411’s DGUSA Enter the Dragon 2012 Review

Chicago, Il
July 29, 2012

Commentators: Lenny “Lenny Leonard” Leonard, Colt Cabana, and Dr. Keith Lipinski

Chuck Taylor, Jake Manning, & Jake Manning’s Mustache come out to start the show just like at Untouchable. Manning is once again teaching everyone how to make a fire. They were interrupted by Masada. He destroyed Manning’s wood.

Masada vs. Jake Manning
Manning immediately hit a backbreaker/Mic Check combo, so I guess Masada is having another semi-competitive match. Masada went for a submission, but Manning got to the ropes. Masada then dominated the match and hit a Regal-plex: 1…2…3! Ok, good. It was not competitive.

Just a squash to introduce Masada. The weird thing about this start to the show is that it’s very repetitive to everyone who watched the show live or on iPPV the night before. Manning does comedy, before getting squashed (essentially). Instead of Jon Davis, Masada squashes him, which is what he essentially did the night before. In other words, this didn’t feel very creative.
Match Rating: Squash

Zero Gravity (Brett Gakiya & CJ Esparza) vs. The Scene (Caleb Konley & Scott Reed with Larry Dallas & Courtney)
Larry Dallas is not wearing the sweater vest from Untouchable. Unacceptable.

Esparza was initially double teamed, but Zero Gravity managed to come back once they started using some flippy stuff. Konley killed Esparza with a wheelbarrow Glam Slam on the guardrail. That was nasty. The Scene started to work over Esparza. Esparza avoided a charging Reed at one point, and he was eventually able to tag in Gakiya. Gakiya got a nearfall on Reed with a Lionsault. Esparza wiped out Konley with a somersault plancha. Zero Gravity did an awesome draping Ace Crusher/Coast to Coast Headbutt combo on Reed for a nearfall. That got no reaction for some reason. The Scene hit Gakiya with two back chop/powerbombo combos, but Esparza made the save. The Scene then hit an assisted DDT on both of them at the same time, and then Reed gave Esparza a bridging German suplex: 1…2…3

This match was fine. The Scene continue to not be very interesting, but I guess they are going to be a part of DGUSA/Evolve for the foreseeable future no matter how little fans care about them.
Match Rating: **1/2

Samuray Del Sol vs. Shane Hollister
Del Sol quickly took him down with a headscissors, but Hollister cut him off with some strikes. Hollister got the heat for a bit. He hit Del Sol with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for a nearfall. Hollister locked in a bow and arrow. Del Sol escaped, but Hollister took him right back down. Del Sol came back with a series of kicks, but Hollister still managed to cut him off again. Del Sol reversed another back breaker attempt with a hurricanrana. Del Sol made a comeback. It was much slower than I expected. Del Sol got hung up in a turnbuckle and Hollister gave him a superkick to the head. Hollister went to the middle rope, but Del Sol gave him a leaping hurricanrana. Del Sol then jumped off a middle rope to hit a reverse hurricanrana: 1…2…3

This match was entertaining for the five-six minutes it got, so in that sense it was fine. However, I don’t understand what this match accomplished beyond that, which is frustrating because it had a lot of potential. This match was neither an all-out showcase for Samuray Del Sol, nor was it an extended match that would get both men over.
Match Rating: **1/2

Super Smash Bros. (Player Uno & Player Dos) vs. The Dirty Ugly Fucks (Arik Cannon & Pinkie Sanchez)
This match should be good.

There were a fair amount of shenanigans early on. The SSB got the first advantage, as they managed to isolate Pinkie. Pinkie managed to give Dos an inverted Dragon Screw legwhip to cut him off. The D.U.F. started to work over Dos. Dos managed to hit them with his awesome double Pele kick though, and he then tagged in Uno. Uno ran wild. Dos ended up back in the match, and Cannon cut him off. This match did not need another heat segment. Dos hit Pinkie with a spike DDT and tagged Uno back in. Pinkie hit Uno with a guillotine DDT. Dos tagged back in. Cannon hit Dos with the Glimmering Warlock for a nearfall. Then, the “everyone hits big moves on each other and all end up collapsing” spot happened. They then repeated that spot. Wow. The SSB set Pinkie up for Fatality, but Cannon blocked it. Cannon and Pinkie then murdered Dos with a series of big moves. Cannon hit Total Anarchy, but Player Uno made the save. Dos hit a spinning Canadian Destroyer on Cannon that sent him to the floor. He wiped out Cannon with a somersault plancha The SSB then hit Pinkie with Fatality: 1…2…3

