Champion Gate in Osaka (2019)

Promotional Poster featuring the Dragon Gate roster

The **Champion Gate in Osaka (2019)** was a two-day professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event and GAORA TV event promoted by Dragon Gate. The shows took place on March 2 and on March 3, 2020, in Osaka at the Edion Arena Osaka and was the ninth event under the Champion Gate. The first night featured two championship matches for the Open The Brave Gate and Open The Triangle Gate Championships and the second night two championship matches for the Open The Twin Gate and Dream Gate Championship. The event aired on GAORA and Dragon Gate Network streaming service.

## Production

### Background

The Champion Gate in Osaka (2019) aired live through Dragon Gate's internet streaming site, Dragon Gate Network, 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 Champion Gate in Osaka (2019) 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 first night was main evented by Dragon Kid making his second defense of the Open The Brave Gate Championship against K-ness. On February 23, Dragon Kid talked about not having a match scheduled at Champion Gate, leading K-ness to challenge him, which Kid accepted. Kid went for a handshake, before K-ness laying him out with the *Darkness Buster*. The two had previously faced each other for the NWA World Welterweight Championship in 2002, but never for the Open The Brave Gate Championship and even held the Open The Twin Gate Championship together in 2013.

The second night will be main evented by PAC making his second defense of the Open The Dream Gate Championship against Shun Skywalker. On February 10, 2019, PAC defeated Kzy to make his first successful title defense of the Open The Dream Gate Championship. After the match, Skywalker challenged PAC to a title match. PAC's R.E.D stablemate Eita didn't accept, but PAC stopped him and accepted the challenge and was impressed of Skywalker not being scared, leading the General Manager Takayuki Yagi to make the match official at Champion Gate in Osaka. Their match was announced to take part in the second night of the show.

In the Open The Twin Gate Championship match, Big Ben (Big R Shimizu and Ben-K) made their first title defense against Tribe Vanguard (KAI and U-T). On February 10, 2019, KAI and U-T defeated Big Ben, after their R.E.D stablemate Eita cost them the match. After the match, KAI and U-T challenged them to a title match. Shimizu accepted the challenge and warned Eita to not interfere in the match. Their match was announced to take part in the second night of the event.

In the Open The Triangle Gate Championship R.E.D (Kazma Sakamoto, Takashi Yoshida and Yasushi Kanda) would make their second title defense against MaxiMuM (Naruki Doi, Masato Yoshino and Kaito Ishida). On January 27, 2019, Ishida, Doi and Yoshino defeated former Open The Triangle Gate Champions Natural Vibes (Kzy, Genki Horiguchi and Susumu Yokosuka) to win the Ashiyanikki Cup 6 Man Tag Team Tournament. After the match, Ishida on behalf of MaxiMuM challenged R.E.D to a title match at the Champion Gate in Osaka. Their match was announced to take part in the first night of the event.

## Event

### Night 1

The first match of the event saw Yuki Yoshioka facing Mondai Ryu. The match ended with Yoshioka hitting with a *Reversal Samson* to win the match at 5 minutes and 38 seconds. In the second match, saw Natural Vibes (Kzy, Susumu Yokosuka and "brother" YASSHI) facing Mochizuki Dojo (Masaaki Mochizuki and Kota Minoura) and Dragon Dia. The match ended with Kzy hitting Dia with the *Running Elbow Smash* to win the match at 11 minutes. The third match of the event saw Don Fujii and Gamma facing Maraha Isappa (Genki Horiguchi and Ryo Saito). The match ended with Fujii hitting with a *Sunset Flip* on Saito to win the match at 9 minutes and 35 seconds. In the fourth match saw Shun Skywalker facing Jason Lee. The match ended when Skywalker hit the *Ashla* on him at 8 minutes and 48 seconds to win the match. In the fifth match saw R.E.D (PAC and Eita, Ben-K and Big R Shimizu) facing Tribe Vanguard (YAMATO, Kagetora, KAI and U-T). The match ended with Shimizu hitting with the *Shot-put Slam* on Kagetora to win the match at 12 minutes and 36 seconds. Following the match, Big Ben claimed their intentions of winning against KAI and U-T, while they left Tribe Vanguard would talk about their match on the second night at the event.

