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Views from the Hawke’s Nest: Best of Evan Bourne in Japan

March 13, 2012 | Posted by TJ Hawke
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Views from the Hawke’s Nest: Best of Evan Bourne in Japan  


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All of the following matches took place in 2006 in the great Dragon Gate promotion of Japan. Here are some great, must-read sites to help you with all things Dragon Gate:
Open the Garoon Gate: Reviews of every single Dragon Gate related show/match.
I Heart Dragon Gate: The absolute best coverage of Dragon Gate news and information.
Open the Tumblr Gate: The Tumblr that collects great Dragon Gate and DGUSA related links and photos. Good times are had here.

Dragon Gate Infinity 46
Generation Next (Roderick Strong & Matt Sydal) vs. Blood Generation (CIMA & Don Fujii) vs. Do Fixer (Ryo Saito & Dragon Kid) vs. Muscle Outlawz (Masato Yoshino & Jimmy Rave) [Four Corners Elimination Tag Match]
4 guys were legal at once. Things got off to a fast and furious start until Roddy and Fujii were left alone in the ring. They did some Sumo spots until Roddy took Fujii down. There was a 7 person headscissors spot. Shades of Human Centipede. Roddy was the only one not in the chain, so he decided to do a 7 person Boston Crab. Crowd popped. Roddy and Rave then did a Sumo spot that Roddy obviously won. Fujii then did a series of butt drops on Rave, one with CIMA on his back and one with Sydal on his back. Saito, CIMA, Kid, and Fujii tried to quadruple team Roddy, but he fought them off. Fujii went to the top rope, but Rave threw him to the mat. Saito went to the top rope and put Rave on his shoulders. Sydal then hit the super hurricanrana. That sparked a segment where everyone hit big moves on each other. Sydal wiped out about 5 people with a Moonsault. CIMA killed Dragon Kid with a Super Schweign: 1…2…3! Kid and Saito are eliminated at the 12:45 mark.

Rave hit a double jump tornado DDT on Roddy, but Sydal saved his partner. Rave speared Sydal, but then Roddy killed Rave with a pumphandle neckbreaker, and a Sick Kick. Roddy locked in the Strong Hold, but Rave refused to tap. Sydal then hit a standing shooting star on Rave…and Rave taps! Rave and Yoshino were eliminated at the 15:00 mark.

CIMA escaped a backbreaker attempt from Roddy and then Fujii killed Roddy with a lariat. Roddy recovered and gave CIMA a powerbomb backbreaker. Sydal then went for a top rope shooting star on CIMA, but the Dragon Gate Icon rolled out of the way. Fujii killed Sydal with a lariat. Roddy then killed CIMA with a super gutbuster and a back breaker. Sydal then hit a Shooting Star on CIMA: 1…2…3! WOW!

Typical crazy Dragon Gate multiple man tag match. I missed half the moves in the recap as expected. Pinning CIMA clean in Dragon Gate is a big deal, so this was clearly an important match for Sydal (and Roddy). This match shows how perfect Sydal and Strong were for Dragon Gate (and how Rave managed to fit in nicely as well).
Match Rating: ****

Dragon Gate Infinity 45
Blood Generation (Don Fujii & Jack Evans & Matt Sydal) vs. Muscle Outlawz (Naruki Doi & Naoki Tanisaki & Masato Yoshino)
This match appears to be heavily clipped. Fujii sent Doi to the outside and Sydal hit him with a Moonsault. Evans took out Tanisaki with an Asai Corkscrew Moonsault. Back in the ring, Yoshino seemed to attack Fujii with a metal object, but Evans save him from too much damage. Evans hit Tanisake with a C-4. Sydal then hit Tanisaki with a standing moonsault but Doi made the save. Sydal and Doi did a really great back and forth sequence. Evans had Doi pinned with a moonsault, but Kinta took out the referee. Then Dr. Muscle hit Evans with a foreign briefcase. Yoshino killed Evans with a variety of moves but Evans survived. Tanisaki hit a Jig ‘N’ Tonic but Sydal saved him. Fujii was hit with powder, but he still killed Doi with a lariat. He then killed Tanisaki with a lariat. Fujii then hits Tanisaki with a chokeslam. Evans then hit a 630 Splash. Sydal followed that up with a Shooting Star: 1…2…3!

