Dragon Gate USA Presents: 'United NYC' iPPV Live Results

Welcome to the live recap of night one of Dragon Gate USA’s ‘United’ Triple-Shot. This event takes place in New York City and sees BxB Hulk defend the Open the Freedom Gate Title against YAMATO before facing Akira Tozawa and Jon Moxley in the next two nights, as well as the first set of matches in the round-robin tournament to determine the first Open the United Gate Tag Team Champions. With Blood Warriors fielding two teams is there any way they can lose? World-1 and Ronin will do their best, that’s for sure. There’s much more on tap so let’s get right down to it shall we! Sami takes a methodical control of the match back in the ring, hitting more chops and a jumping leg drop but Tozawa won’t stay down. Headbutts and chops from Sami now.

The event kicks off with an awesome hype man getting the crowd (who look quite small from the hard camera angle) pumped up. Out comes Reby Sky to hold up the United Gate titles with Bryce’s help.

Match 1

Akira Tozawa (w/Jon Moxley) vs. Sami Callihan

We got super formal ring introductions and amusingly the dude announced Tozawa as being 1.07cm tall. Tozawa points to the DGUSA logo on the mat and informs Sami he owns this ring. They exchange slaps and lariat each other to the floor and then battle from a kneeling position. Bicycle kick by Tozawa! Hard chop from Callihan. He tries a springboard clothesline but misses. Tozawa misses his apron headbutt. Callihan misses with a diving move of his own. Tozawa misses the apron headbutt again, and then a jumping headbutt, but hits the jumping senton. Suicide dive from Tozawa misses! They fight on the outside and Callihan removes the protective mat on the floor and nails an exploder suplex onto the hard-wood floor!!! Callihan goes up top but Tozawa hits a jumping bicycle kick to knock him to the outside! Suicide dive! And another! Tozawa remembers he’s in a heel unit and starts working Sami over with strikes and a choke, as well as getting in Bryce’s face. Bizarre stomp sequence in the corner with Tozawa laying flat and Sami sitting down in the corner. They’re battling up top now and Sami gets the better of it with multiple headbutts. Missile dropkick from Callihan and they’re both down. Both men back to their feet now and they’re exchanging stiff chops… or they are until Tozawa hits a rolling sole-butt and then an enzuigiri! He tries to finish him off but Sami hits a huge dead-lift saito suplex! Tozawa hits one of his own! Rinse and repeat for one more each. Big roundhouse kick by Callihan and then a dead-lift saito suplex from the mat! Tozawa won’t be outdone though, hitting a dead-lift German Suplex from the mat! The crowd are pretty quiet when they’re not reacting to moves. Sami tells Tozawa to bring it so he hits a big bicycle kick. Sami hits a big boot but Tozawa just nails another bicycle kick and knocks Callihan down. Big boot again from Sami and then a sliding-D gets a close 2. Crazy powerbomb counter sequence ends with Tozawa nailing a basement dropkick to the face but Callihan kicks out. Dead-lift German Suplex and that’s all she wrote!

Winner: Akira Tozawa via Pin (Dead-Lift German Suplex)

– Post-match Jon Moxley gets on the mic and antagonizes the New York crowd insulting all their sports teams and then Homicide (who is not here tonight). Reby Sky comes out in a Giants jersey and gives Mox a very weak slap to the face but then gives him some impressive attitude on the mic. She tells him to shut up but Mox just dismisses her by claiming she’s flirting with him. Reby slaps him again and he brushes it off. More slaps. Mox says his New Year’s resolution was to not hit women anymore so he’s going to get Tozawa to do it instead. Akira won’t do it. Jigsaw’s here! He throws Tozawa out of the ring and Reby leaves and we have our match!

