Saturday, June 25, 2011

Episode 20a - The Two-Part Three-Show Coverage Continues!

So I left you all hanging yesterday halfway through today's CHIKARA card. Let's finish up today's card and cover Sunday's show as well.

And now, the conclusion of...

A DEMON IN HIS POCKET

Incoherence (Hallowicked and Frightmare) vs. F.I.S.T. (Johnny Gargano and Chuck Taylor)

I stated yesterday that I thought F.I.S.T. would win their match against The Colony. And I haven't looked at the results, because I like to find out when I watch the shows rather than the minute they're over and done. So I don't know who won that match, but if F.I.S.T. did, then they'd be poised for another victory today. If any team could pose a serious threat to the current Campeones de Parejas (besides the BDK), it'd be F.I.S.T. I'd love to see Quackenbush and Jigsaw take on Gargano and Taylor. Though that may not be for a little while, as Jigsaw is on the shelf with an injury. Still, winning today would give this incarnation of F.I.S.T. two points towards challenging for the Campeonatos, and I'd like to see this matchup take place. So I'm picking F.I.S.T. to win again today.

The Colony (Soldier Ant, Fire Ant, and Green Ant) vs. The BDK (Ares, Claudio Castagnoli, and Tursas)

Hoo boy, talk about your major main event attraction! The past two King of Trios winning teams take on each other to see who is the better team. The BDK certainly has the size advantage (with the mammoth Tursas and the chiseled Claudio Castagnoli), but The Colony has the boundless energy of Fire Ant and the baffling strength of Green Ant. Green managed to bodyslam Tursas, which is impressive considering Green weighs half what Tursas does. It appears that getting his arm broken last year was the best thing to have happened to Green Ant. So which team will I pick to win? That's a tough choice. The BDK is still going strong six months after I thought they would dissolve, and The Colony is better than ever after their King of Trios victory. I think, though, that this time, size does matter. As much as it pains me to say this, I think the BDK is going to win this match.

12 Large Summit match - Mike Quackenbush vs. Ophidian

CHIKARA's founder takes on the venomous, vile serpent from the Nile. Ophidian took Amasis' place in the 12 Large Summit, so he's got something to prove. Quackenbush lost to Hallowicked in the first match of the round robin tourney, so he's got something to prove. This will be an excellent match. Both men are adept at the high-flying, and both are great submission wrestlers as well. Their styles should mesh quite well. I can't remember them facing off one-on-one before, so this should be a unique experience to say the least. However, I think one major point will be the deciding factor here: this is Ophidian's first match in the tourney, and Quack's second. Quack needs a victory to keep in the running, while Ophidian can muster a loss and still stay in the hunt. So I'm going to pick Mike Quackenbush to win.

12 Large Summit match - UltraMantis Black vs. Eddie Kingston

I hate to say it, but even the great and devious UltraMantis Black can't stop the momentum of one Eddie Kingston. I picked Mantis to win yesterday, so he can suffer a loss and be even with just about everyone. Eddie Kingston wins.



And now, for Sunday's show showdown...I present to you...

THE EVIL THAT LIES WITHIN, PART 4

Sugar Dunkerton vs. Ophidian

Sugar had one of my favorite matches of the year last month against Archibald Peck. It was definitely a surprise and a sleeper hit for yours truly. Ophidian I've already discussed. Sugar hasn't had much success as a singles wrestler, but damn if he doesn't give it his all every single time. Sadly, I don't think that Sunday will be his day to win. Ophidian needs the win after his predicted loss on Saturday, and he'll get it. Nevertheless, this should be a damn fun match. Ophidian wins.

Four Corner Elimination Match - The Olsen Twins (Colin and Jimmy) vs. Los Ice Creams (Ice Cream Jr. and El Hijo del Ice Cream) vs. The Dark Army (Obariyon and Kobald) vs. Aeroform (Louis Lyndon and Flip Kendrick)

You know why I hated WWE multi-man or multi-tag matches? Because they were always one fall to a finish. CHIKARA does it right by having these epic elimination matches. We FINALLY get The Olsen Twins back after months away, as well as the unreal team of Louis Lyndon and Flip Kendrick. I first saw these two a couple of years ago in the Fray match that opened a Dragon Gate USA show, and I instantly became a fan of both. Lyndon is thoroughly unique, and Kendrick is ridiculously athletic. Both men can go like nobody's business. Then, we've got Los Ice Creams, the closest thing CHIKARA has to jobbers, and two members of The Dark Army, who are seemingly everywhere. Now, one of these teams could potentially walk out of this match with the three points necessary to challenge for the Campeonatos de Parejas, provided they win all three falls against their opponents. To my knowledge, that has not happened since I began watching CHIKARA. But who knows? It could happen on Sunday. We can probably count Los Ice Creams out, since I can't remember the last time they won a match. And, unless they're planning to become a more constant fixture, we can count Aeroform out (though an Aeroform/F.I.S.T. could be intriguing since Johnny Gargano teamed up with Aeroform at King of Trios 2010 before becoming part of F.I.S.T.). So that leaves us with The Olsen Twins and The Dark Army. Obariyon and Kobald have, to my knowledge, not teamed together as a regular tag team, while The Olsen Twins...well, I think you can figure that out. For this match, I'm honestly going with my heart here and picking The Olsen Twins to win, though I don't think they'll get all three points necessary to challenge for the Campeonatos. But they'll get the final fall.

