-Taped from Miami Beach, Florida
-Your hosts are Lenny Leonard, some guy named Colt Cabana for the first half of the show, and Chuck Taylor/Arik Cannon for the second half
-Bobby Fish vs. Jon Davis
Match in Five Words or Less: Go Fish
Match Highlights: This was supposed to happen at Evolve 9, but Kevin Steen interjected himself and made it a three way. We start out basic between two of the bigger members of the Dragon Gate USA roster. Shoulder tackles by Davis. Dropkick by Fish. Low kicks. Davis hits a spinebuster. Bodyslam with authority. A second one followed by a stomp. Davis hits a back elbow. Davis hits a forearm to send Fish down. Whip across sends Fish chest first into the buckle. Low knees to the inside leg by Fish. Another forearm by Davis. The crowd really doesn’t like him for whatever reason. Davis hits a stalling vertical suplex. Waistlock. Fish elbows out of it. Another low kick. Fish goes for a takedown. Knee lift leads to a two count. Kick to the midsection. Snapmare and Fish misses a springboard moonsault. Low kicks and a dragon screw legwhip. Fish Hook blocked as Davis tosses him away. Fish runs into a POUNCE! That looked better than you might think. Counter into an armbar. Davis lifts him for a powerslam. Fish has a kick blocked. Roaring elbow by Davis. Triangle choke. Fish Hook! Davis taps almost immediately.
Match Analysis: This was perfectly acceptable as an opener to get the crowd into things. For whatever reason, the crowd is really responsive to Fish. I guess that’s successful storytelling from Evolve? In all seriousness, this was a good little match. Fish worked over the legs with kicks and various moves before winning with a leg submission. Simple story.
Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Bobby Fish/9:34/**3/4
-Fish wants in on an Evolve title too. Um, what about the belt Johnny Gargano is holding?
–PAC comes out and puts over Low Ki. Pretty rare to have PAC cut a promo in front of the live crowd. PAC would love to have a rematch and it sounds like the crowd would too. Onto matters concerning tonight. PAC is going to replace Cima in the six man tag team match later tonight and will not be able to participate in his own invitational. Chuck Taylor comes out without boots on for whatever reason. PAC tosses the microphone and leaves the ring in disgust. Seems like an appropriate response. Chuck Taylor says with PAC in the main event, there’s going to be a Chuck Taylor Invitational later in the night. Why you ask? Because.
-Arik Cannon(w/Pinkie Sanchez) vs. AR Fox
Match in Five Words or Less: Please End This Feud
Match Highlights: Cannon attacks before the bell even rings. Chop along the ropes. Fox kick in the midsection. Dropkick. Running clothesline. He skins the cat but Cannon shoves him down hard. Fox sent into the guard rail. Chop and back in the ring. Fox hits a sliding dropkick. Kick flip and the crowd is clearly behind Fox. Cannon tossed back in the ring. Whip across. Cannon gets his boots up. Swinging neckbreaker. Clubbering blow to the back. Vertical suplex. Fox delivers shots. Cannon hits another back elbow. Cannon figure fours the legs and asks for a beer. Sanchez gives him one… but it’s not PBR! Elbow drop and some misting. Stunner by Fox. Running elbow sends Cannon in the corner. Lo Mein Pain blocked. Chop by Cannon. Eye poke instead of a second one. More clubbering blows. Fox misses a clothesline. He evades a clothesline and eventually hits an enziguri. Cannon meets Fox at the top rope. Fox pushes him off. Springboard missile dropkick. Springboard 450 to the floor sort of connects. Fox hits more clubbering blows. Leg drop to the apron. In the ring for a cover. Cannon sends Fox across. Fox gets his boots up. Cannon catches Fox and bucklebombs him. Lariat! Brainbuster countered. Elbow by Fox. Right hand by Cannon. Superkick into Total Anarchy. 1-2-NO! Crowd gets behind Fox again. Chop in the corner. Whip across. Flatliner into the middle buckle. Springboard splash right into a cover for two. Forearm. Cannon misses a right hand. Fox wraps around into a guillotine choke. Cannon lifts out of it into a brainbuster. 1-2-NO! Up and over on a whip. Enziguri by Fox. 450 misses but Fox rolls through. Cannon tosses him. Springboard Laurinitis crusher by Fox. Cannonball in the corner. He places Cannon on the top rope. Sami Calihan comes from nowhere and nails Fox in the head with a chair. Of course, the referee has no choice but to disqualify Cannon
Match Analysis: Good match. Bad finish. Cannon was well on his way to one of his better performances. Fox really seemed to have the crowd behind him. If this match wasn’t transitioning into Sabu and Sami Calihan, I’d probably feel differently. Oy vey. Great little match while it lasted at least.
