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Welcome back to PWInsider.com’s continuing coverage of the events in the Miami area during Wrestlemania week and Dragon Gate USA’s Mercury Rising 2012 show. After Heat and Open the Ultimate Gate, Dragon Gate USA finishes their triple shot.
Bobby Fish versus Jon Davis: I am really looking forward to seeing this match because of the contrast in styles. Davis has more of a mat based style that focuses on power moves while Fish uses more kicks and some high flying moves. The crowd was not into Davis that much at first but he got them with a vicious spinebuster. Davis did a good job using his size advantage to keep Fish from doing some of the things we saw from him the previous two nights. Davis working Fish’s midsection had an effect and kept Bobby from doing some high flying move. I liked the sequence at the end with Davis hitting the power slam only to have Fish go to the arm breaker and then the heel hook.
This was a good opener and it got the crowd as it developed.
The post match promo by Fish was a good way to build into Evolve in two weeks.
The thought of Pac/Low Ki II after their match on Friday night put a smile on my face.
I have been critical of the ‘yes’ chant at wrestling shows, and I think that the ROH crowd earlier today killed the chant, but it made sense considering their match last night. I also liked the ‘No’ chant when Chuck Taylor came out.
Arik Cannon versus AR Fox: Just like Davis/Fish, this seems like a match of styles that do not normally mix. I liked Cannon countering the clothesline into the ropes followed by the skin the cat into the hesitation kick. Of the matches I have seen from Fox, they have not been against someone like Cannon so it will be interesting to see how he does against someone who does not wrestle a more acrobatic style. It did not look like Fox was deterred too much, especially after the springboard 450 to the floor. Cannon held his own trying to limit Fox’s dives with some stiff shots. The brainbuster by Cannon after powering out of the guillotine choke looked good.
For the purpose of setting up the match with Sabu, the chair shot finish was okay, but I thought it took a little away from the match between Fox and Cannon.
Sami is one of the best promos in the business because he is different than everyone else.
Sabu versus Sami Callihan: I was a bit surprised that this match was so early in the show. Callihan using the chair in the way that Sabu normally does fits in so well with his character. The early part of the match is like Sami and Sabu changed places. The chair duel brought back memories of watching Mike Awesome versus Masato Tanaka in ECW. If Callihan’s goal is to end Sabu’s career, he is doing his best to make it a reality. After all of the violence during the match, the fans want fire? I like the sequence with Callihan and Sabu both doing the same moves to show that Callihan is thinking like Sabu since being known as ‘Homicidal, Suicidal, and Genocidal’ he might only be able to finish himself off. I liked the work on the leg to set up the Stretch Muffler by Callihan but he was too close to a chair so Sabu could use it to get out.
Then during the match, the brawl with Jon Davis and the other members of D.U.F. moved into the ring and we saw a nice press slam of Sanchez onto Cannon by Davis. Then the brawl set up the double jump splash onto everyone on the floor.
I liked the interference by AR Fox because it built on what happened earlier in the night. The finish was good with Fox hitting Lo Mein Pain to set up the Arabian Facebuster through the table.
For a brawl, I thought this was good and the outside interference from Sanchez, Cannon, Fox, and Davis added to the match. If Sabu is going to continue to work in DGUSA, I can see a six man tag match involving these men.
Sami’s reaction after the match made sense since he could not end Sabu’s career. You have to feel bad for the officials who came out to try to control Callihan.
On the commentary, Lenny Leonard suggested that they need to get someone to help the security member who was attacked. It looked like they might need someone to issue last rites.
Chuck Taylor Invitational: Lince Dorado versus Samurai Del Sol versus Chuck Taylor versus CIMA versus Rich Swann versus El Generico: It is good to hear the original version of El Generico’s music. When Chuck Taylor said that he hated luchadors something might happen. Since he did not wrestle last night, I am a bit surprised that CIMA is in this match. Del Sol and Dorado had a very good sequence of moves and counters. CIMA tying Generico’s mask to the ropes was a great spot and I thought it was a nice touch to have him go after Chuck Taylor for trying to get in a cheap shot.
The sequence of moves by CIMA, Dorado, and Generico to Taylor looked really good. I don’t think I have seen a spot like they did with Dorado on the apron waiting for Generico only to see Dorado to hit an Asai Moonsault onto Taylor.
This is the type of match where I am glad that someone else is doing the live coverage because so much is going on.
This was a really fun match to watch and the crowd made a very good match even better. With the way the crowd reacted the action, a friend of mine thought that maybe this match should have been the opener.
I think that the traditional Dragon Gate Six Man tag match which usually steals the show on Wrestlemania weekend has some work to match this match for the excitement and athleticism.
The announcement for next year’s DGUSA contribution raised the bar for other companies running during Mania weekend.
Los Ben Dejos versus The Scene: Los Ben Dejos are a team that works in Central Florida for those not familiar. I have not seen a lot of their work but friends of mine are high on their work. It seemed like the crowd was behind Los Ben Dejos, but not The Scene. The double hip toss by the Scene into the turnbuckles at the same time looked good. I like the finisher from The Scene, but I think the crowd was deflated by their win.
Johnny Gargano versus Masato Yoshino for the Open the Freedom Gate Championship: They have done a lot over the last two days to build up this match with the promos on Thursday and the tag title match last night, I have a lot of hope for this match to live up to the hype. This match is a lot like Pac versus Low Ki from last night or AR Fox versus Pac from Thursday where they were working very methodically with the fans drawn into the action waiting for someone to get in that first impactful move. I am amazed that people don’t counter Gargano’s spear from the apron.
After about ten minutes, it feels like this match could go a half hour.
They have done a great job of pacing the match so when either man hits a high impact move, it means something. There was a crazy sequence where Gargano tried for the Gargano escape while Yoshino tried for the Sol Naciente and then Gargano tried for the Sol Naciente but Yoshino was able to counter and apply Gargano Escape. Like most of the DGUSA talent, the counters and escapes were so crisp and it got a good reaction from the crowd. I really liked the finishing sequence with Gargano hitting Hurts Donut only to have Yoshino kick out then he hits the move again and put Yoshino in the Gargano Escape.
After the comments back and forth over the last two nights, it was a good statement to have the handshake after the match.
Then it also made sense to have Taylor attack Gargano after the match based on what happened on Friday night.
Dragon Gate Six Man Tag Match: This is another match where I am so happy that I am not doing the play by play because I would probably throw up a white flag one minute into the match. It only took a few minutes to get our first Low Ki/Pac sequence. I don’t think I have ever seen a series of handsprings coming out of the corner like I saw from Pac.
The series of kicks that Mochizuki gave to Low Ki were criminal. Then Low Ki gave one just as bad back to Ricochet. Then he gave one that was as sick when Ricochet tried for a suicide dive to the floor. If Pac is the ‘Man that Gravity Forgot’, I think Ricochet was second in line. There were so many amazing counters and double team moves during this match. The springboard round kick by Ki while Hulk and Tozawa held up Pac was insane even for this match. I don’t think I have ever seen someone hit a shooting star press kick to a wrestler who was standing before until Pac did it.
They definitely ended this weekend on a high note with the Open the Freedom Gate Title Match and the Traditional Six Man Tag Match. That along with the Chuck Taylor Invitational is a trio of matches that a wrestling fan could want to see.
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