Champion Gate in Osaka (2018)

Promotional poster for the event, featuring various Dragon Gate wrestlers

The **Champion Gate in Osaka (2018)** was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event and GAORA TV event promoted by Dragon Gate. The shows take placed on March 3 and on March 5, 2018, in Osaka at the Edion Arena Osaka and was the eighth event under the Champion Gate. The first night featured two championship matches for the Open The Triangle Gate and Brave Gate Championship and the second night for the Open The Twin Gate and Dream Gate Championship.

The event included Kotoka's last pay-per-view in Dragon Gate, due to his retirement being on March 6. Dragon Gate honored Kotoka's career naming him in a tour the *Kotoka Road To The Final*.

## Production

### Background

The Champion Gate in Osaka (2018) was 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 would also air on tape delay on Japanese TV Gaora Sports to be launched in Dragon Gate's ~ Infinity ~ Series.

### Storylines

The Champion Gate in Osaka (2018) featured professional wrestling matches that involved wrestlers from pre-existing feuds and storylines that played out on the Dragon Gate's television program. Wrestlers portrayed heroes or villains as they followed a series of events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches.

The second night was main evented by Masaaki Mochizuki making his fourth defense of the Open The Dream Gate Championship against Ben-K. On February 11, 2018, Ben-K defeated Mochizuki in a non-title match in just two minutes. After a brief confrontation between the two Ben-K challenged Mochizuki into a rematch but for the Open The Dream Gate Championship, in which Mochizuki accepted stating that he would teach Ben-K a lesson in how fighting for the Dream Gate is done. Their match was announced to be part of the second night of the Champion Gate in Osaka. The title match was made official on February 11.

In the beginning of 2018, Ben-K stated that the future of Dragon Gate depended on him being at the top. He would then start having more wins, especially in singles matches, rarely losing matches with his partners being pinned. Ben-K even debuted a new finisher the *Sodegarami* and even pinned a former Open The Dream Gate Champion BxB Hulk. Meanwhile, Mochizuki has been feuding with Kzy even defeated him to make his third title defense of the Open The Dream Gate Championship.

In the Open The Brave Gate Championship Yasushi Kanda would make his first title defense against Punch Tominaga. On December 23, Tominaga was kicked out of VerserK. Afterwards, he started with former VerserK stablemates Shingo Takagi and Yasushi Kanda, mostly Takagi for the way he treated him. Tominaga then pinned Kanda on February 7 and challenged him for the Open The Brave Gate Championship. Kanda accepted, stating that he would expect a "quick and easy first title defense".

In the Open The Twin Gate Championship Eita and T-Hawk who were set to make their first title defense against Genki Horiguchi and Susumu Yokosuka. On January 28, 2018 Genki Horiguchi, Susumu Yokosuka and Masaaki Mochizuki defeated Young ANTIAS (Eita, T-Hawk and El Lindaman) in a six-man tag team match with Horiguchi pinning T-Hawk with the *Backslide from Heaven*. After the match, Horiguchi and Yokosuka challenged Eita and T-Hawk in a rematch for the Open The Twin Gate Championship in which T-Hawk. After confronting the champions with Horiguchi stating wouldn't be against bald people led the General Manager Takayuki Yagi to the ring, which led T-Hawk accepting the challenge at Champion Gate in Osaka. Their match was announced to take part of the second night of the show.

After the disbanding of Jimmyz, each former member went on their separate ways, with Yokosuka and Horiguchi falling to win their singles championship matches for the Open The Dream and Brave Gate Championship, respectively. This led the two forming a team with each other. Afterwards building up until the pay-per-view the two went on an undefeated streak.

In the Open The Triangle Gate Championship MaxiMuM (Naruki Doi, Masato Yoshino and Jason Lee) would make their second title defense against Tribe Vanguard (Yosuke♡Santa Maria, Flamita and YAMATO). On February 11, 2018 after MaxiMuM (Naruki Doi, Masato Yoshino and Jason Lee) made their first successfull title defense against ANTIAS (Shingo Takagi, Takashi Yoshida and Yasushi Kanda), Tribe Vanguard's Yosuke♡Santa Maria, Flamita and YAMATO came to the ring to challenge the champions. Their match was set to the Champion Gate in Osaka on the first night. The title match was made official on February 11.

The full match card was announced on February 25 and the event will include Kotoka's last pay-per-view in Dragon Gate, due to being his retirement on March 6. Due to Kotoka having to retire Dragon Gate honored Kotoka's career naming him in a tour the *Kotoka Road To The Final*.