Winner (s)/Time/Rating: AR Fox/11:01/***
-Calihan continues the assault with a chair and then spits some tobacco on Fox. That is absolutely revolting and really needs to stop. Calihan cuts another promo about Sabu and pledges to end his career… again. He wants the match to happen right now. Lights go out. Here’s Sabu.
-Sami Calihan vs. Sabu
Match in Five Words or Less: D.U.M.B
Match Highlights: All three members of the D.U.F work Sabu over. Jon Davis pounces Sanchez and clotheslines Cannon as Calihan works Sabu over with a chair. The brawl with Davis and the other members of the D.U.F goes outside. Calihan misses a stomp into the chair. Sabu hits a swinging springboard DDT. Sabu goes for a table. Calihan nails him in the back with a chair. The chair appears to break. Calihan sets a table up in perfect position so Sabu can dropkick it into him. Sabu sets a chair up in the ring. He messes up a triple jump dive. Oof. Another shot from Calihan. Sabu tossed in the crowd. Sabu reverses another whip into the guard rail. Sabu drives the right arm and brings Calihan over. He tosses a chair but misses. Calihan and Sabu each go for various weapons, mostly chairs. Cabana does a better job of putting over what they’re doing than this match deserves. Chair battle in the ring. Sabu tosses it right back in his face. Calihan tosses into the front row and onto a fan. That was reckless. Calihan DDTs Sabu onto a front row chair. Headbutt. Calihan spits beer into Sabu’s bloody face. Calihan brings Sabu in the ring and traps the arm under the ring bell. Calihan rings the bell. Stomp. Calihan hits a conchairto into the arm. Sabu is bleeding from the hand. Another shot to the arm with the chairs. He transitions to the legs. He tosses a chair in Sabu’s face. Chair on chair violence. Some morons chant for fire. Others shout them down. Good for those fans who said no. Sabu dropkicks Calihan. Way to no sell there dude. Table set up. Sabu reverses a whip. Both men springboard and… hit something…sort of. Double clothesline. DDT on the chair. Camel clutch by Sabu. The brawl comes back to the ring. Calihan bites out of the hold as Davis launches Sanchez. Plancha by Davis. Calihan heads up top. Sabu tosses the chair and Calihan ends up on the floor. Air Sabu! At least we know why the brawl came back…so Sabu can dive. Cover for two back in the ring. Sabu uses a chair to launch himself into Calihan in the corner. Calihan kicks the chair into Sabu’s legs. Calihan wears Sabu out with the chairs again. Stretch muffler. Sabu nails Calihan with a chair to get out of the hold. Leg drop into the chair and the back of Calihan. Calihan pours the bottle of dip into Sabu. Revolting. Calihan puts a chair in front of Sabu’s face. AR Fox dropkicks the chair into Calihan. Lo Mein Pain. Sabu nails Calihan in the head with a chair. He drives Calihan through the table with the Arabian facebuster. The pinfall is academic.
