Rahway Rec Center – Rahway, New Jersey – October 30, 2010

It’s a cold open to the arena, with Lenny Leonard and Chikarason calling the action. This event was broadcast on national pay-per-view in the United States and Canada.

MATCH #1: Jimmy Jacobs vs. Arik Cannon

They start off with some chain wrestling. I believe these two have worked each other many times in other promotions in years gone by. Both men look good in the early going, but Cannon takes first control with a Muta Lock. Jacobs reaches the ropes and tries to come back with a vertical suplex but Cannon blocks it. The pace quickens and Cannon shows off his impressive agility and Jacobs looks annoyed with him. Jacobs shows his annoyance with a bulldog and Cannon rolls to the floor. Now Jacobs tries a House Show Dive but he misses and Cannon takes control. Jacobs comes back with a chop and a creative headscissors. He then goes back in the ring and levels Cannon with a suicide dive. Back in the ring Jacobs gets a two-count. Cannon fights back with a neckbreaker for two. He hits a dropkick to the back of the head for two. Cannon goes for a superplex but Jacobs fights it off and hits the tornado suplex for a two-count. Jacobs hits a headbutt to the midsection and a face slam for two. A series of reversals ends with Cannon hitting an exploder suplex right into the turnbuckles. Jacobs may have injured his knee on that one. They trade punches on their knees, which is one of the most overused spots on the Indies. Cannon wins that battle with a series of headbutts and Jacobs is busted open. The blood actually gets Jacobs going and he fires back with a lariat and the leaping Ace Crusher off the second rope. Jacobs goes up top and hits the senton but it only gets two. He goes for the End Time but Cannon blocks it and drills him with a superkick. Cannon goes for the Brainbuster but Jacobs avoids it, only to run into a right hand and then Total Anarchy but Jacobs kicks out! Then Cannon hits a Brainbuster and the Shimmering Warlock but Jacobs kicks out again! The resourceful Jacobs is then able to lock in the End Time and Cannon taps out at 11:47. That was a good opener and got the crowd good and fired up. Both guys got to do a lot to each other and kick out of a lot so they both look good.
Rating: ***

Ronin Promo

Johnny Gargano, Chuck Taylor, and Rich Swann are backstage talking about their awesome new stable. I like all three of these guys. Gargano and Taylor get most of the words in, and Swann adds a “Ronin Baby!” I like it.

MATCH #2: Akebono vs. Brodie Lee

The two behemoths waste no time in tearing into each other. Akebono scores the first knockdown and hits an elbow drop for two. They go to the floor and Akebono whips Lee into the guardrail. Akebono then tries to crush Lee against the apron but Lee moves out of the way. Back in the ring Akebono clobbers Lee down to the mat and hits a splash for two. Referee Bryce Remsburg gets squashed in the corner, and Lee takes advantage with a series of chair shots. Lee hits a series of strikes in the corner and then takes him down to the mat for a boot to the face. He covers and even though Akebono clearly kicks out, Remsburg calls for the bell at 2:46. Well that match certainly happened.
Rating: ½*

Sami Callihan Promo

The deranged Sami Callihan talks about chances in life, and gets all intense and yells a lot. I don’t really care for this character.

MATCH #3: BxB Hulk & Homicide vs. Jon Moxley & Akira Tozawa

Is anyone else friends with Tozawa on Facebook? His updates are incredible. Hulk is the current Open the Freedom Gate Champion. Moxley and Tozawa are representing Kamikaze USA, while Hulk and Homicide are part of World-1. Homicide and Moxley start the match for their teams. Naturally it’s a big brawl between them. Tozawa joins the ring and they go for a double-team move, but it backfires and Hulk comes in with a springboard dropkick on both of them. Hulk takes control of Tozawa, much to the absolute delight of the crowd. The World-1 duo keeps Tozawa isolated in their half of the ring. Tozawa fights back with a low blow on Homicide and Moxley tags in. Now Kamikaze USA keeps Homicide isolated and works him over, as much as he’ll allow anyway. Hulk interferes illegally and Tozawa makes him pay for it on the floor. Meanwhile Homicide makes the comeback on Moxley with a shoulderblock off the second rope. Moxley cuts him off though and tags Tozawa, who hits a sick neckbreaker and a kick to the back of the head. Homicide tries to no-sell it but Tozawa kicks him right back down. Moxley comes back in and hits a superplex. He goes for a big Lariat but Homicide avoids it and hits an Ace Crusher. Homicide goes for his own Lariat but Moxley counters with a backslide for two. Moxley then turns that into the Fujiwara Armbar but Homicide is able to finally make the hot tag. Tozawa tags in as well and Hulk is all over him. Hulk hits the BxB Star Press for two. He follows up with E.V.O. and Moxley breaks up the cover. Homicide knocks Moxley to the floor and wipes him out with a dive. Tozawa drills Hulk with a kick to the head but Hulk comes right back with one of his own. Hulk tries another E.V.O. but Tozawa counters with Ganki for two. They get up and trade strikes, and Hulk wins that battle with Mouse and a Lariat. Moxley hits Homicide with a Side Russian Legsweep into the guardrail. Meanwhile Hulk hits Tozawa with First Flash and FTX to get the win at 13:31. I love Moxley and Tozawa as a team, and this was a good tag match since Homicide was willing to take so much.
Rating: ***¼

