CHIKARA Review: Tag World Grand Prix 2008, Night Two

Oberhausen, Germany – 11.9.2008

Following the excellent Night One of the 2008 Tag World Grand Prix tournament, CHIKARA brings you the Second Night of the tournament from Oberhausen, Germany. Tonight, the six teams who advanced on night one compete once more in the semi-finals and final round. In addition, Mike Quackenbush and Claudio Castagnoli will meet in a two out of three falls contest. The losers of the round one tournament matches one night one will also be in action. What are we waiting for? Let’s get to it!

Commentary is provided by Mike Quackenbush, 2.0 (Jagged & Shane Matthews), Chuck Taylor,

Steve Douglas Interview

The show starts off with the wXw Champion, Steve Douglas, coming out with the title. Steve speaks in German, so I can’t completely translate what he is saying. The gist of the interview is that he will not defend his title tonight against Bad Bones as scheduled because he had a concussion. Instead, a four man mini-tournament for the new wXw champion will occur, with the first two matches occurring tonight. The already scheduled match of Mike Quackenbush vs. Claudio Castagnoli is now one of the two matches, and the other will see Bad Bones take on Big Van Walter. The winners of those two matches will face one another on a future wXw show to determine the new wXw Champion.

Tag World Grand Prix; Second Round
The Colony (Fire Ant & Soldier Ant) vs. The UnStable (Vin Gerard & STIGMA)

Fire Ant runs at Vin, and The UnStable retreats to the outside. Soldier Ant and Vin start off. They get into a vicious lock up with Soldier pushing Vin in the corner. Soldier Ant takes Vin down with a go behind, then brings him up into an abdominal stretch. Vin rolls down the back into a roll up for the one count. Vin works the wrist lock. Soldier rolls into his own, snapmares Vin to the mat, and forces him to salute. Soldier continues to crank on Vin’s wrist which he can’t seem to escape. Vin escapes with a vertical arm lift, locking Soldier’s arm. Soldier gets back to his feet and both men reach a stand still. Soldier Ant chops away at Vin. Soldier Ant nails a saluting forearm in the corner. Vin avoids a flurry of offense by Soldier, but is eventually caught in a spinning headscissors which sends Vin to the floor. STIGMA, comes in, as does Fire Ant. They execute nother vicious lock up, with Fire Ant gaining control. Fire Ant takes STIGMA over with an arm drag, then chops away. STIGMA reverses Fire Ant’s momentum and beats him in the corner. STIGMA nails a 360 mexican backbreaker and Vin Gerard comes in. Fire Ant manages to thwart there double team efforts and lands a series of offense on them. Soldier Ant dives through Fire Ant’s legs onto STIGMA on the floor. Fire Ant uses Vin’s body to wheelbarrow his way into the ring from the apron. Vin uses Fire’s momentum against him and lands a German suplex. This brings the match into the UnStable’s favor, with them isolating Fire Ant from his partner. Finally, Fire Ant rolls out of a double back drop out to the floor. Soldier Ant, as the legal man, jumps off the top rope with a plancha to the UnStable. Soldier takes out both men. Fire Ant and Soldier Ant hit the Ants Marching double neck breaker. The pin fall is interrupted by STIGMA who is then taken down by The Colony in the corner. Soldier Ant lands a big suplex for the two count. Both teams get in a suplexing duel, which The Colony win, suplexing both Vin and STIGMA down. The Colony both go up to the top rope and land a double stomp on The UnStable. The Colony rolls up the UnStable but only for the two count. Fire Ant tries to lift up STIGMA for the Beach Break, but STIGMA is to big. STIGMA strikes back with the Code breaker and a neck breaker. STIGMA heads to the top rope, and misses a senton on Fire Ant. Soldier Ant lifts up STIGMA and lands the TKO. Vin Gerard stops Soldier Ant from a top rope saluting headbutt, leg mares him off the top rope, and applies the STF! Soldier Ant rolls Vin into the CHIKARA Special! Vin manages to escape. Vin takes Soldier down the choke STO and applies the CHIKARA Special himself! Fire Ant breaks it up, nails The Beach Break, and gets the pin! The Colony advance to round two! The match overall was pretty darn good, but the ending sequence made this match great. The fans absolutely love The Colony, and had some awesome chants. This was a nice way to kick off the show. ***

