Fall River, MA – 10.29.2010

Commentary is provided by Lenny Leonard.

It was announced a few weeks before this show that the three Dragon Gate factions in DGUSA (WARRIORS, Kamikaze USA, and World-1) would each get to “draft” an American representative to their group. Before the show, World-1 decided to recruit Homicide. Later tonight, WARRIORS International and Kamikaze USA will get to choose their representatives.

CIMA opens the show, introducing Ricochet as the newest member of WARRIORS (he joined them last month). CIMA says by the end of the night, they will have another new member.

Four Way Freestyle
Ricochet vs. Johnny Gargano vs. Chuck Taylor vs. Arik Cannon

Taylor and Gargano start off. Taylor sends him out with a dropkick and fakes a dive. Ricochet comes in with a huracanrana. Ricochet gives Taylor the Déjà vu. Cannon knocks him down with a shoulder tackle. Cannon uses the ropes to armdrag Ricochet to the floor. Gargano kicks Cannon’s inner thigh. Cannon goes to the floor after Gargano hits a sole butt. Ricochet throws Gargano to the apron. He avoids the slingshot spear. Gargano kicks Ricochet to the floor, and Taylor lands on Gargano with a springboard moonsualt. Cannon superkicks Taylor for two. Gargano gives Cannon a slingshot spear, Taylor a low ace crusher, then dives onto Cannon. Ricochet sends Cannon and Gargano into the crowd. Taylor throws Ricochet off the top rope and then suicide dives onto Cannon and Gargano. Ricochet corkscrew planchas onto the pile. In the ring, Gargano catches Ricochet with a palm strike and lawn darts him into Taylor. Cannon hits a lariat for two. Ricochet drops Cannon with a flip piledriver. Taylor powerbombs Ricochet into a jackknife cradle. Gargano breaks the pin and eats the Sole Food from Taylor. A series of moves knocks everyone down. Taylor blocks the Hurts Donut from Gargano. Cannon gives Taylor a brainbuster. Ricochet knocks Cannon with a enzuigiri before hitting Taylor with a standing shooting star press. Gargano dropkicks Ricochet mid-air. Gargano gives Cannon the Hurts Donut for two. Ricochet round offs onto Gargano’s shoulders. Taylor dropkicks Ricochet, which causes Ricochet to spike Gargano on his head. Cannon hits Taylor with the Glimmering Warlock for two. Ricochet gives Taylor Chocolate Rain and Cannon an enzuigiri. On the floor, Cannon gives Gargano the Total Anarchy. Cannon suplexes Ricochet off the top rope. Taylor gives Cannon the Awful Waffle for the pin at 8:47. This was exciting action from bell-to-bell that kept the crowd for the entire time. This is exactly what you would expect, and that is no knock whatsoever. ***1/4

CIMA asks Chuck Taylor if he wants to join WARRIORS. Chuck informs CIMA that he is no longer in the draft, denying CIMA’s request. Gargano grabs CIMA’s ankles, pleading for CIMA to now ask him to join the WARRIORS. CIMA doesn’t, and insteads grabs Ricochet and goes to the back. Gargano looks distraught over CIMA’s action.

Jon Moxley is backstage with a random broad. He says tonight is all about him and Jimmy Jacobs, and he will bring no one with him to the ring. Moxley says tonight he gets his chance to make Jacobs beg for mercy. Moxley notes that Kamikaze has removed themselves from the draft, meaning they will not be choosing a new member for their group after all. Instead they will focus on their matches in order to prove that they’re the dominant faction in DGUSA.