Match Analysis: I have no idea why this match got the time it did. That’s just the first thing wrong. The biggest problem is Calihan not winning the match. Bringing in Sabu was cute once or twice, but he is so done. He can barely move at this point. The purpose of Evolve 10 seemed to be to put ECW to bed once and for all. Whatever people might think of that ending, it’s counterproductive from a booking standpoint to then have a young star like Calihan lose to Sabu a couple months later. I really hope this feud is over. Fox and Calihan need to move onto better things. Sabu needs to be moved out of DG USA. It also doesn’t help Sabu no sold a ton of chairshots and that this was just mindless violence.
Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Sabu/18:05/**
-Calihan beats up some random geeks, including poor Johnny Vandal who has to take a stretch muffler on the outside and a chair shot to the back.
-Gabe Sapolsky puts over Colt Cabana’s podcast while the ring gets cleaned up. Well, that was nice of him.
-Chuck Taylor Invitational: Chuck Taylor vs. Lince Dorado vs. Samuray Del Sol vs. Rick Swann vs. Cima vs. El Generico
Match in Five Words or Less: OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLE!
Match Highlights: Chuck Taylor attacks Lince Dorado and Samuray Del Sol. He says the invitational begins right now. Now he’s barefoot. Cima and Rich Swann hit the ring. Taylor says he hates Cima, Swann, and luchadors. Then El Generico comes out and the place goes BANANAS! Loudest pop of the night by far. This show is an automatic thumbs up just for everyone’s reaction, especially Cima’s. Generico waves at Cima. I love this match already. Swann can’t believe it. Cima and Swann start. Feeling out process. Cima gets a quick roll-up for two. Handshake but Cima kicks him in the gut. Swann cartwheels over and dropkicks him out of the ring. Dorado and Del Sol in next. They’re actually a team in Resistance Pro. Lucha sequence from the luchadors. Makes sense. Taylor attacks. Generico gives chase but Taylor runs away. Generico takes his turn against Del Sol. Shoulder tackle. OLE! Kick to the midsection and a whip in the corner. Del Sol gets boots up but is monkey flipped over. Leg lariat by Generico. Taylor attacks from behind. Rake of the eyes and a tag to Dorado. Quick roll-up gets two. Tag to Cima. Dropkick. Cima ties Generico’s tassles in the middle rope. Taylor boots him. Cima doesn’t like that. Referee unties the tassles. Into the buckle and Swann comes in. Snapmare and a kick to the back. Generico bodyslams Swann. Swann sent into the buckle. Punches in the corner. Taylor tags in at nine. Del Sol quickly comes in and hits a dropkick. Another dropkick off the ropes. Swann sent into the buckle. Bodyslam. Springboard splash. Chinlock. Swann elbows out. Back elbow. Swan delivers another elbow. Taylor tags Swann in the back hard. Del Sol accidentally nails Swann. Soul Food. Boot and a two count. Back suplex. Cima smells Taylor’s feet and fake passes out. Amazing. Taylor calls for a piledriver. Del Sol hits a sliced bread. Generico comes back and hits a series of clotheslines. Open-hand slap and a swinging DDT. Taylor hits a boot and rakes the eyes. Dorado dives on him. Cima hits a senton. Everyone works Taylor over. Generico ends the attack with a yakuza kick. Generico beats up Taylor on the outside. Cima dropkicks Del Sol to prevent a dive. Leg lariat from Dorado. Generico boots Dorado and chops him. Dorado taken up and over. Right hand. Dorado hits an asai moonsault. Swann hits a ridiculous DDT on Generico. Blue thunder powerbomb on Swann. Cima breaks the pin. Sliced bread but Cima gets out of it. Rana turned into a tombstone for two. Taylor breaks a potential Schwein up. Del Sol hits a rana out of nowhere for two. Boot by Taylor. Reverse of the whip. Taylor hits a jumping knee. Uranagi. Dorado breaks the count. Boot by Dorado. He hits a springboard moonsault for two. Chop. Taylor hits a boot in the face. Cima hits a backcracker. Big splash by Swann. Generico hits an exploder in the corner. Shooting star press by Dorado with Generico standing. Wow. Everyone is down. Del Sol kicks Dorado through the ropes. Del Sol almost crashes and burns on a dive. Swann teases a dive. However, Taylor nails him from behind. He calls for the finish. Cima superkicks him. Schwein. 1-2-NO! Dorado breaks the count. Chop exchange. Dorado goes over with Cima on an exploder. Cima nails Dorado on the top rope. Dorado tosses Cima. Generico hits a yakuza kick. Top rope brainbuster. Good night Lince.
