Dragon Gate 5/5/2024 Dead or Alive 2024

Dragon Gate 5/5/2024 Dead or Alive 2024

Kagetora, Susumu Yokosuka & YAMATO vs. GOLD CLASS (Ben-K, BxB Hulk & Kota Minoura)

SY = Susumu Yokosuka, Kage = Kagetora

Kage is kneed from the outside then takes a double shoulderblock. SY and Kota trade forearms. SY running knees him in the gut. Kage flying lariats Kota. Kage puts Kota on thr 2nd rope and lariats him down. Yamato chops Kota then slams him. Kage slaps Yamato. Kota waterwheel drops Kage and both tag out. SY sunset flips Hulk, Hulk rolls through and axe kicks him. Ben hits a double spear on SY and Yamato.

Kage gets caught by Ben then Ben suplexes him. Kage takes a double hiptoss then a sliding d + axe kick combo. Hulk standing corkscrew moonsaults Kage for 2. Ben hits a great lariat on Kage then Yamato flying single leg dropkicks Ben in the corner. SY corner lariats Ben. Yamato enzugiri's Ben then SY lariats Ben. Ben headbutts him then runs into a big SY lariat for 2. Yamato brainbusters Ben for 2.

Yamato and Kota trade forearms. Kota evades a double team and flying lariats Kage. Kota exploders Yamato. Yamato sleepers Kota then is thrown over. Kota jumping knees him. Kota rolls him into a pin attempt for 2. Yamato lariats Kota for 2 then hits galleria to win it.

Thoughts: It got enough time. This was definitely designed to get Kota over here. It was a little slow at first but picked up some as it went along. Ben and Susumu hit nice lariats her.

Ben has words for Susumu after. 

BIG BOSS Shimizu & Toru Owashi vs. Z-Brats (ISHIN & KAI)

Ishin put a bunch of weight on and is fat now. I have no idea why he would do this.

The Brats attack their opponents before it starts. Ishin slams someone on Toru. Ishin does shoulders on Boss then Boss flying shoulders him. Ishin chokes Boss on the ropes. Boss takes corner attacks, a kick combo and a splash for 2. Boss double suplexes his opponents then Toru gets in. Toru does a headscissors + headlock takeover combo. Toru and Boss dosey do and attack thei ropponents in the corner. Boss has both opponents on his shoulders and samona drops both.

Toru uranages Ishin then falling splashes him for 2. Boss is up top and Ishin throws the ref into him. Ishin hits opponents with a box lid and the ref disqualifies him.

Thoughts: This was a stupid waste of time.

Don Fujii, Masaaki Mochizuki, Mondai Ryu & Yasushi Kanda vs. D'courage (Dragon Dia, Madoka Kikuta & Ryoya Tanaka) & Ultimo Dragon

RT = Ryoya Tanaka

Dia trips Kanda then armdrags and dropkicks him out. Fuji and Kikuta shoulder battle and Kikuta shoulders him over. Kikuta jumping hip attacks him then Mochi knees him from the apron. Kikuta takes a neckbreaker from Ryu. Ryu clubs on RT then flying clotheslines him.

RT chops Mochi then Mochi hits kicks on him. Ryu stands on RT's neck. RT fights back, runs up the buckles and twisting crossbodies him. Ultimo spin kicks Mochi then back elbows him. Ultimo pushes Kanda into him then back body drops him. Ultimo does a figure four variation on Kanda.

Kanda takes a 4v1, taking an enzugiri combo then double standing moonsaults for 2. Kikuta takes corner attacks. Fuji bulldogs him and Mochi PK's him for 2. Kikuta suplexes Ryu then Dia running ssp's Ryu. RT springboard swantons Ryu for 2. Dia hits an absolutely nasty looking driver on Ryu and wins it.

Thoughts: It was short at under 7 minutes and we barely saw most of the people in it.

U-T vs. Strong Machine J

UT rushes J and pounds on him. J fires back, eye rakes him and throws him back. J throws him down then is armdragged and single leg dropkicked. J shoulders UT over and hits punches. Ut hits forearms then J shoulders him over. J foot chokes him in the corner. J backdrops him for 2 then hits mounted punches. J back body drops UT then throws him out.

UT's back is driven into the apron/cage structure (the cage is not set up yet but there's rails set up for it). UT's arm is worked around the cage rail. J bullies him around and they trade shots. J headbutts UT. UT hits back with chest slaps. J corner spears him. J bocks UT's frankensteiner and powerbombs him for 2.

J's head is banged off the buckles then UT top rope dropkicks him. J flying back elbows him. UT kind of sunset flips him off a powerbomb attempt then basement dropkicks him. UT dropkicks him in the knee and leg lariats him while he's down for 2.