Homicide vs. Rich Swann

BxB Hulk presents Homicide with a World-1 bandana before the match to officially initiate him into the group. Homicide takes Swann to the mat, which Swann isn’t pleased with. Homicide armdrags him over. Homicide wraps his leg around Swann’s head whilst grabbing his arm. Homicide works over Swann’s arm in the ropes. Swann picks up the speed and goes for a few quick pinfalls. He suckers Homicide in and lands a dropkick for two. Homicide jabs Swann in the throat and lays in punches in the corner. Swann hits a yakuza kick to avoid a facewash. He kicks Homicide in the spine for two. Swann hits a crossbody for two. Homicide connects with a jumping back elbow. Homicide hits an exploder suplex for two. Homicide throws him overhead with a suplex for two. Homicide tweaks on his ear. Homicide rolls Swann into another submission similar to his earlier one. He knees Swann in the face and hits a Rude Awakening for two. Swann gets pissed and throws repeated right hands. Homicide kicks Swann inside his thigh to stop the flurry. Swann escapes a tornado DDT and hits a second rope dropkick. He drops Homicide with From Dusk Till Dawn and kicks Homicide in the head. A standing moonsault senton gets him two. Homicide evades a top rope attack and hits an ace crusher for two. Swann escapes the Cop Killa and an ace crusher. He hits a tornado kick. Homicide gets his knees up to block an Arabian Press. He hits a lariat for the pin at 11:26. This match was kind of a double-edged sword: do you put over the independent star his first night in, or the youngster who’s ready to break-out? I’m fine with the decision as it stands, but you could argue this was a glorified squash. Regardless, Swann got enough time to show off his skills so I can’t complain too much. **1/2

With Rich Swann still recovering in the ring, Austin Aries makes his way out to the ring. He says he’s happy to be back in Dragon Gate. He says for the first time in years he finds himself a free agent. He says that after doing some soul searching, he realized that the wrestling business is on a downswing and that it’s the black sheep of the entertainment business. He believes wrestling doesn’t get the respect it deserves because wrestling doesn’t respect itself. He says wrestling is rooted in seedy tactics and that he’s tired of people accepting that “that’s just the way it is.” The problem, Aries says, is if you try and do something about it, you get tagged as someone who causes problems. He asks that everyone pledge to be men of honor. He then helps Swann off the mat and says that he fought Homicide with honor. Aries says while he doesn’t want to start his own group, he could use a protégé. He extends that offer to Swann, allowing Swann to take his time to answer. He offers Swann to sit ringside and let his actions speak for him. Swann takes a seat ringside for the next match.

Masato Yoshino vs. Austin Aries

Aries takes control with a headlock on the mat. Aries and Yoshino come up to their feet in a stalemate. Aries and Yoshino criss-cross the ropes. They armdrag each other then criss-cross again. Aries baits Yoshino to the floor. Yoshino runs back in before Aries can dive onto him. Yoshino wins a test of strength by rolling backwards. Yoshino controls Aries by his left arm. Yoshino locks his legs around Aries’ arm. Aries grabs the ropes to break free. Yoshino rolls Aries into a modified octopus stretch on the mat. Aries again uses the ropes to free himself. Aries gives Yoshino a neckbreaker on the second rope and dropkicks him to the floor. Aries dives onto him with a double axe handle. Aries slingshots into a forearm on the apron. Aries rams his knee and elbow into Yoshino’s back. Aries applies a modified Stump Puller. Yoshino escapes and wins a strike exchange. Aries takes out Yoshino’s legs and applies a figure seven variation. Yoshino grabs the bottom rope to escape. Yoshino hits the Slingblade. Yoshino evades a dropkick and hits one of his own. Yoshino applies From Jungle. Aries rolls through and hits a seated dropkick. Yoshino counters a slam into a pin for two. Aries drops Yoshino with a military press and then applies the Last Chancery. Aries goes for a brainbuster. Yoshino escapes and calls for a brainbuster on the top rope. Aries goes for a sunset bomb. Yoshino escapes and hits a fallaway dropkick for two. Aries catches Yoshino on the top rope. He brings him down with a huracanrana. Yoshino counters the IED. He hits the Ude Yoshino. He calls for Sol Naciente, but Aries cradles him for two. Aries backslides Yoshino for two. He puts on the Last Chancery again. Yoshino counters a brainbuster and hits the Lightning Spiral for two. Aries evades a super dropkick. He hits a shin breaker followed into a leg-capture Saito suplex for two. Aries connects with the IED and hits a brainbuster for two. Aries goes up top. Yoshino evades the 450 splash and sends Aries shoulder first into the corner. Yoshino hits the Torbellino and applies Sol Naciente. Aries passes out at 18:00. This was really good back and forth action throughout. Aries looked really great going toe-to-toe with Yoshino, allowing both guys to look strong and allowing Aries to make an immediate impact. ***1/2