Tag World Grand Prix; Second Round
The Osirian Portal (Amasis & Ophidian) vs. Tommy End & Andrew Patterson

Amasis and Tommy End start off. Amasis wrenches over End’s arm, but End turns it over and brings Amasis to the mat. Amasis takes End down by his leg and grapevines it. End and Amasis continuously reverse each others submissions on the mat, ending with End attempting a crucifix pin. End calls for a test of strength, which he spins into a wrist lock. He mares Amasis to the mat, and Amasis retreats to the ropes. Amasis sweeps End’s leg out from him, and End responds in kind by taking Amasis down into a heel hook. Each man tags in their respective partner. Patterson elbows Ophidian to get out of an arm hook, and rolls up Ophidian for a two. Ophidian takes Patterson down with a side headlock. Patterson and Ophidian get to their feet. Patterson takes Ophidian down with a leg lariat and a headscissor takedown. Amasis tags into the match. Patterson and Amasis mimic each others exact moments, including some dancing. Amasis challenges Patterson to a dance off, much to the fans delight. After the dance off ends, End and Ophidian come in. End blasts Ophidian with some uppercuts. The Portal charms End, and Patterson kicks them out of the ring. End is frozen in the ring, and Patterson tries to un-charm him. Amasis comes from behind, and snaps in End’s face with un-freezes him. End, not knowing what he is doing, kicks Patterson hard in the head. The Portal traps Patterson in the ring to take advantage of his situation. Patterson is able to escape Ophidian’s leg full nelson to tag in End. End comes in and destroys the Portal with a series of kicks to the head. Ophidian charms End from the mat, freezing him once more. Patterson un-charms him though, and End and Patterson hit a double Enzugiri on Ophidian for the two count. Amasis picks End up in a full nelson, then slams him face first to the mat. Ophidian catches Patterson with double knees to the chest. The Portal nail Patterson with the Osirian Sacrament for the victory! Another excellent tag contest; both teams looked very strong, and The Portal came off even stronger for beating the hometown favorites. **3/4

Tag World Grand Prix; Second Round
The Revolution Purple (Adam Polak & Lazio Fe) vs. Team England (Pac & Martin Stone)

The Revolution attack Pac and Stone before the introductions. Pac manages to block the double team efforts of the Revolution Purple and take down Fe with a slam and a corkscrew moonsault. Pac evades an attack from Polak and hits him with a leg lariat. Pac flips into a step-up Enzugiri on Fe. Fe banderas Pac to the apron. Pac tries to springboard in, but Fe kicks the ropes and Pac crumples to the mat. Polak is tagged in and works over Pac’s leg. He and Fe make continuous tags to keep each other fresh while also working on Pac’s legs. Pac kicked Polak to the outside and almost had the tag, but Fe runs in and cuts him off (while also attacking Stone) to prevent such a thing from occurring. Fe continues to physically mock Stone as he and Polak continue to punish Pac. Pac evades a double team and rolls to the floor to tag in Martin Stone. The Revolution Purple head to the floor and Stone follows. They throw Pac back into the ring which makes Pac the legal man once again. Pac Enzugiri’s Polak and avoids a double big boot in the corner. Pac lands an awesome shooting star, kicking both men in the back of the head. Stone is tagged in and uses throat thrust to take down both members of the Purple. Stone brutalizes both men with power moves. Stone hits a power bomb on Fe and Pac follows up with the shooting star press for the win! Team England makes it to finals of the Tag World Grand Prix, joining The Colony and The Osirian Portal. This was a greatly worked match with the story of Pac being in distress while Stone got hotter and hotter in the corner. The Purple played great cocky heels as well. **1/2

F.I.S.T. (Icarus & Chuck Taylor) and Emil Sitoci vs. The Thrillers (Joel Redman & Wade Fitzgerald) and Marc Roudin

F.I.S.T. and Sitoci are backstage. Chuck says even though they lost the Tag World, they have Sitoci to help them kill The Thirllers and Marc Roudin (Sitoci’s rival, apparently). Sitoci says there was a clause forbidding them to wrestle one another for six months, but they will face one another tonight.

