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Cleveland, OH – 12.23.2011

AIW Tag Team Championship
Aeroform (Flip Kendrick & Louis Lyndon) (Champions) vs. The Batiri (Obariyon & Kodama) vs. Irish Airborne (Jake & Dave Crist)

Lucha rules are in effect, meaning no tags are necessary. One member from each team is in the ring at all times. Flexor Industries is in Aeroform’s corner. The Batiri dive onto Aeroform as they circle the ring (before the bell). Irish Airborne follow suit. The Airborne double team Kendrick back in the ring. They do the same to Lyndon, Kodama and Obariyon in that order. Aeroform attack the Aiborne from behind. They send Dave to the floor and hit an enzuigiri/gamengiri combo in the corner. Dave breaks a pin after a reverse huracanrana/German suplex combo. Kodama trips Dave into a knee strike from Obariyon. They double knee strike Dave for two. They follow with a wheelbarrow neckbreaker. Lyndon talks Obariyon into double teaming Dave. Lyndon takes out Jake and Kendrick helps Obariyon attack Dave behind referee Jake Clemons’ back. Obariyon and Lyndon continue to team up on Dave until Dave takes them both out with simultaneous reverse DDT’s. Jake tags in. He knocks down Kendrick and gives Kodama a neckbreaker. He slams Kendrick in the corner. Lyndon throws him to the floor. Jake throws Lyndon into a clothesline from Kodama. Jake crossbody’s Kodama for two. Lyndon holds Jake for Obariyon. Obariyon accidentally gives Lyndon the Flying DDT. He goes for the pin anyway but Jake breaks it up. The Airborne double team Obariyon in the corner. Kodama gives Jake the flying Blockbuster. Kendrick breaks the pin. Lyndon dropkicks Kodama off of Kendrick’s shoulders. Obariyon breaks the pin. Obariyon hits a reverse Go 2 Sleep. The Airborne give Obariyon the Irish Coffee. Lyndon kicks Jake away and pins Obariyon for the win at 9:04. With more time this could have been just as epic as some of the other recent AIW thee team matches, but for what we got it was just slightly above average. **3/4

No Disqualification
Johnny Gargano vs. Dave Dawson
Special Guest Referee: Tim Donst

In case you forgot, Dawson is Flexor Industries referee who’s been screwing with Gargano the past few months. Last month, Flexor made it seem like Donst had joined Flexor Industries, which Gargano didn’t know whether to take as being legitimate or more mind games. He is the special referee for this match, so we presumably will find out where his loyalty lies in this match. Surprisingly, Dawson comes to the ring alone.

Dawson is apprehensive to attack. He slaps Gargano, then makes Gargano chase him around the ring and to the back. Gargano comes back with Dawson. The Chad runs out and attacks Gargano. Donst chases him off. This process repeats with Louis Lyndon and Flip Kendrick. Gargano accidentally superkicks Donst, bringing out Aeroform, The Chad and Bobby Beverly to beat down Gargano. Chest Flexor and Sassy Stephie join in. Stephie ties Gargano’s hands behind his back. Façade runs out to stop Dawson from hitting Gargano with a chair. Eric Ryan, Jake Crist, BJ Whitmer and Rickey Shane Page all run out to even the odds. Dave Crist climbs up to a basketball hoop and moonsaults onto everyone! That is, everyone but Gargano and Dawson. Gargano got his hands untied, but puts them behind his back to trick. Dawson. Gargano stops Dawson’s chair shot. He superkicks Dawson after trapping his arms in the ropes three times. Gargano lawn darts Dawson into a steel chair in the corner. Per the fans request, Gargano does it a second time. Gargano nails Dawson over and over with a chair. Donst makes his way out and counts Gargano’s pin at 10:14. That was a fine ass kicking that Gargano dished out and a great way to build to Flexor Industries being kept under control. Dave’s basketball hoop moonsault was pretty awesome as well. This was a feel good way to end AIW’s final show of 2011. ***

Donst immediately attacks Gargano after counting the pin. Flexor Inudstries pull Donst out of the ring before a skirmish can commence. Donst heads to the back while the rest of Flexor Industries carries Dawson to the back.

You can read my review of the entire show here.

Manhattan, NY – 12.4.2011

Commentary is provided by Leonard F. Chikarason, Bryce Remsburg, Gavin Loudspeaker, UltraMantis Black and Mike Quackenbush.

Gavin Loudspeaker opens the show by presenting Isuki Yamazaki, one half of the Jumping Bomb Angels, a bouquet of flowers and allowing the Manhattan crowd to give her some well deserved praise. Gavin then sings a song about the Jumping Bomb Angels which is really good, like most of Gavin’s songs.

Sugar Dunkerton was originally set to team with Hatfield in the opening contest but is unable to make the show. In typical CHIKARA fashion, they will pull names from a hat to pick Hatfield’s new partner. Kwang and Kelly Kelly aren’t here, but the debuting Saturyne, a masked female wrestler who appeared on the “Wrestling Is Fun!” show last month is and will take Dunkerton’s place in the match.

Dasher Hatfield {T} & Saturyne vs. El Hijo del Ice Cream {IC} & Ice Cream Jr. {IC}

Hatfield and Jr. start off. Hatfield smacks Jr. in the bottom to evade a backdrop. Hatfield gets a pair of armdrags in, but Jr. backrakes him to cut off his momentum. Hatfield hands Jr. an invisible ball. Hijo and Jr. argue over who should pitch it to Hatfield. Hatfield rolls them both up for a two count. Hatfield sends the Ice Creams to the floor and baseball slides them into the guardrail. Saturyne tags in to square off with Hijo, who looks very pleased to be in the ring with her. After raking her eyes and forearming her in the neck, Saturyne dropkicks him. He side steps a second and struts in victory. Hijo accidentally strikes Jr. on the apron. Hijo goes back to her eyes. Saturyne whips Hijo to her corner. Hatfield and Saturyne both forearm Hijo back to his corner. Saturyne ducks a few strikes from Jr. in the corner. She hops onto his shoulders, falling off with an armdrag. Hijo hops in and boots her out of the ring. Saturyne gets beaten down in the Ice Creams corner for a considerable amount of time. Saturyne throws their heads together in order to roll to the corner and tag in Hatfield. He takes them down with some double sledges to the stomach. He gives Hijo the Cold Stone Stunner and Jr. the Jack & Jill Hammer. Hijo baits Hatfield to the apron where his chest and throat get slammed into the ring apron. Saturyne gives Jr. a wheelbarrow bulldozer, then tilt-a-whirls into a standing Rings of Saturn. Hijo kicks her off, but Saturyne gives him a pair of a knee lifts and a spinwheel kick. Hijo reverses the momentum of a dragonrana to get the pin at 16:07. If any weekend was appropriate for Saturyne to debut, it’s this one. Her athleticism and style will mix right in with the rest of the CHIKARA roster if she’s sticking around. This felt like more of her coming out party, but the match itself was a good blend of comedy and action to start the night off on a good note. **1/2

Portia Perez says people keep talking to her about her match with GAMI as if it’s something she should be honored by. Perez says GAMI should be honored to fight her since GAMI’s time has passed and she’s able to step in the ring with someone of her caliber. She hopes GAMi is ready for their fight, because she is.

GAMI {PWW} vs. Portia Perez

Perez attacks GAMI before the bell. She gets two after a low dropkick in the corner. GAMI shoulder blocks her to the mat and stomps on her head. GAMI stomps on her face after a bodyslam. GAMI puts her in a headlock and applies a bodyscissors. Perez leans back for a pin but GAMI does a good job of keeping her shoulders elevated. Perez escapes and begins to target GAMI’s left leg. GAMI recovers and delivers a delayed vertical suplex for two. GAMI torques Perez’s fingers and arm on the mat. She puts Perez in a standing Octopus stretch. She then rolls up Perez for a two count. Perez thrusts GAMI in the throat and applies a rear chinlock. GAMI fights up to her feet and nails a big boot. A legdrop gets her a two count. I guess the big boot/legdrop combo only works for certain wrestlers. GAMI walks the top rope forwards and backwards while holding Perez’s arm. She leans back, pulling Perez’s arm socket across the top rope. Perez kicks GAMI in the head to block an armbar. She kicks GAMI’s leg out and DDT’s her for two. GAMI kicks Perez in the head after taking a superkick herself. GAMI brings in the plastic cone she used in Philadelphia. Perez rolls her up and steals the cone from GAMI. GAMI then rolls Perez up and referee PJ Drummond takes the cone away. GAMI and Perez shake hands, but GAMI of course stomps on her foot. Perez does the same and cradles GAMI for two. GAMI delivers an enzuigiri and a wheelbarrow suplex for two. Perez drops her with a reverse STO for two, then transitions into a crossface. GAMI turns it into a roll-up for two. They each deliver a superkick. GAMI hits the Adios Amiga (a pump-handle slam) for two. GAMI follows up with a cradle suplex for the pin at 11:50. I said that I wanted GAMI to beat Perez silly, and that is exactly what happened. Perez seems to have improved between this show and her appearance at Chikarasaurus Rex, so I certainly am starting to appreciate her more. This was orchestrated very smartly and made for an enjoyable twelve minutes. **3/4

UltraMantis Black says he is not pleased because he was looking forward to a relaxing vacation after Season 10 ended, but now he has to take on Brodie Lee tonight instead. He plans to beat Brodie to a pulp and then begin his vacation and planning period. He says Brodie will be sorry that he agreed to this match. These two were supposed to meet in the “12 Large: Summit” but an injury kept Brodie out of action, forcing him to forfeit that match and three other matches.