Swann grabs Aries hand to help him up. Halfway up, Swann drops Aries back to the mat. Aries looks pissed, so Swann bails to the back immediately. Aries smirks as he also heads to the back. We then cut to Johnny Gargano backstage. He pleads to CIMA to be the next member of WARRIORS International, saying all he needs is a chance. Although Taylor is out of the draft, he’s not and wants to get a chance with WARRIORS International.

”I Quit” Match
Jimmy Jacobs vs. Jon Moxley

Moxley enters the ring and calls out Jacobs. Suddenly, Jacobs jumps from the balcony onto Moxley! Jacobs pulls a strap from around his boot and whips Moxley in the back. He chokes Moxley with it as well. Moxley applies a chicken wing, but Jacobs throws him to the floor. Moxley blocks a dive with a forearm. Moxley pulls a railroad spike out of his boot. Jacobs ducks the attack, causing the spike to stick in the turnbuckle pad. Moxley dropkicks Jacobs in the ropes. Moxley applies a cloverleaf and Jacobs breaks. Jacobs spears Moxley onto the ring apron. Jacobs chokes Moxley on the guardrail. Jacobs lays in multiple punches in the corner. Moxley powerbombs Jacobs into the guardrail. In the ring, Moxley pulls a second spike out of his boot and pounds it into Jacobs’ forehead. Jacobs forehead is spouting blood, but he refuses to quit. Jacobs shrugs off a boot. Moxley backslides him into a Fujiwara armbar. Jacobs escapes. Jacobs pulls the spike out of the turnbuckle and rams it into Moxley’s forehead. Moxley and Jacobs exchange punches. Jacobs gets the best of it and hits a springboard ace crusher. Jacobs spears him down. Jacobs puts on the End Time, but Moxley reverses into an Alabama Slam. He hits the Hook and Ladder and then puts on a crossface chickenwing. Jacobs escapes, so Moxley ties up his hands with the strap he whipped Jacobs with. Jacobs drop toe holds Moxley to avoid a chairshot. He forces Moxley’s head into his tied up arms and applies the End Time. Moxley slams his way free and batters Jacobs with forearms and the railroad spike. The referee checks on Jacobs while Moxley celebrates. Jacobs frees him arms. Moxley trips him to avoid a chairshot. Jacobs knocks down Moxley and hits him in the head with the spike. He then spikes Moxley in the groin until he finally says he quits at 12:52. It’s rare to see a lot of story and innovation in a match like this anymore, but we ended up getting both. Moxley and Jacobs provided a fantastic, captivating blow off to their feud. I honestly think if you watch all their matches and promos in succession you’ll see just how great a feud this was. ****

Jacobs says after tonight, he’s going to stop doing crazy dives and bleeding all over the place. He’s going back to basics to begin his quest for the Open The Freedom Gate championship. We then cut to the backstage where Sami Callihan cuts a crazy promo, essentially stating that he’s certain he won’t be drafted. He puts the Dragon Gate locker room and fans on notice that if he doesn’t start getting the respect he deserves, he’s going to start hurting people.

