June 24, 2012 – Kobe, Japan

Open the Dream Gate Champion: CIMA
Open the Triangle Gate Champions: Masato Yoshino, Naruki Doi & PAC
Open the Brave Gate Champion: Dragon Kid
Open the Twin Gate Champions: Jimmy Kagetora & Jimmy Susumu
Open the Freedom Gate Champion: Johnny Gargano
Open the United Gate Champions: Masato Yoshino & Ricochet

The show starts with clips from the unaired Champion Gate shows. Dragon Kid successfully defended his Brave Gate title against Super Shisa. He picked up his victory by countering the Yoshi Tonic to the Bible. Rich Swann and Ricochet both made it seem like they wanted title shots.

World-1 International successfully defended their Triangle Gate belts against Mad Blankey when Masato Yoshino made Cyber Kong submit to the Sol Naciente. The Jimmyz looked on with the knowledge that they would challenge next.

The new Twin Gate champions of “Naoki Tanisaki” and BxB Hulk almost defended their titles in a 3-way match against the Windows and the Jimmyz. “Tanisaki” pinned K-ness with the Night Ride, but got caught by Jimmy Kagetora’s Kagenui, giving the former champions their titles back.

Genki Horiguchi fought hard in his Dream Gate challenge against CIMA, but eventually went down to the Meteora. Tonight we find out who will challenge for the title at Kobe World.

Jimmy Kagetora {J} & Genki Horiguchi H.A.Gee.Mee {J} vs. Shisa BOY {MG} & Kotoka {MG}
It’s been near impossible for me to remember to call Horiguchi Mee, so I’m going back to Horiguchi. Kotoka tries to get the crowd to chant for BOY over Horiguchi. That goes about as well as you’d expect. BOY and Horiguchi fight on the mat to start. Kagetora hits Kotoka with a dropkick. Horiguchi does the same to BOY for 2. Kagetora hits an elbowdrop. Horiguchi hits a back suplex for 2. BOY hits a dropkick. He hits Kagetora with a head scissor takedown. Kotoka hits a shotgun dropkick. He hits a neckbreaker. He hits the diving double stomp and BOY hits a moonsault for 2. Kagetora hits the leaping lariat. He hits an enziguiri. He hits the flying elbowdrop for 2. Horiguchi hits a brainbuster for 2. BOY rolls Kagetora up for 2. Kagetora hits an enziguiri and the Hangetsu. He hits the Package Michinoku Driver for the win at 5:38. Squash city, but the Windows put up enough of a fight that they didn’t look like total losers. I really wish Kotoka would get a bit of a push since he has all the energy in the world and no outlet to use it.
Rating: *

Dragon Kid {Z} & Super Shisa {MG} vs. Ricochet {W1} & Rich Swann {W1}
So the story here is that Shisa gave Kid a good fight, so they’re wearing matching green outfits to take on the two hungry gaijin in the Brave Gate division. Good angle. Ricochet and Shisa start. Shisa goes after the arm but it’s Ricochet who does arm damage. Shisa gets a head scissor takedown. Ricochet stomps on his back. Shisa hits a dropkick. Kid hits a head scissor takedown on Swann. Ricochet hits a missile dropkick. He hits a back elbow. Shisa hits European uppercuts. He puts on the Romero Special, but Swann sneaks in and covers Shisa for 2. He hits a back kick. He and Ricochet go to the eyes. They hit sentons for 2. They hit a double hiptoss and a dropkick sandwich. Swann hits an elbowdrop for 2. Kid hits a pair of kneedrops for 2. He hits a couple dropkicks for 2. Swann hits Shisa with a spin kick. Ricochet hits the Rickrack. He hits Kid with a facebuster. Kid hits the Diamond Dust. Ricochet hits a spin kick and a standing moonsault for 2. Kid blocks the Backslide Driver and hits the Messiah for 2. Shisa hits Swann with a butterfly suplex for 2. Swann hits the Rocker Dropper for 2. Ricochet hits Kid with a dropkick. Swann hits a Frankensteiner and Ricochet hits a running SSP for 2. Kid comes back with the Skyscraper Frankensteiner to Swann. Shisa gets a sunset flip for 2. Ricochet saves Swann from the Yoshi Tonic. He hits a lariat. Swann hits the Frog Splash for 2. Ricochet hits Shisa with a Shooting Star Press for the win at 12:56. Swann and Ricochet showed great teamwork. Beyond that their comedic timing was pretty solid. I’d like to see more of them as a tandem.
Rating: ***

