By Pat McNeill, PWTorch columnist

Wake the pets and call the neighbors. It's time for our DGUSA internet pay-per-view preview column!

DISCLAIMER: Projections are made by myself and for myself with absolutely no assistance from Gabe Sapolsky or Sal "Rhymes With Amway" Hamaoui. Projections are not predictions, because this is the column where everything's made up, and the points don't count. No one knows the contents of these projections, but I, in my divine and mystical way, will ascertain the finishes to these matches despite not being caught up on my Dragon Gate DVD's. Some of our departing contestants will receive a year's supply of Creamette's brand macaroni and pasta (easy quick recipes are placed on each box). Remember, this is only an exhibition. This is not a competition. Please, please, no wagering. This lineup is based on the best available information as of this writing.

Torch editor Wade Keller keeps asking me why I can't post pay-per-view preview columns two or three days in advance. Now you know. How many times am I going to have to rewrite this column? You know what? If DGUSA changes the card after this, they're on their own. Tonight's show will air on WWNLive tomorrow, as will tomorrow's show. (WWE's Elimination Chamber is also airing tomorrow night, but that's an article of a different color.

In case you hadn't heard, with Ryo Saito off the show and CIMA banged up, Dragon Gate decided that maybe this weekend wasn't the right time for CIMA to travel halfway across the world to struggle through matches with Johnny Gargano and (probably) Trent Baretta this weekend. Yes, it's rough that Dragon Gate USA doesn't have CIMA, Rya Saito and Biff Busick for this weekend's events, as originally scheduled. And what do you call a Dragon Gate USA show without any wrestlers from Dragon Gate Japan? You call it "Evolve 27." (Yeah, I know, I'm not funny.) But what DGUSA *does* have is Johnny Gargano, A.R. Fox, The Bravado Brothers, a HD internet stream, and a reservation at the Queensboro Elks Lodge for tonight. So let's do this.

Before we get to our picks, let's do today's Wrestling History Lesson. Before Dragon Gate USA and Ring of Honor, the "number three promotion" in North America was the Philadelphia-based Extreme Championship Wrestling. The original ECW ran from 1993 through 2001. Among the many wrestlers who passed through ECW were Steve Austin, Mick Foley and the late Eddie Guerrero. A young Gabe Sapolsky worked for the company, as did ROH founder Rob Feinstein and legendary manager Jim Cornette.

On September 30, 1994, Cactus Jack took on Sabu in Hamburg, Pennsylvania. Joey Styles had the call.



Ten years ago, Total Nonstop Action was still presenting weekly pay-per-views from the Tennessee State Fairgrounds. Here's the February 25th, 2004 episode, headlined by AJ Styles facing Abyss in a Tables Match. Mike Tenay and Don West have the call.



As your free gift for viewing this column, let's take you back to May 1, 2010, from the "Evolve 3" event in Rahway, New Jersey. It's Chris Hero locking up with Bobby Fish. Lenny Leonard has the call.



Enough of that. Now on with the projections!

I have no idea what DGUSA will be doing with Caleb Konley, Tim Donst and the other wrestlers on the show. Although Caleb Konley vs. Tim Donst is not a bad idea.

Ivelisse Velez vs. Su Yung (Non-Title Match): Say, did you catch our interview with Su Yung on Wednesday's PWTorch Livecast? Maybe you should. It'll help you pass the time until both shows go up on Sunday. And isn't that what's important here?Projection? The champ pins Ms. Yung with her Disdain DDT.

Jigsaw vs. Shane Strickland: There's no storyline behind it, but this should be a fun match. Projection? Jigsaw wins with the Jig 'n Tonic.

Rich Swann vs. Anthony Nese: This will be different. Both Swann and Nese are underrated. It remains to be seen how well their styles will mesh. Projection? When in doubt, go with the guy who's done the most Japan tours. Swann wins with the 5 Star Swan Splash.

Bravado Brothers vs. Chuck Taylor & Orange Cassidy (DGUSA Tag Team Titles): The Bravados can hang with any tag team in the world, but it's different to see them as headliners. Taylor and Cassidy can go. Projection? Bravados win with the ironically named Gentlemen's Agreement on Cassidy.

A.R. Fox vs. Drew Gulak (non-title): Another interesting matchup, with the Evolve champ taking on the Combat Zone champ. Projection? Having Fox win here with the Lo Mein Pain (which he will) sets up Fox challenging Gulak on the next Combat Zone show in two weeks. So it's a win-win.

Johnny Gargano vs. Trent Baretta (Dragon Gate USA Title): DGUSA booker Gabe Sapolsky told fans he was originally saving Baretta's title match for this summer. Gargano's held the title for two years, so it would take someone special to beat Gargano. Someone whose first priority is the WWN shows, and not Ring of Honor or TNA. Somebody talented. Somebody with some name recognition. Oh, wait... Projection? Baretta hits the Crunchy, wins the title and sets up the big rematch for the Big Easy in April.

Aftermath: On Sunday night, it will be DGUSA Way of the Ronin on HD iPPV! Assuming no one else changes the lineup, I'm taking Baretta, Gargano, Fox and Fire Ant to win their respective bouts in Brooklyn.

***
Pat McNeill of Richmond, Va. has been a Torch columnist since February 2001. The end of life as he knows it will take place Monday morning.

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