THE DRAGON GATE USA OPEN THE FREEDOM GATE PPV

THE DRAGON GATE USA OPEN THE FREEDOM GATE PPV : TITLE TOURNAMENT RESULTS, TWO AWESOME MATCHES AND MORE
by Mike Johnson @ 1:27 AM on 11/29/2009

Pre-Show Notes: Due to a tractor trailer truck overturning near exit 5 on the New Jersey Turnpike, forcing traffic to run at a near standstill, the show's schedule was pushed back 25 minutes, with the pre-show matches for ringside ticket holders commencing at 6:55. Dragon Gate USA pushed back the bell time for the main show to 8:10 PM. Due to the traffic, the Eddie Kingston vs. Hallowicked bonus bout was canceled....The crowd looked to be in the 500-550 range

KYLE O'REILLY VS. ADAM COLE

I believe O'Reilly is a Davey Richards trainee.

They started off with some nice back and forth counters, culminating in a face-off. O'Reilly shoulderboocked Cole down, but was shoved off when he attemped a waistlock into a reverse rollup. Cole nailed a lariat after rebounding off the ropes. He failed to get any offense, as O'Reilly nailed a enziguiri. Cole kicked him as he charged into the corner. Cole grabbed him for a TKO but O'Reilly broke it up with a series of elbows, then nailed several strikes and kicks for a two count. O'Reilly caught Cole with a series of near falls. He set up Cole for a suplex but Cole nailed a knee strike while upside down and reversed it. They exchanged a series of forearms. O'Reilly nailed a superkick and a back suplex but Cole came back with one of his own. A double clothesline left both out on the mat as the referee counted them down.

Cole nailed a Northern Lights suplex with a bridge for a two count. O'Reilly caught him with a series of double underhook suplexes, holding on to him and pulling Cole up for another each time. The crowd loved that. O'Reilly missed a roundhouse kick and was caught with a wheelbarrow suplex for a two count. O'Reilly nailed a big boot and a running kick to the face. He snapped Cole into a brainbuster for the pin.

Your winner, Kyle O'Reilly!

Good athletic match. Both showed a lot of work ethic. Fun opener.

JON MOXLEY VS. B-BOY

They played test of strength with shoulderblocks, which led to B-Boy slapping him. They immediately began slugging it out. B-Boy caught him with a running knee to the head for a one count. B-Boy set -up Moxley in the corner but Moxley slipped out of the ring to break the momentum. On the apron, Moxley snapped B-Boy throat first over the ropes. Moxley began targeting Boy's left arm, slamming it into the wrist and going for wristlocks. B-Boy escaped, nailed a dropkick and a double stomp for a two count.

Moxley went for a crossface chickenwing, but B-Boy escaped and began whipping him with chops in the corner. They exchanged chops back and forth. Moxley finally rebounded off with a big lariat for a two count. He cinched in a hammerlock, going right after the left arm. B-Boy broke free and went for a suplex but his arm was too injured. Moxley whipped him into the corner and B-Boy jumped up and over, taking Moxley down. Moxley cartwheeled out of a charge, then snapmared B-Boy. He went for a missile dropkick but missed. B-Boy scored a two count with a shining wizard.

Moxley elbowed B-Boy. He went to hit a top rope maneuver but something didn't work at all as he slipped. B-Boy was hit glancingly and sold it. Moxley covered him, then hit a DDT for another. They went out of the ring, where B-Boy nailed an Ace Crusher on the apron outside and they crashed to the floor. Back in the ring, B-Boy nailed a back elbow to the face, then a back suplex. He set up Moxley in the corner and nailed a dropkick to him.

B-Boy went for a choke but Moxley turned it into a chickenwing submission. B-Boy escaped and went for a sleeper. Moxley escpaed and cinched in a Fujiwara armbar for the submission. The crowd booed that as they were more into B-Boy from the start.

Your winner, Jon Moxley!

Decent match with some nice storytelling.

B-Boy left the ring selling his arm.

The official show opened with a video feature counting down to the PPV taping. The lights went out and when they came on, the competitors were in the ring.

DRAGON GATE USA OPEN THE FREEDOM GATE CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT ROUND ONE: NICK JACKSON VS. MATT JACKSON VS. LINCE DORADO VS. GRAN AKUMA VS. JOHNNY GARGANO VS. HALLOWICKED

Hallowicked was a last minute substitute for Jigsaw, who was trapped in traffic. As you can imagine, this was all sorts of insane spots, so here's some highlights.

