Dragon Gate is a premiere organization from Japan that emphasizes athleticism with a lucha touch, charismatic characters, and easily some of the best wrestling this side of the Pacific. And now the excitement of Japan has spread to the United States with the birth of Dragon Gate USA. To show what Dragon Gate USA has to offer, they debuted on pay-per-view last Friday night with a stacked card that included some of their biggest stars like CIMA, Shingo, Dragon Kid, and their double champion Naruki Doi. After years of being proclaimed the ROH of Japan, what will Dragon Gate USA be in America? And more importantly, is DGUSA’s first offering Worth Your Money?

Dawn Marie greets us while the fans go crazy.

Hulk’s dancers tonight are none other than Daizee Haze and Bobby Dempsey’s sister, which isn’t as bad as it sounds. Stalemate to open this one up. Hulk used an impressive flip to counter a hip toss into one of his own. A couple of dropkicks had Yamato on his back for a couple of seconds. A swinging kick to the face wiped out Yamato. Yamato saw an opportunity when Hulk used a cocky cover, leg barring Hulk until BxB got to the ropes. Yamato caught the leg on the top rope, dropkicking it, sending Hulk to the floor. Yamato used the guardrails to help weaken that leg. Back in the ring, Yamato was twisting Hulk’s right leg with ease. Yamato started kicking Hulk in the face, only firing up the dancer. Yamato stopped his momentum by dropkicking the right leg from underneath him. Yamato used a sleeper to set up for the high angle figure four leg lock. The fans were behind Hulk, who used the motivation to make it to the ropes. A slew of chops to the chest of Hulk had him dropping to his knees. Hulk refused to be whipped out of the corner. When Yamato did pry him off the ropes, Hulk’s legs gave way. Hulk hulked up by missile dropkicking Yamato through a reversal. Hulk ran up the incoming Yamato, clotheslining him when he landed on the mat. Leg sweep into the twisting splash by Hulk got him a near fall. Forearm exchange in the middle of the ring ends with a spinning back kick from Hulk. But Yamato exploded off the ropes with a forearm, getting a two count. Yamato ran into a back kick, hitting the ropes after getting knocked backwards. Yamato used the momentum to spear Hulk before locking in the Texas cloverleaf. BxB refused to tap, making it to the ropes. Yamato floated into the crossface, but Hulk found the ropes there as well. Hulk caught Yamato on the top rope with a spinning heel kick to the face. Float over fall away slam off the top by Hulk. Hulk used a series of strikes that ended with the axe kick to set up for a running knee to the jaw. Hulk almost missed the super kick as Yamato tried to get off the mat. But he didn’t miss the kick to the back of Yamato’s head. EVO by Hulk, but he did the move too close to the ropes. Hulk missed the Phoenix Splash, hitting the mat knee first. Brain buster by Yamato didn’t stop Hulk to the cheers of the crowd. Yamato got kicked in the back of the head again, but recovered and locked him in a sleeper. Sleeper suplex only got Yamato a two count to the shock of everyone. But Hulk couldn’t kick out of the neck snapping Galleria. What an opener!

Open the Dream Gate champion Naruki Doi was shown getting ready for his main event match.

On the other side of the building was Shingo, who will be facing the champion in tonight’s main event.

This is a CHIKARA showcase if you haven’t guessed that already. Amasis showed his dancing moves to stop Fire Ant. Ant stopped the pop locking, arm dragging Amasis into a pinning predicament. Ant got arm dragged out of the ring, bringing in Quackenbush due to the lucha style rules that say a partner can come in to replace one sent out of the ring. Mike stopped Amasis’ wheelbarrow reversal into the arm drag, sending Amasis to the floor. Icarus tried to show off a little bit, but ended up getting caught in a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker to hit the floor. Quack and Hallowicked were going lucha move for lucha move that ended with Quack’s head scissor reversal into a monkey flip. Hallowicked responded with a head scissors of his own. Quack helped Jigsaw head scissor Hallowicked out of the ring after Quack got whipped into his corner. Jigsaw had Akuma flying across the ring until Akuma slammed him, sending Jigsaw to the floor. Solider Ant propelled off the ropes, head scissoring Akuma to the floor, causing Hallowicked to come in. S. Ant immediately caught Hallowicked in a few pinning combinations. Hallowicked used his superior mass to power bomb the much smaller S. Ant. A few quick tags on the rudo side of the ring had Soldier Ant heaving. Big kicks from Akuma lead to the sweeping kick to the face. Stereo kicks by the Team FIST members. Fall away slam into a single leg Boston crab didn’t get Icarus the submission. Amasis came in, using a spine buster, but didn’t go for the cover. The Egyptian elbow missed. S. Ant was fighting off everyone, head scissoring Akuma out of the ring after being launched into the air by Icarus. Soldier leapt over Icarus, tagging out to Mike.

