CHIKARA Review: Vanity & Violence

Off the heels of the underwhelming “All That Glitters”, CHIKARA returns to Philadelphia, PA with “Vanity & Violence!” Tonight, Vin Gerard makes his very first Young Lions Cup defense against “The Psycho Shooter” Drake Younger. Lince Dorado and Eddie Kingston also meet up in a rematch from “Tragedy & Triumph.” In addition, two of CHIKARA’s biggest feuds meet up in two gigantic trios tag team matches. With all this and a lot more, let’s get right down to business.

Commentary is provided by Larry Sweeney, Ultramantis Black, Louden Noxious, Eddie Kingston, and Leonard F. Chikarason. It should be noted that one of the microphones apparently didn’t work at this show, so every match only has one commentator that comes through. It makes for some awkward commentary at times. According to the DVD credits, Bryce Remsburg and Mike Quackenbush were also on commentary, but I didn’t hear them the entire night.

Las Chivas (Chiva II & Chiva III) vs. Los Ice Creams (El Hijo del Ice Cream & Ice Cream Jr.)

Hijo and a Chiva start off. Hijo goes for a boot but the Chiva blocks and slaps Hijo in the chest. Hijo cries and goes to Junior in the corner. Junior hops in the ring to confront both Chivas. The Chivas mimick a bullfight with their flag. Junior runs at the flag bull style and falls down. Hijo comes in to take a shot. He also falls to the mat. The Chiva on the outside bites Hijo on the butt, and accidentally backdrops Junior. Las Chivas scare Los Ice Creams on the outside, causing Junior to carry Hijo up the ramp in fear. They then run back to the ring with Junior carefully rolling Hijo back into the ring. The Chiva makes the pin for two. Junior comes back in. Chiva has Junior in a stretch, and Hijo tries to interfere. Sabato gets in his face, causing Hijo to sadly go back in his corner. He comes sneaking back in the ring and finally breaks up the stretch with a kick to the Chiva. Las Chivas maintain the advantage on Junior with a dropkick and two cannonballs in the corner. Junior comes out of the ring to make the tag and Chiva follows. Hijo jumps off the apron with a whoopee cushion! Junior gets back in and works over Chiva. He tags into Hijo who rips at Chiva’s horns. Junior comes back in and stands on Chiva, who rolls up Junior for the two count. LARRY SWEENEY IS SINGING ON COMMENTARY. Los Ice Creams double team the Chiva with their usual wacky lucha offense. Junior rolls up the Chiva for a two. The Chiva escapes with a monkey flip but Hijo jumps in to prevent him from tagging his partner. Los Ice Creams continue to double team Chiva. Las Chivas side step Los Ice Creams and hit them with double leg lariats. They roll up each Ice Cream for the two. Las Chivas lock on double submissions but each Ice Cream gets out of it. Hijo blasts one Chiva with the Cold Stone Stunner, then hits the other one with El Asesino (flying asshole) to the face. Both Ice Creams pin the fallen Chiva to get the win. This was not very good. Ls Chivas looked sloppy as heck, and that threw off the whole match. *

