wrestling / Video Reviews

Views from the Hawke’s Nest: DGUSA(/CZW) Heat 2012

September 25, 2012 | Posted by TJ Hawke
5.5
The 411 Rating
Community Grade
12345678910
Your Grade
Loading...
Views from the Hawke’s Nest: DGUSA(/CZW) Heat 2012  

March 29, 2012
Hollywood, Florida

Commentators: Lenny “Lenny Leonard” Leonard, Kevin Steen, Sami Callihan, & Rich Swann

Low Ki vs. Bobby Fish
This was Ki’s second DGUSA match and Fish’s first DGUSA match.

Ki was in control early. Fish came back with some kicks and a slingshot senton. Ki came right back with some big strikes. They started trading huge strikes. Fish got a leg scissors, bur Ki escaped. Fish maintained control for a bit. Ki finally came back with the Tidal Crush! Ki tried for the Ki Krusher but Fish avoided it. Ki then hit a lariat and the Ki Krusher: 1…2…3

This match started out pretty entertaining, as they seemed determined to just hit each other as hard as possible. Then it just ended rather suddenly. There isn’t anything wrong with the match, as it was too short to become an annoying Low Ki match, but nothing happened here that is worth getting excited about.
Match Rating: **1/2

Mad Blankey (Uhaa Nation, Akira Tozawa, and Bead & Breakfast Hulk) cut a promo in the back. Tozawa explained that “Mad Blankey” meant “BULLSHIT!”

Ricochet vs. Mike Cruz

You can also download this (legally) free DGUSA match right here. DGUSA gave me permission to upload it the Youtube channel.

This was Cruz’s debut in DGUSA. Ricochet was the Brave Gate Champion in Japan at this time.

They did some cool athletic spots early. Cruz took him down with two hurricanranas. Cruz went for a springboard move, but Ricochet dropkicked him in mid-air. Ricochet then started to work over Cruz. Cruz avoided a corner leg lariat, and Cruz came back with a series of running strikes. Cruz hit a springboard dropkick. They started trading some strikes in the middle of the ring. Ricochet won that. Ricochet followed that up with a brutal running Ace Crusher: 1…2…NO! Ricochet went for a springboard move, but Cruz caught him with a German suplex: 1…2…NO! Ricochet came back with a snapmare driver: 1…2…NO! Good nearfall. Ricochet hit a shooting star press: 1…2…3!

Akira Tozawa and BxB Hulk attacked Ricochet after the match. CIMA and Masaaki Mochizuki made the save.

This was a fun undercard match. It would have been cool to see both guys have the opportunity to go all out, but I guess a more toned down match made sense for this spot on the card. I definitely hope Mike Cruz keeps getting more opportunities in the WWNLive wrestling universe, because he is capable of having matches that are much better than this.
Match Rating: **3/4

The Dirty Ugly Fucks were in the back. Sami Callihan was mad at Pinkie Sanchez for forgetting his gear. Callihan and Arik Cannon buried their opponents for the Saturday and Sunday shows. They put over themselves and beat up Pinkie. Ok.

Masato Yoshino vs. Samuray Del Sol
This was Del Sol’s DGUSA debut. He was billed as a mystery luchador in the press releases promoting his debut.

No one reacted to Del Sol. Yoshino was greeted like a star. Johnny Gargano came into the ring before the match started. He said he’s just here to scout Yoshino, who is challenging him for the Freedom Gate title the next night.