The Osirian Portal (Amasis & Ophidian) vs. Brodie Lee & Akebono

Neither member of the Portal wants to start off with Lee. Ophidian’s chop does nothing, while Lee’s chop knocks Ophidian down. Ophidian baits Brodie over to the corner where he does a headstand. Ophidian rolls out but gets splashed in the corner. Ophidian comes off the top and sends Lee to the floor with a huracanrana. He dives onto Lee, but gets military pressed back into the ring from the floor. Lee big boots him in the corner. Akebono blind tags in. Amasis attacks him from behind and has no effect. Amasis tags in Ophidian hoping their double teaming with hurt him; it doesn’t. So, Ophidian hypnotizes Akebono in the corner. Lee comes in and The Portal force Akebono to attack Lee whilst hypnotized. They also force him to dance. The Portal kick him into the corner. Lee accidentally big boots Akebono which breaks the trance. They begin to trade punches with each other. They catch the Portal simultaneously. Lee drops Ophidian with the Truck Stop and Akebono slams Amasis. They pin them simultaneously for the victory at 4:47. This was really fun, and the perfect way for this match to go down. **

A bunch of wrestlers and officials separate Lee and Akebono after the match. They will meet in a singles match tomorrow night. We then go backstage with Homicide. He puts over Dragon Gate USA and proclaims his affiliation with World-1. Jon Moxley attacks him and says he’s not afraid of him joining World-1. When Moxley leavs, Homicide laughs and says Moxley should be scared. They have a tag match tomorrow night.

WARRIORS International (CIMA & Genki Horiguchi) vs. Kamikaze USA (YAMATO & Akira Tozawa)

Horiguchi and YAMATO wrestle on the mat to a stalemate. CIMA and Tozawa tag in. Tozawa and CIMA pick up the pace. Tozawa dropkicks CIMA’s legs out and sends him to the floor with a basement dropkick. He then fakes out a dive. Horiguchi dropkicks Tozawa’s leg out. Horiguchi targets his attack on Tozawa’s leg. When Tozawa uses the ropes to break, CIMA tags in. As Tozawa fights back, CIMA punts him in the forehead. Tozawa kicks CIMA to the corner and tags in YAMATO. YAMATO stomps on and stretches out CIMA’ s back. CIMA chokes YAMATO with his own ring gear and tags Horiguchi in. YAMATO grabs Horiguchi by his hair and snapmares him over. Tozawa and YAMATO isolate Horiguchi in their corner. The fans H-A-G-E chant helps Horiguchi make a comeback, taking YAMATO over with a headscissors. CIMA tags in and knocks down Kamikaze with a bulldog/lariat combo. CIMA suplexes Tozawa while locking YAMATO’s leg, causing pain to both men simultaneously. Horiguchi assists with an elbow to YAMATO. CIMA gives Tozawa few sharp overhand chops. CIMA ties up Tozawa in a modified bow and arrow. CIMA and Horiguchi hit Tozawa with a double dropkick. Horiguchi drops Tozawa with a Tiger Driver for two. On the floor, Horiguchi holds up Tozawa on the guardrail and CIMA doublestomps him. WARRIORS continue to beat down Tozawa (targeting his back mostly) until Tozawa hits Horiguchi with a shining wizard. YAMATO tags in with a noticeable limp. He dropkciks CIMA to the floor. CIMA trips him. YAMATO spears Horiguchi and hits CIMA with an enzugiri. CIMA and YAMATO trade overhand chops. CIMA nails a dropkick. YAMATO kicks out his leg and kicks the isnide of it. CIMA cradles YAMATO for two. YAMATO applies an ankle lock. CIMA breaks. He hits a standing somersault senton and a doublestomp. Tozawa eats Venus and the Iconoclasm from CIMA. Horiguchi connects with a sliding boot as well. Tozawa tries for Apron Kara Tozawa. He misses, but lands a senton. Tozawa boots CIMA to the floor as YAMATO drops Horiguchi with an exploder suplex for two. Tozawa crossbody’s Horiguchi off of YAMATO’s shoulders. CIMA breaks the pin. CIMA gives YAMATO a Superdrol. YAMATO blocks the Perfect Driver. Horiguchi gives him a reverse DDT. CIMA hits the Perfect Driver for two. Horiguchi goes for the Beach Break. YAMATO escapes but gets kicked in the ribs. YAMATO puts on a sleeper. Horiguchi escapes the Galleria. Tozawa kicks him on the top rope. YAMATO hits a superplex for two. YAMATO rolls up Horiguchi for two. CIMA superkicks YAMATO into the Backslide from Heaven. Tozawa breaks it up. CIMA calls for the Meteora on YAMATO. Tozawa blocks him. YAMATO slams Horiguchi, but then gets hit by a top rope dropkick from CIMA. CIMA superkicks Tozawa and goes for Schwein. Tozawa escapes and drops him with Ganki. Horiguchi breaks the pin but gets mauled by Kamikaze. Tozawa gives him a delayed German suplex for two. He dives onto CIMA on the floor. Horiguchi gives YAMATO the Backslide From Heaven for two. YAMATO retaliates with a brainbuster for two. YAMATO hits Galleria for the pin at 24:01. A heck of a sprint to finish the match, even if it took a little time to get going. Once it did though, you got some quality stuff out of all four guys. ***3/4

