100 Percent Fordified: CHIKARA Young Lions Cup VIII, Night One

Reading, PA – 8.27.2010

Commentary is provided by Ultramantis Black, Bryce Remsburg, Gavin Loudspeaker, Leonard F. Chikarason, and Sugar Dunkerton.

Gavin Loudspeaker starts things off with one of his world famous songs. The topic? The Young Lions Cup tournament of course! Very good it was, even throwing in a line from “Wild and Young” at the end.

Gavin then introduces the first batch of Young Lions tournament contenders who are competing tonight. They all take a picture around the trophy, with Christian Abel’s pose clearly being the best.

Sugar Dunkerton is backstage. He talks about his “first curse”, meaning anything involving number one doesn’t serve him well. He says when he learned that he was competing on Night One in the first match of the night, he was worried. Dunkerton then says tonight he’s breaking the curse no matter what and is taking the Young Lions Cup home this weekend.

Young Lions Cup VIII, Quarter-Final Match
Sugar Dunkerton {T} vs. Christian Abel {HOT}

Dunkerton coming out to “Let’s Groove” by Earth, Wind, and Fire is fabulous. Dunkerton slaps Abel and rolls him up for two. Abel retreats to the floor. Abel throws Dunkerton to his corner. Dunkerton trips Abel and mocks his YEAH pose. Abel slaps him and grabs a headlock. Dunkerton escapes a headlock and replaces it with his basketball. Abel throws it down in anger, but gets caught with a chest shot and a dropkick. Abel shoulder blocks Dunkerton to the mat. Abel and Dunkerton get in a shoving match. Dunkerton trips Abel and grabs a headlock. Dunkerton runs across Abel’s back and hits a back senton for two. Dunkerton kicks Abel in the buttocks. Abel catches Dunkerton with a waterwheel slam for two, then hits a basement dropkick to the head for two. Dunkerton hits Abel with some elbows. Abel grabs Dunkerton by his ‘fro and snapmares him over his head into a straight-jacket choke. Dunkerton headbutts out but eats a dropkick from Abel for two. Abel lawn darts Dunkerton into the corner and hits a clothesline for two. Abel misses a top rope head butt. Dunkerton hits a few punches and a clothesline to the back of Abel’s neck. Dunkerton hits Abel with the Shut Up and Jam for two. Abel slams Dunkerton face first into the corner. Abel drops Dunkerton with a cut-throat Exploder suplex for the pin at 9:19. I’m a big fan of both these guys and they put on a fun opening match. Both guys got in a good showing and the fans seemed to think so as well. Super happy Abel advanced, and Dunkerton looks like he’s matured as a singles competitor. **1/2

Young Lions Cup VIII, Quarter-Final Match
Frightmare {I} vs. Brendan Michael Thomas

BMT has cornrows and a goatee, looking like an MVP doppelganger. This is also the rubber match between these two, as BMT beat Frightmare in the first round of the Young Lions Cup last year and Frightmare beat BMT in Massachusetts in September 2009. BMT controls Frightmare’s wrist at the get-go. Frightmare wheelbarrows into an armdrag and hits an alita. Frightmare spooks BMT to the corner. Frightmare twists into a hurricanrana, sending BMT to the floor. Frightmare hits a tope con hilo. BMT throws Frightmare on the top rope and kicks him in the side of the head. BMT hits a vertical suplex for two. BMT applies a sleeper hold and knees Frightmare in the back. Frightmare ducks a boot and rolls up BMT for two. BMT hits a pump-handle gut buster. BMT puts on a side headlock on the mat. Frightmare backflips through a clothesline and drops BMT with a reverse hurricanrana. BMT pops up Frightmare into a clothesline. Frightmare hits a step-up Frankensteiner for two. Frightmare hits a pele kick, and BMT follows up with a yakuza kick in the corner. Frightmare takes BMT over with a very gentle hurricanrana on the apron. BMT rolls out a super kneecolepsy and folds up Frightmare for two. BMT hits the Love Gun for two. Frightmare hits a jump-up neckbreaker and then the Kneecolepsy for the pin at 11:39. Thank goodness Frightmare won. This was solid, but BMT at times seemed too hesitant and made for a couple awkward moments. About what you would expect. **

We are shown that Ultramantis Black is flanked by two men in black outfits and hoods. Kaio is then shown backstage and he cuts a promo in Italian. Fantastic.