Match Analysis: How amazing is it that El Generico went from being jobbed out just earlier in the day to now coming into DG USA with all kinds of fresh match-ups? The crowd was f’ing happy to see him. This was a case of delivering on a surprise and giving the fans a little extra for their money. It helps that this match was crazy fun. I’m glad Cima could participate in some way, even if it wasn’t the main event. Lots of awesome action as everyone got to showcase themselves. Here’s to hoping Generico makes many more appearances in DG USA. Taylor as a heel was dynamite, and he’s got a real chance to break out from the Ronin mold.
Winner (s)/Time/Rating: El Generico/19:06/***3/4
–Lenny Leonard introduces Cima and CZW owner DJ Hyde for a special announcement. To say CZW gets a lukewarm response would be a gross understatement. DG USA and CZW will be running the Meadowlands Convention Center in New Jersey the following year, but they’re not coming alone. CHIKARA WILL ALSO BE THERE! The pop for the mere mention of CHIKARA was amazing. Wonder how Ring of Honor feels about that. If nothing else, Cima and DJ Hyde in the same ring together was one of the more surreal things I’ve seen this year.
-The Scene (Scott Reed and Caleb Konley w/Larry Dallas and Arena Chick girls) vs. Los Ben Dijos (Ben Dijo and Cruz)
Match in Five Words or Less: Dirtiest Match Ever
Match Highlights: The latter’s team name means a rather nasty term. The Scene? Considering Larry Dallas is there, it’s just nasty. Amber O’Neal pantomimes both oral and anal sex with the respective members of the Scene. Konley and Ben Dijo start. Nice rana early on from Dijo. Boot to the arm and an armdrag. Double hip toss as Cruz enters. Springboard moonsault. Konley gets a shot to the gut. Reed comes in but doesn’t fare much better. Double team on Reed. Reed tears Dijo by the hair. He boots Konley and hits a headscissors. He preps for a dive. Larry Dallas grabs his foot. Dijo fakes a dive as Konley hides behind Shelley Martinez. Konley sends Dijo into the rail. Heat segment. Miscommunication leads to the hot tag. Cruz hits a leg lariat on Konley. Sunset flip leads to double knees. Reed has to break the count. Double low dropkicks. Double team leads to a soccer kick. Running forearms. They switch places but each get hip tossed. Slingshot into the powerslam. DDT into a German suplex. Scene get the victory.
Match Analysis: A lot of what I had to say last night still applies. This was just a match to come out of intermission and nothing more. Los Ben Dijos looked perfectly fine in the ring with Konley and Reed.
