The Gate Of Revolution
Date: April 18, 2025
Location: MEET Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada
Commentators: Joe Dombrowski, Rich Bocchini

This is a co-promoted show between Dragon Gate USA and Pro Wrestling Revolution, giving us the incredibly clever title. Dragon Gate USA is freshly back so there is only so much built up for the card. In other words, this is going to be all about the action we get to see and that should make for a fun night. Let’s get to it.

Pre-Show: Diablo Azteca vs. Kid Lynx vs. Rhys Maddox

A double dropkick puts Maddox down to start, leaving the other two to trade armdrags. Maddox is back in to send Azteca outside and a basement dropkick gets two on Lynx. Back up and Lynx strikes away, setting up a rolling Stunner. Lynx bodyscissors Azteca but gets triangle choked by Maddox. That’s broken up and Maddox is back with a springboard cutter for two on Azteca. Maddox crucifix bombs both of them at once and they forearm it out from their knees. Lynx is sent outside, leaving Azteca to tie Maddox up for a driver and the pin at 5:42.

Rating: C+. Let three guys have a few minutes to warm up the crowd with a fast paced match. That’s all this needed to be and they didn’t do anything out of the ordinary. It’s an idea that will always work and it was a perfectly fine way to go for a pre-show match. That’s a tricky thing to do and they did it well here.

And now, the main show.

Border Patrol vs. Rey Horus/Vary Morales

Stevens shoves Morales down to start but a dropkick gives Morales a breather. Horus comes in to dropkick Dutra down and it’s time to work on the arm. A hot show drops Morales though and a running kick to the face puts him in even more trouble. Stevens’ middle rope elbow gets two and Morales gets pounded down in the corner.

That’s broken up and Morales manages a double knockdown. Horus comes back in to pick up the pace, including the big running flip dive to the floor onto everyone else. A Fameasser into a top rope elbow gets two on Morales but Horus is up for the save. Horus’ dive to the floor misses though and the Border Wall (powerbomb/Zig Zag combination) pins Morales at 8:56.

Rating: C+. Nice enough match with the Border Patrol coming off as villains who don’t like luchadors around here. Horus and Morales fought against them but lost in the end, which might not be the best way to start a show. The match itself wasn’t bad at all, with the Patrol giving off a bit of a Basham Brothers vibe (and yes, the Bashams were good when they weren’t stuck with a ridiculous gimmick).

El Cucuy/Oni El Bendito vs. La Estrella/Viento vs. Mike Sydal/Willie Mack

Mack and Cucuy (basically the boogeyman of Mexico) start things off but instead we hit the music so Mack can dance. He even throws in a Worm and a backwards Worm for good measure, earning a cheap shot from Cucuy to take over. Back up and Mack hurricanranas him out to the floor, allowing Sydal and Estrella to come in, with a Yoga Driver giving Sydal two. Estrella walks on his hands for a headscissors and it’s off to Viento vs. Bendito.

They waste no time in running the ropes for some flips so Cucuy comes back in to help double team Viento down. Sydal comes in and fights back a bit, allowing the tag off to Mack, who isn’t scared of Bendito. Estrella is back in for a dropkick and everything breaks down, meaning it’s time for the string of dives. Back in and Cucuy plants Viento, setting up the running flip dive for the knockdown. Estrella dropkicks Bendito, who is right back with a superkick into a slingshot Jackhammer for the pin at 11:49.

Rating: B-. This was your standard lucha three way tag and it worked well enough. You had a nice mixture of power and high flying, which made for a fun formula. Cucuy is a good monster and Mack could match his power, leaving the other four to do the high flying. Entertaining match here, as it felt different enough from the previous match to stand out a bit.

Stars vs. Hyan/Karisma

Stars are Hanan/Saya Iida and their Goddess of Stardom Tag Team Titles aren’t on the line. Karisma and Hanan start, with the former pulling her down to work on the arm. Hanan reverses into a headlock takeover and Iida comes in for a double bulldog to put Karisma in trouble. Iida unloads with chops in the corner and gets two off a posing cover. Karisma fights up and hits some running shots in the corner, allowing Hyan to come in for two off a belly to back suplex.

An assisted splash hits Iida, who is back with a pretty hard running clothesline. Hyan and Iida chop it out and a double clothesline puts both of them down. Hanan and Karisma come in for the slugout and everything breaks down. Karisma takes WAY too long setting up a moonsault and only hits mat for the crash. Stars double team Karisma down and a tabletop suplex gives Hanan the pin at 10:45.