Cheech Hernandez vs. Jakob Hammermeier

If Jakob survives his match with The Throwbacks on Saturday, he's got a tough cookie in Cheech to contend with on Sunday. Cheech is a guy I haven't seen too much, but I've enjoyed what few matches I've seen him in. He's got great sway over the crowd and a great attitude. Whether he can stop the apparently unstoppable Jakob Hammermeier is another story. Jakob's matches usually go as such: he gets the crap beaten out of him only to have someone distract or take out the ref long enough for another BDK member to destroy his opponent and drape him (Jakob) over his opponent's unconscious body and pick up the victory. Since the BDK has plenty of members on hand this weekend, it's likely that will happen yet again. My apologies, Cheech Jakob Hammermeier wins.

Eddie Kingston vs. Hieracon

Kingston was originally scheduled to face Brodie Lee in the main event of this show, but due to Brodie's knee injury, that match will not happen. It's too bad, too, because that would have been one hell of a main event match. Instead, we get poor Hieracon getting thrown to the wolves. Or, in this case, The War King. We all know Hieracon can take some punishment, but something tells me he won't be pinning Kingston's shoulders to the mat for a three count. Look for a serious beatdown being laid out by one Mr. Last of a Dying Breed. Eddie Kingston wins in convincing fashion.

Dasher Hatfield vs. Tursas

I do not envy Dasher one bit. Tursas has been defeated only a few times since his debut last year, and since adding a TOP ROPE MOONSAULT to his repetoire, Tursas is scarier than ever. Dasher is one of those guys who can take about as much abuse as anyone can dish out, but I just cannot see him winning this match. He may have defeated Brodie Lee last year, but Tursas is another monster entirely. Tursas wins.

The Spectral Envoy (UltraMantis Black and Hallowicked) vs. The BDK (Ares and Tim Donst)

The whole UMB/BDK thing began before I started watching CHIKARA, and I keep meaning to go back and read more about the story between these two. I've read some, but it's a very complex and detailed story. Safe to say that UMB and Ares have unfinished business, and it's even more complicated with Sinn Bodhi in the mix, though we haven't really gotten to hear much of the story unfold as of late. I'd like to know if someone is in league with someone else, or if all three factions are working for themselves, or who knows what else? Anyway, this should be one hell of a fight. But UMB is fighting a two-pronged war, and his resources will be depleted more than Ares'. I'm giving this win to the BDK. Damn, why am I picking them to win so much?

Young Lion's Cup Championship Match - Frightmare (c) vs. Kodama

Kodama earned this title shot by pinning Frightmare last month during a trios match. Frightmare is trying to be the first Young Lion's Cup champ to hold the title for an entire year. The only person who came close to that was Shane Storm, now known as STIGMA, who held it from YLC II to YLC III, which were eleven months apart. I will give Kodama some credit: he has gotten better as the months pass. But I still think he's a little behind Obariyon as far as in-ring polish is concerned. Kodama probably botches moves more than anyone on the CHIKARA roster, but that isn't a huge insult considering how polished the entire roster is (especially when compared to companies like CZW). I can't imagine him winning the YLC from Frightmare. Not this close to the next YLC tourney. Frightmare wins and retains the Young Lion's Cup.

The Colony (Soldier Ant, Fire Ant, and Green Ant) and "Lightning" Mike Quackenbush vs. F.I.S.T. (Icarus, Chuck Taylor, and Johnny Gargano) and Vin Gerard

As it says on CHIKARA's website, RELEVOS ATOMICOS! I have no idea what that means, but we've got an eight-man tag team match, and you will never hear me complain about that. Poor Vin Gerard is trying to pick up the pieces of his career after being forced to split up after losing to 3.0 last month. Oddly enough, we haven't seen 3.0 since then...anyway, Gerard will get a chance by teaming up with F.I.S.T. to take on the 2011 Kings of Trios and one half of the Campeones de Parejas. We're getting another rematch of the King of Trios final match, which I'm totally cool with. Add Gerard and Quack to the mix and it's a recipe for insanity. Atomicos matches tend to get out of hand, and they're usually famous for their multi-person submission sequences. I hope at some point we get eight guys with seven submissions chained together simultaneously. Hell, if the first guy being made to submit manages to get a hold of the eighth guy and have a crazy circular eight-man submission, I could die happy. Anyway, this should be fast, furious, and fun match to watch. And I want to see the weekend end on a positive note. So I'll pick The Colony and Mike Quackenbush to win. Better luck next time, Vin.



And so ends another insane three-day weekend spectacular in CHIKARA. Makes me want to try to get a job with them so I can go to these shows instead of experiencing them on DVD. Anyone know if CHIKARA is hiring? *wink*

Okay, that's it for me for now. But I'll be back for CHIKARASAURUS REX weekend, if not sooner. Keep cool in this unbearable summer heat, kids.

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