In the semi-main event of the show saw, Dragon Kid making his first successful defense of the Open the Brave Gate Championship against K-ness. The match ended with Kid hitting the *Bible* on K-ness., pinning him at 18 minutes and 56 seconds to win the match. Following the match, Kid praised K-ness. and thanked him for the match. They shook hands. Susumu Yokosuka would interrupt challenged Kid to a title match, aiming to win the title that he never won, the match would be official to be at the Memorial Gate in Wakayama. In the main event of the show, saw R.E.D (Kazma Sakamoto, Takashi Yoshida and Yasushi Kanda) making his first successful defense of the Open the Triangle Gate Championship against MaxiMuM (Naruki Doi, Masato Yoshino and Kaito Ishida). The match ended with Yoshida pinning Yoshino with a *Small Package* at 19 minutes and 42 seconds to win the match. Following the match, MaxiMuM wanted a rematch, but Yoshida refused it. Since Ishida and Yoshida would face each other in the second night of the event, Ishida added a stipulation where if won, MaxiMuM would get a rematch, but if Yoshida won MaxiMuM couldn't challenge for the Open The Triangle Gate Championship for a year.

### Night 2

The first match of the event saw Kota Minoura facing Mondai Ryu. The match ended with Ryu submitting Minoura with a *Boston Crab* at 5 minutes and 50 seconds to win the match. In the second match, saw Ryo Saito, Don Fujii and Gamma facing Masaaki Mochizuki, K-ness. and "brother" YASSHI. The match ended with Fujii pinning YASSHI with the *Gedo Clutch* at 9 minutes and 56 seconds to win the match. In the third match, saw Tribe Vanguard (YAMATO and Kagetora) facing MaxiMuM (Masato Yoshino and Jason Lee). The match would end with YAMATO hitting Lee with the *Galleria* to win the match at 10 minutes and 20 seconds. In the fourth match saw, Kaito Ishida facing Takashi Yoshida. The match ended with Ishida pinning Yoshida with an *Inside Cradle* at 8 minutes and 38 seconds to win the match and the opportunity for the Open. Following the match Yoshida would tell Ishida that winning the match was equal to winning the lottery, that he wouldn't win the match. In the fifth match saw MaxiMuM (Naruki Doi and Dragon Kid) facing Mochizuki Dojo (Hyou Watanabe and Yuki Yoshioka). The match ended with Doi hitting Watanabe with the *Bakatare Sliding Kick* to win the match at 9 minutes and 31 seconds. Following the match, Kid would celebrate while Doi would leave the arena. Doi would say that he remained confident with MaxiMuM's matches and said that it was time to MaxiMuM to collect titles. In the sixth match saw, Natural Vibes (Kzy, Genki Horiguchi and Susumu Yokosuka) defeated R.E.D (Eita, Yasushi Kanda and Kazma Sakamoto). The match ended with Kzy pinning Kanda with the *Skayde Schoolboy* at 14 minutes and 23 seconds to win the match. Following the match, tensions would boil with Kanda insisting that he kicked ou in two, while Eita would remind the bonds between the unit.

In the semi-main event of the show saw, Big Ben (Big R Shimizu and Ben-K) making their first successful defense of the Open the Twin Gate Championship against Tribe Vanguard (KAI and U-T). The match ended with Shimizu hitting the *Shot-put Slam* on U-T, pinning him at 19 minutes and 51 seconds to win the match. Following the match, Shimizu claimed U-T was a million years away from being a credible Twin Gate challenger and Eita reminded their usefulness in the unit, claiming that had no problem kicking them out if they were dragging him down. In the main event of the show saw, PAC making his first successful defense of the Open the Dream Gate Championship against Shun Skywalker. The match ended with PAC hitting the *Black Arrow* on Skywalker, pinning him at 18 minutes and 30 seconds to win the match. Following the match, PAC told Shun to go back to the dojo and questioned who would challenge him next. Masaaki Mochizuki would praise Shun for the match. Shun would talk about his emotions after the match and his progress. Shun would thank the fans and claimed that his evolution was on the beginning. Said that fans would be excited about his future and the future of Dragon Gate.