UltraMantis Black {SE} vs. Brodie Lee {R}

Mantis attacks Lee with his skull staff at the get-go. He stomps Lee in the corner and forearms him against the ropes. He Cactus clotheslines himself and Lee to the floor. He comes off the apron with a somersault senton to Lee on the floor. Mantis presses his face against the guardrail. Lee chops Mantis to try and get some control. He reverses an Irish whip, sending Mantis into the guardrail. Lee takes Mantis up to the stage. Lee boots Mantis from the ring back into the aisleway. Mantis charges but unfortunately gets backdropped back into the ring. Lee chokes him on the mat with a bandana. He slingshots Mantis’ throat into the bottom rope for a two count. Lee then hits a slingshot senton for two. Mantis looks for the Praying Mantis Bomb. Lee forearms him to stop the attack. Mantis however hits a Full Nelson slam, but only for a one count. Lee catches Mantis off the ropes with the Truck Stop for two. Mantis slips out of the Liger Bomb and delivers the Cosmic Disaster. Lee manages to kick out. Lee catches Mantis coming off the top rope with a Big Boot. The Liger Bomb picks him up the win at 7:44. These two packed in a lot of hard hitting action in just under eight minutes. Lee seems to have returned to CHIKARA a little more vicious and with a little more fluidity in his movement. It goes to show that you don’t need a lot of time to make a match good if you make the most of what you are given. ***

Fire Ant {C}, Soldier Ant {C}, Green Ant {C} & Cherry {UPW} vs. Obariyon {B}, Kodama {B}, Kobald {B} & Toshie Uematsu {PWW}

Uematsu is done up in Batiri face paint which looks killer. Uematsu stomps on Cherry’s knee in a test of strength. She bites Cherry’s arm and then feeds it (literally) to the Batiri on the apron. Uematsu gets two after a back elbow. Cherry cartwheels to avoid a double clothesline, then clotheslines Kobald and Uematsu simultaneously. Kobald bits Cherry’s clavicle to break her Camel Clutch on Uematsu. Green Ant strikes Kobald and splashes him in the corner. Green Ant slams Kobald but gets attacked by Obariyon and Kodama from behind. Soldier Ant and Fire Ant come in to even the score. They backdrop the Batiri and send them to the corner with dropkicks. Green Ant and Fire Ant double team Kodama in the corner, allowing Soldier Ant to hit him with a diving headbutt. Soldier Ant, Green Ant and Cherry deliver Revenge of the Ants to Obariyon after Fire Ant hits an antzuigiri. Uematsu brings Soldier Ant to her corner where she and the Batiri wear him down. Soldier Ant drops Kodama with a Samoan drop and finally tags out to Fire Ant. He comes in with a crossbody and tornado DDT to Obariyon. He hits the Yahtzee Kick and a brainbuster and Kodama breaks him pin. Kodama ducks an antzuigiri and DDT’s Fire Ant for two. Green Ant assists Fire Ant with a swinging DDT, then delivers a gord buster. Kobald spears Green Ant. Soldier Ant hits him with the TKO. Uematsu superkicks Soldier Ant to the stage. Uematsu back elbows Fire Ant in the corner. She scrapes her boot against his face, finishing with a facewash. Obariyon and Kodama deliver a few kicks of their own. Kobald hits a super seated senton and the Colony break his pin. Uematsu slams Cherry and heads up top. She misses a diving splash. Cherry rolls her up in a crucifix for two. She suplexes Uematsu and Obariyon breaks the pin. Uematsu slams Cherry and goes up top again. She hits a Superfly splash but The Colony break her pin. Green Ant clothesline Uematsu and Cherry headscissors into a roll-up. Obariyon breaks the pin. The Colony take out all three members of the Batiri with various dives to the floor. Cherry huracanrana’s Uematsu and yet Obariyon breaks the pin again. He suplexes Cherry, leaving her for another Superfly splash from Uematsu for the pin at 12:59. Uematsu and the Batiri are a perfect quartet and again I’m sad we won’t see them team up ever again. This was a great showcase for them and it seemed odd that Cherry and the Colony didn’t get to do much themselves. Then again, the Batiri getting this kind of rub is exactly what they need to get on the Colony’s level. Like I said in my Night 2 review, CHIKARA can’t go wrong with Atomicos matches. ***1/4

Kaori Yoneyama {JWP} vs. Mayumi Ozaki {OZ}

Ozaki cuts a promo backstage in Japanese before the bout. Ozaki stomps on Yoneyama’s feet and hairmares her across the ring. She rakes Yoneyama’s eyes across the top rope. Ozaki steps on the ropes and presses her boot into Yoneyama’s temple. Yoneyama trips Ozaki and steps on her back a few times. She applies a bodyscissors after a couple Mongolin chops. Ozaki responds by biting Yoneyama’s hands while applying an armbar. Ozaki ducks a corner clothesline and pulls on Yoneyama’s hair. The women trade forearms mid-ring. Yoneyama wins the exchange, but Ozaki brings her to the mat in a rear naked choke. Yoneyama rolls to the ropes to break. Yoneyama delivers a stunner to escape. Ozaki applies a sleeper in the corner and throws her down before the five count. Yoneyama blocks a kick and waistlocks Ozaki. She spins her out and hits a running knee strike to the chest. She follows with a Northern Lights suplex for two. Ozaki shrugs of an O’Conner Roll. Yoneyama ducks a backfist and suplexes Ozaki for two. Yoneyama comes off the top with a senton splash for two. Ozaki backfists Yoneyama and powerbombs her for two. Ozaki fights Yoneyama off the top rope. She hits a somersault senton on the standing Yoneyama for two. Yoneyama ducks a backfist and small packages Ozaki for two. Her other quick pinfall attempts fail. She lifts Ozaki into a bridging German suplex for two. Yoneyama hits her with a running dragon kick. She misses a top rope maneuver and eats Ozaki’s backfist for two. Ozaki picks Yoneyama up for a powerbomb, again getting a two count. Ozaki finally hits the Ozakick for the pin at 9:49. This was like Mantis vs. Brodie in the sense that they came at each other fast and furious and didn’t waste a second of their time in the ring. Ozaki is an exceptional heel and I will track down some of her matches after seeing her in three impressive outings this weekend. Yoneyama can also be proud of her last weekend in the US before retiring. ***

Manami Toyota, Sawako Shimono {OJ} & Hanako Nakamori {JWP} vs. Aja Kong {OZ}, Tsubasa Kuragaki {JWP} & Mio Shirai

Kong and Toyota stand-off. Before any altercation is had, Kong tags in Shirai. Toyota shrugs off her kicks and slaps her in the face. She hits a dropkick and tags out to Nakamori. Kong also tags in and blocks Nakamori’s kicks. Kong brings Nakamori’s hands to the mat. Nakamori avoids being stomped on but can’t whip Kong across the ring. She does however uses a neckbreaker drop to take Kong off her feet. Kong then knocks her down with a double overhand chop. Shimono and Kuragaki tag in. Kuragaki escapes a back elbow and sits down on Kuragaki’s chest. Kong tags in and kicks Shimono numerous times. She gets two with a jumping elbow drop. Kong and the rest of her team isolates Shimono while taunting her other teammates. Shimono sneaks out of a cradle from Shirai and tags in Nakamori. Her and Toyota nail Shirai with a double clothesline. The three Tecnicos attack Shirai in the corner giving Nakamori a two count. Nakamori stretches Shirai’s back out over her feet. Toyota comes off the top with a double sledge while she’s in that position. Toyota then puts Shriai in a Muta Lock. She then pitches Shirai out of a Ganso surfboard. Shimono tags back in, slamming Shirai five times. Kong breaks the pin and Shimono tags in Nakamori. She puts Shirai in a half crab. Kong brings Shirai to the corner and tags in. Kong slaps Nakamori silly and then piledrives her for two. Kong and her partners victimize Nakamori, much like they did to Shimono earlier in the bout. Shimono actually tries to interject when Shirai and Kuragaki are both in the ring, but she is pitched back to the floor. Kong even forearms Toyota on the apron. Nakamori double clotheslines Shirai and Kuragaki, allowing Shimono to tag in.

Shimono takes down Shirai with a Judo throw. She Earthquake splashes Shirai’s chest and back, then puts on a Fujiwara armbar. Shirai rolls into a pin for two. They exchange forearms until Shirai axe kicks Shimono and delivers a running boot. Nakamori and Shimono attempt to double team Kong. Kong knocks them both down with a running crossbody. Shimono gets the best of Kong until she foolily attempts a Death Valley Driver. Kong Saito suplexes her instead for two. Kuragaki and Shirai knock Shimono’s partners off the apron. Kong and Shimono brawl on the ropes. Shimono takes Kong off the ropes with a Samoan Drop for two. Toyota flies in and gets caught with a kick from Kong. Toyota boots Kong to the ramp and sends Kuragaki out there as well. Toyota dropkicks Shirai after tying herinto the ropes. Nakamori crossbody’s all three Rudos on the stage. Toyota does the same. The three Tecnicos lock the Rudos in triple figure four leg locks in the ring. Once they are broken, Toyota missile dropkicks Kong in the neck for two. Toyota sunset bombs Kong for two. Toyota ducks the Uraken. Kong however delivers a brainbuster for two. Kuragaki suplexes Toyota for two. Toyota blocks a piledriver with a backdrop. Kuragaki lariats her in the back of the neck. She heads up top and comes off with a dropkick to Toyota’s chest. Toyota rolls Kuragaki around the mat in a cradle for a two count. Toyota counters a Razor’s Edge with a sunset flip for two. Kuragaki gets her feet up to block Toyota’s top rope splash. Toyota does the same to block Kuragaki’s moonsault. Nakamori comes in and fisherwoman suplexes Kuragaki for two. Kong throws Nakamori off the rope rope. Kuragaki puts Toyota and Nakamori in a torture rack at the same time! Kuragaki fails to hold onto them long enough for a submission. Kuragaki double suplexes Toyota and Nakamori. Kong and Shirai neutralize their opponents as Kuragaki moonsaults onto Nakamori for two. All six women hit a string of moves on one another. Nakamori hits Kuragaki with a Shining Wizard for two. Nakamori rolls up Kuragaki to avoid a Razor’s Edge. Kuragaki lariats Namakori for two. She flips Namakori out of a crucifix into a facebuster for the pin at 28:57. The only disappointment in this match is that the teased initeraction between Kong and Toyota never transpired. Despite that, this was an awesome trios match. All six women came off like stars and beat each other senseless (yet with sensibility) in a convincing, intriguing manner. Although this almost went a half an hour, it never got dull and every moment had purpose. This is certainly the best match of the weekend. ****