Johnny Gargano comes ringside as Horiguchi is being helped to the back by officials. CIMA is left in the ring with Ricochet on the floor. Gargano asks CIMA one more time to join WARRIORS International. Before CIMA can answer, Gargano nails him with a superkick! Chuck Taylor and Rich Swann come out and beat down Ricochet on the floor while Gargano stomps away at CIMA. Gargano grabs the mic and says he never wanted to join WARRIORS International. He says he doesn’t need CIMA and asks if CIMA respects him now. Taylor says they don’t need to be drafted, and that he, Swann, and Gargano have formed their own group called Ronin. Taylor punches CIMA as Gargano and Swann hold him. CIMA then grabs the microphone and introduces the newest member of WARRIORS, Brodie Lee! Lee chases Ronin away and helps Ricochet and CIMA up.

In the back, Austin Aries catches Lenny Leonard. He says Ronin aren’t men of honor; they’re punks. He says WARRIORS is a little short handed come tomorrow night (since CIMA and Brodie Lee already have matches), but since he’s a free agrent, he’s going to join up with them for one night only to team up with Horiguchi and Ricochet to take on Ronin in a six man tag.

Open The Freedom Gate Championship
BxB Hulk (Champion) vs. Shingo Takagi

Shingo blasts Hulk with a shoulder tackle. Hulk and Shingo block a few of each others attacks. Hulk sends Shingo to the floor with a dropkick. Shingo baits Hulk to the floor and throws him into the guardrail. Shingo connects with a running boot. Hulk ducks a clothesline, causing Shingo to the hit the ring post. In the ring, Shingo hits a clothesline with his other arm. Hulk yakuza kicks him. Hulk stomps on Shingo’s arm and then stretches it in the ropes. Hulk targets the arm on the mat. Shingo catches Hulk with a backbreaker to reverse the momentum. Shingo gives Hulk a gut buster, DDT, and senton. Shingo hits a piledriver and a knee drop for two. Shing applies a submission and steps on Hulk’s chest. He lays in multiple knees before choking Hulk on the middle rope. Shingo hangs Hulk on the middle rope and drops him with a DDT. Shingo drops a knee across his neck for two. Shingo takes Hulk to the apron. Hulk manages to drop him with the EVO on the apron. Hulk baseball slides Shingo into the crowd. Hulk moonsaults onto him. In the ring, Hulk hits a springboard dropkick. Hulk sweeps his leg and hits a senton. Shingo kicks out. Hulk hits Mouse and a uranage. The BxB Star Press only gets him one. Hulk hits a spinwheel kick from the apron, then a springboard variation for two. Shingo escapes the EVO and spears Hulk. Shingo drops Hulk with a Saito suplex. Shingo hits a bucklebomb and a gallon throw. Shingo hits the Pumping Bomber for two. Shingo connects with a corner lariat before placing Hulk up top. Shingo superplexes Hulk. He then picks him up into the EVO for two. Hulk kicks Shingo, so Shingo blasts him with a right hand. Hulk scissor kicks Shingo in the head. Hulk fires back with rapid fire strikes. Shingo hits a lariat, but Hulk pops up and hits First Flash. Shingo fires up and headbutts Hulk. Shingo hits Made In Japan for two. Shingo ascends the turnbuckles with Hulk on his shoulders. Hulk flips off and hits a spinwheel kick. Hulk brings Shingo down with an EVO for two. Shingo gets up and attempts the Blood Fall. Hulk blocks and ax kicks Shingo. He follows with First Flash and a Phoenix Splash for two. Hulk drops him with H-Thunder for the pin at 26:09. The fans were going ballistic by the end and for good reason. Hulk and Shingo did a tremendous job making this match feel important and got the fans believing either guy could win at any moment. These guys are just perfect opponents, and were a good pair to kick of DGUSA’s inaugural iPPV. ****1/4