Rating: B-. Another fast paced, back and forth match with two teams getting to showcase themselves. Stars definitely seem like the more polished team but Karisma and Hyan held their own. This was another nice change of pace and that’s a good thing to see continuing over an hour into the card.

Dragon Kid/Ultimo Dragon vs. Ho Ho Lun/Susumu Yokosuka

Kid and Yokosuka start things off with a stomp to Kid’s feet putting him in trouble. Lun comes in as we hear about Kid’s history in wrestling, which started as a referee. Some double teaming has Kid down and we hit the chinlock. The eyes are raked over the top rope and Lun slaps on the armbar. A knee to the ribs gives Yokosuka two as we hear about Kid and Yokosuka being in the same stable but Kid wanted to team with Ultimo. Eh I’ve heard worse ideas.

Kid comes back with a middle rope hurricanrana and it’s off to Ultimo for the big reception and a string of kicks to Yokosuka. A dragon screw legwhip pulls Yokosuka down and Ultimo gets in a reverse Figure Four. Kid Octopuses Lun at the same time but both holds are broken up in a hurry. Ultimo cuts Lun off, leaving Kid to grab a West Coast Pop to pin Yokosuka at 10:45.

Rating: C+. Oh like this was ever in doubt. That’s not a bad thing either, as having Ultimo on the show and giving him a win is a perfectly good way to go. Kid did most of the work for the team despite being a seasoned veteran himself, but the whole thing worked out well, especially with the fans giving Ultimo that kind of a reception.

Post match the Dragons hug (despite a bit of animosity) and here is Matt Sydal…for a promo I can’t understand as the audio is fairly horrible. It seems to be praising Ultimo and the promotion, which gets a nice reaction.

Pro Wrestling Revolution Tag Team Titles: Arkangel Divino/Ultimo Maldito vs. Los Hermanos de la Jungla

Divino and Maldito are defending and both teams are brothers. Aero Panther dropkicks Divino to start but Maldito comes in for some alternating shots to Fight Panther Jr.’s face. A spinning kick in the face hits Fight and an assisted spear gets two. Aero gets beaten down but Fight is up with a frog splash for two on Divino. Maldito is back in with a Regal Roll into a moonsault, only for Fight to elbow him in the face for two of his own.

Back up and Maldito slugs it out with Fight until Divino comes back in for a heck of a superkick. Divino poisonranas Aero and everyone is down. Aero sends Maldito to the floor for a big springboard flip dive, followed by a slam to Divino. Maldito breaks up the dive though and Divino super hurricanranas Maldito off the top onto the champions. Back in and a Doomsday Canadian Destroyer finishes Aero to retain the titles.

Rating: B. Take four guys who can fly around rather fast and go all over the place for about ten minutes and pop the crowd as a result. That’s all this needed to be and the four people involved did well in their roles. The four of them were around on some other shows this weekend so it wouldn’t surprise me to see them doing something on the bigger stage sooner than later.

Yamato vs. Rich Swann

This is the result of a challenge at the Dragon Gate USA show earlier this week. They take their time to start with Swann teasing the test of strength and going into a dance. Yamato swings away but gets dropkicked to the floor just as fast. Back in and Swann hammers away but gets backdropped, allowing Yamato to start stomping away. The Figure Four goes on to start in on Swann’s but he’s out in a hurry. Swann takes him to the floor and hammers away, setting up a frog splash for two.

A 450 misses though and Yamato grabs a fisherman’s buster for two. Back up and Swann kicks him down, setting up the middle rope 450 for two more. They slap it out from their knees and they slug it out from their feet, with Swann going up top. A superplex brings him down but Swann rolls through with a suplex of his own. Yamato is right back with an over the shoulder piledriver, followed by a second edition for the pin at 12:14.

Rating: B. This felt like a big showdown between two talented stars and that’s a good thing to add to the card. It felt like something that was actually built up and they lived up to enough of their hype. Swann is a bigger deal around here and he was mostly serious here, albeit with enough dancing to keep things fun.

Respect is shown post match and they’re still friends.

Z-Brats vs. Ben-K/Hyo/Kzy

Shun Skywalker starts with Ben-K, who wins a slugout and runs Skywalker over with a shoulder. Kzy and Minoura slug it out and then slug it out even faster before it’s off to Hyo (with the fans swooning). Ishin comes in and mocks Hyo with a YES chant, earning himself a leg lariat. Minoura pulls Hyo down from the floor though and the fight heads out into the crowd.

