From The Shelf – Dragon Gate: Summer Adventure Tag League 2016 Part One

Dragon Gate Summer Adventure Tag League 2016 Part One

With the nature of how Dragon Gate events randomly pop up and the fact that most of these cards are filled with non news worthy multi-man matches, I’m going to focus on only reviewing matches from the Summer Adventure Tag League starting with the first two shows of the tour.

6-6-16 (Matinee Show)
Tokyo, Japan

Block A Match- Yosuke Santa Maria and El Lindaman vs. The Jimmyz (Jimmy Susumu and Jimmy Kagetora)
Lindaman and Kagetora start. They grapple for a bit before reaching a stalemate. Maria and Susumu come in and they have a test of strength that Susumu quickly breaks up. Dropkick by Maria and Susumu bails. Maria does some of her wacky antics, including putting her butt in Kagetora’s face with the help of Lindaman. Kagetora slaps her to finally end that nonsense and Lindaman quickly goes to check on her. Kagetora dumps him to the floor and the Jimmyz hit a double back elbow onto Maria. Dropkick to the ass in the corner by Kagetora and Susumu hits a back breaker. Cobra Clutch across the back by Susumu and Kagetora cuts off every Lindaman attempt to break it up. Maria makes the ropes to finally force a break. Maria starts to fight back and she hits a springboard dropkick on Kagetora. Springboard crossbody to the floor by Maria and Lindaman hits a back suplex on Susumu. Northern lights suplex by Lindaman gets 2. He goes up for a Frog Splash but it eats knees. Cross arm breaker by Lindaman but Susumu breaks it up. Enzuigiri by Kagetora to Maria and he hits the Shining Wizard for 2. Susumu puts Maria on top and follows up. Exploder superplex by Susumu and Kagetora follows up with a top rope elbow drop for 2. Standing leg drop by Maria gets 2. Slam by Maria and Lindaman goes up. Flying splash by Lindaman gets 2. Lindaman goes for the cross arm breaker but Susumu fights it. Maria delivers the THUMB IN THE BUM and this allows Lindamn to get the hold!!! Kagetora breaks it up. German suplex by Lindaman gets 2. Enzuigiri by Kagetora and he hits a leaping clothesline on Maria. 619 to Lindaman and Susumu goes for Jumbo No Kachi but Lindaman catches him with a cradle for 2. Jumbo No Kachi by Susumu gets 2. Another one gets 3.
Winners- The Jimmyz **1/2 ( The final few minutes of this match were solid but the rest of the match I thought was just an overdone comedy match. I was disappointed with the first outing of Maria and Lindaman. I think they could tell some great stories with this unit but instead they went the comedy route which didn’t click with me and made the tag team champions look weak succumbing to all of their shenanigans. Hopefully their performances improve as the tournament progresses but not the greatest first out for the duo unfortunately. )

