DG USA Chasing the Dragon 2011 DVD Review

In looking at our archives, I noticed we didn’t have any reviews of this show… at least the DVD version. Considering I was looking for some reviews to put in the can during the month of May and I wanted to rewatch the main event of this show, I figured this was as good a time as any to review Chasing the Dragon. Plus, there are a couple other interesting notes from the show we can discuss considering where we are at now with DG USA.

-Taped from Indianapolis, Indiana

-Your hosts are Lenny Leonard and Rob Naylor

-PAC cuts a promo on Ricochet since they’ll be wrestling in the main event and on all three shows in some form or fashion this weekend. PAC wants to prove his team is the best group of high flyers. Rich Swann speaks some Japanese and implies his team is number one.

-Jon Davis had a request to establish dominance in DG USA. He wants a piece of the D.U.F, and it starts with Arik Cannon based on the events of Atlanta six months earlier.

-The Scene (Scott Reed and Caleb Konley) vs. Tripp Cassidy and Remi Wilkins

Match in Five Words or Less: The Scene Rises

Match Highlights: This was a part of the tag team discovery as DG USA was looking to bring in a new team to be a part of its roster. Reed and Cassidy start things off a bit slowly. Reed slaps Cassidy in the back. Cassidy gets low bridged but doesn’t quite make it over. Reed takes him the rest of the way over. Hard slap in the back. Konley gets a shot in the back and Regalplex for two. Reed splash mountains Cassidy in the corner. Continued double team flurry and Wilkins has to break the count. Reed drives Cassidy’s face into his knee. Wilkins comes in and manages some offense. Dropkick on Reed. Stomp in the corner. Reed clotheslines Cassidy and turns him inside/out. Reed hip tosses Wilkins into the corner. Double team DDT into the Wheelbarrow German suplex by Reed for the victory.

Larry Dallas runs into the ring and talks. Referees escort him out since he was allegedly banned from DG USA at this point.

Match Analysis: This match was literally designed for the Scene to look dominant and move onto the next challenge. Absolutely nothing wrong as they did indeed obliterate the competition and showcased themselves.

Winner (s)/Time/Rating: The Scene/3:19/*

–Ricochet cuts a promo of his own with Akira Tozawa and Cima sitting next to him. Ricochet says he’s going to prove why he’s the most elite high flyer in the world. All the fans will know Ricochet is better. Well, okay then.

-Aaron Draven vs. Uhaa Nation

Match in Five Words or Less: Who’s The New Guy?

Match Highlights:  I was literally just waiting for Brodie Lee to come out for his run-in since we had two no name guys having the second match on the card. Sure, Uhaa Nation was a big guy, but who was he really? Immediate forearms by Nation. Back elbow off the ropes. Overhead throw. Hard forearm on the outside and Draven is sent into the side of the ring. He flips in. Shoulder tackle by Nation. Sunset flip. Boot by Traven. Springboard leg drop on Nation. Forearms. Nation hits a backbreaker. Another forearm. Shoulder tackle in the corner. Boot by Traven. Enziguri. Somersault senton into the back of Nation. Nation catches Traven and powerbombs him twice. A third slingshot powerbomb gets two. Standing shooting star press! Nation gets three. He tells us to remember this face. And we will.

Match Analysis: In one squash match, Nation become a star. His power, intensity, and agility would set him up for future bookings, not only in DG USA, but in promotions all over the east coast and Midwest. Who would have thought one training seminar could have set someone up for so much success? It’s just unfortunate Nation was injured and couldn’t really reach heights in 2012.

Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Uhaa Nation/2:42/*1/2

-Johnny Gargano talks about moving up in DG USA. Chuck Taylor reads the newspaper. Neither one is sure where Rich Swann is. Gargano can’t seem to motivate Taylor to get serious.