After the match Ricochet reminds Dragon Kid that he granted him a rematch for the Brave Gate title and wants to know when it’s going to happen. Kid tells him he can come for the title in Kobe World Hall. Ricochet digs it.

Jimmy Susumu {J} vs. “Naoki Tanisaki” {MB}
They lock up to start. Susumu takes “Tanisaki” to the mat. “Tanisaki” goes for a chop but Susumu ducks it. Susumu tries for a shoulder tackle but runs into a knife-edge chop. “Tanisaki” hits a shoulder tackle and another chop. Susumu dropkicks the leg. He puts on a leglock and bites the leg. He dropkicks the leg. He puts on another leglock. “Tanisaki” gets to the ropes. They fight over a suplex until “Tanisaki’s” power wins him the exchange. They trade chops in an entertaining game that Susumu loses. Susumu comes back with a lariat. “Tanisaki” hits a backdrop. Susumu hits an exploder. He hits a lariat in the corner. “Tanisaki” hits the DH and a powerslam for 2. Susumu hits a back bodydrop. “Tanisaki” hits the Casanova and the cross-legged suplex for 2. Susumu blocks the Razor’s Edge. They trade elbows and chops. Susumu hits a lariat but “Tanisaki” puts him down with more chops. He hits the Razor’s Edge for 2. Susumu avoids the Night Ride and hits a lariat. Larry Dallas trips him. “Tanisaki” chops Dallas by mistake and Susumu catches him with the Jumbo no Kachigatame for the win at 10:49. “Tanisaki” is getting to be a rather fantastic wrestler, and I’m glad he’s getting a push. Sure he didn’t win here, but he DOMINATED the former Dream Gate Champion. After the match Dallas shows off the blister that “Tanisaki’s” one chop gave him.
Rating: **¾

CIMA {Z} & Gamma {Z} vs. Mondai Ryu {MG} & Cyber Kong {MB}
Ryu lost his music to Chihiro Tominaga and now comes out to silence; silence that even absorbs Kong’s entrance music. Ryu also has CIMA’s passport. Ryu and Kong attack before the bell. Everyone brawls through the crowd. CIMA hits Ryu with an enziguiri and a dropkick. CIMA picks up his passport, which Ryu foolishly left on the apron, and gives it to Kid for safekeeping. They’ll fight over that passport soon. Gamma loses a shoulder tackle exchange with Kong, then spits in Kong’s face. CIMA hits a senton. He challenges Kong to an arm wrestling match and then stomps him. He and Gamma hit Ryu with a double elbow. They whip Ryu with belts. Gamma hits a dropkick. He gives Ryu the Osuikougeki. He and CIMA hit the Blitzen Stomp. Ryu hits Gamma with a low blow. Kong hits a knee to the crotch. He and Ryu double-team Gamma for 2. Gamma comes back with a suplex to Kong. CIMA slams Kong onto Ryu. So Kong’s size is negligible now. CIMA and Gamma suplex Kong onto Ryu. CIMA hits Kong with a missile dropkick and a senton. Kong hits the avalanche. He hits a lariat. He hits the diving elbowdrop for 2. CIMA hits a miracle backdrop but Ryu immediately dropkicks him. Gamma hits a dropkick. He hits a clothesline. Kong hits the Cyber Combination for 2. He misses the flying elbowdrop. Ryu brings out the salt but CIMA steals it and salts Kong. He and Gamma hit a double superkick. Gamma hits the Gamma Special and CIMA hits the Meteora for the win at 13:40. If they’re going to treat Kong and Ryu as boring jobbers then why do their matches have to go so long? I don’t understand the point of the Mad Blankey B-Team.
Rating: *½

After the match Ryu attacks on his own and salts CIMA. Horiguchi makes the save, and with CIMA hits a double dropkick on Ryu. CIMA & Horiguchi vs. Ryu and a partner to be named later is established.

