411’s Dragon Gate USA – Enter the Dragon Report 9.05.09

Hey yo. Welcome to 411’s coverage of Dragon Gate USA’s PPV debut, Enter the Dragon. I’m Chris Lansdell, and this is going to be sudden. Pray for Mojo.

Dawn Marie is handling ring announcing duties, and we’re right into the action!

BxB Hulk vs YAMATO

Wait, is that Daizee Haze being one of his dancing girls? Pretty sure it is, don’t recognise the other one though. Dawn Marie sucks as a ring announcer. Just saying. I’m still convinced that YAMATO is Brian Pillman’s Oriental love child. The crowd is molten and here we go!

Lenny Leonard and Chikara-san have commentary duties. Hulk grabs a facelock to start us off, turns into a waistlock bridge, YAMATO twists into a headlock and both men are up. Hulk wiht a waistlock, YAMATO gets the armbar, Hulk tries to roll through it but YAMATO holds on! Hulk gets some chops and cartwheels out, headlock takedown by Hulk into a headscissors by YAMATO, Hulk escapes and they face off again. A boot and a headlock by YAMATO, he takes Hulk down with a shoulder but Hulk kips up and gets a series of armdrags! Dropkick by Hulk gets 2. roundhouse kick to the back of the head, ad series of kicks by Hulk followed by an arm wringer, a savate kick and YAMATO is down. Hulk tries the cocky foot-on-the-chest pin but YAMATO took his ass down like Frank Mir to Brock Lesnar and applies a kneebar. Hulk makes the ropes. Whip by YAMATO, Hulk avoids the charge by going to the apron and tries to kick YAMATO, who catches it and dropkicks the knee, sending Hulk to the floor! YAMATO follows and works on the knee outside, then throws him back in and stays on the knee. Leg lock applied, Hulk tries to chop his way free so YAMATO just stamps on his face. Friendly chap.A couple of kicks to the face by YAMATO but Hulk comes back with a SWEET leg lariat. YAMATO goes right back to the knee to regain control. They exchange chops and forearms in the middle of the ring, Hulk hits the ropes and gets caught in a sleeper. YAMATO transitions into a modified figure four! Hulk again makes the ropes. Loud chops in the corner by YAMATO, he tries a whip but Hulk is holding the ropes. YAMATO hits a kneelift and tries the whip again but Hulk’s knee buckles halfway across. YAMATO goes back to work with some slaps and tries a whip, Hulk cartwheels out, ducks a clothesline and hits a springboard missile dropkick! Gorgeous, but what happened to selling the leg? He tries a scoop slam, YAMATO slips out the back but Hulk connects with the Flash kick and a lariat! Hulk is measuring a kick, YAMATO catches the first kick and ducks the second but gets hit with a leg sweep! Standing corkscrew moonsault! 1…2…no! Another forearm exchange in the middle of the ring, won by YAMATO with a flying forearm. OLE! They reverse some whips and run a criss cross until YAMATO hits a spear! 1…2…Hulk kicks out but YAMATO uses the momentum to turn a Cloverleaf! Hulk again gets the ropes, so YAMATO applies a crossface! AGAIN Hulk is in the ropes. Stomps by YAMATO, takes him up for a fireman’s carry but Hulk reverses it into an EVO…countered into the Galeria but Hulk reverses that into an armdrag! Hulk charges into a boot by YAMATO. YAMATO goes up top but Hulk kicks him in the head…top rope powerslam! A flurry of strikes by Hulk, finishing in an axe kick and a punt to the face. More kicks, EVO! 1…2…2.884 as YAMATO is in the ropes! Forearms by Hulk, a body slam and he goes up top…PHOENIX SPLASH MISSES! YAMATO hits a running foreram in the corner, brainbuster! 1…2…no! YAMATO tries the Galeria again, Hulk escapes and hits the Pele! YAMATO is up, sleeper! SLEEPERPLEX! On his HEAD! 1…2…2.9002! GALERIA SPECIAL! It’s Brother Devon’s Saving Grace turned into a K-Driller. Fuck me senseless, he’s dead. 1…2…3! Count to 50, that dude dead.

Winner: YAMATO via pinfall (Galeria Special)
Rating: ***½ Well that was both fun and special. I wish Hulk had sold the leg more consistently, but it was the right match to open with as it got the crowd even hotter. What’s hotter than molten?

We get clips of Doi and SHINGO in their locker rooms preparing, with a voiceover explaining the story. So THAT’S how they get past the language barrier.

