The Final Gate (2023) was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and GAORA TV event promoted by Dragon Gate. The event took place on December 25, 2023, in Fukuoka at the Fukuoka International Center and it was the eighteenth annual event under the Final Gate. The event aired on GAORA and Dragon Gate Network streaming service in both English and Japanese commentaries and was broadcasted live at SKY PerfecTV! as pay-per-view (PPV). The event was main evented by Madoka Kikuta defending the Open The Dream Gate Championship against Luís Mante and Shun Skywalker in a three-way match.
Production[]
Background[]
The Final Gate (2023) aired live through Dragon Gate's internet streaming site, Dragon Gate Network, with Japanese language commentaries. The Japanese commentary was provided by Katsuya Ichikawa. The event also aired on tape delay on Japanese TV Gaora Sports to be launched in Dragon Gate's ~ Infinity ~ Series. The event also featured English commentary provided by Jae Church and Ho Ho Lun.
Storylines[]
The Final Gate (2023) featured 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.
Madoka Kikuta, who defended the Open The Dream Gate Championship against Luís Mante and Shun Skywalker in a three-way match
The Final Gate (2023) was main evented by Madoka Kikuta making his fourth title defense of the Open The Dream Gate Championship against Luís Mante and Shun Skywalker in a three-way match. On July 2 at Kobe Pro-Wrestling Festival, Diamante lost his mask in the five-way mask vs. mask steel cage survival match, after Skywalker turned on him and later tied the back of his mask to the ring ropes, paving the way for an easy exit from the cage. Three days later, after Diamante sided with Último Dragón, Z-Brats came out and laughed at Diamante for losing his mask, before leaving to Mexico for a brief period of time. Following his return, under the name "Luís Mante" on October 6, their feud culminated to a Four-on-One handicap match on November 9, where Mante defeated Z-Brats in the Four-on-One handicap match, after H.Y.O turned on Skywalker, allowing Mante to secure the win. On December 5, after Mante faced Z-Brats' KAI in a winning effort, Mante challenged Skywalker to a match, but he refused stating that he was not afraid to lose to Mante, due to being the best wrestler in Dragon Gate. This led to Madoka Kikuta coming to ring, proclaming the he was the best wrestler since he was the Open The Dream Gate Champion. After Dragon Gate's General Manager Ryo Saito came out, Kikuta proposed a three-way match, with Saito setting the match at Final Gate. On December 19, Kikuta and Mante faced Skywalker and KAI. The match ended by disqualification after Skywalker attacked Kikuta with a chair. Afterwards, Skywalker questioned why the two enemies, who were after the Open The Dream Gate Championship were teaming together, before KAI and ISHIN continued attacking them, before Jacky "Funky" Kamei made the save. The match was restarted as a six-man tag match, which Kamei, Mante and Kikuta won.
Dragon Dia and Yuki Yoshioka, who were set to defend the Open The Twin Gate Championship at the event
On November 23, D'Courage (Dragon Dia and Yuki Yoshioka) announced that they wanted to defend the Open The Twin Gate Championship at Final Gate against a team outside of Dragon Gate, leading them to ask Saito to begin negotiating with other promotions. On December 3, Yoshioka stated that he wanted one of his opponents to be Pro Wrestling NOAH's Kaito Kiyomiya, due to not facing him during his time in the promotion, where he competed in the 2023 N-1 Victory in August. On December 9, NOAH's Alejandro made an appearance in Dragon Gate, challenging D'Courage for the Open The Twin Gate Championship, leading Saito to set up the title match between D'Courage and Alejandro and Kiyomiya at Final Gate. On December 20, Dia relinquished the Open The Twin Gate Championship, after Yoshioka was sidelined with a detached retina. Afterwards, Gold Class (Ben-K and Kota Minoura) announced their intentions of taking part in the match for the vacant titles. This led to Ryo Saito announcing that Gold Class would faced Alejandro and Kiyomiya at Final Gate.
On December 10, Genki Horiguchi came out and made the challenge for the Open The Brave Gate Championship, as part of his 25th year anniversary year. Also on December 10, Yoshiki Kato lost to YAMATO by disqualification, after Z-Brats interfered in the contest. Afterwards, Kato, KAI and ISHIN challenged YAMATO, Dragon Kid and Punch Tominaga to a title match for the Open The Triangle Gate Championship, with Dragon Gate's General Manager Ryo Saito setting up the title match at Final Gate.
Results[]
Open The Dream Gate Championship match[]
| Elimination | Wrestler | Team | Elimination move | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shun Skywalker | Luís Mante | Disqualified after using a weapon on Mante | 19:20 | ||
| 2 | Madoka Kikuta | Pinned after the Verta Finale | 27:50 | |||
| Winners: | Luís Mante (new Open The Dream Gate Champion) | |||||