Mike used a slew of moves to level Icarus. Hallowicked came in, sending Mike to the floor after blocking the yakuza kick. Arm drag by Jigsaw sent Hallowicked out of the ring. When Jigsaw went to dive, Akuma kicked him in the chest, allowing Icarus to spear him for a near fall. Icarus pulled Jigsaw to the rudo corner. Akuma used the octopus stretch to put Jigsaw’s shoulders on the mat for a couple of seconds. Like his partner, Jigsaw was stuck on the wrong part of town, getting pounded on by everyone. Amasis used a series of strikes to stop the fighting Jigsaw, ending with a sliding clothesline and tag out to Akuma. Akuma power bombed Icarus on top of Jigsaw, who somehow kicked out of Icarus’ follow up pin. Jigsaw took all the kicks Akuma was throwing, trying to make a dive to his corner when it looked like Akuma had worn himself out. Akuma caught Jigsaw coming, propelling him into the air. Jigsaw turned in midair, dropkicking Icarus off the apron. Akuma followed his partner after a back body drop, allowing Jigsaw to dive on top of them, which means another member of his team could come in. And Fire Ant was that member, using a cross body block off the top on the rushing Hallowicked. F. Ant turned the wheelbarrow suplex into the stunner for a near fall that was broken up by Akuma. Ant reversed whatever Akuma had in mind, DDT’ing him. Double dropkick in the corner on Hallowicked, followed by a double big boot on Amasis. Ants Marching on Amasis was successful, but Icarus stopped the pin. Icarus picked up F. Ant, Death Valley driving him across the turnbuckles. Discus chop by S. Ant sent Icarus out of the ring, allowing Hallowicked to come in and knock Ant off his feet. Quack stopped whatever Hallowicked had in mind on the turnbuckles and S. Ant with a hurricarana. Saluting flying head-butt by Soldier Ant, and the follow up pin was broken up by Amasis. Amasis turned the chops by S. Ant into a face buster. Quack responded with a clothesline on that nearly turned Amasis inside out. Blue thunder Michinoku driver by Quack to set up for Jigsaw’s move off the top. Akuma stopped it, exploder suplexing Jigsaw in position for the moonsault, for only a two count. The fans were on there feet for the Rubik Cube when Jigsaw reversed it, slamming Akuma for a near fall. Hallowicked rushed Jigsaw into the corner, allowing Icarus to attempt to unmask Jigsaw. The Colony double hip tossed Icarus into Quack’s Swanton. Mike ran across the ring, double super kicking Hallowicked with Jigsaw. Quack used the somersault plancha on Hallowicked to send him into the front row as S. Ant attempted to do the same on Akuma. Jig-N-Tonic on Icarus brings a win to the technicos in this CHIKARA showcase.

Mike Quackenbush put over CHIKARA and his, and Dragon Gate trainer, Jorge Rivera. Nice little video package for Jorge. Mike decided to make a challenge to any Dragon Gate wrestler who wanted to face a CHIKARA wrestler. Yamato answered the challenge by kicking Mike in the groin. Akuma and Jigsaw ran out for the save, only for Akuma to turn on Jigsaw and Quack. The Colony had to help their friend and partner.

Incredible show of speed and agility by both men after the initial tie up that ended with Kid head scissoring Yoshino out of the ring. Kid jumped Yoshino when he reentered, but it did help him as he got face planted when Yoshino blocked the head scissors. After a couple of stomps by Yoshino, Naruki honed in on the left arm of Kid. A series of arm wringers allowed Yoshino to drop a leg across the back of Kid’s arm. Incredible submission had Kid’s left arm hammerlocked and his chin pressed into his neck. Kid used an Irish whip to flip over the turnbuckles for a springboard maneuver. Yoshino stopped it, knocking Dragon on the apron. Kid flipped out of the suplex back in, using déjà vu after kicking Yoshino away. Bermuda triangle to the floor by Kid got the fans on their feet. Springboard missile dropkick by Kid got him a two count. Yoshino leapt over the incoming Kid, using that float over clothesline to level the masked man. Kid stopped whatever Masato had in mind when he went to the top rope. Yoshino blocked the superplex, only for Kid to turn the sunset bomb into a head scissors for the 619. Doi power bombed his way out of the dragonrana, causing both men to fall to the mat. Kid propelled off the ropes, putting Yoshino in cristo (octopus stretch). Yoshino got his knees up to stop the springboard Arabian press. Hesitation missile dropkick by Yoshino got a shocking two count. Series of rapid fire strikes by Yoshino only ended with him getting DDT’ed. Yoshino stopped the dragonrana off the top, going back and forth with Yoshino until Masato was standing on the top rope. Super hurricarana with both men standing on the top rope couldn’t put Yoshino away. Yoshino recovered, hitting Another Space before following up with Tornado. Yoshino turned it into his patented submission that I can’t even pronounce, let alone type. Kid turned it into a pinning combination, but couldn’t get the three count. Yoshino tossed Kid into the air, only for Dragon to spin in midair, connecting with the stunner. Springboard hurricarana holds Yoshino down for the three count.

