Dragongate
Kobe Professional-Wrestling Competition 2023
July 2, 2023
Kobe World Memorial Corridor
Chou-ku, Kobe, Japan

Watch: Dragongate Community

As a person who has adopted Dragongate over the previous few years, I believe it’s secure to say that 2023 has been a yr of peaks and troughs, each inside and outdoors of the ring. Nevertheless, with large important occasion cage match wherein 5 masks are on the road alongside 4 massive title matches, Kobe Professional-Wrestling Competition (or, Kobe World) has the potential to be an incredible present. Having discovered from final yr’s errors and made this a one-night-only occasion, the powers that be have put collectively a card that showcases the perfect of the Dragongate roster alongside a few notable visitors from New Japan and Professional Wrestling NOAH. The Reiwa Six – the six wrestlers who Madoka Kikuta labeled as those to hold the corporate going ahead at Lifeless or Alive– will all have their probabilities to shine, while the primary occasion will see somebody lose their masks contained in the confines of a metal cage. Will or not it’s Ultimo Dragon? Extremely unlikely, however with Dragon Dia the final Dragongate wrestler to lose his masks – the least possible consequence – who is aware of what they may guide?

I’ll not know what they will guide, however I’ll give it the previous school attempt as I preview and predict the entire Kobe World card. Who do you suppose is popping out on high?

Advance Match
Shachihoko Boy, Takashi Yoshida and Downside Dragon vs. Genki Horiguchi, Punch Tominaga and Ho Ho Lun

One of many issues that has sometimes dragged down the standard of Dragongate reveals this yr is the involvement of a few of the lesser abilities of the promotion in a number of matches throughout the cardboard. Nevertheless, in a intelligent piece of reserving, the most important culprits are all included on this first Advance Match. It limits the harm on what is of course an in any other case card and provides them an opportunity to have their second in entrance of the stay viewers. In a match the place the end result doesn’t matter one iota, I believe Yoshida pineapple lariats Punch to get the victory for his workforce. Prediction: Shachihoko Boy, Takashi Yoshida and Downside Dragon

Advance Match
KAI and H・Y・O vs. Ryoya Tanaka and Masaaki Mochizuki Jr.

It speaks to what number of massive matches there are on the primary card that KAI, the Dream Gate Champion simply final yr, is within the second Advance Match. You would say the identical for HYO, to be honest – the killer of the Toryumon Era hasn’t actually kicked on within the ring or in storyline like he may need been anticipated to. I really feel sorry for KAI, who can usually be relied upon in massive match conditions; much less so for HYO, who wants an enormous character refresh sooner fairly than later.

When this match was first introduced, I mused upon it being two of Daiki Yanagiuchi, Kaito Nagano and Ryoya Tanaka in my first edit of this preview, however Mochizuki Jr. makes the lower alongside the aforementioned Tanaka. It’s optimistic that Junior is nicely sufficient to be on the present, although a latest neck harm precludes him from being positioned larger on the cardboard. The heels will win, however the addition of Junior does add an fascinating wrinkle to what’s in any other case a foregone conclusion. Prediction: KAI and HYO

Dragon Dia, La Estrella and Eita vs. Kagetora, U-T and Taro Nohashi (Michinoku Professional-Wrestling)

The theme of at the very least two of the primary three matches (pre-show included) appears to be who’s in them as a lot as something. With the D’Braveness focus largely being on Yuki Yoshioka and Madoka Kikuta, Dragon Dia finds himself within the opener in a wierd trio, together with former operating buddy La Estrella and everlasting enigma Eita. As this would be the Youtube opener, it does supply the potential for a mix of thrilling dives and enjoyable chain wrestling, so it at the very least ought to be a enjoyable sub-ten-minute match. Taro Nohashi was enjoyable the one time I noticed him; U-T and Kagetora can each carry a bit of fireplace to proceedings; the one actual query is who will win? Dia is the most important identify in the event you rule out Eita, so I really feel he might be on the profitable workforce, beating a still-rusty U-T. Prediction: Dragon Dia, La Estrella and Eita

Open the Courageous Gate Championship Match
(Champion) Jason Lee vs. (Challenger) ISHIN

I don’t wish to lay all of my playing cards on the desk so early, nevertheless it seems like it is a present the place not one of the titles really feel like they’re at risk, or ought to be at risk. The Twin and Triangle Gate titles do get swapped round with some regularity it feels, however as they each have seen new champs in latest weeks, one other swap feels unlikely. As for the Courageous Gate title, I’m all in on a protracted Jason Lee title reign.

