Dead or Alive (2017)

Promotional poster featuring the Dragon Gate roster

The **Dead or Alive (2017)** was professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and GAORA TV event promoted by Dragon Gate. The event took place on May 5, 2017, in Aichi at the Aichi Prefectural Gym and is the ninth annual event under the Dead or Alive.

The main event featured a Steel Cage Survival 5 Way Match for the Open The Dream Gate Championship where YAMATO defended his Open The Dream Gate Champion against Naruki Doi, BxB Hulk, Shingo Takagi and Cyber Kong. Other matches included Jimmy Kagetora sucessfully defending his Open The Brave Gate Championship against Takehiro Yamamura, CIMA and Dragon Kid sucessfully defending their Open The Twin Gate Championship against T-Hawk and El Lindaman. The event is available in their streaming service Dragon Gate Network.

## Production

### Background

The Dead or Alive 2017 aired in Japan through Dragon Gate's internet streaming site, Niconico, with Japanese language commentaries. The Japanese commentary was provided by Katsuya Ichikawa. The event also aired on tape delay on Japanese TV Gaora Sports to be launched in Dragon Gate's ~ Infinity ~ Series.

### Storylines

The Dead or Alive 2017 was the third major Dragon Gate show following the Memorial Gate in Wakayama (2017). During that YAMATO defended his Open The Dream Gate Championship against Naruki Doi, BxB Hulk and Cyber Kong. Also YAMATO defeated Shingo Takagi to win the Open The Dream Gate Championship. Since Hulk, Takagi, Kong wanted a rematch against YAMATO. Since that Doi join in with YAMATO announcing that he would defend the Open The Dream Gate Champion at the Dead or Alive in a Steel Cage Survival 5 Way Match. During that YAMATO, Hulk and their Tribe Vanguard stablemate Flamita would defeat the Open The Triangle Gate Champions Takagi, Kong and their VerserK stablemate T-Hawk with YAMATO submitting Kong for the win. This led VerserK to be stripped of the Open The Triangle Gate Champions. Takagi, T-Hawk and "brother" YASSHI would loose to Doi, Ben-K and Big R Shimizu in a decision match for the vacated titles. Then tensions started between Kong and Takagi with Takagi costing Kong's matches together. During that also Hulk and YAMATO started to have tensions with Hulk stealing YAMATO's Frankensteiner of The Almighty move. Then the rules for the matches were announced.

In the Open The Twin Gate Championship match, on March 26 Jimmy K-ness J.K.S. pinned one-half of the Open The Twin Gate Champions Dragon Kid during a six-man tag team match. Afterwards, K-ness and his Jimmyz stablemate Jimmy Kanda challenged Kid and his CK-1 partner CIMA into an Open The Twin Gate Championship title match, which the match was announced the following day to be on April 23. On April 12 T-Hawk and his VerserK stablemate, El Lindaman challenged the winners of the Open The Twin Gate Title match to face them at the Dead or Alive. On April 23 CK-1 defeated Jimmy K-ness J.K.S. and Jimmy Kanda to retain the Open The Twin Gate Champions. After the match Lindaman and T-Hawk asserted themselves as the next contenders for the Open The Twin Gate Champions attacking CK-1 after their match against Jimmy K-ness J.K.S. and Jimmy Kanda.

For the Open The Brave Gate Championship match, on March 20 Jimmy Kagetora defeated El Lindaman in a tournament final to win the Open The Brave Gate Championship. Then on April 1, Takehiro Yamamura pinned Kagetora in a six-man tag team match. However, he would not challenge Kagetora for the Open The Brave Gate Champion, saying that first he would own his skills. The following day Kagetora would pin Yamamura in another six-man tag team match. On April 23 Yamamura and Kagetora would then face each other in another, where Yamamura got the win pinning Kagetora after a Stardust Press. Following that Kagetora then challenge Yamamura into a match at the Dead or Alive for his Open The Brave Gate Championship. Yamamura would then accept the challenged.

On May 4 it was announced all the matches for the event including a six-man tag team match after MaxiMuM defeated Jimmyz in a eight-man tag team match.

