100 Percent Fordified: Dragon Gate USA Mercury Rising 2012

Miami, FL – 3.30.2012

Championship Rundown

Open The Freedom Gate Championship: Johnny Gargano
Open The United Gate Championship: World-1 International (Ricochet & Masato Yoshino)

Jon Davis vs. Bobby Fish

Davis breaks a lock-up against the ropes cleanly. They take things to the mat where nobody gets the advantage. Davis brings Fish back down in a waistlock and applies a front chancery. Fish escapes and hits a dropkick. Davis gets two with a spinebuster. Fish fights up with some strikes to the mid-section. Davis back elbows him back to the mat. He whips Fish chest first into the corner. Davis gets two with a delayed vertical suplex. Fish throws some kicks at Davis’ chest and legs. He delivers a knee lift for two. Fish misses a moonsault but lands on his feet. He gives Davis a dragonscrew leg whip to block his kick. He goes for the Fish Hook. Davis kicks him away and then nails the Pounce. He goes for 3 Seconds Around The World. Fish elbows out, but is then powerslammed for two. Fish goes from a cross armbreaker to counter a powerbomb into the Fish Hook. Davis taps out at 8:32. This was rather bland. Both guys are competent but don’t have the panache or charisma to rile up the crowd like Fox and Swann did in last night’s opener. **

Bobby Fish gets on the microphone and echoes Low Ki’s sentiments from last night; he too wants an EVOLVE Championship.

Johnny Gargano is backstage. Tonight for him isn’t about Chuck Taylor turning on him or Masato Yoshino ensuring victory, but rather the Freedom Gate championship. Gargano doesn’t know why Yoshino feels he has been disrespected; he has the utmost respect for him. He knows if Yoshino gets on Sol Naciente there’s a good chance he’s going home with the belt. As a champion, he likes the challenge Yoshino will bring him. He’s still confident that he will win tonight.

PAC makes his way out to the ring. He talks about how much of a privilege it was wrestling Low Ki last night and how he wants to do it again…before the weekend is over. He suggests replacing CIMA, who is not at 100%, in the main event. Chuck Taylor makes his way to the ring. PAC leaves because he can’t stand being in the same ring as Chuck after what he did last night. Taylor says since PAC will be in the main event and no longer hosting the PAC Invitational match, he will have the Chuck Taylor Invitational instead. He then heads to the back.

A trailer for “REVOLT!” is shown. You can read my review of the show here and purchase the DVD here.

AR Fox vs. Arik Cannon

Pinkie Sanchez is in Cannon’s corner. Colt Cabana joins Leonard on commentary. Cannon jumps Fox in the corner. Fox gives him a sole butt and a dropkick. He clotheslines Cannon in the corner. He gets shoved to the floor by Cannon to block his skin the cat dropkick. Fox dropkicks Cannon into the guardrails. He kick flip moonsaults onto both him and Sanchez. Cannon recovers in time to deliver a twisting neckbreaker back in the ring. He back elbows Fox for two. Cannon ties up Fox’s in a reverse sharpshooter, taking a swig of beer while he can. Fox gives him an Ace Crusher upon release. Cannon shoves Fox down to block the Lo Mein Pain. Fox ducks a clothesline and hits an enzuigiri. He springboard dropkicks Cannon to the floor and follows with a springboard 450 splash. Fox hits the Guillotine legdrop for two. Cannon blocks a huracanrana. He powerbombs Fox into the corner and mows him down with a lariat. Fox slips out of a brainbuster. Cannon gives him a haymaker, a superkick, and Total Anarchy for two. Fox sends him into the second turnbuckle with a Complete Shot. He gets two with a modified frog splash. Cannon turns a guillotine choke into a brainbuster. Fox kicks out. He enzuigiri’s Cannon from the apron. He goes to the top rope. He misses a 450 splash but rolls through and hits Thugbait for two. He sets Cannon up on the top rope after a shooting star cannonball senton. As he goes for Lo Mein Pain, Sami Callihan throws a chair at him for the DQ at 11:02. This was quite good up until the finish. Cannon is underrated but floundering in the DUF. As I said last night, I hope Fox and Sami can concentrate on each other and not involve the rest of the DUF, Sabu or Jon Davis in the feud after this weekend. **1/2

Sami Callihan stands tall with Cannon and Sanchez as he talks smack about Sabu. Sabu comes out, leading us into our next match.

