~ Luke Hickey https://twitter.com/PuroReviews / Originally posted on https://openthefangate.wordpress.com/
Open The Twin Gate Championship Match
Kung Fu Masters (Jacky “Funky” Kamei & Jason Lee) (c) vs. Dragon Dia & Madoka Kikuta
Won it as Kung Fu Masters, defending it as Kung Fu Masters. Madoka Kikuta aligned himself with D’courage back in August. Kikuta is the last of his class to win a title, SBK is a former 2x Brave Gate, former Triangle Gate and former Twin Gate title holder while Kamei had a brief stint holding the Triangle Gate earlier in the year prior to winning the Twin Gate with Lee at Kobe. Kikuta had previously challenged for the big one, the Dream Gate, against Shun Skywalker at DEAD or ALIVE 2021 but suffered an injury early on in that match that kept him out for a year. The classmates start off but Kung Fu Jacky despite his size disadvantage has Kikuta a bit rattled. The pace between Dia and Lee is already quite fierce, Lee targeting Dia’s bad knee and Kung Fu in control early. The combination work from both teams was great, particularly enjoyed Kung Fu Masters but really like what Kikuta and Dia have put together in the last month or so. The hip attacks of Kikuta are on full show here, he may no longer be Hip Hop Kikuta but they are certainly still a dangerous weapon in his arsenal. The combination of his strength and Dia’s speed is a great watch, as the work of Kamei and Lee. Kikuta really rocks Lee near the end with a Lariat but Lee kicks out, Kikuta destroys him with a D3 and his Snap Piledriver to win his first titles in DRAGONGATE!
Dragon Dia & Madoka Kikuta win via pinfall following Kikuta’s Snap Piledriver on Lee. Masters fail in V1, Dia & Kikuta become 59th Twin Gate Champions.
Singles Match
Kaito Nagano vs. Yasushi Kanda
Nagano is one of the newest graduates from the DG Dojo factory line, and hopes seem to be high for this new guy. Very slight and quick, inspired by Dragon Kid to become a professional wrestler. Nagano is getting a bit more of showing than he did against BxB Hulk but Kanda quickly gets annoyed by the youngsters forearms. Nagano nearly causes an upset twice with two near falls after countering two John Woo attempts. Kanda prevails in the end with his Gekokujoh Elbow.
Kanda wins via pinfall following Gekokujoh Elbow
8Man Tag Team Match
Ultimo Dragon, Genki Horiguchi, Kenichiro Arai & Konomama Ichikawa vs. Shachihoko Boy, Takashi Yoshida, Punch Tominaga & Mondai Ryu
Tominaga shaved his head, finally accepting that his hairline is passed its best years. Considering who is involved here, I suspect this will have a decent portion of comic relief. And I’m okay with that because Ichikawa is the greatest wrestler of all time. The match goes at a decent pace as they get in their greatest hits, fun match for what it is.
Shachihoko, Yoshida, Tominaga & Mondai Ryu via pinfall following Yoshida’s Pineapple Bomber on Ichikawa
Tag Team Match
Kung Fu Masters (Ho Ho Lun & Super Shenglong III) vs. Shuji Kondo & Toru Owashi
Could the Tokyo excursion for the Kung Fu Masters be a total bust? Ho Ho Lun and Shenglong have their work cut out against the two powerhouses of Kondo and Owashi, former members of the infamously fired Aagan Iisou. Good combination work again from Kung Fu Masters but it is a failed trip to Tokyo as Kondo pins Shenglong for the win.
Kondo & Owashi win via pinfall following Kondo’s King Kong Lariat on Shenglong
6Man Tag Team Match
HIGH-END (YAMATO, Dragon Kid & Kagetora) vs. GOLD CLASS (Kota Minoura w/Minorita, Naruki Doi & Ben-K)
Ben-K going toe to toe with the unit he betrayed at last months Korakuen Hall. Ben-K starts against a very intense looking Kagetora, Kagetora was building up steam but throw Ben out which allowed Doi to come in and cut off Kagetora. Doi and YAMATO continue their own story, YAMADoi are the longest reigning Twin Gate Champions in history. The individual battle between Minoura and Dragon Kid is less intense. As Minoura gets into a rough patch, Minorita completely turns that around and GOLD CLASS start taking over. Ben-K seems far more antagonistic than he ever did in R・E・D, his mannerisms currently on a par with the arrogance and narcissism of Minoura and Doi the last few months. The highlights of this match are when Ben-K vs. Kagetora and Do vs. YAMATO are front and centre. Plenty of chances for both units to come away with the win, ultimately it came down to Ben-K decimating Dragon Kid. Whats next for HIGH-END seems to be a question I’ve been asking since YAMATO lost the Dream Gate to KAI.
GOLD CLASS win via pinfall following Ben-K’s Chk Chk Bomb on Dragon Kid
8Man Tag Team Match
Natural Vibes (Kzy, Big Boss Shimizu, U-T & Strong Machine J) vs. Z-Brats (KAI, B×B Hulk, H・Y・O & Diamante)
Two more units engaged in warfare, Skywalker has made it his cause to destroy Kzy and Natural Vibes. Z-Brats is hoping to fulfil his wish while he is away in North America. Dangerous Gate has been the centre of many unitary wars and this will be no different, with Z-Brats bringing weapons to the ring in anticipation. Z-Brats are pretty dominant early on in this brawl, they do have the advantage of being used to fighting dirty. The match anti-climatically ended as H・Y・O struck the referee, giving Vibes the DQ win.