Jigsaw nailed a tope through the ropes on Akuma and Gargano. Matt Jackson killed Dorado with a superkick. Dorado faked a dive on him, so Nick Jackson drilled him with a roundhouse kick. Jackson went for a backslide on Gargano, who slipped out and hit an Ace Crusher. The Bucks doubled up on everyone at different points before being left alone in the ring. They teased going at it but Akuma and Gargano jumped them. They dispatched the Bucks, then went after each other. They Bucks laid them out and teasing fighting again but Dorado and Hallowicked hit missile dropkicks off the top to take them out. Hallowicked hit the GTS on Dorado, followed by a sitdown Tiger Driver for a two count.

Hallowicked went for a Fisherman's Buster off the top on Dorado but was shoved off. Dorado hit a 450 splash got a two count. Akuma broke it up. Nick Jackson hit a standing moonsault off the apron onto Dorado, smacking his feet over the railing in the process. Gargano hit Matt Jackson with an enziguiri. The Bucks worked over Gargano but Hallowicked got involved. The Bucks hit stereo superkicks then a moonsault and 450 splash. Matt Jackson covered him, but Nick pulled him off.

The Bucks began battling back and forth. Nick used a Lucha armdrag off the ropes, then a running high knee in the corner. They traded superkicks. Matt hit a sitdown facebuster but Akuma broke it up. Hallowicked went for a running powerbomb out of the ring but Dorado turned it into a rana out of the ring, then hit a dive This set of a series of awesome dives from everyone. Gargano nailed a double knee strike to Akuma's face then went to the top rope. Akuma crotches him and hits a Spider Exploder. He hits a standing moonsault on Gargano and scores the pin.

Your winner, Gran Akuma!

Crazy opener. The sequences involving the Bucks were awesome. Lots of good work here with tons of crazy athletic moves and way too much ground covered to type live. Interesting choice in Akuma going over as well.

DRAGON GATE USA OPEN THE FREEDOM GATE CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT ROUND ONE: BXB HULK VS. BRIAN KENDRICK

No dancing girls this time for Hulk. This is Kendrick's ECW Arena debut. The fans chanted for Hulk at the onset. They went to the mat early, going back and forth. Kendrick focused on his arm with knee strikes and armbars. They returned to their feet and went for a test of strength, which Hulk won. Kendrick grabbed an arm. Hulk cartwheeled to escape and Kendrick went to the floor to halt Hulk's offense. Kendrick returned to the ring and caught Hulk with a shoulderblock. Hulk retaliated with a deep armdrag. Kendrick backed off into the ropes.

Hulk grabbed Kendrick in a side chinlock, nailing knees to the face at the same time. They went to the outside, where Kendrick whipped Hulk into the ringpost. Kendrick stalked him on the outside with punches and kicks, then slammed his face into the apron. Back in the ring, he peppered Hulk with elbows and forearms. Kendrick locked in a Camel Clutch. Kendrick began using kicks, but Hulk started firing back. Kendrick cut him off with a hot shot and a kick to the face. Kendrick tore at Hulk's face, then cinched in another Camel Clutch. Hulk fought off Kendrick and hit a sweet missile dropkick. He nailed a kick to the head and a standing moonsault into a legdrop for a two count.

Hulk went for a suplex but Kendrick landed on his feet. They jockeyed for position but Hulk nailed a jumping high kick for a two count. Hulk charged but Kendrick hit a leaping leg lariat. Kendrick went for Sliced Bread #2 but was shoved off and landed brutally on the concrete floor. Hulk teased a dive but Kendrick leaped into the front row. Hulk went to the outside, attacked Kendrick and brought him back in the ring. Kendrick small packaged Hulk for a two count, then nailed an enziguiri for another.

Kendrick went back into the Camel Clutch. Hulk came back with a boot to the face. Kendrick rolled him up for a two count. They exchanged near falls, then kicks to the face. Hulk with a sideslam for a two count. Hulk went for a pump handle slam but Kendrick hit a forward roll for a two count. Hulk drilled Kendrick with a kick to the head immediately and rolled him up for the pin.

Your winner, BxB Hulk!

OK and solid back and forth match but it felt like it was missing a spark.

