Dangerous Gate (2019)

Promotional poster for the event, featuring various Dragon Gate wrestlers

### Tagline(s)

"The Late Summer Big Match" (Japanese: 晩夏のビッグマッチ, Hepburn: *Banka no Biggu Matchi*)

## Information

### City

Tokyo, Japan

The **Dangerous Gate (2019)** was a professional wrestling event promoted by Dragon Gate (DG). The event took place on August 24, 2019, in Tokyo at the Ota Ward General Gymnasium and it was the sixth annual event under the Dangerous Gate name.

The event was main event by Ben-K defending the Open The Dream Gate Championship against YAMATO. The event featured two other title matches for the Open The Triangle and Twin Gate Championships. The event aired on GAORA and Dragon Gate Network streaming service. The event was notable for being part of the promotion 20th anniversary.

## Production

### Background

The Dangerous Gate 2019 was officially announced in May 2019. The aired live through Dragon Gate's internet streaming site, Dragon Gate Network, with Japanese language commentaries. The Japanese commentary will be provided by Katsuya Ichikawa. The event will also air on tape delay on Japanese TV Gaora Sports to be launched in Dragon Gate's ~ Infinity ~ Series. Tickets would go for sale on July 29, costing from $39,82 to $99,56. During the month of July, Dragon Gate would put posters in the subway stations of Tokyo to promote the event. On August 11, it was announced the full card of the event, containing eight matches, in which three were contested for championships. On August 24, it was announced that the event was sold out.

### Storylines

The Dangerous Gate 2019 featured professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers portrayed villains, heroes, or less distinguishable characters in the scripted events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches.

The Dangerous Gate (2019) was main evented by Ben-K defending the Open The Dream Gate Championship against YAMATO. On July 21 at Kobe Pro-Wrestling Festival, after Ben-K defeated PAC to win the Open The Dream Gate Championship, Ben-K claimed he was stronger that YAMATO and numerous other wrestlers and afterwards called him out, which congratulated Ben-K for the victory. On August 7, Ben-K and YAMATO faced each other in a tag team match, where Ben-K teamed with Shun Skywalker and YAMATO teamed with Tribe Vanguard stablemate KAI. YAMATO scored the victory for his team after pinning Skywalker. Afterwards, YAMATO would sarcastically challenge Ben-K to a match for his title, which he accepted. The title match was announced on August 8.

In the Open The Twin Gate Championship match, R.E.D (Eita and Big R Shimizu) were set to make their first title defense against Natural Vibes (Kzy and Genki Horiguchi) in a no disqualification match. On August 7, Horiguchi, Kzy and their Natural Vibes stablemate Susumu Yokosuka faced Eita, Shimizu and their R.E.D stablemate Yasushi Kanda in a winning effort, with Horiguchi scoring a directcpinfall over Shimizu. Afterwards, R.E.D claimed that the win was a fluke, but Horiguchi and Kzy challenged Eita and Shimizu to a title match. Eita and Shimizu aceppted the title match under the condition that the match would be a no disqualification match since the name of the was Dangerous Gate. The title match was announced on August 8. On August 17, Eita and Shimizu teamed with their R.E.D stablemate Yasushi Kanda and Horiguchi and Kzy teamed with their Natural Vibes stablemate Susumu Yokosuka in a rematch. During the match, Horiguchi attacked Shimizu and Eita with R.E.D's black box. Afterwards, Horiguchi stated Eita and Shimizu couldn't complain about the rules of the match. In a post-match interview, Eita vowed revenge against them.

In the Open The Triangle Gate Championship match, Strong Machines (Strong Machine J, Strong Machine F and Strong Machine G) were made their first title defense against Mochizuki Dojo (Hyou Watanabe, Yuki Yoshioka and Kota Minoura). Since July 2019, Watanabe started a winning streak, which continued on August 7, when Mochizuki Dojo faced each other with Watanbe teaming with Keisuke Okuda in a winning effort against Minoura and Yoshioka. Afterwards, Watanabe talked about Strong Machine J setting the record for the fastest championship win on July 21 at Kobe Pro-Wrestling Festival and surprisingly challenged the Strong Machines to a title match for the Open The Triangle Gate Championship, with his partners being Minoura and Yoshioka. The title match was announced on August 8.

The event also featured the celebration of Dragon Gate 20th Anniversary with Último Dragón, BxB Hulk and KAI facing MaxiMuM (Masato Yoshino, Dragon Kid and Jason Lee). On July 21 at Kobe Pro-Wrestling Festival, Dragón made his return to the promotion after 15 years, teaming with Kid and Yoshino in a winning effort against Masaaki Mochizuki, Shuji Kondo and Takuya Sugawara, Afterwards, Kid, Yoshino, Mochizuki, Kondo and Sugawara asked Dragón to return to the promotion one more time. Dragón was initially reluctant, but ended up accepting.

