Open the Awesome Gate: Dragon Gate USA Approaches One Year Anniversary

If you are a fan of professional wrestling and you find yourself feeling disappointed or continually let down by what is going on in the two big promotions, there is most likely something that will appease your wrestling fix on the independent scene.

I recommend a healthy dose of Dragon Gate USA (DGUSA).

DGUSA is the American offshoot of Japan's popular Dragon Gate promotion. It was founded in 2009 by former Ring of Honor booker Gabe Sapolsky, and is currently the home of some of the best wrestling anywhere in the world.

The roster is a mix of Dragon Gate stars from Japan and some of the top independent workers in North America. By forging working relationships with promotions like CHIKARA and Full Impact Pro, DGUSA has been able to showcase the best talent on both the international and independent levels.

Brian Kendrick, Davey Richards, The Young Bucks, Too Cold Scorpio, and Bryan Danielson are just a few of the names who have performed for DGUSA in the past.

Not a bad sampling of talent by any means.

In fact, Danielson will be appearing at the first anniversary show on July 24 in Philadelphia. The appearance will be a part of Danielson's first indy weekend since his release from WWE last week.

One of the interesting things about the Dragon Gate promotion is the very heavy lucha libre influence. Many of the Japanese Dragon Gate wrestlers have spent time in Mexico and several have been trained by Jorge "Skayde" Rivera, a well known lucha libre master who has also trained many of the CHIKARA performers.

So who are some of these Dragon Gate guys?

First off, there is BxB Hulk, the current DGUSA Open the Freedom Gate champion. The championship is currently the only title in play in the promotion and BxB Hulk (pronounced B.B. Hulk) won a tournament to become the champ in November 2009.

Hulk is a flashy competitor known for his signature ring entrance, complete with dancing girls and his own dance routine. Aside from his dancing skills, Hulk can get it done in the ring.

He is one of the top light heavyweights in the world and combines speed, agility, and a dazzling aerial attack.

Naruki Doi may be the best wrestler in the promotion. His sliding kicks are deadly, and his trademark "muscular bomb" is one of the most devastating finishers I've seen in some time.

Doi has held just about every championship that Dragon Gate has to offer in Japan, has spent time competing in ROH, and was a member of Team Japan in TNA's 2008 World X Cup.

Shingo Takagi, pictured above slamming Doi on his face, is arguably the most impressive specimen in DGUSA. A former bodybuilder and powerlifter turned pro wrestler, Shingo packs a mean punch, and hits as hard as anyone in the business.

He main-evented the debut DGUSA show in an excellent match against Doi, and followed that performance up with a 2009 Match of the Year contender against Davey Richards at the "Open the Untouchable Gate" event. The match easily ranks in my all-time top five.

CIMA (pronounced "sheema") is another ace for the Dragon Gate promotion. Like Doi, he has held just about every title they have to offer and has spent time competing throughout the American independent scene.

His first match in North America was a win over AJ Styles in 2005 at ROH's Dragon Gate Invasion show in suburban Buffalo, N.Y.

Masato Yoshino, often called the fastest wrestler in the world, is another of DGUSA's most talented performers. His matches with the Dragon Kid at "Open the Historic Gate" and "Open the Untouchable Gate" were show stealers.

These guys are just the tip of the iceberg of talent competing for this promotion. Dragon Kid, Yamato, Susumu Yokosuka, and several other Dragon Gate stars are also featured heavily in the the American version of the company.

Add to that CHIKARA talent including the incomparable "Lightning" Mike Quackenbush, Jigsaw, Hallowicked, and Gran Akuma. It is easy to see why some of the best wrestling in the world is going on within the rings of Dragon Gate USA.

It has been nearly a year since "Open the Historic Gate," the very first DGUSA show. As their anniversary approaches, the company is showing no signs of slowing down.

Their focus remains mainly on the athleticism of their competitors, and their high-impact style continues to make their shows some of the best reviewed and most entertaining events on the independent scene.

If the kid-friendly style of the PG WWE and the Hogan/Bischoff regime of TNA are letting you down, know that top-notch professional wrestling still exists in the United States.

It can be found if you are willing to open the gate to DGUSA.

Photo courtesy of Scott Finkelstein