Match Point is an ongoing series at Last Word on Pro Wrestling, where we look at intriguing matchups in indie wrestling and beyond. They may be dream matches, first-time matchups, or hotly anticipated rematches. This time, we take a deep dive into the upcoming Open the Dream Gate Championship match between titleholder KAI and challenger Takashi Yoshida.
Dragon Gate Pro Wrestling has made its name by being one of the most influential companies in wrestling today. The lucharesu style the Toryumon Generation crafted in Mexico and took to Japan laid the groundwork for what would become Dragon Gate. It highlighted the junior heavyweight style of wrestling, becoming a company that anyone of any size could succeed in. So what makes a wrestler standout in Dragon Gate? This leads to the upcoming bout between Open the Dream Gate Champion KAI and challenger Takashi Yoshida.
The best way to stand out in Dragon Gate is being a power wrestler. Now Dragon Gate’s top title, the Open the Dream Gate Championship, is being contested between two heavyweights inside of Korakuen Hall. “The King of Freedom” KAI looks to make his first successful Open the Dream Gate title defense “The Muscle Beast” Takashi Yoshida at Truth Gate 2022.
【#TruthGate2022 Series Card Information】
🗓February 4th, 2022
🏟Tokyo, Korakuen Hall
🎥#DragongateNetwork – https://t.co/NJ8LwBGxO4
🎙English Commentary
🛎18:30 JST | 4:30 AM EST | 1:30 PST | 9:30 GMT⭐︎Full card will be announced at bell time#dragongate#FinalBurstOut pic.twitter.com/XL2mq1thMQ
— Dragongate Japan Pro-Wrestling (Official English) (@DragonGateEN) February 3, 2022
KAI vs Takashi Yoshida – What to Know
A New Champion Demands Strong Challengers
KAI captured the Open the Dream Gate Championship from YAMATO at Final Gate 2021 and, on the last show of 2021, set the tone for his new era. When paired up against Takumi Hayakawa, KAI destroyed his opponent before forcing the lifeless Hayakawa to pin him for the win. When General Manager Ryo Saito stormed the ring demanding answers, KAI told him he was just returning the disrespect given to him.
KAI was the Dream Gate champion, and no one believed this little guy could beat him. He wanted big challengers, and that’s when the GM said he had someone in mind. This prompted Takashi Yoshida to storm out from the back and approach the champion before being told he was NOT who Ryo Saito had in mind.
The Challenge is… Eventually Accepted
Takashi Yoshida was determined to be the first Open the Dream Gate challenger, but KAI constantly found a way to devalue the challenge. What sealed the deal were back-to-back nights at Korakuen Hall that saw Yoshida get a roll-up win on night one, followed by a definitive pinfall victory on night two. Now that he had been handily defeated, KAI had no choice but to accept the challenge from Yoshida.
Ryo Saito originally wasn’t a fan of the idea, because he was planning on naming BIG BOSS Shimizu the next challenger to highlight his growth. Eventually, Saito caved and made the match for Korakuen Hall. It’s been some time since there’s been a Korakuen Hall Dream Gate Championship match, not since Naruki Doi was Champion. This makes the upcoming bout a treat for those attending the event.
【2月4日＠#東京 #後楽園ホール 大会情報】
オープン・ザ・ドリームゲート選手権試合
王者 #KAI_kof @kai0222
vs
挑戦者 #吉田隆司@cyberkongDG
前売りチケットは #チケットぴあ 他にて絶賛発売中です！https://t.co/50KGO3nrqu#DRAGONGATE #ProWrestling#TruthGate2022 #FinalBurstOut pic.twitter.com/HEY96oUQuv— DRAGONGATE (@dragongate_pro) February 1, 2022
KAI vs Takashi Yoshida – Prediction
Despite the great amounts of momentum on the side of Yoshida, KAI just dethroned the ace of the company and it doesn’t seem likely he’ll fail in his first defense. We fully expect KAI to leave Korakuen Hall as Open the Dream Gate Champion and start a path to meet BIG BOSS Shimizu.
Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. Looking to watch Dragon Gate? All their live shows will be on their steaming service Dragon Gate Network.