Young Lions Cup VIII, Quarter-Final Match
Josh Pain vs. Kaio

Kaio attacks Pain as Pain cheers on the second rope. Pain hits a suplex and a running boot to the face. Pain sends Kaio to the floor with a clothesline, and Kaio runs out of the way to evade a dive. Kaio looks to head backstage but Pain stops him. Kaio throws Pain into the ring post. Kaio drops Pain with a hot shot. Kaio hits a pair of clotheslines for two. Kaio hits a suplex and drops a knee on Pain’s shoulder. Pain hits an uppercut and Kaio hits a spinebuster for two. Kaio slams Pain and hits a knee drop. Kaio hits a double underhook suplex for two. Pain hits a clothesline, back elbow, and flying boot for two. Pain hits an Awful Waffle and a fallaway slam. Kaio takes Pain off the top rope with a suplex. Pain drops Kaio with a modified Death Valley Driver for two. Kaio drops Pain with the Air Raid Crash for the pin at 8:16. This was pretty average for the most part. Kaio was definitely the more put together of the two, but neither of these guys really showed anything unique or special here. Kaio does have lots of charisma though which is excellent. **

Young Lions Cup VIII, Quarter-Final Match
Green Ant {C} vs. Akira Tozawa {K}

A test of strength starts things off. Tozawa trips Green Ant into a side headlock, and Green Ant transitions into a headscissors. Tozawa escapes and Green Ant grabs a hammerlock. Tozawa brings things back to their feet in a wristlock, but Green Ant brings Tozawa down and twists on his left ankle. Tozawa bites his antennae and grabs the rope to escape. Tozawa boots Green Ant, and Green Ant wheelbarrows into an armdrag. Green Ant sends him to the apron with a toreador and boots Tozawa to the floor. Green Ant follows with a top rope splash. In the ring, Green Ant headbutts Tozawa in the ribs. Tozawa hits a hip attack as Green Ant comes off the ropes. Tozawa chokes Green Ant in the corner and hits a low dropkick. Green Ant trips Tozawa into an ankle lock. Tozawa escapes and hits a back senton for two. Tozawa snapmares Green Ant into an abdominal stretch. Tozawa headbutts Green Ant, but Green Ant feels no effect. Tozawa dropkicks Green Ant for two. Tozawa throws Green Ant into the corner to no effect. Green Ant throws Tozawa head first into every corner and hits a flying headbutt. Tozawa whips Green Ant to the corner, and Green Ant hits another headbutt. Green Ant hits a top rope splash for two. Tozawa hits a sole butt and a spinning kick to Green Ant’s head. He drops Green Ant with a Saito suplex for two. Tozawa kicks Green Ant to block another headbutt. Green Ant rolls Tozawa into a Cloverleaf. Tozawa escapes and hits a German suplex. Tozawa hits a sick kick in the corner. Green Ant sends Tozawa to the apron. Tozawa kicks Green Ant down. Tozawa hits the Apron Kara Tozawa for the pin at 8:57. I love how these guys through a slew of headbutts all match long and it ended with Tozawa’s signature headbutt spot. This is Green Ant’s most solid singles bout he ever head, as he looked more crisp and fluid than ever. Tozawa was an excellent foil for him, and did a fine job. **3/4

Amasis re-introduces himself backstage. He then claims he will be the one to win the Young Lions Cup.

Young Lions Cup VIII, Quarter-Final Match
Amasis {OP} vs. Chrisjen Hayme

Amasis starts off with a little dancing. Amasis then dances out of Hayme’s wristlock. Mantis makes a Corey Haim joke, and being the terrible person I am, I laughed. Amasis escapes another wristlock, and does the splits to avoid a clothesline. Hayme boots Amasis and then grabs a side headlock. Amasis leapfrogs Hayme and slaps him across the face. Hayme sends Amasis to the apron and brings him back in with a neckbreaker. Amasis bridges the rope to send Hayme to the floor. Hayme runs right back in and knocks Amasis down with a clothesline as Amasis comes off the ropes. Hayme snapmares Amasis and kicks him in the back for two. Hayme drops Amasis with an Angle slam for two. Amasis escapes a cravate and hits a sole butt. Hayme hits a release German suplex and an enzuigiri for two. Amasis ducks a couple clothesline and hits a flurry of offense. Amasis comes off the top rope with a crossbody. Amasis drops Hayme with a sit-out facebuster for two. Hayme hits a reverse hurricanrana for two. Amasis cuts off Hayme on the top rope. Hayme headbutts Amasis down but misses a 450 splash. Hayme headlocks Amasis for a two. Amasis and Hayme trade shots. Amasis hits a hard forearm off the ropes. Amasis hits a 450 splash for the pin at 8:57. Hayme getting up after missing a 450 splash was really annoying. Aside from that, this was fine. Both guys looked good but in the end didn’t do a heck of a lot. Hayme’s work was all over the place, but Amasis did fine. **1/4