Winner (s)/Time/Rating: The Scene/6:27/*1/2
-Open the Freedom Gate Championship: Johnny Gargano (champion) vs. Masato Yoshino (Open the United Gate Champion)
Match in Five Words or Less: Welcome Back Johnny
Match Highlights: It’s crazy to think this is the only belt in either Japan or the states Yoshino has never won. Feeling out process as you might expect. Quick enziguri in the corner. Tope suicida and a senton off the apron from the Freedom Gate champion. Back in the ring. Snapmare and a dropkick to the back. Wristlock and he wrenches down on the left shoulder. Cloverleaf while also stretching the shoulder. Stomps by Gargano. Snap suplex right into a cover. Back to the hammerlock. Yoshino rolls through the bridge and reaches the bottom rope. Chop exchange. Kick by Gargano. Elbow by Yoshino. Stomps to the shoulder as he sets up for Sal Naciente. Chop in the corner. Series of kicks. Yoshino hits a running dropkick. Gargano protects his shoulder. Sledge. Yoshino rolls through and stretches his entire body out. Yoshino hits more stomps in the corner. Forearms by Gargano. Yoshino strikes back with a chop. Gargano blocks a whip. Reverse but a dropkick misses. Yoshino hits one of his own. Snap suplex blocked. Gargano rolls him over and hits a boot. Dive misses. Spear back in the ring. Chop in the corner. Boots up. Submission hold in the ropes. Springboard into a knee strike. Boot by Yoshino. Sitdown powerbomb gets two for Gargano. Running forearm. Lawn dart countered. Boot in the corner. Reverse of the top. Sling Blade. Yoshino sunset flips. Roll over. Gargano takes him over. Alabama slam and a kick to the side of the head. Garga-No Escape. Yoshino quickly reaches the bottom rope. Gargano is bleeding from the nose. Boots out of the corner. Yoshino hits a DDT. The announcers are doing a tremendous job of putting over Sal Naciente throughout. Dropkick off the top rope. Slaps. Hurtz Doughnut countered. Yoshino tries locking the arm. Series of counters. Yoshino gets a roll-up for two. Up and over for Garga-No Escape as Yoshino tries to insult Gargano. Gargano hangs around. Double stomp on the left arm. Enziguri. Yoshino comes from behind and hits Torbelino. Sal Naciente! Gargano escapes and applies his own submission. The referee drops Yoshino’s arm twice. Yoshino reaches the rope. Strike exchange that eventually builds to both men getting taken down again. Dropkick in the corner by Gargano. Lawn dart sends Yoshino into the post. Series of counters again. Jesus. Yoshino rolls the champion up for two. Superkick into Hurtz Doughnut. 1-2-NO! A second Hurtz Doughnut into Garga-No Escape. Yoshino taps!
Match Analysis: They didn’t over play the false finishes, which I appreciated with the six man tag still to come. Yoshino sometimes gets criticized (justifiably) for some of his actions in matches. Thanks to the great work done by the announcers and the build-up that’s been done, Sal Naciante really meant something. Therefore, all the arm work meant something. Some great exchanges between these two. Gargano didn’t look rusty at all in his two Miami matches, and it’s great to see still elevate his performance. We can only hope the back injury was a mere hiccup in his career.
Winner (s)/Time/Rating: STILL Open the Freedom Gate Champion-Johnny Gargano/20:24/****1/4
-Yoshino and Gargano show sportsmanship after the match Chuck Taylor comes from behind and focuses his attack on Gargano’s injured back. We can only assume a Freedom Gate title match is forthcoming between these two soon.
-Low Ki, BxB Hulk, and Akira Tozawa (w/Christina Von Eerie) vs. PAC, Ricochet, and Masaaki Mochizuki
Match in Five Words or Less: The Usual Insanity
Match Highlights: Mad Blankey attacks from behind while Low Ki goes to his team’s corner. Hulk and Tozawa double up on Mochizuki. Immediate cover for two. I guess we’re not getting a token feeling out process in this one. Double dropkicks finally miss. Mochizuki kicks them both in the chest. Ricochet enters. Que paso into an armdrag. Dropkick. Hulk exits. Low Ki slows things down a bit. Fans ask for PAC. Ricochet obliges. Shoulder tackle by Ki. Up and over. Ki hits another one. He fakes a dive. Ki invites PAC in the ring. More sportsmanship. Front facelock by Ki. They go in the corner. Chop by Ki. PAC up and over. Handsprings and he avoids the boot. Headscissors. Some posturing. PAC grabs a