What's up everyone and welcome to another McReview, here on the DOI site. Today I'll be running down the newest Dragon Gate USA PPV, called "Freedom Fight". This PPV was Dragon Gate USA's tournament show, where the first ever "Open The Freedom Gate" champion was crowned.

Before getting into the review, there are a few things I'd like to mention. This review is being written after the Davey Richards/ROH/DGUSA deal. I recommend you check out the news about Richards/ROH/DGUSA on the DOI main page.

I have gotten alot of emails about Gabe Sapolsky and his relationship with the DOI site now. I'm going to answer this once and move on. I am nearing 30, he's nearing 40, and I think all can agree it is childish to fight over a sport where guys roll around in spandex. It is easier to get along with people than have hatred for people. The indy wrestling business thrives when people are working together and it would be irresponsible for us to ignore Sapolsky affiliated projects when he's involved with one of the bigger companies today (DGUSA) and a company that hopes to get big. (Evolve) The past is the past and we are trying to change our ways here on the DOI in this new decade, while at the same time, keep stuff light-hearted and not lose our edge. I'm really happy to see Dragon Gate try to form an alliance with many promotions (Chikara, AAW, FIP, WSU, Hybrid, etc), because when everyone is working together, business will be better. With all that being said, I am reviewing this show with an open-mind, just like I did with Evolve & the first DGUSA show, and I hope you keep reading the DOI.

As I mentioned in my review of the first DGUSA show, I am not big on the Japanese style, so if you're looking for a knowledgable puroresu reviewer, this isn't it. This review is coming from a casual Japanese fan, but a big wrestling fan. As most of you, I am always looking for something fresh and exciting, and when it comes to wrestling (or alcohol), I'll give anything a try.

Keep in mind this review is a review of the 2 hour PPV, and not the "Freedom Fight/Gate" DVD.

My review of the first ever DGUSA show, "Open The Historic Gate" is here: Open The Historic Gate Review

Here is all the information on the PPV, what's on it & how to order, courtesy of the DGUSA.tv website:

"FREEDOM FIGHT PPV MCREVIEW"

Taped: 11/28/09 in Philadelphia
Commentators: Lenny Leonard (Always does a great job) & Leonard Chikarason (Someone I haven't gotten into yet.)

This PPV was all about crowning the first ever Freedom Gate Champion. Unlike other tournaments, the traditional 8 man, 4 first round single matches weren't used. Instead, this tournament was booked more based around the angles & the styles the wrestlers brought. For instance, there is a 6-way match full of up-and-comers. There is a four way match full of Lucha guys. Where one of Gabe Sapolsky's biggest criticisms as a booker is that he was given access to such money to book dream matches after dream matches, here, you can see who's a heel, who's a face and who's aligned with who.

MATCH ONE
Open The Freedom Gate Tournament Round One Match
Gran Akuma d. Matt Jackson, Nick Jackson, Lince Dorado, Hallowicked & Johnny Gargano
As alluded to earlier, this tournament match was used to feature 6 up-and-comers. This match was one fall to a finish, meaning the first one to score a pin/submission, won the match.

The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) are simply amazing and creative with the stuff they do in the ring. Even TNA seems to have realized that and lets them do all their stuff. They are definitely an innovative tag team and fun to watch every time they are in the ring.

Aside from the Jacksons, this is a type of a match you see on many indy shows as their are multi-man clusters seemingly on every indy show. To me, this seemed routine a bit, but compared to what else is on PPV, I'm sure this match would stick out more.

Akuma is your big heel here, as he joined up with Yamato at "Open The Historic Gate", when Akuma turned on Quackenbush. I don't think Akuma is that great. I liked his tag team with Icarus back in the day, but of all the heels to push in this company, I don't see why it is Akuma. His kicks were lethargic, when compared to the other talent on the show. His moonsault that was used to pin Gargano was sloppy. Maybe DGUSA sees something in him. I think the finals would've been a better worked match with someone else in there, but I understand the angle & story DGUSA was telling.

This was a fun opening match. Not much psychology, but when I watch DGUSA, I have to turn the Bill Watts mode off. Wrestling is constantly changing and there are different styles for everyone. Like I said in the DOI Year End Awards when we gave Chikara Promotion of the Year, I may not be a fan of something personally, but I can see why people enjoy it. When I watch these DGUSA shows, I try to get hooked into the style a bit and it is growing on me a little. That said, this is not a match that you can't see at other indy shows, but that doesn't mean this match was terrible or anything.

There was a promo with John Moxley. He is an angry guy.

MATCH TWO
Open The Freedom Gate Tournament Round One Match
BxB Hulk d. Brian Kendrick (Formerly Spanky)
Hulk is super over with the DGUSA crowd. One thing when watching these DGUSA shows is that I try to figure out what makes a Japanese wrestler so special to the American crowd. Is it just because he's Japanese? What does he do that a regular American indy wrestler doesn't do? Does he dance better? For me, I don't see the massive appeal of Hulk. To me, the top two stars in this promotion are Yamato & Shingo. These guys are worth their expensive flights. That's just me though. I could watch Yamato & Shingo matches all day and I see why they stand out, for me Hulk doesn't do it.