-Jon Davis vs. Arik Cannon (w/Pinkie Sanchez)

Match in Five Words or Less: Pinkie Sanchez Rules

Match Highlights: Davis establishes a power advantage early. Boot to the back and clubbering blows by Cannon. Forearm and a chop in the corner. Whip reversed. Davis misses a charge. Forearm by Cannon followed by a boot to the back of the head. More forearms. Davis powerslams Cannon over. To the floor and Cannon takes advantage. Sanchez is cheering his man on. Davis rams Cannon into the guard rail and kicks him. Clothesline sends Cannon over the rail. Another forearm and they take a tour of the building. Right hand by Cannon. Dropkick while Davis is on the bleachers. Sanchez teases using a chair. Chop by Cannon. Davis looks unhappy. Forearm and another disgusting chop. Cannon sent over the guard rail again. Sanchez goes after Davis… and fails. He grabs Davis’s leg. Step-up enziguri by Cannon. Blatant choking. Forearms by Cannon. Snapmare and some choking with the t-shirt. He tosses it to Sanchez. More chops from Cannon. Biting. Davis with blows to the midsection. Another set of chops. Cannon thumbs Davis in the eye. Chop. Straight right to the cheek. Jabs in the corner. Davis refuses to be whipped. Cannon punches him. Now the whip is successful. He meets Davis’s boot. Back elbow and a forearm by Davis. Davis lifts Cannon up and drops him on his back to a cover. Cannon elbows Davis in the back of the neck. Elbow by Davis. Cannon follows Davis off the ropes and hits a lariat. Brainbuster blocked. Kick to the gut. Total Anarchy. 1-2-NO! Davis hits a spinebuster. Sanchez climbs up top. Davis POUNCES Sanchez clear across the ring. Punch, superkick, and brainbuster by Cannon. 1-2-NO! Chinbreaker. Leg lariat misses. Forearm. LARIAT! Three Seconds Around the World ends the proceedings.

Match Analysis: Nice effort from all three men here. Davis and Cannon don’t always get the credit they deserve but both are good wrestlers capabale of delivering quality action on any given night. Pinkie Sanchez certainly stole the show in this match with his facial expressions and ability to put Davis over as a total monster. Best match so far. The pounce on Sanchez was epic.

Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Jon Davis/11:47/**3/4

-Larry Dallas talks to the Scene. The Scene talks about dominating the tag team division. Good luck with that.

-Gregory Iron comes into the ring for the six way eliminator. Brodie Lee, who isn’t supposed to be in this match, comes out to interrupt. The rest of Blood Warriors comes out with Lee. Big boot to the face. Jesus. Powerbomb. Running powerbomb. Ricochet does some bragging of his own and puts over the rest of Blood Warriors. He smacks Iron in the face. Cima hits Schwein. Lee tosses Iron out. He calls out for the rest of the wrestlers in the eliminator to come out. Mike Sydal stupidly heads in the ring to match up with Lee. Lee spinebusters him. He wants more. Sugar Dunkerton takes a crack…literally…at Lee. The other Blood Warriors attack him. Flip Kendrick doesn’t even get in the ring before being booted in the face. Billy Roc, a local favorite, gets punched in the face. Who can stop Lee? Well, maybe BJ Whitmer. He waltzes down to ringside and asks for the microphone. Whitmer calls Lee a naughty name and tells him to send the rest of Blood Warriors to the back. Everyone does indeed leave, and I guess we have our match.

-Six Way Eliminator: Brodie Lee vs. Mike Sydal vs. Sugar Dunkerton vs. Flip Kendrick vs. Billy Roc vs. BJ Whitmer