Match 2

Jigsaw vs. Jon Moxley

Jigsaw hits a big hurricanrana and Mox bails to the outside. Huge flip dive by Jigsaw! Moxley throws Jigsaw overhead on the outside but he lands on the stage and rebounds back at Moxley to take him down. Crossbody from the top back inside and some right hands by Jisgaw. He heads up top again but Moxley shoves him to the outside. Mox immediately starts working over the arm. Big back elbow gets two. Release vertical suplex gets another. Kimura! Jigsaw escapes but is still down. Moxley puts him up top for a superplex attempt but Jig shoves him down and hits a huge double-stomp to the back of the head! Clothesline, back elbow, dropkick combo as Jigsaw gets fired up. Jig-N-Tonic is countered into a roll-up with the tights held by Mox. Jigsaw kicks out and his a jumping enzugiri. Brainbuster! Only two! Lariat by Moxley kills the momentum. Hook and Ladder is countered into a victory roll! Only two. Superkick! Another double-stomp, this time to the chest. Only two. Ace Crusher by Moxley! Clear shout-out to Homicide there for those not paying attention. Crossface Chickenwing! Jigsaw gets the ropes and here’s YAMATO at ringside. Stunner by Jig and then a superkick! The ref tends to Moxley as Yamato trips Jigsaw and beats him down on the outside, rolling him back inside where he falls victim to the Crossface Chickenwing. He taps!

Winner: Jon Moxley via Submission (Crossface Chickenwing)

– More talking smack by Moxley now and he asks Yamato what he thinks about New York. “No problem.” I guess he thought he was asking what he thought about facing BxB? Speaking of which, here comes Hulk! He tells Yamato to shut up and gets a beat-down for his troubles. The match is under way!

Match 3 – Freedom Gate Title Match

BxB Hulk (C) vs. YAMATO (w/Jon Moxley)

Yamato beats BxB down with his own ring jacket to start the match and takes it to the champ in the corner with stomps and a choke. Julius Smokes has attacked Jon Moxley on the outside!!! He’s winning a fist-fight with a wrestler famous for brawling… k. BxB uses this as an opening to unload with kicks to the thigh and then grabs a headlock. They quicken the pace with nip-ups, arm-drags and bypasses. BxB misses a dropkick but regains control with some knees to the head and he has Yamato in a chin lock. Body slam by BxB and a running shooting star press! Only two. BxB fires away with more kicks to a downed Yamato, but forgets he’s facing the best heel in Dragon Gate and falls victim to a leg-bar after Yamato stops playing el possum. BxB escapes but ends up on the apron and misses a roundhouse and Yamato ties his leg up in the top rope and nails a dropkick! Running dropkick by Yamato knocks BxB to the outside and Yamato continues to brawl with him on the outside. J-Train has joined the commentary team and is annoying me. And now my feed has died. I blame Julius. You can all blame my internet though if you want. OK, we’re back and Yamato has a figure four locked in but BxB makes it to the ropes. Repeated suplex/brainbuster attempts are blocked so Yamato just kicks BxB in the face. He runs the ropes and misses a clothesline but then hits a Spear instead. Ankle Lock! BxB tries to hit an enzuigir to escape but Yamato ducks and transitions to a half-crab! BxB finally makes the ropes. Hulk struggles to sell his legs in the course of a single match, are you telling me they’re going to have the running theme be damage to his leg in the subsequent matches? Good luck with that Gabe. Yamato pie-faces BxB and then whips him across the ring but BxB’s leg gives out and he collapses in the middle. BxB uses a cartwheel (see, told you) and then tries a springboard move but Yamato just shoves him back down. He held on to the apron though and nails a springboard dropkick before nipping up. He remembers his leg is hurt and slaps it to get feeling back. Kick combo from BxB and then a spinning leg sweep and a corkscrew senton! Spinning roundhouse to the head by BxB! Yamato manages to kick out. EVO is countered but BxB hits a superkick to the gut. Yamato turns a sunset flip into the Ankle Lock and then an Eddie Edwards style Achilles Lock (aka a half Strong hold) and puts his foot right on the back of BxB’s neck. Hulk eventually reaches the ropes again. Running forearm smash in the corner by Yamato and he goes up top but BxB hits a spinning wheel kick to stun him. He heads up top and hits repeated elbow strikes to the top of the head and then a super powerslam!!! They struggle back to their feet and BxB nails a running big boot in the corner and then nails multiple knee strikes and a jumping axe kick to the brain! Hulk goes up top but Yamato runs the ropes to crotch him and then hits a running single-leg dropkick. Superplex from the very top! They exchange forearm strikes… rolling elbow by Yamato! Big boot by Yamato! Mouse and then a lariat from BxB! Jumping enzuigiri by Yamato! EVO!!! Yamato kicks out (sort of). BxB tries for another EVO but it’s countered into a Galleria attempt. BxB gets free and Yamato misses another Enzuigiri. Downward axe kick to the forehard! First Flash!!! Yamato kicks out again. BxB goes up top and tries a Phoenix Splash but completely blows it. Yamato sort of got his knees up but BxB missed them and then got back to his feet first. EVO attempt… Choke Sleeper! BxB goes for the ropes… Sleeper Suplex! Kick to the head! Brainbuster! BxB kicks out. Galleria! Yamato wins?