Hallowicked, Amasis, Gran Akuma and Icarus vs Fire Ant, Solider Ant, Mike Quackenbush and Jigsaw

The heel team here was thrown together after injuries, hence Hallowicked instead of Ophidian. Thank God Jigsaw has his mask on. Fire Ant does a Burning Hammer so I live in hope, and Quackenbush is concentrated awesome. Dude is so over it’s scary. BRYCE REMSBURG sighting!

Fire Ant and Amasis to start, Amasis does some wriggly dancing instead of locking up so Fire Ant takes him down with lucha stuff and lots of it, ending in a quick cover for 2. Amasis takes his turn to do lucha stuff, which sends Fire Ant to the floor. Under CHIKARA rules when a wrestler goes to the floor his team-mate can come in, so that brings in Quackenbush. Amasis charges and tries to wheelbarrow himself but Quack blocks and drops him on his face. Amasis rolls out and that brings in Icarus. Quack goes to the arm and gets a takedown, Icarus turns it into a crucifix for a quick one count before Quack reverses into another armlock. Icarus runs up the turnbuckles and gets an armdrag, he poses but Quack is up, Icarus charges and gets caught in a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Icarus bails and Hallowicked comes in, sweeps the leg of Quack who returns the favour and applies a leglock. Flippy lucha hold to escape by Hallowicked, they run the ropes with some rolly dodging stuff and Quack gets a backslide briefly. Chop by Quack, tries a headscissors but Hallowicked blocks it and goes for a powerbomb, countered into a monkey flip. Off the ropes again and this time Hallowicked gets a headscissors. Quack gets backed into his own corner and I think there was a tag there, they do some more running and Jigsaw comes soaring off the top with a ridiculously high crossbody! Quck assists with a headscissors which sends Hallowicked to the floor and brings in Akuma. He blocks a dropkick but gets taken down with an armdrag, Jigsaw ties up the arms and gets a crucifix for 2. Lucha armdrag, Jigsaw hits the ropes and gets leveled with a pair of kicks, sending him to the floor. Soldier Ant is in and gets a headscissors with about a dozen rotations, saluting the whole time! That sends Akuma to the floor and this is making ME tired. So quick! Hallowicked is in now, armdrag by Soldier Ant and he gets a cover with a hammerlock thrown in for two. Hallowicked avoids a charge and hits a nice BK bomb for a 2 count. Tag to Amasis who hits some shots then tags in Akuma, who lays in a pair of stiff kicks to the chest. Whip, a charge and a high knee in the corner followed by a snap mare and head kick. 2 count only. Icarus tags in and they hit a stereo kick to Soldier Ant. Fallaway slam by Icarus, he holds on and applies a single leg crab. Tag to Hallowicked, who picks up Icarus in the Burning Hammer position and drops him on Soldier ant in a splash. 1…2…no. Tag to Amasis and a BIG spinebuster connects. Amasis dances, poses and tries a more flashy People’s Elbow which misses. He rolls out bringing in Icarus, who attacks the Tecnicos. Akuma is in too, he charges into a boot by Soldier Ant, Icarus runs in and monkey flips him into the arms of Akuma, but Soldier Ant turns it into a headscissors! Gran akuma rolls out leaving Icarus as the legal man, they exchange shots and Soldier Ant ducks between the legs to get the tag!!

