Dragon Gate USA "Untouchable 2012" Internet PPV Report
July 28, 2012
Taylor, Mich.
Report by Sean Radican, PWTorch columnist

They appear to have a hot crowd tonight. Jake Manning came out with Chuck Taylor. They’ve got some very nice new graphics for the wrestler entrances. The feed froze with Taylor cutting a promo in the ring. Taylor said they were looking for the Swamp Monster. Manning then demonstrated how to make a proper camp fire. The crowd booed while Manning assembled a camp fire. Rich Swann ran out and attacked Chuck Taylor. They brawled to the back.

1 - - JAKE MANNING vs. JON DAVIS

Davis no-sold a suplex from Manning and hit a long delayed vertical suplex that finished when the fans counted to 40. The crowd chanted yes at Davis after he hit the move. Leonard apologized for using the word retard when referring to Manning’s camping tips earlier. Manning fired back and raked Davis’s eyes. Davis fired back with a spine buster a short time later. He finished off Manning with the three seconds around the world powerbomb.

Winner: Jon Davis – This was a short, but effective squash for Davis, who popped the crowd with his power moves.

Swann and Taylor brawled back to ringside and they started their match.

2 - - RICH SWANN vs. CHUCK TAYLOR

Swann hit a crazy dive on Taylor right off the bat. They brawled around the building. Taylor got a ladder, but Swann nailed him with a chairshot to the back. Taylor charged at Swann, but got backdropped onto the ladder and the fans chanted for Swann. Taylor spiked Swann with a big DDT on the outside leaving both men down. The action spilled inside the ring. Taylor ended up hitting a big twisting powerbomb, but Swann kicked out and the crowd popped. Swann fired back and hit the lethal injection for a nearfall. They brawled up top, but Taylor countered a hurricanrana into a half crab. Swann struggled, but eventually got the ropes. Taylor wouldn’t break the hold and the ref called for the DQ.

Winner: Rich Swann via DQ

Star rating: (**1/2) – They had some solid action during the match. There was limited selling at times, but they seem to be working towards a Swann leg injury angle.

Gargano ran down to make the save. Christina Von Eerie got into the ring and confronted Gargano. She told him his belt belonged to Tozawa before spitting in Gargano’s face. Gargano teased hitting her, but didn’t.

The Super Smash Bros. came out and nearly destroyed the entrance gimmick, but managed to prevent it from falling down on them. They got a good reaction from the crowd. The Scene came out next without any girls. I was hoping Dallas would come back from Japan wearing a Ribera jacket, but no such luck. Leonard said there was a shortage of women susceptible to roofies, hence no girls tonight for the Scene. Leonard said the post-show party with the Scene should be interesting with no girls.

3 - - THE SUPER SMASH BROS. (Player Uno & Player Dos) vs. THE SCENE (Caleb Konley & Scott Reed w/Larry Dallas)

Super Smash Bros. isolated Konley during the early going and hit a nice combination of moves on him. Uno slammed Konley and Super Smash Bros. did their signature pose in the ring. Konley ended up on the outside and Dos nailed him with a big flip dive and the fans popped. Dos went for a springboard a short time later, but Reed decked him from the apron with a punch. The Scene began working over Dos near their own corner. Dos fired back and hit a double hurricanrana and the crowd popped. Dos finally made the hot tag to Uno, who ran wild on Konley and Reed. Dallas tripped Uno from the outside and Konley nailed him with a roaring elbow, but Dos got the ropes. Uno fired back on Reed, but got cut off from making the tag to Dos. Uno tried to fight his way back to his corner. He planted Reed with a side slam and tagged in Dos, who ran wild. Dos went for a springboard moonsault. Reed caught him, but Dos nailed him with a tornado DDT. He then wiped out Reed, but only got a 2 count.

Dos went up top and the crowd fired up. He missed a big stomp off the top on Reed. Uno got the tag and hit a side slam/leg drop combination with Dos for a nearfall on Reed. Dos missed a charge into the corner and Reed nailed him with a spinning crucifix bomb for a 2 count. The crowd clapped as both men tried to regroup. Reed tagged in Konley. Dos tried to fire back, but Konley catapulted him to Reed, who hit a powerslam. Uno broke up the pin, but got tossed to the outside. Uno ran back in, but Reed cut him off with a superkick. The action picked up and Dos ended up evading Konley and Reed and nailing them with a double Pele kick that left all three men down. Uno got the tag and Super Smash Bros went for the fatality, but Dallas grabbed Dos’s leg. Reed and Konley hit a DDT/Suplex combination on Dos, but he managed to get the ropes at 2. Dos tried to break it up with a springboard senton, but got there a little late so it came off a little awkward. Super Smash Bros. took control and isolated Konley and hit the fatality for the win.