Del Sol (after botching a springboard hurricanrana) sent Yoshino to the floor, and he then did a feint dive. Back in the ring, Yoshino got control of the match. He locked in an arm/neck lock, but Del Sol made the ropes. Del Sol came back with a springboard dropkick. Yoshino fell to the floor. Del Sol went for a wacky springboard dive, but Del Sol botched it BAD. The botch was so dangerous looking, that the crowd immediately got behind him just for being alive afterwards. The same thing happened in AR Fox’s WWN debut (Evolve 6). Back in the ring, Del Sol hit a slingshot somersault splash for a nearfall. Yoshino came back with a Sling Blade for a nearfall of his own. Del Sol then caught him with a pop-up double knee gutbuster for a nearfall. They botched something else (possibly a Torbellino). Yoshino had the most condescending look on his face after that. Del Sol then hit a twisting brainbuster for a nearfall. Floyd is not impressed. Yoshino hit his beautiful missile dropkick. He followed it up with Torbellino. He called for Sol Naciente, but Del Sol reversed it into a pinning combination: 1…2…3!

This match started fine, but it became something of a trainwreck with those two or three botches. This was easily Del Sol’s weakest match so far in DGUSA or Evolve. He has been a breakout star in 2012 though, so he shouldn’t really be judged by this match. Yoshino was in cruise control here, but he usually is these days.
Match Rating: **1/4

The Veteran Army (CIMA & Masaaki Mochizuki) vs. The Scene (Caleb Konley & Scott Reed w/ Larry Dallas & Amber)
The Scene sucks. CIMA & Mochi are awesome. Something’s gotta give!

The Scene attacked the Army before the match to get the advantage. Said advantage did not last long. CIMA spread their legs in a headstand position so that Mochi could kick each of them in the taints. How is that not a video uploaded by DGUSA? CIMA wanted to do one to Larry Dallas too, but Dallas sat on a fan in the seats. Mochi got hung up in the ropes at one point, and Konley kicked the ropes into his crotch. That successfully cut off Mochi, and the rudos worked him over. Mochi was eventually able to hit a Sankakugeri to the Face on Konley. CIMA made a hot tag. Konley briefly cut off CIMA. Reed and Mochi battled it out until Reed got caught with stereo superkicks from the Vertan Army. Amber jumped up on the apron. CIMA started to take off his pants, which allowed Konley to take him down with a rolling elbow. They then hit CIMA with That’s Obscene, and Mochi had to make the save. Mochi killed Reed with a Yakuza Kick. Mochi killed both of them with kicks. CIMA and Mochi then killed them with running knees to the gut in the corner. CIMA then took them both out with a Meteora: 1…2…3!

Akira Tozawa & BxB Hulk attacked after the bell. Ricochet and Uhaa Nation joined the party. Tozawa cut a promo where he yelled “bullshit” a lot. Uhaa was very over with this crowd.

I understand the need and desire to give The Scene bigger opportunities, but this match did absolutely nothing for them, while simultaneously being a complete waste of CIMA and Mochizuki. I actually have no problem with The Scene being given a big match, but it probably should have happened on a show that had two or three matches above it that would definitely deliver. Nothing to see here (although Mochi kicking them in the taints amused me).
Match Rating: **1/2

Ronin cut a terrible promo in the back. They came across as the most annoying group of dudes ever.

PAC vs. AR Fox
This match should be awesome. This was PAC’s second to last singles match in DGUSA, before the WWE signed him.

They did an extended feeling out process. Fox managed to send PAC to the floor, and he set up for a dive. PAC was able to catch him with a springboard dropkick though. PAC was in control for a while after that. Fox really didn’t get much offense until he crotched PAC on the top rope and sent him to the floor with a springboard dropkick. Fox then hit Lo Mein Rain! When Fox lands that move clean, it’s beautiful. When he over or undershoots his target, he looks like he dies. He landed that one perfectly. Fox followed it up with a guillotine legdrop on the apron. That got a nearfall. Fox then hit the My Dick Explodes and the shooting star cannonball: 1…2…NO! PAC came back with a springboard dropkick and a brainbuster: 1…2…NO! Fox came back with an enzuigiri, but PAC then avoided a dropkick. PAC went for shooting star press, but Fox got the knees up. Fox then hit a rolling DVD and a springboard 450: 1…2…NO! Fox went for Lo Mein Pain, but PAC somehow reversed it into a German suplex. PAC hit a reverse hurricanrana for a nearfall. He followed it up with a Liger Bomb: 1…2…3!

