Kobe Pro-Wrestling Festival (2019)

The Kobe Pro-Wrestling Festival (2019) or often referred to as Kobe World is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event promoted by Dragon Gate (DG). The event will take place on July 21, 2019, at the World Memorial Hall in Kobe, Japan. It is the 16th Kobe Pro-Wrestling Festival, which is Dragon Gate's biggest annual event and it's similar to NJPW's Wrestle Kingdom. The event will also be available in their streaming service Dragon Gate Network in both English and Japanese commentaries and will be broadcasted live at SKY PerfecTV! as pay-per-view (PPV).

The show will be headlined by PAC defending the Open The Dream Gate Championship against the winner of the 2019 King of Gate Ben-K. Another title match for the show will feature Tribe Vanguard (YAMATO and KAI) defending the Open The Twin Gate Championship against MaxiMuM (Naruki Doi and Kaito Ishida) and R.E.D (Eita and Big R Shimizu) in a three-way tag team match.

Two other title matches will also take place on the show with R.E.D (Kazma Sakamoto, Takashi Yoshida and Yasushi Kanda) defending the Open The Triangle Gate Championship against Machine Army (Strong Machine J, Strong Machine F and Strong Machine G) and Susumu Yokosuka defending the Open The Brave Gate Championship against Flamita.

The event is notable for Dragon Gate celebrating its 20th anniversary, which features the return of many wrestlers who worked for Dragon Gate, returned to the company such as Takuya Sugawara, Shuji Kondo and most notably the founder of Toryumon Japan (which later became Dragon Gate), Último Dragón. South Korean mixed martial artist Choi Hong-man will also make a special appearance for the show facing "Hollywood" Stalker Ichikawa and Ryo Saito.

Background
The Kobe Pro-Wrestling Festival 2019 was officially announced in May 2019. The will air live through Dragon Gate's internet streaming site, Dragon Gate Network, and Nico Nico Douga, with Japanese language and English language commentaries. The Japanese commentary will be provided by Katsuya Ichikawa while the English commentary will be provided by Rich Bocchini and Larry Dallas. The event will also air on tape delay on the Japanese TV Gaora Sports to be launched in the Dragon Gate's ~ Infinity ~ Series. The event will also be broadcasted live at SKY PerfecTV! as pay-per-view (PPV) event.

Tickets would go for sale on May 30, costing from $39,93 to $99,83, which was later announced that section of the arena for the event was sold out. On June 21, Dragon Gate announced a fan festival taking place on July 20 at the Kobe Portopia Hotel, including meet and greets with the Dragon Gate roster.

The event will feature a special appearance by Último Dragón, making his return to the promotion in nearly two decades teaming with Dragon Kid and Masato Yoshino against Masaaki Mochizuki, Takuya Sugawara and Shuji Kondo. During Dragón's time working for World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in the United States, Dragón decided to open up a wrestling school to give Japanese hopefuls the chance to learn the Mexican Lucha Libre style. The wrestling school operated after the same principles of a university, divided into classes with several terms where wrestlers would "graduate" (debut) at the same time. Toryumon's combination of traditional Japanese Puroresu, Mexican Lucha Libre and elements of Sports Entertainment that Último Dragón had observed while working for WCW such as outside interference and referee's being knocked out, something that at the time was not traditionally used in Japanese wrestling. The first class of Último Dragón Gym graduates began their own promotion, Toryumon Japan, while the second class of graduates called their promotion Toryumon 2000 Project, which primarily used a submission based style called Llave (Spanish for "Key" the Lucha libre term for submission locks). T2P ran until January 27, 2003, when the roster was absorbed into Toryumon Japan. That same year, Ultimo Dragon stepped down as President and Director of the Toryumon promotion, handing the reigns over to business partner Takashi Okamura, leaving Japan to sign with World Wrestling Entertainment. After his one-year stint in the WWE, Último Dragón returned to Japan in mid-2004. However, in early June, a press conference was held in which it was announced that Último Dragón was pulling out of the promotion altogether and take the Toryumon name and trademarks with him since he owned the rights. The last show to be promoted under the Toryumon Japan would be at the fifth-anniversary show "Vo Aniversario" at Kobe World Hall in Hyogo on July 4, 2004. Subsequently, Toryumon Japan changed its name to Dragon Gate, continuing the traditions of Toryumon Japan including references to Último Dragón.