Winners: Super Smash Bros.

Star rating: (***) – This match featured some really good exchanges, especially down the stretch. The crowd was into the match and definitely enjoyed the SSB double team maneuvers. This was a good showing for Konley, Reed, and Dallas, who seem to be getting more time to flush out their gimmick in longer matches like this one.

Ricochet made his entrance and got on the mic. He said when it comes to United Gate Championships he’s undefeated. He talked about his match tomorrow and said if he won tomorrow he would still be undefeated. He said it made him mad to think he could walk out of Chicago the three time undefeated Open the United Gate Champion.

Radican note: Ricochet needs to get better at promos. He seemed too nonchalant when discussing his match for the vacant Open the United Gate titles tomorrow.

YAMATO came out next to a huge pop from the crowd. He wore a black towel over his head. He took off his towel to reveal that he’s growing his hair long again.

4 - - RICOCHET vs. YAMATO

Leonard reinforced Ricochet’s promo. He said Ricochet was wrestling under protest this weekend after being forced to wrestle for the Open the United Gate titles, which he has never lost. After a fast-paced exchange Ricochet sent YAMATO to the outside, but he rolled under the ring and came through the other side and nailed Ricochet with a dropkick to the legs. YAMATO slowly picked apart Ricochet while targeting his leg. Ricochet ducked a charge and hit a diving lariat. The fans chanted for Ricochet, who decided to sell his leg after hitting a bunch of stuff in rapid-fire fashion. Ricochet hit another combination of rapid-fire moves capped by a standing SSP for a 2 count and the fans fired up. YAMATO fired back and hit a dragon screw leg whip. Ricochet countered a brainbuster and went for a kick, but YAMATO caught his foot and applied an ankle lock. Ricochet struggled, but got the ropes.

They went to a big exchange that ended with Ricochet catching YAMATO with an ace crusher. Ricochet then hit a standing corkscrew press for a nearfall. Ricochet went up top, but YAMATO cut him off. They battled up top and Ricochet hit a phoenix splash for a good nearfall that the crowd popped for. The crowd fired up and began grading the match from their seats with cliché this is awesome chants. They went to an exchange of nearfalls. The pace then picked up and YAMATO hit a big spear for the win.

Winner: YAMATO

Star rating: ***1/4 – This was a fun match that ended out of nowhere when it seemed to be building towards the finish when YAMATO hit the spear. Leonard sold Ricochet being preoccupied with his match tomorrow. Ricochet really needs to learn to sell better to make his opponents submission work look good.

Jon Davis came out after the match and congratulated YAMATO for the win. The crowd chanted welcome back at YAMATO. Davis told YAMATO tomorrow would be the hardest fight of his life. He told YAMATO that tomorrow would be about survival. YAMATO kicked Davis low and applied the choke sleeper. Several refs came out to try to break the hold, as Davis appeared to be out. This version of YAMATO is awesome.

The referees helped Davis to the back and the show went to intermission.

5 - - NATE MADSON & DEREK RYZE vs. D.U.F. (Arik Cannon & Pinkie Sanchez)

Leonard said Ryze had earned himself a place on the card after participating in the DGUSA seminar earlier in the day. Sanchez looks like he stole the Rockers’s old ring tights. Madson cut off Sanchez and tagged in Ryze, who nailed Sanchez with a nice dropkick. Leonard mentioned Callihan would be back at the next EVOLVE show in September. Sanchez fired back and tagged in Cannon, who went to work on Madson with a leg submission. Sanchez drank a beer while applying the submission. Ryze tried to break up the hold, but Cannon nailed him with the beer can. Sanchez and Cannon worked over Madson for several minutes. Madson fired back, but Cannon cut him off and tagged in Sanchez, who continued to work him over. Madson finally hit a rocket blaster off the second rope on Sanchez and tagged in Ryze, who ran wild on Cannon. Cannon cut off Rise and hit a one arm slam for a 2 count. Ryze got in some offense, but Cannon fired back and hit total anarchy for the win.

Winners: Arik Cannon & Pinkie Sanchez – This was pretty much a squash for D.U.F. Ryze actually impressed me with his fast-paced offense and had a good showing for himself after attending the seminar.