Player Uno says they want a United Gate Title match in November at the next DGUSA weekend. I hope that happens. Chuck Taylor and The Swamp Monster came out. Taylor says they will have to go through The Gentleman’s Club. Ricochet came out. He says none of them will get a shot until he is champion, because he has never lost the belts. That was weird. The Scene came out. Arik Cannon took the microphone and told Larry Dallas that no one likes him. Cue some homophobic humor made in Konley and Reed’s direction. This was a very uninteresting way to establish that a bunch of teams are interested in the United Gate Tag Titles.

This was a flat match. I’m glad the SSB won both matches this weekend, but neither match came close to what they are producing in PWG. I think they could have some great main event level matches in DGUSA if they are given the opportunities.
Match Rating: **3/4

Johnny Gargano vs. Chuck Taylor [I Quit]
Gargano made Taylor submit in their match at Evolve 15. So, why are they having an I Quit match now? Why not~?!?!

Taylor called Gargano out for their match, but The Swamp Monster attacked Taylor. Turns out Gargano was hiding in the Swamp Monster suit. The match starts. Gargano sent Taylor to the floor. Taylor blocked a tope attempt, and they started brawling on the floor. They ended up in the crowd. Gargano threw some chairs at Taylor. They made their way on top of the speakers for the building. Taylor body slammed Gargano on the speakers. They made their way back to the ringside area. Gargano pulled out a ladder and used it against Taylor. Gargano brought Taylor and a chair into the ring. Gargano went for the Gotcha Spear, but Taylor caught him and hit a draping DDT on the chair. That was cool. Taylor set up the ladder in the corner, but Gargano backdropped him onto the ladder. Gargano brought out some barbed wire and wrapped it around a turnbuckle. Taylor sent Gargano into a chair and then to the floor. On the floor, Taylor accidentally gave a big boot to a ring girl. Taylor had the best “shit-eatin’ grin after that. Great spot. Gargano hit a superkick and then hit Taylor’s hand with a chair. Back in the ring, Gargano repeatedly drove the chair in Taylor’s chest. Gargano went to the top rope. Taylor threw the chair at Gargano’s face and Gargano fell through the ringside table. Taylor bridged a section of the guardrail between the apron and the rest of the guardrail. Taylor took a pants belt off the referee. Taylor whipped Gargano. Gargano came back with a tope suicida and a Gotcha Spear. Gargano then used the belt to whip Taylor. Gargano followed that with a suplex into the turnbuckle. Gargano went for a slingshot DDT, but Taylor caught him and gave him a release Northern Lights Suplex over the ropes and through the bridged guardrail. That was absolutely insane. I hope that guardrail was rigged for that. Taylor brought Gargano back into the ring and locked in the single leg crab. Gargano refused to quit and used the ropes to break free from the submission. Taylor took out a bag of thumbtacks. That’s gotta be a first for DGUSA. Gargano still refused to quit. Taylor went for a Razor’s Edge, but Gargano avoided it and back dropped him into the thumbtacks. Wow. Gargano then picked up some thumbtacks and put them in Taylor’s mouth: SUPERKICK! Wow, that was so creative and awesome. Taylor still refused to quit. Gargano brought out the barbed wire again. Taylor acted like he was about to quit and was begging for forgiveness. Taylor then tried to jump Gargano, but Gargano hit the Hurt’s Donut and locked in the Gargano Escape with BARBED WIRE! Taylor quits!