A fun sprint that barely lasted 6 minutes. Evans was sloppy in a few places, but overall this was a very fun match.
Match Rating: ***

Dragon Gate’s Kobe World Festival 2006
Muscle Outlawz (Dr. Muscle & Naruki Doi & Gamma & Naoki Tanisaki & Masato Yoshino) vs. Don Fujii & Jack Evans & Yasushi Kanda & Roderick Strong & Matt Sydal
Kinta is the referee. Muscle and Kanda battled in the ring as everyone started the match brawling around the ring. Eventually they went to the outside too. Doi and Sydal then took a turn fighting in the ring, and Sydal started to bleed from the forehead. Finally, the brawling stopped and the tag match started. Neither team got any prolongued advantage until Evans hit a moonsault dropkick and Yoshino and Tanizaki at the same time. Fujii tagged in and ran through everyone. The crowd LOVED Fujii. Eventually, Yoshino and Kanda were in the ring, and the Muscle Outlawz were able to isolate Kanda to work him over. Evans tagged in and he was able to slow down the Outlawz’s momentum. Kanda tagged back in and almost immediately got cut off and worked over. Kanda was worked over for a long time, but finally, Kanda was able to hit a running forearm and make a hot tag to Roddy. Fujii came in shortly thereafter and kicked more ass. Sydal then hit a Moonsault. Evans followed that up with a corkscrew moonsault to the floor. Then Fujii hit a suicide dive! WHAT! Roddy and Tanisaki went at it in the ring, and Roddy killed him with a Gutbuster and a Gibson Driver: 1…2…NO! Sydal and Gamma then did a back and forth sequence with a number of nearfalls. Sydal hit a standing moonsault, but Doi made the save. Jack was setting up for a 630, but he was pushed off the top rope. Fujii went to kill Yoshino, but he hit Fujii with that metal object. Fujii got the object and hit Yoshino with it. Yoshino managed to lock in Sol Naciente, but Sydal made the save. Yoshino was then hit with a backbreaker from Roddy, 630 from Evans, and Shooting Star from Sydal: 1…2…GAMMA MAKES THE SAVE! The Outlawz went to use powder on Fujii, but it backfired and hit Doi. Fujii gave Doi a chokeslam and Kanda hit a top rope elbow: 1…2…KINTA REFUSES TO COUNT! Gamma and Dr. Muscle take down Kanda, but Kanda kicked out. Finally, Gamma holds up a chair to Kanda’s face and Doi gives him the BAKUTARI SLIDING KICK: 1…2…3

I’m tired just from watching this match. I can’t imagine how the wrestlers felt. The only thing I didn’t like about this match is the crooked referee gimmick. I can’t stand that gimmick whether it’s in WCW, Chikara, AIW, Dragon Gate, wherever. It usually gets the desired reaction, but it just makes me frustrated with the promotion. Other than that, this was a rip-roaring good time.
Match Rating: ***3/4