Masaaki Mochizuki {Z} & Don Fujii {Z} vs. Ryo “Jimmy” Saito {J} & Jimmy Kanda {J}
Saito and Fujii start. They knuckle up until Saito gets a wristlock. Fujii gets a pair or roll ups for 2. He hits a crossbody for 2. Mochizuki and Kanda trade strikes. Kanda hits a shoulder tackle. He low-bridges Mochizuki to the floor. Mochizuki blocks a suicide dive with a head kick. He and Fujii hit a spike piledriver on the floor. Sadly, I don’t think Kanda will sell that for very long. Fujii and Saito trade chops. Fujii and Mochizuki hit a double vertical suplex. Kanda, back already, eats a high kick from Mochizuki. Mochizuki hits a back kick. Fujii works the neck. He hits a piledriver for 2. Kanda should really be dead already. Saito hits Mochizuki with a backdrop. Fujii works the leg. Mochizuki keeps that going with a Figure 4 Leglock. Saito comes back with an overhead suplex. Kanda hits a springboard elbow. He hits a suicide dive. Fujii block the Jon Woo and teases the move, but Kanda blocks that. Fujii blocks the move again and hits a lariat. He gets a small package for 2. Mochizuki hits Saito with an axe kick to the chest. Saito hits a fisherman suplex. He puts on the Dancing Yahoo. Fujii puts the hold on Kanda, looking to Saito for instruction. Saito attacks him. Kanda hits the Jon Woo for 2. Mochizuki destroys Kanda with kicks for 2. Fujii hits a chokeslam for 2. Mochizuki misses the Ikkakugeri. Saito hits a German suplex for 2. He hits the Superfly Splash. Kanda hits the flying elbowdrop for 2. Saito hits a dragon suplex. Mochizuki hits the Shin Saikyou High Kick and the Twister for 2. He hits the Sankakugeri for the win at 16:51. This took its sweet time getting anywhere interesting, but they gave it the flashy Dragon Gate finishing stretch that I crave.
Rating: **½

After the match, Mochizuki tells the Jimmyz to drop their bid for the Triangle Gate Championships. They tell him that they’re going for the titles. Mochizuki warns them that they’ll regret it.