This was a fantastic blowoff to a very strangely booked feud. This is definitely one of those matches where the wrestlers are so great in everything they do that it doesn’t even matter that the heat for the match isn’t anything special. Johnny Gargano continues to have great matches with everyone that he is booked against in DGUSA and Evolve. He is one of the best wrestlers in the world. This may be the best Chuck Taylor singles match I have ever seen.
Match Rating: ****1/4

YAMATO vs. Jon Davis
Jon Davis’s career is on the line in all of his matches because of a self-imposed stipulation. No one in the crowd seemed to know this.

They started out slow. Davis took him down with a shoulder block and then no-sold a dropkick from YAMATO. Davis hit a big powerslam. Davis sent him to the floor and called for a dive. YAMATO crawled to the other side of the ring and attacked Davis from behind. YAMATO went after Davis’s right arm. YAMATO locked in a kimura, but he didn’t seem to have it locked in tight. Davis stood out of it and made it to the ropes. They traded some forearms. Davis caught him with DAT spinebuster and a shining wizard for a nearfall. Davis hit a high angle belly-to-back suplex for another nearfall. Davis set up for a suplex, but YAMATO reversed it into a guillotine. Davis reversed it, but YAMATO then reversed that into a sleeper. Davis put him on the top rope and hit an enzuigiri. Davis then hit the Fucking Machine Jackhammer: 1…2…NO! YAMATO went back to attacking Davis’s injured arm. Davis came back with a big lariat: 1…2…NO! Davis tried for Three Seconds Around the World, but YAMATO reversed it into a motherfucking sleeper suplex. Brainbuster from YAMATO: 1…2…NO! CROSS ARMBREAKER FROM YAMATO! Davis tried to escape, but YAMATO just reversed it into a Triangle Choke. Davis reversed it into a Rampage Powerbomb: 1…2…NO! Davis followed that with a Buckle Bomb and the Sick Kick. Three Seconds Around the World: 1…2…3!

Davis got the microphone after the match. He reiterated his goal for an Evolve Championship. He says he will take a more active approach at Evolve 17 to get that title. What does that mean?

This was a good wrestling match that was nearly ruined by the crowd. Jon Davis defeating the former Dream Gate Champion clean is a big fucking deal, but the crowd just acted like YAMATO was a bigger star. This Jon Davis storyline has not been over this weekend. I blame the lack of letting people know that it was going on, but hey, I can’t keep up with modern promoting strategies.
Match Rating: ***1/4

El Generico vs. Akira Tozawa (w/ Christina Von Eerie)
These two had a good PWG match in 2010. This should be fantastic.

Neither man could get the decisive advantage at the start. Generico got control briefly and delivered ten punches in the corner. CVE grabbed Generico’s foot from the outside (the referee saw it) and Generico chased after her. That allowed Tozawa to hit Generico with a pair of tope suicidas. Back in the ring, Tozawa started to work over Generico. Tozawa tossed Generico to the floor, so that CVE could attack Generico behind the referee’s back. They did this a second time, but this time CVE headbutted Generico right in front of the referee. Lame. I hate that shit. Generico managed to send Tozawa to the floor and he hit his somersault plancha. Back in the ring, Generico hit a swinging DDT for a nearfall. Generico got another nearfall with a Michinoku Driver. Tozawa hit a saito suplex for a nearfall of his own. Tozawa hit a Brogue Kick to the back of the head. Tozawa hit a sliding knee for another nearfall. The crowd is not really biting on the nearfalls. They traded some strikes. Generico gave Tozawa an exploder into the corner, but Tozawa came back with a shining wizard. Generico hit a Blue Thunder Bomb: 1…2…NO! Tozawa blocked a brainbuster attempt. Generico avoided another Brogue Kick. Generico set up for a brainbuster, but CVE ran in with a chair. Generico went to Yakuza her, but she ran away. Tozawa hit a Brogue Kick, but Generico came right back with a Yakuza and a brainbuster: 1…2…NO! Tozawa avoided a turnbuckle brainhuster and hit a release German suplex. Tozawa then hit a deadlift German: 1…2…NO! Tozawa then hit the Straight Jacket German: 1…2…3

This was a really good match that was only hampered by a tepid reaction from the crowd and the annoying presence of Christina Von Eerie. While those two points were disappointing, I still really enjoyed the match. I don’t have much else to add.
Match Rating: ***3/4

AR Fox & CIMA vs. Ricochet & Rich Swann [United Gate Tag Titles]
The titles are vacated because Masato Yoshino wasn’t coming back to DGUSA in 2012. It’s the second straight DGUSA weekend where there was a decision match for these vacated titles. Neither of these teams had teamed together before this weekend. It’s probably why they used a segment earlier in the show to establish that multiple teams were now gunning for the belts. CIMA is the current Dream Gate champion, so he isn’t eating the pin here.