UT stomps and foot chokes J in the corner. UT armbars him then ties up both of the arms. UT ddt's him then running knees him for 2. UT does something like a tequila shot for 2. J gutbusters him and hits lariats. J running lariats him for 2. J powerslams UT and UT turns it into a pin attempt. UT does a double arm submission and submits him.

Thoughts: The finish was a little random here but these two had beef with each other and showed it here. It was a different type of DG match than usual with a bit of a slower pace and them putting more force into various moves. I liked it and thought they did a good job with what they were trying to do.

UT tells J he wants him back and united with Natural Vibes. 

Open The Twin Gate Title Match - Alejandro & Kaito Kiyomiya (c) vs. Dragon Kid & Naruki Doi

Ale = Alejandro

Ale wristlocks Kid. Kid trips him then they trade leglocks. Kid front facelocks him then Ale side headlocks him. Ale wristlocks Kid. Kid side headlock takeovers him and is headscissored. Ale clubs on Kid then Kid 2nd rope hurricanrana's him. Kid 619's his back on the apron then 2nd rope moonsaults him outside.

Kaito and Doi go at it. Kaito side headlocks him then shoulders him over. Kaito headlock takeovers him, is headscissored then they have the other do the spot. They trade armdrags and stand off.

Doi dropkicks Kaito in the knee and eye rakes him. Doi is knocked off the apron then Ale tope con hilos him. Kid springboards and is dropkicked in mid-air by Kaito. Kaito dropkicks Kid then Kid and Doi are thrown into each other outside.

Ale works Kid's leg and Kid ropebreaks. Kaito butt drops Kid's leg then bangs it off the mat. Ale dropkicks the knee and does a figure four variation on Kid. Kid and Ale trade. Kid flips out of a snapmare and spin kicks him. Doi spinebusters Ale then flipping sentons him. Doi knocks Kaito off the apron on purpose then suplexes Ale. Doi and Kaito trade forearms then Kaito running euros him. Kaito throws Kid into a crossbody on Doi then jumping elbows Doi.

Ale and Kid fight up on the buckles. Ale takes a super hurricanrana off the top from Kid for 2. Doi cannonballs Ale in the corner. Doi gets stuck on the buckles and fights with Kaito there. Kaito top rope hurricanrana's Doi for 2. Ale dropkicks Kid then handspring back elbows him. Ale basement dropkicks Kid in the back for 2. Ale top rope splashes Kid for 2.

Kaito hits forearms on Doi. Doi facekicks him and Kaito spinning forearms him. Kaito hits a forearm flurry then Doi hits doi fives. Kaito jumping knees him then takes a sliding kick. Kaito then hits a shining wizard. Kaito hits another shining wizard then Kid springboard hurricanrana's Kaito for 2. Ale basement dropkicks Doi then Ale hits a code red for 2 on Doi. Ale misses a skytwister press off the buckles. Ale rolls up Doi off a casaora. Ale takes a 619 then a sliding kid from Doi. Kid pins Ale.

Thoughts: If you were looking to see Kid and Ale go at it like I was, we didn't get a whole lot of it. And it's a shame. I laughed at them pushing Kaito as a heavyweight when he's clearly maybe 10 pounds heavier than Doi at most. It was okay and all but they weren't going for some great memorable match here and it wasn't one.

Open The Dream Gate Title Match - Luis Mante (c) vs. Gianni Valletta

LM = Luis Mante, GV = Gianni Valletta

This is definitely the match I think of when I think Dragon Gate LOL. I still have Gianni Valletta PTSD from the Champion Carnival a few years ago.

LM flying headscissors GV. LM enzugiri's him from the apron then springboard dropkicks him. LM is tripped by Ishin outside then GV throws a chair at LM. GV chokeslams him on the apron. LM's head is banged off a chair outside and LM is thrown into the post. GV rams LM into the apron then stomps on him.

GV hits shots in the corner and sends him hard into the buckles. LM hits chops then GV sleepers him. GV snapmares him and legdrops him. GV then goes back to the headlock/sleeper. LM hits chops then GV slams him. GV claws him and LM hurricanrana's him. LM throws him over the top to the floor then springboard plancha's a ring attendant outside when GV moves. 

GV is back body dropped onto the floor then LM topes GV. LM slingshots in and hurricanrana's him. GV spinebusters him. GV hits a 2nd rope shoulderblock then powerslams him. GV kneedrops him for 2. LM dropkicks him then GV bites him. LM lariats him then throws him down off of it. LM racks him and hits bloodfall off of it.