### Rules for the Steel Cage Survival 5 Way Match

* Flags were place at the top of the cage at each corner. The Open The Dream Gate Championship belt was placed on the center pole.
* Naruki Doi, BxB Hulk, Shingo Takagi and Cyber Kong must first retrieve a flag. Once they have done so, they would gain Dream Gate challenger status.
* The four challengers can be eliminated by pinfall or submission at any time during the match. This can occur before they are able to retrieve a challenger flag. An eliminated competitor must leave the cage.
* YAMATO must compete during the entire match, but was not able to retrieve the title belt until there is only 1 challenger remaining. He can not be eliminated via pinfall or submission at any point during the match.
* The match will progress until YAMATO and 1 challenger remain. The match can then be won by retrieving the Open The Dream Gate Championship title belt to win.
* The final competitor left in the cage will lose his hair or mask.

## Event

**Other on-screen personnel**
 Ring announcers
 Referees

### Pre-show

One match was contested on the sixteen minutes long pre-show.

In the first match, Jimmy Kanda and Shachihoko BOY defeated the rookies Shun Skywalker and Hyou Watanabe, with Kanda hitting an John Woo followed by a Ryu's on Hyou Watanabe to win the match for his team. After the match Kanda and Shachihoko congratulated the rookie duo and Hyou and Shun showed their respect and thanked the audience.

### Preliminary matches

The event opened with a video promo featuring the title matches, also including, the main event, the Steel Cage Survival 5 Way Match.

The first match started with the Over Generation typical ceremony, with CIMA choosing a kid from the crowd. After that Tribe Vanguard (Kzy, Yosuke Santa Maria and Flamita) entered in the ring and the match began, in the end Flamita picked up the win for Tribe Vanguard, after Flamita hitting a Flam Fly on Draztick Boy.

The second match was Masaaki Mochizuki and Don Fujii against VerserK ("brother" YASSHI and Punch Tominaga). In the end of VerserK's entrance Tominaga and YASSHI rushed to attack Mochizuki and Fujii. In the end of the match, Fujii gave Tominaga a Nodowa Otoshi to get the three count. After the match, Fujii started to attack Tominaga and YASSHI, even throwed a chair to Tominaga. YASSHI then walked out of the ring with Tominaga.

Next it was an interview segment with all participants of the cage match, with Katsuya Ichikawa intruducing all participants. The first to speak was Cyber Kong who talked about being the only one in the match to not be Open The Dream Gate Champion before and he said he would end that in this night. The second to speak was Shingo Takagi who spoke about being nearly 9 months since he lost the title to YAMATO and called YAMATO a liar and a fraud and asked where is this supposed Golden Age of Dragon Gate that YAMATO proclaimed to bring and said that he would regain the title from YAMATO. Next was BxB Hulk to talk who apologized to YAMATO. He feeled bad, but he wanted to win, even if that means YAMATO ends up bald and beltless. Next was Naruki Doi to talk. Before he could talk he recieve a big reaction from the fans. He talked about the formation of MaxiMuM, he then said that he was going to stave off the interference from the others, and defeat YAMATO to secure a happy ending for everyone. At last the current reigning Open The Dream Gate Champion YAMATO thanked the fans for filling the arena to capacity again this year. He talked about surviving last years cage match and he said that he was going to do same this year, stating that the Golden Age would start in this night.

The fourth match was a Open The Brave Gate Championship match between reigning champion Jimmy Kagetora and challenger Takehiro Yamamura. At the end of the match, Kagetora gave Yamamura the *Ikkitousen* but he managed to kick out, then Kagetora applied him the *Kurumagakari* to win the match. After the match, Kagetora went for a handshake but Yamamura refused. Kagetora spoke about being impressed with Yamamura for doing things 18 months in his career that Kagetora wasn’t even thinking about at the same experience level and he was looking forward to watching him grow into a fearsome opponent. At the end he stated the was planning on still being Brave Gate champion when that happens, so he is welcome to challenging him again.

The fifth match was the debut match of the new unit in Dragon Gate MaxiMuM. They faced the team of Jimmyz (Genki Horiguchi H.A.Gee.Mee!!, Jimmy Susumu, Ryo "Jimmy" Saito and Jimmy K-ness J.K.S.). At the end of the match, Saito hitted Kotoka with the Dragon Suplex and Kotoka kicked out, Saito then followed up by the *Double Cross* to get the three count. After the match, Jimmyz started to feud with MaxiMuM after Saito questioned Yoshino's choice in teammates and what he coul accomplish with partners like Kotoka and Ben-K. Yoshino followed up saying that the Jimmyz where MaxiMuM first target. Then the units started to attacking each other and after that both units left to the back.