## Event

**Other on-screen personnel**
 Ring announcer
 Photographer
 Referees
 Backstage interviewers

### Preliminary matches

The pay-per-view opened with the Dragon Gate intro and then Katsuya Ichikawa and Kzy on commentary, which was followed by the full match card of the event and the promo of the some matches, including the Open The Triangle, Twin Gate and Dream Gate Championship

In the first official match for the show, Kagetora, Yosuke♥Santa Maria, Shachihoko BOY, Dragon Dia and Jimmy faced "brother" YASSHI, Punch Tominaga, Mondai Ryu, Martin Kirby and Hiroshi Yamato. In the end, Maria performed *Neraiuchi* on Tominaga to secure the victory for her team. Kagetora replaced Kzy on the commentary table for the second match.

Next it was, a eight-man tag team match between Ryo Saito, Super Shisa, K-ness and Kenichiro Arai against R.E.D (Takashi Yoshida, Yasushi Kanda, Kazma Sakamoto and Diamante). During R.E.D's entrance, Diamante, Kanda, Sakamoto and Yoshida started to attack K-ness, Arai, Shisa and Saito. The match ended by disqualification after Yoshida pulled Shisa's mask and spat on green mist on his face. Afterwards, Yoshida berated his opponents and proclaimed that his R.E.D stablemates Eita and Big R Shimizu would retain the Open The Twin Gate Championship against Natural Vibes later that night. Punch Tominaga replaced Kagetora on the commentary table for the third match.

The following match was contested Open The Triangle Gate Championship, in which Strong Machines (Strong Machine J, Strong Machine F and Strong Machine G) defended their titles against Mochizuki Dojo (Hyou Watanabe, Yuki Yoshioka and Kota Minoura). Before the match, it was shown a promo about the title match and then the Open The Triangle Gate Championship ceremony. The match ended with Strong Machine J performed the *Majin Fusha Gatame* on Watanabe to retain the titles. Afterwards, Strong Machines's manager Shogun KY Wakamatsu would proclaim that the Strong Machines are the strongest team in Dragon Gate. K-ness replaced Punch Tominaga on the commentary table for the fifth match.

Next it, was a tag team match between Mochizuki Dojo (Masaaki Mochizuki and Keisuke Okuda) against MaxiMuM (Naruki Doi and Kaito Ishida). In the end, Okuda scored the win for his team after submitting Ishida with the *Triangle Choke*. After the match, Ishida attacked Okuda, but Doi and Mochizuki seperated them. Ryo Saito replaced K-ness on the commentary table.

The next match was a six-man tag team match celebrating Dragon Gate 20th Anniversary, where Último Dragón, BxB Hulk and KAI faced MaxiMuM (Masato Yoshino, Dragon Kid and Jason Lee). Before the match, it was shown a promo about it. The match ended with Dragón pinning Lee with the *La Magistral*. Following the match, Yoshino offered Dragón the opportunity to return to the promotion full-time, but Dragón responded that he needed time to think and announced that he would reveal his his answer on September 11 at the *Korakuen Hall*.

Afterwards, the event entered in a short-break, in which it was shown a match between Ben-K and YAMATO in the 2019 King of Gate, where Ben-K won after submitting YAMATO with the Sleeper Hold. BxB Hulk replaced Ryo Saito on the commentary table. It was also shown a message from Dragon Gate alumni Uhaa Nation (currently known as Apollo Crews in WWE) delivering a message to Dragon Gate audience congratulating Dragon Gate on its 20th anniversary.

After the break, Susumu Yokosuka faced Shun Skywalker in a non-title match. In the end, Yokosuka performed the *Mugen* on Skywalker to win the match. Following the match, Yosuke♥Santa Maria surprised Susumu Yokosuka with a kiss and afterwards challenged him to a title match for the Open The Brave Gate Championship, leading Yokosuka to accept it. Masaaki Mochizuki replaced BxB Hulk on the commentary table for the rest of the show.
In the semi-main event, R.E.D (Eita and Big R Shimizu) defended the Open The Twin Gate Championship in a no disqualification tag team match against Natural Vibes (Kzy and Genki Horiguchi). During R.E.D's entrance Natural Vibes tried to immediately attack them, but Shimizu threw a ladder on Horiguchi, starting a brawl between the two teams. In the final moments of the match, Shimizu climbed on the top of a ladder and executed the *OTAKEBI* on Kzy, while he was laying on a table. Afterwards, Eita grabbed a part of wook of the broken table and hit Kzy, followed by Horiguchi twice and a *Shot-put Slam* for the win. After the match, Eita threatened to reveal the next R.E.D next target on September 11 at the *Korakuen Hall*.

### Main event

In the main event, Ben-K defended the Open The Dream Gate Championship against YAMATO. Before the match started it was showed a promo of the title match. Following the entrances, started the championship ceremony between the two wrestlers. Then it was displayed the national anthem of Japan, which led to the introduction of both wrestlers. In the end, Ben-K performed the *Ben-K Bomb* on YAMATO to win the match and close out the show.