LM does a cobra twist on GV. LM is crotched on the top rope then lariated. GV headbutts him on the buckles then superplexes him for 2. GV tiger drivers him for 2. GV iron claw slams him. LM no sells it and hits forearms and a facekick. LM cradles him off a slam and wins it.

Thoughts: It was nothing special as expected. It wasn't awful or anything but just very average and certainly not worth of a semi-main event.

Hair Vs. Mask Steel Cage Survival Five Way Match - Kzy vs. Jason Lee vs. Hyo vs. Shun Skywalker vs. Jacky Funky Kamei

Shun's the only one with a mask on the line as here as everyone else has their hair on the line.

Jacky and Hyo go after Lee then Kzy goes after Shun to start. Jacky and Kzy footchoke Shun in the corner. KZY knee chokes shun and Lee is double teamed. Shun and Lee are thrown into each other. Shun is tripped and held for a basement dropkick from Jacky. Lee takes corner attacks then Jacky boot flurries him. Jacky 2nd rope la silla's Lee.

Kzy and Hyo push each other then Shun goes for Jacky. Shun monkey flips Jacky into two opponents. Jacky counters Shun's hiptoss and dropkicks Jason off of it before armdragging Shun. 5 minutes has passed and now they can escape the cage. 3 wrestlers try and get stopped. Z-Brats bang the cage with wooden planks to stop Hyo and another from trying to escape.

Wooden planks and chairs are put in the ring. Kzy takes a double shot with chairs to the gut then Jacky hits Kzy with a chair in the back. Shun and Jacky have chairs dropkicked into their faces. Shun falls off the top rope and goes into the cage on the fall. Hyo goes to grab his flag but Jacky is double teamed with a chair. Hyo saves Jacky and stays in the match.

Hyo is double teamed with boots. Hyo is whipped into the wooden plank then Kzy is as well. Jacky runs up the wooden plank and goes to escape but is stopped. Jacky then sits on the blank and drops down on Hyo and Lee. Jacky spins the plank around and hits people with it then a rope is brought into the cage. Jacky and Hyo are lariated with the plank.

Lee chokes Jacky then they tie him up with the rope. Jacky is choked with the rope. Kzy takes an enzugiri and is thrown into the cage by Shun. Shun, Hyo and Lee fight over the rope, which is wrapped around a rail up top. Jacky grabs onto the other end of the rope and is pulley'd up. Jacky then escapes the cage in a really cool spot.

Lee and Shun double team Hyo then Kzy hits them with a wet floor sign. Kzy climbs the cage and Shun hits him with the plank. Shun stands on Kzy's back up on the top rope and grabs the flag to escape the cage.

3 people are left. Lee and Kzy are sent into each other. Lee tornado ddt's Kzy off of Hyo then cutters and buzzsaw kicks Hyo. Kzy spears Lee into the cage hard. Shun climbs the cage from the outside to stop Kzy from getting out. Kzy hangs off the bar up at the top. They fight over a weapon then Strong Machine J gets up on the cage. J nails Kzy and shakes hands with Shun, joining him. J then nails Shun with a weapon and helps Kzy get the flag to escape the cage. 

Hyo and Jason Lee are the last two. They grab chairs and duel. Hyo backdrops him then diving cutters him off the 2nd rope. They trade forearms. Hyo is whipped into the exposed buckles. They go onto the buckles. Hyo swings off the rail up top and la sillas him. Hyo 2nd rope sentons him through a bridged plank. Hyo goes for the flag up top and has to fight off seconds from outside. Ishin throws powder in Hyo's eyes and on his head.

Lee throws a chair at Hyo. Lee spinning drivers him. Lee ki krushers Hyo onto chairs then escapes the cage.

Shun slaps around Hyo after and laugh at him losing his hair. Shun and Lee cut Hyo's hair. Shun and Lee make Jacky and Kzy cut off some of Hyo's hair after then make Jacky watch it. Hyo cries after. Kzy and J shake hands and hug. They then do a send off for Natural Vibes after. Natural Vibes then doesthier dance after.

Thoughts: It was a longer escape the cage match. If you've seen one of these, you've basically seen them all. We get some fighting between the 5 early, then people try to escape and often get blocked from doing so. It then gets down to the last two and eventually someone wins. It was okay but not super great. The rope pulley spot was really creative and the wooden planks were something different to play with here than usual.

Overall thoughts: This wasn't Dragon Gate's best effort here. The card was weak on paper with only the main and the tag title match being bigger matches. The cage match and UT/Strong Machine J were probably the best matches on here. Gianni Valletta should not have been in the semi-main of one of the biggest shows of the year either. I wouldn't recommend this one.