Cannon got on the mic and talked about Callihan being suspended. He said D.U.F. wanted to introduce the fans to Masada. Masada got on the mic and told Cannon he’s not joining them. He said they could stick their offer up their rear ends. Cannon told Sanchez to stand up to Masada. Sanchez got in Masada’s face and called him a boy. He told Masada he was going to beat his rear end.

6 - - MASADA vs. PINKIE SANCHEZ

Sanchez ducked a couple of charges from Masada and punched him in the face. Masada swatted a dropkick attempt and went to town on Sanchez in the corner. Sanchez fired back and hit a dive through the ropes that got no reaction. Sanchez went for another dive, but Masada wiped him out with a chairshot to the legs. Masada then tossed Sanchez into a pile of chairs. Sanchez cut off Masada getting inside the ring and hit a dragon screw. Masada fired back and hit a big slam. I hope they end this match soon as the fans have died. Sanchez fired back and hit a basement dropkick and then a running kick. What in the world is Masada doing in DGUSA? Masada continued to work over Sanchez to crickets. Sanchez fired back, but Masada caught him with a sloppy powerbomb. Masada hit another powerbomb and applied the border city stretch for the win.

Winner: Masada – A less than impressive debut for Masada in DGUSA. I have no idea why they’re using him.

Masada tossed Sanchez out of the ring and flipped off the camera, which was fitting.

CIMA and A.R. Fox came out to a good reaction. Generico and Del Sol then came out to a big pop. Del Sol then got a Lucha chant from the fans.

7 - - CIMA & A.R. FOX vs. EL GENERICO & SAMURAY DEL SOL

CIMA and Generico kicked things off with a fast-paced exchange and came to a stalemate. CIMA mockingly played with Generico’s tassels. Fox and Del Sol tagged in and squared off. Del Sol caught Fox in a slick leg submission, but Fox was right near the ropes. The crowd popped and chanted for Del Sol. Del Sol and Fox had an incredible exchange and came to a stalemate after a double dropkick and the crowd popped big. Generico cut off CIMA and tagged in Del Sol, who went to work on him. CIMA cut him off with a belly to back suplex and tagged in Fox. Fox worked over Del Sol, but got cut off. Generico got the tag and put the boots to Fox. Generico and Del Sol worked over Fox for several minutes. Del Sol went for a springboard, but CIMA cut him off.

The action broke down and Fox hit an insane reverse 450 that looked like it slightly overshot onto Del Sol and Generico. The crowd gasped before chanting for Fox. CIMA rolled Del Sol back into the ring and covered him for a 2 count. Leonard said Generico may have been injured during the 450 spot. CIMA and Fox began tagging in and out to work over Del Sol. Generico apparently went backstage and taped his shoulder before coming back to the apron. CIMA went after Generico and targeted his shoulder while sending him off the apron. Fox and CIMA continued to work over Del Sol. Fox hit a gorgeous split-legged moonsault on Del Sol for a 2 count. Fox and CIMA hit a really nice double dropkick on Del Sol after tossing him into the ropes for another 2 count. Del Sol fired back with a modified flipping falcon arrow on Fox and the crowd popped big.

Del Sol and Fox were slow to get to their feet. Del Sol tagged out and Generico ran wild on CIMA and Fox. Del Sol ran in and saved Generico from a move from Fox. He then hit an insane dive to the outside on Fox that popped the crowd. Inside the ring, Generico hit a blue thunder powerbomb on CIMA for a nearfall. Generico used his legs to send Del Sol onto CIMA with a 450 for a nearfall and the crowd went nuts. The crowd continued to go nuts with the cliché this is awesome chant. CIMA sent Del Sol to the floor and slammed Generico to the mat. Fox then came off the top with a swanton on Generico for a good nearfall and the crowd went nuts again. Fox and Generico had a great exchange. Fox blocked a running boot in the corner from Generico and hit a springboard ace crusher for a nearfall. The crowd fired up and chanted for Generico.

Generico and Fox went back and forth and Generico nailed him with an exploder into the turnbuckles. Fox got right up after a dragon Suplex. Del Sol then hit rising sun, but CIMA made the same. Good grief this is fantastic. CIMA and Del Sol brawled to the outside. The fans fired up as Generico set up Fox for the top rope brainbuster. Fox tried to fight Generico off and eventually tossed him to the mat. CIMA nailed him with double knees to the back. Fox then hit a 450, but Del Sol came out of nowhere with the save. The crowd went nuts. This is getting really great. Fox and CIMA hit a combination of moves on Del Sol in the corner capped by a running SSP from Fox. Fox set up Del Sol and hit Lo Mein pain. CIMA then came off the top by meteora. CIMA then covered Del Sol for the win as Fox held off Generico.