The ring announcer asked an ailing Brian Kendrick to return to the locker room after the bout. Kendrick took the mic and went off, saying that with the injuries he has taken ton his neck, that gives him the right to take all the time he needs. He said he is an artist and wrestles for himself, not to make others' happy. Several officials came out and he went off on them. Jon Moxley took the mic, telling Kendrick that perhaps he still had some McMahon DNA to get out of his system. It turned out he was riling up Kendrick and was on his side, leading to them brawling with the other wrestlers. OK,

DRAGON GATE USA OPEN THE FREEDOM GATE CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT ROUND ONE: SUPER CRAZY VS. SKAYDE VS. MIKE QUACKENBUSH VS. CIMA

Waaaaaaaay too much crazy stuff to recap but it was awesome with tons of Lucha style takedowns, athletics, reversals and flying moves. Late in the bout, Rivera caught CIMA in a deathlock but Crazy broke it up. Quack hit an insane twisting dive to them floor. CIMA nailed Rivera with the Skayde Special for the pin. Quack and CIMA had words after. This was just awesome stuff, but there was no way I was going to be able to keep up with it. Loved this.

Your winner, CIMA!

DRAGON GATE USA OPEN THE FREEDOM GATE CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT ROUND ONE: DAVEY RICHARDS VS. YAMATO

They started off with a test of strength. YAMATO powered Richards back, but got kicked in the chest. They lock up and YAMATO catches Richards with a hammerlock. Richards reverses but is driven to the mat. He escapes and locks on a heel hook. YAMATO escapes and they return to their feet. Richards cinches in a hammerlock, then a side headlock. They exchange shoulderblocks, but neither man budges. Richards goes for a cross armbreaker but YAMATO is too close to the ropes and it's broken up. Richards begins focusing on YAMATO's shoulder with elbow strikes and an armbar. Richards nails a belly-to-back suplex. He tries to cinch in a Kimura. YAMATO escapes. Richards follows to the floor. Richards and YAMATO brawl.

Richards whips YAMATO into the railing, which collapsed into the fans. Richards then hit a running boot to the face of YAMATO on the floor. Richards tosses YAMATO back into the ring. They trade headbutts. YAMATO went for a leapfrog but was caught and slammed down. He rolled outside. Richards teased a dive but YAMATO went under the ring and reemerged from the other side, returned to the ring and dropkicked Richards in the back of his legs. YAMATO began focusing his assault on Richards' legs.

YAMATO locked in an anklelock but Richards made it to the ropes. Since he had to break the hold, YAMATO drilled Richards' knee into the mat. YAMATO continued beating Richards, who started firing back. Richards hit a kick but his leg was too hurt and buckled. YAMATO kicked Richards in the face and went for a dropkick off the ropes but was kicked as he came off. Richards and YAMATO exchanged strikes. Richards caught him with an overhead belly to belly suplex. YAMATO went to the floor. Richards hit an amazing running tope through the ropes, sending himself and YAMATO over the rail and into the second row. Just plain awesome.

YAMATO was tossed back in the ring and Richards hit a Japanese style missile dropkick. Richards began drilling him with kicks to the face, then a handspring into a kick to the face. Richards grabs YAMATO for a suplex but YAMATO battles out. Richards hit a back suplex with a bridge for a two count. Richards went right into a Kimura but YAMATO eventually gets to the ropes. Richards goes for another suplex but YAMATO holds on. He kicks Richards' bad leg.

YAMATO locks in an ankle lock. Richards fights his way to his feet and attempts an enziguiri but YAMATO ducks and locks on the anklelock again. Richards finally makes it to the ropes. They slug it out in the center of the ring. Richards drills him with a series of kicks. A dazed YAMATO still hits a back suplex. Richards nails an insane lariat. Both men are out and the crowd chants Dragon Gate. Richards hits charging forearm in the corner. YAMATO responds with his own. He goes to the top but it cut off. Richards nails a superplex.

YAMATO gets to his feet but is caught with a kick, a lariat and a back suplex. YAMATO got his shoulder up at the last second and the crowd chanted, "That was three." They battled on the top rope. Richards knocked YAMATO off and hit a shooting star press but YAMATO got his knees up. YAMATO locked on a choke sleeper in the middle of the ring. Richards started to fade out but fought to his feet with elbows. YAMATO and Richards traded woozy blows. Richards nailed a flurry of blows but was kicked in the gut. YAMATO ducked a leg lariat and hit a choke sleeper suplex. He kicked Richards in the head but Richards kicked out. He nailed a brainbuster but only got a two count.

The crowd began chanting for Richards. YAMATO nailed an inverted sitdown package piledriver and scored the pin.

Your winner, YAMATO!

Absolutely awesome. At this point, this was far and away the best match of the night, and there haven't been anything less than really good on the show.