Winner & New Champion: YAMATO via Pin (Galleria)

– Jimmy Jacobs comes out post-match and congratulates Yamato but makes it clear he is on his way to winning the belt. They share a very begrudging handshake and Yamato leaves. Jacobs transitions to his challenge to Brodie Lee… who comes out to CIMA’s music!

Match 4

Jimmy Jacobs vs. Brodie Lee (w/Cima, Dragon Kid & Naruki Doi)

Jimmy tries to hit and move but Brodie decides he’ll hit a jumping dropkick and that of course sends Jimmy to the outside. My stream died again there but Brodie is still in control when it comes back, choking Jimmy on the middle rope. Brodie knocks Jimmy around some more but he starts to Warrior/Batista-Up! Series of right hands and chops by Jacobs but Brodie nails a Superkick! He attempts the Truck Stop but Jacobs uses his speed to turn it into a pin attempt. Brodie lifts him off the mat into a choke attempt but Jacobs gets the End Time! Brodie places Jimmy down on the top rope but ends up getting a missile dropkick! Jimmy vaults to the outside and lands on his feet. Throwing powerbomb onto the stage by Brodie!!! Huge lariat back inside gets two. Brodie sets up a running big boot in the corner but misses. School boy gets two. Rebound ace crusher from the second rope by Jacobs! Jumping Senton from the top rope gets two. Big Boot from Brodie takes Jacobs down. Sitout Powerbomb finishes it. Two weird results in a row.

Winner: Brodie Lee via Pin (Powerbomb)

– Ronin are here and Rich Swan is beatboxing and singing their theme song… I’m in love with them. Chuck Taylor takes the mic and talks about proving they’re good enough. He demands to face Naruki Doi and Ricochet right now. It’s on!