Winners: A.R. Fox & CIMA

Star rating: (****1/2) – This was an instant classic that started slowly and built to an incredible climax. There were so many innovative double team moves and good nearfalls. I can’t recommend watching this match enough.

The fans went nuts after the match and chanted Dragon Gate. Generico shoved CIMA away when he went to check on Del Sol. All four men finally raised each other’s hands and the fans applauded. CIMA got on the mic and thanked the fans. He then led the fans in a chant for Fox. The crowd exploded and chanted for Fox. CIMA asked Fox if he was ready to take the United Gate titles. Fox said he was ready to win the titles tomorrow. The fans applauded. CIMA said he could speak much English and the fans laughed. Fox took the match and said they would win the tag titles tomorrow.

Leonard came to the ring for the formal introductions. Akira Tozawa came out first with Christina Von Eerie. Johnny Gargano then came out wearing the Open The Freedom Gate title to a big reaction. He went around ringside and shook hands with the fans.

8 - - Open the Freedom Gate Champion JOHNNY GARGANO vs. AKIRA TOZAWA (w/Christina Von Eerie) – Open the Freedom Gate title match

The crowd fired up as both men squared off. After neither man could get the upper hand on the mat, they went to a rapid-fire exchange that saw Tozawa escape a superkick attempt and the crowd applauded. Both men went for multiple dives to the outside. They ended the sequence with Gargano hitting a spear through the ropes into the ring and the crowd chanted for him. Leonard mentioned that Gargano had been pinned twice by Tozawa in the last year as Gargano began working over Tozawa’s arm. Leonard also mentioned that Tozawa had recently failed in his attempt to beat CIMA in Dragon Gate for the Open the Dream Gate title. Gargano dominated for several minutes, but Tozawa got his knees up to cut off Gargano when he went for a cross body off the top. Tozawa tried to shake some feeling back into his arm before going after Gargano.

Tozawa put the boots to Gargano while Von Eerie laughed in his face from the floor. Von Eerie tossed a chair into the ring and distracted the ref. Tozawa placed the chair over Gargano and nailed him with a senton for a 2 count. Tozawa hit the rapid-fire chops to the Gargano’s chest in the corner. He teased going for more chops, but ended up just punching Gargano in the face and the fans applauded. Gargano caught Tozawa with an enzuguri and then caught Tozawa with a slingshot DDT moments later that left both men down on the mat. The crowd fired up as both men tried to get to their feet.

Gargano got the upper hand and nailed Tozawa with a series of moves. The action really picked up and both men went for a suplex multiple times until Gargano successfully suplexed Tozawa into the turnbuckles. Tozawa fired back and caught Gargano with a boot in the corner followed by a Saito suplex for a 2 count. They went to a big exchange on the apron. Gargano went for another slingshot spear, but Tozawa caught him with a knee to the face. They went up top and Gargano sent him to the mat. Tozawa got a running start and nailed Gargano with a bicycle kick up top. Tozawa then hit a big superplex and sold his arm. Tozawa finally covered Gargano, but only got a 2 count. The fans chanted for Gargano after he kicked off.

They went to a big exchange with both men no-selling big moves until Tozawa finally hit a shining wizard that left both men down on the mat. The crowd fired up and chanted Dragon Gate as both men struggled to get to their feet. Both men exchanged blows on their knees. Gargano tried to slide through Tozawa’s legs, but he got caught. Gargano blocked a German and drove Tozawa into the corner. They went back and forth with counters until Gargano caught Tozawa with a belly to back superplex after blocking a bicycle kick in the corner. Gargano hit the lawn dart and a super kick, but Tozawa kicked out. Gargano then applied the Gargano escape, but it was close to the ropes and Tozawa got the bottom rope with his boot. The crowd chanted for both men as they tried to regroup. Gargano got a bigger champ as they battled to the apron. Gargano nailed Tozawa with several forearms and a kick, but Tozawa hit a bicycle kick and then a German suplex on the apron. Leonard said Gargano’s run might have just ended with that move as Gargano was down on the floor and not moving.

Von Eerie and Tozawa taunted Gargano on the outside. Tozawa had a hard time getting Gargano back into the ring, but managed to do it. Gargano went for an inverted hurricanrana, but slipped. Tozawa hit a big German with a bridge, but Gargano kicked out and immediately applied the Gargano escape. Tozawa struggled towards the ropes as Gargano cinched back on the hold. The crowd chanted for Tozawa to tap, but he got the ropes. Both men struggled to get back to their feet as the crowd applauded. Gargano nailed Tozawa’s arm with a series of kicks. They went to another exchange and Tozawa hit a German. Tozawa went hit a straight jacket German, but couldn’t hold the bridge and Gargano managed to kick out. Tozawa went for another straight jacket German, but Gargano hit the hurts don’t it. Tozawa kicked out at the last second and the crowd chanted for Gargano. Gargano hit another hurts don’t it and applied the Gargano escape. Tozawa finally tapped out.