The sixth match was a Open The Twin Gate Championship match between champions CK-1 (CIMA and Dragon Kid) and challengers VerserK (T-Hawk and El Lindaman). After the entrances, it was time for the championship ceremony, wich was followed by the intruduction of the two teams. In the end of the match, Kid went for the *bible* on Lindaman, but Lindaman managed to stop the move. However CIMA gave Lindaman the Meteora which managed Kid to finishing hitting Lindaman the bible to win the match. After the match, CIMA talked about the match and retaining the champions and the current generation in Dragon Gate, which he ended by thanking the fans for coming.

Next it was showed the 2015 Hair vs Mask Steel Cage Survival match and then it was followed by commentary by Katsuya Ichikawa and Masaaki Mochizuki talking about the main event match.

### Main event

In the main event, before the match started it was showed promo of the match. Then it was followed by the entrance of Cyber Kong. Next was BxB Hulk's entrance, during his entrance Hulk brought with him a rope. Then it was Shingo Takagi entrance and he brought with him a baseball bat wrapped in barbed-wired. Then it was Naruki Doi's entrance. At the end it was YAMATO's entrance.

The first wrestler to retrieve the first flag was Takagi, after Over Generation tried to stop Takagi from retrieving the flag, El Lindaman and Punch Tominaga started to climb the cage with rubbish bins, Punch left his bin fell to floor be was able to pick it up. Then Takagi started to hit Hulk (who was triyng to stop Takagi from climbing the cage) with one of the bins and Hulk fell to the ring then YAMATO tried to stop Takagi but Takagi throwed at him an iron bowl and YAMATO fell to ring, which led Takagi picking up the first flag.

The second wrestler to pick up the flag was BxB Hulk after he started to climb the cage, MaxiMuM tried to stop him but he managed to get almost to the top of the cage. Then MaxiMuM's Kotoka started to hit Hulk hands with a badminton racket, but Hulk's Tribe Vanguard stablemate Kzy managed to save Hulk, but Doi who was climbing on the same side as Hulk managed to get at top but Hulk's Tribe Vanguard stablemate Yosuke Santa Maria kissed Doi, which led Doi falling to the ring. Then Hulk's Tribe Vanguard stablemate Flamita did a moonsault from the top of the cage to everybody on the floor which led Hulk managed to picking up the flag.

Shortly after Hulk picked up the flag YAMATO and Naruki Doi started to brawl with Takagi, then he knocked out YAMATO, Takagi was going to do a pop-up powerbomb on Doi. However Doi managed to escape and jumped through the cage wall and started climbing the cage. Then VerserK tried to stop Doi but then the Jimmyz came to the rescue which led Doi being the third wrestler to pick up the flag. Next shortly in the ring, Kong started to brawl with Hulk and YAMATO, then Kong throwed Hulk through the cage and Kong knocked out YAMATO and Lindaman place a rope ladder to Kong climb. After Kong climbed the ladder Doi stated to stop Kong but Lindaman started blowing water balloons on Doi's face and Doi fell to the ring. Then YAMATO climbed the cage and tried to stop Kong, Lindaman tried to help Kong but YAMATO overpowered him and Gamma then started to climb the cage, Takagi tried to help Kong but Hulk trapped him. After Gamma was on top of the cage his Over Generation stablemate Takehiro Yamamura passed is another Over Generation stablemate Eita a paper form with chantitli and then Eita paase it to Gamma. Gamma mistakenly hitted the paper form with chantitli on YAMATO which led him fall to the ring and Kong managed to get the flag.