Swann and Fox started the match, which brings back memories of their super fun singles matches. CIMA and Ricochet, former champions then faced off. Ricochet sent him and Fox to the floor. Ricochet then hit a no-hands corkscrew press to both of them. Back in the ring, CIMA and Fox started to work over Ricochet. Ricochet eventually hit CIMA with a running Ace Crusher and tagged in Rich Swann. Swann hit Fox with a Trouble in Paradise. Ricochet and Swann started to work over Fox. CIMA just grabbed the referee’s hand at one point instead of breaking up a nearfall. CIMA is goofy. Fox eventually hit Swann with a Sliced Bread #2 and Ricochet with a twisting brainbuster. CIMA tagged in and ran wild on Ricochet and Swann. Ricochet and Swann ended up on the floor and Fox hit Lo Mein Rain. Back in the ring, Ricochet got a nearfall on Fox with a Buckle Exploder Suplex. Fox came back with a rolling DVD and an incredible senton atomico: 1…2…Swann made the save. Ricochet hit a standing corkscrew press on Fox: 1…2…NO! CIMA gave Ricochet a Venus, but Ricochet avoided the Iconoclasm. Swann hit CIMA with a super hurricanrana and Ricochet hit the standing shooting star press: 1…2…FOX MAKES THE SAVE! Swann ate the shotgun knees and the second half of My Dick Explodes from Fox. CIMA gave Swann a Meteora, but Ricochet immediately hit CIMA with a shooting star press: 1…2…FOX MAKES THE SAVE! That was an awesome sequence. Ricochet hit Fox with a Trouble in Paradise. CIMA hit him with a superkick and a perfect driver: 1…2…NO! CIMA then held Ricochet on his knees so that Fox could hit a 450 splash: 1…2…SWANN MAKES THE SAVE! Swann gave Fox a kneeling superkick, but Fox came back and managed to hit Lo Mein Pain: 1…2…3!

CIMA says Fox is the new best high flyer in the world. Ricochet is offended by that and says that he is better. Fox challenges him to a match at Evolve 17. CIMA then asks Fox to calm down. CIMA says they should respect each other because they are both awesome.

This very much reminded me of the Untouchable main event, where Gargano and Tozawa gave a great effort, but the environment just wasn’t there for them. This finish coming a little out of nowhere probably didn’t help. I enjoyed the match though a lot, and I was very happy with the result. Hopefully this means Fox is going to get another tour in Dragon Gate, but I won’t be holding my breath. CIMA and Fox’s first defense should be against the Super Smash Bros.
Match Rating: ***3/4

Overall Thoughts: Not to sound like a broken record, but this show was exactly what I expect from a Dragon Gate USA show. There was a bunch of good-to-great wrestling featuring some of my favorite wrestlers in the world. However, the booking continues to undermine my enthusiasm for the promotion, but to expect anything else at this point would be a fruitless endeavor. The good news is that DGUSA continues to have a really strong foundation of great wrestlers (and the invaluable WWNLive.com) so there is always room for hope. If they just cut out some of the fat in the promotion and stopped making silly mistakes (not promoting a retirement fuck stipulation), then this promotion could easily position itself as the best wrestling promotion in America. Until then though, fans are still getting better cards from PWG and storytelling that blows DGUSA away from Chikara. DGUSA(/Evolve) hasn’t been close to those promotions since their first two shows, and it’s frustrating to see so much potential go to waste.

Final Recommendation: A definitive Thumbs Up for this show. Order the show at WWNlive.com.

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