wrestling / Columns
The CHIKARA Special 7.11.10: The Animal Kingdom
Welcome back to the latest installment of The CHIKARA Special. You know the drill, let’s do this already.
We’re just a few weeks away from one CHIKARA’s largest shows in its company’s history; Chikarasaurus Rex: King of Show. Coming one night after the one year anniversary of Dragon Gate USA, CHIKARA is putting on a super show featuring the talent of Dragon Gate and Dragon Gate USA, as well as other special guests across the independent wrestling landscape. As of this column, five matches have been announced for the show.
The most recent addition to the card is this trios revenge match. The UnStable led the Osirian Portal to believe that they had turned over a new leaf, by showing the Portal signs of respect and acting outraged when Colin Delaney interfered in Vin’s singles match against Amasis. We learned in Cleveland during the Vin Gerard/STIGMA vs. Amasis/Ophidian tag team match that the UnStable had been putting us on the whole time and that they still waved the Rudo flag high and proud. Needless to say, the Osirian Portal did not appreciate being played and are out looking for revenge. Since they were at a 3 on 2 in Cleveland, the Portal decided to even the playing fields. In a recent Podcast Update, the Portal revealed who that man to even the playing field would be…
And there you have it. At Chikarasaurus Rex, The Osirian Portal will team up with Drake Younger to take on the UnStable. Drake actually has had a past with the UnStable. Vin pinned Drake in the semi-finals of the Young Lions Cup VI Tournament . Drake would go on to receive a YLC shot at Vanity & Violence, but Shane Storm (now STIGMA) cost him that match.
When Drake got a revenge match against STIGMA in Illinois, Colin Delaney and Vin Gerard would interfere in that match. Although it’s almost been two years, Drake is not a very forgiving individual and will be more than happy to join the Osirian Portal’s cause to put The UnStable in their place.
Competition. This is all that Sara Del Rey and Daizee Haze of the BDK have been asking for for the past couple of years. To their credit, the competition put in front of them usually falls. Los Ice Creams, Incoherence, the Osirian Portal, and the Colony have all been put down by these femme fatales. However, it’s been awhile since they’ve faced any female competition in CHIKARA. Well, that ends at Chikarasaurus Rex:
For the first time ever, Amazing Kong and Raisha Saeed will make their CHIKARA debuts. These two girls basically need no background. Kong has been a force across the wrestling landscape in SHIMMER, NWA, TNA, and many other independent companies. She recently reemerged on the independent scene by facing Sara at Ring of Honor’s “Supercard of Honor V” show, and looks to make an impact in CHIKARA as well. With her sidekick Raisha by her side, Daizee and Sara certainly have their hands full. Which duo of “cream of the crop” women’s wrestlers will take this match and get one point towards a Campeonatos de Parejas shot under their belt?
Dragon Gate has somewhat of a generational war going on. Many of the first gen Dragon Gate/Toryumon class has conglomerated into the Veteran Army (the groups known as WARRIORS and the Zetsurins). Three members of the Veteran Army (CIMA, Masaaki Mochizuki, & Dragon Kid) will team up to take on F.I.S.T. Lately, the veteran CHIKARA guys have come together to help oust the Brüderschaft des Kreuzes, but Icarus and Gran Akuma (from the first and second class of CHIKARA students, respectively) have kept their hands clean of the situation. However, this clash of veterans from their respective groups should be interesting. The odd man out of the veterans club is Chuck Taylor. However, Chuck makes his Dragon Gate USA debut the night before Chikarasaurus Rex, and with a few of the Dragon Gate factions looking for American representation, Chuck has thrown his name in the proverbial hat of candidates:
This provides a rift in Team F.I.S.T., as Gran Akuma is currently a member of Kamikaze USA and they don’t seem to be looking for any other members at the moment. When CIMA asked for American recruits, a few people threw out Chuck Taylor as someone they would like to see join WARRIORS International. Will that come into effect in this trios match?