On June 30, it was announced that the contract signing ceremony for the title matches would be held on July 20, being broadcasted live for free at Dragon Gate's internet streaming service the Dragon Gate Network. On July 5, Misako Hojo announced that she would be performing Natural Vibes' entrance song at the event. The following day, it was announced that event would also be broadcasted in Nico Nico Douga with the event costing $14,98. On July 8, it was officially announced that the event would be the promotion's first event with English commentary being provided by Larry Dallas and Rich Bocchini, which was previously reported by the Voices of Wrestling and PW Torch that the event would be the promotion's first event with English commentary provided by Larry Dallas and Rich Bocchini. Dallas had previously worked for Dragon Gate in 2012, where he was a member and manager of MAD BLANKEY. Dragon Gate would also announce that they were putting the first two matches of the event in the Dragon Gate Network's YouTube channel. On July 10, it was announced that event would be broadcasted live at SKY PerfecTV! as pay-per-view (PPV) event. On July 17, it was announced the full card of the event, containing nine matches, which four are contested for championships.

Storylines
The Kobe Pro-Wrestling Festival 2019 will feature professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers portrayed villains, heroes, or less distinguishable characters in the scripted events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches.

Kobe Pro-Wrestling Festival (2019) will be main event evented by PAC defending the Open The Dream Gate Championship against Ben-K. In February 2019, a storyline had started involving a tension between Ben-K's R.E.D stablemates Big R Shimizu and Eita over the leadership of R.E.D, with Ben-K being caught in the middle of Shimizu and Eita. As part of the storyline, Eita cost Ben-K and Shimizu the match against Tribe Vanguard (YAMATO and KAI), causing them to lose the Open The Twin Gate Championship to Tribe Vanguard. On May 6 at Dead or Alive, Eita and Shimizu along with the rest of the members of R.E.D, turned on Ben-K, with Shimizu revealing that he was never planning on kicking Eita out of the stable, they were working together all this time, while also claiming that Eita was the leader. Afterwards, Ben-K vowed revenge against R.E.D. Later that month, Ben-K took part in the 2019 King of Gate. Ben-K reached the finals of the tournament, being undefeated during the entire tournament. On June 8, Ben-K defeated Eita in the finals to win the tournament. Following the match, Ben-K confronted PAC and announced that he was the next challenger for the championship. PAC felt disrespected by Ben-K after he didn't challenged him in English. The General Manager Takayuki Yagi would announce the title match for the event. On June 9, R.E.D attacked Ben-K after his match, but Shun Skywalker made the save. Afterwards, Ben-K and Skywalker formed a team, in order to have backup against R.E.D.

In the Open The Twin Gate Championship match, Tribe Vanguard (YAMATO and KAI) will make their second title defense against MaxiMuM (Naruki Doi and Kaito Ishida) and R.E.D (Eita and Big R Shimizu). On June 9, YAMATO and KAI defended the Open The Twin Gate Championship against Doi and Ishida. The match would end in a no contest after Eita and Shimizu interfered in the match, while also claiming to be the next challengers. Tribe Vanguard and MaxiMuM weren't satisfied with the conclusion of the match and all teams wanted to face each other in a rematch, leading General Manager Takayuki Yagi making the match official of the event. On June 29, Doi and Ishida faced Eita and Shimizu in a six-man tag team match where they teamed with their MaxiMuM stablemate Dragon Kid, while Eita and Shimizu teamed with their R.E.D stablemate Takashi Yoshida. Ishida scored the victory pinning Shimizu in 14 seconds. Afterwards, Ishida claimed that Shimizu was nothing more than a sidekick in their team.