Fire Ant vs. Chuck Taylor

A battle between the 2007 and 2008 Young Lions Cup tournament winners! Fire Ant arm drags Chuck to the mat. Chuck complains Fire Ant pulled his hair. Fire Ant takes Chuck down again, and this time Chuck complains that Fire Ant pulled his trunks. Chuck comes back with some kicks to the gut, but Fire Ant comes right back at him with a lucha arm drag. Fire Ant hits an upside down dropkick in the ropes knocking Chuck down. Taylor says they should shake hands, and Fire Ant agrees. Fire Ant tricks Chuck by taking him down with another arm drag. Chuck moves out to the floor. Fire Ant goes for a hurricanrana, but Chuck hits a power bomb on Fire Ant on the edge of the apron. Chuck kicks away at Fire Ant’s back and hits a sidewalk slam. Chuck takes a bite out of a fans sign then hits a hard elbow on Fire Ant. Chuck locks his legs around Fire Ant’s chest. Chuck takes Fire Ant to the corner and chops him. He looks at the video screen to admire himself, and walks into a chop from Fire Ant. Chuck kicks Fire Ant back down sticking a boot in his face. Chuck applies a headlock on the mat. Fire Ant works back up to his feet and hits a flying forearm and an Antzugiri on Chuck. Fire Ant goes for the Beach Break, but Chuck turns it into the Sole Food! Fire Ant gets back up and hits a series of moves, including the wheelbarrow stunner. Fire Ant only gets the two count, so he heads up top. Once again he goes for a hurricanrana, but Chuck turns it into a powerbomb. Fire Ant kicks out of his pin. Chuck and Fire Ant exchange attempts between the Awful Waffle and the Beach Break. Fire Ant FINALLY hits the Beach Break on Chuck to get the win. Nothing super special, but not bad either. **

Vin Gerard Interview

Vin comes in from the side and snags the microphone from Louden Noxious. He sits in the middle of the ring with his Young Lions Cup. Vin says he wants to introduce a man who holds two victories over “Lightning” Mike Quackenbush: Shane Storm. Vin begins a slow clap and Shane Storm comes out from the back holding the Equinox mask Vin left in the ring at All That Glitters. Vin continues to slow clap at Shane, who now stands above him.

Vin says that it is his experience that has led him to believe that you win in losing. He says that Shane has lost all his tag team partners, and all the respect from his friends and fellow wrestlers. Vin also says that even with all that, Shane won his last two matches. He tells Shane the mask has to go, then leaves through the back. Shane grasps at the back of his mask wondering if he should let it go as he walks to the locker room.

The Fabulous Two (Mitch Ryder & Buck Hawke) vs. Sara Del Ray & Bobby Dempsey

If Del Ray and Dempsey win, they will have accumulated the three points necessary for a Campeonatos de Parejas shot. Larry Sweeney accompanies Sara and Bobby to the ring.

Buck and Bobby lock up. Bobby places Buck on the top rope and mockingly pats him on the face. Buck tries to take down Bobby, only for him to fail. Buck teases a test of strength but steps on Bobby’s foot. He tries to throw Bobby to the ropes, but Bobby is too large. Buck runs off the ropes and is caught with a big time body slam. Buck asks for Sara, so she comes in the ring. Buck says he can take Sara and flexes. Sara proceeds to hit a series of dropkicks onto Buck and then a forearm smash to the back. Buck pleads for Mitch to tag in, which he does. Sara arm drags Mitch right down to the mat much to Larry’s pleasure. Sara lands some hard kicks to Mitch but Mitch takes her down with a spinebuster. Sara recoups and takes Mitch back down with another arm drag. Mitch is able to get up to his feet with Sara holding onto his arm. Mitch pushes Sara into the corner and take her down with a chop and an elbow. Sara avoids a splash in the corner and rolls Mitch up three times, getting a two count each time. Mitch rolls out of the ring to catch his breath. Buck comes in only to be taken down with an arm drag. Bobby Dempsey tags in. Sara and Bobby play ping pong with Buck; Sara kicks him, and Buck bounces off Bobby’s gut. Bobby puts Buck in a headlock. Buck pulls Bobby’s hair and tosses him off the ropes. Buck clutches at Bobby’s face and pushes him into the Fabulous Two’s corner. The Fabulous Two begin to tag in and out working over Bobby. Bobby looked to make a comeback, but Mitch came in to stop that. Mitch continued to work over Bobby’s face. Bobby avoids a barrage of punches from Buck and knocks him down. Bobby ducks a clothesline and tags in Sara! Sara takes down both of the Fabulous Two with kicks. Sara and Bobby splash both of the Fabulous Two in the corners. Bobby hits a cannonball on Buck and follows up with a suplex. Bobby goes for the pin but it is broken up by Mitch. Sara dumps Mitch to the outside leaving Bobby and Buck in the ring. Sweeney accidentally trips Bobby as he comes off the ropes! Buck nails Bobby with the Tomahawke for the victory! Good match that advanced the Sweeney/Mitch issue quite nicely. **1/2

Post match, Mitch tells Sweeney once again that he is a loser. He says it makes no difference what side he is on or if he is wrestling or managing, he will always lose. Mitch recommends Larry go back to school as he is not cut out for the wrestling business.