Moxley gets on the mic after the match to mock Homicide’s effort. YAMATO uses the distraction to hit BxB Hulk with his Open the Freedom Gate title belt. Homicide gets back in the ring to brawl with Moxley. They don’t last too long in the ring before taking the fight to the floor. Eventually they make it back to ringside and Moxley abuses Homicide’s arm with a steel chair. Finally the locker room empties to pull Moxley off.

Warriors International Promo

Austin Aries speaks for Ricochet and Genki Horiguchi, and he lets Ronin know that they picked the wrong guys to mess with.

MATCH #4: CIMA vs. Shingo

Shingo represents Kamikaze USA, and CIMA of course represents Warriors International. They trade arm work in the early going, feeling each other out. Shingo overpowers CIMA and knocks him down with a shoulderblock, and then goes to work with a headscissors. CIMA comes back and goes to work on the leg. Shingo cuts him off pretty quickly though and hits a uranage backbreaker. They take it to the floor and Shingo whips CIMA into the barricade and hits him with a chair. Back in the ring Shingo continues working CIMA’s back. CIMA fights back out of nowhere with a flurry of offense culminating in a slingshot double stomp to subdue Shingo. He uses a variety of dropkicks to keep Shingo off balance. CIMA locks on a guillotine choke but Shingo powers out of it with a fisherman suplex. Shingo tries Blood Fall but CIMA avoids it and hits a spinning kick to the face. CIMA tries a cross body block but Shingo catches him with another uranage backbreaker. CIMA pops up and hits Superdrol and now both men are down. Both men get to their feet in opposite corners but CIMA is in better shape, as he hits double knees to Shingo’s back. CIMA goes up top for a missile dropkick and then hits the Perfect Driver but it only gets two. He then hits a Super Perfect Driver and goes for Meteora but misses! Shingo hits a running Lariat in the corner and then delivers Stay Dream but CIMA kicks out! He signals for Made in Japan but can’t connect, but he does connect on Blood Fall! Shingo then hits the Pumping Bomber but CIMA kicks out again! He then finally hits Made in Japan but once again it only gets two. Shingo runs into a couple of superkicks and then CIMA hits Schwein for a count of two. CIMA sort of hits the Tokarev and follows up with a powerbomb and a double stomp. He goes up top and connects with Meteora to get the pin at 17:09. That was fun and the crowd was into it, but the last several minutes was all just kicking out of finishers. These two can make it work though.
Rating: ***½

CIMA cuts one of his famous promos after the match. And by the way, For More Info on Dragon Gate USA, Please Visit www.DGUSA.TV.

MATCH #5: Sami Callihan vs. Shane Smalls

I admit I have never heard of Shane Smalls. Callihan encourages Smalls to hit him in the face, which of course does not go well. It’s all Callihan here, as he blasts Smalls with hard forearms and other assorted strikes. Smalls fights back with a jawbreaker and tries a springboard back elbow but Callihan catches him and drops him down for a two-count. Callihan goes up top but misses a diving headbutt. Smalls hits a standing moonsault for a two-count. Callihan comes right back with a Saito Suplex and then another one. He then hits a diving forearm and locks on the Stretch Muffler for the win at 2:35. I can appreciate a good squash; I just wish I was more into Callihan.
Rating: *

Jimmy Jacobs Promo

Jacobs bemoans the fact that people don’t often mention his name in conjunction with being the next Open the Freedom Gate Champion. He really wants to win a singles title because he never has. Arik Cannon tonight was tough, but it only gets harder from here.

