Dragon Gate USA - with Gabe as booker!

[GreatWhiteNope 0]

http://www.dgusa.tv/

 

Welcome to www.DGUSA.tv, the official website of Dragon Gate USA. You have discovered the haven for pro wrestling fans. Our goal is to be the premium brand in the United States. We invite you to explore the site and sample DGUSA's unique style.

 

Dragon Gate's roots started in Mexico in 1997. It became a Japanese-based promotion in 1999, before adopting the Dragon Gate name in 2004. Dragon Gate has rapidly grown and holds over 250 shows per year in Japan with crowds as big as 10,000 people. Now in 2009 Dragon Gate is branching out to the United States with Dragon Gate USA.

 

Dragon Gate USA will give the fans first class treatment while presenting a cutting-edge style. DGUSA puts an emphasis on athletic skill and competitive match-ups. DGUSA features charismatic stars in intriguing situations. We will operate under the motto of "Evolve, Progress, Appreciation." This was influenced by Dragon Gate's principles.

 

Evolve: The athletes of DGUSA are always looking to push the limits of what is possible inside the squared circle. These stars lead the industry with a revolutionary approach.

 

Progress: DGUSA strives to move forward towards our goals. We deliver the best in ring action and provide the finest customer service.

 

Appreciation: You are our first priority. You will get high-end wrestling coupled with five star treatment. Thank you.

 

Please browse www.DGUSA.tv for all the information you need about Dragon Gate USA. We feature a store with live event tickets and a variety of exclusive merchandise. News alerts will be your source for all the latest breaking DGUSA information. The live events section will give you the skinny on all scheduled shows. The roster section is your guide to who's who in Dragon Gate USA. Check out our feature articles for in depth stories on a number of different subjects.

 

We will also offer free videos, wallpapers and more in the media section. You can also get to know fellow fans and discuss Dragon Gate USA in the fans section. You can contact DGUSA customer service anytime for any reason.

 

Thank you for visiting www.DGUSA.tv. Welcome to the beginning of our quest to become the premium pro wrestling promotion.

 

Dragon Gate USA

July 25th- 7:30 pm belltime

The Arena (former New Alhambra Arena/ECW Arena)

7 Ritner Street, Philadelphia, PA 19148

 

Tickets go on sale April 29th. Check back on April 27th for info on how to order.

 

Already signed to appear:

-CIMA

-Dragon Kid

-Masato Yoshino

-Naruki Doi

-Many more names will be announced in the upcoming weeks!!!

 

 

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseact...logId=483352787

 

I've been trying to hint at it for a while and now Dragon Gate USA is officially here. First off, I want to thank all of you that kept reading this blog. When I first started writing it I was doing it for myself as a way to deal with things. Then I became overwhelmed by how many people were actually reading it so I continued it even when I started to feel better about almost everything. The encouragement, kind words and thoughts that I received from all of you really helped me.

 

There is a lot I want to blog about, but I figure there is enough new information out there for you to digest. I know I am getting overwhelmed. I'll keep this blog short and simple- THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

 

You have all helped me and now I look forward to continuing on together with Dragon Gate USA. I am looking forward to writing about my new outlook on things in the future right here in this blog. Right now, check out www.DGUSA.tv and join us as our new journey begins.

 

Sincerely,

Gabe

 

Holy shit.

[BruteSquad_BRODY 0]

Based on his pictures i refuse to believe Gabe has problems digesting anything

[GreatWhiteNope 0]

Notes from Observer:

 

Dragon Gate promotions announced on 4/15 in Japan that they are setting up a U.S. office and will be running six or more shows per year, using former ROH booker Gabe Sapolsky as the booker.

 

The concept is to bring in eight wrestlers from Japan for each show, concentrate on three or four markets, and fill the show out with U.S. independent wrestlers.

 

Satoshi Oji, out of Houston, who has worked as their translator, will be the President of the organization and Toru Kito will be the CFO. The first show will be 7/25 at the Alhambra Arena in Philadelphia, with Dragon Kid, Cima, Masato Yoshino and Naruki Doi as four of the eight wrestlers appearing. They are looking at doing six to seven match shows, with the Japanese as the headliners. The second event will be over Labor Day weekend in Chicago. The goal is to draw 400 to 600 fans per event, based on the idea that Dragon Gate itself has become well known enough in the U.S. to draw that level of a niche audience.

 

There will be some similar talent brought in on the shows as they can do programs, but they will vary which of the top 16 or so Dragon Gate are brought in for each show. The concept is similar to ROH at the beginning, where they will look at DVD sales as a primary revenue stream. The annual shows with the Dragon Gate wrestlers were always among the best selling DVDs each year for ROH.

[GreatWhiteNope 0]

Paul Heyman gives his thought on Dragon Gate USA vs. ROH:

 

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport...icle2378085.ece

 

An extreme battle

 

By PAUL HEYMAN

 

Published: Today

 

IT amazes me how, almost a decade after its heyday, the converted bingo hall that sits at the corner of Swanson and Ritner Streets in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is still considered one of the most famous wrestling arenas in the world.

 

Initially named "Viking Hall," the place that was christened "The ECW Arena" became the legendary smoke-filled warehouse that played home to some of the most memorable moments in the history of the original ECW, most notably the indescribably emotional Barely Legal pay-per-view on April 13, 1997.

 

The fact that people flew in from all over the world to see shows at this rundown, old school, four-wall hell hole never surprised me.

