wrestling / Video Reviews
100 Percent Fordified: CHIKARA “Eye to Eye”
Baltimore, MD – 9.18.2010
Commentary is provided by Ultramantis Black, Colin Delaney, Bryce Remsburg, Gavin Loudspeaker, and Leonard F. Chikarason.
Jimmy “Equinox” Olsen vs. Delirious
Ares accompanies Delirious to the ring. Delirious dives for Equinox’s legs. Equinox takes down Delirious and applies a side headlock. Delirious applies one of his own. Equinox backs Delirious into the corner. Delirious goes to the floor to talk with Ares. Delirious knees Equinox in the gut back in the ring. Delirious takes him down with a shoulder block. Equinox takes Delirious over with a hurricanrana and hits him with a dropkick. Delirious goes to the floor. Equinox follows and chops Delirious a few times. Delirious responds with one of his own. Equinox hits a forearm and brings Delirious back into the ring. Delirious drop toe holds Equinox in the corner and hits the Panic Attack. Delirious cranks on Equinox’s neck. Equinox blocks a suplex and hits one of his own. Delirious hits a jawbreaker. Equinox pummels Delirious in the corner. Delirious knocks him down with a back elbow for two and chokes Equinox on the mat. Delirious goes to Equinox’s eyes as Equinox tries to make a comeback. Equinox tries a few pinning combinations but fails to secure the victory. Equinox hits a low hurricanrana for two. He follows up with a missile dropkick. Delirious hits a back elbow. He hits Equinox with an STO for two. Delirious looks for a Cobra Clutch. Equinox escapes and hits a 2k1 Bomb for two. Ares distracts Equinox, but Equinox throws Delirious into Ares to knock him off the apron. Delirious catches Equinox with the Bizarro Driver for the pin at 10:31. Solid opening match, but hopefully not an omen to the rest of the evening (i.e. the BDK winning every match). Delirious has done a good job in the role as the BDK’s pet. **1/2
The Soul Touchaz and their manager C. Red are backstage. C. Red says they remember what F.I.S.T. did to them the first time they were in CHIKARA (at King of Trios 2008), and claims that tonight they will finally defeat F.I.S.T.
The Soul Touchaz (Marshe Rockett, Acid Jaz, & Willie “da Bomb” Richardson) vs. Team F.I.S.T. (Icarus, Chuck Taylor, & Johnny Gargano)
Of course, C-Red accompanies the Soul Touchaz to the ring. Jaz smacks Gargano in the booty, which F.I.S.T. does not appreciate. Jaz does the same to Taylor. Jaz takes Gargano down in a wristlock. Gargano twists on Jaz’s left arm. Gargano and Jaz trade forearms. Jaz blocks a kick and lights up Gargano with strikes and an enzuigiri. Taylor tosses Jaz’s bandana back to him, after Taylor fails to put it on. Taylor knocks Rockett down with a shoulder block, and Rockett gives him a dropkick and a powerslam. Taylor rolls to the floor and gets checked on by his teammates. Icarus comes in and asks to take on Richardson. Icarus tries an attack but Richardson puts Icarus in a headlock. Richardson gives Icarus an armdrag and a hip toss. He then gorilla press slams Icarus. Rockett stomps on Icarus and hits a leaping legdrop. Richardson tags in and nails Icarus with a punch to the chest. Gargano comes in, and takes a Rydeen Bomb off the second rope from Richardson. Taylor breaks the pin. Jaz tags in and hits Gargano with more punches. Taylor knees Jaz in the back, allowing Gargano to spin kick Jaz in the jaw. F.I.S.T. isolate Jaz from the rest of his team and take turns getting in their shots. Jaz is able to hit Taylor and Icarus with a double DDT, which allows him to tag in Richardson. He gives all three members of F.I.S.T. a bionic elbow. He stacks them up in the corner. Jaz and Rockett splash hit a splash on all three in the corner. Richardson then pounces Gargano and Taylor, who roll to the floor. Rockett and Jaz hit stereo pescado’s on Taylor and Gargano. Richardson gives Icarus an Atomic Drop, and a BIG TIME pounce into the ropes. Taylor fights off Rockett on the floor. Richardson picks up Icarus in a delayed vertical suplex, but Taylor trips Richardson and holds his leg, allowing Icarus to score the pin at 13:06. What a fun match this was. F.I.S.T. is back to their wacky ways, and I wholeheartedly approve. It was also about time that this rematch happened, since it’s been requested for awhile now (and was attempted twice in the past). The Soul Touchaz continue to impress and I am glad that they got some shining moments this year. ***
Helios vs. Brodie Lee
