April 19, 2013 – Kobe, Japan
Open the Dream Gate Champion: CIMA
Open the Triangle Gate Champions: Naruki Doi, Rich Swann & Shachihoko BOY
Open the Brave Gate Champion: Dragon Kid
Open the Twin Gate Champions: BxB Hulk & Uhaa Nation
Open the Freedom Gate Champion: Johnny Gargano
Open the United Gate Champions: Nick Jackson & Matt Jackson
The show starts with clips from the April 12th show in Nagoya. They show the end of the YAMATO {A} vs. BxB Hulk {MB} main event, in which YAMATO pinned Hulk. He and Shingo Takagi then challenged for the Twin Gate titles. They’ll face the winner of tonight’s main event at Dead or Alive.
They show the end of Masaaki Mochizuki {Z} & HUB {Z} vs. Naruki Doi {W1} & Cyber Kong in which HUB pins Doi. The Veterans use that as leverage to get a Triangle Gate match against World-1 at Dead or Alive.
They show the end of Masato Yoshino {W1} vs. Mondai Ryu {MB}, a number one contender match for the Brave Gate title. Yoshino won with the Lightning Spiral. He will face Dragon Kid for the belt at Dead or Alive. For his part, Kid defended the Brave Gate belt against Kzy that night, but none of that match is shown.
Jimmy Kanda {J} & Jimmy Kagetora {J} vs. Kotoka {MG} & Cyber Kong
Kong shoulder tackles Kagetora to start. Kagetora hits a dropkick. Kotoka hits a dropkick. Kanda hits a dropkick. Kotoka hits a back elbow and a double stomp for 2. Kanda hits a bodyslam. He hits a back elbow. He and Kagetora hit elbowdorps for 2. Kagetora mocks Kong. Kotoka hits a basement dropkick. Kong hits a shoulder tackle. He hits the Pineapple Bomber for 2. Kotoka hits a dropkick. He hits a double stomp. Kagetora hits the leaping lariat. Kanda hits the Ryus and Kagetora hits a flying elbowdrop for 2 when Kong makes the save. Kong cleans house with lariats. Kotoka hits the Diving Double Stomp for 2. He hits a suicide dive. Kong hits Kagetora with the Pineapple Bomber and Cyber Driver for 2. Kagetora gets the Kagenui for 2. He gets it again for the win at 5:44. You knew that was going to be the finish the moment Kotoka hit that suicide dive. This was fine for an opener, but it makes me sad that both Kotoka and Kong are totally treading water now.
Rating: *½
Don Fujii {Z} & HUB {Z} vs. Genki Horiguchi H.A.Gee.Mee. {J} & Mr. Quu Quu Naoki Tanizaki Toyonaka Dolphin {J}
Horiguchi and Fujii start. They do some dreizz on the mat until Fujii misses an elbowdrop. HUB whips the Jimmyz. He whips Fujii by mistake. Dolphin and Horiguchi use HUB’s tail against him. HUB does the same to Horiguchi with his ponytail. Fujii works the neck. HUB hits a senton for 2. HUB hits a dragon screw and works over Horiguchi’s legs. Horiguchi hits an enziguiri and a head scissor takedown. Dolphin cleans house. Fuji gets a roll up for 2. Dolphin hits the FH for 2. He hits the Casanova for 2. HUB hits Horiguchi with the Jackhammer for 2. He whips Horiguchi and hits a lariat for 2. He hits the Armageddon for the win at 11:44. This was fine, if largely uninteresting.
Rating: **
Masaaki Mochizuki {Z} vs. Mondai Ryu {MB}
Mochizuki kicks the crap out of Ryu to start. Kzy gets involved and helps Ryu slap Mochizuki into the post. Mochizuki recovers, no-sells Ryu’s offense, and slugs him to the mat. He washes Ryu’s face. Ryu avoids the Ikkakugeri and hits the Panic Attack. Kzy hits Ryu by mistake. Mochizuki no-sells a low blow and kicks the crap out of Ryu for the easy win at 5:38. He hits a few low blows on Ryu after the match for good measure. Just a squash.
Rating: ½*
Naruki Doi {W1} vs. K-ness {MG}
They do the usual until K-ness hits a head scissor takedown and puts on a chinlock. Doi gets to the ropes. He dropkicks the leg. He works it over until K-ness gets to the ropes. Doi dropkicks the leg again. K-ness gets to the ropes. Doi hits a senton. He hits a vertical suplex for 2. K-ness returns the favor. He hits a DDT for 2. He hits a facebuster for 2. Doi hits a neckbreaker. He hits a dropkick and the Blue Thunder Bomb for 2. They trade roll ups. K-ness hits the Kaishaku. He hits the Shouryuukyaku. Doi hits the Doi 555 and Bakatare Sliding Kick. K-ness gets the Hikari no Wa for the win at 9:29. Run of the mill back-and-forth match, and it felt like they were holding back for the bigger match down the line.
