulk looks desperate. Hulk escapes and hits a spinwheel kick and a springboard dropkick. Hulk hops ove the ring post onto Yokosuka and a couple other Real Hazard members. In the ring, Yokosuka blocks a tornado senton by getting his knees up. Yokosuka then gives Hulk an exploder suplex into the turnbuckles. Hulk knocks down Yokosuka and heads up top. Yokosuka cuts him off and throws Hulk off the top rope with an exploder suplex. Yokosuka places Hulk up top. Hulk escapes another suplex and takes Yokosuka down with a hurricanrana for two. Real Hazard members attack Hulk while Yasushi Kanda distracts the referee. World-1 (Hulk’s faction) evens things up by attacking Yokosuka as well. Hulk hits the BxB Star Press for two. Hulk hits Yokosuka on the top rope with a spinwheel kick. Hulk drops Yokosuka off the second rope with an EVO, but Yokosuka gets his foot on the bottom rope. Hulk goes up top and gets crotched by Hazard member Ryo Saito. Yokosuka brings Hulk back to the mat and hits Jumbo no Kachi in the corner. Yokosuka gives Hulk an Aikata off the middle rope. He then hits Jumbo No Kachi for two. Yokosuka hits a few more Jumbo No Kachi’s, but Hulk fires up. Hulk kicks away at Yokosuka. Yokosuka hits a German suplex. Hulk pops right back up and hits the EVO for two. He hits another EVO and the EVOP. Yokosuka hops up and hits the Jumbo No Kachi. Hulk sole butts Yokosuka and gives him a superkick to the side of the head. Hulk gives Yokosuka the H-Thunder for the pin at 22:07. This was a good Freedom Gate match for Hulk, though it’s strange how the second half of the match seemed to have Hulk forget his leg was ever worked on. This also went quite a long time, as things did drag for a bit in the middle. The superfluous interference and kick outs at the end brought this down a notch as well, but still was very enjoyable. I hope the Freedom Gate title gets defended more in Japan, because it seems like a non-entity at the moment. ***1/4

The 411: If the strength of the PPV (which is very good) doesn't entice you to buy the DVD, the bonus disc should. With three matches that rank at four stars, two fantastic Open the Freedom Gate title defenses, and some terrific matches with some of the most underutilized U.S. talent, this DVD set is a great overall package. There's so much good stuff here that you definitely want to see. Another solid thumbs up to another very good Dragon Gate USA DVD release. You can pick up the DVD right here!
411 Elite Award
Final Score:  8.5   [ Very Good ]  legend

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