On the heels of “Ending The Story” and profitable the Open The Dream Gate Championship final month at DEAD OR ALIVE 2023, Madoka Kikuta spent his victory tackle declaring a brand new period of Dragongate and naming the 5 friends who would be a part of him on the front-line: Shun Skywalker, who was left mendacity at Kikuta’s ft after the tip of his second Dream Gate run, Yuki Yoshioka, DG’s MVP of 2022 and inarguably the Lead Character of the promotion in recent times, Ben-Ok, the primary of his era to win the Dream Gate and the primary individual to beat PAC in 24 months at the moment, Kota Minoura, the clubhouse favourite for the subsequent first-time Dream Gate champion, and Robust Machine J, the shock of the group whose current elevation, and second-generation enchantment, performed into his first Dream Gate problem this March. With this second, Dragongate entered its third true period after years of questioning amongst followers and set its course to those six males. The primary check of “The Reiwa Technology Leaders” would be the largest stage in Dragongate, Kobe Professional-Wrestling Pageant 2023 on July 2, because the six make up the lion share of the headlining matches. 

It isn’t stunning within the slightest that Dragongate would proclaim this period’s most important gamers. We live in a time the place the Japanese wrestling trade is coming to phrases with three years of, at finest, half ticket gross sales. One of the best drawing card in Japan since COVID hasn’t been Kazuchika Okada, Giulia, or Kaito Kiyamiya, it’s no matter ageing legend is being celebrated or somebody’s retirement. I believe this was most likely a second the trade was sure to return to as enterprise was not nice country-wise in 2019 and early 2020 earlier than COVID. In response to the final three years and nil instant bounce again to fuller capability and cheering, the trade decided that it is a time of transition and getting ready for the longer term. STARDOM has their Golden Technology of girls that the Bushiroad Cash Machine will market to be on the forefront of not simply Joshi, however the trade at giant. New Japan introduced their Reiwa Three Musketeers right now (6/30), an try to enchantment to historical past with the poor wrestlers destined to exchange Okada, Tanahashi, and others. 

In Dragongate’s case, they really started this transition in 2019, a time earlier than COVID, a time the place Ultimo Dragon being again was a real earth-shattering shock, and a time when Masato Yoshino was nonetheless wrestling with out an introduced retirement date. At Kobe Professional-Wrestling Pageant 2019, Ben-Ok gained the Open The Dream Gate championship from a PAC who at the moment had not dropped a fall worldwide in virtually two years. On the time, I wrote an article the place the construct to Kobe World 2019 felt just like the anointing of Ben-Ok because the ace of his era. His title run didn’t find yourself that manner for Ben-related (Earlier than Chiki Chiki, Ben was a traditionally dangerous promo) and booking-related (Unaligned Dream Gate champions don’t do properly) causes, but it surely signaled the brand new period that might come lower than 4 years later.

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Within the meantime, Dragongate appeared forward.

The dojo in Kobe entered a interval of success not seen because the Toryumon period, graduating 4 to 6 wrestlers a 12 months for a number of years the place different promotions have had a lot greater points with expertise growth. Among the older or critically injured wrestlers left Dragongate. The reserving as the corporate entered COVID had one central purpose: Put together each the younger wrestlers and the notoriously fickle native fanbase for the fact that way forward for Dragongate, and ostensibly the survival of the promotion, lies on the ft of whomever will get the ball.

That has been the looming query surrounding Dragongate for the final whereas, or at the very least the final 5 years after Stronghearts and Shingo Takagi left the promotion. Dragongate doesn’t have the conglomerate lifeline that the opposite trade leaders have in Japan. As a promotion, you can not take a large swing like a Dome (and even Sumo Corridor) present for those who’re Dragongate as there may be zero security internet. As properly, DG is half the age of New Japan and All Japan and hasn’t encountered this future earlier than the place everybody who was round for the touchdown of Toryumon Japan in 1999 has retired or moved on from the promotion. I don’t suppose it’s hyperbole to contemplate the existential risk of what may occur if the Reiwa Six don’t take off or shoulder the load of main Dragongate.

A degree within the Reiwa Six’s favor is that this isn’t the primary time Dragongate as an organization declared most important characters or had the load of the promotion on a gaggle’s shoulders. Though it was by no means declared, the primary occasion of 1999 till 2002 was usually inhabited by Toryumon leaders of CIMA, Magnum Tokyo, and Masaaki Mochizuki. This isn’t even the first-ever “Six” that Dragongate has had: in discussing the Reiwa Six and their potential future, we should take into account The Large Six.

Consisting of Shingo Takagi, Masato Yoshino, YAMATO, Naruki Doi, BxB Hulk & Akira Tozawa, The Large Six had been declared by CIMA as those who would lead the transition from the primary fifteen years of the promotion and the Toryumon era of stars. After CIMA dropped the Dream Gate to Shingo at Kobe World 2013, there have been solely two title reigns of a mixed 85 days that the belt wasn’t held by a Large Six member. A type of, then-named Jimmy Susumu gained the Dream Gate as a storyline beat in an extended feud with Shingo. The opposite, Ricochet, was the primary foreigner Dream Gate championship reign and was part of Ricochet’s incomparable 12 months of 2014. In case you choose a random Dragon Gate main present from 2012 till Akira Tozawa’s departure in 2016, you will note these six names all around the high of the cardboard, holding titles, and unequivocally be THE focus of the promotion throughout that period.

However eras and silver and golden ages have to return to an finish.