Matt Jackson and Susumu started this thing off as Mike Quackenbush came to the announce position. Clean break after the first collar & elbow tumbled into the ropes. Matt tried to cross arm bar Susumu, but he blocked it with a vengeance. Susumu feigned a test of strength, stomping on Matt’s hands before knocking him off his feet. Matt responded by head scissoring Yokosuka into a dropkick that allowed Matt to do CIMA and Susumu’s taunt. Nick and CIMA tagged in, leading to a quick exchange that ended with Nick head scissoring CIMA so he could tag in Matt for a double hip toss into a double team dropkick. Yokosuka ran in, only to get gut-busted, then neck snapped across Nick’s knee. Susumu recovered, tagging out to allow CIMA to snap Nick into a kick to the chest. Hilo by CIMA got him a one count. Nick Jackson got to his feet out of the chin lock, only to allow CIMA to tag out and hit him with a double back elbow with the help of Susumu. Nick blocked the slam, making it to his corner to tag his brother in for a series of shoulder rams. Nick jumped off the top, dropping a double axe handle on his left arm. Matt followed up with a double stomp to the same arm. Corkscrew splash on the prone body Susumu by Nick only got him a near fall. CIMA helped pull his partner to their side of the ring with Nick still attached. CIMA tagged in, sliding his boots across Nick’s face. CIMA whipped Nick into the ropes, only for Matt to blind tag himself in, flipping over the incoming CIMA. Matt flapjacked his brother so he could dropkick CIMA. CIMA kicked out of Matt’s follow up pin, kicking Matt off his feet. Double suplex by CIMA and Susumu when Yokosuka tagged in. Yokosuka tried to wear Matt out with a chin lock as Quack explain how hot it was under those bright lights. When Matt made it to the ropes, Susumu drove his knee into Matt’s abdomen. CIMA ran in after distracting the referee with Nick, clawing Matt in the face as Susumu had Matt locked in a body scissors. Susumu held Matt in position for CIMA’s lung blower. Nick ran in, knocking Susumu to the floor. CIMA followed, helping Susumu set Nick up for that springboard double stomp to the abdomen. Yokosuka followed up by beating Nick with the Dragon Gate thunder sticks. CIMA started kicking Matt in the chest until his fiery energy died. CIMA made Matt understand that he didn’t have any help now as Nick crawled to his corner. Nick stopped a double team in the corner after taking one, running up the chest of CIMA to use sliced bread #2 on Susumu. Matt caught CIMA, neck breaking CIMA so he could tag in Nick.

Nick was a house of fire, sending both of his opponents to the floor. Matt used a dropkick through the ropes to knock Susumu and CIMA back far enough for Nick to dive on top of them. Matt held CIMA for the double stomp to the arm. Matt rushed CIMA into the corner behind him, holding CIMA against the turnbuckles long enough for Nick to knee CIMA in the face. Spear by Matt leads to the double moonsault that was broken up by Susumu. CIMA rolled through Nick’s sunset flip, double stomping Nick in the face. The Bucks reversed the double Irish whip, but so did Yokosuka and CIMA, allowing CIMA to put both Bucks on the middle rope, executing a double backstabber. Matt was all alone, getting double stomped into a face plant. CIMA landed on his feet after the stomp, diving through the ropes to level Nick on the floor. The fans were on their feet as Susumu tried to pick up Matt. Matt back dropped his way out of the move, going up the ropes. Susumu stopped him with an exploder superplex. Matt flipped out of corner after kicking out of Susumu’s follow up pin, using a stunner to cradle Yokosuka. No three count for Matt, so he went to the top turnbuckle. CIMA stopped him with the Venus palm strike before pulling him off the ropes with Iconoclasm. Matt got his knees up to block the Mad Splash. Nick ran in, hitting a stunner on CIMA as Matt kicked Yokosuka in the face. Matt hoisted Susumu up for a Nick to connect with Worst Case Scenario. CIMA whipped Nick into the steel ring post as Susumu turned Matt inside out with a clothesline. Perfect Driver by CIMA got a stunning two count. CIMA ran across the ring for the coast-to-coast dropkick to the back of Matt’s head. The spike face buster didn’t get the win for CIMA and Susumu because of Nick Jackson’s interference. Miscommunication between CIMA and Susumu ends with CIMA super kicking Susumu. More Bang For Your Buck on Susumu gives The Bucks the victory.