Match 5 – Round Robin Tournament Match

Chuck Taylor & Johnny Gargano vs. Naruki Doi & Ricochet

For those that care, Blood Warriors’ color-scheme seems to be blue, black and silver. Gargano and Doi start and come to a stalemate after headlock/nip-up sequence. They go at it again but Doi locks on the headscissors very tight. Gargano escapes and transitions into a headlock. Doi reverses and is sent running and hits a shoulder block. Gargano trips Doi as he runs the ropes and then hits a repeating surfboard smash before rolling through and nailing a basement dropkick. Awesome, but difficult to describe. Ricochet and Taylor tag in now. Go Fight Live are working to resolve their audio issues apparently. Taylor knocks Ricochet down but he nips up. Springboard arm drag from Ricochet. Running hurricanrana leaves Taylor down in the Blood Warriors corner. Doi tags in and goes to a headlock on the mat. He tags Ricochet back in and they hit a drop-toe hold/sliding dropkick combo and Ricochet adds a slingshot elbow drop from the apron. Big dropkick gets two. Doi tags in and knocks Gargano off the apron. He ties Taylor up in the ropes and his a running back elbow and then a running dropkick. Two count. Ricochet dances to try and gather some heel heat. Gargano enters the ring and Ronin hit a nice double team that sees Taylor throw Ricochet face first into Gargano’s feet. Gargano is apparently legal for this but he tags back out and they hit a double back elbow, strut around and then lay in some stomps. Ronin Baby! Chuck Taylor hits a butterfly suplex and nips up. Tag to Gargano and a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker/running dropkick by Ronin. Russian legsweep by Gargano and he transitions into a weird submission. Ricochet escapes. Ricochet takes Gargano down and tries a standing moonsault but Gargano extends both feet and kicks Ricochet out of mid-air, sending him quite literally flying. Chucky tags back in and hits a body slam and then a backward falling senton. Unique. Gargano tags in again and kncks Doi off the apron. Ricochet sends Taylor to the outside and then hits a backward rolling pele kick to Gargano. Tag to Doi! He puts Gargano in a 619 position and hits a running splash. Doi stacks Taylor in the tree of woe and then sits Gargano down in front of him. Double cannonball! Running Poetry in Motion Shooting Star Press by Ricochet. Tiger wall kick by Ricochet but Taylor catches him in a powerslam position. He throws him off and Gargano drives him into the mat but Doi breaks up the pin attempt. Doi throws Taylor into the corner and Ricochet hits an 818 (619 over the top rope). Doi 555’s by Doi! Slingshot spear by Gargano! Chocolate Rain by Ricochet! Sasuke Special!!! Taylor botches a moonsault off the stage but gets it right the second time. Doomsday Device off the stage by Ronin! Everybody’s down. This is fun to watch but hell to recap. I also have no idea who the heels are anymore. Assisted DDT by Ronin leads directly into the Hurts Donut! Doi breaks it up. Sole Food to Doi!  Ricochet handsprings into an inverted hurricanrana! Doi 555’s! Bakatare Sliding Kick!!! Gargano breaks it up. Ricochet sends Gargano to the apron and blocks a slingshot spear, holding him place for a flipping senton bomb by Doi. Lionsault to the back by Ricochet! Gargano kicks out! Blue Thunder Bomb by Doi and he heads outside for Taylor. Ricochet misses a crazy corkscrew moonsault and gets a kick to the gut. Suicide dive to the outside takes out Doi, Awful Waffle by Chuck Taylor! 2 Points for Ronin!

Winners: Ronin via Pin (Awful Waffle)

– Gargano gets on the mic and states that Ronin belong in Japan. Rich Swan gets the mic and hypes up the crowd before calling out Austin Aries. Swan claims he can take Aries but asks Gargano and Taylor to stay at ringside.

Match 6

Rich Swan (w/Taylor & Gargano) vs. Austin Aries

Aries starts the match with a missile dropkick! Knee strikes! Last Chancery! Ronin get Swan to the ropes. Jumping kick from the floor as Aries leans out of the ring by Swan. He pokes Aries in the eye but Aries takes him down and hits a mongolian chop and then a traditional one. Swan vaults over Aries in one corner and then another. He then does a backflip from the top rope and slaps Aries. Snapmare and a kick to the back by Swan gets two. Aries vaults over Swan in one corner, then another. He does a roll and then slaps Swan. One more time. Aries botches some kind of move in the corner and then nails a rolling elbow. Ronin distract Aries and Swan knocks him to the outside. They brawl on the outside and Swan leaps to the stage and flies off with a seated senton but Aries rolls through and lifts him off the floor and powerbombs him into Taylor & Gargano. I think he was meant to catch him, but hey. Heat-Seeking Missile! Twisting press from the apron by Aries. Swan fights up from his knees but Aries hits a chest-breaker/STO combo and then nails the powerdrive elbow. Leaping elbow to the back of a seated Swan and another two count. Stump puller now. Lenny Leonard claims this is the submission he invented and debuted back at Bushido: Code of the Warrior but that of course isn’t true. He misses a charge in the corner and then eats a Miz-style clothesline by Swan in the corner and it’s turned straight into an STO. Rolling Thunder Splash by Swan gets two. He runs the ropes but Aries counters and hits a Finlay roll. He tries a Frog Splash but misses. Swan runs over him and kicks him in the head and then hits a running senton for two. They trade strikes and Swan hits a pair of spin kicks, one to the gut, the other to the face. He whips Aries across the ring and misses a charge. Aries peppers him with rights and lefts and then some knees. Swan fires back and hits a jumping enzuigiri and then locks in some crazy inverted surfboard move. I can’t say it looks all that painful or difficult to escape and Aries rolls out of it. Swan tries a superplex but Aries knocks him down. Butterfly Kick (trouble in paradise) brings Aries crashing down to the canvas for two. Standing shooting star gets another. Third use of that move tonight. Swann sets up some kind of jumping movebut Aries nips-up and attempts a Japanese arm drag into the corner but Swan no-sells it and Aries starts to sell a major injury… don’t trust him! He kind of hit the move so I’m a bit confused by this but Aries goes to the outside to stall. Swan attacks but Aries shoves him away holding his arm. Swan charges and this time he hits the arm drag into the corner clean. Shin-breaker/saito suplex combo! Running dropkick in the corner! Swan kicks out at two. Last Chancery! Aries can’t hold it due to the arm injury. He sets up a Brainbuster but Swan counters it enough to get his feet onto the top rope. Total Anarchy! Swan grabs the ropes to break the pin. 450 Splash misses. Spinning headscissors spikes Aries onto his head! Brainbuster by Swan! Aries kicks out. Swan does more of his jumping taunt to set something up but Aries keeps raising his feet. Swan blasts him with kicks to keep him down but Aries does it again and shoves Swan into the corner. He gets to his feet and nails a SUPER BRAINBUSTER!!! Last Chancery! Tap out.