The fighting continued after the win. Kzy got on the microphone after, displeased with the actions of Z-Brats. Especially after the promise of a fair fight. H・Y・O, the great brain, denied Kzy’s request to keep going. GM Saito is in agreement with Vibes. Match restarted as No DQ.
After the restart, Vibes start on the ascendency in the ring. Natural Vibes showing they can go hardcore with several high risk moments destroying the Z-Brats ranks. Mexican power Diamante changes the momentum Vibes had built, Diamante and H・Y・O tear at the mask of Strong Machine J, U-T thankfully saves his Vibes partner. But suffers an onslaught from Z-Brats. J’s system reboots and he comes back on fire, smashes Diamante with a chair, leaving H・Y・O alone with a resurgent Vibes. Kzy rocks the great brain with a few very hard chairshots. As Kzy ascends the ladder to Kzy Time H・Y・O through a table, Skywalker’s music plays and Z-Brats turns it around, puts Shimizu on the table as Diamante powerbombs Kzy on top of him! Vibes destroyed, Z-Brats pick their spots on U-T as H・Y・O covers him after a Senton to win.
Z-Brats win via pinfall following H・Y・O’s Senton on U-T
Open The Triangle Gate Championship Match
M3K (Masaaki Mochizuki, Susumu Mochizuki & Mochizuki Junior) (c) vs. Ishinriki, Ishin Iihashi & Don Fujii
The family feud continues with added help from Susumu Mochizuki and Don Fujii pretending to be Ishin’s aunt. The challenge was made at last months Korakuen Hall when Ishin Iihashi got his first pinfall, defeating Masaaki Mochizuki. Mercifully, Don Fujii isn’t dressed as a woman again while Ishin Iihashi is sporting new gear that looks class! Mochizuki Jr and Ishin start the match, another great spotlight for them to show what they can do. They really impressed me last month in that tag match and I enjoyed their brief tussle at the start. The Dads continued the same way they fought in the tag match, fierce and intense. Mochizuki with his strikes, Ishinriki with his sumo. Susumu and Fujii get in, they’ve had their own battles over the years going back to the wars between Crazy MAX and original M2K. It was a very enjoyable match, preferred the tag from last month but plenty of good action and fun moments thrown into the mix.
M3K win via pinfall following Masaaki Mochizuki’s Shin Saikyo High Kick on Ishin Iihashi. V2 for M3K.
Plenty of niceties afterwards between the formerly warring family clans. Ishinriki even asking Mochizuki and M3K to look out for his son.
Open The Dream Gate Championship Match
Yuki Yoshioka (c) vs. Eita
Yuki Yoshioka making his 2nd defence against the youngest Grand Slam winner in DRAGONGATE history, Eita. Yoshioka’s rise has been much slower than Eita, years ago I would have sniffed at Yoshioka being Dream Gate Champion. A lot has changed since he went to Mexico and came back as Dia Inferno. His goal of putting bums on seats will be delayed considering a typhoon was raging during this show. Eita is once again alone, ever since the end of R・E・D, Eita has been alone in DRAGONGATE, his only allies in Perro’s are in Pro Wrestling NOAH.
R・E・D history involves both men. As Dia Inferno, Yuki Yoshioka became Eita’s secret weapon. Back then, Yoshioka’s only focus was the destruction of Dragon Dia. Times have changed, Yoshioka stands with Dragon Dia now while Eita stands alone.
The match is fairly physical in the early goings, chopping each other hard in the centre of the ring. Good bit of pace to add to the intensity as well. It was fairly even until Yoshioka went for a big dive to the outside, Eita moved out of the way but thankfully Dia and Kikuta were there to take some of the fall. Eita removes the ring pads while Yoshioka recovers, Eita then sends Yoshioka hard into the corner. Eita is applauded by the crowd in Ota Ward as he throws a chair into the face of Yoshioka. Eita’s gameplan begins going after the right arm and shoulder of the champion, tenderising the target area for the Numero Uno. The champion starts firing up, but Eita wraps him into a Fujiwara Armbar. The champion reaches the rope and starts mounting some offence once again, starting to bring out the big moves, the Darkness Buster before going for the Frog Splash but Eita gets the knees up. Eita returns to the arm, trying to set in the Numero Uno.
Eita starts mocking Yoshioka, Yoshioka fires in forearms in response but his lack of focus allowed Eita to get in an Imperial Uno, luckily Yoshioka fell back into the ropes and used the momentum to come back with the Battlehook. Both rise slowly, the champion survives another two Imperial Uno’s. Yoshioka blocks Eita’s plans at the top rope, turning it into a Super Darkness Buster, following it with a Frog Splash. Eita got out of the first, but a second Frog Splash a while later seals it for Yoshioka.
Yuki Yoshioka wins via pinfall following a Frog Splash. V2 for Yuki Yoshioka.
Puroresu Gate 