 

The building itself had character. It had its own very unique charisma. You weren't walking into just any old venue. You were walking into a house where something special really could happen, and often did.

 

What to this day surprises me is how many people have tried to recapture that magic simply by booking a show at that building, and thinking it'll be the same as it used to be.

 

You can't go home again. But Holy Hardcore, Batman...everyone certainly tried.

 

ECW founder Tod Gordon tried with Main Event Championship Wrestling and with Jasmin St. Claire's 3PW promotion. Porn impresario Rob Black and Shane Douglas tried with XPW. Court Bauer tried with Major League Wrestling.

 

Bad arse security guru Ronnie Lang also missed the action – opening up a promotion built around several ECW originals – but never ran a second show.

 

Former ECW CEO Steve Karel tried with a Womens' Extreme group.TNA's Jeremy Borash capitalised on WWE's 2005 "One Night Stand" reunion with the well-received "Hardcore Homecoming" show, but then tried to come back for more, which didn't work.

 

Oh, and lest I forget – even WWE Chairman Vince McMahon's vision of a global ECW tried to return to the hallowed halls of the ECW Arena shortly after the brand's relaunch in 2006.

 

Although Rob Van Dam and Kurt Angle tore the house down in the main event, the show proved the magic was not going to be recaptured.

 

The list goes on and on. It still goes on today, with people trying to recapture a magic that was a convergence of time, talent, atmosphere, and popular culture.

 

Just this past week, a newsworthy event happened at the venue, which is now simply known as "The Arena." Ric Flair made his 1st appearance there.

 

The Ring of Honor promotion, with its new-found opportunity of being broadcast by billionaire Mark Cuban's HDNet, decided to tape its weekly television shows in South Philly's very own mecca of professional wrestling.

 

Apparently realising the historical significance of Flair's first-ever venture into the place where in 1994 the chant "Flair is Dead" became both famous and infamous, former WWE writer David Lagana – who now helps coordinate the ROH TV tapings for HDNet – made sure Flair was going to acknowledge The Arena's heritage, and The Nature Boy got a huge reaction with his surprising mention of the original ECW during his in-ring promo.

 

ROH, the only promotion that rose from the ashes of ECW that made the smart move to seek out a style of its own and not try to be "The Next ECW," is still trying to service the needs of the niche audience.

 

Clearly positioning itself as a boutique promotion with an "all-action" alternative to World Wrestling Entertainment and its SpikeTV WWE-Wannabe promotion TNA, Ring of Honor is doing everything it can to create an exciting, dare I say "magical" atmosphere around their new television opportunity.

 

But now, The Arena may play host to a very interesting promotional battle that will surely see two leagues do everything they can to capture the attention – and the spending dollars – of the South Philly faithful.

 

Gabe Sapolsky, the former ROH head writer – and, as a matter of disclosure, a Philly-based assistant of mine for several years when I owned the original ECW – has been named the Vice President of Dragon Gate USA, the American touring company that will feature the stars of the high flying promotion in Japan.

 

It features such favorites as Cima, a protege of Ultimo Dragon and the master of some of the most innovative submissions in sports entertainment Dragon Kid.

 

Some would argue Kid has risen through the ranks to become – much like Asai was in his day – not only a spectacular wrestler, but also the finest technical masked grappler in the world.

 

Dragon Gate has an opportunity to bring to the United States a style that combines wild acrobatics like lucha libre, awesome submission wrestling, and great characters that appeal to a cool young audience.

 

While the names Shingo, and Naruki Doi, and Masato Yoshino may not be on the tips of the tongues of today's Philly crowd, these amazing performers are gearing up to stake a claim in the Cheese Steak Capital of the World.

 

There's obviously bad blood between ROH and its former head writer, and Sapolsky threw himself right into the battle by booking Dragon Gate USA's debut show not in New York, not in Chicago, not in Miami, not in Los Angeles. Nope. Want to take a guess?

 

BINGO!

 

Sapolsky booked the 1st show, scheduled for July 25th, in Philadelphia.

 

South Philadelphia, to be exact. Corner of Swanson and Ritner. Yup, Dragon Gate USA is going to debut at The Arena.

 

So now Philadelphia is about to become the battle ground for the niche promotions.

 

It's the seven-year old ROH promotion, trying to market itself as the "action alternative," offer itself as a "quality product," and establish itself as a legit player through its association not only with Mark Cuban and HDNet, but also by being endorsed by Ric Flair himself.

 

And it's the young, hot Dragon Gate promotion, looking to expand from its Japanese base, hoping to create a reputation as being the most exciting brand available to the pro wrestling consumer anywhere on the planet.

 

As Joey Styles may have enthusiastically declared ten years ago, "Oh My God!"

 

The Arena is about to get EXTREME!

[RedJed 0]

Thanks for posting that article, that was actually a pretty fun little article by Heyman there, I had major nostalgic vibes when reading that in just realizing how significant the Arena actually is in terms of wrestling history, still want to go to it someday, even if it's way different now. But considering ROH basically calls that place unofficially their homebase right now (by all intensive purposes at least, since all ROH weekly TV continues to just be from that location) it should be interesting to see the Dragon Gate promotion compete with them a bit. CZW definately did this years ago, and it turned into a nice interpromotional feud by the end of it, but chances are this wont happen here because of the legit heat between the companies, and ironically enough now they pick up Gabe, who was the guy trying to salvage the relationship with the companies when shit went south.

 

All I know is I wish I lived in Philly, especially lately. TNA is there this weekend too, and it just is THE wrestling hub of the United States for sure.