Jimmy Olsen vs. Worker Ant

Worker Ant comes out imitating Stan Hansen’s entrance. As some of you know, his imitation only picks up from this point forward. Stan Antsen is born!

Jimmy Olsen leaps at Worker only to get caught with an arm drag. Jimmy gets right back up only to be hit with a one legged dropkick and a chop to the head. Jimmy aggressively attacks Worker with chops and hard offense. Worker Ant follows up with a back drop and body slam. Worker misses the Antzugiri and is dropped with another backdrop. Jimmy goes for Worker’s mask. Jimmy chops Worker in the neck and tosses him to the corner. Jimmy chokes away at Worker with his boot. Jimmy snapmares Worker out of the corner. He continues to try to pull off Worker’s mask. Jimmy and Worker go back and forth. Jimmy catches Worker with a shoulder to the gut and a slap to the back. Jimmy begins untying the back of the mask Worker evades an attack from Jimmy and knocks him down with a lariat (duh). He follows up with an Antzugiri and DDT but only gets the two count. Worker Ant hits the Alabama Slam on Jimmy. He goes for a brainbuster, but Jimmy rakes his eyes. Jimmy Olsen hits a sweet superkick and a brainbuster for the victory. Decent contest. **

Soldier Ant pushes Jimmy away, but Jimmy attacks Soldier Ant. Jimmy tries to pull off his mask, but Soldier hits him with a saluting headbutt. Jimmy says “It’s not him” as he angrily walks to the back.

F.I.S.T. (Icarus & Gran Akuma) vs. The Super Smash Bros. (Player Uno & Player Dos)

Dos and Akuma start off circling one another. Dos instructs Uno to “give him the game”. Dos inserts the Karate Kid NES game into his tights, and takes the crane stance. Akuma goes for a waist lock, but Dos ends up back in crane position. Akuma takes him down with the full nelson but Dos goes back into the crane. Akuma tries to take him down again, buts gets a karate punch to the face. Icarus jumps in the ring, but is frightened by a punch attempt by Dos. Icarus retreats to the corner hugging the ropes. Dos tags in Uno. Uno puts Icarus in an armlock, but Uno is distracted when their stuffed Yoshi falls off the turn post. Icarus gets out of the headlock and catches Uno with a lucha arm drag. Icarus blocks the Hadouken, Uno evades the Enzugiri, and both men go to a stand still. Icarus takes him down with a series of dropkicks. Akuma comes in. Akuma kicks Uno’s legs and stretches him out on the mat. Uno tries to slap his way out, but Akuma turns him over. Akuma knocks Dos off the apron and brings in the Yoshi stuffed animal! Akuma hits a senton on Uno with the Yoshi placed on Uno’s chest! Icarus follows up with a back senton and a suplex. Icarus stretches Uno, and Akuma comes in with a kick to the chest. Akuma follows up with his awesome Cheetah Swipe for the two count. Uno reverses an sidewalk slam attempt and takes down Akuma with reverse DDT. Uno crawls to his corner, but Icarus comes in and knocks Dos off the apron to the floor. Akuma comes back in. Akuma picks up Uno by one of his legs, and Uno counters with an Enzugiri. He goes to make a tag but Icarus comes in. Uno rolls under a clothesline and tags in Dos! Dos comes in and takes down both Icarus and Akuma, including a sweet spinning slam on Icarus. Dos and Uno hit a double team sidewalk slam/bulldog combo on Akuma but Icarus breaks up the pinfall. Icarus hits Uno with the Shiarnui, then the Codebreaker! Icarus however only manages to get a two count on Player Uno. Icarus and Akuma hit a shoulder tackle/Enzugiri combo on Uno in the corner. Dos flies though, and hits an impressive DDT on Akuma, and while he comes down, he dropkicks Icarus at the same time! Uno lifts up Icarus with a big inverse brainbuster, but Akuma breaks up the count. Akuma takes out both of the Super Smash Bros. Akuma hits an amazing front flip DDT on Dos, but only gets the two. Uno hits the Bubble Bobble Buster and Akuma gets him in the Falcon Arrow. Uno escapes, and Akuma puts him up on his shoulders. Uno takes Akuma down with a reverse hurricanrana. Icarus catches Uno with a spear just as he was about to take a dive to the floor. Icarus sets up for the Pedigree, but Dos dives in with an Enzugiri. Dos dives onto Akuma on the outside. The lights go down and “FINISH HIM!” is heard throughout the arena. Uno nails Icarus with the Dig Dug Driver for the win! The Super Smash Bros. now have two points towards a title shot. A fun contest! ***