The title bout later will be CIMA vs. GRAN AKUMA VS. BxB HULK vs. YAMATO

EDDIE KINGSTON VS. JIGSAW

This was added to the main show due to the travel issues.

Kingston grabbed a waistlock on Jigsaw, then tied him up on the mat before letting him go. Jigsaw tries to shoulderblock Kingston down, but he's too big. On a second attempt, Kingston tries to kick him, so Jigsaw uses a single leg takedown and a double stomp. Kingston goes for a wheel barrow but Jigsaw turns it into an armdrag takedown. Kingston nails an overhead belly to belly suplex. Kingston tore at Jigsaw's mask and hit a series of chops in the corner. Jigsaw tried to fire back. Kingston whipped him into the ropes and shoulderblocked him down to the mat for a two count.

Kingston charges Jigsaw, who pulls down the top rope. Kingston goes to the floor. Jigsaw nails a dive to the floor. Jigsaw hit a bodypress off the top but Kingston used the momentum to kick Jigsaw off. Jigsaw avoided a backfist and hit a back kick. Kingston sucked it up and hit a back suplex for a two count. Kingston measured Jigsaw and chopped him against the ropes. Jigsaw nailed a series of kicks to different points of Kingston's body and covered him for a two count.

Jigsaw went for a rana but was caught and tossed into the corner. Kingston nailed a running Yakuza Kick for a two count. Kingston nailed a back fist for a two count. Kingston called for a back drop driver but Jigsaw avoided it. Kingston hit a Northern Lariat. Jigsaw rolled through on a pin attempt and nailed a double stomp off the top rope for the pin.

Your winner, Jigsaw!

Decent match that got the crowd back into the show. I was glad to see that they still had a chance to work despite arriving so late from NYC.

DRAGON KID & SHINGO VS. MASATO YOSHINO & NARUKI DOI

Kid and Yoshino started the bout, continuing their feud. Kid took him down with a fast armdrag. Yoshino rolled him up with a two count. They went back and forth on the mat with neither getting the advantage. They faced off. Fans began chanting for Yoshino, sparking a chant for Kid. Yoshino kicked Kid, sparking a speed of light series of exchanges and reversals. Shingo and Doi tagged in. They exchanged shoulderblocks with Shingo getting the better of Doi, then shoving Yoshino off the apron in the corner.

Shingo works over Doi in the corner with huge battering shots. Kid tagged in and dropped a kneedrop on Doi. Shingo and Kid tagged in and out, working over Doi. Shingo nailed a fistdrop. He chopped Doi, who retaliated with his own. Kid used Shingo as a base to swing around and kick Doi. He covered Doi but Yoshino broke it up. Kid nailed a big dropkick to Doi's face. Yoshino and Doi got over on Kid, taking turns coming off the ropes onto Kid's arm. Yoshino dropped Kid over his knees with a backbreaker. Speed Muscle continued to work over Kid, nailing a drop toehold and a dropkick to the head at the same time.

Yoshino tied up Dragon like a pretzel on the mat. Shingo tries to help but Doi cuts him off and tosses him to the mat. Kid finally makes it to the ropes but was cut off with a combination flapjack/bulldog. Kid is hit with a spinebuster by Doi before locking him into an abdominal stretch. Kid escapes and whips Doi into the ropes but Doi holds on and kicks him in the head. Kid, undaunted, still turns an attempted move into a rana takedown and makes the hot tag.

Shingo cleans house. Kid nailed a flip dive off the top onto Doi. Shingo was left with Yoshino and fought to get him over with a brainbuster. He finally nails it. Doi hits the ring and is able to take down Shingo and locks on an Octopus. Kid then locks onto on Yoshino. Kid and Doi battle while they have the other trapped. Yoshino nails Kid with a massive dropkick in the ropes. Kid comes back with a Blockbuster over the ropes into the ring.

Kid drilled Doi in the corner. Yoshino kicks off Doi, who shrugs it off and lariats him anyway. Kid hits a double stomp. Doi fights off Kid but is caught by Shingo with a burning hammer for a two count. Shingo and Yoshino battle. Yoshino gets the better of it, dropping Shingo on his head. Yoshino and Doi double team their opponents. Yoshino nails a missile dropkick on Kid, landing on Shingo with a back senton in one fluid motion.

Yoshino and Shingo battle on top. Yoshino ends up on Shingo's shoulders to nail a forward roll but Kid springboards and hits a rana into the ring for a two count. Kid catches Yoshino with a rana into a forward roll for a near fall. Kid misses a springboards but is caught with a powerbomb. Shingo powerbombs Yoshino with a Doctor Bomb. Doi begins drilling Shingo with strikes but is killed with a lariat. All four men are down and the fans chant for Dragon Gate.