MATCH #6: Six Man Tag Match – Warriors International (Austin Aries, Genki Horiguchi & Ricochet) vs. Ronin (Chuck Taylor, Johnny Gargano & Rich Swann)

Gabe has always loved booking big six-man tag team matches. Gargano looks a bit like Erick Stevens these days. Ricochet and Taylor start the match for their respective teams. Tempers start flaring early on. Things calm down a bit and Ricochet tries working the arm. Taylor tries to comeback but Ricochet cuts him off with a hard dropkick to the face. Horiguchi and Gargano tag in. For some reason though Horiguchi would rather fight Swann and Gargano obliges him. Swann and Horiguchi have a dance-off, and the H-A-G-E wins that battle. Aries tags in and Swann immediately tags Gargano. Ever the wily veteran, Aries backs Gargano into the corner and forces him to tag Swann. Referee Bryce Remsburg enforces the rules and makes Swann get in the ring. Aries and Swann take it down to the mat and exchange holds. Things get heated between them and Aries seems to have the mental edge over the much less experienced Swann. The WARRIORS trio keeps Swann isolated in their half of the ring briefly, until Swann is able to force Horiguchi into the Ronin corner. Now Ronin shows impressive cohesion, wearing Horiguchi down. Horiguchi is able to slip out of an abdominal stretch and makes the tag to Aries. Gargano tags in as well, and Aries has bodyslams for everyone. Aries dumps Swann to the floor and looks for the Heat Seeking Missile but Gargano cuts him off with the slingshot spear. Taylor follows with a quebrada and Swann hits a Frog Splash for a two-count. Now Aries is the one getting worn down by Ronin, particularly Swann. After several minutes Aries is able to make the hot tag and Ricochet is a house afire. He’s able to take out all three Ronin at first, but the numbers game eventually catches up with him. Taylor and Gargano lock him in a simultaneous half crab camel clutch, and then Aries and Horiguchi come in to lock on stereo abdominal stretches. That leaves only Swann to break it all up. Gargano and Swann are knocked to the floor and Aries wipes them out with a Heat Seeking Missile. Back in the ring Horiguchi blasts Taylor with a missile dropkick. Aries follows in with double knees, and then Ricochet hits Chocolate Rain for two. Taylor fights off Beach Break with a jawbreaker and then Horiguchi gets kicked in the head by all three Ronin at the same time. Aries tries to pick up the fight for his team but Ronin cut him off and triple-team him effectively but can’t put him away. Horiguchi and Ricochet recover and dispatch Gargano and Taylor. Ricochet hits Swann with the backslide driver and Horiguchi holds Swann for Aries to hit the IED. Horiguchi then uses the Backslide from Heaven but Gargano breaks it up. It’s time for the Finisher Parade, as everyone gets a chance to show their stuff. Swann and Ricochet are left in the ring, and Ricochet dumps him to the floor with everyone else and then wipes them all out with a dive. Back in the ring Gargano drills Ricochet with a Superkick and the Lawn Dart. An amazing triple-team ends with Gargano hitting Ricochet with the Hurts Donut for the win at 21:13. Not only was that a great six-man tag team match, but the way Ronin worked together as a team was super fun to watch and they all obviously have bright futures in DGUSA.
Rating: ****

