Csonka’s CHIKARA King of Trios (Night One) Review 9.02.16

Csonka’s CHIKARA KOT (Night One) Review 9.02.16

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– KOT First Round Match: Major League Moustache defeated The Batiri @ 13:15 via pin [***]
– KOT First Round Match: United Nations defeated Team Police Squad @ 11:30 via pin [**]
– KOT First Round Match: Team Colony defeated the Submission Squad @ 9:40 via pin [**½]
– KOT First Round Match: Original Divas Revolution defeated Team Shimmer @ 14:30 via pin [**¼]
– KOT First Round Match: Hallowicked, Jigsaw and Icarus defeated Just a Lot of Ants @ 13:15 via pin [**¾]
– KOT First Round Match: Team JWP defeated The Snake Pit @ 11:50 via submission [***½]
– KOT First Round Match: Team Sendai defeated Lovelace and N_R_G @ 10:45 via pin [***¼]
– KOT First Round Match: Warriors Three defeated Team CWC @ 22:43 via pin [****]

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– Just about 24-hours after the completion of night one, CHIKARA made the rough cut of the show available for purchase. That’s a hell of a turn around. You can order here.

– Vlad Radinov welcomed us to the show, which led to Joey Styles arriving and giving the crowd an, “OH MY GOD” to help get us underway. Styles will be doing commentary for the weekend. WWE releasing Joey Styles is turning out to be great for EVOLVE & CHIKARA.

The Batiri (Kobald, Kodama and Obariyon) vs. Major League Moustache (Dasher Hatfield, Trent Seven and Tyler Bate): Good opening section of the match, with team Hatfield controlling with ease over the Batiri. Team Hatfield did a spot where Bate worked a stalling vertical suplex, and then they took turns handing off Kodama to one another. Hatfield eventually hit a jackhammer for the near fall. Hatfield actually tied Kobald up with his tail, leading to team Hatfield working triple submissions on the Batiri. The ref untied Kobald, it broke down and the Batiri took the heat. Good heat by the Batiri, working over Hatfield with the basic heel tag team bag of tricks. Hatfield hit a sack of shit slam on Kobald, sending him into the other Batiri, but was cut off before he could get the tag. Hatfield eventually powered through all three and got the tag to both of his partners, Mustache Mountain ran wild, hitting snap dragon suplexes and then Bate hitting a moonsault to the floor. Seven then planted Kodama with the piledriver, and Bate hit a falcon arrow (HE DID THE DEAL) and that was good enough for the win. This was a good match to kick off the card, although it felt a little slow in the middle, and would have likely been better with a brisker pacing or slightly shorter time frame to work with.

Team Police Squad (Bill Carr, Officer Warren Barksdale and Supercop Dick Justice) vs. United Nations (Juan Francisco de Coronado, Prakash Sabar and The Proletariat Boar of Moldova): Team Police Squad did a pat down to start the match and found a weapon on Juan. The Nations then attacked to start the match. We got police related comedy, including the Police Squad and fans using finger guns as the Nations tried to run. The Nations took the heat on Barksdale, it was solid but unspectacular, and then Barksdale got the tag to Bill Carr. Carr ran wild, tossing the Boar and hitting a Big Bossman slam on Sabar for a near fall. The straps were down, but the Boar pulled Carr to the floor as Justice entered. Justice tried to do lucha, and was then sent to the floor. Barksdale and Coronado in, but as Barksdale was rolling the Boar took him out with the boot. Carr hit a head scissors and then a dove onto the pile, wiping everyone out. Back in the ring Justice was taken out by the Boar, Barksdale ate an X-factor and then a Boar spear. Coronado submitted Barksdale to the Coronado Clutch to finish off the Police Squad. This was a very average match, but it had some entertaining moments. This could have also been shorter.