The first wrestler to be eliminated was BxB Hulk after Kong hitted YAMATO and Naruki Doi with a lariat he went after Hulk grabbing him and hitting him with the *Pineapple Bomber* which was followed by the *Cyber Bomb* to eliminate Hulk. Shortly after Kong hitted Takagi with the Pineapple Bomber by accident Doi took the oppurtunity and gave a *Doi 555* on Takagi which was followed by a Bakatare Sliding Kick/Gallaria combination by Doi and YAMATO to eliminate Takagi. The third wrestler to be eliminated was Naruki Doi, after Doi gave Kong a Bakatare Sliding Kick, Doi pinned Kong and he kicked out. Then Doi was provoked by Kong VerserK's (T-Hawk and El Lindaman) Doi went after the two and Lindaman sprayed Doi eyes and T-Hawk hitted Doi with a chair and Kong capatlized on the oppurtunity and tried to hit Doi with the Cyber Bomb but Doi managed to escape. Then Doi to do a german suplex on Kong but he couldn't then Jimmyz member Ryo "Jimmy" Saito called Doi saiyng that he was going to hit Kong with a cannon of confetti. However Kong managed to push Doi and Saito by accident hitted Doi with a cannon of confetti, which Kong followed up with the Pineapple Bomber on Doi to get the three count. After Jimmyz caused Doi to be eliminated MaxiMuM and Jimmyz started to brwaling with each other, wwhich led Over Generation to stop the fight. Then at the closest moments of the match Kong spitted the poison mist on YAMATO's face and then followed up with a *Fire Thunder* then Kong tried to follow up with a Cyber Bomb but YAMATO reversed into a sleeper hold, Kong strted to fading but Takagi managed to get through the cage door and he enter the cage hitting YAMATO with a chair. Then Takagi gave a *Pumping Bomber* on the referee Takayuki Yagi and VerserK brought a table to the ring and started to undo the ring taking out the turnbuckles. Takagi then smashed a chair into Takagi's face. Kong hitted YAMATO with the Cyber Bomb and Kong started to climb the rope ladder but MaxiMuM, Over Generation and Tribe Vanguard started to throw watter ballons and pushing the cage. Then Tribe Vanguard started to enter in the cage and Tribe Vanguard overpowered VerserK, Kotoka then took the rope ladder out and Tribe Vanguard took the VerserK members out of the cage. Later in the end of the match, YAMATO performed the *Gallaria* on Kong and then he started to climb the cage, Takagi tried to stop YAMATO but Kzy managed to stop Takagi and YAMATO retrieved the Open The Dream Gate Championship belt and won the match.

After the match, Kong initially refused to unmask and he offered Tominaga's hair but YAMATO refused, Kong then sitted on chair and YAMATO removed his mask and cleaned Kong's face with a Tribe Vanguard towel and Kong then revealed his real name to be **Takashi Yoshida** and he was from Osaka and he had 34 years old. After some talking VerserK left. YAMATO then thanked the fans for coming and for watching him on TV and he said he was battered and bruised, but he was still champion and talked about the upcoming King of Gate tournament and stated that he planned the to return the next year as champion. YAMATO would then close the show and he thanked his Tribe Vanguard stablemates for their assistance. Then Katsuya Ichikawa and Masaaki Mochizuki on commentary closed out the show. The show closed showing some highlights of the show.

## Reception

The Voices of Wrestling reviwed the show they said that thay enjoyed the dark match, they also said that Kzy benefited from losing twice to CK-1 and his two hard fought, fight-to-the-death battles with CIMA and Dragon Kid to start the year pushed him over the hump in the fans eyes. They reffered that Kzy would outshine the likes of Flamita and Eita and that Flamita and Draztik Boy did a outstanding work on this tour. They said that Takehiro Yamamura streak of high-quality performances will put him in contention for Most Outstanding Wrestler of 2017. They also reffered that since CK-1 started their reign the two have found themselves in a number of disappointing defenses.

In the end, the Voices of Wrestling reffered the 2017 Dead or Alive has one of the best shows of the year hitting a homerun. They loved the second match, Open The Brave Gate championship match, Masato Yoshino’s return, and stating that the main event was essential viewing for all.

## Aftermath

After the Dead or Alive, the King of Gate would start and saw Eita, Shingo Takagi, T-Hawk and Naruki Doi passing to semi-finals. In where T-Hawk defeated Eita and Doi defeated Takagi to pass to the final, in which T-Hawk defeated Doi to win the King of Gate, thus challenging YAMATO at the Kobe World Pro Wrestling Festival.

Jimmyz and MaxiMuM started to feuding with each other. Their feud ended on July 6 after MaxiMuM defeated Jimmyz in a Naniwa Elimination Rules match. Naruki Doi, Big R Shimizu and Ben-K lost their Open The Triangle Gate Championship against El Lindaman, Shingo Takagi and Takashi Yoshida. After the match, it was announced the 5 Units Survival Race in which was proposed by Masaaki Mochizuki where the losing unit had to disband, where it would start in the August series. Also, it was announced a tournament for the Kobe World Pro Wrestling Festival, where the winner would challenge VerserK for Open the Triangle Gate Champions, later that night.

Flamita would return from Mexico and challenge Kagetora for the Open The Brave Gate Championship at the Kobe World Pro Wrestling Festival in which later BxB Hulk confirmed the challenge. DoiYoshi would challenge CK-1 for the Open The Twin Gate Championship at the Kobe World Pro Wrestling Festival.

## Results

### Order of Challangers

 2
 3
 4