Match in Five Words or Less: Lee Dominates

Match Highlights: Whitmer and Less battle it out. Everyone else helps Whitmer out and Lee is deposited to the outside. Kendrick and Whitmer match up. Pace picks up. Kendrick misses a springboard. Headscissors sends Whitmer out. Roc backslides Kendrick for two. Armdrag into a crucifix pin. Boot by Kendrick. Sweep of the leg. He lands on his feet in a moonsault attempt. Double dropkick on Lee. Dunkerton joins in on the fun. Back drop on Kendrick. Armdrag exchange. Dunkerton trips Roc and grabs a headlock. Roc counters into one of his own. Dunkerton gets a right hand. Kiss my Converse and a lariat! Punch to Lee as well. Sydal goes for a move. He gets an enziguri. Whitmer back in with strikes Whip and running knee. Snap suplex. He rolls over for a northern lights suplex. Whitmer hits a German suplex. Into a dragon suplex for two. Whitmer places Sydal on the top rope. Sydal headbutts him down. Rana but Whitmer rolls through and buckle bombs him. Lee kicked down back to the floor. Dunkerton says Whitmer isn’t so big. Forearm exchange turns into a chop exchange. Boot By Whitmer. Whitmer suplex Dunkerton over and they both end up on the floor. Spin kick by Roc on Kendrick. Slingshot dropkick. Springboard splash to Dunkerton and Whitmer. Sydal moonsaults everyone on the floor next. Kendrick corkscrew planchas four of the men. Roll-up by Sydal on Lee gets two. Powerbomb by Lee and Sydal is done. Whitmer kicks Lee in the back. Dunkerton cross bodies them. Roc comes in. Jabs by Dunkerton. Drop toehold by Roc. Kicks out of the head stand. Roc has some fun with Dunkerton. Elevation and a clothesline by Dunkerton. Slaps by Dunkerton. Backslide by Roc and Dunkerton is gone. Lee boots Roc in the face. Very quickly, Roc is gone as well. Whitmer and Kendrick try to team up. Ricochet tosses a chair in the ring. Whitmer catches it and uses it on Lee. Thus, he has been disqualified. Kendrick quickly covers Lee for two.  Modified senton grazes Lee for two. Lee goes for a chokeslam. Kendrick loses his balance and dropkicks Lee. A second one. Lee grabs Kendrick and hits a Truck Stop to pick up the win.

Match Analysis: This was a fairly good match with a fairly simple story. DG USA wanted to emphasize what a monster Lee was, and I’d say they did a great job of doing that. Everyone got their moments to shine, but Lee proved to be far too dominant. They also teased Whitmer and Lee but didn’t deliver on it. Solid job of whetting the appetite for a future bout between the two.

Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Brodie Lee/11:29/***

-Uhaa Nation says tonight was the only start for the one man nation. Good catchphrase.

-Sami Calihan vs. Naruki Doi

Match in Five Words or Less: Some Of Calihan’s Best

Match Highlights: Calihan gets to play 100% babyface since Doi is not only a heel, but Calihan was one of the top stars for the IPW promotion. Doi dropkicks Calihan right away. Blue thunder powerbomb for an immediate two count. Choking in the corner. More stomps. Elbow drop. Chop by Doi. Right hand. Snapmare into a headlock. Calihan headbutts Doi. Chop in the corner. Boot by Doi. Off the ropes with an elbow. Suplex countered. Elbows by Doi. Hard chops. Calihan fires back with chops of his own. Doi guillotines Calihan. Rolling senton gets two. Calihan rolls underneath the bottom rope. Doi chops Calihan. With Calihan prone in the ropes, Doi takes full advantage and hits the senton off the top rope. Running back elbow. Running forearm sends Calihan down. Charge misses. Step-up enziguri by Calihan. Running boots. Doi hits another elbow. Chop by Calihan. Bicycle kick. Vertical suplex. Boot by Calihan. Assisted lariat. Tope suicida sends Doi into the rail hard. To various guard rails as Calihan chops him. Calihan climbs to the top and misse s a splash. Waistlock but Calihan counters. Doi hits a dropkick. Stomps in the corner. Calihan hits a lariat. Doi elbows Calihan while in the firemen’s carry position. Calihan hits a death valley driver. Strike exchange. Doi hits a rydien bomb for two. Cannonball in the corner. Calihan hits the back drop driver. Running forearm. 1-2-NO! Both men slowly rise. Various strikes and headbutts by both men. Doi with lightning chops. Forearm and chops by Calihan. Series of slaps again. Calihan spits on him. Sliding kick misses. Stretch muffler. Doi rolls him up for two. Doi-5. Bakatare sliding kick leads to a two count. Doi climbs to the second turnbuckle. Calihan joins him. Elbows. Doi lifts him up and hits a Doi-5 off the top. A second Bakatare sliding kick leads to victory for Doi.