Young Lions Cup
Vin Gerard (Champion) vs. Drake Younger

Vin is outside in the New Alhambra parking lot. He asks Drake Younger what he has done to earn a Young Lions Cup match. Vin says while Drake has done lots of crazy and hardcore stuff in his career, but that won’t cut it in CHIKARA. Vin says “Let’s see what happens tonight when you actually have to wrestle. Oh wait, I know what will happen. You’ll lose.”

Vin puts the cup under the apron saying that it stays with him. Foreshadowing perhaps?

Vin throws his shirt at Drake, but instead of throwing him off, Drake just stays put. SWEENEY IS SINGING DRAKE’S THEME MUSIC. Vin evades a few strike attempts from Drake. Drake gets Vin down to the mat. Vin gets back up, but Drake takes him right back down in a leg lock. He rolls up Vin for the two, and Vin rolls back into a headlock. Drake picks up Vin by the arm, and Vin grabs the ropes. They lock up with each man trying to get the advantage. Vin goes to the corner releasing the lock up. Drake catches Vin with an arm drag. Vin gets up and slaps Drake, but immediately regrets it. Drake fires back with a flurry of chops and slaps of his own. Drake works over Vin with elbows, chops, slaps, and a big back body drop. Vin tries to elbow Drake in the face only to be taken down with a suplex. Drake hits Vin with a stalling standing suplex and follows up with a flurry of offense. Drake clotheslines Vin to the floor and nails Vin with a hard senton. Drake feels the brunt off the move himself as his lower back hit the floor. Drake sets up for the Cactus Jack elbow and nails it off the apron. Drake and Vin exchange chops, but Drake clearly gets the advantage. Drake follows up with a big back suplex on Vin on the concrete floor! Drake looks to ram Vin’s head into the turn post, but Vin pushes Drake into the post then back into the ring. Vin applies a nerve hold on Drake after a back splash. Drake works out of it and both men get to their feet. Each man runs off the ropes and Vin nails a hard flying clothesline. He chokes Drake on the apron. Oth men get to their feet. Vin knees Drake in the gut as the fans chant “LET’S GO DRAKE!” Drake catches Vin with a few kicks. Vin catches Drake’s knee to try for a legmare, but Drake blocks using the ropes. Drake suplexes Vin into the turnbuckles. Drake hits Vin with a hard Death Valley Driver, but only gets the two count. Shane Storm is shown hanging out outside the ring. Drake once again goes for the DVD, but Vin knocks him down with the STF. Vin tries to attack Drake in the corner, but Drake turns it into a suplex right onto Vin’s head. Drake sets up for the Drake’s Landing, but Vin cradles him for the two count. Vin immediately locks on the STO. Drake is able to get to the ropes. Vin drags Drake to the middle of the ring and curb stomps him into the mat three times. This only gets Vin a two count! Vin once again tries for the Drake’s Landing and nails it! Shane Storm gets in the ring and this a senton on Vin, giving Vin the victory via disqualification! Pretty darn good match here. ***1/4

Drake continues to push and poke at Shane Storm wondering what his deal was. Shane picks up Vin off the mat as Shane clutches the Equinox mask. Shane raises Vin’s arm in victory. Shane and Vin leave together through the back of the arena, as Vin tells him “Shane…you don’t go back there anymore, you come with me.”