Roudin and Emil start off with a quick lock up. Emil tags Icarus in almost instantly after he and Roudin first touch. Icarus and Roudin lock up, and Roudin takes him down with a suplex into an arm bar. Icarus rolls into a wrist lock, and Roudin counters with one of his own. Off the ropes, Roudin catches Icarus with an arm drag to the floor. Icarus picks up a wicker chair and threatens to use it. Wade and Chuck Taylor come in as the legal men. Wade works over Chuck’s wrist. Taylor switches over into a side headlock. Taylor takes Wade down with a couple shoulder tackles. Wade trips Chuck on his third attempt, then grabs his nose. Chuck screams, and kicks Wade in the gut. Wade and Chuck do a few more comedy spots, and Wade gets the advantage with a headscissors out of the corner. Chuck retreats to his corner. Emil and Joel come in. Joel takes Emil down with a couple arm drags, then works over the arm. Emil comes off with a flying back elbow to Joel and clotheslines him to the floor. Emil comes over and slaps Marc Roudin, but Icarus blind tags himself into the match. Icarus chocks Marc in the Rudos corner with his boot. Chuck also interjects himself, raking Marc’s eyes. F.I.S.T. keep Marc in their corner while Emil teases him. Emil comes in when Marc is unable to defend himself. Marc manages to get in a small flurry of offense, but Emil hops over the top rope to the floor to escape. Marc follows, bringing in Chuck Taylor and Joel Redman as the legal men. The Thrillers double team Chuck with Japanese arm drags and double dropkicks. Icarus blind tags himself in, and F.I.S.T land a double team face buster on Wade. The Rudoes isolate Wade, mocking his partners as they work him over. Taylor misses a moonsault on Wade, allowing Wade to roll to the floor for the pin. Chuck tags in Emil, and Marc Roudin comes in as well! Marc wastes no time taking it to Emil. Marc sends Emil to the floor and hits the ropes, but Chuck trips him and brings him outside. Inside the ring, Joel hits a jackhammer variation in Icarus, and Emil breaks up the pin attempt. Emil catches him with a big boot, and Marc breaks up that pin. F.I.S.T. take Marc out with some kicks to the head and a back cracker, and yet he manages to kick out. Joel suplexes Icarus to the outside, and his weight carries him out as well. Wade dropkicks Chuck to the floor, and dives onto him. Emil and Marc are left in the ring. Things break down in the ring with men fighting everywhere. Emil lands a spinning tombstone piledriver on Wade to pick up the win for him and F.I.S.T.! This was very good; all six men worked hard and told a real good story. The Emil/Marc storyline played an integral part in the match, so I am glad they explained it before hand. ***1/4

The Fight Club (Lionheart & Kid Fite) and Sha Samuels vs. 2.0 (Jagged & Shane Matthews) and Karsten Beck

The Fight Club and Sha Samuels attack 2.0 and Beck before the bell. 2.0 and Karsten quickly come back, taking it specifically to Sha Samuels. They take turns beating on him, until Beck is attacked by The Fight Club from the apron. Kid Fite even uses the referee to help take out Beck’s leg. The Rudos make frequent tags to beat down on Beck while keeping one another fresh. Beck almost splashed Lionheart in the corner, but Lionheart evaded the attack and crashed into Beck with a bicycle kick and a splash. 2.0 start chants and yell in anger as they watch their partner get annihilated by their opponents. Beck fires up and attacks Kid Fite in the corner, and even beats down Sha and Lionheart in their corner. Beck is caught with a leg lariat from Kid Fite, and manages to kick out. 2.0 yells at Beck for not tagging out, but still gets the fans behind him. Sha adds insult to injury by choking Beck with 2.0’s own headband! Beck avoids an attack from Lionheart and punts him in the head. Beck almost has the tag, but Kid Fite jumps in and knocks 2.0 off the apron. Beck finally tags in both members of 2.0, who hit the flip, flop, and fly on The Fight Club. 2.0 double teams Sha Samuels until Kid Fite breaks it up. Kid Fite turns a powerbomb into a DDT on Jagged, then Shane lands a swinging neck breaker on Fite. Lionheart catches Shane with a superkick then heads up to the top rope. Shane counters a frog splash by putting up the knees. Jagged comes in, and 2.0 lands a wheelbarrow lung blower on Lionheart! Sha throws Jagged outside, leaving him and Beck as the legal men. Sha school boys Beck and holds the tight to get the three count! A very fun six man tag here. The fans loved 2.0 and Sha did an awesome job playing to the crowd. Everyone looked good too. Thumbs up! **3/4