Sara Del Rey vs. Ayako Hamada

Sara whips Hamada to the corner after a waistlock exchange. Hamada superkicks Sara and goes up top. She comes off with an armdrag. She and Sara trade armdrags leading to Hamada trapping Sara by her foot on the mope. She turns her into a lateral press for two. Each woman takes control in a knuckle lock. Hamada laces Sara’s ankles and presses her knees apart to inflict more pain. Hamada and Sara reach a stalemate after each going for a quick pin. Hamada headbutts Sara a couple of times. Sara headbutts Hamada herself, then kicks her while she’s on the mat. Sara kicks Hamada to the mat. Hamada catches Sara coming off the ropes with a boot and DDT. Sara ducks a superkick and kicks Hamada in the side of the head. Hamada headbutts Sara to the floor. She throws Sara’s face into the ring apron. Sara fights Hamada on the apron. Hamada finishes the exchange with a DDT. Back in the ring she hits a moonsault for two. Sara transitions Hamada into an arm-capture crossface. Hamada wiggles to the ropes to escape. Sara crescent kicks Hamada before taking her over with a Northern Lights suplex for two. Hamada palm strikes Sara as Sara goes up top. Hamada hits the Iconoclasm and a running chest kick for two. Sara high kicks Hamada and German suplexes her for two. Hamada ducks another high kick. Hamada connects with the enzuigiri and a Liger Bomb for two. Sara superplexes Hamada. Hamada fires up and spinkicks Sara for two. Sara blocks a second spinkick. Two Koppu kicks and an axe kick score Sara a two count. Sara only gets two with the Royal Butterfly as well. Hamada comes back with a Michinoku Driver, leaving both women on the mat. Sara blocks a second one with a small package for two. Hamada spinwheel kicks Sara to hit another Michinoku Driver for yet another two count. Hamada hooks Sara for the Royal Butterfly. Sara aggressively escapes, then misses a Koppu Kick. Hamada hits the Hamachan Cutter for two. Sara fires up with a pair of forearms. Sara delivers a piledriver for the pin at 14:52. If you had told me that these two would have a better match with each other than with Aja Kong, I don’t know if I would believe you. However, these two have been opposite each other a few times in SHIMMER and knew just how to work one another. Their styles meshed perfectly and their timing was impeccable. This was pro wrestling excellence and a fine way to end Joshimania weekend. ***3/4

Hamada brings in all of the Joshi stars from the weekend and the crowd applauds them all. Kong thanks the fans as the show fades to black.

Revere, MA – 12.3.2011

Commentary is provided by Bryce Remsburg, Denver Colorado and Gavin Loudspeaker.

Cherry {UPW} & Sawako Shimono {OJ} vs. GAMI {PWW} & Toshie Uematsu {PWW}

Cherry and Sawako Shimono cut a pre-match promo in Japanese backstage. GAMI and Shimono, who faced off last night in singles action, start off this match as well. GAMI mows her down with a shoulder tackle. She stomps on Shimono’s head as she drops down. GAMI slams Shimono and scrapes her boots across her face. Shimono shoves GAMI into Uematsu and calls Cherry into the ring. They each hit a strike in the corner but then get bulldogged simultaneously by GAMI. Uematsu tags in and stomps on Shimono’s chest. She dropkicks her in the side of the head before scraping her boot against Shimono’s face. She facewashes Shimono and steps on her face again. Shimono small packages Uematsu to reverse a clothesline, then tags in Cherry. Cherry gets two with a fisherwoman’s suplex. Uematsu grabs Cherry’s nose and slaps her hand down to inflict severe damage to the face. GAMI walks the top rope while holding Cherry’s arm. Shimono slams Uematsu and the impact causes the ropes to shake and GAMI to be crotched on the top rope. GAMI catches Cherry with a thrust kick as Cherry comes into the corner. She and Uematsu continue to wear Cherry down until Cherry takes them out with a double clothesline. She huracanrana’s GAMI for two. Shimono tags in and knocks GAMI down with a couple shoulder blocks. GAMI evades a sit-out splash and Dragon kicks Shimono. Shimono Judo throws her into a cross armbreaker. Uematsu and Cherry fight on the floor while Shimono tries to slam GAMI. GAMI suplexes her and gets tripped as she hits the ropes. Shimono slams GAMI and hits a running splash for two. Uematsu boots Shimono in the stomach which allows GAMI to deliver a Northern Lights suplex for two. Uematsu assists GAMI in giving Shimono a German suplex. GAMI lariats Shimono and Cherry manages to break the pin. Uematsu splashes Shimono for two. She tries again but misses the splash. Shimono tackles Uematsu and Cherry decides to hold her. Shimono accidentally bodyblocks Cherry, but Uematsu also accidentally dropkicks GAMI. Shimono Earthquak splashes Uematsu for two. She picks her up with a Samoan Drop for two. Cherry German suplexes Uematsu and Shimono follows with a Death Valley Arrow. GAMI breaks the pin, so Cherry takes her to the floor. Uematsu slams Shimono. She hits another top rope splash and only gets two again. Uematsu gets two with a German suplex. Uematsu hits a Dragon suplex to get the win at 14:10. While the wrestling was good, the amount of pinfalls got to be overkill by the end. GAMI and Uematsu dominated to the point where I would love for them to team again in CHIKARA. Unfortunately this is Uematsu’s final weekend in the US, so that won’t be happening. **3/4

Ophidian says at “High Noon” he began his transformation by unmasking Amasis. He says tonight he will continue his transformation by scoring a win over Gregory Iron. Ophidian holds Amasis’ mask up and says it’s all his fault that he (Ophidian) is going to hurt people.

Gregory Iron vs. Ophidian

Ophidian throws the Amasis mask at Iron and kicks him in the face. He kicks Iron repeatedly and chops him against the ropes. Iron sends Ophidian to the floor and follows out with a suicide dive. Iron gets in a few chops before bringing Ophidian back into the ring. He drops Ophidian with a bulldog and hits a senton for two. Ophidian blocks a punch. He snaps Iron’s good arm across the top rope and then targets it with a divorce court DDT. Ophidian applies a legged full nelson on the mat. Iron leans back for a pin, forcing Ophidian to break the hold. Ophidian dragon kicks him for two. Iron blocks an O’Conner roll. He rolls back for a reverse prawn hold but Ophidian rolls forward and grabs the ropes. Referee Jon Barber catches him and doesn’t count. Ophidian releases and kicks Iron in the side of the head. Iron small packages Ophidian to block a fisherman’s suplex. Ophidian kicks Iron in the head and delivers that fisherman’s suplex for two. Ophidian snapmares Iron. He headstands in the corner and comes down with a splash for two. Iron Gimp slaps Ophidian as Ophidian runs to the corner. Iron huracanrana and headscissors him to the mat. He turns Ophidian inside out with a clothesline for two. Iron nails him with a forearm to stop Ophidian’s momentum coming out of the corner. Iron gets two with a high crossbody. Iron victory rolls Ophidian for two and waistlock rolls him for two. Ophidian kicks him in the leg and side of the head. He goes for the Ophidian Death Grip. Iron blocks and delivers a neckbreaker. Ophidian ducks the Gimp Slap. He slams Iron neck first across his knee and kicks him in the back of the head too. Ophidian applies the Death Grip and bridges forward ala the Cattle Mutilation. Iron taps out at 9:54. I love the intensity we saw from Ophidian here. I really do think him officially breaking free from Amasis will help him break out as one of the top singles Rudos CHIKARA has. 2012 has the potential to really be his year. The in ring work was solid too, but Ophidian’s demeanor was the real attention grabber. **1/2

Kaori Yoneyama {JWP} vs. Hanako Nakamori {JWP}

The two women reach a stalemate after locking to lock onto some sort of hold. Nakamori boots Yoneyama in the stomach instead of going for a test of strength. Yoneyama runs across her back before hairmaring her across the ring. Yoneyama steps on Nakamori’s clavicles in the corner. Yoneyama transitions from a headscissors into a bodyscissors. Nakamori leans back a few times for a pin, getting a one count every time. Nakamori kicks the inside of Yoneyama’s leg and turns her over into a Camel Clutch. Nakamori pushes Yoneyama up while pulling her arms back. Yoneyama floats over into a lateral press for a couple two counts. Nakamori armdrags Yoneyama and Yoneyama turns it into a pin for two. Nakamori lays in some boots in the corner. Yoneyama comes off the ropes with a crossbody for two. Nakamori rolls Yoneyama into a Stretch Muffler. Yoneyama crawls to the ropes to break it. Nakamori turns her into a Boston Crab. Yoneyama escapes and delivers some Mongolian chops. She forearms Nakamori in the corner, then gets kicked in the face for her troubles. Yoneyama wins a forearm exchange, yet it’s Nakamori who knocks her down with a clothesline. Nakamori then gets two with a fisherwoman’s suplex. Yoneyama ducks a knee and rolls up Nakamori for two. She backslides Nakamori for two. A big knee from Yoneyama leads to a Northern Lights suplex for two. Nakamori kicks Yoneyama in the side of the head and then hits a step-up knee strike to the head for two. Yoneyama blocks a fisherwoman’s suplex with a DDT. She knees Nakamori in the back of the head for two. Nakamori drops down and trades rolls up with Yoneyama. Yoneyama gets two with a German suplex. Yoneyama comes off the top rope with a knee to Nakamori’s head for the pin at 8:23. This had the same effect as the first match for me; a very good showcase of what the competitors could do, but way too many nearfalls. **3/4

Mayumi Ozaki {OZ} vs. Mio Shirai

Osaki and Shirai were on the losing side of a tag team match last night, so they can take out their frustrations on one another in this bout if they desire. Ozaki stomps on Shirai’s foot to break waist lock. She ducks some of Shirai’s moves and boots her in the side of the head. She digs her boot into Shirai’s head after trapping her in the ropes. Ozaki suplexes her, transitioning into an armbar. Ozaki bites Shirai’s hand while wrenching on the hold. Shirai cradles Ozaki while she’s arguing with referee PJ Drummond. Ozaki brings Shirai t the night and applies a nerve hold to her side. She pulls on Shirai’s hair in a Camel Clutch. Ozaki slams her face multiple times in the face. Ozaki gets two after a clothesline. Shirai hairmares Ozaki to the corner. She digs her foot into the side of Ozaki’s head. Shirai puts her in a Camel Clutch while pulling on her nose. Shirai dragon kicks Ozaki for two. Ozaki picks up her signature chain out of the corner. Shirai kicks it out of her hands into the audicence. Three kicks to the face get Shirai a two count. Ozaki stops her kick combination with a DDT. Shirai drops her with an STO and transitions into a modified Fujiwara armbar. Ozaki smacks Shirai in the face to escape the hold. Shirai puts on a reverse Tarantula. She let’s go and hits a missle dropkick for two. Ozaki ducks an enzuigiri. She blasts Shirai in the face with a double sledge for two. A fisherwoman’s buster also gets her two. Shirai clobbers Ozaki with a kick. Again Ozaki catches her with a double sledge to the face, yet gets two once again. The Ozakick finally puts Shirai away at 9:42. This match has inspired me to search out more Ozaki matches, as she really tells a good story and has quite the reputation. Her and Shirai beat each other silly and put on quite the show. Shirai looked like a million bucks hanging in there with the crafty veteran and helped make this as entertaining as it was. ***

Sara Del Rey says although Kuragaki is the ace of JWP, she’s the Queen of Wrestling and she will show Kuragaki why tonight.