This match was just weird. Kendrick is not the same Kendrick of 2002-2003. I think WWE has killed his fire and just totally jaded him. You know you're at an indy show or at a really smart show where the Japanese guy is 10 times as over as a guy fresh off of WWE TV.

BXB wins the match with a cool looking mahistrol cradle.

POSTMATCH: Kendrick cut this promo trying to turn himself full blown heel, saying he was all about himself and not about the office, other wrestlers, etc. I think it is the character he is currently going for in TNA. It just comes off weird. Maybe he's ahead of his time with this stuff, who knows, but I don't think it really got over well. I think Kendrick needs to slow down on the bong hits before talking.

MATCH THREE
Open The Freedom Gate Tournament Round One Match
Four-Way Match
One Fall To a Finish
Cima d. Mike Quackenbush, Super Crazy & Jorge "Skayde" Rivera

The story here, as every first round match had a nice little gift-wrapped story, was that everyone in this match was trained by Rivera. Gotta give it up for the announcers for talking about all the history between these guys and they sold Rivera as a star. If you're a casual fan buying this PPV, Rivera looks like the porky little guy at the local bodega, but the announcers did a good job of making Rivera someone special.

This match was entertaining but definitely not my style. There must've been 100000 armdrags and 3000 versions of a huranacarana in this match. It just looks so overly fake and choreographed. I mean this shit is fine for trapeze artists, but how many times can you get armdragged without realizing that is what yoru opponent is going to do you every time?

Story of the match was Quack & Cima wanted to protect Rivera bit, while Crazy just wanted to win. Eventually, everyone wanted the duke and started throwing armdrags and huracaranas like they were getting paid extra every time they hit one.

There were some cool spots in this match. There was also a period of time when you cringed watching Rivera because you know what he used to be able to do but you could see his mind wanted to do something but his body wouldn't let him. It kind of reminded me of that HBK/Austin match from Wrestlemania XIV, where HBK was so injured he couldn't do his stuff and grimaced everytime he tried his signature stuff.

Cima pinned Rivera with this crazy pinning combination. I have no idea what it is called, but it was fucking cool and a nice finish.

Match wasn't my style, but I'm sure others will rave about it.

MATCH FOUR
Open The Freedom Gate Tournament Round One Match
Yamato d. Davey Richards
My Pick for MATCH OF THE NIGHT

Davey Richards may be accused of being two-faced for his negotiation tactics, but you can call me two-faced too - I loved this match. I know I always preach about being anti-neck dropping and how I hate the lack of no selling on the indy scene and everything else from the Bill Watts handbook, but shit, I turned all that off within the first minute of the match.

I felt that losing Davey wouldn't be a big blow to DGUSA because DGUSA is all about the Japan stuff. With that said, I don't think Davey will hurt their business long-term at all, as there will always be another guy to step up, but yea, Richards can only better the shows, not worsen it.

There were a million false finishes in this match and tons of big spots. At times, all I could hear in my head was JBL from One Night Stand during the Tanaka/Awesome Match, when he was mocking the lack of psychology in the match by screaming "KICK OUT", "YEA KICK OUT AGAIN", but fuck it, I thought this match was awesome.

This match was fast paced and exhilirating for the entire 20 minutes. There was a part in the match where Richards tossed Yamato into the rail and the rail accidentally gave away and Yamato landed on fans. Without even acknowledging the fact that some fans could be injured, Richards just charged Yamato and continued to kick his ass. There you go for some realism in a match.

Yamato wins this match cleanly after his galleria finisher. I can not describe everything that happened in this match, but this is a match that sells the PPV alone. If the PPV was just this one match, you got your monies worth and then some.

Like I said, I am not huge on the Japanese stuff, but after this and watching other Yamato matches, I have a new favorite Japanese wrestler. This guy is fucking amazing in the ring and he was matched with the best American opponent possible in this match.

We then cut to some quick shots of all four first round winners. We saw Akuma doing his Low Ki kicks, Cima shadow boxing, BxB Hulk doing a light work-out and then we saw Yamato just flat out exhausted.

MATCH FIVE
Tag Team Challenge Match
Masato Yoshino & Naruki Doi d. Shingo Takagi & Dragon Kid
If the match before this didn't sell you on the PPV, this match will. This was another phenomenal match, with crazy moves at a break-neck pace.

I am becoming a huge fan of Shingo as well. As I said earlier, Shingo & Yamato are my two favorites, and I'd love to see them hook it up at a DGUSA show.

Shingo & Doi tore it up in the main event of the first DGUSA show and it looked like they vowed to top that match with their partners here. You gotta love this crowd too, as they are up-to-speed on everything and it makes this match translate better on your TV screen.

