Japan is a great place for wrestling, with many different promotions each offering something different from one another. With heavy hitters like Stardom, NOAH and NJPWthe country also has plenty of other smaller outlets such as DDT, Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling, and Ice Ribbon as other strong promotions.
Looking back at the early 2000s, another company would make its debut within Japan as well as outside of it, as Dragon Gate would take Japan by storm before finally heading to the United States.
10/10 They have their own streaming service
Dragon Gate Network is the company’s streaming service, it was first announced in March 2018 and launched a month later for fans publicly on April 1, 2018. The service works similar to ROH HonorClub, where the Regular shows stream for $11 a month, though PPVs still have to be purchased.
In 2022, Dragon Gate Network currently includes an archive of all Dragon Gate PPV access to all future PPVs, at the additional cost. It also gives fans access to Dragon Gate Studio, which includes the company’s Prime Zone events at no additional cost for a monthly subscription price of ¥1,500.
9/10 Before AEW, Dragon Gate was the home of PAC Post-WWE
After leaving WWE due to creative frustrations, PAC would make waves in Japan before finally signing with All Elite Wrestling in 2019, where he is now a multi-time champion.
PAC would not only work at Dragon Gate and become a champion, but his time at the company would also cause some problems for AEW. Despite being heralded as part of the company since early 2019, his first PPV match would have to be ruled out against Hangman Page, as at the time, PAC had a belt inside Dragon Gate and couldn’t lose. Once the Open The Dream Gate Championship was lost, PAC would make it to AEW, fighting Kenny Omega at All Out 2019.
8/10 In the past, Dragon Gate and ROH have worked together.
While many fans may know the name Dragon Gate USA, that promotion wouldn’t come to life until 2009. Years before that, however, Dragon Gate would begin working with a United States-based promotion in the form of Ring of Honor. By sending talent to work in ROH, Dragon Gate’s roster would gain exposure by working alongside Ring of Honor stars starting in 2005.
The companies would continue to work together for years, with joint events such as Dragon Gate Invasion and Dragon Gate Challenge. At Supercard of Honor 2006, Dragon Gate would promote a six-man match featuring Cima, Naruki Doi, and Masato Yoshino against Dragon Kid, Ryo Saito, and Genki Horiguchi, notably earning a 5-star rating from Dave Meltzer.
7/10 Dragon Gate made its debut in the United States in 2008
Following the success of their working relationship between Dragon Gate and Ring of Honor, the Japanese wrestling company would make another big move in 2008. After giving American fans their first look at Dragon Gate stars working with ROH, Dragon Gate he would host his own solo events within the United States.
The company would perform two shows in the United States during 2008, the first in Los Angeles and the second in Hawaii. These would be significant deals for Dragon Gate, as the company would proceed to claim its rights in the United States the following year.
6/10 In 2009 the company expanded to the UK and US.
Breaking new ground after forming a great partnership with ROH and then performing their own first shows in the United States, Dragon Gate would announce a new offshoot of their brand in 2009. In announcing Dragon Gate USA, the company would bring in Gabe Sapolsky as Vice President, as he was the former head of reserves for Ring of Honor.
From 2009 until 2015, Dragon Gate USA hosted shows until the company closed its doors due to problems securing more wrestlers for its roster. In 2009, Dragon Gate also announced Dragon Gate UK when they released another shoot outside of Japan. While they never officially closed, Dragon Gate UK hasn’t put on a show since 2014.
5/10 The Dragon Gate Dojo produced an IWGP champion
Prior to his rise to stardom in New Japan Pro Wrestling, Shingo Takagi would make a name for himself within the Dragon Gate wrestling promotion. Not only that, but it would be a product of the company’s dojo system, which is its equivalent to the WWE Performance Center. After leaving Dragon Gate, Shingo Takagi would go on to become the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion in 2021, becoming Japan’s greatest champion.
Besides Shingo Takagi, another noteworthy name for wrestling fans who have graduated from the Dragon Gate Dojo is none other than Akira Tozawa. While Tozawa has been presented as less than great during his time in WWE, he is still a very good wrestler, and is a product of the Dragon Gate system.
4/10 All of his championships involve gates
Each wrestling company has different championships, and some have their own unique aspects. WWE used to have the 24/7 and Hardcore Championships, Lucha Underground had the Gift of the Gods Championship, and New Japan has the King of Pro Wrestling, a belt that is contested on fan-voted stipulations.
For Dragon Gate, the company has stuck to keeping its belts tied to the Gate motif within its name. In 2022, the company has a list of belts that include the Open The Dream Championship, Open The Brave Gate Championship, Open The Twin Gate Championship, and Open The Triangle Gate Championship.
3/10 Bryan Danielson wrestled one of his last pre-WWE matches for Dragon Gate
Before signing with WWE in 2009, one of his last matches before joining the Sports Entertainment Giant would see Bryan Danielson take on Naruki Doi in the main event of Dragon Gate USA’s second show, with The Dream Gate Open Championship on the line. . Danielson would not be able to win the championship from Naruki Doi, but it would be a memorable contest.
Danielson was a big name for Dragon Gate, having also fought Shingo Takagi during his time with the company. After WWE fired Bryan in 2010, one of the companies he would return to work for was Dragon Gate.
2/10 Dragon Gate USA’s video library was purchased by WWE
With WWE always looking to expand, the company would start looking at content for the WWE Network. Fans would see this in the form of Evolve on the platform, and later, with WWE purchasing tape libraries from other promotions. With the closure of Dragon Gate USA in 2015, WWE would later launch and purchase Dragon Gate USA’s tape library.
As rumors and speculation swirl about NXT UK shutting down amid comments from Triple H about wanting to launch NXT Europe and eventually NXT Mexico and NXT Japan, there will likely come a time when WWE looks to buy at least one Japanese company to get your foot in the door on the market. Could it be Dragon Gate?
1/10 Dragon Gate now works with MLW
While ROH is still awaiting a full relaunch, Dragon Gate has once again partnered with a United States promotion. In recent years Major League Wrestling has attempted to rebuild and rebrand itself as a new player within North America with varying degrees of success. The two companies would join in 2021 to begin a working relationship.
While it may not be as exciting as seeing AEW and NJPW working together to take on Kenny Omega vs. Will Ospreay at Wrestle Kingdom, it does provide exposure for current Dragon Gate wrestlers as they wrestle for the first time in America, working on a new country for new audiences.