From The Shelf – Dragon Gate: Summer Adventure Tag League Finals

Dragon Gate Summer Adventure Tag League 2016 Final Day
9-10-16
Osaka, Japan

Takehiro Yamamura, Kaito Ishida & Hyou Watanabe vs. Genki Horiguchi H.A.Gee.Mee!!, Ryo “Jimmy” Saito & Jimmy Kanda
Kanda and Watanabe grapple to start and we have a stalemate. Flying forearm by Ishida to Saito. The young lion group work over Horiguchi in the corner and they hit a triple dropkick. The Jimmyz take control of Watanabe and Kanda trades chops with him before cutting him off with a forearm. Horiguchi grabs a half crab but Watanabe fights his way to the ropes. Double stomp off the top by Saito gets 2. Dropkicks by Watanabe and he makes the tag to Yamamura. Summersault plancha to the floor by Yamamura while Ishida catches Horiguchi with a missile dropkick. Enzuigiri by Ishida into a roll-up by Yamamura on Horiguchi gets 2. They trade roll-ups for near falls and Saito catches Ishida with a release German suplex. Dropkick/German suplex combo to Yamamura and Watanabe is left alone with the Jimmyz. They all charge at Watanabe in the corner and Horiguchi hits a brainbuster for 2. Flying splash by Saito gets 2. Flapjack by Kanda and he hits the Angel’s Wings for 3.
Winners- The Jimmyz **1/2 ( This was a solid match but I loved the storytelling with the young boys.Ishida and Yamamura, despite their lack of success in the tournament, really grew as a unit and looked really strong against the Jimmyz, so to counter that the Jimmyz targeted the younger member in Watanabe leading to an easy victory. Its brilliant strategy and I got way more out of this from a storytelling perspective than I had any right to.)

Summer Adventure Tag League Semifinals- CIMA & Gamma vs. Naruki Doi & “brother” YASSHI
Both teams brawl during Verserk’s entrance and back in, YASSHI eats a double dropkick. Dropkick to Doi and Gamma spits his water into the face of Doi. Half crab by CIMA and he releases after a bit of time. Tag to Gamma and he grabs a cradle for 2. Doi fights back and they catch Gamma with a double back elbow. Swinging neck breaker by Doi gets 2. YASSHI whips Gamma with his hair and throws an uppercut for 2. Enzuigiri by Gamma and he catches Doi with a clothesline. Tag to CIMA and he hits a bulldog/clothesline combo. Double knees in the corner to YASSHI and he follows up with a suicide dive on Doi!!! Missile dropkick to YASSHI and CIMA hits the slingshot double stomp for 2. Inverted atomic drop by YASSHI and he takes CIMA down by the hair. Assisted Swanton Bomb by Doi gets 2. Blockbuster by YASSHI gets 2. YASSHI goes up but CIMA shoves him to the floor. Double super kick to Doi and Gamma hits the Air Raid Crash. Meteora off the top by CIMA and Mondai Ryu grabs CIMA, preventing him from making the cover for a few moments. CIMA is finally able to cover for 2!!! Doi dumps him to the floor and he catches Gamma with a cradle for 3!!!
Winners- Naruki Doi & “brother” YASSHI *** ( Nothing to write home about but a solid match nonetheless. CIMA and Gamma dominated Verserk right from the outset and they had to resort to their old dirty tricks to steal a win and sneak into the Tag League finals. Not the strongest way to put them over but there will at least be major heat for the main event no matter who their opponents end up being. )