MATCH #7: Non-Title Match – Masato Yoshino vs. YAMATO

Yoshino’s Open the Dream Gate Championship is not on the line here. He is accompanied by fellow World-1 member BxB Hulk, the reigning Open the Freedom Gate Champion. They start off slowly, as they know each other very well. Yoshino quickens the pace and hits a headscissors as Lenny Leonard talks about the changes in the World-1 stable in Japan. Back to the action at hand, Yoshino is working on YAMATO’s arm, a wise stratagem if I ever saw one. YAMATO fights back and attacks the ankle. Yoshino tries fighting back but YAMATO is able to cut him off and continues working the leg. Even with the injured leg Yoshino fires up and hits the Sling Blade, but he can’t immediately follow up. Both men get to their feet and Yoshino takes control. Yoshino drapes YAMATO over the bottom rope and hits a running dropkick to the face from the floor. Back in the ring Yoshino goes for the missile dropkick but YAMATO avoids it and hits a diving forearm. Yoshino fights back and locks on From Jungle. He traps YAMATO in a sunset flip for a two-count. YAMATO fights back with a kick to the face and a bridging German Suplex for two. He hits a running forearm to the face and they take the fight to the top rope. Yoshino wins a chop battle and hits a super Sling Blade for two. YAMATO fights back with a big Spear. He then runs right into a kick to the face and both men are gasping for air. Yoshino goes up top and hits a double stomp the arm! He smells blood in the water and goes for Sol Naciente but YAMATO avoids it and they jockey over an abdominal stretch. YAMATO wins that battle and turns it into a Galleria attempt but Yoshino counters with a Scorpion Death Drop. Both men are down. Yoshino recovers first and goes up top and this time he hits the Missile Dropkick. He then connects with the Lightning Spiral but YAMATO kicks out! Yoshino goes back up top and this time YAMATO dropkicks the top rope to knock him down. YAMATO hits a big superplex but it only gets two. He follows up with the Sleeper Suplex, a nasty kick to the head and a brainbuster but Yoshino somehow kicks out! YAMATO signals for Galleria but Yoshino counters with a crucifix bomb for two. A crucifix rollup gets two for Yoshino. They trade strikes and YAMATO grabs Yoshino for Galleria but it only gets two! Yoshino Hulks Up and hits Torbellino twice in a row and then goes for Sol Naciente but YAMATO almost gets the pin with a rollup! Moments later Yoshino is able to lock Sol Naciente in and YAMATO passes out at 23:40. That was a main event quality match between two of the absolute best on the roster.
Rating: ****

~EXTRA FEATURES~

BONUS MATCH: Six Way Freestyle – Amasis vs. Ophidian vs. Sami Callihan vs. Silas Young vs. Cheech vs. Caleb Konley

Young and Ophidian start the match with some mat wrestling. Ophidian uses his agility and Young counters him with his power advantage. They wrestle to a standoff and the crowd is appreciative. Callihan comes in and disposes of Young and goes after Ophidian, which brings Amasis in to the rescue. He taunts everyone, spitting on Konley to draw him into the ring. Callihan quickly disposes of him, and then has to deal with Young. They spit on each other and then start trading slaps. They take it to the floor and Young drops Callihan back-first on the apron. Konley hits Young with a baseball slide and then turns his attention to Cheech. Konley gets knocked out and Ophidian takes his place. The Portal double-teams Cheech, who is without his partner Cloudy. Konley and Young end up back in the ring since tags aren’t necessary. The match has broken down and people are flying all over the place. Cheech ends up standing tall, but only briefly, as Callihan hits a sick looking Side Russian Legsweep on him for two. Callihan gets fired up and goes for a dive, but Young cuts him off with a forearm. Konley then hits an Asai Moonsault on the Osirian Portal and he gets tied up in the guardrail. Young and Cheech then hit stereo somersault planchas to the remaining four competitors on the floor. Back in the ring Young hits the Finlay Roll and the Peegee Waja Plunge but the Portal breaks up the cover. The Portal double-teams Young and Callihan comes in, so the Portal turns their attention to him. Konley rejoins the fray and knocks Amasis out of the ring. Ophidian takes Callihan out with a dive to the floor. Amasis gets back in the ring with a shoulder tackle off the top rope. The Portal then hits Konley with the super superplex. They go up top to opposite corners and hit the legdrop / splash combination but they can’t agree on who’s going to get the pin! Callihan takes advantage of their dissension and takes them both out. Konley gets a quick rollup on Callihan for two. Callihan comes right back and traps Konley in the Stretch Muffler to get the tap out at 11:55. That was the usual solid six-way spotfest, and it certainly made Callihan look strong. The Osirian Portal also looked quite good.
Rating: **½

Freedom Fight 2010 Highlight Package

This is the standard five-minute highlight package of the event. They did a good job with it, as per usual.

The Pulse: Everything except the squashes and the bonus match is three stars or higher, including the final two matches at four stars. The real highlight of the show is the breakout performance from the Ronin trio, but really everyone on this card did their job and this is just a great show. That leaves little to no reason for you not to purchase this DVD at the DUGSA Store.

Tags: Austin Aries, DGUSA, Dragon Gate USA, Freedom Fight 2010, Masato Yoshino, Ronin, YAMATO