No Rules
Sabu vs. Sami Callihan

All three D.U.F. members beat down Sabu. Jon Davis cleans house, taking Cannon and Sanchez out of the equation. Callihan hits Sabu with a chair. He misses a chair-assisted stomp. Sabu gives him a tornado DDT. Callihan gets a table ringside and Sabu dropkicks it into his face. Sabu crotches himself after jumping on a chair? Wow that looked bad. In the crowd though, Sabu whips Callihan into the guardrails. In the ring he wins a battle of chairs with Callihan and then tosses him back into the crowd. Callihan trips Sabu into a chair and spits beer in his face. Callihan uses some chairs to do damage to Sabu’s right arm. Another table is brought into the ring. They awkwardly springboard off the second rope at the same time and collide mid-air. They then knock each other down with stereo clotheslines. Sabu DDT’s Callihan and puts on a Camel Clutch. Davis, Cannon, and Sanchez end up fighting back in the ring. Davis press slams Sanchez onto Cannon on the floor and then pescado’s onto both of them. Sabu throws a chair at Callihan’s head as he climbs the ropes. Sabu dives onto him and the other three jagaloons. In the ring, Sabu jumps off a chair to hit a leg lariat in the corner. Callihan kicks the chair into Sabu’s shins. Callihan Pillmanizes that leg with another chair. He puts on the Stretch Muffler. Sabu weakly hits Callihan with a chair to break it. He legdrops the chair onto Callihan’s head for two. Callihan spits more beer into Sabu’s face. He spills a water bottle filled with tobacco spit onto him. So gross. Callihan ascends the rope with a chair in hand. Fox kicks the chair into Callihan’s face and brings him down with Lo Mein Pain. Sabu puts Callihan through the table with an Arabian Face Buster for the pin at 18:02. This looked like a total mess. There was so much awkwardness and needless, random crap with other people. I appreciate Fox getting his comeuppance here because the match needed SOMETHING to it. Him not allowing Callihan to end Sabu’s career is definitely a nice way to add fuel to the fire. But seriously, let this be the end of Sabu’s DGUSA run. ¼*

Callihan is pissed. He takes out his frustration by beating up referee Brett Lauderdale and Johnny Vandal.

Masato Yoshino says he will be Freedom Gate champion. He repeats that sentiment in Japanese.

Samuray Del Sol and Lince Dorado come out for a singles match. Chuck Taylor attacks them both. He says they’re both in the Invitational which is starting now. CIMA and Rich Swann run out to join the match, hoping to get revenge for Taylor’s attack last night. El Generico comes out to a huge reaction as a surprise entrant into the match!

Chuck Taylor Invitational
Chuck Taylor vs. CIMA vs. Rich Swann vs. Samuray Del Sol vs. El Generico vs. Lince Dorado

Taylor is barefoot. Swann and CIMA are still in disbelief over Generico’s inclusion in the match when they start things off. They shake hands after reaching a stalemate. CIMA kicks Swann in the stomach. Swann dropkicks him to the floor. Dorado and Sol tag in. As you would expect, they engage in a Lucha sequence. They stand off after throwing stereo dropkicks. Taylor attacks them both. Generico scares Taylor to the floor. Generico shoulder blocks Sol. Sol dropkicks him out of the corner and lands on his feet out of a monkey flip. Generico takes him down with a leg lariat. Taylor clotheslines Generico from behind. He rakes Generico’s eyes and tags in Dorado. He tries for some quick pins. CIMA dropkicks Generico and ties his mask tassles to the middle rope. Once he is untied, Swann snapmares him into a kick to the back. Taylor blind tags in when Generico delivers ten punches in the corner. Taylor brings Swann to the corner. Sol tags in and hits a dropkick. He gets two with a slingshot splash. Swann delivers a back elbow. Taylor tags in. He and Swann argue. Sol forearms Swann to the floor. Taylor gives Sol Sole Food for two. CIMA runs in to break Taylor’s pin. He also becomes dizzy after smelling Taylor’s feet. Sol gives Taylor a standing Shiranui. Generico runs the ropes and gives him a tornado DDT. Taylor hops in with a seated Thesz Press. He, CIMA and Generico all attack Taylor in the corner. Generico and Taylor end up on the floor. CIMA dropkicks Sol to cut off his dive. Dorado sends CIMA out with a spinwheel kick. Generico cuts off his dive. Dorado Asai moonsaults onto Taylor anyways. Swann cascades up into a DDT on Generico for two. Generico drops Swann with a Blue Thunder Bomb. Sol tries a headscissors on CIMA. CIMA counters with a tombstone piledriver. Taylor boots CIMA out. Sol huracanrana’s Taylor from the mat for two. Taylor comes back with the Brodie Knee and a uranage. Dorado breaks the cover. He gets two with a moonsault press. Generico sends Swann to the corner with a Northern Lights suplex. Dorado shooting star press splashes Generico while he’s standing. Sol dives onto Dorado and Generico as they exchange blows on the floor. Taylor attacks Swann from behind. CIMA superkicks Taylor to stop him from giving Swann the Awful Waffle. He gets two with Schwein due to Dorado breaking the pin. Dorado gives him a standing Spanish Fly for two. Dorado climbs the ropes. Generico yakuza kicks him and hits the top rope brainbuster for the pin at 17:15. Generico was the most awesome surprise ever. He got the crowd fired up just by his entrance and brought the goods (along with everyone else) in the match. He will add so much to the WWN Universe and I’m really excited to see his matches. This was the fun, high flying exhibition it should have been. ***1/2

