Indy Wrestling Express

The show will take place on Sunday night in Chicago. 

Open The United Gate Championship: CIMA & AR Fox vs Ricochet & Rich Swann

Thoughts: Ricochet and Swann are in the World-1 stable, while this weekend is the first featuring the team of CIMA and his apparent new protege AR Fox. Ricochet and Swann have already proven that they make a good team (to those of us who watch the Japanese TV show), and they definitely seem like the most natural pairing, so I see them taking the vacant belts here.

If you read my preview for Saturday’s show, you’ll know that I predict CIMA and Fox will lose then too. Fox would obviously be the fall guy in both of these scenarios, as no way is CIMA being pinned in DGUSA while he holds the Dream Gate title. That doesn’t sound like a promising start to the new CIMA/Fox team…so I will go further and predict that CIMA will call Fox out on this after their loss in the title match, which will trigger a Fox heel turn.

Prediction: Ricochet & Swann win

Akira Tozawa vs El Generico

Thoughts: Dream match! Again, if you read my article yesterday, you’ll know that I fully expect Tozawa to be the Open The Freedom Gate champion by Sunday…so I think this will end up being a title match. Which will be awesome.

Prediction: Tozawa wins

I Quit match: Johnny Gargano vs Chuck Taylor

Thoughts: I guess this will be the blow off to this feud. It’s been hyped as a violent grudge match, but I can’t quite imagine it turning out too bloody, with the easy going Gargano and the goofy Taylor. I’m definitely intrigued by this one. I’ve got to go with the face triumphing in this final encounter.

Prediction: Gargano wins

YAMATO vs Jon Davis

Thoughts: Any match with YAMATO is usually good, and I’m really interested to see how he works with the powerhouse that is Jon Davis. Davis doesn’t get enough wins in DGUSA, and this would be massive for him, but YAMATO is apparently going back after the title. Will Davis be a bigger roadblock than he seems, can he pull a major upset against one of Dragon Gate’s top stars on the DGUSA anniversary show? I’m going to say…no. I just can’t see YAMATO losing this weekend.

Prediction: YAMATO

Super Smash Brothers vs Arik Cannon & Pinkie Sanchez

Thoughts: I imagine lot of indy fans will be into this, but it looks like filler to us Dragon Gate fans, especially since it’s on the anniversary show. Hopefully they will prove us wrong! I expect Super Smash Bros to win both of their matches this weekend, then go after the United Gate.

Prediction: Super Smash Bros win

The Scene vs Zero Gravity

Thoughts: If the last match looks like filler, this looks like the “wake the crowd up after intermission” match. Zero Gravity’s name is familiar, but I can’t remember if I’ve seen them before. I guess the Scene win here.

Prediction: The Scene win

Samuray Del Sol vs Shane Hollister

Thoughts: Should I know who Shane Hollister is? It doesn’t really matter that I don’t, since I’m interested in anything Samuray Del Sol does. The luchador will take this one.

Prediction: Del Sol wins

Masada vs Jake Manning

Thoughts: CZW fans, is Masada good? DGUSA fans will find out on Sunday. I assume he’ll win his debut, as I can’t see the Manscout being pushed anytime soon.

Prediction: Masada wins

Overall thoughts: Two big draws, two other potentially great matches, Samuray Del Sol, and three other matches I couldn’t care less about. Again, the missing wrestlers, both Japanese and American, leave a significant void in this card. That said, if the four big matches really deliver, this could still be a really good show.

Watch along with me on Sunday night at WWNLive.com. Check back tomorrow for a look back at previous DGUSA anniversary weekends!

- Lee