Summer Adventure Tag League Semifinals- Dragon Kid & Eita vs. The Jimmyz (Jimmy Susumu & Jimmy Kagetora)
Northern lights suplex by Susumu to Kid but Kid answers back with a tilt-a-whirl head scissors sending him to the floor. Susumu blocks a 619 attempt and Kagetora begins to work over the leg of Kid. Dropkick to the leg by Kagetora and Susumu works over the leg of Kid. Slingshot elbow drop to the leg by Kagetora and he hits another dropkick to the leg. Susumu drives Kid’s knees into the mat and Kagetora does the same. Figure-4 by Kagetora but Kid makes the ropes. Kid hits a springboard hurricanrana to Susumu and Eita tags in. He cleans house and hits a rolling dropkick. Standing moonsault misses and Kagetora comes back with a leaping clothesline. Shining Wizard by Kagetora gets 2. Enzuigiri by Kagetora and Susumu hits the Air Raid Crash for 2. Kagetora goes up but Kid stops him and they follow up. Ultra Hurricanrana by Kid gets 2 as Susumu saves. Snap hurricanrana by Kid gets 2!!! Corner lariat by Susumu actually drives Kid onto the top rope and he hits the exploder superplex. Kagetora follows up with a flying elbow drop for 2. Jumbo No Kachi by Susumu gets 2 as Eita saves!!! Eita and Susumu trade chops and Susumu hits Jumbo No Kachi. Enzuigiri by Kagetora to Kid but Kid comes back with the Crucifix Bomb for 3!!!
Winners- Dragon Kid & Eita ***1/2 ( A much better semi-final match than the earlier one. This one was much more competitive and compelling as the Jimmyz brutalized the knee of Kid and took away the majority of his high flying. Kid persevered and caught Kagetora at the right moment to steal a win and now Kid’s leg is a huge target for Verserk to go after in the finals. )

Yosuke Santa Maria & El Lindaman vs. Masaaki Mochizuki & Don Fuji
Maria and Lindaman attack at the bell and Fuji throws some slaps at Lindaman. He trucks Lindaman and Maria tags in along with Mochizuki. Standing leg drop by Maria to Mochizuki and they double team Fuji. Double dropkick to Fuji and Maria looks to drive her crotch into Fuji but Mochizuki kicks her to prevent that. Mochizuki throws some strikes at Lindaman and Fuji throws a knee to the back but seems to hurt himself in the process. Kicks to the chest by Mochizuki and Fuji throws a kick to the back of Lindaman. He drops Lindaman in the ropes and throws a chop to the neck. Lindman comes back with a back drop and Maria gets the tag. Yakuza kick by Mochizuki but she answers back with a corner dropkick. Double suplex to Fuji and Lindaman hits a second rope Frog Splash. Frog splash again eats knees and Mochizuki throws a knee to the mid section. Running knee strike in the corner by Mochizuki and Fuji goes for a Boston Crab but Lindaman rolls through for 2. Lariat by Fuji and Lindman catches Mochizuki with the release German suplex. Crucifix Bomb by Maria gets 2. Mochizuki throws some kicks at Lindaman for 2. Twister by Mochizuki gets 2. High kick by Mochizuki gets 3.
Winners- Masaaki Mochizuki & Don Fuji *** ( Another fun match. The match was structured exactly as you would have imagined. Mochizuki and Fuji were stiff at the adorable duo and didn’t take any of their crap or shannigans. Not as brutal a beating as I would have liked and it didn’t have crazy heat but it was a fun match that met the bare minimum of my expectations for a match featuring these two teams.)