The Colony (Fire Ant, Silver Ant and Soldier Ant) vs. The Submission Squad (Gary Jay, Pierre Abernathy and Davey Vega): Submission Squad replaced team Big Deal, following Hornswoggle being pulled due to a emergency surgery. They did the CHIKARA gimmick of pulling names out for a hat to find a new trio. The Colony ran wild early, going for the anthill, but were cut off. The Squad cut them off, worked over Fire Ant and scored a near fall. They then worked over Silver Ant, working the arm, which was previously injured. This had good back and forth at times, but felt very clunky. Gary Jay is easily the best of the Squad, working hard and his stuff was clean. Vega made the save for Abernathy, but ate ants marching for the near fall. The Colony then tossed him to the floor onto his partners, and then Fie Ant hit the ant-a-pult to the floor. Vega would fight back and get an arm bar on Silver Ant, working the injured arm. Vega then missed a splash and ate the lariat, Soldier Ant then wiped out Abernathy and Jay. The double team powerbomb got two on Vega. The Colony hit the anthill on Vega to pick up the win. This was a little better than the opener, but felt sloppy at times. The right team won, and we move on.

Team Shimmer (Candice LeRae, Crazy Mary Dobson and Solo Darling) vs. Team Original Divas Revolution (Jazz, Mickie James and Victoria): Really nice work from LeRae and James to kick things off, good speed and energy to the work here. James’ look when LeRae went for the vagina plex was amazing. Darling tagged in, but James quickly sent her to the corner and Victoria tagged in. Darling cut her off and hit a running senton for a near fall. Darling then started to run around on a sugar high and Victoria seemed puzzled and she wanted some of the freezie drink. This led to her shaking around and doing the worm. She and Darling hugged, but then Victoria slammed her to the corner and tagged in Jazz. Dobson in as well. Jazz still looks like she wants to kill a person. They worked power spots, with jazz then landing a series of kicks, but then Dobson hitting a series of strikes and knees. Dobson and LeRae looked to do a double team lucha arm drag spot, but Jazz clipped Dobson’s knee and Victoria worked the heat on LeRae. After the strong open by James and LeRae, the match has gotten sloppy at points. Darling and James in, they picked up the pace well as Darling was in control before missing the high cross. Jazz and Victoria double teamed Darling in the corner, leading to a suplex and near fall from Jazz. Dobson finally got a hot tag, hitting the high cross on Victoria and it then broke down. We got brawling on the floor as LeRae worked the octopus on Victoria, Jazz sucker punched her to break it up. James with the DDT on Darling, Dobson hit a fisherman’s buster on James, but then. Victoria hit the widow’s peak on Dobson to score the win. This was another average match that suffered from being sloppy in the middle and being too long. Chop off 2-3 minutes and tighten up the finishing sequence and it is way better than what we got here. My one takeaway from this is that I want to see a James vs. LaRae singles match.

Hallowicked’s Trio w/Ultramantis Black vs. Just a Lot of Ants (Bullet Ant, Missile Assault Man and Worker Ant): Hallowicked’s mystery partners were Jigsaw and Icarus (all Gen1 originals). They brawled at the bell, with Jigsaw sporting a new look. Once the big brawl was complete, team Hallowicked worked over Worker Ant. Worker Ant fought back, got the tag leading to he and Bullet Ant hitting a double team leg drop for a near fall. Team Hallowicked quickly took over on Bullet, keeping him isolated in their corner and also using quick tags. The rudos worked a really focused heat here, nothing flashy, just good quality tag team work. Bullet then hit a RANA/DDT combo as he avoided a double team, and got the tag to Worker Ant. Icarus in and hit sliced break, double stomp off the top from Jigsaw and then Hallowicked punished Bullet Ant and again went after his mask. Jigsaw tagged in and kept the ass beating going on Worker Ant. Icarus in, Worker finally countered a charge and fought back and tagged in Assault Man, who ran wild on all three members of Team Hallowicked. He hit a northern lights suplex on both Icarus and Jigsaw, but Hallowicked made the save as it broke down. Assault man and Bullet Ant had a moment where they shook hands and looked to put their past issues behind them, but a superkick took out Assault Man. Bullet Ant then ate a GTS, a brainbuster and then a pedigree. Hallowicked then hit never wake up on Bullet Ant for the finish. This was basically an extended squash to put over the viciousness of the Gen1 originals team. It worked well, with commentary playing up that they were looking to punish and humiliate before picking up the win, but like several other matches, it felt too long.

