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Toryumon Kobe World 2002
I’m going to try and start getting more of my back catalog onto the site. There won’t be much order to it, just whatever takes my fancy at the time. Since World is coming up soon I thought it fitting to post another World show, this time from 2002 and thus, Toryumon. If you watched the Toryumon vs T2P PPV then this show will give you an idea of some of the set ups going in as it was held just 2 months earlier.
Toryumon “IIIer ANIVERSARIO”, 07.07.2002
Kobe World Hall
6,900 Fans – No Vacancy
1. Condotti Shuji , Pescatore Yagi & Berlinetta Boxer vs. Kenichiro Arai, Super Shisa & Raimu Mishima
2. Stalker Ichikawa vs TARUcito
3. NWA Welterweight Title, Decision Match: Super Nova vs Ricky Marvin
4. Great Sasuke & Atlantis vs Sasuke the Great & Negro Casas
5. British Commonwealth Jr. Heavyweight Title: SUWA (c) vs Susumu Yokosuka
6. UWA Trios Title, 3 Way Match: CIMA, Don Fujii & TARU (c) vs Masaaki Mochizuki, Dragon Kid & Ryo Saito vs Magnum TOKYO, Genki Horiguchi & Darkness Dragon
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Toryumon El Numero Uno 2003
Jae is doing a #DGThrowback week on Twitter and with the resurgence of H.A.G.E. and King of Gate just around the corner it seemed very appropriate for our next look down memory lane to be El Numero Uno 2003.
For those not in the know, El Numero Uno is what King of Gate used to be before Dragon Gate. This specific one is very special to a lot of people and I think not many would argue is the best the company has put on. Mainly for one specific reason and that is the rise of the HAGE army! I won’t say anymore. You will just have to watch it and see. Feel free to add to #DGThrowback if you’re on Twitter with your thoughts, or just post them in the comments if not.
Toryumon, 22.04.2003 (PPV/GAORA TV)
Yoyogi National Stadium Gymnasium #2
5,700 Fans – Super No Vacancy Full House
0. Dragon Scramble Battle Royal: Genki Horiguchi, Susumu Yokosuka, Anthony W. Mori, Dragon Kid, Condotti Shuji, Second Doi, “brother” YASSINI, Kenichiro Arai, Ryo Saito, TARU, Don Fujii & Toru Owashi.
1. Round 2 A: SUWA vs YOSSINO
2. Round 2 B: CIMA vs Susumu Yokosuka
3. Round 2 C: Masaaki Mochizuki vs Milano Collection A.T.
4. Round 2 D: Magnum TOKYO vs Genki Horiguchi
5. Yoshihiro Takayama vs Stalker Ichikawa
6. Semi Final A: Round 2 A vs Round 2 B
7. Semi Final B: Round 2 C vs Round 2 D
8. Ultimo Dragon, Dragon Kid, Kenichiro Arai, Second Doi & Anthony W. Mori vs Don Fujii, TARU, Ryo Saito, Condotti Shuji & “brother” YASSINI
9. Final: Semi Final A vs Semi Final B
T2P “LA ULTIMA FUNCTION”, 27.01.2003
And so we reach the end of our T2P series with the end of T2P itself. If you have been following along the way I am sure you will agree that Ultimo Dragon’s Toryumon 2000 Project was as good as it was unique. It created many stars that you see in today’s Dragon Gate and other promotions across Japan and pioneered the octagonal ring in pro-wrestling. The end is a sad one, but the era gave us some of the most memorable matches in the history of the Dragon System.
I hope that you have enjoyed this series of shows and that you now have a better understanding of one of the most important times for the company we now call Dragon Gate.
T2P “LA ULTIMA FUNCTION”, 27.01.2003
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1,263 Fans
1. Pescatore Yagi & Berlinetta Boxer vs BATAyan & Takamichi Iwasa
2. Toru Owashi vs Jun Ogawauchi
- Exhibition Match: Jorge Rivera vs Syachihoko Machine #1 & Syachihoko Machine #2
3. TARU vs Kinya Oyanagei
4. Ultimo Dragon & YOSSINO vs Henry III Sugawara & Raimu Mishima
5. Lucha Libre Classica Rules: Milano Collection A.T., “brother” YASSINI & Condotti Shuji vs Ryo Saito, Second Doi & Anthony W. Mori
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T2P, 26.12.2002
T2P, 26.12.2002
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
1,950 Fans – Super No Vacancy Full House
1. Lucha Libre Classica Rules: Anthony W. Mori, Henry III Sugawara & Phillip J. Fukumasa vs Kinya Oyanagei, Noriaki Kawabata & Jun Ogawauchi
2. Ultimo Guerrero & Rey Buccanero vs Second Doi & Takamichi Iwasa
3. Masks vs. Masks Match: Syachihoko Machine #1 & Syachihoko Machine #2 besiegen Syachihoko Machine #3 & Syachihoko Machine #4 (4:40) nach einem Syachihoko Clutch von #1 gegen #3.