With the bad matches, it's easier to write more and say why you didn't like it. With the good matches, there's nothing really to say but this shit was fucking awesome.

Only thing I didn't like about this match is that we saw all these insane double-team moves & breath-taking false finishes, but the match ends when Yoshino taps out Dragon Kid with an armbar. 20 minutes of excitement for that finish? I understand that a match can be won at any time any place, but the finish came off anti-climatic for me. Wrestling and MMA are two different entities, and with wrestling we can control our finishes. I just thought the finish could've got a bigger pop if it came off one of the insane moves we saw earlier in the match.

That being said, one hell of a fucking match, which others are calling Match of the Night.

MATCH SIX
Open The Freedom Gate Tournament FINALS
Four-Way-Elimination Match
BxB Hulk d. Cima, Gran Akuma & Yamato To Become The First Ever DGUSA Open the Freedom Gate Champion

ORDER OF ELIMINATION
1. Akuma pinned Cima
2. Hulk pinned Akuma
3. Hulk pinned Yamato

The one question I had the entire match, is how the fuck does Yamato do it? The guy had a fucking incredible match, then came out here and delivered again. I know this is a taped PPV and that there were other matches & an intermission sandwiched in, but still, the guy had two great matches in one night.

This match, despite DGUSA being a "workrate" company, was more about a story. I mean this wasn't Rocky knocking out Apollo Creed or anything, but nevertheless, this was a good little story to establish Hulk as your fighting babyface champion.

As I talked about earlier, I don't see why Akuma is picked to be with Yamato and get this big heel push. Maybe I'll be eating my words a few shows from now, but when you see his work compared to everyone else, he is a step below. I guess with this angle, it allows him to work on his character more-so than his wrestling, but you can't have this guy doing the same moves as other guys on the show, because they look half-assed when he does them compared to a guy like Davey Richards.

The story here was Yamato & Akuma were on the same side. Cima, seeing the alliance, tried being funny and joining up with them, hoping for all three men to take out Hulk. Yamato & Akuma weren't having it and they went after Cima.

SURPRISINGLY, Cima was eliminated in just 5 minutes or so, after Akuma flat out kicked Cima in the balls when the ref wasn't paying attention. For a tournament match final, I thought this was cheap, but again this match was about the story being told, not the in-ring action. I guess as fans, we have to stop assuming that Gabe is going to use the ROH "handbook" when he books other companies.

From there, we got a really slow beatdown where Akuma & Yamato smashed up Hulk. This got boring at parts and Akuma even looked lost at times. Yamato took control over Hulk and Akuma looked lost and didn't know what to do. Akuma eventually would join in with submissions where you knew the match wouldn't be over.

With Yamato on the outside, Hulk finally hit some big moves and 450'd Akuma out of the match. We finally got down to Hulk & Yamato, and the commentators did a good job of hyping it up.

However, Yamato vs Hulk wouldn't be long, as the match ended 3 minutes or so after Akuma was bounced out. Hulk wins the match after an Emerald Fusion.

Good match, but not as good as other matches on the show. The story was easy to understand, but with the talent on this show, you could've had a better wrestling match for your finals, although I understand why they went this route.

This PPV is only two hours long, so after a quick shot of Hulk celebrating, that was it.

Final McWord
I liked this show. I am not a hardcore DG fan, but I've heard fans say this was the weaker of the four DGUSA shows (including the 1/23 event.) If this was a weak show, then the other shows must be fantastic.

To me Yamato/Richards & the tag team match make this show. Like I said, I understand the main event angle, but I don't think it was necessary as Hulk would've been just as over winning it outright. I'm also not a fan of fuck finishes in prestigious tournaments, which is why I didn't like the Cima elimination.

Going ahead, DGUSA has a fantastic roster to choose opponents from for Hulk. Shingo, Yamato, Doi, Yoshino, Dragon Kid and others would have great matches with Hulk.

I was kind of surprised to see DGUSA go with a babyface champion to start, but I guess they are going with what's marketable for them.

None of the Japanese guys are doing real promos, although we've had had translations of promos on DGUSA DVDs. It could be a time thing here, as DGUSA only has 2 hours to work with.

If you're looking for something NEW, then DGUSA is for you. Admittedly, not everything on these shows is what I'm a fan of, but I guess you need differentt stuff for different people. The Yamato/Richards match was able to make me forget my old-school fandom for twenty minutes. I'm excited to see upcoming DGUSA shows after this PPV.

Overall
With the other shit that's on PPV, you can't go wrong here. It's cheaper and you're getting more bang for your buck, unless you're buying one of those PPVs on Cablevision like "100% Jerk Material 2". (I'm not making this up, as I type this at 10PM before the Strikeforce show, one of the channels is showing "100% Jerk Material 2", which I heard doesn't live up to the original.)

For more on DGUSA, visit DGUSA.tv

Opinions, questions, feedback & hate mail can be sent to:

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey
BULLSMC@aol.com

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