How I Met Your Puroresu is a series dedicated to providing background information on matches in hopes of broadening horizons. These matches will be no longer than that of a sitcom as to not overwhelm a first time viewer.
Company: Dragongate Japan Pro-Wrestling
Show Title: Kobe Pro-Wrestling Festival 2021
Match: Shun Skywalker vs YAMATO
Stakes: Open the Dream Gate Championship
Length: 18 Minutes
Production Date: August 1, 2021
Air Date: August 1, 2021
November 15, 2020, Shun Skywalker makes his return from excursion, having his first match back at Kobe World Memorial Hall. Not only that, he’s positioned in the main event. For the top prize in Dragongate, the Open the Dream Gate Championship. And he wins. A new era of Dragongate is fully taking shape.
Skywalker immediately proves his strength in his first defense by defeating both a former Dream Gate champion as well as his partner before excursion, Ben-K. Having missed the generational warfare going on in Dragongate while he was off in Mexico, Shun comes in like a breath of fresh air but soon becomes R.E.D.’s new target.
The heel unit sent a plethora of first time challengers Shun’s way because if he could do it, why couldn’t they? Shun was able to prove it was no fluke and that he was in fact the best of the company’s current crop of youngsters. Not only was he the best of his crop, he proved to be better than the one before him when he defeated Kzy on the previous night. Who can stop the Skywalker?
The man standing across from him this time is looking to cement his legacy. Currently sitting with a record-tying four reigns as Open the Dream Gate Champion, (tied with Masato Yoshino & Shingo Takagi) YAMATO has a multitude of motivators this time around. Not only is he looking to break the record but the retirement ceremony of Masato Yoshino also factors into the story.
This very show will end with the final match of Masato Yoshino’s career, followed by a retirement ceremony. Yoshino’s first reign with the Dream Gate came in this very arena and at the expense of YAMATO. This is where Yoshino leveled up from the Brave Gate and entered the world of the Dream Gate, cementing whatever was left to prove in his career.
Now, just one match before Yoshino hangs up his boots, YAMATO has the opportunity to leap frog the legend by breaking the Dream Gate record while simultaneously giving Shun Skywalker the treatment he received from Yoshino. All mouths will be able to be fed with a YAMATO win.
A full redemption arc for a man who, at one point, selfishly only wrestled for himself will now be able carry the torch moving forward towards a new era of Dragongate without Masato Yoshino.
