M.c.KZ Pre-Mexico Excursion 5 Match Series

The m.c.KZ Pre-Mexico Excursion Series is a five-match trial series with a bonus match m.c.KZ undertook in Dragon Gate in February 2008.

Overview
For the second straight year, Dragon Gate NEX held the NEX-1 tournament to determine the strongest wrestler within the group. m.c.KZ would go on to defeat Katsuo in the finals. For his prize, m.c.KZ elected to embark on a learning excursion to Mexico and train under Jorge "Skayde" Rivera.

Like YAMATO the previous year, he would undergo a five-match trail series before being sent off. Also like YAMATO, all five of his opponents were against Open The Dream Gate Champions. After completing the series, he had one more match before leaving. In his last match, he was given a surprise extra send-off from reigning Open The Brave Gate Champion Masato Yoshino.

m.c.KZ remained in Mexico for four months before returning as a member of the WORLD-1 unit. His overseas experience pushed him into contention for the Open The Brave Gate Championship, which he finally challenged for at the 2008 Kobe World Hall event. However, his loss to champion Genki Horiguchi appeared to have shaken whatever confidence he had gained in Mexico and was unable to recapture the momentum he had before. Though he has held the Open The Triangle Gate Championship on multiple occasions, his career has stalled since the loss to Horiguchi.