Sara Del Rey vs. Tsubasa Kuragaki {JWP}

Kuragaki cleanly breaks a lock-up against the ropes. They exchange wristlocks, ending with Sara applying a kneebar. Kuragaki grabs the ropes to break it. Kuragaki whips Sara across the ring in a double wristlock. He snapmares her into a chinlock and applies a bodyscissors. Sara switches into a mount where she forearms Kuragaki. Kuragaki shifts the momentum and blasts Sara with even harder forearms. They continue to slug it out on their feet. Sara kicks her thighs and delivers a headbutt. Kuragaki back elbows Sara into a sharpshooter. Sara boots Kuragaki and rolls her into an armbar. She again gets the ropes to break the hold. Kuragaki has to get the ropes to break another armbar right after. An exchange of waistlocks leads to Sara rolling Kuragaki head first into the second turnbuckle. Kuragaki clotheslines Sara twice in the corner. Kuragaki then suplexes her for two. Sara catches Kuragaki as she heads up top. Kuragaki looks for a super powerbomb. Sara thankfully fights her way to the mat, but still eats a missile dropkick for a two count. Kuragaki slams her from a torture rack position, the same move she used to win her trios match last night. Kuragaki goes to the second rope, but Sara is able to yakuza kick her to the floor. Sara comes off the apron with a somersault senton. Back in the ring she connects with the Koppu Kick for two. Sara captures Kuragaki’s arm as she delivers an Angle slam for two. Kuragaki Saito suplexes Sara in response. Sara fights out of a second Saito suplex. Kuragaki delivers a chin breaker, but Sara immediately delivers an axe kick. Kuragaki fires up, landing a lariat for two. She unloads with repeated forearm strikes, ending with another lariat for two. Kuragaki misses a tornado moonsault. Sara crucifix pins her for two. Kuragaki blocks a rolling forearm with a bridging backslide for two. Sara’s mid-section is in too much pain for her to bring Kuragaki off the ropes and into the Royal Butterfly. She however is able to lock it in from the apron. Sara suplexes her out of it for the pin at 13:45. This may have had as many pins as the first two matches, but the fans believed all of them and got even hotter as the match progressed. This is one of those matches that you have no expectations for and takes you by surprise. Sara picks up two big wins in two exciting, competitive matches on back to back nights. ***1/2

F.I.S.T. cuts a goofy promo backstage, referencing Good Will Hunting and essentially says they will defeat their opponents tonight. Chuck Taylor says he’s going after Fire Ant’s knee just like he did in Philadelphia last night.

Mike Quackenbush, Manami Toyota, Fire Ant {C} & Green Ant {C} vs. Icarus {F}, Chuck Taylor {F}, Johnny Gargano {F} & Portia Perez

Even Toyota is horrified at Icarus’ back tattoo. So much so that she boots him in the face after he peels off his ring jacket. Taylor steps in with Green Ant. They trade holds until Green Ant twists Taylor’s legs up on the mat. Taylor rolls to the ropes to escape. Taylor gets to the ropes to escape a headlock too. Fire Ant tags in and helps Green Ant with a tandem flapjack. Fire Ant takes Gargano down with an armdrag and the Stop, Drop and Roll. Icarus attacks Fire Ant from behind. Fire Ant uses Icarus and Gargano to take out each other. They end up on the floor, so Green Ant flies out to them. Gargano and Icarus catch Green Ant and slam him against the apron. Quack takes them over out of a double wristlock. Toyota then missile dropkicks them back to the floor. She crossbody’s off the top onto them on the floor. Perez attacks Toyota from behind but gets slapped for her troubles. Toyota dropkicks Perez after hooking her in the ropes. Toyota puts her in a Muta Lock. Once she’s through with that, she hits two missile dropkicks. Perez superkicks Toyota and drops her with a reverse STO. Toyota rolls her around the mat in a cradle. Perez slips to the floor, bringing in Icarus who spears her. A variation of F.I.S.T. kicks is used by all four members of the Rudo squadron. Toyota continues to be bullied until she boots Icarus after ducking a clothesline from Gargano. Fire Ant crossbody’s Icarus and DDT’s Gargano. He cracks Icarus with the Yahtzee Kick. Taylor kicks Fire Ant’s knee out. The other two members of F.I.S.T. also inflict damage to the leg, allowing Fire Ant to get trapped in their corner. Fire Ant manages to kick Icarus away and tag in Green Ant. Green Ant hip tosses Icarus and delivers a running headbutt to the chest. Green Ant suicide dives onto Icarus on the floor. Quack and Gargano tag in. Quack nails a low single leg dropkick after a running elbow strike. Quack gets two with the Black Tornado Slam when Perez breaks the count. Toyota comes in and Perez claws her face. Quack sends Gargano to the floor and double palm strikes Perez with Toyota. Toyota German suplexes Perez for two while Quack tope con hilo’s onto Gargano. Toyota gets two with a moonsault. Taylor gives Toyota the Sole Food. She German suplexes him and Perez breaks the pin. Perez evades a piledriver. Icarus pulls her hair until the Colony double hip toss Icarus off the top rope. Quack follows with a tope rope somersault senton. The Colony and Quack dive onto F.I.S.T. on the floor. Toyota turns a powerbomb into the Japanese Ocean Cyclone Suplex for the pin at 17:49. This was the kind of exciting, fun action you get out of every Atomicos match these days in CHIKARA. I’ve said over and over how good the chemistry between F.I.S.T. and Colony is and this match was no different. ***1/2

Ayako Hamada vs. Aja Kong {OZ}

Neither woman wins the initial lock-up. Kong kicks Hamada’s ankle and trades chops with her. Kong clobbers her with overhand throat chops. Hamada ducks a corner clothesline and headbutts Kong from the apron. She comes back in with an armdrag off the ropes. Kong armdrags her to the corner, reaching a stalemate. Kong bridges Hamada to the mat in a test of strength and puts her body weight on her. Hamada breaks free, so Kong kicks her in the ribs a few times. She slams her and drops an elbow for two. Kong pulls on Hamada’s hair while stepping on her hands. Hamada comes back with a spinwheel kick. Her headbutts have no effect on Kong. One headbutt from Kong knocks Hamada down. Kong steps on her stomach and stomps on it. She picks up the metal tin she used yesterday against Del Rey. Bryce Remsburg disposes of it, so Kong gives Hamada a piledriver for two. Hamada cracks Kong with an enzuigiri. They trade strikes mid-ring. Hamada takes a clothesline as she hits the ropes. Hamada palm strikes kOng as Kong goes to the middle rope. She hits the Iconoclasm and a running shin strike for two. Kong gets her feet up to block a moonsault. She Saito suplexes Hamada for two. Hamada ducks a clothesline and hits a superkick. Hamada manages to sunset bomb Kong off the middle rope but only gets two. She successfully hits the moonsault but again just gets two. Kong ducks a spin kick. She drops Hamada with a brainbuster for two. Kong dropkicks Hamada from the second rope. Hamada fires up, but falls victim to the Uraken for the pin at 10:10. This was two of the best in Joshi showcasing their best for ten minutes. Kong’s done a great job the past two matches looking like a monster, but one that could be thwarted. Even though she beat Hamada, Hamada looked incredible in defeat and orchestrated a fun story for the crowd to follow. This would have been more well rounded were it a bit longer but it was a heck of contest while it lasted. ***1/4

Philadelphia, PA – 12.2.2011

Commentary is provided by Bryce Remsburg, Eddie Kingston, UltraMantis Black, Mike Quackenbush, Leonard F. Chikarason and Gavin Loudspeaker.

Archibald Peck is with Veronica backstage. Peck says he has a recipe for success tonight with Los Ice Creams as his partners. Veronica is still upset at Peck’s loss to Cabana from “High Noon” and that he keeps making excuses for it. Veronica threatens to leave March Madness if Peck loses again.

Tsubasa Kuragaki {JWP}, Kaori Yoneyama {JWP} & Hanako Nakamori {JWP} vs. Archibald Peck {MM}, El Hijo del Ice Cream {IC} & Ice Cream Jr. {IC}

Hijo mocks Yoneyama’s height by asking for a test of strength. She rolls through the wristlocks and boots him in the mid-section. Yoneyama crossbody’s him for two. Hijo slams her but Yoneyama slips up and sends Hijo to the floor with a quesadora. Yoneyama fakes a dive and instead slaps Hijo in the back. Jr. consoles him on the floor, then tags in with Nakamori. Jr. backs her to the corner. She comes off the ropes with a crossbody for two. Jr. reverses her suplex attempt and brags about it. Hijo then tags in, but he and Jr. get sent to the floor by Nakamori. She follows out with a flying crossbody. Peck and Kuragaki tag in. Peck does not take his female competitor seriously at all. She slaps him in the chest, so he responds with a glove slap to the face. Kuragaki chops Peck silly in response. They run off the ropes and hit each other with simultaneous shoulder tackles. Kuragaki slams Peck after he tries to foil her by dropping down. She follows with a slingshot senton and a springboard dropkick. Both Ice Creams are frightened by her primal scream. Yoneyama crossbody’s Hijo for two. Hijo takes her down by her arm and stomps on. Los Ice Creams and Peck each take time wearing targeting their attack on Yoneyama’s arm. Peck gets in trouble for trying to lick the Ice Creams, but Jr. is able to regroup and keep Yoneyama in the Rudo corner. Yoneyama switches her way out of a Tennessee Water Pump, causing Jr. to wear down Hijo’s arm by accident. Yoneyama forearms Peck multiple times until Peck throws her down by her head. Yoneyama is able to counter a spin-out backbreaker with a DDT. She then kicks Peck in the side of the head and DDT’s him for two. She hits a top rope senton but Hijo and Jr. break the pin. They pitch Yoneyama to the floor to bring in Nakamori. She kicks them both to the mat and then drops them with double DDT’s for two. Kuragaki tags in and suplexes Jr. and Hijo. Yoneyama and Nakamori help Kuragaki put Peck and Hijo in a torture rack at the same time. They submit at 14:43. I really liked what I saw from the JWP team but I think we’ll see more of what they’re about as the weekend progresses. This showcased a lot of Los Ice Creams and Peck’s humor, which was good for the opener and to get the crowd warmed up. **1/2

