Shingo Takagi returned to a Dragongate ring on September 6, competing in the main event of the promotion’s Storm Gate 2026 tour stop in Japan. The match carried added significance as it was presented in celebration of YAMATO’s 20th anniversary as an in-ring performer.

YAMATO teamed with Takagi and Punch Tominaga against Madoka Kikuta, ISHIN and Yoshiki Kato in the featured six-man tag team match. YAMATO, Takagi and Tominaga emerged victorious, providing a successful finish to an event built around one of Dragongate’s most prominent longtime stars.

Takagi’s appearance was notable given his current status as a New Japan Pro-Wrestling competitor and his extensive history in Dragongate. The main event brought him back into the environment where he developed into one of Japanese wrestling’s most recognized heavyweight performers, while also placing the spotlight on YAMATO’s two decades in the ring.

YAMATO celebrates 20 years in the ring

The September 6 main event was explicitly billed as YAMATO’s 20th Anniversary Match. Rather than framing the occasion around a singles contest, Dragongate assembled a six-man tag that paired YAMATO with Takagi and Tominaga against a group representing another side of the company’s present roster in Kikuta, ISHIN and Kato.

For more background on this topic, read NJPW Blue Justice XIX Results: Jeff Cobb Competes, Yuji Nagata Headlines Togane Show.

YAMATO has been a central figure in Dragongate across a lengthy career, and an anniversary main event offered the promotion an opportunity to recognize that standing in front of its audience. Takagi’s involvement added another meaningful layer to the match. Both men have major ties to Dragongate’s history, and the reunion made the anniversary bout more than a standard tour-ending main event.

For Takagi, the appearance marked a return to Dragongate while remaining active in New Japan. His presence gave the match an inter-promotional dimension without changing the straightforward purpose of the bout: celebrating YAMATO’s milestone. Tominaga rounded out the winning side, while Kikuta, ISHIN and Kato provided the opposition in the main-event result.

YAMATO, Shingo Takagi and Punch Tominaga defeated Madoka Kikuta, ISHIN and Yoshiki Kato in YAMATO’s 20th Anniversary Match.

The result sends YAMATO out of his anniversary showcase with a win alongside two allies, including a wrestler whose return carried obvious historical importance. No additional stipulations or future match announcements were attached to the reported main-event result.

Storm Gate 2026 results

Elsewhere on the card, Kzy, Strong Machine J and U-T picked up a six-man tag team victory over Ryoya Tanaka, Kazuma Kimura and Homare. The match placed several familiar Dragongate names alongside younger competitors and continued the event’s emphasis on multi-man action.

Susumu Yokosuka and KAGETORA also earned a tag team win over BANG BANG CLOWNS, the pairing of Lucky Oshima and Tsujiguchi Big Circus. Yokosuka and KAGETORA’s victory added another result for established names on a card that balanced anniversary-focused presentation with the broad mix of wrestlers associated with the promotion.

In another six-man bout, Hyo, Riiita and Mochizuki Jr. defeated Ultimo Dragon, El Cielo and Ryu Fuda. Ultimo Dragon’s inclusion ensured that the show featured another veteran name with deep connections to the wider world of lucha-influenced Japanese wrestling, while the opposing trio of Hyo, Riiita and Mochizuki Jr. came away with the decision.

Luis Mante defeated JACKY KAMEI in singles competition. The match was one of the card’s more direct one-on-one results, standing apart from a lineup largely built around tag and six-man contests.

A three-way tag team match featuring Dragon Kid and BxB Hulk, Yuki Yoshioka and Kota Minoura, and KAI and Jason Lee ended in a disqualification. As reported, the bout did not produce a conventional winning team due to the disqualification finish. The result leaves the three pairings without a clean conclusion in that particular meeting.

Complete reported results

  • Kzy, Strong Machine J and U-T defeated Ryoya Tanaka, Kazuma Kimura and Homare.
  • Susumu Yokosuka and KAGETORA defeated BANG BANG CLOWNS, Lucky Oshima and Tsujiguchi Big Circus.
  • Hyo, Riiita and Mochizuki Jr. defeated Ultimo Dragon, El Cielo and Ryu Fuda.
  • Luis Mante defeated JACKY KAMEI.
  • Dragon Kid and BxB Hulk vs. Yuki Yoshioka and Kota Minoura vs. KAI and Jason Lee ended in a disqualification.
  • YAMATO, Shingo Takagi and Punch Tominaga defeated Madoka Kikuta, ISHIN and Yoshiki Kato in YAMATO’s 20th Anniversary Match.

Takagi’s Dragongate connection adds weight to the occasion

Takagi’s return was the major story surrounding the September 6 card because of what his name represents within Dragongate’s larger history. Although he now competes for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, his appearance for YAMATO’s anniversary underscored the enduring connection between wrestlers whose careers helped define different periods of the company.

Anniversary events often provide promotions with a chance to bring together performers from different generations, and the structure of this main event accomplished that. YAMATO and Takagi were joined by Tominaga on one side, while Kikuta, ISHIN and Kato represented the opposing unit. It was a lineup that allowed the 20-year milestone to remain the centerpiece while still putting current competitors in a high-profile environment.

The show did not revolve solely around nostalgia. The rest of the card featured a wide range of Dragongate talent, from Dragon Kid, BxB Hulk and Ultimo Dragon to Yoshioka, Minoura, Mochizuki Jr., Tanaka, Kimura and Kato. That mix reflected the company’s regular approach of combining recognizable veterans with newer names across its touring schedule.

Still, the main event was designed to give YAMATO the night’s defining moment. A 20th anniversary in-ring celebration is a significant career marker, particularly in a promotion where longevity, faction history and relationships formed over years of competition frequently shape major cards. Having Takagi take part elevated the commemorative aspect of the match, while the win ensured the occasion concluded on a positive note for YAMATO’s team.

A decisive close to the anniversary card

The event’s results included a disqualification in the three-way tag match, but the main event itself delivered a clear conclusion. YAMATO, Takagi and Tominaga defeated Kikuta, ISHIN and Kato, closing the September 6 Storm Gate 2026 stop with the anniversary celebration intact.

For Dragongate, the card served as both a regular tour event and a tribute to YAMATO’s longevity. For Takagi, it was a return appearance that connected his current New Japan role with an important chapter of his professional history. The final result made that reunion meaningful without overshadowing the wrestler whose milestone the match was created to honor.

YAMATO’s 20th anniversary main event now stands as the key takeaway from the show: a victorious six-man tag team performance alongside Shingo Takagi and Punch Tominaga, with Madoka Kikuta, ISHIN and Yoshiki Kato on the losing side.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.