Dragon Gate USA!

[Necroyeti]

Jimmy Jacobs road to the title isn't going too well is it!

For some reason I'm not particularly high on Jimmy Jacobs. I mean, he's a solid worker and has decent enough matches, but I just don't care too much about him or get overly excited about his matches at all. I like to call it Christopher Daniels syndrome (I guess most people would consider that blasphemy)

This is money well spent, but I couldn't imagine paying $35 for a TNA PPV!

Damn, TNA PPVs are $35? If I ever had to pay for one, I don't think I'd pay any more than a fiver, because that's how much they're worth nowadays.(Maximum!)

Turns out the six-man thing was nowhere near match of the night, lol.

Aries vs. Tozawa was really fuckin' good, both men really upped their game since their matches on yesterday's iPPV. ROH really made a major blunder letting Aries go! Before intermission, I thought this could've been the surprise MOTN. (even though the Reby Sky stuff came off as a tad stupid)

Intermission was much appreciated by me. In general it seems like they learned a lot from their mistakes on yesterday's iPPV in terms of pacing - Here's hoping they can work out the kinks with the sound issues and general technical difficulties by their next live iPPV.

BxB Hulk vs. Jon Moxley - two of my favourite wrestlers of the moment, and predictably they had a fantastic showing. (YOU KILLED BXB!!!) Wasn't really much point in it being a No-DQ match though, and it was far too short for my liking.

Taylor/Gargano vs. CIMA/Kid - I'll tell ya, even though most of DGUSA's tag matches generally follow a "10 mins slow, 10 mins breakneck" formula, it really never gets old - It's tried and tested! Anyway, again, I think everyone involved really upped their game since last night's show and put on a fantastic, fluid match. In fact, I was ready to declare this match the current Match of the Year holder....

...until Doi/Ricochet vs. Yoshino/PAC finished. Holy cockballs what an epic match. I just kept marking harder and harder as it went on, PAC and Ricochet especially were putting on a clinic of high-flying maneuvers. Maybe I'm overrating it because I just watched it, but I think it might've been better than the legendary Blood Generation vs. Do-Fixer match from Supercard of Honor. Match of the year so far for me (it's still early though!)

So it looks like it's between Ronin and World-1 for the United Gate titles. Awesome! I really wish tomorrow's show was iPPV too (It's obvious as to why it isn't... but I would seriously watch that instead of the Rumble if it was) Probably won't turn up on DVD/the internet for months, making it pretty impossible to dodge spoilers.

If I had to put an arbitrary number on this even, I'd say maybe an 8, possibly a 9.

[Kashdinero]

And thats why the rest of the EWN missed out!

Ronin should take it tommorow but its anyones match really, DGUSA'S a hard company to predict. What ever the outcome, I think were gonna miss out on the best match of all three shows, Ronin Vs World 1 is WrestleWood at it's stiffest!

As for Jimmiy, I'm surprised that Gabe is using him so prominently in DGUSA, and EVOLVE, as I know he was ready to phase him out of ROH before he was let go (worst RoH move ever, why not just give the man an extended holiday!). I feel Jimmy works best with a group (or a pair of furry boots), and this serious "no gimmicks needed" Jimmy is as boring as the day is long!

[Necroyeti]

I'd love to know what the buyrates were for these events, cuz it seems like hardly anyone on the internet is talking about them, and I want to believe it was successful so they'll do loads more!

I really must watch EVOLVE sometime, guess I'll stick one onto download. I realise there are only 4 or 5 shows, but any particular one that stands out?

[Kashdinero]

I'd love to know what the buyrates were for these events, cuz it seems like hardly anyone on the internet is talking about them, and I want to believe it was successful so they'll do loads more!

I really must watch EVOLVE sometime, guess I'll stick one onto download. I realise there are only 4 or 5 shows, but any particular one that stands out?

I know it's not what you asked, but RoH Final Battle pulled around 2000 buys, which is, apparently a good number. I imagine DGUSA pulled around half, but wouldn't be surprised if it was actually less.