This was basically a “Smackdown” version of what these two are capable of. There is nothing wrong with that. It was very entertaining, and it was easily the best match on the show so far. It’s only a shame that we never got to see a rematch, because these two could easily main event any DGUSA show in my opinion.
Match Rating: ***1/2

Ronin (Johnny Gargano, Chuck Taylor, & Rich Swann) vs. Mad Blankey (Bead & Breakfast Hulk, Akira Tozawa, & Uhaa Nation) vs. The Dirty Ugly Fucks (Sami Callihan, Arik Cannon, & Pinkie Sanchez) [Elimination Match]
A team is eliminated when one member of a team is pinned or submitted. Pinkie forgot his gear this weekend and was wearing pink short shorts here.

The match started with some beer being spat around. Uhaa military pressed Swann to the floor. Uhaa and Sami squared off. Uhaa killed him with a lariat and a double knee gutbuster. Uhaa followed that up with a standing moonsault. Cannon hit Nation with a neckbreaker and the place went dead silent. Pinkie faced off with Hulk briefly, which was surreal. Sami hit Swann with the BOING Splash for a nearfall. Sami then wiped him out with a tope suicida. Gargano then hit a combination of moves on Johnny. The Fucks were able to isolate Gargano, and they worked him over for a bit. Mad Blankey also worked over Gargano with the Fucks. Gargano managed to take out The Fucks all by himself. Gargano caused Pinkie to wipe out The Fucks with an unintentional dive. Ronin sent Hulk and Tozawa to the floor, and then they hit stereo dives on everyone. Uhaa went to kill everyone with a tope con hello, but he caught the ropes and landed badly (this proved to be an injury that took out Uhaa for almost a whole year). Everyone did their best not to panic. The crowd reacted like they had the wind knocked out of them. Pinkie got destroyed by Hulk and Tozawa for a bit. Eventually, Hulk hit a series of kicks to Pinkie’s head: 1…2…3. The Dirty Ugly Fucks were eliminated.

Hulk and Tozawa proceeded to get the heat on Swann. Uhaa was carted off to the back in the meantime. Tozawa did the Kobashi chops to Swann. This went on for wayyyyy too long. Swann finally came back on Hulk with an enzuigiri and a leaping super hurricanrana. Gargano and Taylor entered the match, which makes tags (and thus, heat segments) seem pointless. Tozawa ate a slingshot spear, a Lionsault, and a frog splash: 1…2…NO! Gargano and Tozawa went back and forth for a bit. Tozawa hit a delayed bridging German for a nearfall. Tozawa then hit the High Tension German, and he rolled through into a Northern Lights Pinning position: 1…2…3!

Unfortunately, the Uhaa injury really took this match down a lot. I don’t mean that as a criticism, but more as a stating of the facts. However, I don’t know how great this match would be even if that injury didn’t happen. On paper, I understand the reasoning of making this the DGUSA main event. It was the first show of a tripleshot in a promotion where a lot of shows feel exactly the same. However, on a show that had a lot of matches that were never going to be great, this match definitely needed to deliver something special, but it failed to do so.
Match Rating: ***1/4

Danny Havoc vs. Lucky tHURTeen
Kevin Steen joined the commentary table! Yay! tHURTteen is the Rellik of independent wrestling.