The Order of the Neo-Solar Temple (Ultramantis Black & Crossbones) and Dr. Cube vs. Mike Quackenbush and The Sea Donsters (Hydra & Tim Donst)

This match came to be by way of two updates on the CHIKARA Podcast-A-Go-Go.

Hydra and Mantis start the match. Mantis INSTANTLY tags Crossbones in to the match. Hydra delivers some forearms to Crossbones, but Crossbones just pushes Hydra down. Hydra gets back up and Crossbones pushes him back down. Hydra then runs off the ropes and catches Crossbones with a spinning headscissors and a dropkick to the head. Hydra tags in Quack, who locks up with Dr. Cube. Quack and Cube exchange arm holds until Quack turns Dr. Cube’s head around! Quack takes Cube down to the mat and ties himself up. Quack poses on Dr. Cube’s buttocks in a thinker’s pose. Mantis turns Cube’s head around, and circles Quackenbush. Mantis tries to gain the advantage, but Quack powers him down. They exchange a couple lucha arm drags, then Quack superkicks Mantis to the floor. Crossbones runs in to try and attack Quack, but Quack turns around and throws a superkick. Crossbones drops down in time to avoid the kick, and Quack tags in Donst. Crossbones and Donst get in a test of strength with Crossbones obviously getting the advantage. Donst kicks Crossbones’ feet out and turns him over into a pin for the two count. Donst clubbers Crossbones out of the ring, and Mantis runs right in to take him down by the hair. Crossbones comes back in and works over Donst. The Order double teams Donst with a flapjack. Mantis calls Donst a traitor as he slams his head into the turnbuckles. Mantis continues the beat down with a gut wrench suplex and hard elbows to the head. Donst tries to go for the tag, but Mantis drags him to the corner where he tags in Dr. Cube. Cube stomps away and tags Mantis right back in. Mantis mocks Quack and Hydra as he attempts a pin on Donst. Each of the rudos team members tag in and out, taking turns to beat on Donst. Donst fights back against Crossbones, and goes for the Shiranui. Crossbones blocks by pushing Donst out of the ring to the floor, which legally tags in Hydra. Hydra goes for a cross body block but is caught by Hydra. Mantis drags Hydra outside and throws Donst back in. Donst is beat on by Crossbones some more, until Donst catches him with an STF. Donst tags in Hydra who gets in a slapping battle with Crossbones. Mantis runs in, but Hydra catches him. Hydra runs off the ropes and arm drags both members of the Order to the mat. Crossbones tosses Hydra to the ropes, but Hydra dives through onto Mantis. Quack leaps in with a big dropkick to Crossbones. Mantis comes in and is taken down by the Black Tornado Slam! Crossbones breaks up Quack’s pin attempt and again beats on Donst. Donst blocks a double team attempt and hits a huge Donstitution on Crossbones! He goes for the pin, but Dr. Cube breaks it up. Hydra gets the Hydralock on Dr. Cube! Mantis tries to break it up, but Hydra locks the Hydralock on Mantis! Mantis turns it into the Praying Mantis Bomb and gets the win! Excellent match; very fun. ***1/2

Quackenbush and Donst encourage a broken Hydra as he gets to his feet. The fans applaude Hydra as Quack and Donst assit him to the back.

Lince Dorado vs. Eddie Kingston

Lince says that even though he lost at Tragedy & Triumph, he was begging Eddie to come back after the match to settle the score. Lince says that after four weeks he is still standing, and after tonight, he will be standing as the winner.