Helios avoids a couple lock-ups, but Lee knocks him down with a shoulder block. Helios pushes Lee to the floor and hits the Sasuke Special. Lee kicks out before one back in the ring. Helios crossbody’s into a fallaway slam from Lee. Lee nails Helios with an uppercut and chokes him. Lee pops Helios into a clothesline. Lee hits a delayed vertical suplex for two. Lee chokes Helios on the middle rope. Lee gives Helios a pump-handle slam for two. Lee nails Helios with strikes in the corner. Helios ducks a big boot and skins the cat to the top rope. Helios hits Lee with The Sky Is Falling. Helios flips up into a hurricanrana and hits a side kick. He sends Lee to the corner with a headscissors. Lee slaps Helios on the top rope. Helios hits a tornado DDT and standing moonsault for two. Lee nails Helios with the Truck Stop for two. Helios sunset flips Lee for two. Helios kicks Lee in the back. He springboards off the top rope, and Lee nails him with a Big Boot for the pin at 6:23. An awesome finish to another fun match. Helios getting thrown around like a pinball was fun, and until the last couple moves everything he gave Lee was on point and believable. This was damn good for six minutes. **3/4
The Osirian Portal are backstage. Amasis says they have the opportunity to get three points in one match tonight. He and Ophidian agree that no matter who the teams are, they’re leaving Baltimore with three points. They begin to dance when Wink Vavasseur, Executive Auditor of the Board of Directors, walks by on his cell phone. He shakes hands with the Portal, and tells them he links what they’re doing. He winks at the camera and walks off, leaving the Portal confused.
Elimination Match
Incoherence (Hallowicked & Frightmare) vs. The Osirian Portal (Amasis & Ophidian) vs. The UnStable (Vin Gerard & STIGMA) vs. Obariyon & Kodama
Kodama is making his debut tonight, and looks damn near identical to Obariyon. Amasis wants Obariyon to engage in a dance off. Obariyon boots Amasis as he performs the Osirian swagger (a fantastic dance move). Amasis hits Obariyon with a dropkick and a leg lariat. The Portal knock down Obariyon with double back elbows and then hit a double elbow drop. Kodama comes in and dropkicks both members of the Portal to the floor. Kodama goes to the floor as well, bringing in Gerard and Frightmare. Frightmare wheelbarrows into an armdrag and hits a second one off of Gerard’s shoulders. Frightmare scares Gerard, and STIGMA comes in as the legal man. Hallowicked tags in and gives STIGMA a kick and a snapmare. Hallowicked takes a wristlock. STIGMA rolls out and forearms Hallowicked on the back. Hallowicked takes him over with a hurricanrana and htis a step-up enzuigiri for two. Frightmare tags in. STIGMA tackles him down and throws Hallowicked to the floor. STIGMA Finlay rolls Frightmare and Gerard hits him with a somersault senton for two. Gerard hits a brainbuster and tags in STIGMA. They double hip toss Frightmare then give him a tandem suplex. Gerard knocks Hallowicked to the floor, elbows Frightmare, then dives onto Hallowicked. Frightmare gives STIGMA a neckbreaker and a kneecolepsy to eliminate the UnStable at 5:56. Amasis flies in and takes down Obariyon. Kodama nails Amasis with a forearm and disposes Ophidian. Obariyon and Kodama double team Amasis, hitting some really cool sequences. Obariyon goes for the flying DDT, but Amasis catches him with a release Northern Lights suplex. Ophidian tags in and hits a clothesline. He sends Obariyon to the floor with a headscissors. Kodama grazes Ophidian with a knee strike. Ophidian hits a chin breaker and hits a twisting dive onto Obariyon on the floor. Kodama boots Amasis and hits a snapmare. Kodama hits a running boot. Amasis nails Kodama with a rolling forearm for the pin at 10:54, eliminating him and Obariyon. Amasis gives Frightmare a powerslam. Frightmare yakuza kicks Amasis, Ophidian hits Frightmare with a spinning head kick, and Hallowicked yakuza kicks Ophidian while Ophidian spin kicks Hallowicked. All four men chop and slap each other in a circle. Frightmare and Hallowicked accidentally hit each other. Ophidian rolls Hallowicked into a backslide for two. The Portal nail Hallowicked with a series of strikes, and Frightmare breaks their pin attempt. He sends Ophidian to the floor. He drops Amasis with a sit-out pumphandle driver for two. Ophidian comes back in and gives Hallowicked some shots in the corner. Frightmare hops over Hallowicked and takes Amasis down with a headscissors. Hallowicked hits Ophidian with Go Too Sleepy Hollow for two. Some awkwardness leads to Ophidian rolling up Hallowicked for two. Ophidian causes Hallowicked to DDT Frightmare. Amasis gives Hallowicked a crossbody for two. Incoherence take down both members of the Portal for two. Frightmare dives onto Amasis with a tope con hilo. Hallowicked looks for a Rydeen Bomb, but Ophidian reverses into a Prawn Hold for the pin at 15:56. The Portal leave the match with two points in tow. There was so many sloppy moments during this match and at times teams seemed like they didn’t know what they were doing or were on two different pages. It managed to be cohesive anyhow, so I give them some credit. I also think Kodama and Obariyon will make a good team with a little more polish. **3/4
Eddie Kingston says he considers Pinkie Sanchez a joke. He says that since Sanchez is with the BDK, he’s going to beat him down and have the last laugh.