tHURTeen hit an insane Asai Moonsault early on. Back in the ring, tHURTeen went to use a light tube, but Havoc blocked the tube and bit the tube. The fuck? What a dumbass. Havoc hit a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker with a light tube. Rich Swann joined the commentary table for a second. Havoc was holding a bunch of light tubes, and tHURTeen hit a cross-body. The crowd booed because the tubes didn’t break. tHURTeen then hit a double stomp on the tubes. tHURTeen then hit a kneecalepsy with some more tubes. tHURTeen went to the top rope, but Havoc caught him and hit a snap super Falcon Arrow onto some more tubes. Havoc then hit a Fallaway Slam with some tubes for a nearfall. Havoc was holding a light tube to his forehead like an idiot and Havoc just kicked the tube into Havoc’s face. Havoc ended up on the apron. After failing twice, tHURTeen managed to hit a hurricanrana to the floor. Back in the ring, tHURTeen went for a Phoenix Splash, but Havoc avoided it. Sami Callihan joined the commentary table and did this ridiculously sincere plug for why Combat Zone Wrestling was a good thing. Havoc hit a Tiger Suplex with a light tube. Havoc then hit a DVD onto some broken glass: 1…2…NO! Havoc then hit a flipping cutter on the remains of all the glass: 1…2…3.

Kevin Steen bumped this match up one star. This style isn’t for me.
Match Rating: **1/2

Drake Younger vs. DJ Hyde
Hyde is a terrible professional wrestler. Younger actually had a run in DGUSA and Evolve in 2010. He had some OK matches, but I mostly remember his run for a shitty match with Naruki Doi on the first DGUSA Anniversary show.

Hyde ran down the fans, and he said Younger should just hand him the ‘W.’ Younger declines. Hyde pulled out a staple gun a minute into the match. Hyde used it several times. Younger got the gun and stapled him. They stapled various items to each other’s head. Younger hit Hyde with empty water jugs. Younger used light tubes. Sami Callihan rejoined the table and talked about how much he enjoyed watching Hyde get his ass beat. It’s a shoot! Younger kicked a light tube into Hyde’s balls. Younger pulled out a light tube contraction. Younger went to slam Hyde through the tubes, but Hyde avoided that and chokeslammed Drake through the tubes. Hyde beat down Younger for a while. I don’t get the appeal of this style. It’s vomit inducing. Younger came back with a cross-body into some thumbtacks and glass. Hyde caught him with a Black Hole Slam into the tacks and glass. Hyde then headbutted a light tube into Younger’s face. Drake then hit a DVD through some tubes. Drake put a tube onto Hyde’s body. Younger hit a frogsplash onto the tube: 1…2…NO! Younger hit a Drake’s Landing onto the broken glass: 1…NO! LOL. Steen laughed at that one too. Hyde then hit a lariat with a light tube. Younger kicked out at one. Hyde hit a sleeper suplex onto the glass, and Younger, again, kicked out at one. Hyde hit another lariat with a light tube: 1…2…3

DJ Hyde,

When one of your most over babyfaces (Younger) hits a finisher into some glass, please don’t kick out at one. It makes you seem like a douchebag booker.

Sincerely,
TJ Hawke
Match Rating: **

Thanks everybody for reading! You can send feedback to my Twitter or to my email address: [email protected]. Also, check out my site: FreeProWrestling.com .


For more information on DGUSA, check out their:
Facebook
Twitter
DVD Store
Youtube Page

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.

The 411: There are two things to recommend about this show: PAC vs. AR Fox and Kevin Steen's commentary. There is nothing else on the show that is worth going out of your way to see (although you should give that free match a look and CZW deathmatches may appeal to you). DGUSA clearly partnered with CZW and made their own main event as a way to make this show stand out from the other DGUSA shows over Wrestlemania weekend. While the live crowd seemed to enjoy themselves throughout the show, the show didn't really translate well to an at-home viewing experience. DGUSA produces a number of shows every year that have a lot of standout matches that are worth the money. This show wasn't one of them. You can support DGUSA by buying this show at WWNLive. I'm sure it will be available as a DVD soon. Also, check out a full/organized list of all the wrestling show reviews I've done at 411mania.
 
Final Score:  5.5   [ Not So Good ]  legend

article topics

TJ Hawke

Comments are closed.