In addition to that, F.I.S.T. have been having some problems ever since Johnny Gargano stuck his nose in their business and claimed their was a “weak link” amongst them. Since no names were specifically given, fingers began being pointed in blogs amongst a few F.I.S.T. members. First, Chuck Taylor dropped this blog:
You know, for a guy I’ve met less times than countries I’ve wrestled in (5 countries, maybe 3 meetings,) you sure do have a lot to say about my friends and I. You claim to be a fan of F.I.S.T. and yeah, who wouldn’t be? Well, every fan of ours out there (especially our mothers,) knows that we have never had a problem amongst ourselves. Never an ill-word spoken in the group. Yet here you come, trying to stir up trouble. Well, you wanna know who I blame for our loss at King of Trios? You.
Oh, and Gran Akuma.
You see, I’m watching the match with Team Osaka Pro from King of Trios right now (with “Take on Me” by A-Ha in the background…at least for 3:50 of the match,) and the more I see, the more I see Akuma as the weak link. Yeah, I lost the fall, but homeboy cheated. Tadasuke pulled my tights! He pulled them down and the Philly fans almost got to know me a lot better! But it shouldn’t have come to that. Anytime F.I.S.T. had a chance to pull off the win, there was Akuma’s ego to give it right back to them. If you were really looking for a weak link, you’d be looking at him, not me.
But I digress, Gargoochi. If you are actually a fan of F.I.S.T. you would know that when people mess with us, they get hurt. Not only do they get hurt, they don’t come back. The trail of bodies we’ve left behind is legendary. John, F.I.S.T. is as cohesive and strong as ever, and there isn’t even the smallest bit of infighting. So go back to making internet shows on your webcam in your parents’ basement kid, and leave the ‘rasslin to the men.
Yours truly, The Kentucky Gentleman,
CT
Of course, with Gran Akuma being outed in his blog, Gran Akuma had a response for Chucky T:
I was there. King of Trios – Night 2. I watched our dream of repeating as KOT champs go down the drain as Tadasuke rolled you up for the win. Three no-names from Osaka Pro made their names at the expense of F.I.S.T. I could have singled you out. Called you the weak link. Laid the blame at your feet. But I never did.
Don’t go thinking that’s because I’m a nice guy. I’m not. I kick people’s teeth down their throats for fun. I’ve faced off against some of the best wrestlers the world has to offer. I know a weak link when I see one.
A lot has changed for F.I.S.T. since 2003. We went from tecnicos to rudos. We went from a duo to a trio. We’ve been champions and challengers. But one thing has never changed for us. The weak link has always been Icarus. I’m not trying to stir the pot, but let’s get the record straight on that one.
Don’t listen to that idiot Gargano.
GA
Naturally the question should be asked: will this be the last Trios match for F.I.S.T.? A lot of it could hinge on whether or not they’re able to win the match, but with so much tension and in-fighting, it seems plausible (and likely) that the most dangerous trio in CHIKARA will implode any moment now. Will these three be able to keep it together to at least beat CHIKARA’s veterans, or will the Veteran Army topple the triumvirate mired in turmoil?
A few months ago, before Aniversario weekend, Jigsaw posted a blog saying how he and Mike Quackenbush were making people take notice in Dragon Gate USA:
Ya see people know that we’re the top tag team on the circuit. We’ve earned that respect. When two of the pound-for-pound best wrestlers in the world, Masato Yoshino and Naruki Doi, come up to you and say they want to face you to see who is best – you’re impressing all the right people. You know you’ve earned their respect. That’s what it takes to make a name for yourself on a worldwide basis.
So why is it that at our home base, CHIKARA, people look right past us? They show us no respect. Well Bruderschaft, you aren’t going to be looking past us at Aniversario. We’re going to show the fans in Union City what the DG USA crowd already knows – we beat ’em big, we beat ’em small, we beat ’em all!
JIG
In that match at Aniversario, Jigsaw and his team did indeed defeat the Brüderschaft when Jigsaw hit Pinkie Sanchez with the Jig N’ Tonic. In the blog however, it mentions how Naruki Doi & Masato Yoshino wanted to get a crack at him and Quackenbush. While you think a tag match would come from this, CHIKARA has thrown a curve ball and instead given us a trios match.
