The Amazing True Story Behind AEW's Next Big Breakout Stars

CIMA's decision to leave Dragon Gate in 2018 hit the promotion hard.

The company's day-one ace had been there since its 2004 formation, when Toryumon Japan split from Ultimo Dragon's dojo. He was 25 years old at the time and immediately a huge, important star, becoming the first Open the Dream Gate Champion that July. Two further reigns, a plethora of trios and tag titles, and countless other accolades followed. More than that, he was a key progenitor of DG's signature "lucharesu" style - a style that held a huge influence over American independent and Japanese junior heavyweight wrestling in the 2000s - and proved himself a strong, reliable draw up to the day he walked out.

For the best part of two decades, CIMA was Dragon Gate.

Until he wasn't.

CIMA's final DG match came on 4 May 2018. He was gone soon after, and the promotion took an immediate hit. Kove Pro-Wrestling Festival, the company's vague WrestleMania equivalent, saw attendances fall from 9,800 with CIMA in 2017 to 4,952 without him in 2018. Creatively, the company-wide malaise that had kicked in earlier in the year intensified as Dragon Gate fans watched their promotion's buzz evaporate under a blanket of tedium, with the bookers struggling to arouse excitement across the card.

As for CIMA? His next move involved a hop over the Sea of Japan.

CONT'd...