Dragon Gate USA results
"Open the Ultimate Gate 2014"
April 4, 2014
New Orleans, La.
Report by Sean Radican, PWTorch columnist

Big News: Ricochet beat Johnny Gargano in the main event to capture the DGUSA Title, ending Gargano's two-and-a-half-year title reign that started in November 2011. ... iPPV Replay available on-demand in the future HERE via WWNLive.com.

(1) DGUSA tag champions Bravado Brothers beat Anthony Nese & Caleb Konley (w/The Premier Athlete Brand) to retain the DGUSA Tag Titles. Solid opening match. It took a while to get going, but once it picked up it was good. Nese got distracted by Moose and turned around into the Gentleman's Agreement from the Bravados and Lancelot got the pin. (**1/2)

After the match, Nese yelled at Mr. A for getting obliterated by Moose. Su Yung got on the mic and called out A.R. Fox.

(2) A.R. Fox somehow beat Mr. A in a singles match. Fox ran wild early, but Mr. A cut him off and hit a nice leg lariat. Yung tripped Fox when he made his comeback and Ivelisse came out and they had a cat fight. The ref even got involved and rolled around with them. Larry Dallas came and brought out his gift. Teddy Hart came down to the ring. Teddy Hart got his cat and it sat in the corner while he hit a powerbomb into a lungblower on Fox. Dallas held the cat while Hart posed in the ring. Hart went after Mr. A and nailed him with a huge moonsault. The fans applauded and Hart hit another flip in the ring and landed on his feet. The match incomprehensibly resumed. Mr. A hit a powerbomb on the apron and a spinebuster inside the ring for a nearfall. Mr. A went up top, but Fox hit Lo Mein pain for the ring. This was so random I don't get how the match continued after Hart interfered. (n/a)

(3) Rich Swann beat Biff Busick. This was very good. Busick controlled the action early. The action heated up down the stretch and they began exchanging pinning combinations. Swann finally won with a rolling pinning combination. (***1/4)

(4) CZW champion Drew Gulak & Chuck Taylor beat Green Ant & Fire Ant. The action was fast-paced and very good. At one point Gulak countered a double dropkick and got a double figure-four on The Colony. Green Ant eventually countered Gulak and submitted him with the Chikara special. This was very good. (***1/2)

After the match, Gulak attacked Taylor and then put the boots to him. Tension was briefly hinted at during the early stages of the match. Gulak got on the mic and told Taylor the Gentleman's Club was done.

(5) FIP champion Trent Baretta beat Low Ki in a non-title match. Good action during the early going. Trent did everything he could to get under Ki's skin. Ki hit some brutal chops on Trent. Trent was in control later in the match, but Ki countered a German by landing on his feet and hit a double stomp. Trent tossed Low Ki off the top when he had him hung upside down for the double stomp and hit Daniel Bryan's finish for the win. My jaw is on the floor. (***3/4)

(6) Masato Tanaka beat EVOLVE champion Chris Hero in a non-title match. The fans were hot for the start of this match. They did a great spot early with both men going for roaring elbows before stopping short. They built to a big exchange of strikes later in the match and Tanaka leveled Hero with a forearm. Hero couldn't get an Awesome Bomb off the stage, but he sure did connect with a Liger Bomb for a nearfall. Tanaka hit a diving lariat for a nearfall down the stretch and then a diving elbow for the win. (****1/4)

(7) Ricochet beat DGUSA champion Johnny Gargano to capture the DGUSA Title and end Gargano's two-and-a-half-year run as DGUSA champion. Great exchange in the early going with both men exchanging counters. Gargano went for the "hurts don't it," but Ricochet got him up for the Benadriller. Gargano slipped out of it and bailed wide-eyed to the floor. Ricochet dominated the action for a long period of time, but Gargano caught him with a huge spear while he was showboating after faking a dive I the floor. Gargano dominated the action for a long period of time until Ricochet finally caught him with a huge Ace Crusher and a dive over the ringpost to the floor a short time later.

The pace picked up and Gargano stayed a step ahead of Ricochet and got a nearfall by countering a leap frog into a sit-out powerbomb. Gargano ducked a SSP and hit a superkick followed by a huge lawn dart for a nearfall. The fans chanted "You can't beat him" at Gargano. Awesome exchange of strikes and kicks ended with Ricochet hitting a bicycle kick that left both men down on the mat.

Ricochet caught Gargano going for a dive a short time later and hit a DVD on the floor. The fans chanted "holy s---." They went up top and Gargano hit a huracanrana off the top. He followed with "hurts don't it" and applied the Gargano Escapee. Ricochet tried to escape, but couldn't. He eventually lifted Gargano and suplexed him into the turnbuckles before hitting the 630 for a nearfall. Gargano countered the Benadriller again.

Gargano dragged the ref in his way when Ricochet went for a charge in the corner. Ricochet hit the Benadriller, but there was no ref count. Gargano blocked the Benadriller with the belt and hit Ricochet with the belt, but he kicked out at the last second. Gargano took out a rope and choked Ricochet. Ricochet escaped, but Gargano got the Gargano Escape once again. Ricochet escaped and rolled up Gargano for a nearfall. Ricochet then hit the Benadriller for the win! That was an amazing match. (*****)

The locker room emptied to celebrate with Ricochet. Taylor then came out and hugged Ricochet alone in the ring, as they started together. Ricochet got on the mic and said he was on the first EVOLVE show. He said its been a wild ride. Ricochet said it looks like now he's the man. Ricochet mentioned he's the DGUSA champion and the Open the Dream Gate Champion. Ricochet said he's he best thing in wrestling today. Ricochet said he won't duck any challengers. Ricochet asked the fans if they enjoyed the show and they applauded loudly. Ricochet signed off saying he hopes everyone will come back tomorrow. The fans did a loud soccer style chant for Ricochet.

Quick overall score: (9.0) - Fantastic second-half that delivered in spades with Hero-Tanaka and the must-see Gargano-Ricochet match.


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