Lenny Leonard introduces CIMA and DJ Hyde to announce their plans for WrestleMania weekend next year. CIMA says hello to his family watching on iPPV. He does not trust his English speaking abilities to explain what is going down and passes the mic to Hyde. Hyde says Dragon Gate USA, CZW, and CHIKARA will all be running shows in conjunction with one another in New Jersey. Awesome!

Backstage Rich Swann says he feels that he showed everyone tonight that he is capable of hanging with the best in the world. He’s not done with Chuck Taylor by a long shot.

Los Ben Dejos (Bendejo & Maricon) vs. The Scene (Scott Reed & Caleb Konley)

Why Los Ben Dejos aren’t using their “real” names (Rios and Cruz) I don’t know. Chuck Taylor even mentions how stupid the names are on commentary. Larry Dallas, Shelly Martinez and Amber O’Neal are in the Scene’s corner. Bendejo takes control of Konley. He and Maricon double hip toss him. Maricon hits a quebrada for two. Reed tags in. Maricon snapmares him into a chest kick. Bendejo and Maricon deliver stereo chest/back kicks for two. Reed throws a right hand to Bendejo. Konley gets in a few shots before being sent to the floor. Shelly gets in Konley’s way to prevent a dive. Reed throws Bendejo to the floor. Konley throws Bendejo into the barricades and then into the ring. The Scene wear down Bendejo until he throws Konley into Reed to avoid a double team attack. Maricon dropkicks Konley. Konley tries a sunset flip but eats double knees instead. Reed breaks the cover. Maricon holds Reed in a Camel Clutch position so that Bendejo can punt him in the face. The Scene hip toss Los Ben Dejos into opposite corner. Konley slingshots Bendejo into a powerslam from Reed. They put away Maricon with the Ob-Scene at 6:26. The Scene unfortunately do not look any better after this weekend than they did going into it. Los Ben Dejos looked quite formidable and I wouldn’t mind them getting another look. **

El Generico says (in Spanish) that night was special for him. He thanks the Dragon Gate fans for the reaction. He plans to come back anytime he can and will fight anyone. BEST NEWS EVER.

Open The Freedom Gate Championship
Johnny Gargano vs. Masato Yoshino

After trading some holds, Gargano sends Yoshino to the floor and suicide dives after him. He hits an enzuigiri back in the ring. Gargano goes to work on Yoshino’s arm, smartly doing so to make Sol Naciente less effective were Yoshino to get it on. Yoshino back elbows Gargano and does his own damage to Gargano’s arm. Gargano rolls him into a kick to the head. He slingshots in from the apron with a spear. He ties Yoshino up in the ropes and then powerbombs him for two. Yoshino gets whipped to the corner. Gargano charges and Yoshino drops him with the Sling Blade. Yoshino slingshots in from the apron. Gargano catches him with a waterwheel slam. He goes for the Garga-No Escape but Yoshino hastily makes it to the ropes before it can be applied. Yoshino DDT’s Gargano for two. He also gets two with a missile dropkick. Rich Swann is now outside the ring. Gargano rolls up Yoshino to block Sol Naciente. Yoshino puts on the Garga-No Escape! Gargano makes it to the ropes. Yoshino takes him back down with Torbellino. He locks on Sol Naciente. Gargano escapes and then puts on the Garga-No Escape. Yoshino makes it to the ropes. A strike exchange ends with both guys on the mat. Gargano dropkicks Yoshino in the corner and gives him the lawn dart. A series of waist lock reversals sees Yoshino cradle Gargano for two. Gargano comes back with the Hurts Donut for two. He hits a second Hurts Donut and puts Yoshino in the Garga-No Escape. Yoshino taps out at 20:22. The story of Yoshino’s Sol Naciente being a deadly submission in DGUSA was a great story to tell. It made Gargano’s escape from the move and his victory seem like big deals. The action itself was pretty good, but Yoshino’s really been on autopilot for awhile now. ***1/2

Chuck Taylor attacks Gargano once Yoshino and Swann have left. He damages up Gargano’s bad back by running it into the ring post and the barricades. Swann comes out and Taylor bails through the crowd. Swann and some officials carry Gargano to the back.