Shane Matthews gets on the mic, and says that Germany has now felt the flow of 2.0! Boo ya!

wXw Championship Qualifying Match
Mike Quackenbush vs. Claudio Castagnoli

Claudio pushes Quack into the corner. Claudio applies a headlock and wrenches on Quack’s head. Quack works out of into a wrist lock. Claudio turns it into his own wrist lock, which Quackenbush twists out of into a hip drag. Claudio takes Quack back down to the mat, working over his left arm. Quack nips up and arm drags Claudio out of a wrist lock. Both men reach a stalemate, and Claudio heads to the outside to take a breath. Claudio seems sick of the fans constant chants and begins to get angrier as they continue. Claudio keeps entering and leaving the ring to break the referee’s count. Claudio looks like he’s going to leave, but Quack grabs him in a headlock on the apron and rags him over the top rope back into the ring. Quack grabs a headlock, and a shoulder block and drop down can’t help Claudio. Quack catches Claudio with a flying headlock takeover. Claudio puts Quack on the top rope and slaps him in the face. Quack comes off with another flying headlock takedown. Claudio picks him up and back drops him down. Claudio drops an elbow and gets a two count. Both men look to gain the upper hand, and Quack gets it with a cartwheel arm drag from the top rope. Quack goes right back to the headlock on the mat. Claudio gets Quack in the corner and delivers some chops and forearms. Quack looks for a Yoshi Tonic, but spins out into another arm drag! Quack monkey flips Claudio then heads up top. Quack goes for a cross body but Claudio catches him in a sidewalk slam. Claudio stretches Quack. Claudio hits a boot then teases his spin out European, but instead applies a headlock. Quack quickly gets out and hits a spinning heel kick. Quack mocks Claudio’s tease from earlier, also leading into a headlock. Claudio lands a jaw breaker to escape. Claudio dead lifts off the mat onto his shoulders into a Samoan drop for a couple of two counts! Claudio looks for a choke slam, but Quack arm drags out of it. Claudio gets up and this time nails the choke slam for a two count. Claudio grabs Quack’s ear and pulls away at it. Claudio throws Quack by the ear out of the corner. Claudio applies a bear hug, which counters into a pinning combination.
Claudio reapplies the Bear Hug, and Quack grabs Claudio’s ears. Quack then claps the ears and hits the mid-section to escape. Claudio runs at Quack, but Quack monkey flips him to the floor. Quack lands a beautiful moonsault from the top to the outside! Back in the ring, Quack chips Claudio multiple times. Quack wheelbarrows into a small package for the two count. Quack lands a La Mistica into a crucifix pin for the two. Quack looks for a rana, and rolls through into a sunset flip. Claudio grabs his legs and picks up Quack for a pair of Big Swings! Quack palm strikes Claudio and hits the ropes. Claudio blasts him with a European Uppercut and gets a two count. Claudio looks for the Ricola Bomb, but Quack slides through. Quack banderas to the apron and is placed on the top rope. Claudio looks for a back suplex off the top. After Quack fights it off for some time, Claudio hooks Quack’s arms looking for the Ricola Bomb. Quack palm strikes Claudio off the top rope and follows up with a dragonrana! Quackenbush only gets a two. Claudio low blows Quack behind the referee’s back then hits the Sweet Schwinn Music! Claudio follows up with The Ricola Bomb, and this one is over. It’s nearly impossible for these two to have a bad match with one another. It was interesting seeing Claudio come in as a Tecnico, and become a full blown Rudo by the end of the match. The crowd ate this one up and it served a great purpose for the future of the wXw Championship. ***3/4