Quack is in with a leg sweep and a double knee drop, Jigsaw comes in as Quack hits a jawbreaker, enziguiri by Jigsaw and a small package by Quack gets 2. Nice combo. Hallowicked makes the save and tries a Yakuza kick, blocked by Quack who then gets thrown over the top to the floor! Jigsaw comes in and blocks a kick, he chops Hallowicked and flips into an armdrag. Wheelbarrow and another armdrag. Hallowicked goes to the floor and Jigsaw wants to fly…AKUMA with a pair of knees from the apron to block it! SPEAR by Icarus! 1…2…no! Fisherman buster set by Icarus, inside cradle by Jigsaw! 1…2…no!!! Knee to the head by Icarus and a tag to Akuma who locks in an Octopus before rolling him into a pin for 2. Tag to Hallowicked, BK Bomb gets 2. Amasis tags in now, they exchange shots, Amasis gets the advantage with a flurry of slaps and a sliding clothesline. Akuma is back in with a powerslam and he powerbombs Icarus onto Jigsaw for 2. Akuma is playing with Jigsaw with some kicks, Jigsaw tires to fight back from his knees, he blocks a kick and gets some forearms but is cut off before he can make the tag. Amasis holds Jigsaw, Akuma charges but Jigsaw moves and Akuma knocks the Egyptian to the floor. Jigsaw charges Akuma, Akuma elevates him and Jigsaw turns it into a dropkick to Icarus on the apron! He elevates Akuma up and over to the floor then FLIES with a corkscrew tope to the crowd on the floor! That means a tag and Hallowicked is in, but HERE COMES FIRE ANT! Crossbody to Hallowicked, ducks the kick and he hits a dropkick! His charge is blocked and Hallowicked perches him on the top then charges with a Yakuza, Fire Ant blocks it and then gets a headscissors off the top! Wheelbarrow, Stunner! Akuma breaks up the pin attempt, each man rolls through a sunset flip and Akuma tries a double pumphandle, countered to a DDT! Solider Ant comes in and they hit a double basement doprkick in the corner on Akuma! Amasis is in and dancing, he does the splits to duck a double clothesline but then gets kicked in the head. Powerbomb/neckbreaker combo by the Colony! Icarus is in now, he catches Fire Ant trying to jump over his charge and hits a DVD into the turnbuckles! Soldier Ant is in, roaring elbow! Hallowicked connects with a Yakuza and a Go to Sleepy Hollow! 1…2…no! It’s like a Go to Sleep except the kick is to the chest. He puts Solider Ant on the top and goes up with him, possibly looking for a backpack jawbreaker from the top? Never mind, Quack breaks it up and hits a top rope rana! Soldier Ant off the top…Saluting Headbutt! It’s Santino! Maybe not. 1…2…Amasis with the save! Chops by Soldier Ant but Amasis hits a face-first powerbomb! QUACK turns him inside out with a lariat! Quackendriver III connects! Jigsaw from the top…crotched by Gran Akuma! Enziguiri by Akuma, spider-style exploder to throw Jigsaw off the top while Akuma holds on and a BEAUTIFUL moonsault from the top! 1…2…2.9237!! Amuma is stunned but tries a Rubik’s Cube, it’s countered and a series of counters ends with Jigsaw getting a rack bomb. Hallowicked makes the save, fisherman buster try is blocked, Jig and Tonic try is blocked and Hallowicked runs Jigsaw back to the corner. Icarus tries to remove the mask of Jigsaw! BOOOOO! The Colony come over for the save and hit a double hip toss from the top! I have NO IDEA who’s legal right now. Swanton by Quack to Icarus! Double superkick to Hallowicked! Soldier Ant dives onto Akuma! Quack dives on Hallowicked! Jigsaw has Icarus….JIG N TONIC!!!!!!!! 1….2…3!

Winners: Los Técnicos via pinfall (Jigsaw on Icarus, Jig N Tonic)
Rating: ***3/4 God damn. This was always going to be insane, and it certainly was. My well-known apathy to some of the more flippy lucha stuff (all the arm drags and headscissors) led to much of the early stages of the match being a bit blah, but after the BK Bomb from Hallowicked it all got better. The finish, as is usual for this sort of match, was frantic and full of markouts.

Quack has the mic and puts over Jorge “Skayde” Rivera before issuing an open challenge for any DG guy to fight his choice of CHIKARA guy. YAMATO comes out to answer the challenge, says something in Japanese (I caught “Jorge Rivera”) then kicks Quack in the nuts. The beatdown is on but here comes Jigsaw for the save! Gran Akuma is out now, and Jigsaw seems to think he’s there to help. Silly face. WHAM nutshot by Akuma, and the beatdown is on again! The locker room empties as the CHIKARA guys come out to chase off YAMATO and Akuma.

Masato Yoshino (w/ Naruki Doi) vs Dragon Kid (w/ SHINGO)

There’s quick, there’s sudden, and then there’s this match.