World-1 International (PAC & Ricochet) & Masaaki Mochizuki vs. Mad Blankey (Akira Tozawa & BxB Hulk) & Low Ki

Mad Blnakey jump their opponents; Ki does not. Christina Von Eerie is in their corner. They double dropkick Mochizuki. Mochizuki kicks Hulk and Tozawa up before tagging in Ricochet. He armdrags Hulk and dropkicks him to the floor. PAC and Ki tag in. They go back and forth off the ropes until Ki sends PAC to the floor with a shoulder tackle. He comes back in and sends Ki out with a headscissors. He charges with a hard back elbow for two. Ki mule kicks PAC out of the corner. Mochizuki and Ki get into a kick battle. Ki kicks Mochizuki in the back of the head. Mochizuki kiks him off of the ring apron and into the barricades. Ricochet comes in with Ki. Ki kicks him in the chest. Ricochet headscissors Ki back to the floor. Ki cuts off his tope con hilo with a kick. Hulk clears the ring apron so that Tozawa and Hulk can cut the ring in half and wear Ricochet out. Ricochet is able to use Tozawa for an enzuigiri on Hulk. He drops Tozawa with the Rickrack. Mochizuki tags in. He springboard dropkicks Hulk and sends Tozawa to the floor with Sankakugeri. Ricochet goes after him with a corkscrew tope. PAC elbows Ki three times. He huracanarana’s Ki off the top. Ki rolls through and hits a double stomp. Mochizuki breaks the cover. Mochizuki and Hulk exchange kicks. Mochizuki puts him into an ankle lock until Tozawa bicycle kicks him. Tozawa bicycle kicks Ricochet. Ricochet enzuigiri’s him. He tries a crossbody but Tozawa puts his knees up. Hulk dropkicks Ricochet into Tozawa’s Saito suplex for two. Mochizuki kicks Tozawa from the apron and then gives him a Sick Kick. Ricochet’s standing moonsault senton gets him two thanks to Hulk. Tozawa gets mauled in the corner by all of his opponents. PAC powerbombs him for two. Hulk hits Mochizuki with Mouse. Mochizuki sweeps out his legs to avoid the First Flash. Ki flapjacks PAC. Hulk and Tozawa hold him up so Ki can hit the Tidal Wave. Mochizuki breaks up the pin. Tozawa huracanrana’s him into a Shining Wizard. Ricochet gives him an Ace Crusher. Ki Jon Woo kicks Ricochet. PAC comes off the top with a shooting star knee to Ki. Mochizuki and Tozawa boot each other in the face. Tozawa German suplex Mochizuki. Hulk throws some kicks to his head and hits the First Flash. Tozawa follows with a German Suplex for two. Right after, he uses the High Tension Suplex to score the pin at 21:23. There were so many great threads in here, mostly with Ki/PAC, Mad Blankey heeling it up, and Tozawa not only getting his pin back from Mochizuki from the night before, but easily being the strongest contender for a Freedom Gate title shot after this win and by beating Gargano a couple nights earlier. The action? Just as fast paced and fluid as ever. As it has been for the past six years, the 6 man main event is well worth checking out. ****1/4

Ki puts over Ricochet strong and would like a match with him. He then goes into his typical promo about wrestling being a sport and whatnot.

Bonus Features:

Kick Open the Golden Gate
Johnny Gargano’s Long Road Back
The End of the Arena
EVOLVE 11 Promo Spot
Alternative Angle Highlight Video

The 411: The undercard on this show is a far cry from what "Ultimate Gate" provided, but the Invitational and the final two bouts are well worth checking out. The strength of those 3 matches earn this a recommendation, but know that you have to put up with some stuff in the beginning to get to it. EL GENERICO!!!! You can pick up this DVD from DGUSA's store or watch the show On Demand from WWN Live. You can check out all of my DGUSA, EVOLVE, ROH, and other reviews over at the 100% Fordified blog.

Final Score:  7.5   [ Good ]