Views from the Hawke’s Nest: Dragon Gate UK Festival of Fire Night 2

February 23, 2013
Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, England

Masaaki Mochizuki [1-2] vs. Noam Dar [1-1]
Noam Dar is essentially going through a young boy trial series, which means he is losing this match.

There were a lot of kicks early on. Dar went for the kneebar, but Mochi kicked his way out of it and got a leg submission of his own. Dar survived, but Mochi was in charge for a while after that. Dar fought back and hit a tope suicida. Mochi came roaring back though with a yakuza and a penalty kick for a nearfall. Dar came back with a Fisherman Buster for a very close nearfall. Dar got the Champagne Super Kneebar, but Mochi go to the ropes. Mochi then connected on a series of killer strikes that Dar somehow survived. Mochi then hung him up in the corner with a couple of brutal charging attacks. He then finished Dar with Sankakugeri to the Face: 1…2…3!

This was an improvement on Dar’s match with Susumu from Night 1. Much like Susumi, Mochizuki seemed just fine with making Dar look credible which added a great deal to the match. Dar still has yet to have a breakout match in DGUK, but he’s continuing deliver in situations that he needs to deliver in.
Match Rating: ***1/4

Mark Haskins [4-3] vs. Lion Kid [3-4] vs. BxB Hulk [4-3] vs. Naruki Doi [3-3]
The commentators were putting over the story line with Kid and Doi. Doi took off Kid’s mask after getting upset by this…young lion. Ah thank you. I’m hoping that this four-way delivers more than the one from Night 1.

The action was much more hot and heavy from the get go this time. Hulk and Doi managed to isolate Haskins, and they worked him over for a bit. The DG guys then isolated Lion Kid and worked him over, as the commentators got nostalgic about the Blood Warriors. Kid caught Doi with the same prawn hold that got him the victory, but Doi kicked out this time. The match unfortunately settled down into a tag match, which does not suit my tastes at all when it comes to four-ways. After a long time, Kid managed to pull off a Final Cut on both DG guys. He rolled out of the ring, and Haskins finally got back involved. Haskins and Kid worked together until Kid prevented Haskins from delivering a SSP on Hulk. Kid hit one of his one, but Doi made the save. Doi went for the mask again. Kid avoided Doi Fives. A lot of movez were traded. Doi eventually hit Kid with the cannonball, Doi Fives, & Bakutari Sliding Kick sequence, but Haskins saved the match. Haskins gave Hulk the sprayed wine as a taste of his own medicine. He hit Hulk with the Painkiller: 1…2…3!

They probably overdid it down the stretch, but this was a heck of a match from these four guys. I would have preferred that they cut out a lot of the fat and just get done to the business of movez, but it did not exactly ruin the match for me or anything. I enjoyed this match on a similar level to the first match of the show, but in a completely different way. Variety!
Match Rating: ***1/4

Genki Horiguchi [1-1] vs. Ricochet [0-1]
Ricochet got control early on and worked Genki over for a while. Genki tried to come back with the rubber band attack, but Naruki Doi helped Ricochet do it to Genki instead. And they did it again. Genki finally managed to snap off a hurricanrana and then worked Ricochet over. I guess neither man is looking to steal the show. Ricochet eventually came back with a crazy corkscrew plancha. They started going back and forth. Ricochet kicked out of the Backslide from Heaven. Ricochet connected on the 630: 1…2…3!

This took a while to get going, but the sequences down the stretch were good fun. I wish one of them (preferably Ricochet) just committed to working rudo in the match, but other than that, I have no real complaints about this.
Match Rating: ***

