8/2/2020 - Open the Dream Gate Title - Naruki Doi (c) vs Eita
Going into this match I was mildly conflicted, as it was both compelling in that I could see reasons how/why either wrestler could win, but also offputting because of the general antics expected from Eita and RED in such a match. Buildup thru the match was fun and then we hit the requisite ref bump, leading to a "well here we go"... only to be stunned when Eita actually keeps RED out of the ring, indicating he wanted to play it straight. It was a pleasant surprise then when the ref recovered and the match continued as normal, turning into a classic that I was def not expecting going in. Great psychology at the end of the match when Doi hits the Muscle Bomb (a generally instakill super finisher) but can't hold for the cover because of his arm, allowing Eita to mount the comeback and finally submit Doi clean with his El Numero Uno armlock. Spoiler is hidden moreso for how it ended rather than who, as I'll say Eita won the Dream Gate title since it plays into match #2 of this post.
Major downside to the match IMO mainly came from the presentation as it was filmed via single cam and without commentary, both of which were very odd when this was supposed to be their first major show since bringing fans back.
8/9/2020 - Speed Muscle (Naruki Doi/Masato Yoshino) vs Punch Tominaga/Jason Lee
I generally watch minor taped shows from any fed off on my second monitor while working with other things on my main screen, having low expectations which are then usually met, and ultimately the show goes out the back of my memory where I don't think of it again. Every so often though I'll hit a gem that makes watching it worthwhile, and the other night this was that match. In this case however it was not so much for a 4+ star workrate, moreso for the antics and character work in the match.
Backstory to help add context to the match: In the leadup Doi had been lamenting about how being the now-deposed champion he's stuck in matches with the likes of Punch Tominaga, who for the unfamiliar is generally the butt monkey of Dragon Gate (though he can put on a good performance every so often); closest familiar analogue I could think of is Heath Slater during his WWE Legends feud phase. Doi's remarks incited Punch to really bring it for this match, hitting the perfect level of his typical dorkiness blended with a fiery underdog performance as he continually calls out Doi during the match, while Doi in turn shows he wants little to do with Punch. Yoshino and Lee contribute their own work as well but the other two are the focus of this one.