wXw Championship Qualifying Match
Bad Bones vs. Big Van Walter

These two mammoths lock up twice, each time a different man getting the advantage. Bones goes for a series of shoulder blocks, and fails. Walter goes for a trip, buy Bones trips him up. Walter goes to the floor to re-adjust. When Walter gets back in, both men lock up in a test of strength. Bones rolls back to get the advantage, and puts on a top wrist lock. Walter catches Bones with a knee to the gut and an elbow drop after reversing the wrist lock. Walter splashes for the two count. Walter mares Bones down but misses an elbow. Bones hits a standing frog splash for the two. Bones turns inside out in the corner, and Walter picks him up for a sidewalk slam. He goes for the pin but only gets two. Sha Samuels comes out to the ringside area to cheer on Big Van Walter. Walter continues to punish Bones and pose for the crowd. Sha attacks Bones on the apron while Walter distracts the referee. Walter misses a big splash in the corner, allowing Bones to retaliate with a spear in the corner. Walter catches Bones with a big boot, but Bones kicks out at two. Sha interjects himself again, choking Bones on the ropes. Walter puts on a camel clutch. Walter continues to punish Bones with hard offense. Bones ducks out of a move, and hits a clothesline on Walter. Walter clotheslines Bones off the apron to the floor. Walter continues his attack on the floor. Walter tosses Bones into the wall and even into the area of wicker chairs. Bones is able to make it back to the ring before he is counted out, even with Sha Samuels trying to prevent his re-entry. Walter continues to maul Bones, avoiding a spear which sends Bones into the corner. Walter lands a sweet dropkick off the top rope, and Bones immediately jumps up and spears Walter. Walter chops Bones, but this fires Bones back up! Bones lands a suplex after some slaps to Walter’s face. Bones fights out of a Samoan drop and lariats Walter right in the face! Walter manages to kick out. Bones fights out of a powerbomb attempt, but Walter just turns it into a Boston Crab. Bones grabs the ropes to the pleasure of the fans. Walter hits a lariat but Bones kicks out. Walter hits the Back Drop Driver and Bones kicks out of that too! Bones turns a powerbomb attempt into an Air Raid Crash to get the three count! Bones and Claudio will face each other for the wXw Championship at some point in the future. This match was good, but pretty long. It felt that there was a period of nothing going on when Walter was getting the heat on Bones. The end was quite good though. And I should mention Jagged and Chuck Taylor were on commentary, and were both awesome! **3/4

Claudio Castagnoli comes out and puts his hand out for a shake. Bones goes to shake it, but Claudio low blows him and lands the Ricola Bomb! Claudio stands on Bones’ chest and poses. He then grabs the mic and cuts a promo in German.

2008 Tag World Grand Prix Finals
Three-Way Elimination Rules
The Colony (Fire Ant & Soldier Ant) vs. The Osirian Portal (Amasis & Ophidian) vs. Team England (Pac & Martin Stone)

Fire Ant, Pac, and Ophidian start off. A three man lock up looks to occur, but Ophidian chooses to abstain. Pac and Fire Ant mix it up with the fans solidly behind Fire Ant. Fire Ant locks Pac’s legs up and then works over the arm. Pac works up and applies pressure to Fire’s arm. Fire Ant takes him over with a fireman’s carry, and Ophidian attacks Fire Ant. Fire hoists up Ophidian, and each men fights for a suplex. Fire Ant wins taking Ophidian over. Fire Ant takes him down with a fireman’s carry. Pac jumps off Fire Ant’s back and dropkicks Ophidian to the outside. Amasis jumps in as the legal man, and Pac and Fire Ant kick him in the gut. They take turns nailing Amasis in the corner, then is kicked down by Fire Ant. Pac lands a corkscrew splash, but Fire Ant pulls Pac off Amasis when he goes for the pin. Fire Ant tosses Amasis to the floor. Fire and Pac both fake out the Portal with a dive and high five. The Portal pulls Martin Stone down and attack him on the outside. Pac goes to check on his partner while The Colony also heads outside. The Tecnicos all check on Stone who appears to be hurt. The Portal mock and laugh at Stone inside the ring. Referees and other officials check on Stone. Meanwhile, Pac bravely tries to take on both members of the Portal. The Portal manages to beat The Colony down each time they try to get in the ring. The Portal relentlessly target the leg that Pac had worked earlier tonight in his match with the Revolution Purple. Stone is helped to the back leaving Pac to fight for himself. Pac evades an attack from the Portal sending them both to the arena floor. Pac goes up top and comes down with a shooting star press onto the Portal! The Colony heads outside as well. Soldier Ant beats on the Portal, while Fire Ant climbs a metal structure. Fire Ant leaps off with a plancha suicida onto The Portal and Soldier Ant! Pac immediately throws Ophidian back into the ring and goes up top. Pac goes for a corkscrew splash, but hits Ophidian’s waiting knees. Ophidian rolls up Pac and pins him! Pac and Stone are officially eliminated.