GAMI {PWW} vs. Sawako Shimono {OJ}

Shimono is actually the student of GAMI, the founder of the WAVE promotion. GAMI breaks a strong lock-up in the ropes. She boots Shimono in the stomach, snaps her back with the top rope and boots her to the mat for two. Shimono fails to knock GAMI down with a shoulder block. Shimono drops her with a Samoan Drop and boots her in the stomach. GAMI smacks Shimono in the head with a plastic megaphone she brought to the ring multiple times. GAMI walks and walks backwards on the top rope while holding Shimono’s arm. Too much showboating allows Shimono to bring GAMI off the ropes. She crucifix pins GAMI for one. GAMI nails her with a superkick to block a corner attack. GAMI drops an elbow for two. Shimono and GAMI exchange forearms mid-ring. GAMI smacks Shimono a couple times in the face, as well as some forearm strikes. Shimono finally knocks her down with a pair of shoulder tackles. She hits the Earthquake Splash for two. GAMI powers Shimono into a backdrop to counter a powerbomb attempt. Shimono however Judo throws GAMI into a cross armbreaker. GAMI puts her foot on the bottom rope to break. Shimono Samoan drops her for two and heads up top. GAMI cuts her off with a super Frankensteiner for two. Shimono slips out of a full nelson. GAMI stomps on her face and pokes her in the eyes. Shimono catches GAMI coming off the top rope. She drops her with a Falcon Arrow for two. She goes for a second one but GAMI drops to a knee. She nails Shimono with a lariat for two. Shimono ducks a second lariat and cradles GAMI for two. GAMI back suplexes Shimono for two. GAMI comes off the top with an elbow drop for the pin at 10:03. The ending came out of nowhere, but up until that point the action was really good. GAMI was a great bully and Shimono was effective at being both sympathetic and making it look like she could go toe to toe with the woman who trained her. **3/4

Tim Donst says most people would expect him to rant and rave since Hallowicked stole his Young Lions Cup at “High Noon” but instead he’s concentrating on trying to hook up with one of the ladies tonight. He says that may lead him to Japan where he can confront current Young Lions Cup champion Tadasuke who is keeping the Cup in Japan. Donst says he can’t win the cup back from Tadasuke and blames Green Ant for the Cup being held captive since he was the one who failed at beating Tadasuke in the YLC finals. Donst says since he can’t win the Cup back, he’ll knock out Green Ant instead.

Green Ant {C} vs. Tim Donst {BDK}

Donst and Green Ant exchange holds whilst standing and take the exchange to the mat. Green Ant turns Donst’s straightjacket choke into an abdominal stretch. Donst grabs the ropes to break, then takes Green Ant over with a gutwrench suplex. Green Ant ducks a clothesline and takes Donst down with a quesadora and an armdrag. Green Ant follows him to the floor with a knee drop off the apron. Green Ant misses a dropkick to the side of the head. Donst brings him in from the apron with a belly-to-belly suplex. Donst batters Green Ant in the face with multiple forearms and twists his shoulder. Donst grabs his antennae after Green Ant delivers an overhead chop. He twists Green Ant’s nipples in the corner. Green Ant chops him in response. Donst brings Green Ant off the apron and to the floor with a backbreaker. Tim Donst stretches Green Ant’s back and arms out. Green Ant boots Donst to block a corner elbow. He hops over Donst and comes off the second rope with a headbutt to the chest. Green Ant headscissors Donst to the ropes. He dropkicks Donst in the side of the head from the apron for a two count. Donst sends referee Jon Barber into the ropes to crotch Green Ant on the top rope. Donst German suplexes Green Ant for two. Donst gets two after an STO as well. Green Ant and Donst trade strikes on the second rope. Green Ant elbows Donst in the side of the head and headbutts him to send him to the mat. Green Ant comes down with a swinging DDT. Green Ant nails a short-arm lariat for two, then transitions into the Cloverleaf. Donst grabs the bottom rope to break it. Donst powerbombs Green Ant twice and then climbs the ropes with Green Ant on his shoulders. He lands a super Donstitution for a two count. Green Ant blocks a Gator Roll with an Angle Slam. Donst throws Green Ant down by his bad arm and then locks on From Dusk til Donst. Green Ant taps out at 10:47. This was a step up from their encounter at “Maiden Flight” a couple months back. Donst is on the verge of breaking out to being a bonafide main eventer in CHIKARA, and he’s closer to that spot than further away. Green Ant too is quickly becoming the singles stand out of the Colony, making this a fine showcase for two of the companies rising stars. ***

Cherry {UPW} & Ayako Hamada vs. Mayumi Ozaki {OZ} & Mio Shirai

Shirai and Ozaki attack their partners at the beginning. Ozaki bits Cherry’s forehead while putting her in a headlock. She stomps on Cherry’s hands and then bites her hand while sitting on an armbar. Shirai also mocks and twists Cherry when she gets the opportunity. Cherry rolls Ozaki forward in order to tag Hamada, but Ozaki pulls Cherry back by her hair and with Shirai’s help keeps her in the corner. Cherry evades a clothesline from Shirai by cartwheeling into one of her own. Cherry drops Shirai into a reverse DDT out of a Dragon sleeper. She puts on a cross armbreaker which Ozaki breaks with a Dragon kick. Shirai drops her with an STO for two. Ozaki comes in to bully Cherry some more. Cherry suplexes her way free and finally tags in Hamada. Ozaki knees her in the corner and brings in Shirai. Hamada kicks her down and nails Ozaki with an enzuigiri. Hamada headbutts them both, but they come back with a double boot. Hamada grabs their wrists and flips off the top rope into stereo armdrags. Cherry connects with a double clothesline. Hamada suplexes Ozaki for two. Ozaki and Hamada duck each others’ moves until Hamada kicks Ozaki in the head. Hamada misses a top rope moonsault. Ozaki nails her with a double axe handle for two. Shirai blasts Hamada with three kicks to the head. She then hits an enzuigiri for two. Hamada DDT’s her to stop her momentum. Shirai small packages Hamada to block a suplex for two. Hamada German suplexes Shirai to the corner. Shirai rolls Hamada into a modified armbreaker. Cherry kicks Shirai off. Ozaki sends Cherry to the floor. Shirai forearms Hamada in the face for two. Hamada powerbombs Shirai for two. Cherry goes up top. Hamada slams Shirai. Cherry follows with a somersault senton bomb. Hamada then hits a second rope moonsault but Ozaki breaks the pin. Hamada headbutts Shirai. Shirai hits a running knee strike for two. Ozaki delivers a Shining Wizard and Shirai hits an enzuigiri. Cherry again saves Hamada from being pinned. Shirai accidentally kicks Ozaki in the side of the head. Hamada spin kicks Shirai. Ozaki has the wherewithal to break the pin still. Hamada drops Shirai with a Michinoku Driver for the pin at 15:07. If you want to talk about perfect roles being played, Ozaki and Cherry had some of the best bully/babyface interaction you’ve ever seen. Hamada is just as good as you have seen her in TNA, and Shirai also brought the goods. In essence, this was the perfect blend of storytelling and ring work. ***1/4

Uematsu cuts a promo in Japanese backstage. David from Diva Dirt is in the ring and presents Manami Toyota with a Lifetime Achievement award.

Manami Toyota vs. Toshie Uematsu {PWW}

Uematsu refuses to shake Toyota’s hand. Toyota nails her with a dropkick at the bell in response. Toyota chases Uematsu around the ring and stops when Uematsu slides back in the ring. Uematsu surprisingly holds the ropes open for her. They end up on the ropes where Toyota knocks Uematsu back to the mat. Toyota comes off the top rope with a dropkick and ties Uematsu’s arms in the ropes. Toyota goes for a dropkick but Uematsu escapes just in the time. Uematsu now chases Toyota around the ring. Toyota slides back in and lets Uematsu back in as well. Out of a test of strength, Toyota runs the ropes into an armdrag. Toyota puts on a Camel Clutch, transitioning into a kamigatame. She laces it with her left leg and leans back into a bridging chinlock, shaking Uematsu’s head. Uematsu escapes and puts on an octopus stretch. Toyota struggles to the ropes to break it. Uematsu is clearly frustrated. Regardless, Toyota puts her in her own octopus stretch. Toyota puts Uematsu in the Romero Special afterwards. Toyota releases and kicks Uematsu’s inner thighs. She forces Uematsu’s into the splits before putting on a figure four leg lock. Uematsu rolls to the ropes to break the hold. Uematsu grabs Toyota’s nose and slaps her hand down to inflict more damage. Uematsu does it once more. Uematsu comes off the second rope with a dropkick. She calls Toyota to her feet and hits a second one. Uematsu slaps Toyota’s nose and puts Toyota in a figure four leg lock of her own. Uematsu does sit-ups over the edge of the ring apron to add more pain to the hold. Uematsu misses a top rope splash, allowing Toyota to go up top herself and deliver a top rope dropkick. Toyota hits another dropkick for two. Toyota yakuza kicks Uematsu in the corner. Uematsu responds with a back elbow and some boot scrapes. She face washes Toyota before picking her up. Toyota hits a German suplex. Uematsu gets up and rolls Toyota into a reverse prawn hold for two. Uematsu hits the ropes but gets booted to the floor. Toyota follows after with a crossbody from the top rope. Toyota misses a moonsault back in the ring. Uematsu capitalizes with a top rope dropkick. Toyota pops up but gets rolled up for two. Uematsu spits water into Toyota’s eyes and rolls her up for two. Uematsu superkicks Toyota to the ropes and rides a face wash kick to the floor. Uematsu missile dropkicks Toyota in her ribs for two. A Superfly splash also gets her two. Uematsu tries for a Dragon suplex. Toyota instead rolls Uematsu around on the mat in a cradle. Uematsu slides off Toyota’s shoulders, Dragon suplexing her for two. Toyota responds with the Queen Bee Bomb. Once on their feet, Toyota hits the Japanese Ocean Cyclone Suplex for the pin at 19:50. This was just two top notch Joshi talents putting showcasing their talent. Toyota proves time and time again just how good she is every time she comes to CHIKARA and Uematsu matched up with her along the way. Like the last match, this had a great hero/villain dynamic which made it that much more enjoyable. ***1/2