Arm work to start, working the basic hammerlocks and armbars and counters. They lock up again, Kid flips out of a snap mare and gets a flippy arm drag, then a headscissors sending Yoshino to the floor. Dragon Kid wants to fly but Yoshino moves so Dragon Kid applies the brakes. Back inside, Kid charges and gets lifted to the apron, he tries to springboard back with a headscissors but gets dropped on his face. Slam by Yoshino and a kick to the back. Yoshino goes to the arm and takes Kid down, then hits a splash to the arm. Yoshino wraps the arms in the ropes and breaks on 4, several times in fact. Another arm wringer applied and a stepover armbar takedown, sort of a divorce court variant. Hammerlock and a rollthrough by Yoshino into a nasty-looking pretzel-type hold putting pressure on both arms. Kid makes the ropes. Yoshino drops his head too early and gets kicked in it as a reminder, Kid tries a springboard but Yoshino catches him mid-spring with a foreram. Yoshino tries to suplex Kid back in but Kid gets out the back. Kid gets the feet up to block a charge…Deja Vu! Full of spinny goodness! Asai moonsault by Kid! Lenny Leonard calls it the Bermuda Triangle, and I really miss him on RoH. Springboard missile dropkick gets 2 for Kid. He charges but Yoshino avoids it and hits the clothesline take down so fast, Kid’s head thinks his feet are still on the mat. Yoshino goes up top, Kid goes to meet him but Yoshino fights him off and tries a sunset bomb, countered into a headscissors! 619 position…CONNECTS! Another rana attempt is blocked and Yoshino gets a powerbomb! Both men are down. Yoshino is up first, roaring clothesline misses and Kid applies the Cristal! Think of an abdominal stretch combined with a headscissors. Yoshino spins him off and kicks him hard, a whip is reversed and Kid charges only to be lifted to the apron, Yoshino’s turn to charge and he gets dropkicked in the knees. Springboard Arabian press gets nothing but knees! Yoshino climbs and hits a very high missile dropkick for 2. Series of slaps by Yoshino and a Lightning Spiral attempt, it’s countered and Kid gets a lucha DDT! Boots in the corner by Kid now, he places Yoshino up top and goes up with him but Yoshino pushes him to the apron. Kid gets back up there and both men are standing on the top rope…SPRINGBOARD RANA!!! Blessed Jesus the balance! 1…2…no!!! Yoshino avoids a springboard attempt but Kid lands on his feet…Blue Thunder by Yoshino! Spinning single-arm DDT by Yoshino and he locks in Sol Nasciente! It’s a cross-arm scissor sleeper and it’s awesome. Dragon Kid turns while in the hold and manages to get Yoshino’s shoulders to the mat! 1…2…no! Spin kick by Kid, he tries another lucha DDT but it’s blocked, Yoshino tries a suplex but Kid turns it into a stunner! Kid to the apron, SPRINGBOARD FRANKENSTEINER! 1…2…3!

Winner: Dragon Kid via pinfall (Ultra Rana)
Rating: **** I’m going so high here because I never expected this match to be anywhere near this good. With two speedsters, one of whom might as well be a luchador, I was expecting lots of twisty turny weak-looking armdrags. Instead they worked a far more technical match and Dragon Kid makes all the lucha stuff look better because he rotates so damn fast. This rocked my socks. And I’m not even wearing any.

Yoshino shoves Dragon Kid post-match, which upsets Shingo, which makes Doi fly all up in his grill, yo.

The Young Bucks vs CIMA and Susuma Yokosuka

Sweet, my first look at Nick and Matt. CIMA is always awesome. The Bucks remind me of the Hardys when they first broke into WWE. I wonder if Johnny Ace thinks the same…