Shingo Takagi {A} vs. YAMATO {A} vs. Akira Tozawa {MB} vs. BxB Hulk {MB} vs. Naruki Doi {W1} vs. Masato Yoshino {W1} [Dream Key Battle Royal]
This is different from most CIMA Royales in that everyone starts in the ring at the same time, and there are no 2-count rules for the first ten minutes. Tozawa nails Hulk with the bicycle kick to start! Holy crap! He hits it again! Takagi takes down Tozawa. He and YAMATO trade elbows. Takagi hits a bodyslam. YAMATO hits a dropkick. Speed Muscle do their thing to YAMATO until Yoshino hits Doi with a dropkick. Awesome. Doi responds with a suplex for 2. He hits Takagi with a Stun Gun, neckbreaker and senton for 2 when YAMATO makes the save. Might have been a mistake on YAMATO’s part, or he might feel like he needs Takagi to get to the end of the match. Hulk sneak attacks Tozawa with the axe kick. YAMATO catches Hulk’s kick and hits a dragon screw. He puts on a half crab. Tozawa misses a senton on Takagi and takes one from the Pumping Hawk. Yoshino dropkicks Hulk. Hulk hits the axe kick on Doi. He and Takagi go at it. Hulk hits the Mouse. Takagi throws him across the ring. YAMATO hits Takagi with a suplex. Yoshino powerbombs Tozawa. Tozawa hits the running knee. He and Hulk double-team Doi with kicks. Yoshino tries to pin Doi but only gets 2. Tozawa hits YAMATO with a senton. Doi hits an elbowdrop for 2. Takagi hits a kneedrop for 2. He hits Yoshino with the deadlift suplex. Tozawa slugs everyone until Takagi returns the favor. Takagi puts Tozawa in the Sharpshooter. YAMATO and Yoshino clinch up Hulk and Doi as well. Over the top rope rules go into play and everyone tries to dump everyone else. Hulk kicks the crap out of Yoshino. Yoshino blocks a standing moonsault and hits the spike DDT. Hulk and Tozawa double-team Yoshino. Takagi hits the Complete DDT on Mad Blankey. Doi hits a dropkick. Everyone gangs up on YAMATO in the corner. Hulk hits the :D LKFJSD:LFKJ. He hits the axe kick. Takagi hits Hulk with a lariat. Tozawa hits the Ganki. Yoshino hits the shotgun dropkick. Doi hits the Doi 555. YAMATO hits a spear. Hulk hits the First Flash. Everyone is out cold. Back on their feet, YAMATO tries to dump Hulk. Yoshino almost gets the job done, but it’s Takagi that shoves Darkside to the floor with FORCE. Takagi hits Tozawa with a side suplex. YAMATO and Takagi double-team Tozawa. Takagi takes out Speed Muscle with lariats. He hits YAMATO with a lariat and a DVD. He hits the Pumping Bomber for 2. YAMATO counters MADE IN JAPAN to a crucifix pin with the help of Tozawa’s boot to eliminate Takagi. Everyone gangs up on Doi. Yoshino nails the shotgun senton on Doi and Tozawa. He dropkicks YAMATO. YAMATO dropkicks Yoshino to the apron. Yoshino comes back with the Torbellino on Doi. Doi gets a crucifix pin for 2. He gets an awesome small package to eliminate Yoshino. This match is awesome as hell! Doi blocks the Galleria. YAMATO blocks the Muscular Bomb. Doi hits Tozawa with a tiger suplex for 2. He hits YAMATO with the Doi 555 and the Bakatare Sliding Kick. Tozawa surprises him with a German suplex for 2. I’m having the hardest time keeping up with this match. The crowd is behind YAMATO. Everyone ends up on the apron. Tozawa hits Doi with the bicycle kick and German suplex there, eliminating him. Tozawa elbows the taste out of YAMATO’s mouth. The BATTLESHIP starts to be counted down, but he gets to his feet at 9. He hits an enziguiri. He hits a spear for 2. He hits a brainbuster for 2. Tozawa dumps him on his head with a German suplex. YAMATO counters the German suplex to a roll up for 2. He puts on the anklelock. Tozawa flips out of it and hits a German suplex for 2. He hits the High Tension Suplex for the win and the Key at 23:33. CIMA is pissed. This was the best match in months. Everyone put in a strong performance than I’ve seen them deliver all year. It was almost worth sitting through all the middling episodes to get to this match. Almost, but not quite.
Rating: ****¾

After the match YAMATO congratulates Tozawa on winning on his own, and eats a bicycle kick for his trouble. Hulk beats on Takagi as well. Tozawa tells CIMA that he’s coming for his title. The Jimmyz come out and tell BATTLEHawk that they’re going to get the next shot at the Twin Gate titles. Yoshino gets on the microphone to talk about defending the Triangle Gate belts against all comers. The Jimmyz and Mochizuki argue about who will get their Triangle Gate shot and when, but Yoshino assures everyone that they’ll have a chance to lose to World-1 International. CIMA and Tozawa talk a bit more about their match to close the show.