Kobe Pro-Wrestling Festival (2014)

Promotional poster for the event, featuring various Dragon Gate wrestlers

The **Kobe Pro-Wrestling Festival (2014)** was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) promoted by Dragon Gate (DG). The event took place on July 20, 2014, in Kobe at Kobe World Memorial Hall. The main event was YAMATO against BxB Hulk for the Open The Dream Gate Championship. All in all, the event featured ten matches, four of which were contested for a championship. The event was the tenth event under the Kobe Pro-Wrestling Festival name and the tenth in a row to take place at the Kobe World Memorial Hall. The event is available in their streaming service Dragon Gate Network.

## Production

### Background

The Kobe Pro-Wrestling Festival (2014) 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 and was launched in Dragon Gate's ~ Infinity ~ Series.

### Storylines

The Kobe Pro-Wrestling Festival (2014) featured professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers portray villains, heroes, or less distinguishable characters in the scripted events that build tension and culminate in a wrestling match or series of matches.

The Kobe Pro-Wrestling Festival (2014) was main evented by YAMATO defending the Open The Dream Gate Championship against BxB Hulk. On May 5 YAMATO defeated Ricochet to win the Open the Dream Gate Championship for his third time. Throughout May and June, since YAMATO won the title, he had been defending his title against all comers, by first defeating Genki Horiguchi H.A.Gee.Mee!! and later against the winner of the 2014 King of Gate Jimmy Susumu at Champion Gate in Hakata. Meanwhile, on December 22, BxB Hulk failed to capture the Open the Dream Gate Championship, after that Hulk started a feud with Naruki Doi leading to a Steel Cage Survival 6 Way Match in which Hulk chose Cyber Kong as his scapegoat while Doi choose Kzy, near the end of the match, Mad Blankey started to turn on Hulk by trying to cost him the match, but Hulk could manage to win the match and as per stipulation, Kzy had to have his hair shaved. After that, Doi offered a handshake to Hulk, in which Hulk shook Doi's hand while Hulk called YAMATO, Hulk hit the First Flash him and then Doi who was assisting YAMATO also got hit by Hulk and Hulk turned face. After that Hulk tried to fought Mad Blankey in a five on one handicap match to have the naming rights of MAD BLANKEY, in which Hulk failed. After the match, Hulk was attacked by Dr. Muscle. who revealed to be Chihiro Tominaga, later known as Punch Tominaga. After that Hulk challenged YAMATO at Kobe World in which YAMATO accepted, only with the condition if Hulk lose the match that would be his last chance for the title and the match was made official.

The Kobe Pro-Wrestling Festival (2014) also featured a match for the Open The Brave Gate Championship, where Flamita will defend it against Dragon Kid. On March 16 at the Memorial Gate in Wakayama, Flamita defeated Genki Horiguchi H.A.Gee.Mee!! to win the Open The Brave Gate Championship for the first time. During a match, Dragon Kid pinned Flamita and he challenged Flamita in which he accepted. In the past in Dragon Kid won the Open The Brave Gate Champion, first, he would he would defeat Naruk Doi to win the title from his first time, later against Ricochet in his second. Kid's first reign as Open The Brave Gate Champion ended when he vacated the title after his second defense ending in a controversial No Contest while his second reign he was defeated by Masato Yoshino. During one of the prelude matches Flamita pinned Kid, during the backstage Kid mention his intentions on becoming the Brave Gate champion while Flamita claimed that he was the champion because he was better than Kid. Later, the match was made official.

In the Open The Triangle Gate Championship match was Mad Blankey (Naruki Doi, Cyber Kong and Kzy) against Jimmyz (Genki Horiguchi H.A.Gee.Mee!!, Jimmy Susumu and Mr. Kyu Kyu Naoki Tanizaki Toyonaka Dolphin). On March 16, at Champion Gate in Hakata, Mad Blankey (Naruki Doi, Cyber Kong and Kzy) defeated Millennials (Eita, T-Hawk and U-T) to win the Open the Triangle Gate Champions. Later, Mr. Kyu Kyu Naoki Tanizaki Toyonaka Dolphin challenged Mad Blankey for the Open the Triangle Gate Champions at Kobe World Pro Wrestling Festival, in which Kong protested while Doi accepted. Later in an interview, Jimmyz promised to bring the titles back to the unit, while Mad Blankey arrogantly told that they were gonna be the ones who keep the titles and the match was made official.

   Another title match would see Monster Express (Akira Tozawa and Shingo Takagi) defending the Open The Twin Gate Championship against Millenials (Eita and T-Hawk). On December 23, Monster Express (Akira Tozawa and Shingo Takagi) defeated YAMADoi (Naruki Doi and YAMATO) to win the Open The Twin Gate Champions. This match was set up during a tour, when Shingo Takagi called out Eita and T-Hawk challenging them to a title match, which Eita and T-Hawk accepted the challenge. During this space of time between the fall of 2013 and the summer of 2014, Monster Express made five title defenses at the first against CIMA and T-Hawk, the second against YAMAKong (YAMATO and Cyber Kong), the third against MAD BLANKEY (BxB Hulk and Naruki Doi), at the fourth against We Are Team Veteran (Masaaki Mochizuki and Don Fujii) and the fifth against Jimmyz (Jimmy Kanda and Mr. Kyu Kyu Naoki Tanizaki Toyonaka Dolphin). While Millenials won the Open the Triangle Gate Champions with U-T while also a former Open the Twin Gate Champions and Summer Adventure Tag League Winners. This will be the first time that the two teams faced each other.

Other matches at Kobe Pro-Wrestling Festival (2014) included Shachihoko BOY against Kotoka and Ryostu Shimizu, Millenials (U-T and Yosuke♥Santa Maria) against K-ness. and Super Shisa, a featured appearance for the NJPW wrestler Jushin Thunder Liger where he, Stalker Ichikawa and Uhaa Nation taking on Masaaki Mochizuki, Don Fujii and Gamma and CIMA and Matt Sydal taking on Masato Yoshino and Ricochet. The full card of the event was announced on July 3.