Yokosuka and Matt to start. Quack is now on commentary. They work some arm counters and wiastlocks, Matt tries to apply a cross armbreaker but Yokosuka fights it off. Yokosuka plays games with Matt and stamps on his hand, then gets a shoulder tackle before being armdragged and headscissored. Dropkick by Matt and he mocks Yokosuka before tagging Nick. CIMA is also in now. He goes straight to the boot to the gut and gets a shoulderblock. Nick comes back with a back kick to the gut and a headscissors, then tags in Matt. Double whip, double hip toss and double basement dropkick. Yokosuka comes in and eats a gutbuster for his troubles, Matt holds him in place and Nick hits a spinning neckbreaker while Yokosuka is over Matt’s knee. Nice sequence. 2 count for the Bucks. Yokosuka takes Nick back to the corner and tags CIMA, who hits some kicks, a snap mare and a slingshot senton for 2. Chinlock by CIMA, tag to Yokosuka and they get a double back elbow. Yokosuka tries a scoop slam but Nick blocks it and manages to get the tag. Shoulders in the corner by Matt, an arm wringer, Nick tags in and hits a double axehandle to the arm, he tags Matt in again who also comes off the top to the arm. Snap mare by Matt and a tag, Nick comes in with a springboard corkscrew plancha. 1…2…no. Suplex attempted, Yokosuka blocks and backs Nick to their corner with some help from CIMA. Tag to CIMA now who comes in with a kick, a mare and a stomp to the face. Blind tag by Matt, he slingshots in and his brother pops him up into a dropkick on CIMA for 2. CIMA fights back with a BIG kick to the chest and he tags Yokosuka. Double suplex and a cover by Yokosuka gets 2. Quack talks to much on commentary. Chinlock by Yokosuka, Matt makes the ropes. Whip and a knee ton the gut gets 2 more. Body scissors now by Yokosuka, he releases the hold and tags CIMA, double spinebuster into an elevated assisted lungblower for 2. Nick breaks the pin, they take him to the floor and Yokosuka holds Nick’s legs while his arms are tied up in the barricade, CIMA springboards off the guardrail with a double stomp to the chest!!! Back inside Matt is still down, CIMA measures and hits a roundhouse to the chest. Matt tries to shrug it off but he can’t shrug off the 4 others! Cover gets 2. Whip, CIMA charges with a double knee and Yokosuka follows with a clothesline. Another whip, Yokosuka eats feet on the charge and Matt uses CIMA’s chest to run up and hit the Sliced Bread on Yokosuka! Sweet. Neckbreaker to the knee by Matt and there’s the tag! Clothesline for CIMA, Nick keeps on running and hits a springboard dropkick to Yokosuka on the apron! Back elbow to CIMA and a lucha armdrag sends CIMA to the floor. Matt is in and hits a dropkick through the ropes to both men! NICK FLIES onto CIMA and Yokosuka with a twisting tope! Nick rolls CIMA back in, Matt holds CIMA’s arm and Nick hits a double stomp to the arm! Matt runs CIMA into the corner, Nick charges and hits a high running knee! Spear by Matt! Springboard splash by Nick and a standing moonsault by Matt! 1…2…Yokosuka breaks it up! CIMA with the whip, Nick tries a sunset flip but CIMA rolls through and DOUBLE STOMPS HIS FACE! Jesus. CIMA and Yokosuka go to whip the Bucks into each other, it’s reversed, the Warriors-5 guys link arms and spin around to charge back, the Bucks duck clotheslines, they try their own but that’s avoided, and Warriors-5 hit their own charging clotheslines. CIMA sits Nick on the second turnbuckle facing the post, Matt is whipped and put in the same position…BACKCRACKER to both men! Nick to the floor, a pair of charging back elbows to Matt and CIMA climbs while Yokosuka picks up Matt for a powerbomb…Double stomp into the powerbomb, CIMA keeps running and hits a tope to Nick on the outside! Yokosuka tries for a powerbomb but Matt escapes with a back body drop. Matt climbs, Yokosuka meets him and hits an exploder suplex from the top! 1…2…no! Whip by Yokosuka, he charges into a boot and Matt hits a somersault stunner off the top! Matt goes up top, CIMA crotches him and hits the Venus palm strike! ICONOCLASM! CIMA up top…SPLA—KNEES! Nick is in with a wheelbarrow and a stunner! Leg sweep and a kick to the head on Yokosuka, double team facebuster gets 2! CIMA is thrown outside but he whips Nick into the post. Yokosuka gets a kick to the gut on Matt but runs into a forearm, which pisses him off so he kills Matt with a clothesline. CIMA in, Perfect Driver! 1…2…2.944! Nick tries to intervene but CIMA thinks he looks better on the floor. Matt is hung in the reverse tree of woe, CIMA hits the coast to coast missile dropkick!!! SPIKE ANGEL’S WINGS! 1…2…NICK FOR THE SAVE! Matt gets out the back of a powerbomb, they switch and Yokosuka holds Matt…CIMA superkicks his partner as Matt moves! Nick throws CIMA to the floor, Matt avoids a charging Yokosuka and DAMN Nick with a superkick to the back of the head! Finlay Roll by Matt! 450 Splash by Nick! Moonsault by Matt! 1…2…3!!!!!

Winners: The Young Bucks via pinfall (Matt on Yokosuka, More Bang for your Buck)
Rating: ****½ Fuck me. I’m overrating this and I don’t fucking care. That was insane, it had everything and….no, I think I said it all with the first sentence: Fuck me.

The frigging highlights package from the match that they show after each one was longer than most TNA or WWE matches. The crowd are chanting for everyone in the match and for Dragon Gate. Just frigging incredible.

More clips of Shingo and Doi preparing.

Shingo vs Naruki Doi

That is one ugly belt that Doi is holding. Just by the way. Shingo is a big boy.

