openthegoldengate2013

-Taped from Santa Monica, CA

-Your host is Lenny Leonard and various other wrestlers

-There was a preshow done by Vendetta Pro. I will not be reviewing that portion of the show although I’m intrigued by the idea of seeing Famous B and the Ballard Brothers (2003-04 PWG fame).

-Samuray Del Sol vs. Eita

Match in Five Words or Less: Battle of Rising Stars

Match Summary: Del Sol uses his quickness to control on the mat to start. Eita comes back with an armdrag. Eita takes his hand away on a handshake. Legsweep by Del Sol. Eita tries one of his own. Rana by Del Sol. Dropkick by Eita. Into a headlock. Del Sol reverses. Off the ropes and shoulder tackle by Del Sol. Pace picks up. Eita connects on a dropkick as Del Sol was rolling on his head. Boot to the head by Eita. Off the ropes. Del Sol hits Eita a little low with a dropkick. Choking in the corner. Snapmare and superkick to the face. Springboard senton for one. He spins around and applies a trailer hitch. Eita goes to the bottom rope. Shot to the back and a back elbow by Eita. Kick by Del Sol. Twisting vertical suplex and two. Twisting moonsault misses. Chop by the king of chop, Eita. Double axehandle to the back. Stomps. Forearm and another chop. Del Sol up and over to the apron. Kick to the head. Twisting armdrag. Running shoulder block. Rolling DVD and dropkick to the face. Chops on Eita. Eita blocks being whipped. Back kick by Del Sol. Elbow to the arm. Eita catches himself in the ropes, bounces off the other side and hits a springboard dropkick. Moonsault on Del Sol to the floor. Wow. Back in the ring for a dropkick off the top rope. Forearm exchange. Chops. Kick exchange. Del Sol with a standing sliced bread. Eita with a boot out of the corner. Boot and a flipping dropkick. Eita with what appears to be a version of Made in Japan. To the middle rope. Double boots by Del Sol. Leaping enziguri. Rising Sun. He eventually covers and gets three.

Match Analysis: Other than the slightly jacked finish, this was a great way for DG USA kick off 2013. Some fun high-flying action and strike exchanges between two rising stars within the world of professional wrestling. These two guys can really go, and this could easily be a main event by the end of the year. Eita is one of those guys who could probably benefit from an extended tour of the states.

Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Samuray Del Sol/9:57/***1/4

-Ray Rosas vs. Brian Cage

Match in Five Words or Less: Cage Comes On The Scene

Match Summary: Rosas with a go behind. Cage simply tosses him over. Larry Dallas and Trina Michaels make their way to ringside. Rosas works his way to a headlock. Cage places him on the top rope. Slap. Rosas with one of his own. Off the top rope with an armdrag. Counter into another armdrag. Dropkick. Step-up rana. Cage out of the way of a dive. Immediate kick to the midsection and headbutt by Cage. Right hand. Chop in the corner. Whip across. Boots from Rosas. Armdrag. Open hand slap. To the top rope. Rosas lands back first across Cage’s back. Uppercut. Right hands. Knee by Cage. Forearm. Rosas with a boot. Crucifix bomb blocked. Cage with an overhead slam. Discus lariat misses. Headscissors by Rosas. Forearms. Cage behind. Backcracker by Rosas. Rosas to the top. Cage with a kick to the head. Stalling vertical superplex. BRIAN CAGE IS A FUCKING MACHINE! 1-2-NO! Excalibur wasn’t there to say the line, so I picked up the slack. Pumphandle countered. Rosas forearm. Cage puts him on the apron. Swinging neckbreaker from the outside in by Rosas. Kick to the midsection. Code Red countered into Weapon X. Victory for Cage.

Match Analysis: This was close to a competitive squash if that makes sense. Cage basically maintained control the whole match, but Rosas got a few chances to shine. This was more a set-up for what happened next, but I’d like to see both guys back in DG USA on a consistent basis.

Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Brian Cage/5:39/**

-Brian Cage signs with Larry Dallas. That’s all this segment deserves. Three sentences. (Editor’s Note: Remind me what signing Cage served for Larry Dallas and the Scene? He lost in FRAY the next night and then didn’t compete at the third show. Unless he’s bring brought back, this was seriously a waste of time.)

-Evolve Records Match: Jon Davis (5-3) vs. AR Fox (7-3)(Open the United Gate Champion) vs. Chuck Taylor (9-5)

Match in Five Words or Less: Taylor Ready To Evolve

Match Summary: I was able to make dinner, eat it, shower, read a book, and take a nap in the time it took Davis to get to the ring. The guy timing Davis’s entrance might be both the the douchiest and funniest thing I’ve ever seen. This is an eliminator to beef up the Evolve records in advance of the singles  championship tournament taking place April 5 at Wrestlecon. Crowd is behind Fox. Davis sits in the corner. Taylor and Fox start wrestling. Pace picks up. Lucha armdrag exchange. Matrix evasion by Fox. Stalemate. Headlock by Taylor. Into the corner. Fox roll-up gets two. Davis catches Fox and powerbombs him across Taylor’s body. Bodyslams for both men. Fox slammed on top of Taylor. Big back elbow by Davis. Forearm on Taylor. Whip across sends Taylor  out of the corner. Fox sent out of the ring. Davis with a kick across Fox’s chest. Fox dropped head first across the apron. Taylor tossed. Taylor back in the ring with a dropkick. Springboard clothesline as Taylor appeared to nearly slip. Fox back kicks Taylor. Lo Mein Rain. Fox and Taylor back in the ring. Clothesline. Davis hit with an elbow. Fox hits a springboard dropkick. Davis release German suplex and a two count. Chop in the corner by Davis on Fox. A second chop. Forearm. Fox placed on the top rope. Fox shoves Davis. Taylor with a springboard dropkick on Davis. Back suplex by Davis on Taylor. Fox up and over. Rolling thunder on Taylor. Springboard acecrusher. 1-2-NO! Davis placed on the top rope. Fox has his finisher countered. Davis with a chokeslam off the middle rope. 1-2-NO! Fox put on the top rope by Davis. Taylor pulls him off. Boot misses. Soul Food blocked. Davis powerbomb. Deadlift German Suplex. Clothesline blocked. Fox hits a lungblower. Soul Food by Taylor. Boot. Fox hits a springboard. Both men cover and Davis is done. I guess the idea is that it took two men to defeat Davis.

Forearm exchange between Taylor and Fox.  Taylor with a leaping knee. Fox enziguri. Uranagi and boot by Taylor. 1-2-NO!  Elbows by Taylor. Fox hits a sloppy death valley driver. Swanton on Taylor. Kick flip to the outside on Taylor. Taylor sent in the ring. Running knee from Taylor. Acecrusher. 1-2-NO! Taylor to the top rope. Moonsault misses. Fox with a spinning forearm. Back kick. Shooting star cannonball. Taylor placed on the top rope. Enziguri. Lo Main Pain. Taylor hits the Awful Waffle and becomes the first wrestler to get ten wins in Evolve.

Match Analysis: Three ways are tough to execute well, and the first half of this match didn’t have a lot of flow. Taylor and Fox settled into a solid back and forth contest. Great to see Taylor get a singles win and look motivated in doing so. Fox is a great in-ring performer, but he seemed slightly more interested in interacting with the fans and trying to show off some of that charisma many feel he’s lacking. He’s got a long way to go in that department, but there’s a lot of in-ring skill to work with at least. Davis is in such a weird place right now because fans are not responding to him. I’ll dive into this more during the Heat review.

Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Chuck Taylor/13:03/**3/4

-Jimmy Susumu and Ryo Saito vs. Rich Swann and Johnny Gargano (Open the Freedom Gate Champion)

Match in Five Words or Less: Ronin Reunited

Match Summary: Swann and Gargano used to be in Ronin together. I guess this is a one night reunion of sorts. Susumu and Saito haven’t been in DG USA very much nor are they a regular team. Gargano and Saito start. Feeling out process. They keep things on the mat. Gargano gets a nearfall amidst this process. Susumu and Swann take their turn. Kick by Susumu. Ducks of the clothesline. Back flip and dropkick by Swann. Headscissors sends Susumu to the outside. Swann fake dives. Swann sends Saito into the corner. Right hands in the corner. Chop. Into Gargano’s boots. Kick to the side. Snapmare and dropkick by Gargano. Gargano backed into the corner by Saito. Boot by Saito. Susumu with a knee to the midsection. Back elbow. Snapmare and chinlock. Gargano bites his way out. Boot and a tag to Swann. Snapmare and kick to the back. Middle rope elbow. Right hands. Gargano with a snap suplex. Abdominal stretch. Susumu hip toss. Double back elbows by the Japanese duo. Elbows by Saito. Right hands and choking as Gargano is on the bottom rope. Gargano up. Chops. Swann joins in for a double elbow. Power drive elbow. Kick to the back. Right hand. Shot to the midsection. Overhead throw by Saito. He takes Gargano off the corner. Heat segment on Swann. Swann with a back kick. Leg drop to the back of the head. Another kick to Saito. Dropkick sends Saito down. Hot tag to Gargano. Saito and Susumu send him off. Collision. DDT/flatliner combination. Gargano to the apron. Spear on Susumu. Dive on Saito. Saito out of the way of a charge. Enziguri by Gargano. Slingshot DDT. 1-2-NO! Punch exchange. Lariat and exploder by Susumu. Swann breaks the count. Nice series of counters. Susumu and Saito hit respective clotheslines in the corner. Swann hits a handspring acecrusher on Saito. Kawada kicks. Superkicks. Saito with a German suplex out of the waistlock. Powerbomb out of the fishermen’s suplex position. Susumu gets Gargano out of the ring. Swann  takes Saito into the corner. Elbow. Swann up and over. Gargano rolls Saito over and kicks him. Frog splash by Swann. Susumu makes the save. Gargano with a forearm to the corner on Susumu. Swann with a leaping kick. Leaping rana. Standing 450. Saito breaks the count. Gargano and Saito exchange. Forearm. Superkick. Lawn dart into the middle rope. Superkick. 1-2-NO! GargaNo Escape. Saito with a kick as he breaks it up. Hurts Doughnut and GargaNo Escape for Susumu. Saito with axehandles.  Series of counters between Susumu and Gargano. Sunset German sends Gargano into the corner. Swann handsprings. Jumbo No Kachi Jimmyz hit a cross body/inverted DDT combination. Elbow guard comes off for Susumu. Gargano blocks. Hurts Doughnut countered. Saito hits the tiger suplex. Swann cross bodies to break the pin. Right hands on Susumu. Jumbo No Kachi. A second one on Gargano. Swann breaks the count. Mugen and Susumu pins the  Open the Freedom Gate champion successfully.

Match Analysis: This started slow but developed into an above average Dragon Gate style tag team match. Swann showed what happens when you go to Japan and work to improve one’s self. Gargano fits right in with everyone. Saito and Susumu are good performers, but I question their value when only being brought in for one off triple shots. Unless Susumu is being brought back for an Open the Freedom Gate title match, why is he defeating Gargano? I think you’ll see the issue with the Open the Freedom Gate title defenses in my next two DG USA reviews. Still a good match and well worth checking out.

Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Jimmy Susumu/20:52/***1/2

-Jon Davis beats up two locals for the hell of it.