Joining Quackenbush and Jigsaw will be fellow CHIKARA veteran Hallowicked, who has been teaming with Quack as Team Frightning here and there and with Jigsaw in some Atomicos matches. Joining Speed Muscle will be their World-1 faction mate and current Open The Freedom Gate Champion BxB Hulk. Doi actually scored a victory over Quack and Jigsaw at the DGUSA “Uprising” event with Pac, so the CHIKARA Sekigun are certainly looking for a measure of revenge. The World-1 trio also beat the WARRIORS trio of CIMA, Gamma, and Dragon Kid at DGUSA’s “Mercury Rising” event, proving that they are one of the most dominant factions at the moment. This should be an absolutely epic trios match, and I think the fans will be pleased with this one.
Back at Aniversario Elf, Tommy Dreamer gave Eddie Kingston the same opportunity that Terry Funk gave Dreamer many years ago; a chance to face his childhood idol one on one. This match was proposed back at King Of Trios when Dreamer came out after Kingston defeated Christopher Daniels. During Dreamer and Kingston’s match, BDK referee Derek Sabato interjected himself. Dreamer looked to piledrive him, but Claudio Castagnoli and Ares made the save. However, Dreamer and Kingston took out BDK ring announcer Jakob Hammermeier with a Backfist to the Future and a Spicolli Driver. Right after this, Dreamer laid out a tag team challenge against Claudio and Ares for this show, back in Dreamer’s old stomping grounds of the ECW Arena. Keep in mind this is NOT for the Campeones de Parejas, as Dreamer and Kingston have won no tag team matches in CHIKARA previously. This is merely a grudge match, and considering the participants, things could get crazy. Eddie and Claudio have been at each others throats ever since Kingston refused to show Claudio the respect he rightfully won in a Respect match back at Three-Fisted Tales. Since then, Kingston has been trying his best to go through the members of the BDK, coming up unsuccessful when the BDK would use nefarious tactics and successful when the playing field was even. Claudio is also unhappy because Kingston caused him, Ares, and Tursas to lose their first match as a trio to the Soul Touchaz in Michigan a couple weekends ago. But hey, Claudio had just cost Kingston his match against Bryan Danielson, so all’s fair in love and war right? This match could possibly be a war, and it will be interesting to say what the implications of CHIKARA’s future are after this match.
Chikarasaurus Rex: King of Show takes place Sunday, July 25th from The Arena (formerly New Alhambra/ECW) in South Philadelphia, PA. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. You can pick up tickets at the newly revamped CHIKARA shop.
Aside from Chikarasaurus Rex, CHIKARA has another large event going on this summer: the annual Young Lions Cup tournament! The weekend of August 27th, 28th, and 29th, 24 of the world’s finest young athletes (25 years or younger) will congregate in Reading, PA to vie for the Young Lions Cup. So far, 10 of the competitors have been announced for this year’s tournament.
The first competitor announced is a man who has been looking to hold the Young Lions Cup ever since debuting in 2007. Lince Dorado, the only BDK representative in the tournament, enters his 4th tournament in the hopes of keeping the Cup in the BDK family (transitioning from current cup holder Tim Donst). Dorado has had multiple chances to win the Cup in the past, and has made it as far as the semi-finals in every tournament he has entered. This time now, Dorado is more focused and more vicious than ever before. Will this year finally be the year the Golden Lynx takes the Cup?
Next up is the rookie of the Colony, Green Ant, making his first ever attempt to win the Young Lions Cup. With the other two hormigas out of YLC contention, it’s up to Green Ant to bring the Cup home to the queen. Green Ant has really improved since his debut in July, and certainly has impressed in most of his outings. Taking the Cup home roughly one year after his debut would be quite the feat and really bring his game up to the next level. Will Green Ant be able to oust the competition and take the Cup home for CHIKARA?