Block B- Akira Tozawa and Big R. Shimizu vs. YAMATO and BxB Hulk
Tozawa and YAMATO grapple to start and Tozawa gets the early advantage so YAMATO goes to the ropes to get separation. Shimizu and Hulk come in and go to the test of strength, which Shimizu easily wins. Hulk throws some dropkicks but they have no effect until Hulk throws a single leg dropkick to bring the big man down. Tag to YAMATO and he trade blows with Tozawa. Hulk and YAMATO double team Tozawa in the corner but Tozawa fires back with chops. Straight punches by Tozawa and Shimizu tags in. Fall-a-way slam by Shimizu gets 2. Shimizu trucks Hulk as he starts to come back and Tozawa slams Hulk into a back senton immediately followed by a big splash by Shimizu for 2. Shimizu charges but collides with Tozawa by accidently, allowing YAMATO to finally tag in. Slams by YAMATO get 2 and Hulk tags in. Spin kick by Hulk and he hits a standing corkscrew senton for 2. Wheelbarrow bulldog combo by Tribe Vanguard gets 2. Power slam by Hulk gets 2. Hulk grabs a half crab but Tozawa makes the ropes to break. Tozawa catches Hulk with a Saito suplex and Shimizu tags in. He cleans house and nails YAMATO with a Samoan drop. Springboard summersault plancha to the floor by Tozawa!!! Back in, Shimizu catches YAMATO and drives him down with a spinebuster for 2. Corner dropkick by YAMATO and he throw some strikes at Shimizu. Dropkick by YAMATO gets 2 as Hulk saves. Hulk throws some kicks at Tozawa and he goes for the standing moonsault but eats knees. Brainbuster by Hulk gets 2. Hulk throws some kicks at Shimizu and YAMATO catches him with the corner dropkick. Spinning heel kick off the top by Hulk gets 2. Shimizu catches Tribe Vanguard with a double suplex and Tozawa goes up. Back senton off the top by Tozawa and Shimizu follows with a diving splash off the top for 2 as YAMATO saves. Corner dropkick to Tozawa and they hit a second rope dropkick/brainbuster combo for 2. Enzuigiris to Tozawa and Hulk hits EVO for 2 as Shimizu saves!!! Tozawa and YAMATO trade blows and YAMATO hits an enzuigiri. Tozawa comes back with a bicycle kick but YAMATO catches him with Gallrea for 2!!! Spinning enzuigiri by Tozawa and he hits a release German suplex. Hurricanrana by YAMATO gets 2 and Tozawa catches him with the German suplex for 3!!!
Winners- Akira Tozawa and Big R. Shimizu ***1/2 (This was a really fun main event. For Dragon Gate, it was a paint by the numbers main event which had the typical non-stop action but they never hit that second gear into greatness. The final sequence between YAMATO and Tozawa was fantastic though and Tozawa now has a strong victory over YAMATO that sets up a championship match in September.)

6-6-16 (Evening Show)
Tokyo, Japan

Block B- Takehiro Yamamura and Kaito Ishida vs. Naruki Doi and “brother” YASSHI
The young boys dropkick Doi and YASSHI out of the ring right away and follow up with stereo summersault planchas to the floor!!! Back in, Doi catches Ishida in the Boston Crab but Ishida makes the ropes to break. Tag to YASSHI and he hammers the back of Ishida. Head butt by YASSHI and he works over Ishida. Ishida comes back with a second rope dropkick and Yamamura tags in. He trades chops with Doi and catches him with a flying forearm. YASSHI tags in and catches Yamamura with a Blockbuster. Brainbuster by YASSHI gets 2. Dropkick by Yamamura to Doi but YASSHI is quick to attack. Wheelbarrow roll-up by Yamamura gets 2 and YASSHI hits a wheelbarrow German for 2 as Ishida saves. The young boys throw strikes at YASSHI and they hit a double suplex for 2 as Doi saves. They fire away at Doi with chops and YAMAMURA goes for a Swanton Bomb but misses. Tombstone to Ishida gets 2. Spinning enzuigiri to YASSHI gets 2. Wheelbarrow roll-up by Ishida gets 2!!! Lariat by YASSHI and he hits a German suplex. Nice Jamaica by YASSHI gets 3.
Winners- Naruki Doi and “brother” YASSHI **1/2 ( Fun little match. I loved Yamamura and Ishida taking it to them early and they did the typical close near falls for the young boys but Doi and YASSHI basically destroyed them in the way they were meant to be destroyed. Ishida and Yamamura when they face off with more dangerous units like Kong and Shingo later in the tournament are going to be a blast to watch.)