Rating: **¼
CIMA {Z} & Dragon Kid {Z} vs. Akira Tozawa {MB} & Kzy {MB}
Mad Blankey attacks before the bell. Kid hits Kzy with a head scissor takedown. He hits a pair of kneedrops. Tozawa tags in and Mad Blankey takes control. Kzy hits a legdrop. Tozawa hits a senton. He hits a three chair-assisted senton for 2. CIMA tags in and cleans house. Kid hit Kzy with the Bermuda Triangle. CIMA ties Tozawa in a knot. Tozawa gets to the ropes. Tozawa hits a brainbuster for 2. Kid hits the Diamond Dust for 2. Kzy hits the B-Boy. He hits the Beat Bomb for 2. Tozawa hits a German suplex for 2. CIMA hits Kzy with a superkick. He puts on a new leglock for the win at 10:59. This had a great energy, one that was missing from earlier matches on the card. I really love CK-1 as a team. CIMA and Tozawa argue about their upcoming Dream Gate match after the fact.
Rating: ***
Shingo Takagi {A}, Super Shenlong {A} & YAMATO {A} vs. Masato Yoshino {W1}, Rich Swann {W1} & Ricochet {W1}
Shenlong and Swann start. They fight over a wristlock. Swann hits a hiptoss. Shenlong hits a dropkick. Swann returns the favor. Yoshino dropkicks YAMATO. YAMATO returns the favor. Ricochet dropkicks Takagi. He and Swann hit a double dropkick. Yoshino dropkicks Shenlong. Ricochet hits a senton. Swann misses one, but gets to take out his frustration on Shenlong regardless. Ricochet hits a standing moonsault for 2. Shenlong hits the Skyhigh. Takagi cleans house. YAMATO hits the running dropkick on Ricochet. Ricochet hits a running SSP for 2. Shenlong hits a dropkick and a plancha. Swann and Takagi have a really cool exchange that ends with Swann hitting the Ace Crusher. He hits a Frog Splash for 2. Yoshino hits the shotgun senton. YAMATO hits an exploder on Swann. Takagi hits the Alabamaslam and Pumping Bomber for 2. YAMATO hits a brainbuster for 2. He puts on the sleeper hold. He hits the Galleria for the win at 16:55. This was another really fun tag match, with Swann showing more skill than he has in some time, and everyone else doing their usual cool stuff.
Rating: ***¼
BxB Hulk © {MB} & Uhaa Nation © {MB} vs. Jimmy Susumu {J} & Ryo “Jimmy†Saito {J} [Open the Twin Gate Championship Match]
Hulk and Saito start. Hulk bites Saito’s hand in an attempt to take control, but Saito hits a hurricanrana. Nation hits a dropkick. Everyone brawls on the floor. Susumu whips Hulk into the post. Saito hits a back elbow. Susumu puts on an abdominal stretch. Saito hits a double stomp for 2. Susumu hits an elbow for 2. Nation hits a vertical suplex for 2. He puts on a chinlock. Hulk hits a roundhouse kick for 2. He puts on a half crab. Saito gets to the ropes. Nation keeps Saito on the mat. Hulk hits a senton for 2. He hits a chest kick for 2. Saito and Susumu hit a double suplex on Nation. Susumu blocks Hulk’s splash. Hulk hits a backdrop. Susumu hits the super exploder. Saito hits the Superfly Splash for 2. Nation hits a powerslam for 2. Hulk hits the STO for 2. Saito hits a German suplex with Susumu’s help. Mad Blankey attacks Saito. The Jimmyz attack Nation. Saito hits a German suplex and Susumu hits the Jumbo no Kachi. Saito hits a pair of dragon suplexes on Hulk for 2. They hit the Genkai for 2. Nation cleans house. Hulk hits the BxB Star Press for 2. Nation hits a Superfly Splash for 2. Susumu hits Hulk with the Jumbo no Kachi. Ryu hits a yellow box attack and Nation hits a double powerbomb for 2. Hulk hits the First Flash for the win at 22:43. The finish was pretty deflating, and I never love it when the yellow box attack leads directly to a cheap finish. The match as a whole was fun, but no new ground was broken.
Rating: ***½
After the match YAMATO rushes the ring to jack jaws with Hulk. Takagi comes out for the Twin Gate challenge. The two teams will face each other at Dead or Alive.