Everyone winds out on the floor for an electric chair and an elaborate low blow before it’s time to go back inside. Hyo is in trouble but he manages to knock Ishin down but it’s too early for the tag. Minoura helps Ishin drop him for two but a kick to the face allows the hot tag off to Ben-K.

Everything breaks down and Skywalker can’t hit a lifting Pedigree on Kzy. Skywalker kicks him in the face and snaps off a German suplex but it’s back to Hyo. A basement dropkick hits Minoura, who gets sent into the corner for the running shots. Hyo’s double biceps senton gets two but Ben-K goes shoulder first into the post.

Back in and Kzy gets superplexed into a brainbuster, leaving Hyo to roll Ishin up for two. Kzy hits a running Canadian Destroyer on Minoura and everyone is down. Back up and Hyo and Kzy hit dives to take out Skywalker and Minoura, leaving Ben-K to spear Ishin for the pin at 21:05.

Rating: B+. Yeah this was awesome, with the last half being pretty much non-stop action. That’s what makes Dragon Gate work so well and it did so here again. It’s a bunch of people flying all over the place and popping the crowd with one big move after another and that was a blast. Great main event and something that works very well whether you’re a fan of the promotion or not.

Overall Rating: B+. Good stuff here with nothing bad or really close to it and a heck of a main event to wrap it up. Dragon Gate USA had a very strong reputation when it was around and this was a good example of the fun that it would have. There are some talented people around here and throwing in some guest stars made it even better. Rather fun show here and I had a very good time with the whole thing.

Results
Diablo Azteca b. Kid Lynx and Rhys Maddox – Arm trap driver to Maddox
Border Patrol b. Rey Horus/Vary Morales – Border Wall to Morales
El Cucuy/Oni El Bendito b. Viento/La Estrella and Mike Sydal/Willie Mack – Slingshot Jackhammer to Estrella
Stars b. Hyan/Karisma – Tabletop suplex to Karisma
Ultimo Dragon/Dragon Kid b. Susumu Yokosuka/Ho Ho Lun – West Coast Pop to Yokosuka
Arkangel Divino/Ultimo Maldito b. Los Hermanos de la Jungla – Doomsday Canadian Destroyer to Aero
Yamato b. Rich Swann – Over the shoulder piledriver
Ben-K/Hyo/Kzy b. Z-Brats – Spear to Ishin

 

 

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Nothing To Lose
Date: April 17, 2025
Location: MEET Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada
Commentators: Jordan Castle, Brian Zane

This is from Prestige Wrestling, a promotion from the Pacific northwest. I’m not sure what that is going to mean this time around but I’ve enjoyed what I’ve seen from the promotion before. Hopefully they can live up to the hype as I’m watching them based on that reputation. Let’s get to it.

Note that I do not follow the promotion so I apologize in advance for any plot or character points I miss.

Lykos Gym vs. Sinner And Saint

Lykos II and Icarus start things off but all four come in for the staredown. With that broken up, Lykos II takes over on Williams and it’s quickly back to Icarus. An armdrag into an armbar takes Icarus down as Zane talks about his high school e-fed (I love independent wrestling). Lykos gets taken into the corner and dropped with a clothesline but he manages to get up top.

That means a roll over to Lykos II and the pace picks way up. A brainbuster gives Lykos II two but some rapid fire strikes to the face knock him down. Ode To The Fallen is broken up and it’s back to Lykos as everything breaks down. Lo Mein Pain gets two on Icarus but a double brainbuster is broken up. Lykos II is sent outside (and hard too) and it’s the Ode To The Fallen to give Williams the pin at 8:30.

Rating: C+. Perfectly watchable tag match here between two teams who have been around the independent scene for a good while. Sinner And Saint are getting a focus in TNA so they might be on their way somewhere. I’m not sure I get the appeal of Lykos Gym, but they are far from bad in the ring.

Arez/El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr./Galeno del Mal vs. Z-Brats

Lucha libre vs. Dragon Gate here. Arez and Shun Skywalker start things off with Arez spinning around to get some early near falls. An armdrag takes Skywalker down again and the other Z-Brats come in to hammer Arez down into the corner. Everything breaks down and Galeno and Wagner gets sent into each other and Skywalker gets to pose. Back up and Galeno and Wagner (who are apparently brothers) double team Ishin and a pair of splashes get two, with Skywalker making the save.

