Dragon Gate USA

Dragon Gate USA
Company type	Private
Industry	Professional wrestling
Founded	2009
Founder	Gabe Sapolsky
Headquarters	United States
Area served	United States, Asia
Key people	Gabe Sapolsky (Vice President)
Products	Professional wrestling events, pay-per-view broadcasts
Parent	WWNLive (until hiatus)

Dragon Gate USA (DGUSA) is a United States-based professional wrestling promotion launched in 2009 as an international branch of the Japanese organization Dragon Gate. Gabe Sapolsky, formerly the chief booker for Ring of Honor, held the position of Vice President.

History

DGUSA showcased a blend of regular Dragon Gate performers alongside prominent American wrestlers, acknowledging all Dragon Gate championships and titleholders.

In 2009, DGUSA secured broadcast agreements for pay-per-view events and television coverage through The Fight Network, broadening its audience reach. The promotion inaugurated its premier championship, the Open the Freedom Gate Title, via a tournament held at DGUSA Freedom Fight on November 28, 2009.

By October 2010, DGUSA debuted its initial live internet pay-per-view event titled Bushido: Code of the Warrior, utilizing online platforms to increase revenue streams. Early in 2011, the company introduced the Open the United Gate Championship for tag teams, determined through a round-robin competition.

On November 25, 2011, DGUSA merged operations with Evolve, sharing talent rosters and recognizing DGUSA’s principal titles until Evolve established its own championships in 2012. In 2013, Vito LoGrasso’s Wrestling School was designated as DGUSA’s Development Center to support talent cultivation and organizational growth.

Towards the end of 2014, under its parent entity WWNLive, DGUSA participated in a multi-promotion tour across China and secured a long-term touring agreement in Asia with Great-Wall International Sports Management. Nevertheless, by December 2014, WWNLive placed DGUSA on an indefinite hiatus while seeking to recruit additional Japanese wrestlers to sustain its influence in that market.

In 2015, WWNLive inaugurated the "World Wrestling Network Academy" training center located in Trinity, Florida, which serves DGUSA along with sister promotions Evolve, FIP, and Shine—enhancing talent development and operational integration.

On July 2, 2020, WWE acquired the video archives of Dragon Gate USA along with assets from Evolve, augmenting WWE’s content library and strengthening its position within professional wrestling media.

On January 31, 2025, Dragon Gate announced the revival of the DGUSA brand with scheduled events during WrestleMania weekend in April at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas under Game Changer Wrestling's Collective banner. Additional shows include a collaboration with Pro Wrestling Revolution at MEET Las Vegas named The Gate Of Revolution, marking a strategic expansion and brand resurgence.

Uprising

Uprising was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event organized by Dragon Gate USA. It was recorded on May 8, 2010, at the Mississauga International Centre in Mississauga, Ontario, and broadcast on July 9, 2010.

Partnerships

Dragon Gate USA developed key partnerships with various wrestling organizations to facilitate talent exchanges and extend its market presence. These collaborations also incorporated matches from partner promotions into DGUSA’s DVD releases. Notable alliances include:

Chikara (since April 26, 2009)
All American Wrestling (since June 15, 2009)
Hybrid Wrestling (since June 15, 2009)
Full Impact Pro (since September 28, 2009)
Jeff Peterson Memorial Cup (since October 13, 2009)
Women Superstars Uncensored (since October 14, 2009)
Maximum Pro Wrestling (since March 3, 2010)
Rampage Pro Wrestling
Combat Zone Wrestling
New York Wrestling Connection
Insanity Pro Wrestling

These partnerships play a crucial role in expanding Dragon Gate USA’s talent base and bolstering its competitive position within the professional wrestling sector.