Team JWP (Command Bolshoi, Hanako Nakamori and Manami Katsu) vs. The Snake Pit (Amasis, Argus and Ophidian): Argus is a gecko, and is a master of Gecko Roman Wrestling. Argus and Katsu was a rough open, not bad, but far from smooth, Ophidian and Bolshoi was much better, working a clean and quickly paced series of counters. She then busted out the praying rope walk, and ht the RANA and sent Ophidian to the floor. Amasis and Nakamori largely traded kicks, and then picked up the pacing and worked a fast paced back and forth. Amasis then kicked her face off with a superkick, leading to some old school Osirian Portal double teams for a near fall. Bolshoi and Katsu hit the ring, and worked over Ophidian, with Bolshoi hitting a great spinning head scissors and teasing an am arm bar finish. The Snake Pit worked the heat on Nakamori, she tried to fire up with forearms and then kicked Ophidian in the head, leading to the tag to Katsu. She ht a missile dropkick and ran wild, it broke down with the Portal looking for the pyramid plex and connecting for a near fall. Really good energy here as Ophidian hit meteora, and then Amasis hitting the seated senton for a near fall. Bolshoi returned, connecting with a series of strikes, but then eating a kicks from the Portal and a lionsault for a near fall. All six brawled, German suplexes from Team JWP. Bolshoi hit a dive to the floor, and in the ring Katsu lit up Amasis with forearms, but Amasis hit the spinning kick and went up top,. 450 MISSES and Bolshoi and Nakamori hit shining wizards, and Katsu caught Amasis in a Gedo Clutch, allowing Team JWP to pick up the submission victory. Now this was more like it, while not perfectly clean at times, it had way more energy than anything else on the card. The pacing was good, it never felt long and the guys sold the work of the ladies very well. There is nothing odd about men vs. women in CHIKARA, but even promotions that do intergender well have matches where it doesn’t click like it needs to. This worked.

Team Sendai Girls (Cassandra Miyagi, Dash Chisako and Meiko Satomura) vs. Heidi Lovelace and N_R_G (Hype Rockwell and Race Jaxon): Chisako worked a great opening stretch with Rockwell, playing off of the size difference well and working insanely quickly and taking crisp bumps. Lovelace and Satomura had some very good back and forth, it broke down a bit and the Sendai girls were using their speed until Rockwell cut off Chisako, allowing he and Jaxon to work the knee and slow her down. Lovelace in to continue the assault on the knee, nice focus on the leg here as Lovelace works a knee bar. Chisako would score with a desperation cutter and get the tag to Satomura. Satomura shows great speed with her work, very crisp and clean. Miyagi scored with the missile dropkick, and then a slingshot senton for 2. She’s the new one on the team, less experienced and it shows. She’s not bad, but not nearly as clean as Satomura or Chisako. It broke down, with Lovelace and Jaxon hitting a senton and elbow drop off the top for a near fall. Chisako tagged in and started to run wild on Lovelace, but unfortunately not selling her knee at all. Satomura in but ate a backbreaker for the near fall. Jaxon sent Chisako into Rockwell, and she then hit a dive to the floor. Cutter by Jaxon on Satomura got the near fall. Satomura back with a PELE kick and then hit a death valley driver and pinned Jaxon to pick up the win. This was a fun sprint, with everyone playing their roles well. Satomura and Chisako are super fun to watch, and it was great to see Lovelace get to tangle with them here. She’s had a great 2016, working with a wide variety of opponents and doing so successfully.