Winner: Austin Aries via Submission (Last Chancery)

– Aries drinks a beer on the way out and Cima and Naruki Doi enter the ring and get in Ronin’s faces. Taylor insults Ricochet and then states again Ronin belong in Japan. Swan drools and sells the knock-out. Cima says Ronin don’t belong in Japan. Taylor says that he and Gargano are going to beat Cima and Dragon Kid to prove it once and for all. World-1’s music hits and I guess it’s main event time!

Main Event – Round Robin Tournament Match

CIMA & Dragon Kid vs. PAC & Masato Yoshino

PAC and Dragon Kid start out and dance around each other. PAC calls out Ricochet who is at ringside. The wrestlers in the ring finally lock up and PAC controls a front headlock. Dragon Kid escapes and wrenches the arm. They head to the mat and PAC nips up. Stalemate. PAC wins a test of strength (obviously, you seen him lately?) but Dragon Kid regains the advantage after rolling through and taking him down. PAC gets a cravate but Dragon Kid flips through a snapmare. PAC cartwheels through a spinning headscissors. Tilt-a-Whirl backbreaker! Standing Shooting Star to the back. 4 uses of that move tonight. Both men tag out. Cima takes Yoshino down… Uuuuu!!!!! Yoshino turns on the jets and hits a spinning headscissors. PAC enters the ring (not sure if he tagged) and they hit a double back elbow. Yoshino goes to all fours and PAC stands on his back and hits a jumping corkscrew press. PAC apparently did tag in but he brings Yoshino right back in and he locks in a headscissors on the mat. Cima makes it to the corner and Dragon Kid flies in with a double axe handle to the back. Two knee drops by Dragon Kid get two. Yoshino tags PAC and they use the old speed muscle double stomp to the arm sequence. PAC and Dragon Kid start trading elbow strikes but Kid hits a jumping spin kick to the face. He tags Cima who flies in with a tope atomico and then locks in an abdominal stretch to PAC. Lenny Leonard calls Cima the strongest man in the match. I’d be willing to bet PAC is stronger but whatever. Double dropkick by Blood Warriors and Leonard states that is this was 1980 the match would be over. Someone in the crowd can hear them and compliments the line. Dragon Kid hits a standing dropkick in the corner to PAC and then a running one. Cima takes PAC down and ties his legs up and then calls for Yoshino to charge. You may think you know what’s coming, but Cima instead locks in that crazy lifting butterfly submission while holding the leg lock. Dragon Kid comes in and Cima tosses him from an electric chair into a senton and then hits on of his own. Two count. Catapult into the bottom rope by Cima. He gets a wooden (non-folding) chair from the crowd and puts it over PAC’s throat and then hits the move again. PAC flips out of a back suplex and then vaults over Cima in the corner and flips forward to his feet. Enzuigiri! Both men make tags and Dragon Kid misses a spinning wheel kick. Yoshino launches himself across the ring and hits the Slingblade! Neck-lock tarantula to Cima! Yoshino blocks a Dragon Kid spingboard and charges but Dragon Kid hits a springboard stunner! Yoshino tries a suplex… another Stunner! Cima drags Yoshino to the outside and holds him in place but PAC trips Kid as he runs the ropes. He and Cima enter the ring and Cima rolls through a sunset flip and hits a double stomp the chest. Venus! Iconoclasm! PAC fights back though and leaps from the apron into the ring and hits an Ace Crusher. Missile dropkick! Yoshino flies in and takes out Dragon Kid and World-1 stand over a fallen Cima. Poetry in Motion back elbow. They try the holding missile dropkick but Dragon Kid moves and Yoshino wipes out PAC. Double knees by Cima in the corner to PAC and then a spinning wheel kick by Kid. They put Yoshino on PAC’s shoulders while he’s kneeling and Cima flies off the top with a bulldog. Stereo missile dropkicks by Cima and Dragon Kid! Dragon Kid goes for the Ultra Hurricanrana but PAC catches him and Yoshino hits a running basement dropkick to the face. He goes up top but Cima stops him. He ends up on Cima’s shoulders up top and Kid hits the jumping frankensteiner! Perfect Driver! Yoshino kicks out! Superkick/Bible combo with a jackknife pin for good measure! PAC kicks out. Spinning headscissors spikes PAC on his head but he kicks out again. Dragon Kid teases the Dragonrana but of course misses. Lightning Spiral! Torbelino to Cima! Yoshino tries another Lightning Spiral to Kid but he counters. Powerbomb counters the hurricanrana! Springboard 450 Splash by PAC! German Suplex! Pin!