Match Analysis: One of the things I really appreciated about this match was the fact that they turned the tempo up right away and distinguished it from everything else on the card up to this point. Doi had himself a very strong weekend, and this was the start of it. Calihan as a babyface just works out so much better for everyone involved. His annoying habits aren’t as bad as in this role. Very good contest going into intermission.

Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Naruki Doi/13:05/***1/2

-Louis Lyndon vs. Pinkie Sanchez

Match in Five Words or Less: Pinkie Sanchez Still Rules

Match Highlights: Sanchez has a match with Sabu the next night, so consider this a warm-up. Sanchez has the outfit and fork to mock his upcoming opponent.  Neither man can get the advantage to start. They scream at each other. Sanchez claims a hair pull for no reason. Kick in the knee by Sanchez. Shoulder tackle goes nowhere. Sanchez dives and misses. Up and over goes Lyndon. He brings Sanchez’s legs down. High cross body for two. Bicycle kick blocked. Lyndon sends Sanchez into the corner. Sanchez shoves Lyndon off the floor, and he hits the guard rail. Sanchez drops Lyndon on the rail stomach first. Evian spew Double stomp on Lyndon while he’s sitting on the steps. Sanchez goes to kick Lyndon in the gut. Lyndon blocks. Elbow by Sanchez. Kick combo from Lyndon sends Sanchez to the floor. Tope con helo between the ropes. Full nelson by Lyndon. Blows by Sanchez. Dragon suplex gets two. Stomp by Sanchez. Dragon testicle whip. Good God. Flying apple but Lyndon rolls him up. Palm strike for two. Springboard moonsault misses for Lyndon. Flying hip attack gets two for Sanchez. Lyndon sent into the buckle. Rake of the back by Sanchez. Burning hammer. 1-2-3.

Match Analysis: The very definition of a typical match to bring everyone back into the show after intermission. This was designed to give Sanchez at least one singles victory before being destroyed by Sabu the next night. He’s an extremely talented and underrated guy. While I don’t see him ever being a main eventer, he’s a tremendous pleasure to watch, both for his energy and ability in the ring. Lyndon, as I’ve said many times in my AAW reviews, is no slouch. Since his previous DG USA appearances, he’s improved significantly.

Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Pinkie Sanchez/7:11/**1/2

-Davis has two more matches to go in his personal challenges. He says he’s ready.

-Ronin (Johnny Gargano and Chuck Taylor) vs. Junction Three (Yamato [Open the Freedom Gate Champion] and Masato Yoshino [Open the United Gate Champion])