Eddie Kingston vs. Pinkie “Pink Ant” Sanchez
Kingston boots Sanchez before the bell and hits a corner splash. Sanchez boots Kingston, but Kingston takes him over with a release suplex for two. Kingston chops Sanchez then peppers him with forearms as he traps Sanchez in the Camel Clutch position. Kingston kicks Sanchez square in the back. Sanchez blocks a backdrop driver and dropkicks Kingston’s legs out. Sanchez keeps on Kingston’s knee, and Kingston keeps throwing strikes. Sanchez chokes Kingston on the mat and ropes. Sanchez elbows Kingston and hits a springboard dropkick to his knee. Sanchez brings Kingston to the mat by his knee as he tries to make a comeback. Sanchez hits a running forearm. Kingston gives Sanchez a release German suplex in the corner. Kingston nails Sanchez with a lariat for two. Sanchez gives Kingston a knee strike to the side of the head for two. Kingston slaps Sanchez as Sanchez goes up top. Kingston gives him an enzuigiri. Kingston brings him off the top with an ace crusher. Kingston nails a Backdrop Driver and the Sliding D. He pounds the mat before nailing Sanchez with the Backfist to the Future for the pin at 7:57. This was exactly what this match needed to be. Kingston came in, beat the shit out of Sanchez, then walked to the back immediately after his job was finished. Sanchez going to Kingston’s knee was an excellent twist to make it seem like Sanchez had a fighting chance, but Kingston winning was the absolute right move in the end. I dug what these two did. ***
Mike Quackenbush & Jigsaw vs. The Brüderschaft des Kreuzes (Lince Dorado & Tim Donst)
Jigsaw and Quack dive in and a brawl ensues right away. Donst tosses Quack to the floor, and Jigsaw sends Donst to the floor. Quack nails Donst with a flying kick while Jigsaw hits Dorado with a knee strike. Jigsaw hits a suplex, Quack hits a senton, and Jigsaw hits a double stomp on Dorado. Donst comes in and Quack sunset flips him onto the ropes where Jigsaw meets him with a kick. Quack and Jigsaw knock Dorado off the apron and Quack dropkicks Donst on the mat. Jigsaw brings Dorado back into the ring. They trade chops in the corner. Jigsaw stretches Dorado in the Gory Special. Donst breaks the submission and knocks Quack to the floor. Jigsaw makes a quick comeback, but Donst catches him with an STO to put things back in his and Dorado’s control. Jigsaw drops Donst neck first off the apron and Quack comes in as the legal man. He knocks down Donst and hits a low dropkick to Donst’s head. Dorado immediately hops in with a back senton on Quack. Now it’s Quack who is at the mercy of the BDK duo. They target Quack’s arm while keeping Jigsaw at bay. Quack flips out of a double sweep and knocks Donst down with a back senton. Jigsaw tags in and nails Dorado with an enzuigiri. He hits a brainbuster and Donst breaks the pin. Jigsaw catches Donst with a boot. Dorado and Donst hit a tandem Quackendriver I for two. Donst gives Jigsaw the Donst Cap and Dorado follows up with a double stomp. Quack breaks the pin. Jigsaw and Quack hit stereo dropkicks and elbows. Jigsaw kicks Dorado and Quack palm strikes him out of the ring. Jigsaw and Quack superkick Donst to the floor and hit stereo tope con hilos. Jigsaw hits a springboard ace crusher on Donst, and Quack follows up with a springboard somersault senton. Dorado puts Quack on the top rope. Quack rolls through a hurricanrana, but Donst