Wagner chops at Skywalker in the corner but he’s back with a sitout butterfly suplex for two. Back up and a double suplex gets two on Galeno but Arez is back in for a PK to Minoura. A step up Asai moonsault takes him out again but Ishin is there for a running flip dive. The much bigger Galeno hits his own dive before Ishin manages to suplex him back inside. Galeno is right back up with the Galeno Special to plant Ishin for the pin at 10:34.

Rating: B-. This week has featured quite a few matches similar to this one and that’s not a bad thing. These people know how to work well together and this was no exception. They mixed things up a bit here with some bigger guys and that helped a good bit. It’s another fast paced tag match with people getting to do their thing and it’s on the card over and over for a reason.

Jordan Cruz vs. Bodhi Young Prodigy

The smaller Bodhi tries to start fast but his high crossbody is pulled out of the air. Cruz knees him in the face in the corner and grabs a Falcon Arrow to drop Bodhi again. Quite the lariat turns Bodhi inside out but he comes back with a high crossbody. A Pele kick rocks Cruz and a pop up hurricanrana gives Bodhi two. Bodhi’s 450 is countered with a grab of the throat and a superplex into a Shining Wizard…gets two as Cruz pulls him up. No More Sorrow (a brainbuster onto the knee) finishes Bodhi at 4:54.

Rating: C. Not much to this one but there wasn’t supposed to be. Bodhi is literally named “Young Prodigy” so seeing him take that kind of a beating makes good sense. Cruz got to show off well enough here too, though it’s almost strange to see this kind of a match on such a featured show.

Minoru Suzuki vs. Adam Priest

Suzuki gets a heck of a reaction and Priest heads straight to the floor for some stalling. Back in and a kick to the leg has Priest in more trouble as the fans get in a MURDER GRANDPA chant. Priest’s chops just annoy Suzuki and he’s smart enough before Suzuki can retaliate. The stalling is on again but this time Suzuki follows him outside and it’s time to throw some chops.

Suzuki even puts him in front of a fan for a big chop and let’s have a chair. Apparently that’s a ringside chair so it doesn’t count as a DQ, at least according to commentary. Back in and Suzuki starts working on the hand before switching over to a half crab. That’s switched into a crossface but Priest gets up and goes after the leg.

A Figure Four has the leg in more trouble but Suzuki cranks on the ankle to make Priest go to the ropes, despite still having the hold on. That’s some amazing pain innovation. Back up and they strike it out with Suzuki getting even angrier. Suzuki knocks him down and does it again, with the fans thinking Priest’s time is limited. The sleeper into the Gotch style piledriver finishes for Suzuki at 12:28.

Rating: B-. This is the kind of thing that Suzuki can still do well, as it was more a case of him being goofy/intimidating at the same time while using some smoke and mirrors to get through the match. Suzuki can’t move nearly as well as he did before and it’s smart to let him do something easier like this. The fans still love him so let him go do something a bit less than serious.

Post match Suzuki teases a piledriver on the referee but lets him escape.

Kevin Blackwood vs. Leon Slater

Man Like DeReiss is here with Slater. They go with the grappling to start until Blackwood grabs a headlock into a shoulder. Slater is back up with a running clothesline for a knockdown, with Blackwood nipping up. A bouncing kick to the face sends Blackwood to the floor and there’s the slingshot dive. Back up and a slingshot Fameasser over the middle rope has Blackwood in more trouble. Blackwood drops him onto the apron though and a knee to the ribs cuts him off again.

Slater’s rollup seems to annoy Blackwood, who drops him with a belly to back suplex. The abdominal stretch goes on the banged up ribs but Slater powers out and hits a leg lariat. Slater hits a running boot to the face for two so Blackwood German suplexes him down for the same. They go up top, where Slater gets shoved down but he avoids a dive. Slater hits a Blue Thunder Bomb, only to miss a 450. Another top rope double stomp is kicked out of the air but Slater’s Swanton 450 hits raised knees. Now Blackwood’s double stomp can finish at 12:21.

Rating: B. Blackwood has impressed me in the few matches I’ve seen him in and that’s a cool thing to see. He wrestles an intense style and Slater’s high flying fits in well with him. I’ve liked Slater during his time in TNA and hopefully he gets a chance to keep going, as that could take him a long way.