The Colony head back into the ring. Fire Ant chops away at Ophidian and slams him into the corner. Ophidian comes back with a second rope assisted spinning headscissors. Ophidian runs at Fire Ant, but Soldier Ant leaps off the top onto Ophidian. Ophidian accidentally chops Amasis, and he comes in to yell at Ophidian. Fire Ant jumps off the top rope and dropkicks both of them to the outside of the ring. The Colony each go up top rope and plancha onto each member of the Osirian Portal. Fire Ant and Amasis end up back in the ring. Fire Ant goes for a couple pinfalls but to no avail. He tags in Soldier Ant, and the Colony hit a double big boot. Soldier takes down Amasis, and Fire Ant follows up with the Rolling Thunder for a two count. Soldier Ant tries for a German Suplex, but Amasis carries Soldier over to his corner where Ophidian kicks him in the head. The Portal isolate Soldier Ant, and The Portal seemingly keeps trying to take his mask off (odd, considering that’s an instant disqualification). Soldier Ant tries to roll out of the ring to the floor, only to be cut off by Ophidian. Ophidian antagonizes Fire Ant as he and Amasis continue their duumvirate beat down. Soldier Ant ducks under a clothesline from Amasis and rolls to the floor, legally tagging in Fire Ant! Fire Ant comes in and takes down Amasis and Ophidian with forearms, chops, and a fireman’s carry. Amasis turns around a monkey flip, and The Osirian Portal lock for the stack-up superplex. Fire Ant stops them, and Soldier Ant puts Fire Ant on his shoulders. Both teams play a game of chicken, which the Colony wins. The Colony stacks up the Portal in a tree of woe in the corner and hit the Ants Marching dropkick in the corner! Fire Ant lands a spinning power bomb on Ophidian for the two count. Fire Ant tosses Ophidian to the outside, and picks up Amasis, who is seemingly out cold on the floor. The Colony put Amasis on the top rope, and Fire Ant goes up with him. Fire Ant lands the super Fireman’s carry, and Soldier Ant follows up with the saluting headbutt. Amasis kicks out at two! Ophidian rolls his partner outside to tag himself in. He hits Soldier Ant with a few moves and goes for the pin. Fire Ant breaks it up. Fire Ant goes for the wheelbarrow stunner, but Ophidian locks on the Ophidian Death Grip! Fire Ant escapes and successfully lands the wheelbarrow stunner! Fire Ant goes up top and lands a senton. Amasis comes in, so Fire Ant breaks up the pin himself. Amasis and fire Ant go up top with Amasis in control. Fire Ant looks for a super Beach Break but gets thrown off the top. Ophidian lands a double knee strike, and Amasis follows up with a 450 splash! Fire Ant kicks out and the fans go nuts! Soldier Ant comes down and is tripped down by Ophidian. The Portal head up top and hit the Osirian Sacrament! At the last second, Fire Ant saves the tournament for his team! On the outside of the ring, Fire Ant lands The Beach Break on Amasis! Ophidian looks out to see what happened while Soldier Ant fires up behind him. Soldier Ant looks for the TKO, but Ophidian locks on the Death Grip! Fire Ant leaps off the top and smacks him with an Antzugiri! Soldier Ant locks on the CHIKARA Special and Ophidian taps! The Colony win the 2008 Tag World Grand Prix, and will get a shot at the Campeones de Parejas in the future! Wow; awesome last five minutes of the match. This was a hell of a final match, with a great story told and some great moments. The fans loved The Colony and were so happy to see them win. Awesome ending to a damn good weekend. ****1/4

The 411: Overall, Night 2 was better than Night 1, but I think people really need to watch both nights to get the gravity of the entire tournament overall. It was really cool seeing the CHIKARA regulars mix it up with some of the best wXw, IPW: UK, and World of Sport have to offer. Night 2 had some really great matches in the semi-finals, another fantastic match between Quack and Claudio, and a really awesome main event. And, as mentioned before, the crowd and commentary are both an awesome bonus as well. I suggest picking this up for sure.

Final Score:  9.2   [  Amazing ]