RADICAN’S BIG MATCH SPOTLIGHT: Dragon Gate “Fantastic Gate” – Open The Dream Gate Champion Masato Yoshino vs. PAC

RADICAN’S BIG MATCH SPOTLIGHT
DRAGON GATE “FANTASTIC GATE”
OPEN THE DREAM GATE CHAMPION MASATO YOSHINO VS. PAC
KORAKEUN HALL
DEC. 4, 2018
TOKYO, JAPAN
AIRED LIVE ON THE DRAGON GATE NETWORK

Open The Dream Gate Champion MASATO YOSHINO vs. PAC MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

PAC is great right from the start. He makes his entrance and then twirls his key representing his challenge to Masato Yoshino’s Open the Dream Gate Title. He then flips it nonchalantly to the ref once Yoshino gets into the ring.

The National Anthems for the UK and then Japan are played. PAC smirks and jumps Yoshino during the Japanese National Anthem and the fans boo. The look PAC had on his face before jumping Yoshino was just tremendous. PAC tosses Yoshino into the chairs several times and plays to the fans, who boo. Yoshino mounts a come can and puts the boots to PAC on the floor. PAC goes on the attack and targets Yoshino’s Head. Yoshino tried to mount a comeback, but PAC catches him with a backbreaker off the ropes. He taunted Yoshino with some light kicks and the fans chanted for Yoshino, who turned PAC inside out with a belly to back suplex. They go back and forth and PAC hits a springboard corkscrew press. PAC tossed Yoshino back into the ring and went up top. Yoshino suddenly got up and crotched PAC by dropkicking the top rope. He then hit a gorgeous missile dropkick and the fans fired up and he played for he crowd. They battled up top and PAC shoved Yoshino to the apron and Yoshino went for a slingshot Sling Blaze, but PAC ducked it and hit a sit out powerbomb for a 2 count. Yoshino landed on his feet on a German and hit a reverse DDT for a 2 count and both men were down. WOW!

The fans chanted for Yoshino, who got up first. PAC fired back and hit a spiral tap off the second turnbuckle for a near fall. The fans chanted for Yoshino and PAC went up top for a SSP, but Yoshino got out of the way. They went back and forth after PAC landed on his feet and Yoshino got Sol Naciente. PAC lifted Yoshino and powerbomed his way out of the hold and hold and both men were down again. Yoshino got up first and yelled out. Both men ended up exchanging bombs in the middle of the ring. They went back and forth and PAC caught Yoshino with a kick to the head as he charged into the corner.  He went for The Black Arrow, but Yoshino got his knee up for a near fall.

Yoshino got Sol Naciente again and they really teased PAC tapping, as RED and Maximum freaked out on the outside, but he managed to get his foot on the bottom rope! Wow!! They went up top and Yoshino had a super Fisherman Buster, but PAC got out of it and hit a Falcon Arrow! WOW! PAC hit a German, but Yoshino no-sold it. He went for Sol Naciente, but PAC countered it. They went back and forth and Yoshino got a rollup for a near fall. PAC got the upper hand and hit a HUGE clothesline and a German with a bridge for a near fall. He then went up top and hit The Black Arrow for the win.

WINNER: PAC in 20:00 to become the 28 Open the Dream Gate Champion (****1/2)

PAC cut a promo after the match. He said Yoshino is the best wrestler in the world no more. PAC said he’s the Open the Dream Gate Champion. He said we are RED and I told you we would control Dragon Gate, maybe now you’ll believe me. The fans booed as RED continued to cut promos in the ring. Maximum retorted with a promo of their own. Yoshino was shown down and out inside the ring. They brought a matted object into the ring and it appeared to be a spin the wheel game with wrestlers names on it. RED left the ring. Several children were brought into the ring. The kids threw arrows at the wrestlers name as the wheel was spun.

(Radican’s Analysis: This was a tremendous match between PAC and Yoshino. PAC becomes just the second foreigner to win the Open the Dream Gate Title. Ricochet was the first person to do it. PAC’s heel character was great here. He got a ton of heat jumping Yoshino during the Japanese National Anthem and playing to the crowd. The fans really got behind Yoshino as PAC used the ropes for leverage while working over his neck. The match was paced well and built and built with some great exchanges up top. PAC getting out of Sol Naciente with a powerbomb was amazing. PAC is so in tune with his geek character and it’s a shame we aren’t likely to see him in the U.S. anytime soon, but it’s a treat to see him back in Dragon Gate.)

You can contact Sean at radicansean@pwtorch.com and follow him on Twitter @sr_torch.