-The Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson) vs. D.U.F (Arik Cannon and Sami Callihan)

Match in Five Words or Less: Bucks Rule

Match Summary: Bucks attack D.U.F right away, even before the bell rings. Callihan and Cannon dodge out of the way of duel dives. Brawl extends to the outside. This is like a PWG brawl minus the heat. Callihan hits an elbow suicida on Nick as Matt sends Cannon’s head into the apron. Callihan scoop slam on Nick. Cannon sent into the steps. Nick and Callihan battle on the apron. Nick with a kick to the head. Callihan sends Nick face first into the apron. Matt sneaks up from behind on Callihan. forearm. Bicycle kick by Callihan. Death valley driver. Slingshot splash. Matt with a forearm. Dive misses. Necktie into the dropkick by Nick. Nick kicks Cannon and rams him into the apron. Matt with elbows. Nick with a snapmare and rake of the face with his boots. Chop by Callihan. Another. Nick blocks the tag and sends Cannon down. Shoulder blocks in the corner and then a series of boots in the corner. Callihan placed on the top rope. Right hand. Superplex blocked. Headbutt by Callihan. Sunset bomb blocked. Superkick. Cannon tags. Clothesline and back elbow for Nick. Swinging neckbreaker. Nick begs off. He gets shoved and crotches his brother. Cannon with a back suplex and exploder. Matt hits a Canadian Destroyer out of nowhere. 1-2-NO! Bucks work over Cannon now. Cannon sends Matt’s head into the apron. Nick running kick. Cannon tossed back in the ring. Back rake by Nick. Callihan tries getting the crowd behind them. Nick with knees. Rake of Cannon’s face across the middle rope. Cannon fires back. Dropkick by Matt. Choking. Continued double teams in the corner but Cannon fights back. Boot on Matt. Nick sent to the floor. Cannon whipped in the corner. Elbow. Up and over. Nick rips Callihan off the apron and superkicks him. Matt with a spear. 1-2-NO! Cannon whipped. Nick enziguris his brother on accident. Callihan with clotheslines for Nick. Kick from Nick. Charge misses. Enziguri. Drop toe hold sends Matt into Nick. Face wash to both men. Callihan with one for just Nick. Bicycle kick blocks the lariat attempt. Sitdown powerbomb by Callihan. Right into the stretch muffler. Cannon tries to stop Nick, but he gets shoved. Cannon and Matt exchange waistlocks. Back into the corner. Nick with a running knee strike. Callihan with a bicycle kick. Matt superkicks him. Cannon blocks him and hits an overhead suplex. Forearm exchange. Matt goes to the eyes. Back kick. Cannon eats a superkick but comes back with a clothesline. Total Anarchy. 1-2-NO! Matt victory roll on Cannon for two. Kick exchange among all four men. I’m not gonna even try and call it. Everyone is in a corner. Callihan shoved to the floor. Nick with an enziguri on Cannon. Bucklebomb into the enziguri. Superkick on Callihan. More Bang For Your Buck. Matt and Nick win their first DG USA in almost exactly a year.

Match Analysis: It’s one match, and I think the Bucks are the best tag team in DG USA. That didn’t take long. They’re just the best team going in pro wrestling today, not because of their spots or their in-ring ability, but because they can draw tangible heat from the crowd. If they’re not United Gate champions by April 7, I’ll be floored. Cannon wasn’t drinking…meaning he was motivated and actually put on a good performance. This is the best I’ve seen him look for any company in months. Good for him. Callihan has the crowd behind him, and this felt like a valuable use of the D.U.F team, putting the Bucks over the Bucks first night in.

Winner (s)/Time/Rating: The Young Bucks/18:07/***1/2

-The microphone doesn’t work so well. Matt reintroduces he and Nick. It’s good to be back they say. They’ve been all over the world and make this their living. Matt makes it clear what their goals in DG USA are.