Most of the time, they’ll finish earlier than we’re prepared. After turning into an enormous Americophile throughout his early 2010s tour, Akira Tozawa left Dragon Gate in November of 2016. Quickly after Masato Yoshino would endure the damage that might ultimately doom his profession. Shingo Takagi grew to become a blue whale within the native fishing gap and departed after Stronghearts to New Japan. Then lastly, final 12 months, Naruki Doi went freelance. Left with no matter was left in BxB Hulk after his Dream Gate run, and YAMATO, Dragongate (as it could be renamed in 2020) went with necessity: YAMATO as the corporate ace. 

YAMATO’s acedom is one thing that I’ve loads of misgivings about personally, however that’s my problem, what’s to not doubt is the success the corporate had with him as its captain. It was an unsteady future in 2018 throughout the OWE Cut up, and he was the one person who may very well be THAT GUY. The tv community GAORA favored him sufficient to present him his personal cooking present, a enjoyable passion of YAMATO’s, and a probable future enterprise when his profession winds down. Circumstances made YAMATO the ace, and I could not suppose it was essentially the most fascinating manner for him to spend a few of his remaining prime years, however his tenure was what the corporate wanted at its most important hour. 

There have been clear steps taken in COVID to arrange the Reiwa Six for this second. Yuki Yoshioka and Shun Skywalker went on an uniquely cursed tour on the top of COVID, then Yoshioka wrestled as masked Dia Inferno for over 18 months earlier than his face flip and elevation. In 2022, he and Dragon Dia fashioned D’Braveness and have become the focal figures for the 12 months. That focus led to the Twin Gate, 2022 King of Gate victory, and profitable the Dream Gate in opposition to KAI at Ultimo Dragon’s thirty fifth Anniversary Present at Kobe World Memorial Corridor. Skywalker returned proper again into the primary occasion of Kobe World 2020, gained the Dream Gate on his first match again, then dominated the primary occasion in 2021 till the momentous Skywalker & Dragon Dia vs. Inferno & Diamante Apuestas match the place he turned heel and went insane. A brief Dream Gate run in 2023 makes him simply essentially the most adorned member of the Reiwa Six, being the one one to have captured the Dream Gate a number of instances.

Kota Minoura grew to become the most important winner of Dragongate’s return to crowds in 2020.

Coming into COVID, he was a proficient, albeit plain, prospect. When Dragongate returned to reside crowds in July 2020, Kota Minoura went to time-limit attracts with then-Susumu Yokosuka and Large R Shimizu. He hasn’t stepped again since these attracts, most important eventing Kobe World 2022 in controversial and troubling circumstances. His interjection into that match however, Dragongate has spent the final three years getting ready everybody for the eventuality of Kota Minoura.

If Ben-Ok didn’t discover charisma from the Chiki Chiki character, I’d really feel actually nervous about him returning to this spot. The 2019 title run was good till he picked up the microphone after defeating PAC, after which the run put him within the wilderness for a few years. A concussion at Remaining Gate 2020 didn’t assist issues after which the albatross of HIGH-END made issues worse. Solely via Ben-Ok watching battle rap throughout a bus journey on YouTube may we find yourself with this outcome. Now, Ben-Ok’s arguably one of many ten most charismatic wrestlers on the planet and 2019 solely seems like part of the story, as a substitute of your complete factor.

Robust Machine J’s path to the Reiwa Six and his function inside it’s distinctive upon himself. He grew to become the primary second-generation wrestler in Dragongate’s historical past when a mysterious press convention was known as in 2019. The son of Tremendous Robust Machine, Junji Hirata, J was thought of too small for the then-existing New Japan dojo guidelines. Moreso, New Japan actively handed on him, if the corporate needed him then they might have ignored the peak provision. J’s rookie 12 months was essentially the most adorned for any rookie in Dragon System historical past. Virtually undefeated, he set the document of being the shortest time earlier than their first title victory, the Triangle Gate at Kobe World 2019. He was named Tokyo Sports activities Rookie of the Yr. Then got here the tough shoulder damage that made him an unreliable presence in 2020 and 2021. The vestiges of his father’s gimmick weighed heavy on him, it appeared that there wouldn’t be a “subsequent step” for J, that being an homage to Tremendous Robust Machine may be his lot in wrestling. 

2022 would change that.

We lastly obtained Robust Machine J’s subsequent step when he revealed himself as really a competition-level breakdancer and have become the Dancing Machine in Pure Vibes. Because the calendar 12 months turned to 2023, he had his first Dream Gate problem in opposition to Skywalker in addition to debuting his Killer Masks persona. 

Once we take a look at the card for Kobe World, we don’t must look too onerous to seek out the Reiwa Six. Ben’s difficult for the Twin Gate with BxB Hulk. Kota Minoura is reuniting unique Gold Class to face Pure Vibes for the Triangle Gate. Kikuta’s defending the Dream Gate in opposition to Yoshioka, and the primary occasion 5 Method Cage Survival Match have Skywalker and J within the cage risking their masks. 

It’s a great factor that Dragongate spent the final a number of years getting ready for this period change. As I discussed earlier, I believe that is probably essentially the most precarious time within the historical past of the Dragon System, and the very fact is that the corporate has acknowledged it by saying the Reiwa Six and enjoying their playing cards in anticipation for this launch. That is an viewers that has been greater than prepared to point out their disapproval with their wallets, they usually’ve rejected aces earlier than. Dragongate couldn’t merely run out Ben-Ok as he was in 2019, or run straight right into a second Minoura Debacle. There are far much less years in entrance of the unique Toryumon Japan period wrestlers as lively wrestlers than there are behind it. Kobe World 2023 would be the debut of the Reiwa Six on the massive stage because the cornerstone of Dragongate. I hope a couple of years from now after I’m writing a column upfront of Kobe World 2028 that we will discuss how a lot of successful Yuki Yoshioka, Kota Minoura, Madoka Kikuta, Shun Skywalker, Robust Machine J and Ben-Ok have been.