Campeonatos de Parejas
Chuck Taylor {F} & Johnny Gargano {F} (Campeones) vs. Fire Ant {C} & Soldier Ant {C}

This is F.I.S.T’s third defense of the titles. Fire Ant wins the opening exchange, sending Gargano to the corner with a headscissors and then to the floor with the Stop, Drop and Roll. Soldier Ant takes Taylor to the corner with a saluting headscissors as well. The Colony double flapjack Taylor and deliver a falling headbutt/senton combo for two. Gargano gets slammed by Soldier Ant. Fire Ant hits him with two sentons before Soldier Ant hits a falling headbutt for one. Fire Ant gets one with a fireman’s carry. Soldier Ant gets two with a small package. Gargano knees Fire Ant and brings him to the F.I.S.T. corner. Taylor tags in and gets chopped Karate Kid style in the corner. Soldier Ant and Fire Ant team up on Taylor, taking turns attacking him in opposite corners. Gargano knees Soldier Ant from the apron. Soldier Ant forearms Gargano off the apron. Taylor however rolls him up and Gargano holds Taylor’s boots to give them the first fall at 6:25. Both teams fight to the floor at the beginning of the second fall. Taylor whips Fire Ant into the guardrail and brings in Soldier Ant from the apron with a Falcon Arrow. F.I.S.T. team up on Soldier Ant while Fire Ant recovers. Although Soldier Ant got a tag, Taylor purposefully distracted Bryce Remsburg so that he would miss it. Taylor misses a quebrada after Gargano’s slingshot senton. Soldier Ant rolls Taylor up after missing the move to pick up the second fall at 13:08.

Soldier Ant goes to the floor, tagging in Fire Ant. Fire Ant comes in with a crossbody. He uses Taylor to send Gargano to the floor with a headscissors. He moonsaults into a DDT on Taylor. He tope con hilo’s onto Gargano while Soldier Ant comes off the top with a saluting headbutt to Taylor for two. Taylor gets sent out with Revenge of the Ants. The Colony then double boot Gargano and look for Ants Marching. Taylor instead dropkicks Fire Ant into a neckbreaker from Gargano for two. A series of strikes knocks all four combatants down to the mat. Both teams slug it out with forearms. Taylor drops Fire Ant with the Sole Food while Gargano rolls Soldier Ant into a low enzuigiri. Taylor tosses Fire Ant into an ace crusher from Gargano for two. Fire Ant baseball slides out to give Taylor a headscissors on the floor. In the ring, Soldier Ant goes for the TKO on Gargano. Gargano evades it and hits two superkicks. Soldier Ant barrel rolls Gargano for two. He then transitions into the CHIKARA Special. Taylor superkicks his partner free. Taylor catches Fire Ant coming up the ropes. He fights both Taylor and Gargano off. He misses the Heat of the Moment. Taylor throws Fire Ant into double boots from Gargano. F.I.S.T. hit stereo low superkicks for two. Fire Ant sends Gargano to the floor by Burning Down the House. Soldier Ant suicide dives onto him. Fire Ant antzuigiri’s Taylor twice. They each block the others’ signature moves. Taylor shrugs off a stunner and delivers the Awful Waffle for two. He turns Fire Ant over in the Cross Crab. Gargano takes out Soldier Ant on the floor while Fire Ant taps at 20:54. This was not the best match both teams have had with one another, and I think a lot of it was to blame on the quiet Philadelphia crowd. Sure, it wasn’t spectacular and nothing we haven’t seen from both teams, but still a very good defense and potentially the match of the night so far. The 20 minutes flew by as the action was constant and always interesting. ***1/2

Sara Del Rey vs. Aja Kong {OZ}

Kong cuts a promo backstage in Japanese. She also uses “Electric Eye” by Judas Priest as her entrance theme, so she already gets a thumbs up from me. Kong turns her back to Sara in a sign of disrespect. Sara attacks Kong and twists up her arm. Kong takes Sara’s legs out and kicks her in thigh. Sara shoves Kong and trades chops with her. Kong doesn’t budge from Sara’s headbutt. Kong headbutts her right back after being slammed head first into the top turnbuckle. Kong clotheslines Sara in the corner for two. She cranks on a headlock, keeping Sara grounded. Sara elbows her way free, but then gets choked on the middle rope. Kong throws her down out of a tree slam and reapplies the headlock. Sara rolls her into a cross armbreaker. Kong gets to the ropes right away. Kong shrugs off Sara’s dropkicks and forearm strikes. One big slap brings Sara to her knees. Kong scoop slams Sara for two. Kong puts on a sleeper hold with a bodyscissors. Sara escapes by getting her feet to the ropes. She kicks Sara in the side of the head and boots her thrice for a two count. Sara gets two again with an axe kick. Kong drops out of Sara’s suplex attempt and kicks her in the forehead. Kong mows her down with a lariat and goes up top. Sara punches Kong to the floor. Sara follows with a somersault senton off the apron. In the ring Sara gets two with a Koppu Kick. Sara brings her to the mat in a Fujiwara armbar. Kong inches towards the ropes to break it. Kong slams Sara and climbs the ropes. Sara throws her off. She hits a high kick to the head but Kong kicks out at one. Sara German suplexes Kong for two. Kong pulls Bryce in the way so Sara accidentally hits him with a Koppu Kick. Kong slaps Sara and brings a small metal trash can into the ring. She bashes Sara in the head with it and drops her with a Saito suplex. Sara ducks the Uraken and rolls Kong up for the pin at 11:50. This was a huge win for Sara and it’s awesome to see her get this dream match. The action was as hard hitting as you would expect, but not as much as say Sara’s match with Kana a couple months ago. The Philly crowd did this match no favors either. I actually thought this could have used a few more minutes, but it was still enjoyable for the time allotted. ***1/4

Kong knocks down a few of the Joshi talent hanging around ringside. She then tells the crowd that she will be back. Let’s hope it’s for King of Trios.

Cleveland, OH – 11.26.2011

Elimination Match for the #1 Contendership to the Absolute Championship
Tim Donst vs. Johnny Gargano vs. Marion Fontaine vs. Rickey Shane Page

Fontaine and Gargano do some serious back and forth at the beginning. Fontaine throws in some of his usual silliness, but it actually lets him take control. Gargano sole butts Fontaine. He ducks Fontaine’s superkick. Fontaine delivers three kicks in a row. Gargano sends him into the second turnckle before hitting a knee strike and dropping him with a neckbreaker. Gargano tags Donst in. Donst controls Fontaine by his arms. Fontaine positions himself into some dance positions with Donst. Donst clubs him in the chest to end that nonsense. Fontaine tags in Page. They trade control in a test of strength. Donst grabs Page’s ankle and Page immediately grabs the bottom rope. Donst chokes Page with his arm. Page brings Donst to the mat in a cravate. He crucifixes pins Donst for two. Donst rolls Page and goes for his bad ankle again. Page goes for Donst’s ankle instead. Donst escapes and forearms Page in the face multiple times. Page snapmares Donst. Donst elbows Page until Fontaine and Gargano come in to fight as well. Fontaine and Page send Gargano and Donst to the floor. Fontaine gives Page the Rocker Dropper. He headscissors Page into the ropes. Page powerbombs Fontaine. Fontaine rolls to the floor to avoid being pinned. Gargano trips Page and superkicks him. Fontaine senton dives onto Gargano on the floor. Donst throws Fontaine to the floor. Donst hops over the ropes and armdrags Fontaine into the front row. In the ring Page goes for a suplex on Donst. Gargano helps Donst out and sets up for a double suplex. Fontaine crossbody’s all three of his opponents. Donst gutwrench suplexes Fontaine which accidentally clips Gargano. Donst bulldogs Page. Page suplexes Donst and heads up top. Gargano crotches Page on the top rope. Page puts Gargano in a tree of woe. Dons comes up as well. Gargano suplexes Donst who suplexes Page, and then Fontaine gives Gargano a coast-to-coast dropkick. Page rocks Fontaine with a right hand and drives Fontaine to the mat with a boot. Page catches Gargano coming off the middle rope. He slams Gargano and powerbombs Fontaine at the same time. Fontaine and Gargano suplex Page into a German suplex from Donst. A series of kicks knocks all four guys down. Page sets up a bunch of chairs on the floor. Gargano dives out but Page catches him. Donst dives out and sends both men into the chairs. Fontaine flies onto them with a springboard elbow. Page puts all three guys on the re-set up chairs. All three of them move, causing Page to hit a somersault senton onto the chairs. Donst suplexes Fontaine into the ring from the apron. He hits a reverse STO for two. Donst O’Conner rolls Fontaine. Fontaine shoves him off into a slingshot spear from Gargano. Fontaine Angle slams Gargano for two. Fontaine misses a quebrada and eats the IED from Gargano. Gargano lawn darts Fontaine and hits the Hurts Donut for the pin at 18:13.

Flexor Industries make their way ringside to applaud Gargano. Donst questions what’s going on and shoves Gargano, who seems puzzled by Flexor Industries’ applause as well. Page kicks Gargano from the apron and hits a top rope somersault senton. Donst then locks Page in From Dusk Til Donst. Page submits at 19:30. Donst and Gargano exchange words before throwing forearms at each other. They each escape each others’ finishers. Gargano superkicks Donst and hits the Hurts Donut. Dawson stops the count at two purposefully. Gargano gets in Dawson’s face. This allows Donst to roll Gargano up for the pin at 21:01. The match itself was pretty good for the most part, though it took forever to get to the first elimination. From there on out though it was a very good, entertaining match. The ending with Flexor Industries playing mind games with Gargano and Donst is certainly an interesting direction and we’ll just have to see where it leads. ***

Dawson tries to pose with Donst but Donst shoves him away. Donst and Gargano argue until Donst decides to bail.

Read my review of this show in its entirety here!

Fountain Hill, PA – 11.18.2011

Commentary is provided by Leonard F. Chikarason, Bryce Remsburg and Mike Quackenbush.