4. YOSSINO vs K-ness
5. “brother” YASSINI, Condotti Shuji, Pescatore Yagi & Berlinetta Boxer vs Magnum TOKYO , Susumu Yokosuka , Genki Horiguchi & Ryo Saito
6. Ultimo Dragon Comeback World Tour Final Match: Ultimo Dragon, Perry Saturn & Norman Smiley vs Masaaki Mochizuki , Kenichiro Arai & Toru Owashi
7. NWA International Light Heavyweight Title, Lucha Libre Classica Rules: Milano Collection A.T. (c) vs CIMA
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Toryumon Japan vs T2P PPV, 08.09.2002
Arguably the greatest show the company has put on, Toryumon vs T2P was a showcase of both classes as the T2P students invaded the Toryumon Japan ring.
This event is memorable for many reasons. Obviously the quality of the matches is what stands out the most, but also, as you will instantly notice, there are two rings; the traditional square Toryumon ring, and the 8 sided hexagonal T2P ring. At the start of the show the participants in each match will do a draw to see which ring gets used for their match.
Two more huge matches are made for this show though. The first sees the return to the ring for Ultimo Dragon. This is his first match since his retirement due to a botched surgery on his arm. He takes on Masaaki Mochizuki in an exhibition match. However, the main event is where all the drama lies as the long time rivalry between Dragon Kid and Darkness Dragon come to a head in a 2 out of 3 falls, mask vs mask match. Whoever wins, you know you are in for a treat.
I will do a quick recap after the videos as some may not be fully aware of what was going on during some of the moments of the show.
If you watch just one PPV from Toryumon or Dragon Gate, make this the one you watch.
Toryumon “ABSOLTAMENTE 2002″, 08.09.2002
Tokyo Ariake Coliseum
8,800 Fans – Super No Vacancy
1. Susumu Yokosuka & Genki Horiguchi vs Second Doi & Takamichi Iwasa
2. Raimu Mishima vs Kinya Oyanagei
3. Stalker Ichikawa Reckless-Run Series 10th: Stalker Ichikawa vs Ultimo Dragoncito
4. Lucha Libre Classica Rules: Ryo Saito, Kenichiro Arai & Super Shisa vs Anthony W. Mori , Henry III Sugawara & Phillip J. Fukumasa
5. SUWA vs. Toru Owashi
6. Ultimo Dragon Return Exhibition Match: Ultimo Dragon vs. Masaaki Mochizuki
7. Magnum TOKYO, Disco Inferno & Latin Lover besiegen Condotti Shuji , Pescatore Yagi & Berlinetta Boxer
8. UWA Trios Title: CIMA, Don Fuji & TARU (c) vs Milano Collection A.T. , YOSSINO & “brother” YASSINI
9. Mask vs. Mask, 2/3 Falls: Dragon Kid vs Darkness Dragon
T2P, 02.03.2002
I’m going to be finishing off the T2P series very soon as I want to move onto something new and I was hoping that I would be done by now. Luckily I have them all ready now so will be posting one a day until we are done. There is also a special treat for you all hopefully before the end of the year to celebrate a decade of the Dragon.
T2P, 03.03.2002
Tokyo Differ Ariake
1,500 Fans – No Vacancy
1. T2P Lucha Libre Classica League – Block C, Decision Match: Anthony W. Mori vs Stevie “brother” Tsujimoto & Takayuki Yagi
2. T2P Lucha Libre Classica League – Block B, Decision Match: Toru Owashi vs Shuji Kondo
3. T2P Lucha Libre Classica League – Semi Final: Masato Yoshino vs Block C winner
4. T2P Lucha Libre Classica League – Semi Final: Milano Collection A.T. vs Block B winner
5. Raimu Mishima & Noriaki Kawabata vs Syachihoko Machine #1 & Syachihoko Machine #2
6. TARU & TARUcito vs Ryo Saito & Kinya Oyanagei
7. T2P Lucha Libre Classica League – Final / NWA International Light Heavyweight Title: Semi-final winner 1 vs Semi-final winner 2