As for EVOLVE, I've only seen the first three shows, but I'm blown away by what I've seen so far! Adopting an almost MMA style, they employ a submission based, strong style puro feel to their matches, as opposed to DGUSA's High speed, multi car pile ups! Focusing on guys like Chuck Taylor, Jon Moxley, TJP and Bobby Fish they have the cream of the indies on their shows. Wins and losses mean much more than they do in any other fed out there, and the point system really controls the direction of the company. Of the three events I've seen, Kota Ibushi Vs Davey Richards (E1) is marginally better than the Ikuto Hidaka Vs Chris Hero stunner (E2). I'll be ordering the other shows soon, as I really need to see Danielson Vs Fish at E4! Seriously, I honestly prefer EVOLVE over DGUSA! there's less to take in in per match, and it really makes a difference! I genuinley believe starting at the first show is the way to go!
Honestly, all three are worth hunting down.

[Necroyeti]

Yeah, the DGUSA shows were not very well advertised, think they were only made into iPPV at the very last minute.

Thanks for the EVOLVE pointers!

[Kashdinero]

Yeah, the DGUSA shows were not very well advertised, think they were only made into iPPV at the very last minute.

Thanks for the EVOLVE pointers!

No probs mate. Kota Vs Davey was one of the best matches I've seen in a long time! The finish is so brutal!!! Shame Davey had a falling out with them, as he was tailor made for this fed!

[Necroyeti]

Yeah, I've heard that story. It seems a lot of people (myself included) reckoned that ROH must have going to put their world championship on him quite sharpish, because he seemed to be pretty much the most over/pushed guy at DGUSA and EVOLVE at the time. Which certainly made Davey losing to both Black and Strong seem all the more shocking to me.

Might have just been a falling out, I don't really know the whole story. The heat between Cary Silkin and Gabe Sapolsky just seems... silly.

[Kashdinero]

Yeah, I've heard that story. It seems a lot of people (myself included) reckoned that ROH must have going to put their world championship on him quite sharpish, because he seemed to be pretty much the most over/pushed guy at DGUSA and EVOLVE at the time. Which certainly made Davey losing to both Black and Strong seem all the more shocking to me.

Might have just been a falling out, I don't really know the whole story. The heat between Cary Silkin and Gabe Sapolsky just seems... silly.

There was talk of lawsuits and everything! Silly indeed! I guess the money he could of made in RoH was more than his potential earnings in both DGUSA and EVOLVE!
It's funny, I can't see Davey winning the RoH World title for a while yet! Oh well, there's always the IWGP JR Heavyweight title to compete for! He might just be in with a chance on that one.

[Necroyeti]

It's funny, I can't see Davey winning the RoH World title for a while yet! Oh well, there's always the IWGP JR Heavyweight title to compete for! He might just be in with a chance on that one.

I agree now, but going into DBD8 and Final Battle I thought for sure he was gonna take the belt. In retrospect, that was just me being a Richards mark more than anything. I do think Roderick Strong deserves at least a few more title defenses before dropping it, possibly to Richards... I think his current "House of Truth" gimmick is weak as hell, but he still deserves a decent run for being underrated as hell.

Y'know, it's more than possible that he could take the IWGP Jr belt, I didn't even think of that. I know he had a shot at it a couple months ago (pretty sure you posted it in the puro/lucha thread, or I might've stumbled across it on youtube)

[Kashdinero]

I agree now, but going into DBD8 and Final Battle I thought for sure he was gonna take the belt. In retrospect, that was just me being a Richards mark more than anything. I do think Roderick Strong deserves at least a few more title defenses before dropping it, possibly to Richards... I think his current "House of Truth" gimmick is weak as hell, but he still deserves a decent run for being underrated as hell.

Y'know, it's more than possible that he could take the IWGP Jr belt, I didn't even think of that. I know he had a shot at it a couple months ago (pretty sure you posted it in the puro/lucha thread, or I might've stumbled across it on youtube)

I know this conversation should be in the RoH thread, but seeing as we're here now, Roderick should have been dethroned at Final Battle. As much of a fan of his as I am (ever since the Generation Next era in RoH), his personality is devastatingly dull! In ring he's world class though, and he definitely deserves a long title run based on that, but I personally feel that Davey should have lifted the title at FB. In fact it's kind of made him look a bit weak! I'm sure when he does lift the belt though, it'll be his for a long time!