”Mr. Touchdown” Mark Angelosetti vs. Danny Rage

I should point out that Angelosetti has a jersey with “Throwbacks” on the front, although his cockiness or condescending demeanor towards fans is certainly not in line with either Dunkerton or Hatfield’s general pleasantness. Angelosetti can’t seem to knock Rage down with his shoulder blocks. He does however tackle Rage’s knee and delivers a springboard shoulder block to take him down. He snapmares Rage after a knee drop for two. He gets two with a suplex also. Angelosetti applies a chinlock. Rage breaks free but gets met with a leaping body press for two. Angelosetti shoulder tackles Rage in the corner multiple times. Angelosetti powerslams him for the pin at 2:41. Excellent squash for Mr. Touchdown and the right the thing to do for him before he debuts in CHIKARA proper. *

Ophidian vs. Kobald {B}

Before the bell, Ophidian puts the mask he took from Amasis in the corner and tells it not to move. They boot each other in the mid-section simultaneously. Kobald grabs the ropes as Ophidian immediately attempts the Ophidian Death Grip. Kobald goes for a Rings of Saturn and Ophidian gets the ropes quickly as well. Ophidian fiercely stomps Kobald into the mat over and over. Kobald recovers and hits a high knee. A running elbow drop gets him two. He delivers a seated senton from the second rope for two. Ophidian evades a spear in the corner and pulls Kobald to the floor. Ophidian chops him in the back and jaw jacks with some fans. In the ring he continues to pummel Kobald. Ophidian locks his legs in Kobald’s arms and leans back on his neck. Ophidian forearms Kobald in the back for two. Kobald tries to fight back but Ophidian cuts him off with a dropkick. Ophidian chops and headbutts Kobald’s chest in the corner and against the ropes. Ophidian brings Kobald to the mat. He headstands out of the corner into a splash for two. Ophidian chokes Kobald with his sash. Kobald grabs Ophidian’s eyes and hits a chin breaker. His modified uranage leads to him spearing Ophidian from the ring apron. He hits slingshot double knees for two. Ophidian rolls up Kobald but referee Jon Barber catches him holding the tights. Ophidian however hits a fisherman’s suplex and a slingshot quebrada for two. Kobald blocks a split-legged splash with a powerbomb. He puts his feet on the ropes so Barber doesn’t count. Kobald then hits a modified Rocker Dropper for two. Kobald suplexes him into the Rings of Saturn. Ophidian wiggle to the ropes to break. Ophidian throws Amasis’ mask to distract Kobald. Ophidian applies the Death Grip and bridges forward ala the Cattle Mutilation. Kobald taps out at 11:43. I was so pleasantly surprised with how much offense Kobald got. We never see him get a real shot in singles action as I was really impressed by what he showcased. Sure, it was easy to see that he would lose, but his effort made an impression. Ophidian is really owning his reformed Rudo ways too. **3/4

Jigsaw vs. STIGMA

STIGMA looks the same and is still using the UnStable theme song. That will hopefully be changed when he comes back to CHIKARA. STIGMA brings Jigsaw to the mat in a waistlock. Jigsaw rolls him into a pin attempt for two. Jigsaw drop toe holds his way out of a wristlock. STIGMA laughs as Jigsaw tries some shoulder tackles. Jigsaw trips STIGMA when STIGMA tries a shoulder tackle of his own. He enzuigiri’s STIGMA from the apron and follows with a slingshot double stomp. Jigsaw sends STIGMA to the floor. STIGMA moves out of the way of a baseball slide, but takes a few chest kicks. Jigsaw accidentally chops the ring post. STIGMA pounds his fist on the hand and brings Jigsaw back in the ring. As you’d expect, STIGMA’s strategy now involves him relentlessly attacking Jigsaw’s hand and arm. STIGMA does his usual face wash kick, but this time it’s to Jigsaw’s hand. Jigsaw trips STIGMA and sends him to the floor with a low running knee strike. Jigsaw suicide dives onto him. In the ring he connects with a missile dropkick. He hits the brainbuster for two. STIGMA blocks a superkick and goes for the Stigmata. STIGMA hits his hand and hits the Air Raid Crash for two. Jigsaw kicks STIGMA to his knees. He hits an enzuigiri and goes up top. STIGMA evades a superkick. He manages to hit the Stigmata for the pin at 9:13. Really surprising to see STIGMA get the win but not as surprising as the total lack of change in his persona. I guess maybe he’s saving that for CHIKARA? This was the typical match you’d expect from these two. **1/2

Fire Ant {C} & Saturyne vs. El Hijo del Ice Cream {IC} & Ice Cream Jr. {IC}

This is Saturyne’s debut match. She’s a masked seemingly cosmic themed wrestler. A lucha exchange between Fire Ant and Jr. ends with Fire Ant’s Stop, Drop and Roll maneuver. Jr. balls up when Fire Ant leans back for a punch. Hijo comes in to set things right, but all that happens is Fire Ant makes Hijo and Jr. fight with one another. Fire Ant sends both of them out to the floor where Jr. runs around with Hijo in his arms. Saturyne tags in while Hijo asks for fans to rub his buttocks. It was only for healing purposes, I swear. Hijo goes right to Saturyne’s eyes to gain control. She blocks a hip toss but Hijo side steps her dropkick attempt. Hijo accidentally knocks Jr. to the floor. He takes Saturyne down with a chinbreaker however. Fire Ant forearms him from the apron and Saturyne hits one of her own. Jr. tags in and chops Saturyne in the corner. He misses a few attcks allowing Saturyne to flip off his shoulders into an armdrag. Hijo boots her and pitches her to the floor. Fire Ant tags in and eventually gets thrown out too. Saturyne crossbody’s onto Hijo. Hijo hits her in the jaw, beginning the process of Los Ice Creams wearing her down in their corner. After a very lengthy beatodwn, Saturyne slams the Ice Creams heads together to tag in Fire Ant. Fire Ant easily takes them both out. He forces Jr. to back drop Hijo, causing another short argument. He boots Jr. crotch first into Hijo’s head. Fire Ant then blocks the Jack and Jill Hammer by Burning Down the House. He moves out of the way as Hijo tries to break the pin. He splashes both Ice Creams for two. He avoids a double back drop and dropkicks Jr. to the floor. Saturyne puts Jr. in a standing headscissors in the ring. Hijo takes out Fire Ant and smacks Saturyne to break her hold. Saturyne gives him a few knee strikes and spinwheel kick in response. She huracanrana’s him for two. Saturyne bulldogs herself into a bulldog on Jr. He goes to the floor and Saturyne follows with a crossbody. Fire Ant prawn holds Hijo and crosses his legs for the pin at 16:52. They probably could have shaved a few minutes down in the middle, but otherwise this had the right mix of comedy and good wrestling to keep things interesting. I really like what I am seeing out of Saturyne and that she will presumably help CHIKARA’s female roster expand. **3/4

UltraMantis Black {SE} & Crossbones {SE} vs. JC Bouchard & Dr. Callahan

Callahan chops Mantis in the corner. The fans tell Callhan he looks like a giant baby (he kind of does) cries to his partner Bouchard. Mantis lights up Callahan with chops in the corner and hip tosses him to the middle of the rig. He double sledges Callahan before delivering a back elbow. He drop toe holds Callahan and stomps on his back. Crossbones tags in to the delight of every fan. Bouchard, who looks a lot like Redfoo from LMFAO also tags in. Crossbones kicks him in the leg instead of going for a test of strength. This happens a few more trimes, frustrating Bouchard. Bouchard’s eye poke does nothing but cause Crossbones to deliver a hard haymaker. Mantis and Crossbones treat Bouchard to their usual double team series of moves for a two count. Callahan elbows Mantis from the apron as he hits the ropes. The New Sensations (Bouchard and Callahan) isolate Mantis in their corner. Mantis manages to DDT Callahan and tag in Crossbones. He easily disposes of Bouchard and Dragon kicks Callahan while the crowd cringes. Bouchard breaks his pin attempt. Bouchard dropkicks Crossbones from the second rope and Mantis breaks his pin. Mantis Mongolian chops him from behind. He gives him the Japanese Ocean Cyclone Suplex and Callahan breaks the pin. Crossbones body blocks him out to the floor. Mantis slams Bouchard. Crossbones comes off the top with a splash for the pin at 14:30. The New Sensations were nothing special; just a really skinny guy and really fat guy doing some moves. Mantis and Crossbones rightfully destroyed them. Crossbones is SO over with the fans and it brings me great joy. *1/2

Dasher Hatfield {T} vs. Johnny Ego

Hatfield pushes Ego’s shoulders to the mat in a test of strength for two. Ego claims he slipped. However, Hatfield is able to win another test with one hand. Hatfield whips him off the second rope. A pair of armdrags does no use as Ego rakes Hatfield’s back. Hatfield smacks him in the bottom to block a backdrop. He hangs Ego in a tree of woe. He brings good fan Kyle into the ring to pitch him a baseball. Hatfield hits a home run and baseball slides into Ego’s face. Ego tries to bail to the back. Hatfield catches Ego, smacks him with a water bottle and throws him into the ring. Hatfield backdrops Ego for two. Hatfield looks for the Grand Slam. Ego rakes Hatfield’s eyes and contorts his mask. Ego missile dropkicks Hatfield for two. Ego bulldogs Hatfield after a boot for another two count. Ego chokes Hatfield with his boot in the corner. Hatfield sends Ego to the floor. Ego blocks the baseball slide and chops Hatfield across the chest. Ego drops him with the Golden Gate Swing for two. Hatfield lands on his feet out of a monkey flip. He smacks Ego and clotheslines him to the mat twice. Ego fights out of the Suicide Squeeze. He hits the Rough Ryder for two. Ego crushes him with a frogsplash for yet another two count. Ego heads up top once again. Hatfield under hand slaps him and follows him to the top rope. Hatfield hits the Grand Slam for the pin at 11:22. Ego so far is the first non CHIKARA person I would say that I want to see back in Wrestling is Fun. He was competent in the ring, connected with the crowd and was the only one to make a true impression. He was also the most competitive so that helped. Good stuff from these guys. **3/4