Evan Rivers/Tate Mayfairs/Vaughn Vertigo/Xia Brookside vs. Drexl/Jaiden/Amira/Matt Brannigan

Rivers and company have matching costumes….though I have no idea what they are. Jaiden strikes away at Vaughn to start before it’s off to Brookside vs. the rather odd Drexl. Mayfair comes in to chop away at Drexl, who rubs his nipples in appreciation. Brannigan comes in and gets taken into the wrong corner and it’s time for some wind up spanks. Brookside comes in and gets dropkicked down by Amira, sending her and her team outside for a huddle. Brannigan and company stop for a drink and everyone but Mayfairs do match pose.

Instead, Brannigan gets suplexed down so it’s time for CPR. Amira gets taken into the corner for a kick to the back of the head but manages a quick shot of her own. Jaiden comes in to clean house for all of five seconds before getting stomped down in the corner. Jaiden’s suplex gets him out of trouble and it’s Drexl coming in to clothesline and grab various things. Everything breaks down and most of the people head out to the floor. Amira gets caught in the Tree Of Woe for a coast to coast ax handle. That sets up Mayfairs’ moonsault for the pin at 11:56.

Rating: C+. This was little more than goofy fun with the heroic team getting to do their entertaining stuff and the villains cutting them off here and there. It was a good example of taking a bunch of people and letting them entertain the fans, which is going to work every time. If nothing else else, Brookside getting a bit more featured time is a nice bonus too.

We get a pretty basic highlight package on the promotion.

Michael Oku vs. El Phantasmo

Amira (not the one from the previous match) is here with Oku. Feeling out process to start and they take turns shaking Amira’s hand. Phantasmo shoulders him down and grabs a hurricanrana to send Oku outside. Some chops have Oku in more trouble and a whip into the corner has him in trouble back inside. Oku is sent outside, where his chop almost hits Amira by mistake.

Back in and Oku wins a slugout and grabs a tornado DDT for two. The top rope Lionsault misses though, leaving Phantasmo to hit a regular version for two more. Oku kicks him down though and now the top rope Lionsault can hit the leg, setting up the half crab. The rope is grabbed so Oku knocks him outside, setting up the Fosbury Flop. Phantasmo is able to catch him on top for a superplex and a cutthroat driver gets two. They trade big shots to the head until Phantasmo’s clothesline gets two. Oku’s backslide gets two so Phantasmo hits a Canadian Revolution II for the same. Thunder Kiss 86 finishes Oku at 13:30.

Rating: B-. Oku continues to grow on me and that’s nice to see after so long of being relatively indifferent to him. This was a good mixture of technical and high flying stuff, with Phantasmo looking rather smooth in the ring. You can see how talented these two are and they had a good match, which shouldn’t be a surprise.

Respect is shown post match.

IInspiration vs. Kylie Rae/Nicole Matthews

This is the IInspiration’s first American independent match ever and the fans give them quite the reception. Matthews runs Lee over and mocks her dancing, only for Lee to do the exact same thing in a nice moment. Rae comes in and gets caught with a middle rope ax handle to the arm. It’s back to Matthews, who gets rolled up for a quick two. With Matthews on the floor, Rae gets caught with some running shots in the corner. Stereo kicks drop Rae again and it’s time for Matthews and Rae to leave.

The IInspiration isn’t having that and drag them back for the right hands in the corner. Matthews gets in a shot to McKay’s knee though and it’s time to start the double teaming on the leg. Matthews cranks on McKay’s leg but she sends Rae and Matthews into each other. It’s back to Lee to pick up the pace, including a tornado DDT for two. Everything breaks down and Matthews gets a half crab on McKay. Lee does the same thing to Rae and it’s a powerbomb/spinning faceplant combination to give Lee the pin at 10:54.

Rating: C+. This was the feel good match as having the IInspiration got to have their big moment as they have been away for a long time. They get to come in and beat some known names, which is a fine way to use them. I’m not sure I can imagine them being around long term, but it was perfectly fine for a one off appearance.

Prestige Wrestling World Title: Alan Angels vs. Calvin Tankman

Angels is defending and it’s No DQ so he jumps Tankman with a trashcan to start. They get inside for the opening bell and the much bigger Tankman fights back to take them out to the floor. An exchange of chairs to the back goes to Tankman, who knocks him around ringside and drops him onto the apron. The door is loaded up but Angels dropkicks it into Tankman’s face for the big crash.

Angels chokes away with a chain and puts a trashcan over Tankman’s head for a heck of a chair shot. Tankman drops him with a single forearm and Angels’ chair shot bounces off the rope and hits him in the head. Angels blocks a powerbomb though and hammers away with forearms to the back of the head.