Block B- Dragon Kid and EITA vs. Shingo Takagi and Cyber Kong
Shingo attacks at the bell but EITA dropkicks him to the floor. Springboard Asai moonsaults to the floor by EITA and Kid!!! Back in, they double team Shingo and Kid grabs the Octopus. EITA comes in but Kong trips him up on the apron and presses him onto the apron!!! They brawl in the crowd and back in, Kong avalanches both men in the corner. Double suplex by Kong and he hits a back senton on EITA for 2. Shingo comes in and he hits a suplex. They truck EITA and Kong grabs a standing Stretch Muffler but EITA makes the ropes to break. Back senton by Shingo followed by a big splash by Kong gets 2.EITA catches Shingo with an enzuigiri from the apron and follows up with a missile dropkick. Tag to Kid who hits a slingshot hurricanrana sending Kong to the floor. Shingo cuts him off with a knee to the midsection but Kid catches him with a Stunner for 2. Tilt-a-whirl power slam by Shingo and Kong hits a series of corner clotheslines. Jackhammer by Kong gets 2. Short arm clotheslines by Shingo and he goes up. EITA stops him and Kid follows up. He goes for the Frankensteiner but Shingo blocks. Kid is able to connect on the second try and EITA hits a flying knee strike for 2. Crucifix by EITA gets 2 and he grabs Numero Uno. Kong breaks it up and he catches them with a double clothesline. Screwdriver by Kong to EITA gets 2 as Kid saves. Pumping Bomber to Kid by Shingo and EITA throws some forearms. Shingo answers back but EITA catcvhes him with a superkick. Dragonrana by Kid gets 2 as Kong saves!!! Lariat by Kong to EITA gets 2. EITA catches Kong with Numero Uno and Kong gives!!!
Winners- Dragon Kid and EITA ***1/4 ( Solid match but not nearly as good as you would expect in a match involving these four. The heat segment on EITA was pretty dull as Shingo and Kong were very slow and prodding when they should have been chucking these two all over the ring to really bring the energy of the match up toward the finish. Final moments were hot and that was a big submission win for EITA who continues to roll. )

Block A- Masato Yoshino and T-Hawk vs. The Jimmyz (Jimmy Susumu and Jimmy Kagetoa) (2)
T-Hawk overpowers Susumu to start but Susumu shows off his strength in return. Yoshino comes in and catches Kagetora with a dropkick. Kagetora returns the favor and Yoshino quickly bails. The Jimmyz work over T-Hawk and T-Hawk comes back with a suplex on Kagetora. Tag to Yoshino and he catches Kagetora with a back elbow for 2. Tag to T-Hawk and he grabs a chin lock on Kagetora but Kagetora makes the ropes to break. T-Hawk sends Kagetora hard into the corner for 2 as Susumu breaks. T-Hawk works him over in the corner and he hits a full rotation back suplex for 2. Kagetora fires back with chops and he catches T-Hawk with an Ace Crusher. Tag to Susumu and he hits a tilt-a-whirl back breaker on Yoshino. Lariat knocks Yoshino off the apron and back in, they exchange chops. Yoshino catches Susumu with the Sling Blade for 2. T-Hawk catches Kagetora with the Sky High for 2. Yoshino goes up and hits the missile dropkick/back senton combo onto the Jimmyz for 2. Hurricanrana by Kagetora to T-Hawk and he follows up with the Shining Wizard. Susumu puts T-Hawk on top and follows up. Exploder superplex by Susumu followed by the flying elbow drop by Kagetora gets 2 as Yoshino saves!!! Susumu and T-Hawk trade blows and Susumu lays him out with Jumbo No Kachi for 2!!! Yoshino and Kagetora trade chops and Kagetora catches him with the enzugiri. Yoshino comes back with Torbellino into the crucifix for 2 as Susumu saves!!! Susumu catches T-Hawk with a cradle for 2 and T-Hawk comes back with Splash Mountain for 2!!! Knee lift by T-Hawk but Susumu immediately catches him with a small package for 3!!!
Winners- The Jimmyz ***1/2 ( This was probably my favorite match of the day. Just a really fun that match that had consistent action with no slow points and everything was solid from start to finish. The workover of Kagetora was interesting enough and the final stretch was fun, especially when Susumu and T-Hawk were trading bombs. The finish was kind of flat but I do like that the tag champs are getting off on a hot start to the tournament and showing that they truly are the team to beat.)

6.0

The final score: review Average

The 411

The first day of the Summer Adventure Tag League was nothing to write home about. It just a collection of solid to very good matches but coming off the heels of an incredible Kobe World show and awesome King of Gate tournament, I probably expected too much from the start of this tournament. Hopefully over the next few shows they flesh out some stories so that the crowd will get emotionally invested in these matches and so that the action really heat up. I can't give this a recommendation as there was nothing worth seeing, so unless you want to follow the complete tournament like I'm trying to, you don't have to go seek these matches out.