Shachihoko Boy, Big R. Shimizu & T-Hawk vs. Naoki Tanizaki, Cyber Kong & Shingo Takagi
Verserk attacks to start and everyone brawls on the floor. Back in, Kong overpowers T-Hawk. T-Hawk catches Kong in the Torture Rack but Shingo breaks it up. Shingo and Shimizu trade lariats but Tanizaki ends that with an enzuigiri from the apron. Lariat by Shingo and he suplexes T-Hawk on the floor. Shingo hits a DVD onto the floor on Boy while Tanizaki drives Shimizu’s head through a chair in the corner. Back senton by Kong gets 2. Shingo works over Shimizu and he hits a suplex. Kong now comes in to work over Shimizu and he and Shingo truck him. Shingo drops some elbows and hits a big senton followed by a big splash from Kong for 2. Knee drop/back breaker combo onto Shimizu gets 2. Shingo and Shimizu trade blows and Shimizu catches Shingo with a lariat. Samoan Drop to Kong by Shimizu!!! Tag to T-Hawk and he catches Shingo with a suplex. Missile dropkick by Boy to Kong and he hits a springboard Asai moonsault to the floor!!! Sky High to Shingo gets 2. Shingo backdrops T-Hawk and hits a Saito suplex. Tag to Boy and Tanizaki catches him with a corner knee strike followed by a knee lift for 2. Spin kick by Boy and Kong trips him up. Shingo and Kong collide with each other by mistake and Shimizu hits a sit-out powerbomb on Tanizaki for 2. Shimizu goes up and hits the big splash off the top for 2 as Shingo saves. Moonsault by Boy but Kong answers with a dead lift German suplex. Shingo goes up and hits the backward flying elbow. Flying elbow drop by Kong gets 2 as Shimizu saves!!! Code Red by Boy to Shingo gets 2 as Tanizaki saves. Basement knee strike by Tanizaki and he hits the Cradle Tombstone for 2!!! Doosday Device to Boy gets 2 as Monster Express saves. Liger Bomb by Kong gets 3.
Winners- Naoki Tanizaki, Cyber Kong & Shingo Takagi ***1/2 ( Excellent match. The layers of this match were great, between the great beat down of Shimizu where it took both Shingo and Kong to take him down and the awesome finishing stretch where Boy tried to pull off the huge upset, everything came together to make for a really fun six man tag. )

Masato Yoshino, Akira Tozawa & Peter Kassa vs. YAMATO, BxB Hulk & Flamita
YAMATO and Tozawa grapple to start and we have a stalemate. Yoshino and Hulk trade chops and Hulk hits a second rope dropkick. Flamita dropkicks Kassa and Kassa answers back with one of his own. He clotheslines Flamita to the floor and follows up with a corkscrew plancha to the floor!!! Tozawa misses the diving head butt on YAMATO and Tozawa comes back with a big boot. Tilt-a-whirl slam by Kassa and he cleans house with some suplexes. Springboard summersault plancha to the floor by Tozawa!!! Back in, Yoshino dropkicks Flamita. Springboard battery ram head butt by Flamira and he goes for a standing moonsault but eats knees. Handsprign back elbow by Flamita and he hits a springboard Asai moonsault to the floor!! Hulk sweeps the legs of Kassa and hits a kick to the chest for 2. Backdrop by Kassa and he hits a hurricanrana for 2. Tozawa hits a back senton off the top on Hulk and Yoshino hits the missile dropkick/back senton combo for 2. Moonsault by Kassa gets 2. Enzuigiri by YAMATO and he hits a Brainbuster on Yoshino for 2. Northern Lights suplex followed by an axe kick by Hulk gets 2. 450 splash by Flamita gets 2 as Tozawa saves. Tozawa and YAMATO go up and Tozawa hits a superplex. Torbellino by Yoshino and Tozawa follows up with the Deadlift German for 2 as Flamita saves. Moonsault powerslam by Kassa and he goes up. 630 Splash by Kassa gets 2 as Hulk and Flamita save!!! Sling Blade by Yoshino and Flamita catches him with a hurricanrana. Tozawa blocks a hand spring with a dropkick and he hits a release German suplex on YAMATO. YAMATO comes back with the hurricanrana for 2. German suplex by Tozawa gets 2!!! YAMATO and Tozawa trade blows and YAMATO catches Tozawa with Gallarea for 3!!!
Winners- YAMATO, BxB Hulk & Peter Kassa ***3/4 ( Another great match for what up to this point has been an excellent show. The match was high impact and they really let Kassa and Flamita shine in their returns to the Dragon Gate tour. The final stretch between Tozawa and YAMATO was hot, similar to their sequence from their Summer Tag bout but YAMATO pinning Tozawa clean was odd considering Tozawa is the next challenger and Dragon Gate doesn’t normally have their challengers lose prior to the match.)