Shingo gains control due to a test of strength, which is probably not smart against a powerlifter. Doi rolls through into a knuckle lock, they work through some standard arm exchanges before Doi rolls through into a half Indian deathlock. Shingo escapes and grabs a chancery, then a headlock takedown which quickly becomes a headscissort, Shingo escapes again and both men are up. They work some headlock exchanges now, Doi runs off the ropes and tries a shoulder block. Silly boy. He tries again. Same result. Doi tries kicking him first but this time Shingo takes him down. Doi runs off the ropes, Shingo catches the leapfrog attempt and turns it into a fireman’s carry cutter. Fist drop by Shingo, a scoop slam and a second rope knee drop which misses. Dragon screw by CIMA as Quack namedrops Tatsuki Fujinami. Doi goes to work on the leg and grapevines it until Shingo makes the ropes. Doi wraps the leg in the ropes then dropkicks it. Shinbreaker by Doi and the figure four is applied! Shingo manages to roll it over and reverse the pressure but Doi rolls it back. Shingo eventually makes the ropes. I hope he sells now. Doi charges…cannonball! Wait, Shingo holds on, stands up and hits a running powerbomb! He sells the leg afterwards to make me happy. Shingo drops a knee to the back of the head, which seems like it could suck. Again he sells the leg. Elbow to the back of the head and a stiff chop by Shingo, the exchange chops and they are LOUD. Shingo wins the exchange as Doi goes down. Lariat by Shingo as he works the kinks out of his leg. Delayed suplex by Shingo as the crowd counts to 30. Another stiff chop by Shingo, a series of them now and a powerslam gets two. Inverted crossface now by Shingo, he adds a top wristlock to it just to make it more fun. Doi gets to the ropes. Shingo tries a suplex to the floor but Doi blocks and drops Shingo to the apron. Shingo is caught between the second and top ropes, Doi hits a dropkick then climbs up top…senton! Shingo finally gets free but gets knocked down with a double forearm attack. Shingo tries to come back with some stinging jabs but Doi gets a basement dropkick to the damaged knee. Doi charges and gets a back elbow…NO! Shingo caught him and hits an overhead exploder! Cravate applied by Shingo, into a snap mare and a fist drop. To the second rope, knee drop connects. 1…2…not enough. Shingo tries a Blood Fall but Doi escapes beautifully and tries a basement dropkick, Shingo saw it coming and avoids it, then connects with an STO! Blood Fall connects! 1…2…no! Shingo removes the elbow pad and wants the lariat, blocked by Doi, they exchange forearms and Doi gets a Rydeen Bomb! Haven’t seen that in a while. 2 count only for Doi. Doi goes up top but Shingo is up and hits a chop, then goes up top for a superplex…Doi slips between Shingo’s legs and tries a powerbomb! Shingo blocks so Doi hits a SICK palm strike to the face!!! Wow that was hard. Doi hangs Shingo in the tree of woe…cannonball! Doi goes back up with Shingo, back suplex off the top! 1…2…2.8002! Doi tries the Muscular Bomb but Shingo powers out and tries Last Falconry, countered with an armdrag. Doi runs the ropes, pop-up DVD by Shingo! LARIATOOOOOOOOOOOO! 1…2…NO! Shingo goes for the Falconry again, Doi fights it off but Shingo connects with some stiff forerams. Doi is on rubber legs. Alternating left and right forerams by Shingo now, LAST FALCONRY!!! 1…2…2.9237! Charging lariat by Shingo in the corner. Shingo hits the ropes, DOI 555! SLIDING KICK! 1…2…foot on the ropes! Blessed Virgin that was close. Doi wants the Muscular Bomb again, again Shingo gets out of it and hits a second Last Falconry! He almost dropped him there. Both men up and exchanging forerams. Doi gets a flurry of slaps but eats a lariat! He shrugs it off, hits an elbow and the sliding kick! TIGER FUCKING SUPLEX! 1…2…2.933! Another sliding kick and Shingo is not impressed! Flurry of slaps, ANOTHER SLIDING KICK! 1…2…NO!!! Doi seems to be contemplating calling in the 82nd Airborne. MUSCULAR BOMB! 1…2…3!

Winner: Naruki Doi via pinfall (Muscular Bomb)
Rating: ****½ A great match for a different reason. This had everything the preceding match had, but it didn’t need to be breakneck fast to be superb. It also had consistent selling, which is never a bad thing.

A great first card for Dragon Gate. They built the momentum solidly from start to finish, and with the exception of Dawn Marie sucking there was nothing here I did not like. If you’re curious and reading this before dropping $20 on the replay or the next show…do it.