DRAGON GATE
GLORIOUS GATE
MARCH 8, 2017
KORAKUEN HALL – TOKYO, JAPAN

Translations: IHeartDG.com / Watch: NicoNico (Guide on Ordering via NicoNico)

GENKI HORIGUCHI, JIMMY KANDA, JIMMY KNESS J.K.S., & SHACHIHOKO BOY DEF. YOSUKE SANTA MARIA, DRASTIK BOY, YUKI YOSHIOKA, & KATSUMI TAKASHIMA 

The exciting Dragon Gate opener you should expect. The everchanging Dragon Gate roster has given Kness a more focused spotlight, as he shined bright in this match, as well as in his singles match vs. Big R Shimizu on February 19th. Drastik Boy hasn’t been seen in Dragon Gate since Gate of Destiny 2015. He picked up right where he left off, an exciting undercard wrestler that I’d love to see get  more opportunities in Dragon Gate. Both Yoshioka and Takashima, who I’m entirely convinced is made of rubber, continue to look full of potential. The story here, as I mentioned earlier, is Kness, who pinned Maria after the lovely Hikari no Wa. Fun opener. **3/4

DON FUJII DEF. STALKER ICHIKAWA

Stalker Ichikawa has become the greatest comedy wrestler ever. I fully believe that. On this night, he was pinned in seconds by Fujii, who then swept his hands and walked to the back. Ichikawa pleaded for another match, and in the midst of his promo, Dragon Gate played their “move it along” music. Kagetora came out for his match with Ichikawa still in the ring. Finally, after much pleading, Ichikawa got his rematch with Fujii, who pinned him minutes later. NR

JIMMY KAGETORA DEF. BEN-K

This was another strong showcase for Ben-K, who almost feels like a featured gaijin, the equivalent of Uhaa Nation, more so than a full time member. They are handling him much differently than anyone else on the roster. His size and strength continue to wow me. He seems to have trouble kicking his matches into the next gear, however. This was good, but a far cry from great, which these two should be capable of. Jesus, I’m expecting “greatness” out of Ben-K and he’s been wrestling for less than a year. Fine match, another step in the progression of Ben-K. ***1/4

KZY & FLAMITA DEF. RYO SAITO & JIMMY SUSUMU

Flamita is the best. I put his aerial abilities up there with the likes of Will Ospreay, Ricochet, and Kota Ibushi, and on most days, I think he’s better than them. He was the star of this match, even outshining Kzy, who has been on such a roll lately. It’s been three years since Flamita broke out in a big way against Jimmy Susumu, and three years later, the encounter is just as fresh as before. It’s becoming a compelling argument with Flamita – does he need a change in booking? He comes in for a few months out of the year, puts on incredible in-ring performances, but there’s no Brave Gate, and probably no Twin Gate run in sight anytime soon. He’s been Flamita, man of flips, since he debuted in 2013. Does he need a shakeup? Would a heel Flamita work? At the end of the day, if he keeps chalking up performances like this, it won’t matter. Tremendous mach, well worth your time. ***3/4

YAMATO & BXB HULK DEF. BIG R SHIMIZU & MASAAKI MOCHIZUKI

There wasn’t anything structurally wrong with this match, but I have become increasingly bored with Tribe Vanguard, to a point that I struggle to enjoy their matches. The stars of this match were Big R & Mochizuki, who I hope continue to team and to succeed in the tag division. Hulk won in what felt like an abrupt way with a First Flash on Shimizu. I enjoyed this, despite my lack of emotional attachment to the Tribe Vanguard. ***1/2

CIMA, DRAGON KID, TAKEHIRO YAMAMURA, EITA, & NARUKI DOI DEF. SHINGO TAKAGI, T-HAWK, EL LINDAMAN, PUNCH TOMINAGA, & MONDAI RYU

Dragon Gate delivered another brilliant multi-man match to close out a Korakuen Hall show. Big shocker. Month after month, they seem to do this. Whether the match be with Shingo Takagi, YAMATO, Big R Shimizu, or their other plethora of stars, which now includes Takehiro Yamamura, they seem to deliver elite-level quality in Korakuen.

Yamamura is the newest breakout star. His size, and the fact that I haven’t seen him talk much makes me weary of his future as a potential main eventer, but he is a made man in Korakuen and that will last for a lifetime. His interactions with the Verserk side were so intense, so brutal, and so engaging. His interactions with T-Hawk were the kinds of interactions I’ve been begging for from YAMATO.

The finish was perfect, as Takagi accidentally blasted Tominaga with a Pumping Bomber, which led to Yamamura hitting the Skytwister Press for the win. This let Yamamura get his moment in Korakuen, but Verserk now has a valid gripe with Yamamura and the fact that he still hasn’t gotten a “clean” win over them. This match was outstanding; one of those matches that only Dragon Gate could produce. Highly recommended. ****1/2

Final Thoughts:

An extremely enjoyable outing from Korakuen Hall. The youngsters looked great on the undercard, Flamita returned with a bang, and Yamamura made his presence felt again in the main event, solidifying his role as Korakuen’s newest hero.