-John Morrison vs. Akira Tozawa

Match in Five Words or Less: Dragon Gate Versus WWE

Match Summary: Very interesting here as you’ve got someone who’s been brought up through the Dragon Gate dojo against a guy who’s pretty much been associated with WWE his whole career. Probably a one time only contest here. Morrison had an amazing match against Robert Anthony in Resistance Pro, and from what understand had a very good match against Sami Callihan in 2CW. This crowd is split and into this one. They start out basic. Headlock by Morrison. Shoulder block on Tozawa. Off the ropes an exchange of armdrags. Both men leap up for a staredown. Boot and shot to the back by Morrison. Bicycle kick misses. Boot from Morrison. Basement dropkick and knee to the side of the head. Morrison with a leaping kick to a diving Tozawa. Right hands from Morrison. Tozawa dropped on the apron. Back in the ring goes Tozawa. Morrison with a backbreaker and then a Russian legsweep. Punt to the back. Knee in the shoulders and a chinlock. Tozawa to the bottom rope. Right hands by Morrison. Tozawa responds back. Flapjack and a kip up by Morrison. Break dance leg drop gets two. Chop by Morrison. Tozawa is not impressed. Back and forth with chops. Short right hand by Tozawa. Both men take a moment to recover. Stomp. Roll-up gets a nearfall. Tozawa sends Morrison into the corner. Choking. Stomp on Morrison. Morrison sent into the barricade. Chair to the head of Morrison. Back in the ring. 1-2-NO! Leaping sentons. Chinlock. Seated abdominal stretch. This is like a John Cena split. The kids and female are cheering for Morrison. The older males are rooting for Tozawa. Elbow strike to the midsection. Forearm. Uppercuts from Morrison. Jawbreaker. Clotheslines. Leaping leg lariat. Shooting star press for two. Tozawa sends Morrison to the floor. Tope suicida. Once. Twice. Into the ring. Tozawa covers for two. Chop in the corner. Whip across and a forearm. Brainbuster blocked. Tozawa draped on the top rope. Swinging neckbreaker by Morrison. 1-2-NO! Rights and lefts in the corner. Chest first goes Tozawa. Springboard but Tozawa gets the knees up. Elbows from Tozawa and a roll-up. Small package gets two. Suplexes blocked. Morrison with an elbow. Bicycle kick by Tozawa. Brainbuster. 1-2-NO! Waistlock. Morrison hangs on. Chuck kick connects. Into the corner. Starship pain met with knees. Back suplex. Morrison with a forearm. Tozawa with one of his own. Morrison brings him up and over. German suplex by Tozawa. Double clothesline. Morrison on top for two. Tozawa takes his turn. Both men down. Forearm exchange. Rights and lefts by Morrison. Tozawa screams and slaps away. Morrison places him on the top rope. Boot by Tozawa. Sunset flip countered. Morrison hits shining wizard. Starship Pain  by Morrison and that’s good enough for the win.

Match Analysis: Didn’t quite meet expectations if you ask me, but this was still good. A clash of styles was evident as Tozawa wasn’t his 100% bombastic self. A slowed down pace likely helped Morrison. Still, it’s not like he tanked it here. A good way to end the show and a unique chance to see these two in the ring together.

Winner (s)/Time/Rating: John Morrison/18:49/***1/4

-Young Bucks run in and double team Morrison because they like attention. Matt calls Morrison a reject and says everyone came to see them. Fox comes out to battle Matt and Nick. Morrison in for the save. Double superkicks from Fox and Morrison. Handshake.

The Verdict: There were no absolute classics on this show, but I’d say this is well worth checking out on WWN. For 15 bucks, you can’t go wrong with any of the matches featured on this show. Nice start for DG USA in 2013 and I definitely liked a lot of what they did with Fox, putting the focus on him at the end, and throwing the Bucks into the fire from the very start.

For more information on Dragon Gate USA, please check out their website. To purchase this show and so many other shows from DG USA, Evolve, CZW,  etc. on-demand, check out WWN’s website.

For supplemental information on Dragon Gate DG USA, including reviews and the chance to watch episodes of Infinity, check out these great resources: Open the Garoon Gate, Open the Tumblr Gate, andOpen the Dragon Gate.

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