YAMATO attacks Hulk with the Freedom Gate title after the show. Yoshino comes to Hulk’s aid. He reminds YAMATO that he is the Open The Dream Gate Champion and that he’ll take care of him tomorrow. Yoshino gets the fan to chants Hulk’s name and then thanks them for coming to the show.

Bonus Content

FRAY!
Silas Young vs. Sami Callihan vs. Caleb Konley vs. Cheech vs. Rip Impact vs. Shane Smalls vs. Tommaso Ciampa

Impact takes Ciampa down with a springboard crossbody. Ciampa throws Impact’s leg to the referee and clotheslines Impact down. Ciampa whips Impact to the corner. Impact comes out of the corner with a few chops. Ciampa responds with his own and then blasts Impact with a running knee strike for two. Callihan enters the bout. He kicks Ciampa from the apron then attacks Impact in the corner. Callihan springboard clotheslines Ciampa to the floor. Ciampa sweeps Callihan’s legs out on the ring apron. Ciampa gives Impact the Project Ciampa 2 for the elimination at 3:18. Callihan and Ciampa fight on the floor. Ciampa crotches Callihan on the guardrail. Silas Young enters the bout and dives onto Callihan and Ciampa. In the ring, Young takes down Ciampa with a half crab. Callihan attacks Young but refuses to break the hold. Young moves so that Callihan splashes onto Ciampa. Ciamapa drops Callihan and Young with a DDT/flatliner combo. Ciampa suplexes Callihan for two. Cheech enters the bout. Cheech walks off Callihan into a huracanrana onto Young. He slams Ciampa and moonsaults onto Callihan. Cheech pescado’s onto Young. Callihan and Ciampa trade strikes and boots. Callihan puts him into the Stretch Muffler. Ciampa taps out at 7:55. Cheech suplexes Callihan as Shane Smalls enters. Cheech kicks out his legs. Smalls sole butts and knees Cheech in the face before hitting a standing moonsault. Smalls sends Cheech out with a neck-tie headscissors and kicks Young out as well. Smalls flies onto them and Callihan with an Asai moonsault. A link of submissions is put on in the ring until Cheech breaks it. Konley enters. Konley takes out everyone with various offense. Young catches Konley with the Peegee Waja Plunge for the pin at 11:14. Cheech sends Young to the floor with a flying knee strike. Cheech drops him face first with a suplex and hits The Deluxe for the pin at 11:55. Callihan hits Cheech with a top rope dropkick. Young catches Callihan with a back breaker/clothesline combo. Cheech superkicks Young. Callihan drops Cheech with a headlock driver for the pin at 12:35. Callihan hocks a big loogie into Young’s face before they engage in a chop battle. Callihan forearms and kicks Young down in the corner. Callihan flips Young onto his head for two. Young suplexes Callihan in from the apron for two. Callihan evades the Peegee Waja Plunge. Callihan clotheslines him down and puts on the Stretch Muffler. Young taps out at 15:24. Everyone who entered look great, especially Callihan, Young, and Cheech. Konley did as well, which is unfortunate since he was eliminated so quickly. Callihan was the right choice to win, though I hope many of these guys get another chance with DGUSA. ***

A Highlight Video (nearing five minutes in length) is also included in the bonus section.