Winners: World-1 via Pin (German Suplex)

– The iPPV comes to a close with Ronin in street clothes (already) taunting Blood Warriors while Chucky sips a beer.

Instant Review

– One of the most obvious observations to make here is that there was no intermission and the show was about two and a quarter hours long with 7 matches. I’m going to say that hurt the show. Why? There was no time for anyone to stop and take in what they’d just seen. The company’s top championship changed hands in the third match of the evening and that was instantly forgotten as we headed directly into the next match. I personally would have appreciated some time to stop and try and figure out what the hell is going to happen with this three-night gauntlet BxB Hulk has been running, but instead I was calling Brodie Lee vs Jimmy Jacobs.

– That’s another thing; this felt like one of the old ROH PPVs that Gabe ran wherein they got around not being able to use anyone’s entrance music by having all the matches bleed together through post-match beat downs. Moxley’s gloating led from Tozawa’s match to his. Yamato’s assist at the end of that match led to his own. Jimmy Jacobs congratulating him on the title win led to his match with Brodie Lee. Ronin coming out to confront Blood Warriors led into their tag match. Rich Swann congratulating his Ronin teammates led to his match with Aries. Blood Warriors mocking Ronin led to the main event. The problem here is that as far as I know nobody in DGUSA uses copyrighted music, so what was the reason for this other than to make it difficult for me to recap and tweet at the same time? It was exciting in a couple of spots, and the storylines and feuds that are ongoing let it happen quite organically, but was there really a need for all 7 matches to run together?

– Another comparison I’m going to make to old-school ROH is that everybody was using the same damn moves. Say what you want about post-Gabe Ring of Honor, but they’re much better at making sure every match is different. There were 4 standing shooting star presses used tonight, as well as 4 ace crushers and more missile dropkicks and enzuigiris than I can count. The opener and the main event both ended with German suplexes too. I’m sure it’s tempting to leave the talent to just work out their own matches due to language barriers, but somebody needs to keep things like this in check.

– Let’s leave criticisms behind as we talk about the quality of the matches. As you’d expect from Dragon Gate the in-ring product was top-notch with every match delivering. I don’t particularly care for Sami Callihan but he wrestled a decent match with Akira Tozawa to open the show, though I could have lived without the fighting spirit sequence.