Johnny Gargano is backstage. Gargano says it’s cute that a lot of guys come in front of the camera and say they’re ready and will break out. Gargano says none of them really believe it. Gargano says he’s the one name that pops off the list of guys in this tournament. Gargano says the question isn’t if he’s going to win the Cup, but how many dreams he is going to crush along the way.

Young Lions Cup VIII, Quarter-Final Match
Andy Ridge {ROH} vs. Johnny Gargano {TF}

Gargano takes Ridge down by his shoulder. Gargano kicks Ridge in the gut after a stalemate is met. Gargano boots Ridge down in the corner. Ridge chops Gargano, but Gargano knocks him down with a clothesline. Gargano hits a jumping sole butt. Gargano rolls into an ankle pick and Ridge grabs the ropes to escape. Gargano kicks away at Ridge’s leg and dragonscrews it. Gargano hits a back suplex for two. Ridge hits an enzuigiri. Gargano retaliates with a slingshot spear. Ridge hits some kicks to Gargano’s chest, and Gargano takes him down with another dragonscrew for two. Ridge kicks away a clothesline and hits two of his own. Ridge knees Gargano in the face for two. Ridge kicks Gargano in the chest. Gargano blocks an enzuigiri, but Ridge small packages Gargano for two. Ridge sunset flips Gargano for two. Gargano turns Ridge into a Boston Crab. Ridge slingshots from the apron into an Ace crusher for two. Gargano hits a Manhattan Drop from the second rope. Gargano hits a buckle bomb and then lawn darts Ridge into the corner. Gargano then hits the Hurts Donut for the pin at 8:22. This was quite fun, and Gargano looked like a beast here. Ridge looked excellent whenever he got in offense and is a very promising ROH student. Gargano seems like joining F.I.S.T may have changed his style a bit, which is cool. **1/2

Speaking of ROH students, Grizzly Redwood is backstage. He’s taking on Tursas tonight, and will be laughing after he takes him down. Grizzly is taking on Tursas because he wants to build up confidence for when he takes on Brodie Lee again.

Grizzly Redwood {ROH} vs. Tursas {B}

Redwood goes right for Tursas’ legs. Redwood goes up top and hits a double axe handle. Tursas throws Redwood into the corner. Tursas hits a big hip toss. Redwood turns a suplex from Tursas into a sleeper hold. Redwood rolls under Tursas’ legs as Tursas tries to back him into the corner. Tursas hits a flying crossbody for the pin at 3:06. A valiant effort, but the giant Tursas was too much for Redwood to handle. ¼*

Tursas hits a big splash post match for the heck of it.

Mike Quackenbush & Jigsaw {TFN} vs. Sara Del Rey {B} & Daizee Haze {B}

Quack and Jigsaw are looking for their third and final point needed to challenge Claudio Castagnoli and Ares for the Campeonatos de Parejas. It’s no coincidence then that the BDK’s referee Derek Sabato is the one officiating this match. Sara attacks Jigsaw at the bell. Haze grabs Jigsaw’s legs as he hits the ropes. Jigsaw sole butts Sara once escaping and hits her with double knees. Jigsaw suplexes Sara, Quack hits a slingshot senton, and Jigsaw hits a slingshot double stomp. Haze comes in and gets a wheelbarrow gut buster/dropkick combo. Sabato backs Quack and Jigsaw to the corner, allowing for Sara to attack them. Quack sunset flips Sara to the ropes and Jigsaw kicks her in the face. Sabato slow counts a cradle from Quack. Sara cradles Quack and Sabato fast counts, but Quack kicks out. Haze and Sara choke Quack on the ropes. Quack puts Haze in a torture rack. Haze and Sara continue to double team Quack with no penalty when staying in the ring over five seconds. Quack tries three backslides and sunset flip to pin Haze, but slow counts allow her to kick out with ease. Quack and Haze hit stereo clotheslines allowing Jigsaw to tag in. He hits Sara with a missile dropkick and an enzuigiri. Jigsaw hits a brainbuster and Haze breaks the pin. She hits the Heart Punch, and Jigsaw hits the Mad Scientist Bomb for two as Sabato waits for Sara to break the pin. Quack powerbombs Sara and locks her in a Koji Clutch. Sabato pulls the ropes in the hopes Sara will grab them. Haze rakes Quack’s eyes and victory rolls him for two. Haze then sunset flips him for two. Haze slaps Quack, and Quack rolls her into the CHIKARA Special. Again, Sabato pulls the ropes towards here. Sara kicks Quack and he doesn’t budge. Jigsaw comes in and he and Quack hit Sara with a double superkick. Quack follows up with a tope con hilo. Sabato blocks Jigsaw from hitting a superkick. Haze rolls into a Yoshi Tonic and Sabato fast counts the pin at 10:28. It’s refreshing to see a match where it’s Quack getting the heat and not Jigsaw for once. This was good, hard-hitting, and had a lot of heat. Say what you will about Sabato, but he plays his role well. Quack and Jigsaw are now back to zero points. ***