Team #CWC (Cedric Alexander, Johnny Gargano and Drew Gulak) vs. The Warriors Three (Oleg the Usurper, Princess KimberLee and ThunderFrog): ThunderFrog placed the hammer of peace in the ring, and Team CWC tried to lift it, but they were not worthy. ThunderFrog then lifted it to the pleasure of the crowd. Nice back and froth grappling by Gulak and KimberLee, as commentary played up that Gulak trainer her. Gulak bullied KimberLee around a bit but she then hit a series of cradles for near falls. Alexander and KimberLee worked a fast paced series of counters, but then the ThunderFrog hit a blue thunder bomb for the near fall. Gargano cut him off with the spear, and Oleg then tagged in. They played up the power vs. speed factor, with Oleg taking down Gargano and hitting a senton for the near fall. ThunderFrog in, but Gargano avoided the charge and scored with the kick. Gargano and Alexander then did the WAZZUP spot, with Alexander doing the Devon dance and then Gargano calling for the hammer, but they again failed. ThunderFrog then picked up the hammer, with Gulak and Gargano holding onto it and he tossed them and then Alexander across the ring. ThunderFrog and KimberLee looked to kiss, but Team CWC took him out with triple superkicks. CWC then took the heat on ThunderFrog, using quick tags and isolating him in their corner. Watching Team CWC here, you quickly realize that they are easily the most polished performers on the show. Everything they are doing, even the simplest of things, is do clean and executed effortlessly. ThunderFrog finally made a desperation tag, KimberLee connected with kicks and then a brainbuster to Gulak. The sitout powerbomb followed and she covered for 2. She then hit a cannonball to the floor, Gargano hit a suicide dive and then the ThunderFrog hit a dove off the top onto the pile. Alexander then cut off Oleg’s dive attempt and then he hit a sweet flip dive onto the pile. Oleg looked to cut off Alexander and hit the super chokeslam off the ropes, and it did connect but Alexander kicked out. It broke down and they did the six-person suplex spot with Team CWC hitting the suplexes. Team CWC then went to the WWE playbook, hitting five knuckle shuffles, teasing AA and then hitting pedigrees, which was beautifully douchey. ThunderFrog fought back with the Estonian stampede and corner cannonball. The froggy splash ate knees, Alexander then ht the flatliner and Gargano hit the slingshot DDT. Lariat off the ropes by Gulak for 2, but KimberLee broke that up wit a dead lift German. She then took Team CWC to suplex kingdom, but Gulak locked in the dragon sleeper as Alexander and Gargano took out ThunderFrog and Oleg. KimberLee slipped out, and then got a dragon sleeper. Gargano in and hit the lawn dart LUMBAR CHECK by Alexander nearly bounced her out of the ring and leg made he save. Oleg took the fight to CWC, Gargano hit the superkick but Oleg hit a series of kicks and then took a ton of chops from Gulak. Oleg sent him to the floor, Alexander in and hit the brainbuster for a great near fall. Alexander up top, MISSED the frog splash and Oleg hit off with his head, and pinned Cedric to advance. That was a huge win for Oleg in an excellent main event. It never felt as long as it was, everyone got to look good, and the final 5-minutes or so was so great and took this from very good to excellent. Everything came together well here, and this was the right call for the main event.

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

While it struggled early, Night One of CHIKARA’s King of Trios was a good show overall. There is a lot to enjoy here, with a lot of fun mixed into some quality wrestling, and the show flies by. Joey Styles did a good job here, he got his jokes in, but while his call was good, the best thing he did was constantly ask the other person he was working with (Bryce and Quack) “why.” Why is this person doing this, why has this person had issues with this person, even saying that “we may have some first time viewers that need to know these things.” With any product that is important (making first time viewers feel welcomed), but vital to a character driven product like CHIKARA. This was a good start to this year’s tournament.