In their respective locker rooms, Naruki Doi and Shingo prepare for the first main event in Dragon Gate USA history.

Shingo couldn’t immediately power Doi off his feet due to Doi falling into the ropes. Shingo did power Doi down with the Greco-roman knuckle lock. Doi turned it around, moving from the arms to the legs of Shingo. Shingo floated out of the hold, headlocking Doi until he got head scissored. Shingo quickly freed himself, leading to a standoff. Shoulder block couldn’t level Shingo, but it did on Doi. Doi tried to jump on the incoming Shingo, but ended up getting TKO’ed. Fist drop by Shingo set up the champ for a slam, then a couple of steps across Doi’s throat. Shingo missed the flying knee drop, giving Doi a chance to dragon screw leg whip Shingo to perfection. Doi had Shingo’s left leg twisted as the fans chanted for both men. Doi hung Shingo’s leg in the ropes so he could dropkick it. Doi followed up by using a shin breaker into the figure four leg lock. Shingo rocked back and forth until the pressure was put on Doi. Doi turned it over, putting a great amount of pressure on Shingo’s legs. Shingo stopped the cannonball in the corner, power bombing Doi in a great show of strength. Shingo dropped a knee across Doi’s skull, but hurt himself just as much as it did Doi. Shingo switched it up, chopping Doi until he was reeling into the ropes. Doi tried to chop back, but just got chopped down. He also got clotheslined down when Doi sprung off the ropes. Delayed vertical suplex by Shingo got him a near fall. A series of big chops from Shingo left Doi open for an Irish whip that allowed Shingo to power slam him for a two count. Shingo turned that failed pin into a modified anaconda vice. Doi scooted to the ropes to save himself. Shingo tried to suplex Doi to the floor, but Doi turned the tables, dropping Shingo on the apron, buckling Shingo’s knees. This allowed Doi to tie Shingo in the ropes, dropkicking him in the chest. Shingo fell across the middle rope, giving Doi the chance to springboard somersault senton splash Shingo to a thunderous ovation.

Shingo hit the ropes after elbowing his way out of a waist lock, only to get back elbowed in the mouth. Doi got caught in Shingo’s clutches, getting suplexed across the ring. Cravat into a fist drop by Shingo set Doi up for that flying knee drop for another near fall. Shingo muscled Doi up after the downward spiral, hitting that torture rack face buster to get a two count. Doi stopped the clothesline, going fist to fist with Shingo until catching him with the raiden bomb. Doi pulled Shingo to the middle of the ring for something off the top rope, but Shingo caught him with a chop. Shingo called for it, but couldn’t follow up with the superplex. Doi slapped Shingo off the top rope, hanging him in the tree of woe for the cannonball. Belly to back superplex by Doi slammed Shingo on the back of his head, but couldn’t keep him down for the three count. Doi hit the ropes, only to get tossed into the Death Valley driver, then the running lariat. Shingo sat in frustration after Doi kicked out. Doi stopped the pumphandle, but was out on his feet after a couple of forearm shots to the ear. Doi fell into the pumphandle driver, but had the wherewithal to kick out right before the three count. Shingo connected with the clothesline, but ended up running into the Doi Five. Sliding kick by Doi, but he knocked Shingo too close to the ropes to get the victory. Shingo blocked the Muscular Bomb, turning it into another pumphandle driver. Shingo and Doi were going forearm for forearm. Doi elbowed Shingo into the sliding kick, then the tiger suplex, but not the victory. Another sliding kick after a series of strikes, but Shingo refused to say die. Muscular Bomb executed to perfection gives the Dragon Gate champion the victory.

But back to the main event, the one thing I loved about it is something that I talked about that hurt Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker from Wrestlemania 25, and that’s the power of each man’s finishing move. Shingo has a variety of finishers, so you can’t really say which is the most effective. Doi, on the other hand, uses the Muscular Bomb to finish most of his matches. Rarely, if ever, does someone kick out of the move. Shingo was able to block it a couple of times, but when Doi hit it, it was over. And that’s how it should be. It’s believable, it makes sense, and it ends the match as it should be ended, with a big finish. I’ve watched quite a few pay-per-views this year, but none had me marking out throughout the show like this one. The only downside to the whole show was Dawn Marie’s introductions. Thankfully that’s all they had her do, but God bless her for it. If you don’t know by now, Dragon Gate USA: Enter The Dragon Is Worth Your Money.

Check your listings for air times because they really vary. Just a tip, and please check it out. You won’t be disappointed.