Match in Five Words or Less: Dissension in Ronin

Match Highlights: Both Gargano and Taylor were on a path to title matches against Yamato, so this was an excellent chance to get at him. Gargano manages to get the microphone working…sort of. He says he’s going to make Yamato tap tonight. Taylor also promises to go after the singles title and tells Gargano to win the tag belts from Yoshino and PAC. Taylor tags Gargano right away because he wants to start with Yamato. Feeling out process. Neither man gets the advantage. Gargano tags in to match up with Yoshino. Pace picks up as Yoshino hits a running knee strike. Gargano gets boots out of the corner and double stomp. Flurry of offense sends Yoshino down. Taylor boots Yoshino. Stomps. Gargano gets taken into the Junction Three corner. They make a wish on him. Yamato gets annoyed Taylor shouting at him. Can’t blame him. Taylor gets a right hand on Yamato. Headbutts by Ronin fail. Right hands. Double team back elbow. Rear chinlock and Yamato joins in on the fun. Applied headscissors. Yamato hooks a figure four leglock. Double chops by Taylor. Double axehandle. Double back elbow. Some shucking and jiving. Stomps. Yoshino and Yamato work Gargano’s arm. Taylor throws a shoe in the ring. Yamato tosses it back at his head. Back to work on the arm. Drop toehold into a basement dropkick by Yoshino. Gargano battle back. DDT on Yamato while he flatlines Yoshino. Hot tag made. Boot by Yamato. Taylor goes up and over. Shoulder block and springboard dropkick. Knee by Yoshino. Back elbow by Taylor. Moonsaul misses. Overhead belly-to-belly suplex. Running dropkick. Northern lights suplex gets two. Yoshino out of a powerbomb. Octopus. Taylor grabs the rope quickly. Double stomp to the elbow. Taylor hits a superkick. Gargano and Yamato each tag in. Forearm exchange. Boot by Yamato. Roll-up. Kick countered. Crossface by Yamato. Stomps. Brainbuster blocked. Gordbuster. Leaping enziguri by Yamato. Brainbuster reverses a brainbuster. Garga-No Escape. Taylor takes Yoshino out. Ronin sets up a double team. Yamato spears Taylor. Dropkick on Gargano. Junction Three double team Gargano. Dropkick/senton combo from Yoshino. Spear back in the ring. Taylor hits a springboard moonsault in the ring. Half crab on Yoshino. Yamato saves his partner. Forearm exchange. Elbow by Yamato. Flying clothesline. Brainbuster. Charging forearm. Yoshino hits a reverse DDT. Gargano sends Yoshino into the post. Taylor backs out of Galleria. Series of kicks. Double team Laurinitis driver leads to a two count. Lungblower into the Hertz Doughnut. Chop exchange between Yoshino and Gargano. Slingblade. Soul Food by Taylor. Running dropkick in the corner. Gargano hits the Hertz Doughnut and goes into the Garga-No Escape. Taylor tries the Awful Waffle on Yoshino but gets blocked.  Torbellno. Yoshino applies Sal Nociente as we have duel submission holds applied. Taylor verbally submits with the idea being Taylor didn’t want Gargano to submit the Freedom Gate champion.

Match Analysis: Very good match that further teased the dissension between Ronin and gave Gargano a chance to warm up against the champion.  This match was very similar to the match at the Open the Ultimate Gate, which certainly makes sense given three of the four participants are the same.

Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Junction Three/18:04/***3/4

-Yamato says Taylor and Gargano can both challenge for his belt.

-BJ Whitmer likes what he sees in DG USA except for Brodie Lee.

-Captain’s Match: PAC (captain), AR Fox, and Rich Swann vs. Ricochet (captain),Cima, and Akira Tozawa