Dragon Gate Infinity 51
BxB Hulk, CIMA, Jack Evans, & Matt Sydal vs. Dr. Muscle, Gamma, Magnitude Kishiwada, & Jimmy Rave
Gamma did the water spitting spot early on CIMA, which obviously greatly angered the Dragon Gate Icon. CIMA used some chairs to get back at Gamma. Kishiwada KILLED Evans with a German suplex and then Dr. Muscle gave him a chokeslam. Rave then hit a running knee on him. Kishiwada held a chair to Evans face as Dr. Muscle gave him a Bakutari Sliding Kick. Sydal and Muscle brawled into the crowd, as Gamma gave CIMA a modified Tombstone on the floor. CIMA sold it like he died as the Muscle Outlawz worked him over more in the ring. Gamma grabbed some scissors and started cutting off some of CIMA’s hair. Hulk took out Gamma, as CIMA “Hulked” up and attacked Kishiwada. CIMA wiped out the Outlawz with an out of control running corkscrew running plancha. Evans followed that up with a handspring corkscrew plancha to the floor. Hulk went for a dive, but Kinta stopped him. CIMA and Gamma then went at it again. CIMA hit a Backstabber and a Perfect Driver: 1…KINTA REFRUSED TO COUNT. Cue crazy nearfall sequence. Hulk and CIMA hit stereo Coast-To-Coast dropkicks on Gamma and then Evans hit a 630 Splash but Kinta refused to counted and attacked Evans. CIMA went to attack Kinta but the Outlawz recovered and saved him. Kishiwada hit a big top rope splash on Evans: 1…2…NO! Dr. Muscle finally returned and asked to hit Evans with the cane. Kishiwada obliged, but MUSCLE HIT KISHIWADA! MUSCLE UN-MASKS AND IT’S MATT SYDAL! Schewin to Gamma! Hulk hits EVOP on Rave and then Sydal hits a Shooting Star Press: 1…2…3!

At first, I was wondering why IVP included this match in the collection, as Sydal was barely in this match after he left early on. However, that last sequence was really fun and it pretty much justified the match’s inclusion on its own. Also of note, the editing cuts here were very noticeable. Dragon Gate is much better about that right now compared to 2006.
Match Rating: ***1/2

Dragon Gate Infinity 53
CIMA & Jack Evans & Matt Sydal vs. Masato Yoshino & Gamma & Kevin Steen
All 6 men are brawling all over the arena to start the match. Yoshino and Evans make it back in the ring first. The rudos isolated Sydal and started to work him over. Yoshino held Sydal down as Gamma did the water spitting spot, but Kinta punched Gamma to prevent it! Yoshino tried to choke Sydal with that metal pipe, but the referee called him out on it! Sydal was able to make a hot tag to CIMA who hit a Silver King Dropkick and then a Silver King Plancha on Gamma. Evans hit his handspring corkscrew plancha on Steen, but Steen promptly powerbombed him on the ring apron edge. Sydal then hit Steen with a Moonsault. They made their way in the ring, where Sydal hit a reverse hurricanrana. Steen cut him off with a pumphandle neckbreaker. Steen went to the top rope, but CIMA hit a Venus and an Iconoclasm. Sydal then hit a standing moonsault: 1…2…NO! They went to suplex Steen, but Steen suplexed both of them instead. Gamma and Yoshino took out CIMA and Sydal, only for Evans to hit a springboard moonsault double back elbow on Gamma and Yoshino. The rudos hit a series of moves on Evans, including a moonsault from Steen: 1…2…Sydal made the save! Steen sets Evans up again, but CIMA met Steen on the top rope: SUPERPLEX! Gamma attacked CIMA with a Singapore Cane , but the referee took the cane from Gamma! THE REFEREE HIT CIMA! Gamma small packages CIMA: 1…2…3! What the fuck?

This was easily the weakest match in the set so far. It was not as entertaining as the other matches, and it didn’t give us anything special as far as Matt Sydal goes. The crooked referee acting like a babyface only to still be a heel in the end is pretty much the epitome of terribleness when it comes to crooked referee angles. Seeing Kevin Steen in Dragon Gate is always fun though.
Match Rating: **3/4