Winner: Johnny Gargano to retain the Open the Freedom Gate title

Star rating: (****) – An excellent title defense for Gargano. They built the match slowly and went to some great exchanges down the stretch. There might have been too many nearfalls as the crowd didn’t build to a big explosion when Gargano won, but this was a very well-wrestled match otherwise.

Gargano stood alone in the ring after the match and the crowd applauded. Gargano sat in the ring next to the Open the Freedom Gate title. He said he just wanted to thank the fans. The fans chanted thank you Johnny. Gargano pointed to a young fan in the front row and said he had seen some of the best wrestling on the planet. He said he was around the same age as the fan when he went to his first wrestling show. Gargano said his first show was an independent wrestling show. Gargano said his dream was still to main event WrestleMania, but he got into wrestling because he wanted to be an independent wrestler. The fans fired up and started a huge Gargano chant. Gargano said it upsets him when wrestlers say they’re doing indies to make it to the next level. Gargano says he comes out here to give the fans their money’s worth. Gargano said he sat down today with the DGUSA office and was offered a new deal. He said it pains him to see the state of independent wrestling because it’s dying. He named the top independent companies and said they were slowly dying because they were losing guys every day for moving to Florida.

Gargano said he’s not going to jump off the ship. He vowed to steer independent wrestling where it belongs. Gargano said this was a goodbye of sorts. He said he’s now a man on a mission to make the title and DGUSA one of the premier things in North America. Gargano said he would not leave until his mission was done. Gargano said he signed his new deal with DGUSA. Gargano said he didn’t care how long it takes him to make the belt important because DGUSA and the title are in his blood. The fans chanted Dragon Gate. Gargano said the fans had seen a great show and he promised as long as he’s in DGUSA the fans would get their money’s worth.

Taylor and Manning ran into the ring and attacked Gargano. The crowd booed. The Swamp Monster got into the ring and hit the awful waffle on Gargano. It turns out it was just Taylor with the gimmick. CIMA ended up running into the ring to make the save. Leonard called Taylor a S.O.B. CIMA checked on Gargano as the fans applauded. CIMA stared at the title before putting it over Gargano’s shoulder. CIMA said thank you to the fans and asked them if they enjoyed the show. The fans fired up when he asked them if they want to see DGUSA come back. CIMA said they would come back.

Overall thoughts: (8.0) – The first half of the show featured some good matches, but the last two matches on this show are about as good as it gets for a 1-2 punch to end the show.

The undercard had some lulls, as did the post-intermission matches, which the crowd died for. Other than that, just about everything delivered. The only real surprise was the DQ ending to the Taylor-Swann match just when it seemed to be heating up, but that can’t even really be faulted given that it was done to drive storylines forward. I was also expecting more out of Ricochet-YAMATO. The match was good, but it ended abruptly as they played up Ricochet overlooking YAMATO ahead of his tag title shot tomorrow night.

One of big differences you can see between Ricochet and Tozawa is their selling. YAMATO worked over Ricochet’s leg, but he barely sold it during the match and that took things down a notch. On the other hand, Tozawa works like a world class talent when he sells and he did that tonight for Gargano, which added a lot of drama to their main event encounter.

Fox & CIMA vs. Del Sol & Generico was state of the art tag team wrestling and DGUSA now boasts the best tag division in the US given the decline in ROH’s tag scene recently. Both teams blew the roof off with a well-wrestled match that built and built to a great finish. The double team maneuvers in this match, especially from Del Sol and Generico had me jumping out of my seat and the crowd was just really nuts for the match.

Johnny Gargano is slowly beginning to fit into the mold of Champion. It has taken some time, but tonight, he just seemed to come into his own during and after his match with Tozawa. It was hard to follow the previous tag match, but they did it putting on an excellent back and forth display with Tozawa selling for Gargano, who as I mentioned before was working over his arm.

Gargano’s post-match comments about staying in DGUSA under a new contract drew a big reaction from the crowd and he came off like a champion should in my eyes talking about building the prestige of the title and the company. If Gargano continues to improve on the mic like this and DGUSA promotes him properly, he could become a big draw on the indies.

***

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