Up next is Slam McNasty himself, Sugar Dunkerton. Dunkerton’s partner Dasher Hatfield usually would enter the tournament, reverting back to his default personality of Create-A-Wrestler. Now that he’s stuck with the Dasher Hatfield persona (and could perhaps be above the YLC age limit at this point), his buddy Sugar will have to represent the Throwbacks by himself. While Dunkerton’s record has been spotty at best, he has helped defeat former YLC champion Chuck Taylor in two separate bouts as well as former YLC holders Vin Gerard and STIGMA in both tag and trios action. Could these past tussles prove useful in his quest towards the Young Lions Cup?
Since their accomplishments are essentially one in the same, I’ll group the next two participants in this tournament together: Amasis & Ophidian, The Osirian Portal. The Portal have only participated in one previous tournament, with each member getting to the semi-finals. In his semi-final match, Ophidian was able to pin two competitors (Lince Dorado & Tim Donst) back to back in a matter of seconds and Amasis pinned Pinkie Sanchez. Hmm, what do those guys have in common? Since then, the Osirian Portal were able to hold the Campeonatos de Parejas for nearly 11 months and traveled to Japan for a short tour of ZERO-1. Out of these two, Ophidian has the stronger chance of winning as he won the 2010 Rey de Voladores just a few short months ago, giving him the stronger advantage as an individual competitor. Chuck Taylor won the Rey de Voladores and Young Lions Cup tournament in the same year, could Ophidian do the same? Or could the Funky Phaoroah dance his way to that shiny golden cup?
One guy who’s been making his name known across the independents in 2010 is the man with power-hour, Johnny Gargano. Gargano has made a big splash in the Midwest independent scene, specifically the Cleveland area. In late 2009, Gargano made an even bigger splash by joining the ranks of Dragon Gate USA, and then EVOLVE in 2010. Since then, Gargano has become a more refined and polished act and was the first person to sign a DGUSA contract. As far as his CHIKARA career goes, Gargano debuted back at the Young Lions Cup VI tournament where he lost to the Soul Touchaz Marshe Rockett in Round One. He would come back later in the year to lose to Jimmy Olsen in CHIKARA’s Cleveland debut. He finally made his return to CHIKARA in the King of Trios tournament after winning AIW’s Jack of All Trios tournament with Louis Lyndon and Flip Kendrick. Even though he lost in the first round, Gargano stuck around to watch Team F.I.S.T. lose to Team Osaka Pro on Night Two of the tournament (Gargano was even wearing a F.I.S.T. shirt while doing so!) While Gargano has used the internet to stir the pot between F.I.S.T., he did make a return in Cleveland to defeat Player Uno in a singles match. Later that night, Gargano won a four-way match to win AIW’s vacant championship belt and then immediately defended it in a 30 minute draw with Bryan Danielson. So yes, Gargano wrestled three matches in one night and still walked away the champion. This says a lot about Gargano’s ability and stamina, which could take him a long way in this tournament. In addition to that, Gargano will be defending his AIW Championship against current YLC champion Tim Donst at the next AIW show “Youth Gone Wild” next weekend. This match will give him more experience against a Young Lions Cup caliber contender. Will The Bees Knees, The Cat’s Pajamas, and the Whole Shebang make a bigger impact in CHIKARA by taking what rookies prize most? Will he have any interaction with F.I.S.T. over the three day weekend?
From Italian Championship Wrestling comes Kaio, a guy who’s won the award for “Best Italian Wrestler” two years in a row. Kaio has won multiple titles and tournaments in Europe, including the ICW Triple Crown (their three major titles). Not much is known about Kaio outside of Italy, which certainly serves as an advantage for him in the tournament. The Young Lions Cup has often been a platform for relatively unknown wrestlers to come in and make a name for themselves. While Kaio is certainly well heralded in his home country, the Young Lions Cup tournament certainly serves as a platform for springboarding his name nationwide and beyond. Will Kaio come in and impress a brand new audience?