– Moxley was awesome on the mic and in the ring and Jigsaw brought his A-game too. The match ended pretty much how we all expected it too with some Kamikaze chicanery but that’s not a bad thing. Am I the only one who thought Reby Sky was pretty good on the mic?

– Yamato vs BxB was your typical Hulk singles match as he stretched his limited move-set as far as it would go and no-sold his leg damage while Yamato turned in a high caliber performance. His submissions were brutal, in particular the half crab with the foot on the neck and I expected this to mean that Hulk would retain but carry leg damage that he’d barely sell through to nights two and three. Instead we get a bizarre finishing sequence with Yamato forgetting to kick out of the EVO, BxB Hulk missing a Phoenix Splash but getting right back up and then Yamato winning the title to the shock of everybody. Not the kind of shock that results in a mega-pop either, the kind of shock where nobody realised what had happened. Yamato won the company’s world title and the fans barely responded while the commentary team stumbled all over each other to try and put it over despite it happening in the third match of the night to no fanfare. I approve of Yamato holding the title but this was not the time or place for it to happen, both because it screws up the gauntlet and because this triple shot is all about the tag tournament so nobody is going to care about what should be the biggest moment in the company to date.

– Jimmy Jacobs and Brodie Lee was strange. Brodie is an absolute beast with that power and agility combination. Jacobs looks good as a quasi-cruiserweight and it adds to his already solid technical game and brawling ability to make him a far more compelling wrestler. His interaction with Yamato before the match, war with Jon Moxley last year and the series of videos about his redemption were surely signs that he’s getting a push to the main event.. right? Well despite Lenny Leonard reminding us every two minutes about how he’s on a road to the world title, Jimmy lost to Brodie. Clean. That’s right, no weapons, no interference from the gang of Blood Warriors on the outside, no pulling of tights, holding of ropes or exposing of turnbuckles. Brodie just killed Jacobs with a powerbomb and pinned him. Sorry Jimbo.

– Ronin vs Doi & Ricochet was the match of the night and the sheer charisma of Ronin was a welcome presence after what had been a less than encouraging start to the show. Not that any of the wrestling was bad, but the results of the previous two matches had both been so strange. Both teams playing heel and then face was a bit strange but when they just got on with the wrestling this was fantastic. Ricochet flew like a madman, Taylor & Gargano busted out some innovative double teams and Doi applied himself sparingly but effectively. The finish made sense as Doi wasn’t the one to get pinned and Ricochet takes Taylor’s already ridiculously awesome finisher like nobody else, so it didn’t seem like an upset.

– Rich Swan and Austin Aries managed to be good despite its best efforts to fail. They had quite a few very minor communication issues and blown spots, and the arm injury moment in particular really hurt the match. It just didn’t look like Aries hurt himself and Swan actually took the move to boot. It came good in the end with Aries being temporarily unable to use his two finishing moves but he improvised and nailed a devastating super brainbuster, which was probably the move of the night. Swan is far more charismatic than I remember and his in-ring game has come a long way in a short time.

– The main event was nice but I felt it ended a bit abruptly. For one thing you are robbing a paying crowd by booking PAC to win a match without using the Corkscrew Shooting Star Press. But more than that it just seemed a little sudden after a frenetic exchange moments previously. Kid was in control, Yoshino took out both men, countered a comeback attempt and then PAC finished Kid off. I don’t know, I expected one or two more big moves, but given how many finishers don’t win matches in Dragon Gate perhaps this a good thing. I expected Cima and Dragon Kid to win this match and it’s interesting that Blood Warriors have fielded two teams and garnered 0 points so far. I’d expect World-1 to beat Doi & Ricochet tomorrow and for Cima & Kid to beat Ronin to leave the standings at 4-2-2-0. Then again, the 1 point for a draw ruling has been mentioned on numerous occasions so that will probably end up coming into effect.

Anyway, that’s more reviewing than I planned to do, but this is what happens when you don’t give me an intermission! Overall this was a decent if unremarkable show and I’m definitely intrigued as to what happens tomorrow and on Sunday. I won’t be doing the live recap tomorrow as I’m attending a TNA show in London, but I’ll certainly be ordering the replay.

Any and all comments are always welcome!