What a problem from ISHIN does afford us (hopefully) is a hard-hitting junior heavyweight contest that ought to be enthralling from bell to bell. Lee is a wonderful employee, while ISHIN as a bully heel, imposing his will on the champion, ought to be entertaining. There isn’t a must take the belt off of Lee and with HYO and Minorita reigns that haven’t notably targeted on the in-ring high quality, I hope {that a} lengthy Lee title reign will permit the main focus to return to the match-by-match work for the Courageous Gate as soon as extra. Prediction: Jason Lee

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Masaaki Mochizuki and Kenoh vs. Don Fujii and Shuji Kondo

A match that has modified seemingly off of the again of Kenoh ending Kongoh as a NOAH faction, this has little in the way in which of stakes however ought to be a really enjoyable outing with 4 staff who not often fail to be partaking. My preliminary preview that targeted on the preliminary pairings (Kenoh/Kondo versus Mochizuki/Fujii) had the native workforce profitable as a result of my perception (one largely stolen from the Open The Voice Gate guys) that the lengthy recreation is within the Mochizukis difficult for the Twin Gate towards Kanda and Susumu. Subsequently, any workforce with Mochizuki was going to be my alternative for the victory. If something, the addition of Kenoh to his workforce solely provides energy to that argument for me, as he’s debatably the most important identify within the match by way of stature and I really feel Kondo might eat a pin with out dropping an excessive amount of by way of his general reserving.

It might be remiss of me to not add how a lot I’ve beloved watching Kenoh in DG and hope to see extra of him if doable. Prediction: Masaaki Mochizuki and Kenoh

Bosou 10 Match Sequence Revival #2
Konomama Ichikawa vs. X

Contemplating how full this card feels, there’s the necessity for some levity at factors; few are pretty much as good at doing this as Ichikawa. I’m very dangerous at predicting issues like who the X could be in a contest, however the recommendations that Shingo Takagi may step as much as face Ichikawa feels practical. I had initially noticed it as a doable return match for Mochizuki Junior, however with him in Advance Match 2, there’s a area for a person that can already be within the constructing, corresponding to Shingo, to expertise the adulation of the DG crowd as soon as extra. Finally, all you may assure with an Ichikawa match is that the X will win. That, and it ought to be slice of enjoyable. Prediction: X

Open the Twin Gate Championship Match
(Champions) Susumu Mochizuki and Yasushi Kanda vs. (Challengers) B×B Hulk and Ben-Okay

That is the one belt that I really feel could be below risk at Kobe World. I do know that this flies within the face of my suggestion earlier that the cash is ultimately on an M3K Twin Gate conflict, however Ben-Okay is simply so sizzling proper now to coin a Zoolander phrase. Preserving Ben away from the Twin Gate does imply there’s scope for him to be a Dream Gate challenger within the to not distant future although, so a valiant dropping effort (with BxB Hulk taking the autumn) makes reserving sense to me.

Mochizuki and Kanda have been a superb tag workforce this yr, rolling again the years in a number of matches that can most likely earn MOTY dialogue. Kanda has all the time been entertaining sufficient in my time watching DG, however by no means notably mind-blowing in something he did. 2023 has been his yr, although, and the duo have earned themselves this spot and a possible victory if my ideas are appropriate. Prediction: Susumu Mochizuki and Yasushi Kanda

Particular Singles Match
YAMATO vs. Hiromu Takahashi

A match that has spawned out of the All Star Junior Competition, YAMATO’s perception that New Japan solely ever name on promotions like Dragongate when they need one thing, and the LEC Basis’s money, this ought to be a very enjoyable match. Although not particularly aimed toward Takahashi, YAMATO’s disparaging remarks surrounding the cardboard had been aimed toward New Japan and that arguably creates sufficient warmth for this to be a spicy little quantity. Takahashi isn’t coming over right here to lose – there is no such thing as a doubt about that in my eyes – however it is going to be the getting there that can hopefully showcase two wonderful proponents of wrestling at their finest. YAMATO has been reborn in his time away from the primary occasion and unit warfare; this ought to be one other instance to justify that alternative come the tip of the yr. Prediction: Hiromu Takahashi

Open the Triangle Gate Championship
(Champions) Kzy, BIGBOSS Shimizu and JACKY“FUNKY”KAMEI vs. (Challengers) Kota Minoura, Minorita and Naruki Doi

With storylines connected to plenty of different matches on the cardboard, a few of the title matches want little greater than the gold to be on the road and a good collection of staff to be value reserving. This Triangle Gate match falls into that class for me. Outdoors of nominally suggesting who’s THE faction in Dragongate, there hasn’t been a lot of a storyline surrounding this that I can discern.