Jimmy Susumu [4-3] vs. YAMATO [0-3]
Things were starting slowly, but then Susumu hit a big lariat out of nowhere. Susumu was in control after that. YAMATO could not get anything going for the longest time, but he finally avoided a big move and then connected on a spear. They traded chops. A lot of chops. YAMATO ate a lariat (but didn’t leave his feet) and then an exploder. Susumu hit a lariat in the corner, but YAMATO was still just able to stay on his feet (but he needed the ropes for support). He did that two more times, and YAMATO finally collapsed. Susumu hit a super exploder for a nearfall. Susumu has gotten 90% of the offense in this match. YAMATO came back with some killer corner dropkicks, a German, a punt to the head, and the brainbuster: 1…2…NO! Susumu reversed Galleria into an Emerald Frosion. JUMBO NO KACHI: 1…2…NO! They traded forearms. Susumu caught him with a short-range lariat for a nearfall. YAMATO avoided the Mugen, stayed on his feet after a couple of lariats and then snapped off a hurricanrana pin: 1…2…3!

This match had a lot of hype, and I think it was well-deserved. They did a good job of making Susumu looking the superior wrestler, and that YAMATO was very fortunate to get the win. They left a lot of room for the inevitable rematch, which will presumably happen at the 2014 shows.
Match Rating: ****

Cima [2-5]vs. Marty Scurll [2-5]
After letting Scurll pin him the night before, it’s time for Cima to get his win back! Isn’t wrestling fun!!?!??!

Cima decided to start the match with a flip, and Scurll immediately kicked him in the head. Marty went for a tope on Cima, but he accidentally took out Martin Kirby. Cima and Scurll then brawled in the crowd. Scurll then accidentally chopped a support beam, and Cima cut him off after that. Scurll was worked over after that. Scurll came back after a while and then went after the left arm of Cima. Cima fought back, but his left arm was still hurting. Scurll was working a little rudo. They avoided a couple of finishing movez and then traded pinning combinations. Scurll actually hit a Schwein. Scurll followed that up with a buckle bomb/DVD combo for a nearfall. Cima came back with a tombstone a Meteora variation: 1…2…NO! Cima then hit a Perfect Driver for another nearfall. Cima then hit a diving knee stomp: 1…2…3!

They definitely tried to have a very epic match, but I think they fell a little short. That’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy it, but like a lot of professional wrestling these days, I think they could have gotten a better match with less time.
Match Rating: ***1/2

Akira Tozawa [4-0] vs. Shingo Takagi [5-2]
Takagi got the early advantage. Tozawa came back with three tope suicidas. Tozawa was then in control for a while. Takagi came back with a pop-up DVD. Takagi dominated Tozawa for a bit. Tozawa avoided Stay Dream and then hit a superplex. Tozawa got a nearfall with a Wizard. Tozawa hit another Wizard, but Takagi came back with a DVD on the apron. Back in the ring, Tozawa hit a German, but Takagi came right back with a lariat. Takagi hit two Made in Japans for two nearfalls. Tozawa came back with a rolling forearm, a bicycle, and a pair of Germans: 1…2…NO! Takagi came roaring back with the Pumping Bomber: 1…2…NO! Tozawa fired a number of shots, but Takagi hit Last Falconry: 1…2…3!

Tozawa spat in Takagi’s face after the match.

If you have seen these two go at it before, you know exactly what kind of match they had. They have tremendous chemistry, and they whipped the crowd into a frenzy. This is the kind of main event that makes the difference between a good show and a great show. I was a little surprised to see Tozawa go under, as I think an undefeated Tozawa makes for a more interesting story going forward. However, I will never get to too upset that Shingo Takagi gets booked to be a beast in any promotion.
Match Rating: ****1/4

Thanks everybody for reading! You can send feedback to my Twitter or to my email address: [email protected]. Also, feel free to check out my own wrestling website, FreeProWrestling.com. Also, check out my Best of Chikara blog and an archive of all my 411 video reviews.

The 411: After Night 1 did not quite meet the very high DGUK expectations, Night 2 came much closer to capturing the quality of the past efforts. The show was carried by Susumu/YAMATO and Tozawa/Takagi, but it was also much more consistent than Night 1. DGUK has a heck of a thing going, and these are the shows that prove it. Make sure you check out the DG:UK website and buy DG:UK DVDs here.
Final Score:  8.3   [ Very Good ]  legend