298June 1, 2013 – Sapporo, Japan

Open the Dream Gate Champion: CIMA
Open the Triangle Gate Champions: Naruki Doi, Rich Swann & Shachihoko BOY
Open the Brave Gate Champion: Masato Yoshino
Open the Twin Gate Champions: YAMATO & Shingo Takagi
Open the Freedom Gate Champion: Johnny Gargano
Open the United Gate Champions: Nick Jackson & Matt Jackson

Jimmy Kagetora {J} vs. Katsuo
Katsuo is over like Rover in Sapporo. He works Kagetora’s arm, but Kagetora gets the better of him. Katsuo hits a shoulder tackle. He hits a double stomp for 2. He puts on a chinlock. He hits a splash for 2. They trade chops. Katsuo misses a dive but hits a vertical suplex. He hits a charge in the corner for 2. Kagetora hits an enziguiri. Katsuo sits on him for 2. Kagetora messes with some wrestling tropes to frustrate Katsuo. He gets a roll up for 2. He avoids a butt splash and gets a crucifix pin for the win at 7:01. This was cute enough for a dark match. Afterwards, Katsuo asks for a rematch, but Kagetora introduces Ryotsu Shimizu as Katsuo’s opponent for tomorrow night.
Rating: *½

Genki Horiguchi H.A.Gee.Mee. {J} & Mr. Quu Quu Naoki Tanizaki Toyonaka Dolphin {J} vs. Don Fujii {Z} & Gamma {Z}
Fujii and Horiguchi start. They fight it out on the mat. Gamma hits Dolphin with a shoulder tackle. He hits a head scissor takedown. He and Fujii throw Horiguchi around by his hair. Fujii hits a neckbreaker. He puts on an abdominal stretch. Horiguchi hits a hiptoss to escape. Gamma snaps the elastic band into Horiguchi’s face. Everyone fights around the building. Dragon Kid takes a few shots on Horiguchi when Gamma drags the Jimmy to the commentary table. Fujii takes Dolphin outside and tries to trap him out there. Horiguchi beats the count at 19 for his team. He hits Fujii with an elbow but Dolphin is still outside. Gamma hits an enziguiri for 2. Horiguchi hits a head scissor takedown. Dolphin runs back and makes the tag. He hits the DH on both opponents. He hits Fujii with the FH for 2. Fujii hits a crossbody for 2. Fujii hits a chokeslam for 2. Gamma hits a superkick. Dolphin gets a roll up for 2. Gamma hits the Axe Bomber. He hits it on Horiguchi. Horiguchi gets the Backslide from Heaven for the win at 12:17. This was actually really dull, with no crowd heat, despite or because of the kooky outside shenanigans.
Rating: *

Naruki Doi {W1} vs. Kotoka {MG}
Kotoka attacks before the bell. He hits a dropkick and a suicide dive. He hits a dropkick off the top for 2. Doi hits a back elbow for 2. He hits a senton for 2. He gets a roll up for 2. He ties Kotoka in a knot. He hits a back suplex for 2. He hits the dropkick in the ropes for 2. Kotoka comes back with a vertical suplex. He hits a double stomp for 2. He misses the diving double stomp. Doi hits a neckbreaker and the Blue Thunder Bomb for 2. He hits a diving elbowdrop for 2. Kotoka unloads with strikes and gets a roll up for 2. Doi hits a back elbow. Kotoka gets a jackknife for 2. Doi hits the Doi 555 and the Bakatare Sliding Kick for the win at 8:42. Kotoka is pretty much back to jobbing now, which is a real bummer. This was really just an extended squash. On the bright side, Doi shows Kotoka respect after the match. On the down side, Kotoka shoves him away, so who knows where this is going.
Rating: **¼

Super Shisa {MG} vs. Kzy {MB}
Kzy pulls on Shisa’s “hair” to get the advantage. Shisa pulls on Kzy’s hair and puts on the Romero Special. Kzy goes after the crotch. Shisa works the legs. Akira Tozawa attacks Shisa on the floor. Kzy hits a spear in the ring. He hits a senton for 2. He puts on a half crab and gropes Shisa’s penis. It’s far more sexual than violent. Shisa comes back with European uppercuts. He hits a head scissor takedown on the floor. He hits a dropkick off the top. He hits a butterfly suplex for 2. He puts on the Tarantula. Kzy hits the B-Boy. He hits a northern lights suplex for 2. Shisa hits a Frankensteiner. He gets a roll up for 2. Kzy hits a leg lariat. He hits the Beat Bomb for 2. Shisa avoids KZ Time and hits the Yoshi Tonic for the win at 10:52. Kzy got a lot more offense than I expected him to, but it didn’t make for all that exciting of a match. Tozawa’s interfSerence caught my attention the most, which doesn’t bode well for Kzy in general.
Rating: **