Match in Five Words or Less: An Underrated Classic

Match Highlights: The rules are fairly simple. The captain of one team must pin the captain of the other team. By all rights, that should have killed any potential this match had dead.  Ricochet teases starting with PAC, but Tozawa tags in instead. Swann joins Tozawa. We get some early shenanigans as Swann dances. Knee by Tozawa. Pace picks up in a hurry. Dropkick sends Tozawa outside. Swann fakes a dive. Ricochet dumps Swann to the floor. PAC gets tripped up and sent outside. Fox gets kicked in the midsection. Catches the boot and a forearm. Leapfrog and a kick to the gut. Another leapfrog and a dropkick. Fox hits a springboard elbow. Kick to the head. Springboard kick flip. PAC dropkicks Ricochet. Fox forearms him down. Double dives by Fox and PAC. Fox and Swann back in the ring. Stomps in the corner. Swann sends Tozawa back in the corner. Chops in the corner. 10 punches in the corner. One more chop for good measure. PAC boots Tozawa and stomps away. Double axe by Tozawa. Cima helps out on a back elbow. Elbow and face rake by Ricochet. European uppercut. PAC takes Ricochet back into his corner. Fox with a shot to the back. Bodyslam,. Split-legged twisting senton. No cover however. Double back elbow by Fox and Swann. Double axe by PAC. Knee drop. Whip in the corner. Running back elbow. Tozawa makes sure there is no cover and protects Ricochet. Into the Blood Warriors corner. Cima with stomps. Snapmare and snap double stomp. Modified chinlock. Snap suplex blocked. PAC hits one of his own. Boots by Tozawa. Stomps. Chop. Straight right hand. Ricochet delivers a shot to the back. Snapmare. Cima springboard splashes in. Ricochet rolls off his knees on the ropes into a senton of his own. Right hands. Spinning kick by Ricochet. Stomps in the corners. Measured kicks. Swann knocked off the apron. Tag to Cima. Drop toehold. Double team dropkick. Bodyslam and standing senton. Double teams by Blood Warriors. Swann has to break a cover. He gets dropkicked off the apron for his troubles. Tozawa has some fun with PAC. Forearm exchange. Bicycle kick by Tozawa. Enziguri by PAC misses. PAC up and over. Springboard missile dropkick. Tag to Swann. Cima rakes his eyes right away. Kick in the corner. Swann up and over. Forearm. Springboard into an enziguri.  Leg drop off the back on Tozawa. Springboard 450 to the floor. Springboard acecrusher by Swann. One by Pac. Standing dive by Swann. Standing shooting star press by PAC. Blood Warriors breaks the count. Double stomp by Cima on Swann. Running boot. Running senton. Swann counters and hits a kick to the midsection. Boots. Superkick. Firemen’s carry into the Finlay Roll. Standing 450 but Cima gets his knees up. Tozawa hits a bicycle kick. Fox hits a stunner on him. Kick to the gut and spinning enziguri. Back drop driver. Tozawa catches PAC with a dropkick. Blood Warriors triple team PAC. Swann has to break the count. Junction Three take their turn on Ricochet. Cima just breaks the count up. Unreal.  Blood Warriors sends Fox and Swann away. Tozawa has an O’Connor roll blocked. Bicycle kick. German suplex. Cima hits Schwein. Ricochet hits 630, and Blood Warriors finally get the win.

Match Analysis: If this match was just balls to the walls action, you’d still end up with a great showcase main event. However, these six told a story. Not a complicated one either. The focus at any one time was on the captains. Blood Warriors worked over PAC for most of the match and kept him in the ring. Eventually, wearing him down led to the victory. Just an amazing match that started off ridiculously with the dives and quick pace. If DG USA did a better job releasing their DVDS, this could have gotten more pub for being one of the best matches of 2011.

Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Ricochet, Akira Tozawa, and Cima/17:33/****1/2

-Blood Warriors try continuing the beatdown on PAC. Junction Three make the save. Here comes other members of Blood Warriors. Ronin finally comes out to help Junction Three. Blood Warriors take their leave. Taylor asks Swann why he’s in Junction Three. He again mentions Gargano challenging for the tag team titles as opposed to the singles title. Taylor superkicks Yoshino out of nowhere. He and Gargano leave. Taylor asks Swann who he’s with. Swann reluctantly leaves with Ronin. PAC gives the thank you speech.

-Calihan and Cannon beat up Sanchez in the back. Calihan wants Cannon to get serious. Anything D.U.F related equals death when it comes to promos. Calihan makes fun of Fox and his gear.

The Verdict: This wasn’t exactly an A show by DG USA standards, but man did the main event deliver. It took this to a thumbs down or thumbs in the middle into a must see. Doi and Calihan delivered a very good match, as did the guys in the semi-main. So if you purchase this on WWN or their website, you’re not getting a one match show. Thumbs up for Chasing the Dragon.

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