catches him with a Gator Roll. Dorado hits a Lynxsault for two. Donst disposes of Jigsaw. He misses a dive, and Jigsaw comes in to superkick Dorado. He hits Donst with a pescado. Quack hits Dorado with the Quackendriver IV for the pin at 10:52. It’s unfortunate that Quack’s arm work didn’t go anywhere, though I guess him not using his arm at all could at least make you go along with it. Otherwise, these guys had a very good match that was just as high octane and hard-hitting that a grudge tag team match should be. Quack and Jigsaw now have two points under their belt. ***1/4
Manami Toyota vs. Daizee Haze
Toyota immediately boots Haze and nails her with a dropkick. Toyota pulls Haze’a hair in a Camel Clutch and then pulls up on her nose. Toyota does this for all four sides of the ring. Toyota turns into a sit-out modified sharpshooter. Toyota then applies a Muta Lock which Haze breaks. Toyota stretches out Haze’s back in a surfboard variant. Haze gives Toyota a few chops, and Toyota responds by slapping Haze in the face. Toyota kicks Haze in the back of her heel and sits out on top of Haze’s legs. Toyota applies a figure four leg lock. Haze reverses the pressure, but Toyota turns it back over. Haze uses the ropes to break. Toyota sits down on Haze’s mid-section. Haze gives Toyota the Mind Trip for two. Haze hits a pair of sentons for two. Toyota springboards off the middle rope with a crossbody. Haze catches Toyota with a clothesline. Haze wraps her legs around Toyota’s mid-section and rolls her around on the mat. Toyota responds with a rolling cradle for two. Haze gives Toyota a German suplex off the second rope, but Toyota rolls up. Haze hits a few kicks but it has no effect. Toyota nails Haze with a yakuza kick. Toyota traps Haze in the ropes. Haze escapes, sending Toyota to the floor as she attempts a dropkick. Haze jumps on Toyota with a crossbody. Back in the ring, Haze tries another crossbody but misses. Toyota hits a top rope dropkick. Toyota hits a second one for two. Toyota hits a moonsault for two. Toyota sets up for the Ocean Cyclone, but Haze slips down. Haze hits a Northern Light suplex for two. Haze hits a crossbody for two. Toyota hits a German suplex for two. Toyota goes for the Ocean Cyclone, but Haze turns it into a victory roll for two. Haze hits the Heart Punch and a German suplex for two. Haze looks for another suplex, but Toyota gives Haze a wheelbarrow suplex for two. Toyota finally hits the Japanese Ocean Cyclone Suplex for the pin at 13:47. What a fantastic debut for Toyota in the U.S. She got to come in and use her entire range of signature moves in front of a receptive crowd. Haze did a great job playing both Toyota’s rag doll and posing as a legitimate competitor simultaneously. This is for sure the best women’s singles match in CHIKARA to date. ***3/4
Toyota gets a big “Arigato” chant from the crowd as well as some “Please Come Back” chants. Toyota looks delighted with this response.
3.0. are outside the arena. Jagged says tonight could be the biggest match of their careers. Jagged recaps their CHIKARA history and says they are now at the gates of the promised land. Matthews says he has no idea how they got here, and is also aware that not many people think they can actually win the belts tonight. 3.0 admit that the BDK are better than they are, but add that tonight’s the night they bust down the doors to the promised land.