Lince skips his entrance and runs to the ring. Both men are waffling each other with punches and chops! On the outside, Kingston drives Lince’s back into the turn post. Lince tries to fight back, but Eddie slaps Lince to the floor. Eddie tells Lince that even though he almost died for the fans, yet they still boo him. Eddie slaps Lince around calling him a fool. Lince tries to boot Eddie in the gut, but Eddie catches his leg and slaps him back down. Eddie continues to beat on Lince inside the ring. Eddie tells the fans “How dare you boo for this man [Lince] when he almost died for you. You’re all scumbags!” Eddie nails Lince with a forearm shot. Eddie continues to yell at the crowd as Lince lays on the mat. Lince looks up and tells Eddie to “come on.” Eddie powerbombs Lince hard. Eddie grabs Lince’s mask and yells at him, then slaps his face for good measure. Lince gets up and slaps Eddie, only to get slapped back down. Eddie chokes Lince in the corner. Eddie tells Lince to get to his feet, and Lince gets up and slaps him. Eddie comes back with a slap of his own. Eddie then delivers a barrage of chops to Lince in the corner. Eddie tries to attack Lince in the corner, but Lince counters with a sunset flip. Lince jumps on Kingston with a series of hard punches, then a double stomp to the chest! Lince nails a 619. He hops onto the top rope, but slips off and hits the mat. Eddie chockes Lince in the corner and spits upwards into the air, Keiji Mutoh style. Lince comes back looking for a hurricanrana, but Eddie catches him. Lince counters by spinning into a reverse hurricanrana! Lince follows up with a great looking Shooting Star Press, but Kingston kicks out! Kingston catches Lince mid-air as he goes for a flying crossbody. Kingston drops him, then nails the Backfist to the Future! Lince amazingly kicks out of the backfist! Lince ducks an elbow and hits Eddie with a DDT, but only gets the two. Eddie reverses a spinning head scissors. Eddie hits the Back Drop Driver, the Backfist to the Future, then locks on the Tazmission on the mat. The referee checks Lince, and determines he has passed out, giving Kingston the win! I personally think this match should have ended on the first Backfist to the Future, but this was still very good and the crowd loved it. World’s better than their match at Tragedy & Triumph. ***1/4

Eddie says to Lince’s fallen body “God bless you son, you never had a chance.” Eddie is celebrating in the ring, as Lince uses the ropes to try and get up. Once again, he begs for Eddie to attack him. Eddie stands over Lince as Lince begs Eddie to hit him. Eddie backs off. Lince, now laying on the arena floor is begging and pleading with Eddie to attack him. Lince wants to know what Eddie is waiting for. Eddie just shakes his head and walks backstage.

Incoherence (Delirious & Hallowicked) and Claudio Castagnoli vs. The Osirian Portal (Amasis & Ophidian) and Brodie Lee