Another guy who has been making a name for himself on the U.S. Independent scene is Adam Cole. Cole, a trainee of the CZW Wrestling school, has been embroiled in a feud with Sabian in CZW while also teaming up with fellow classmate Adam Veritas in tag team action. Cole is also the current reigning CZW World Junior Heavyweight Champion. Aside from CZW, Cole has competed in EVOLVE and Dragon Gate USA. Cole enters the Young Lions Cup tournament looking to further stretch out his reach on the U.S. landscape, and defeating some of the hottest rookies in the business will do just that. Can Cole do CZW proud and bring home the Cup?
Like Kaio, little is known about Skull, a member of the Real Championship Wrestling promotion (which is helping CHIKARA run Baltimore in September). He was RCW’s rookie of the year, and is the current ACW cruiserweight champion. Other than that information (which CHIKARA told us), I know nothing of Skull. But like all the others, he’s coming in looking to make a name for himself.
Manabu Soya from All Japan Wrestling is the next to enter. He has been in North America for a bit now, wrestling mostly up in the Great White North. Trained by Seiji Sakaguchi, the lariat-wielding rookie steps into CHIKARA to take the Cup back to the land of the Rising Sun. Winning the Cup means Soya could get more bookings in the U.S., or even defend the Cup for the first time in Japan. Could Soya make history?
Next up is Kyle O’Reilly, a protégé of current ROH Tag Team Champion Davey Richards. O’Reilly has been making waves in EVOLVE, even defeating the first ever Young Lions Cup champion Hallowicked in an impressive showing. He’s competed on a few Dragon Gate USA cards on the pre-show, getting a chance to tangle with former Young Lions Cup holder Arik Cannon, and fellow tournament participants Johnny Gargano, Lince Dorado, and Adam Cole. O’Reilly doesn’t hold back when throwing kicks, and certainly has the tenacity to mow down everyone else in the tournament.
We’ll have more news on the announcements for the Young Lions Cup participants as they get announced throughout the month.
I am proud to announce that The CHIKARA Special will be holding a contest this summer. Myself and one Mr. Bryce Remsburg have teamed up for the “Write Bryce’s Wrestlicious Rap” contest.
What is a Wrestlicious rap you ask? In Season 1 of Wrestlicious, the ladies opened the show with a music video in which they would do a four-line rap about themselves. Here’s the video to give you a better understanding of what I am talking about:
While all these women have gotten their rightful time to shine by rapping on national television, it is a travesty that one of the most charismatic and gifted referees in all of wrestling, Bryce Remsburg, who does indeed referee for the company, has not been granted the same opportunity. Bryce himself has a few words on the matter:
“I have been very lucky in life and in my wrestling career. I have been fortunate enough to referee thousands of wrestling matches, in 4 countries and in 27 states, even on national television. Refereeing for season 1 of Wrestlicious’ TakeDown was a career highlight, nay, a life highlight. But something is missing. After seeing the finished, edited product, I see the lovely ladies get to rap in the opening! So jealous! So now, with the help of my friends at the CHIKARA Special, I want to make this dream a reality. I can spit dope rhymes with the best of them, but I need some ammo. PLEASE HELP ME, and we will all be the winners! Thanks so much!”
– Bryce
So with that said, it is now your chance to write the Wrestlicious Rap for Bryce. Who knows, perhaps he will get the opportunity to perform it!
Here are the rules:
1) Your entry must follow the same format of the original Wrestlicious rap in the video above. The two first lines must rhyme, and the last two lines must rhyme. The last word also MUST be Wrestlicious (obviously). It’s really the only way to go, as Bryce and I do not wish to tamper with the original performance, but rather to honor it.
2) One entry per person, please. We will accept both written submissions and audio submissions. You may also explain why your rap is the best off all, but in no way is that a requirement.
3) Please keep your entry “family friendly”. Keep in mind this is a televised program. If it’s clean enough for television, the more likely chance we have of actually getting Bryce’s rap on television
4) Entries will be judged on creativity, amusement, and other arbitrary categories made up on the spot. Entries will be co-judged by myself and Bryce Remsburg personally. To enter, email me by clicking the “E-Mail Kevin” button at the bottom of the column. Bryce and I will be in contact over each entry.
5) All entries must be submitted by midnight on Sunday, August 8th. Bryce and I will then announce the winner the weekend before the Young Lions Cup tournament in the August 21st edition of The CHIKARA Special.