The Rings Of Saturn with a chain has Tankman in more trouble but he powers out for two of his own. Tankman makes a door bridge, with a super sitout powerbomb putting Angels through them for two. With that not working, Tankman takes him up again but cue Jordan Cruz to powerbomb Tankman through the chairs. The Halo Strike (basically a Van Daminator) retains the title at 16:01.

Rating: B-. The ending felt like a big deal as Angels now has some muscle to help fight against the forces of good. Tankman is a big guy who can move and that makes for a good challenger for a smaller champion like Angels. The weapons stuff helped make the match feel special, as we hadn’t seen it throughout the show. Nice main event here with the surprise angle at the end.

Overall Rating: B-. This was about all you can ask for out of such a show, as they had good matches with some storyline changes taking place as well. It’s a perfectly watchable show with some familiar faces and a few names who are probably more local to Prestige. I had a good time with this one as it’s a perfectly acceptable show.

Results
Sinner And Saint b. Lykos Gym – Ode To The Fallen to Lykos
Arez/Galeno del Mal/El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. b. Z-Brats – Galeno Special to Ishin
Jordan Cruz b. Bodhi Young Prodigy – No More Sorrow
Minoru Suzuki b. Adam Priest – Gotch style piledriver
Kevin Blackwood b. Leon Slater – Double stomp
Evan Rivers/Tate Mayfairs/Vaughn Vertigo/Xia Brookside b. Drexl/Jaiden/Amira/Matt Brannigan – Moonsault to Amira
El Phantasmo b. Michael Oku – Thunder Kiss 86
IInspiration b. Kylie Rae/Nicole Matthews – Powerbomb/spinning faceplant combination to Rae
Alan Angels b. Calvin Tankman – Halo Strike

 

 

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Dragon Gate USA: The Rebirth
Date: April 16, 2025
Location: Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada
Commentators: Joe Dombrowski, Rich Bocchini

So this is Dragon Gate USA, which (I believe) is an official spin off from the Japanese Dragon Gate promotion. This is the first time that Dragon Gate USA has run a show in over ten years, though it isn’t clear if this is the start of an ongoing relaunch. I have no idea what to expect here but let’s get to it.

Note that I did not follow the original promotion/Dragon Gate (assuming that matters) so I apologize in advance if I miss any storylines or character points.

Kzy vs. Marcus Mathers

They stare at each other to start before locking up and trading some waistlocks. Kzy…I think dances out of a waistlock but Mathers is right back with a wristlock. A Worm gets Kzy out of a wristlock but Mathers wants to keep this serious. We get a dance tease until Mathers hits him in the ribs. That earns Mathers a running Blockbuster and we hit the chinlock. That’s broken up like you might expect from a chinlock, allowing Mathers to hit a spinning high crossbody.

Kzy gets kicked down for two and Mathers grabs a chinlock of his own. A pair of belly to back suplexes put Kzy down but he blocks a regular suplex attempt. Kzy’s running forearm and uppercut drop Mathers, who is right back with a sunset flip out of the corner. A middle rope Stunner into a Blue Thunder Bomb gives Mathers two and an RKO drops Kzy again. The fisherman’s buster gives Mathers two but he misses a 450 and gets caught with a running uppercut. Kzy hits a headscissors driver and Impact (Jay Driller) sets up a frog splash to give Kzy the pin at 10:38.

Rating: B. Good, back and forth opener here as Mathers continues to shine when he is given the chance. I’ve seen both of these guys in the ring before and they have both done well before. Kzy felt like a big enough deal, with commentary recapping his title history from Dragon Gate. It’s a nice way to get things going for the relaunched promotion and it went well for both guys.

Post match respect is shown. Mathers leaves and Kzy gets the mic to talk about how Dragon Gate USA is back.

AZM/Starlight Kid vs. Konami/Natsuko Tora

These are women from Stardom and Konami/Tora are part of the HATE faction so I’m going to assume they’re the villains. Hate jumps the other two to start fast and the brawl is on fast. Thankfully we go split screen with Konami striking away at Kid before we settle down to Konami throwing AZM down by the hair. The double arm crank is on until the Kid makes the save, only for Tora to come in with a choke.