The event will feature the return of many alumni who worked in the past for Dragon Gate such as members of Aagan Iisou (Takuya Sugawara and Shuji Kondo) and the founder of Toryumon Japan (which later became Dragon Gate), Último Dragón. Since January 16, 2019, Dragon Gate started celebrating its 20th anniversary when the promotion was founded as Toryumon Japan, with Masaaki Mochizuki facing Shuji Kondo, which was won by Kondo. Throughout the celebration, various wrestlers who worked for the promotion in the past or graduated as part of the Toryumon classes, which includes wrestlers who worked for its splinter promotions part of the Dragon System such as Toryumon 2000 Project. Various Dragon Gate wrestlers reverted to their old gimmick for one night only, most notably Masato Yoshino, who returned to his old YOSSINO gimmick and the return of Toru Owashi. The next wrestler to return as part of the celebration was Takuya Sugawara, who returned to the promotion on March 7. During this time, Yoshino reminded that celebration was going to end at Kobe World on July 21 and he wanted to Último Dragón to take part in the show. Dragón was the founder of Toryumon Japan and left the promotion on July 4, 2004, taking the name and trademarks with him and the promotion subsequently changed its name to Dragon Gate. On May 9, a person with Último Dragón mask's came to the ring and mimicked his mannerisms, which was revealed to be Toru Owashi. Owashi told Yoshino that he had told Dragón about the subject and Dragón told him to dress like him, the rest of the roster came out and asked Owashi to tell Dragón to return the promotion. On June 6, Dragón returned to the promotion, leading Yoshino to ask him to take part of the event as part of the 20th-anniversary celebration. Dragón initially didn't have an answer, but the whole roster came out and asked him to take part in the event, which he accepted. The match was announced on June 15.

In the Open The Triangle Gate Championship match, R.E.D (Kazma Sakamoto, Takashi Yoshida and Yasushi Kanda) will make their fourth title defense against the Machine Army (Strong Machine J, Strong Machine F, and Strong Machine G). On March 10, 2019, Machine Army made their debut in Dragon Gate defeating former Open The Triangle Gate Champions Natural Vibes (Genki Horiguchi, Kzy and Susumu Yokosuka). Afterwards, the Machine Army began a winning streak, which on June 6, Machine Army began indicating they wanted a title match for the Open The Triangle Gate Championship. On June 23, Machine Army attacked Kanda after his match, indicating they wanted a title match. Yoshida came out and accepted their challenge, leading General Manager Takayuki Yagi to announce the title match for the event. In a backstage interview, Machine Army vowed to continue their undefeated streak and win the titles.

In the Open The Brave Gate Championship match, Susumu Yokosuka will make his third title defense against Flamita. In June 2019, Flamita made his return to Dragon Gate. In the end of the month, Flamita and Yokosuka faced each other in multiple tag team matches, with Flamita pinning Yokosuka each time. On June 29, after being beaten by Flamita for the third time, Yokosuka challenged him to a match for his Open The Brave Gate Championship with General Manager Takayuki Yagi announcing the title match for the event. The title match was announced on June 30. Flamita and Yokosuka had previously faced each other for the Open The Brave Gate Championship in May 2014, with Flamita defeating Yokosuka.

The event will also feature a two-on-one handicap match with Ryo Saito and "Hollywood" Stalker Ichikawa facing South Korean mixed martial artist Choi Hong-man. On July 22, 2018 at the previous Kobe Pro-Wrestling Festival, Saito and Ichikawa faced each other in a match. During the match, Choi Hong-man who was seated at ringside and had an altercation with Ichikawa who challenged him to get to the ring, which was followed by Saito, but the two were quickly overpowered by him, prompting an apology from them and both wrestlers returned to the ring. On June 29, Ichikawa tried to take Masato Yoshino spot in his match with Último Dragón, but failed reminding he didn't had a match at the event. However, later that night, Naruki Doi announced he was working behind the scenes for his friend Choi Hong-man to face Ichikawa and Saito in a match, which he agreed.