Campeonatos de Parejas
The Brüderschaft des Kreuzes (Claudio Castagnoli & Ares) (Campeones) vs. 3.0 (Scott “Jagged” Parker & Shane Matthews)
Delirious attacks 3.0 as they make their way to the ring. Claudio and Ares join Delirious in the beatdown. Ares hits Parker with a Tiger Driver back in the ring to score the first fall at 0:08. Claudio and Delirious continue to beat on Matthews on the floor while Ares keeps on Jagged. Claudio then comes in and helps Ares while Matthews recovers on the apron. Claudio and Ares incessantly knock Matthews down as he gets to his feet. Jagged shocks the crowd when he ducks a Swiss Chin Music from Claudio (causing him to hit Ares), and rolls Claudio up for a pin at 5:16. This is the first time Claudio and Ares have ever been pinned in a Campeonatos de Parejas match.The Tecnicos now come out and surround one side of the ring, cheering on 3.0. Ares and Claudio continue their onslaught on Jagged until Jagged turns a Ricola Bomb into a hurricanrana. He kicks Ares away and finally tags in Matthews. Matthews takes both guys down with clothesline and his patented headscissors. Matthews hits a Rydeen Bomb on Ares and sends Claudio to the floor. Matthews hits a top rope elbow drop on Ares for two. Matthews superkicks Claudio, sending him back to the floor. Matthews and Jagged hit a neckbreaker/Samoan drop combo, and Claudio breaks the pin. Matthews gets sent to the floor and Claudio bit boots Jagged. Claudio picks up Ares, and Jagged hits him with the Sweet Taste of Professionalism. Jagged hits a pescado on Claudio while Matthews powerbombs Ares for two. Ares hits a Blue Thunder Powerbomb. Claudio nails Matthews with a European Uppercut for two. Claudio hits the Ricola Bomb on Matthews, and Jagged breaks the pin. Jagged hits an enzuigiri on Claudio, and Ares throws Jagged to the floor. Matthews catches Claudio in a small package for an extremely close two count. Claudio clotheslines Matthews and locks him in the Inverted CHIKARA Special. Matthews taps out at 11:09. The BDK win the match two falls to one. This may have been CHIKARA’s match of the year on a completely emotional level. The fans actually believed 3.0 had a chance and went nuts for some of the near falls. 3.0 did a great job as the underdog team and may have put in their best performance in CHIKARA ever. Them winning one fall was such a good call, as it shows cracks in the BDK while also keeping them strong enough. This was great in almost every way. ***1/2
The fans and Tecnicos applaude 3.0 for their effort. Jagged says “The promised land will have to wait” which is a cool way for the show to go out.
Bonus Match
Jack of All Trios Semi-Final Match
Team Oreo (Johnny Gargano, Flip Kendrick, & Louis Lyndon) vs. The Soul Touchaz (Marshe Rockett, Acid Jaz, & Willie “da Bomb” Richardson)
AIW “Jack of All Trios Tournament – Night 2” – Cleveland, OH – 4.10.2010
Lyndon goes toe-to-toe with Rockett, throwing some crane poses in his face. Lyndon takes Rockett over with a hurricanrana, but Rockett comes back with a big boot. Jaz and Kendrick tag in and put up their fists. Kendrick and Jaz exchange wristlocks. Kendrick ducks a punch and rolls up Jaz for two. Jaz sends Kendrick to the apron. Kendrick takes Jaz over with a reverse rana. Jaz lays in some strikes. Kendrick backflips to escape a leg swipe and tags in Gargano. Richardson also enters. Gargano ducks Richardson’s punches and lays in some shots of his own. He can’t whip Richardson, so he lays in some more strikes. Gargano a couple clotheslines but eats a leg lariat and a trifecta of atomic dorps. Lyndon enters and takes Richardson to the floor with a satellite headscissors. Lyndon leapdrogs over Rockett and dropkicks him down. Team Oreo keeps Rockett from tagging in to maximize the efficiency of their damage. Rockett takes Lyndon over with a snap suplex and tags in Richardson. Richardson gives Lyndon an atomic drop and a hard clothesline for two. Lyndon comes back with a knee strike and top-rope assisted enzugiri. Kendrick tags in and tries some strikes. Richardson fights back with some of his own, but Kendrick takes Richardson to the floor with a hurricanrana. Jaz and Rockett come in, and Kendrick hits a springboard moonsault to take out both of them for two. Kendrick gives Rockett a tornado DDT and Jaz breaks the pin. Rockett spears Kendrick in the corner and Jaz knees him in the face. Gargano sole butts Rockett. Rockett pops up Gargano into a facebuster to Gargano. Jaz and Rockett both go up top of opposite corners. Rockett his a senton, Jaz hits a frog splash, and Lyndon kicks Richardson off the top rope so he can’t hit his leg drop. Rockett gets sent to the floor. Kendrick suplexes Jaz into a facebuster, and Jaz rolls to the floor. Team Oreo hit their double enzugiri/superkick combo on Richardson to get the pin at 11:10. Real fun stuff from both these tournament favorites, and it sucks both teams couldn’t be in King of Trios. ***
The 411: "Eye To Eye" was a really fun show. The final two matches are two of the most memorable from the year; one being Toyota's U.S. debut, and the other being such an emotionally tense championship match the likes you don't see often enough in wrestling anymore. Elsewhere there are plenty of fun matches, some of which are different than what you usually get from CHIKARA. This also was a breeze to watch and just a fun DVD to sit an enjoy.
Be sure to check out all of my CHIKARA reviews over at The CHIKARA Special! |
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Final Score: 7.5 [ Good ] legend |