With those broken up, Konami kicks AZM in the back, leaving Tora to mist her down. The referee almost gets decked but he’s up to count two off a suplex to AZM. Back up and AZM manages a suplex of her own and it’s back to Kid for a high crossbody. Kid takes both villains down for a double dropkick against the ropes. A standing moonsault gives Kid two but the much bigger Tora is back up for a slugout. Tora knocks her down for a standing backsplash and a near fall. Konami comes back in for a Disarm-Her but Kid headscissors her way to freedom.

It’s back to AZM, who is quickly kicked down and Tora hits a running crossbody to take both of them down. The two of them nip up though and stereo armdrags bring the villains off the top. AZM’s Fujiwara armbar has Konami in trouble but Tora is back in to run her down with a shoulder. The Cannonball crushes AZM and Konami’s running kick to the chest gets two, with Kid making the save. AZM sweeps Konami’s leg though and a rollup gets the pin at 11:35.

Rating: B-. I was getting into this one near the end as they were telling a nice story, with the heroines vs. the villains and it made for a good story. AZM and Kid were fighting from underneath throughout and eventually overcame hate with better wrestling technique. Good match here, with Stardom getting to showcase their star power as usual.

Ho Ho Lun vs. Rhys Maddox

Maddox is 17 and a newcomer, as you might have guessed due to being 17. They fight over wrist control to start and Maddox breaks out of a full nelson. Maddox knocks him into the corner and hits a basement dropkick for two. Lun kicks the knee out to take over though and it’s time to twist the leg around.

A leglock goes on to keep Maddox down as commentary tries to compare him to Shawn Michaels or Terry Gordy. Back up and Maddox hits a bottom rope springboard cutter and they’re both down for a bit. The leg is fine enough to hit a springboard forearm for two but Lun is back with a missile dropkick. Maddox hits a DDT for two but Lun grabs two rollups for two each. The third rollup, with the legs tied up, finishes Maddox at 8:41.

Rating: C+. This was just ok with Lun being the veteran who was trying to carry things and only being able to get it so far. The leg stuff in the middle went nowhere as Maddox was right back with springboards and that’s never a good thing to see. It was a decent enough match, but neither of them really stood out.

El Cucuy/La Estrella/Ultimo Dragon vs. Sovereign

Sovereign is Evan Rivers/Judas Icarus/Travis Williams (the latter two are known as the Northern Armory in TNA). Dragon is the star of WCW fame and had a big hand in starting Dragon Gate. Cucuy (who looks a bit evil and is described as the Mexican Boogeyman) starts with Williams and runs him down with a shoulder. Estrella comes in and is taken into the wrong corner and it’s off to Icarus.

A whip into the ropes is cut off as Estrella walks on his hands but gets sent outside. The cameraman gets taken down and Rivers’ clothesline to the back of Estrella’s head gets two. A bodyscissors lets Rivers fish hook Estrella’s mouth before it’s back to Williams for a shot to the face of his own. A stomp to the arm gets two and Icarus chokes away on the mat. Rivers accidentally sends Icarus into Williams in the corner though and the tag brings in Dragon.

The rapid fire kicks (well as rapid as he can get) have Rivers in trouble and Dragon spins Williams into a leglock. Everything breaks down Cucuy hits a double hip attack in the corner. Estrella adds a running dive to the floor and the rather large Cucuy hits a flip dive over the top. Back in and Dragon grabs la majistral for the pin on Rivers at 9:17.

Rating: C+. This was about getting Estrella in the ring on this show and that is not a bad idea. He’s a legend in wrestling and in Dragon Gate in particular so this makes a lot of sense. Sovereign didn’t feel like the best team, though having the Boogeyman go after the villains was a bit odd to see. The fans seemed happy to see Dragon though so we’ll call this a success.

Rich Swann/Willie Mack vs. Alec Price/Jimmy Lloyd vs. Ben-K/Hyo

Swann has gotten a haircut and…yeah I don’t know about that. Hold on though as Swann and Mack get the referee to dance during the entrances for the fun moment. Hyo seems to be a male stripper, or at least something else that gets women to put money in his pants. Hyo and Price start things off with Price bouncing on the mat to escape a wristlock. Swann and Lloyd come in for an exchange of leapfrogs before Swann shoulders him down.

Hip swiveling ensues but Lloyd is right back up with a running neckbreaker. Price comes in to help drop Swann and Lloyd (who is not a small guy) hits a dive, which sends Swann out to the floor. That means Mack can come in for a slugout with Ben-K, who manages to knock him down. Everything breaks down and Swann gets caught in a gutbuster/running dropkick combination. Price and Lloyd hit stereo dives to the floor as everything breaks down. Back in and Ben-K and Hyo go up, only to get caught by Lloyd and Mack.