Claudio runs to the ring and attacks Brodie! Brodie turns around and slaps Claudio in the face. Both men exchange very hard hits on the outside of the ring, then on the inside where the bell rings. The two men beat on one another until Brodie slides to the outside of the ring. Hallowicked and Amasis then become the legal men. Both men exchange some Lucha maneuvers including Amasis ducking a throw off the top rope by Hallowicked with a headscissors take down. Amasis even ducked the Big Boot with the splits and a Matrix move. Amasis dives onto Hallowicked on the outside. Delirious and Ophidian come in as the legal man. They take the snake position and hiss at one another. Each of them roll around the ring looking for the advantage. Delrious comments that Ophidian is slimy. Both men exchange arm drags. They exchange pinfall attempts and moves, until the both come to a stand still. Delirious shows Ophidian some respect, but Ophidian clubs Delirious from behind. Delirious fights back and tags in Wicked. Each of the tecnicos team tags in and out beating on Ophidian in their corner. They keep Ophidian in the corner, as each Tecnico switches in and out in the ring with a revolving door of punishment. Hallowicked stays in and goes for the pin, but Ophidian kicks out and tags in Amasis. Amasis comes off the top with a missile dropkick. The Portal double teams Hallowicked, with Ophidian locking in Hallowicked with a leg lock full nelson. Ophidian tags in Brodie while still applying the submission. Brodie slaps and chops Hallowicked, then chokes him on the ropes with an assist from Amasis. Amasis nails Hallowicked with a series of elbows to the face. He whips Hallowicked off the ropes, and Wicked catches Amasis with the step-up Frankensteiner. Hallowicked tags in Delirious who comes in and takes Amasis down. Brodie breaks up a pinfall attempt. Delirious nails a leaping lariat from the top rope and again only gets a two count. Delirious signals he is going to tag in Claudio, but Amasis holds Delirious back. Brodie runs in and chest bumps Delirious to the mat and pushes Claudio and Hallowicked off the apron. The rudos squad continuously tags in and out beating up on Delirious. Delirious was so close to getting a tag until Brodie cut him off and dragged him back to the corner. Ophidian did the same. The rudos continued their assault until Brodie accidentally knocked down the Portal as he went for Delirious. Delirious was able to evade a series of attacks from Brodie, and tagged in Claudio. Claudio comes in a house of fire knocking down all of the Rudos. Claudio delivers a huge back body drop to Brodie. Claudio follows up with a series of jabs to Brodie knocking him to the mat. Claudio looks for the Ricola Bomb, but Brodie escapes. Claudio crossbodies Brodie over the top rope to the floor! Hallowicked and Ophidian come in and Ophidian takes Wicked down. He nails Wicked in the chest with the double knees. He and Amasis hit the Osirian Sacrament, but Delirious comes in and breaks up the pin. Amasis takes it to Delirious in the corner, as Brodie and Claudio continue their brawl on the outside of the ring. Meanwhile, Delirious gets the advantage with the headbutt to the ribs of Amasis. Delirious hits a Shadows Over Hell and rolls into a Cobra Clutch. Ophidian breaks it up. Ophidian goes for a pin, but Delirious kicks out. Hallowicked hits the Go Too Sleepy Hollow assist on Ophidian. He tries to follow up with the Graveyard Smash, but is forced to duck a Big Boot from Brodie. Wicked hits the Rydeen Bomb on Brodie! Claudio runs in and blasts Ophidian with the Sweet Schwinn Music but only gets the two count! Ophidian traps Claudio in the Ophidian Death Grip. Claudio drops to knee, but then gets back to both feet. Claudio tosses Ophidian in the air and hits him with the pop-up European Uppercut! Claudio gets the pin on Ophidian! Very fun and very good main event. ***3/4

After the match, Claudio and Brodie start hammering on one another. The four other men in the match, and countless others from the outside, are forced to come to the ring to attempt to keep these two men apart. The fans chant “Let them fight!” as the majority of the CHIKARA locker room seperates them.

Leonard F. Chikarason comes out. He says every time Brodie and Claudio are in the ring together, they break every single rule in the book. Chikarason says because of this, the next time they are in Philadelphia, Claudio and Brodie will meet in CHIKARA’s first ever steel cage match! Brodie runs back into the ring to attack, but is taken to the floor by many of the Rudos. Claudio flies over the top rope onto the sea of wrestlers and continues to beat on Brodie. Eventually, they are separated for good, with each men staring one another down.

Eddie Kingston is shown outside in the New Alhambra parking lot; it is pouring rain. Kingston says he can’t believe Lince is the only one who kicks out of the Backfist. He says yet the people still boo him, and he doesn’t get it. Eddie says he doesn’t hate Lince; he loathes him. He says he loathes him because he cares so much about impressing the fans. Kingston says he is confused as to why Lince wants the fans to accept him, when none of them will be there at his funeral. Eddie adds that he isn’t going to be Lince’s catalyst to get him over. Eddie says he is going to bury Lince.

The 411: The first half of the show was nothing special, but I think the Youngs Lions Cup defense and both six man tags were great. I enjoyed watching the show overall and don’t think anyone would be disappointed with it. However, if you do choose to skip it, you’re not missing a whole heck of a lot except for a really awesome main event angle.
Final Score:  7.5   [ Good ]