Shingo Takagi {A} & YAMATO {A} vs. Ryo “Jimmy” Saito {J} & Jimmy Susumu {J}
I probably have unreasonable expectations for this match. Saito and YAMATO start. They do the thing that they do. Takagi and Susumu bring the fun with some stiff shots. Susumu hits a vertical suplex. Takagi suddenly becomes immune to the turnbuckle. YAMATO dropkicks Saito. Saito hits a bodyslam. Susumu puts on a chinlock. He and Saito hit a double back elbow for 2. Saito hits an elbowdrop for 2. Saito hits a double stomp for 2. He hits another with Susumu on his shoulders. He hits a diving double stomp for 2. YAMATO hits a spear. He hits an exploder on Susumu. Takagi cleans house. Saito hits a hurricanrana. Takagi hits the Sliding Bomber. YAMATO hits a dropkick. He and Susumu trade strikes until Susumu hits an exploder for2. YAMATO hits an enziguiri. Takagi hits the Alabamaslam for 2. Susumu makes them collide, causing problems between them. RyoSuka do the RyoSuka thing. Susumu hits a super exploder and Saito hits a Superfly Splash. Susumu hits a short-arm lariat. Takagi hits the DVD. He hits a side suplex for 2. Saito hits a German suplex. Takagi hits a lariat for 2. Takagi casually hits MADE IN JAPAN for the win at 17:40. That finish was pretty damn flat, but the four of them beat each other up but good for our amusement, so they get points with me. Takagi and YAMATO make nice after the match.
Rating: ***¼

Masato Yoshino © {W1} vs. Rich Swann {W1} [Open the Brave Gate Championship Match]
This match is a long time coming for Swann. Yoshino powers Swann to the ropes to start. Swann hits a cheap shot. Yoshino hits a dropkick. Swann hits a dropkick. Yoshino stalls a bit. Swann gets a roll up for 2. He hits a back suplex and an elbowdrop for 2. Yoshino blocks a standing moonsault by hitting the knee… I think. He dropkicks the knee. He does it again in the corner. He puts on a leglock. He drops Swann on his leg and puts on a new leglock. Swann gets to the ropes. They trade chops in an exchange that the KING of CHOP wins. Swann hits an enziguiri. He hits a nutty topé. He hits a Frankensteiner for 2. Yoshino hits a dropkick. Swann hits a DDT for 2. Yoshino attacks the leg to stop a handspring attack. He hits a sloppy Sling Blade for 2. He misses the Shotgun Dropkick and Swann hits the Ace Crusher. Swann hits a package suplex for 2. Yoshino is in trouble. Swann puts him up top but Yoshino catches him with a powerbomb. Yoshino hits the Shotgun Dropkick for 2. Swann crotches him on the turnbuckle and hits a superplex. He hits the Frog Splash for 2. He misses Swann on Fire but hits an enziguiri. Yoshino hits the Michinoku Driver for 2. Swann hits a superkick. Yoshino hits a lariat and the Torbellino. He hits the Lightning Spiral for 2. He hits it again for the win at 15:44. This was a better effort that Swann had put in in a while, so he gets some applause. Yoshino broke out some of his fancy guns too. This crowd though, is just not cutting the mustard. After the match Kagetora comes out and challenges for the title. Yoshino accepts.
Rating: ***½

CIMA {Z}, Masaaki Mochizuki {Z} & Dragon Kid {Z} vs. Akira Tozawa {MB}, Uhaa Nation {MB} & BxB Hulk {MB}
Mad Blankey attacks before the bell. Kid hits Tozawa with a head scissor takedown. Nation dropkicks Mochizuki and CIMA. Hulk kicks CIMA’s face. CIMA gets a roll up for 2. He puts on a leglock. Hulk gets to the ropes. CIMA and Kid hit a double dropkick for 2. Kid hits a pair of kneedrops. Mochizuki hits a leg kick. He puts on a leglock. Tozawa tries to make the save and gets a leglock for his trouble. Nation makes the save. Hulk hits the Kakato Otoshi. Mochizuki hits a chest kick. He hits the Kakato Otoshi on Hulk. Nation hits CIMA with a suplex. CIMA suplexes Tozawa and mocks Nation. Tozawa blocks Kid’s dropkick. He and Hulk pepper Kid with kicks. Hulk hits a roundhouse kick and a senton for 2. He hits a suplex. CIMA dropkicks Nation’s leg. Nation blocks a dragon screw and hits an elbowdrop. He hits Kid with a Samoan drop for 2. DARKSIDE! TENSION! Kid hits Tozawa with the 619. Mochizuki cleans house. CIMA hits a suicide dive. Mochizuki and Tozawa trade kicks. Mochizuki hits the Kenka Kick for 2. Kid hits Hulk with the Diamond Dust for 2. Hulk hits the Mouse and axe kick for 2. Kid hits the Messiah for 2. Nation cleans house. He hits CIMA with a powerslam for 2. Hulk hits the uranage and Nation hits the Superfly Splash for 2. Tozawa hits a senton. He goes for a diving senton with a chair pile assist, but Kid hits him with the Skyscraper Frankensteiner on the chairs. Mochziuki hits a chest kick for 2. CIMA gets a Gory pin for 2. He hits the Schwein for 2 when Hulk saves with the First Flash. Kzy hits Kid with the yellow box, allowing Nation to hit the double powerbomb for 2. Tozawa hits a German suplex for 2. He hits the High Tension Suplex for the win at 16:32. The first half was business as usual, except for a few fun spots with Nation. Mad Blankey got to look scary again for a change, and the home stretch of the match was a blast.
Rating: ***½