Young Lions Cup VIII, Semi-Final Elimination Match
Christian Abel {HOT} vs. Frightmare {I} vs. Kaio vs. Akira Tozawa {K} vs. Amasis {OP} vs. Johnny Gargano {TF}

Amasis and Gargano kick things off. Gargano rolls him into a pin after feeling each other out. Gargano rolls off Amasis with a knee strike. Amasis catches Gargano with an enzuigiri, sending him to the floor. Abel tags in and nails Amasis with a back elbow. Abel snapmares Amasis and stomps on his face. Amasis slips to the floor and Frightmare comes in with a crossbody to Abel. Frightmare hits a hurricanrana. Abel gives him a backbreaker for two. Abel gutwrenches Frightmare to his shoulders and cranks on his back. Frightmare sunset flips Abel for two, and Abel hits a clothesline for two. Tozawa tags in and hits a flying forearm smash on Frightmare. Tozawa hits a hip attack and tags in Kaio. Kaio suplexes Frightmare for two. Frightmare hits a jump-up neck breaker and Kaio goes to the floor. Frightmare looks to dive but Gargano cuts him off with a slingshot spear for two. Abel comes in to help Gargano, and Frightmare throws them into each other. Abel and Gargano slug it out. Frightmare rolls up Gargano for two. Abel and Amasis become the legal men. Amasis hits a discuss forearm. Abel looks for the cut-throat Exploder suplex. Amasis escapes and hits another forearm. Amasis hits an enzuigri and a superkick on Abel. Amasis follows up with a 450 splash to eliminate Abel at 8:03. Tozawa and Kaio stomp away at Amasis. Kaio chokes Amasis in the corner with his boot. Kaio hits a diving uppercut for two. Kaio slams Amasis for two. Amasis hits a springboard shoulder bock and tags in Frightmare. Frightmare is popped up into a clothesline. Tozawa comes in and Frightmare gives him a step-up Fankensteiner. Gargano comes in and gets a DDT. Tozawa gives Frightmare a scissors kick, Gargano gives Tozawa a superkick, and Kaio takes down Gargano with a clothesline. Tozawa and Gargano hit Kaio with stereo superkicks. Amasis hits him with a 450 splash for the pin at 11:31. Gargano rolls up Amasis and pins him at 11:39. Gargano pops up Frightmare and kicks him in the balls, and referee Bryce Remsburg disqualifies Gargano at 12:01. Tozawa drops Frightmare with a deadlift German suplex. Tozawa hits the Apron Kara Tozawa for two. Tozawa slams Frightmare and again goes for the Apron Kara Tozawa. Frightmare cuts him off and takes Tozawa off the top with a Frankensteiner. Frightmare follows up with Kneecolepsy for the pin at 13:23. This was a tad disappointing considering how many great people were in this match. It just didn’t seem to click overall. The fans didn’t respond much and not enough time was allotted it seems. It could’ve picked up tremendously with Frightmare and Tozawa as the final two, but they were given barely over sixty seconds. Still, the right guy won this match and it was fun for the short time it lasted. **3/4

The 411: With only one match touching three stars, this show was a bit of a let-down. That's the gamble you take when you build a tournament around guys with relatively less experience. Most of the matches were still entertaining, i.e. Tozawa vs. Green Ant and Ridge vs. Gargano, but nothing here stands out as a must see match or angle. With that said, this is the worst CHIKARA show so far this year. Be sure to check out all of my CHIKARA reviews over at The CHIKARA Special!

Final Score:  4.5   [ Poor ]