Nevertheless, to provide it that little twist to make it a must-watch, the reserving of Doi alongside Minoura and Minorita is a wonderful alternative. Sans Kaito Ishida, this revisits the unique type of Gold Class. Normally, you wouldn’t already be taking a look at nostalgia with an act lower than two years into its existence. Nevertheless, that highlights how considerably issues have modified for Gold Class since they started as Doi’s try to get extra feminine followers into the viewers. The Triangle Gate champions are a robust Pure Vibes outfit, Minorita and Doi are on fireplace this yr, so it comes down as to if Minoura turns up or not. Right here’s hoping. Prediction: Kzy, BIGBOSS Shimizu and JACKY“FUNKY”KAMEI

Open the Dream Gate Championship Match
(Champion) Madoka Kikuta vs. (Challenger) Yuki Yoshioka

I hoped for extra out of the construct to this, however the announcement of the match has largely been the construct. The match me when first signed, however there hasn’t been sufficient carried out so far as I’m involved to actually pique my curiosity past my expectation that it’s virtually assured that I’ll watch wrestling match. As an alternative of the route, they went (D’Braveness largely teaming collectively, no hints of any dissension), I used to be anticipating them to at the very least throw a number of extra matches on the market which might have Kikuta and Yoshioka on reverse sides. From that, you possibly can present how intently matched they had been: by no means concerned within the falls towards one another, however given prolonged stretches in matches that might see a unique man come out on high every time.

What the construct does recommend to me is that there’s something else at play right here. I believe that Yoshioka as a heel is the eventual play, although it then turns into a matter of how they get to it. To take the gold off of Kikuta can be silly in my eyes; he is without doubt one of the finest wrestlers on this planet and is on a sizzling streak since his tag match reverse Shingo Takagi a number of months in the past. Subsequently, I believe Kikuta wins. After that…who is aware of? For me, Yoshioka activates Kikuta both at Kobe World or not lengthy after. If the flip doesn’t occur on the massive occasion, there’ll at the very least be the primary indicators of dissension within the rapid aftermath – a refused handshake, possibly? Nobody likes the brand new man coming in and displaying you up, and if Yoshioka will get put in his place by Kikuta as is prone to occur, a heel Yuki difficult later down the street is the way in which to go.

I additionally replicate that this eventual heel flip reads just like the musings of a person who grew up watching WWF and WCW. It’s simply as doable Kikuta and Yoshioka have a match and issues return to regular afterwards. Prediction: Madoka Kikuta

Mascara contra Mascara
5 Approach Metal Cage Survival Match
Ultimo Dragon vs. Robust Machine J vs. Shun Skywalker vs. Diamante vs. Dragon Child

【Metal Cage Match Guidelines】

・The match is escape solely, no pinfalls or submissions
・Every wrestlers’ masks will positioned on the high of the cage
・You have to seize your masks to flee
・The final competitor within the cage will lose their masks. pic.twitter.com/iHVff0VG54

— Dragongate Japan Professional-Wrestling (Official English) (@DragonGateEN) June 12, 2023

Coming off the again of the large Reiwa Six proclamation at Lifeless or Alive, it feels somewhat unusual that the primary occasion of Kobe World largely spins out of Ultimo Dragon and Diamante’s ongoing feud. Certain, the logistics of a cage match does considerably pressure the promotion’s fingers, however it’s at the very least fascinating by way of the optics. What does make this match partaking in my eyes are admittedly two of these names talked about by Kikuta – Shun Skywalker and Robust Machine J. Each have been wonderful of their ongoing feud and this provides J specifically one other probability to show he belongs with the others. As opponents, they’ve had wonderful chemistry so I solely hope that interprets into this multi-man match.

I used to be completely pleased with the proposed Dragon/J versus Skywalker/Diamante tag match that was on the desk, so the inclusion of Dragon Child simply feels a bit odd to me. Outdoors of the necessity to get him on the cardboard – he’s just about the DG mascot in spite of everything – he’s unlikely to lose his masks, nor positive aspects a lot from taking another person’s. There could possibly be some humour in his makes an attempt to assist Ultimo Dragon so as to add some levity to what may in any other case be fairly a brutal match, however finally, he received’t be taking the loss.

So who’s going to lose? Diamante needs to be favorite. The one different possibility I can conceive of is Robust Machine J. Although the masks and his lineage has been what made him notable within the first occasion, maybe it is usually what’s limiting him from really breaking into the primary occasion image on a full time foundation. Pie within the sky pondering, maybe, however my exterior wager, my Dia dropping his masks moonshot.

If Diamante loses, does he flip? That’s the opposite risk that has been floated by those that know much more about DG than me. Nevertheless, I’m questioning whether or not the Z-Brats numbers are somewhat on the small aspect to afford them to lose one other wrestler. Diamante turning on an smug Shun, one who belittles him over time for dropping the masks and never taking out J could possibly be the play going ahead. On the present or after, both approach, a Diamante face run appears to be nailed on. Prediction: Diamante loses his masks

As you little question can see, there’s a whole lot of intrigue surrounding the primary matches on the cardboard as masks, titles, and turns are all within the offing. While you dig deeper on the cardboard and contemplate the excessive flooring/excessive ceiling potential high quality of a number of matches, this ought to be a present that appears good on paper and delivers within the ring. I do know that I might be wanting ahead to bell time.