After the match, YAMATO polls the crowd regarding whether El Lindaman should join Tribe Vanguard. He doesn’t get a ton of support so he’s not joining the group. He looks for acceptance from Santa Maria but she slaps him, ending their short relationship.

Summer Adventure Tag League Finals- Dragon Kid & Eita vs. Naruki Doi & “brother” YASSHI
Eita dropkicks Doi to start and he suplexes YASSHI before following up with a standing moonsault. Eita and Kid work over the arm of YASSHI and Kid hits a corner dropkick. Double dropkicks to the legs by Doi and they begin to work over Eita in the corner. Doi slams YASSHI into Eita and he drives a piece of metal into the head of Eita. Doi and Eita trade blows and Doi cuts him off with a sit-out spinebuster for 2. Eita catches Doi with an enzuigiri from the apron and he hits a missile dropkick. Tag to Kid and he catches YASSHI with a 619. Tilt-a-whirl head scissors sends Doi to the floor and Eita follows with a summersault plancha!!! Springboard summersault stunner by Kid gets 2. YASSHI with an inverted atomic drop followed by a Blockbuster for 2. Octopus by Kid but Doi breaks it up. They charge at YASSHI in the corner and Eita hits a flying knee strike. Tilt-a-whirl DDT by Kid gets 2 as Doi saves. YASSHI and Eita go up and Doi catches Eita for the Doomsday Blockbuster for 2 as Kid saves. Cannonball in the corner to Eita and Doi hits the Tiger Driver on Kid for 2. Brainbuster by YASSHI gets 2. Doi goes up but Eita stops him and follows up. He holds Doi for Kid to attempt the Dragonrana but Doi blocks with a power bomb!!! Diving head butt by YASSHI and he hits a German suplex for 2 as Eita saves. Eita counters the Bakatare Sliding Kick and tries Numero Uno but Doi escapes. They trade roll-ups and Doi hits Doi 555. Bakatare Sliding Kick by Doi gets 2. Eita catches Doi in the Numero Uno but YASSHI breaks it up. Crucifix Bomb by Eita gets 2 and he grabs the Numero Uno on him. Doi is able to break it up. 619 to Doi and Eita hits a super kick. Dragonrana by Kid gets 2!!! Owen Driver by YASSHI to Kid and he goes up. Eita catches him with a super kick and follows up. Wheelbarrow Driver by Eita gets 2 as Doi saves!!! Tanizaki hits Eita in the back with a crate, allowing YASSHI to hit a Dragon Suplex for 2. Kong hits Eita in the head with the crate and YASSHI goes for a lariat but Eita counters into Numero Uno!!! YASSHI gives!!!
Winners of the 2016 Summer Adventure Tag League – Dragon Kid & Eita ***3/4 ( Hell of a finish to the tournament. I was disappointed they never used Dragon Kid’s damaged leg in any capacity and it probably could have helped Eita and Kid get more emotional backing from the crowd and really bring the heat here to the next level. That being said, what they did instead was still excellent, choosing to make Eita look like a superstar, showing perseverance and overcoming adversity to put away YASSHI and Doi and he collects another monster win in what has been an excellent summer for him. )

7.5

The final score: review Good

The 411

This was a really fun show that served as a satifying conclusion to the Summer Adventure Tag League tour. All the tag matches on this show served a purpose and for the most all of them were incredibly fun, with a few ending up being really good. The finals was an excellent match and was probably the second best match of the whole tournmaent and it really put over Eita strong. The rest of the tag matches planted seeds for certain events coming down the line and really did a good job of building toward Dangerous Gate. While there was nothing great, this show was a joy to watch and is well worth your time.