Dragon Gate’s Crown Gate 2006
Jushin Lyger & Jack Evans & Matt Sydal & BxB Hulk vs. Naruki Doi & Masato Yoshino & Magnitude Kishiwada & Kevin Steen
The rudos attack right away and a huge brawl spils out throughout the arena. The match made it back to the ring quickly enough though and we saw each wrestler take a turn in the ring. The rudos were able to isolate Lyger first and he was the first person worked over in the match. Hulk saved him though. Yoshino gave Hulk a low blow though, but Kinta said the strike was to the inner thigh. My god, do I ever hate crooked referees. The rudos worked over Hulk after that. Kishiwada even hit a standing moonsault on Hulk, which was quite the sight. Hulk was able to reverse a suplex from Yoshino though, which allowed him to make a hot tag to Lyger. Lyger ran wild on everyone. Evans hit an Asai Corkscrew Moonsault on Steen and then Sydal hit a Fosbury Flop on all the rudos. Lyger set up for a dive, but Kinta blocked him. Lyger hit a Frog Splash on Doi for a nearfall, but Yoshino took him down with his top rope dropkick. Sydal took him down with a hurricanrana. Lots of back and forth action. Sydal hit Steen with a standing moonsault for a nearfall. Kishiwada folded Hulk in a half with a German suplex, but Sydal and Lyger saved him. Kishiwada hit a big splash on Hulk for another nearfall. Kishiwada killed Hulk with a powerbomb, and then Doi hit the Bakutari Sliding Kick, but again, Lyger and Sydal made the save. The tecnicos then hit a series of moves on Doi, finishing with Lyger hitting a…LYGER BOMB: 1…2…NO! Kishiwada accidentally hit Doi with a lariat. Evans then hit a 630 on Doi: 1…2…NO! Steen put Evans on his shoulders and Kishiwada hit a top rope clothesline. Steen then hit a moonsault on Evans: 1…2…NO! Steen hits the package piledriver: 1…2…SYDAL MAKES THE SAVE! Yoshino went for Sol Naciente, but Sydal reversed it into a rollup. They traded rollups! Doi accidentally powdered Yoshino! Big lariat from Lyger! Shooting Star Press: 1…2…3!

This was a great match, which thankfully didn’t feature shenanigans from the crooked referee. Lyger didn’t do too much, but he was so over with the crowd that it didn’t really matter as everything he did, got a reaction. Much like the last 8-man tag on this compilation, most of the match was not a big showcase for Sydal, but him pinning Doi clean like that was very cool.
Match Rating: ***3/4

Dragon Gate Infinity 54
Jushin Liger & BxB Hulk vs. CIMA & Matt Sydal
Sydal and Hulk do a quick sequence, but they quickly tag out to CIMA and Lyger, which the crowd the clearly is much more invested in. CIMA took him down with a dropkick, but Lyger was able to avoid a big dive. Hulk tagged it and had success against CIMA and Sydal simultaneously. Hulk’s left shoulder was taped up, so CIMA and Sydal were able to get the advantage back by going after that limb. They worked it ver for a while, but Hulk was eventually able to escape and made a hot tag in Lyger. CIMA hit a backstabber on Lyger, and then Sydal hit a standing moonsault on him: 1…2…NO! Sydal went for a shooting sat press, but Lyger rolled out of the way. Sydal got a couple of pinning combinations in, but Lyger survived and hit a brainbuster: 1…2…3!

This match was short, but it was a fine way to close out the compilation.
Match Rating: ***

Thanks everybody for reading! You can send feedback to Twitter or at my email address: [email protected]. If you are a wrestling personality who would like to be interviewed by 411mania, you can also contact me in either of those ways.

PLUGS!

I am now the editor of a brand new wrestling website, FreeProWrestling.com . What is this site, you ask? It’s a website that posts a free wrestling match every single weekday. All matches are legally provided by the promotions that originally put them on. If you like wrestling and you hate spending money, I think you will enjoy it!

The 411: Evan Bourne's style was truly meant for Dragon Gate, and it's a shame that he has been held back for so long in the WWE (although his latest career setback is clearly his own doing). If you have only seen him perform in the WWE, you have not seen what he is fully capable of doing. This digital download can be purchased for $1.50 at IVPVideos.com
 
Final Score:  7.5   [ Good ]  legend

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