6) Have fun! Bryce and I are both very excited to give you all the opportunity to do this and to see what you guys come up with.
7) There will be prizes for this contest. The winner of this contest will receive the 2nd Smart Mark Video sampler, which features matches that include Incoherence, Mike Quackenbush, Claudio Castagnoli, Davey Richards, Jon Moxley, and many others.The 2009 CHIKARA Sampler DVD, featuring five of the best matches from CHIKARA during the first half of 2009. Finall, the winner will also receive the single-disc “Best of CHIKARA DVD” released by Big Vision Entertainment in 2007, featuring 9 matches from 2005 and 2006.
Bryce and I look forward to seeing what you got, so throw your entries are way!
And as a bonus, here’s Arik Cannon and the North Star Express rapping, and ending the rap with a Wrestlicious Rap!
The 219th CHIKARA Podcast-A-Go-Go is live! This week, Wiggly and Bryce cover “Wit, Verve, and a Bit O’Nerve” from Easton, PA back in March. This episode covers two awesome matches: Mike Quackenbush, Jigsaw, & Incoherence vs. F.I.S.T. & The Order of the Neo-Solar Temple, as well as the Colony defending Los Campeonatos de Parejas against the BDK of Claudio Castagnoli & Ares.
Bryce Remsburg brings us the latest on “Chikarasaurus Rex: King of Show” in the CHIKARA Event Center.
Tim Donst talks about his upcoming AIW Absolution Championship title shot against current champion, Johnny Gargano at AIW’s upcoming “Youth Gone Wild” event.
My CHIKARA blog, The CHIKARA Special, is still going strong. I have tons of new reviews of and entire 2004 shows up there right now. Also, CHIKARA matches from other companies such as JAPW, ROH, FIP, PWG, and others will be up there shortly. Go there, subscribe to the blog (on the right) and continue reading my sweet CHIKARA related reviews. Subscriptions are good because: A) They let me know you’re reading and B) They get delivered right to your inbox. Its good times, so check it out and tell your friends about The CHIKARA Special.
This week, myself and Jerome Cusson conducted a podcast at Pro Wrestling Ponderings in which we talk random stuff such as “Joe vs. Punk II” (which I watched for the first time EVER this week), Tag Wars 2010, and much more. Get yer listen on right here!
Brad Garoon’s blog, Open The Garoon Gate is all about Dragon Gate and Dragon Gate USA. He reviews every Infinity, PPV, appearance of a Dragon Gate wrestler in the U.S. and other Japanse promotions , etc. Almost daily Brad has something new added to his tremendously large archive. You owe it to yourself to check out that blog, as well as his Toryumon and dragondoor/El Dorado/Secret Base blogs which you can find links to on his Dragon Gate blog.
Jake Ziegler, another Cool Kids Table founder, writes some fantastic wrestling DVD reviews in his A 2 Z Analyzis. This guy has been working so hard, reviewing every single TNA Victory Road show as well as many, many recent ROH DVD’s. Be sure to check his stuff out!
Ari Berenstein gives us his thoughts on the upcoming Tag Wars 2010, “Civil Warfare”, and the latest SHIMMER Volume in this weeks Column of Honor.
If you have not begun listening, Mike Quackenbush and Clayton Morris (of FOX News & Friends) host a pop-culture podcast known as The Grizzly Bear Egg Cafe. Clayton and Mike talk about all things geek such as movies, music, television, comic books, tech stuff, and wrestling here and there. I find it wildly entertaining, as Clayton and Mike play off each other very well. It’s also really cool to hear Mike talk about non-wrestling stuff as well. So please, check out The Grizzly Bear Egg Cafe and subscribe to their podcast on iTunes.
That will do it for this weeks edition of the CHIKARA Special. In the mean time, please visit my nifty blog for some awesome CHIKARA reviews. Next week we’ll talk some Chikarasaurus Rex, Young Lions Cup VIII, and even more! Submit your reviews for Bryce’s contest NOW! See you in seven, and have a great week!
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