quick chinlock. Exploder. Ki sent into the top turnbuckle. Whip in the corner. PAC hits a back elbow. Facelock. Knee to the midsection. Whip. Ki mule kicks him away. Facelock. Ricochet tags in. Boots to Ki. Mochizuki kicks away at Ki. Ki responds. These two definitely need to have a one-on-one match in DG USA before the year is done. Mochizuki just kicks the bajesus out of Ki. Good to see someone give it back to Ki. And Ki comes back with kicks of his own. Mochizuki low bridges him. Punt sends Ki into the rail hard. Ricochet gets a quick two. Kick exchange doesn’t go well for Ricochet at all. Ricochet ducks a chop and handsprings into a headscissors. Dive met with a kick. Hulk takes out Ricochet’s partners on the apron. Crowd loudly chants Tozawa’s name. Standing senton. Von Eerie holds a chair. Tozawa uses it and sentons Ricochet. Right hands from Ricochet. Pair of kicks into a flatliner. Double hip toss. Kick combinations. Bodyslam from Ki. Knee drops. Modified chinlock. Elbows from Ricocchet. Ki flapjacks Ricochet. Hulk hits a series of stomps. Back heel kick and a corkscrew press. Wow. Tozawa hits a double sledge to the back. Chops in the corner. He goes all Kenta Kobashi on Ricochet. Straight right as Ricochet demands one more chop. Drop toehold by Hulk. Elbow by Tozawa. Camel clutch. Kick to the top of the head by Hulk. Off the ropes but a clothesline misses. Ricochet gets whipped in the corner and a tag to Mochizuki. Kick to Tozawa while on the apron. Corkscrew dive to the outside by Ricochet. PAC headbutts Ki in the midsection. Ki reverses a whip. Elbows by PAC. Ki placed on the top rope. Ki shoves him off. PAC hits a rana. Ki rolls over and hits a double stomp. Good God. Mochizuki breaks the count. Hulk whips Mochizuki. Series of kicks. Hulk with some of his own. Shot to the gut. Mochizuki takes Hulk’s leg and gets an anklelock. Tozawa bicycle kicks Mochizuki. Ricochet misses an enziguri. German suplex blocked. Knee by Ricochet. Boot by Tozawa in the face. Whip reversed. Running headbutt. Enziguri. He leaps into the double knees of Tozawa. Ricochet whipped. Hulk taken up and over. Double team combo ends with a back suplex by Tozawa for two. German suplex blocked. Mochizuki kicks Tozawa in the back. Running sick kick. Ricochet hits a standing splash. Attention turns to Tozawa. Triple team. PAC ends the attack with a powerbomb. Hulk has to break the count. Some of the action goes outside. Mochizuki and Hulk have a kick exchange. Mouse. Back heel kick. Kicks to the head. Superkick countered with a leg sweep. PAC misses a charge. Ki hits a clothesline. Flapjack. Triple team on PAC as Ki hits a springboard kick. Cover for two. Tozawa hits a rana on Mochizuki. He rolls over with a shining wizard. Ricochet comes in and eventually gets a springboard Laurinitis crusher. Ki straight dropkicks Ricochet into the corner. Good God almighty. PAC hits double boots. Shooting star kick to Ki’s head. AHHHHHHH! Mochizuki and Tozawa are left standing. Exchange of kicks and strikes. This is ridiculous. Tozawa sends Mochizuki in the corner. German suplex. Hulk with a series of kicks. First Flash. Another German by Tozawa. 1-2-NO! Tozawa locks the arms and hits one more German suplex to finally get the victory.
Match Analysis: It goes without saying that this is one of the best exhibitions every year. The best part about this match is there was a story attached to it with Mad Blankey feuding with everyone else on the other team. Ki did not fit in team wise with Hulk or Tozawa but he had some incredible exchanges with Mochizuki and PAC. Just an amazing contest with no feeling out process and straight-up action from bell-to-bell. Another match of the year contender for DG USA this weekend.
Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Low Ki, BxB Hulk, and Akira Tozawa /21:24/****1/2
The Verdict: Of all the iPPVs this weekend, this may have been the strongest as far as match quality and angle development. Take away the Calihan and Sabu garbage, and you’ve got another really strong show from Dragon Gate USA. The last two matches really brought everything together. The American talent is really mixing in with the Japanese talent in a positive way. And now with El Generico added to the mix, there is the possibility for even more dream matches to be realized. Another giant thumbs up for Dragon Gate USA.
Los Ben Dejos.