That means a double Doomsday Blockbuster from Price, followed by a dropkick to send Mack outside. Swann gets planted with a double flipping DDT and Price hits a dive onto the floor. Back in and Ben-K spears Price down, only to get leg lariated by Mack. Swann is in with a Lethal Injection to Hyo and Mack hits a big running flip dive onto Price and Lloyd. That leaves Swann to hit the 450 to pin Hyo at 9:33.

Rating: B. Yeah this was fun, with everyone just going nuts until someone got the pin. That’s what this kind of match should be and it was as entertaining as you would have expected. Swann and Mack have worked well together for a long time and they still have that chemistry. Ben-K and Hyo got to showcase themselves well enough, while Price and Lloyd were just kind of there to make it more of a brawl, which was only so much of an addition.

If nothing else, it’s nice to hear Swann’s music again.

Here is Matt Sydal, who praises the previous match and talks about how awesome it was to be in the first group of wrestlers who went over to Dragon Gate. Now Dragon Gate is back here in America and these fans are here on a Wednesday so they want this stuff put into their veins. Sydal asks us to come out for their other show on Friday night and thanks the fans for coming out. Perfectly fine speech here for a special moment.

Paradox vs. Z-Brats

That would be Dragon Kid/Susumu Yokosuka/Yamato vs. Ishin/Kota Minoura/Shun Skywalker. Yokosuka and Minoura slowly circle each other before fighting over wrist control. Minoura kicks him down and flips off the fans before handing it off to Skywalker and Kid. Skywalker goes to the eyes to take over but gets armdragged down. Yamato and Ishin come in, with Ishin holding up the referee’s hand.

They trade shoulders with Yamato taking him down and stopping to gaze at the fans. Everything breaks down and the Brats jump Paradox on the floor. We go split screen as the beating continues outside, including some of them going to either the stage or into the crowd. Ishin chokes Yamato on the stage before going back to ringside to trade opponents. We settle down to Skywalker taking Kid into the corner, where some double boot choking ensues. Minoura kicks him back into the corner before Ishin’s DDT gets two.

Minoura lets Kid chop away and Kid is fine with doing this rather than trying a tag, only to snap off a headscissors. Yokosuka and Ishin come in, with the former getting to clean house in a hurry. Yamato and Ishin fight over a suplex until Ishin finally gets him over as everything breaks down again. Skywalker soaks in some booing before helping Ishin double team Kid with right hands. A pump kick drops Kid again and Ishin’s splash gets two. Yokosuka saves Kid on top though and it’s a super hurricanrana to bring Skywalker down.

Minoura gets caught in the wrong corner for some running clotheslines but gets out of Yamato’s Galleria. A Stundog Millionaire drops Skywalker and we hit a parade of knockdowns. Yamato plants Ishin, who pops back up with a German suplex. A lariat drops Ishin right back and everyone is down for a needed breather. Ishin and Yamato chop it out until Kid is back in with a tornado DDT. An assisted reverse implant DDT gives Yamato the pin on Ishin at 20:18.

Rating: B. It was an entertaining, fast paced match but I’m not sure this is going to be some kind of game changer like some of their previous matches have been. All six looked good and did their things well, but it never got to that high level that had me desperate to see what was happening next. Still though, rather good main event and worth a look.

Post match Yamato says the promotion made new history tonight. Rich Swann comes in to praise the winners and says without them, he would not be the wrestler he is today. Swann respects Yamato but challenges him for this Friday. Yamato seems to accept.

Overall Rating: B. This might not have been a classic show but it was more than good enough. It was a bunch of talented wrestlers getting to work a style which works well for them. You didn’t need to have a deep understanding or knowledge of what happened coming into the show and it still worked well. Good stuff here, making it a solid return for the promotion.

Results
Kzy b. Marcus Mathers – Frog splash
AZM/Starlight Kid b. Konami/Natsuko Tora – Rollup to Konami
Ho Ho Lun b. Rhys Maddox – Rollup
El Cucuy/La Estrella/Ultimo Dragon b. Sovereign – La Majistral to Rivers
Rich Swann/Willie Mack b. Ben-K/Hyo and Jimmy Lloyd/Alec Price – 450 to Hyo
Paradox b. Z-Brats – Assisted reverse implant DDT to Ishin

 

 

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