Kid and Doi battled in the corner. Yoshino comes off with a Doomsday Device clothesline for a two count. Kid swings around Yoshino and catches him in a crucifix for a two count. Yoshino finally locks in a submission that ties up Kid's arms in a crossed motion and chokes him out. Kid fights and fight but finally taps.

Your winners, Masato Yoshino & Naruki Doi!

Awesome, awesome, awesome match. As much as I recapped, there were 1,000 other sequences that were too fast for me. I loved this.

The Young Bucks come to the ring. Nick Jackson took the mic and said that was tag team wrestling at its best. He said they were out here to congratulate Yoshino and Doi. He asked the fans to cheer for them and said they might be the best tag teams in the world. Matt Jackson said that they might be one of the best, but not the best. He said that the Bucks were the very best in the world. He said that this ring is their turf and it belongs to them. He said that since they all think their teams are the best, let's have an open challenge. They challenge Yoshino and Doi to face them any time, any place.

OPEN THE FREEDOM GATE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: CIMA vs. GRAN AKUMA VS. BxB HULK vs. YAMATO

The championship bout is being held under elimination rules.

All four faced off with each other at the same time. Akuma and YAMATO nailed CIMA with a double powerbomb. They then turned their attention to Hulk, kicking him. Hulk ducked under a double clothesline and unleashed a flurry of kicks. CIMA and Hulk nailed a double dropkicked on Akuma but CIMA immediately hit a codebreaker on Hulk. CIMA went to the top and nailed a spider exploder, then a moonsault press for a two count.

Akuma went for a Falcon Arrow but CIMA floated through. He shoved Akuma under the middle turnbuckle and dropkicked him in the back. CIMA drops down with a stomp on Akuma for a two count. CIMA gets shoved off the top by YAMATO. YAMATO nails a back suplex on Hulk for a two count. Hulk comes back with a fluttu of kicks and a leg sweep. He nails a standing moonsault press but YAMATO gets his knees up. YAMATO whips him into the corner. he goes for the Galleria but CIMA drills him from behind with a kick. YAMATO hits a baseball slide into CIMA's head. Hulk gets nailed with a back suplex. Akuma kicked CIMA in the groin while the referee was distracted. YAMATO rolled up CIMA and pinned him.

CIMA is eliminated.

Akuma and YAMATO had their way with Hulk, picking him apart with strikes and kicks. They smothered him in the corner. They continued to work over with chops. Hulk tried to battle back but was soon overpowered by the heels. YAMATO sends Hulk flying upside down with a back elbow. YAMATO locks in a Boston Crab while Akuma cinches in a chinlock. YAMATO locked in a crossface. YAMATO and Akuma continued to pick their spots and punish Hulk. They battered him in the corner. There was miscommunication and Akuma kicked YAMATO to the floor. Hulk hit a springboard spinkick for a two count and a reverse kick. He went to the top rope but YAMATO returned. He was slammed down, but tricked YAMATO into dropping an elbow on Akuma.

YAMATO was tossed out. Akuma and Hulk traded kicks. Hulk nailed a reverse Frankensteiner and a Phoenix Firebird but YAMATO broke up the pin. Hulk finally dropped Akuma into a small package driver for the pin.

Akuma is eliminated.

YAMATO and hulk battled back and forth with strikes. Both are obviously spent. YAMATO catches Hulk with a scoopslam. YAMATO goes to the top but Hulk was playing possum and kicked YAMATO in the head. Hulk hit a Spanish Fly off the top for a two count. They made their way to their knees, exchanging forearms and punches. Hulk began to batter YAMATO who came back with a brilliant flash of offensive strikes. Hulk comes back with a superkick to the head for a two count.

Hulk hit an emerald frosion to score the pin.

The winner and first ever Open the Freedom Gate champion, BxB Hulk!

Hulk celebrated with the championship. Davey Richards came to the ring with a mic. The fans chanted for both men. Richards commented, "They say there are two ways to send a message to a champion. You can make a challenge...or..." and attacked Hulk. YAMATO broke it up only to join in on the attack. Dragon Kid hit the ring and ran them off, then gave him the belt. They faced off as the next event in Chicago will be headlined by Hulk vs. Kid for the title.




HOME | TWITTER | CONTACT | Copyright 2004-09 P