Soldier Ant {C} & Green Ant {C} vs. Obariyon {B} & Kodama {B}

Kodama does not know what to make of Soldier Ant’s saluting. Soldier Ant keeps his salute going even when falling victim to a wristlock and hammerlock. He turns it into his own wristlock whilst saluting. Soldier Ant Army crawls backwards to break a waistlock. Kodama grabs his antennae to put on an Octopus stretch. Soldier Ant reverses it, saluting while holding onto the move. He brings Kodama to the corner and tags in Green Ant. The Colony hits a sidewalk slam/legdrop combo for two. Kodama pulls Green Ant to the mat and tags in Obariyon. He bites Green Ant, but Green Ant fights back and small packages Obariyon for two. Green Ant gets two with a Gedo Clutch. Green Ant suplexes Obariyon into a modified armbar. Kodama breaks the hold and helps Obariyon trap Green Ant in their corner. Green Ant escapes fairly quickly after Obariyon misses a headbutt. Soldier Ant tags in and immediately is attacked by Obariyon from behind while Kodama distracts him. Soldier Ant also gets trapped in the corner, for a much longer time than Green Ant. He catches Kodama with a Samoan Drop to finally tag in Green Ant. Green Ant wisely avoids the attack from behind, taking down Kodama instead. He hits a corner splash. Kodama kicks him away to avoid a cloverleaf. Green Ant bulldogs him for two. The Colony go for the Ants Marching but Obariyon chop blocks Soldier Ant’s leg. Kodama trips Green Ant into a knee strike from Obariyon. Kodama trips Soldier Ant and is then kicked by Obariyon in the head. They hit tandem kicks on Soldier Ant but Green Ant is there to break the pin. The Colony double team Kodama in the corner. They send him out with Revenge of the Ants. A string of moves on Obariyon only gets Green Ant a two count. Both Batiri members go for the masks of The Colony. They fight the Batiri off and trade forearms with them. Kodama sends Soldier Ant to the floor. Green Ant blocks Kodama’s huracanrana. Soldier Ant hits Obariyon with a saluting forearm and helps Soldier Ant out with the Ants Marching powerbomb/neckbreaker combo for the win at 17:03. If it wasn’t apparent already, the Batiri become more cohesive as the shows roll on. This was a fine display of that as well as the two Colony members who don’t team up in tag matches that often getting a chance to do just that. This was a very fun, energetic tag match to cap off the first show on a positive note. ***

Philadelphia, PA – 11.13.2011

Commentary is provided by Bryce Remsburg, Leonard F. Chikarason and Gavin Loudspeaker.

Pre-Show Match
Jigsaw vs. El Generico

This match took place before “High Noon” and was aired on CHIKARA’s UStream channel during their Pre-Show-A-Go-Go. Jigsaw wrenches on Generico’s wrist. Generico takes him over with a headlock. Jigsaw reverses it with a headscissors, but Generico pops out of it and reapplies the headlock. Jigsaw puts Generico in the Gory Gallows back on their feet. Jigsaw takes him over with a wheelbarrow armdrag, a regular armdrag and a dropkick. Generico hops over Jigsaw and takes him down with a pair of armdrags and a toreador. Generico punches Jigsaw ten times in the corner with the crowd counting along in Spanish. Generico snapmares him for two. Jigsaw slams Generico on his stomach and knees him right in the chin. Generico bails to the floor, so Jigsaw follows him with a suicide dive. Generico sends Jigsaw to the floor to evade an attack. Generico gets revenge for Jigsaw’s previous dive with a tope con hilo. Back in the ring he delivers a Blue Thunder Bomb for two. Jigsaw blocks a yakuza kick. He cracks Generico with a back elbow and enzuigiri. He gets a two count with a bridging German suplex. Generico catches Jigsaw with a yakuza kick when Jigsaw runs to the corner. Jigsaw blocks the split-legged moonsault and puts Generico in the tree of woe. He hits a coast-to-coast dropkick for two. Generico blocks Jigsaw’s running attack with an exploder suplex in the corner. Jigsaw blocks Generico’s yakuza kick with a superkick. He follows up with a double stomp for the pin at 7:58. That was a great match to get the crowd’s blood flowing. It wasn’t the best these two have done, but they shouldn’t blow their wad in a pre-show match. This was good, exciting action to warm up the fans and it did so effectively. **3/4

Fire Ant {C} & Soldier Ant {C} vs. Nick Jackson {YB} & Matt Jackson {YB}

Marty Jannetty brings The Young Bucks out to the ring. That is pretty damn cool. Both of these teams have two points, meaning the winning team will have earned a third point and thus a shot at Los Campeonatos de Parejas. Matt gets the ropes to break Soldier Ant’s neck hold. Matt fails to stop Soldier Ant from saluting him. Soldier Ant takes him to the corner with a couple armdrags and salutes the crowd. Nick kicks him, but then gets met with a pair of sentons from Fire Ant and a falling headbutt from Soldier Ant. The Colony drop Matt with a tandem flapjack for two. Soldier Ant sends Nick to the floor with a saluting headscissors. Matt comes back in and sends Soldier Ant to the floor with a flying back elbow. Fire Ant delivers the Stop, Drop and Roll to Matt. Nick sends Fire Ant to the floor with an armdrag and then suicide dives onto him. Nick trips Soldier Ant and kicks him from the floor. Nick hits a slingshot X-Factor on Soldier Ant, then moonsaults off the apron onto Fire Ant. The Bucks isolate and wear down Soldier Ant in their corner. Fire Ant tries to save him, but a superkick from Matt keeps him at bay. Soldier Ant finally escapes their grasp when Matt kicks Soldier Ant out of an O’Conner Roll. Fire Ant comes in with a crossbody to Matt. He avoids a springboard splash from Nick. He hops off of Nick’s back to headscissors Matt, then DDT’s Nick while Nick is still laying on the mat. Soldier Ant baseball slides the Bucks, allowing Fire Ant to jump to the floor with a springboard somersault senton. In the ring, Soldier Ant avoids a splash from Matt and elbows him in the corner. The Colony deliver the Revenge of the Ants to him. They take over Nick with a double suplex for two. Fire Ant misses the Yahtzee Kick. Nick nails him with an enzuigiri. Soldier Ant forearms Matt and Nick back elbows Soldier Ant in response. Soldier Ant German suplexes Nick to block a superkick. Matt takes Soldier Ant out with a tumbleweed ace crusher. Fire Ant drops Matt by Burning Down the House (stunner). He follows up with the Yahtzee kick and a brainbuster for two. Matt blocks the Beach Break. Fire Ant kicks him in the head. He and Soldier Ant set up Matt, but Nick superkicks Soldier Ant to free his brother. Matt powerbombs Fire Ant twice, then buckle bombs him. The Bucks drop him with a tandem tombstone piledriver for two. The Bucks double superkick Soldier Ant and then Fire Ant. Matt puts both Colony members on his shoulders while Nick heads up top. Nick dropkicks Fire Ant off Matt’s shoulders. Soldier Ant avoids More Bang For Your Buck. He catches Matt with a Folding Press for the pin at 13:32. This was the best possible match these two teams could have without stealing the show. Much like Jigsaw and Generico, this was a fast-paced energetic bout to get the crowd’s energy up and it worked. The Bucks are such good heels and I’m glad they got to play that part in this match with one of CHIKARA’s most beloved teams. ***

Sara Del Rey vs. Jakob Hammermeier {BDK}

Sara twists Hammermeier’s arm and the fans yell for him to tap out. Sara instead snapmares him out a cravat. Hammermeier shoves Sara, so she kicks the snot out of him. She traps him in the ropes and kicks him multiple times in the chest. Once he’s released, Hammermeier throws Sara to the mat by her head and chokes her. Hammermeier elbows her in the head a few times. Sara chops him in the corner. She hairmares Hammermeier across the ring and places him on her shoulders. Hammermeier rakes her eyes to escape and chokes her on the mat with his tie. Sara grabs Hammermeier’s arm and violently twists his fingers. She whips him to the corner, following up with a Koppu Kick and a running boot. She delivers a couple kicks before German suplexing him. She axe kicks Hammermeier for two. Hammermeier counters the Royal Butterfly with a backslide for two. Sara manages to successfully hit the Royal Butterfly suplex for the pin at 5:21. If this win and her winning the Cibernetico won’t propel her to the upper echelon of CHIKARA, I don’t know what will. The crowd responded to her very well and she came off like a complete ass kicker. I expect big things for her in the coming year. *1/2

The Osirian Portal, Amasis and Ophidian make their way to the ring. Amasis suffered a severe neck injury in a car crash roughly six months ago. That injury the doctors told him would keep him out of wrestling for good. Unfortunately, Amasis confirms that to be true and states that his wrestling career is over. Were he to continue, he could risk being a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Amasis tells Ophidian to remember all the things they accomplished as a team, such as wrestling in multiple countries and winning Los Campeones de Parejas. Ophidian grabs the microphone but can’t bring himself to speak. Amasis says he and Ophidian should dance in order to alleviate the emotion in the building. The Portal do just that, until Ophidian lifts his mask and spits mist into Amasis’ face! Multiple officials run out to the ring to calm Ophidian down and check on Amasis. Ophidian however attacks Amasis on the mat, looking to put on his Death Grip. The officials fight him off and send him out. Ophidian however sneaks back in and takes off Amasis’ mask! In the aisle way, Ophidian holds up Amasis’ mask and says “Amasis…problem solved.” This was brilliant, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Ophidian now.

Green Ant {C} vs. Tursas {BDK}

Referee Derek Sabato is the official for this match. Green Ant immediately dropkicks Tursas at the sound of the bell. Tursas knees him in the stomach and forearms him in the back. Green Ant gets up right away after being bodyslammed. Green Ant ducks a few clotheslines. Tursas accidentally splashes Derek Sabato in the corner when going for Green Ant. Green Ant drops Tursas with a neckbreaker and covers him. Referee Nick Papagiorgio runs in to count two. Fire Ant and Soldier Ant come out and take Sabato away. Green Ant baits Tursas to the corner where he goes for a choke. Tursas brings him off the top onto his shoulders and drops him with a very large Finlay Roll. An elbow drop gets him two. Tursas splashes Green Ant in the corner. He misses a butt bump. Green Ant capitalizes and is able to drop Tursas with a tornado DDT. Tursas backdrops Green Ant and chokes him on the middle rope. Tursas suplexes Green Ant, then kneels on his chest for a two count. Green Ant rolls out of the way of a running crossbody. Green Ant fires up but then turns into a running dropkick. Tursas gets two with a suplex. Green Ant attacks Tursas as Tursas climbs the ropes. Green Ant brings Tursas down with an Angle Slam. Green Ant trips Tursas across the middle rope and dropkicks him in the side of the head. He shoves Tursas to the floor and comes off the top with a crossbody. Tursas catches him. He throws Green Ant, but Green Ant lands on the apron. Green Ant knocks him with a knee strike and bodyslams him on the floor. Green Ant then hits a splash off the top rope onto the floor! Back in the ring, Green Ant lights Tursas up with headbutts and strikes. Tursas hits his running crossbody to stop Green Ant’s momentum. He throws him with the Kreuz Bomb for a two count. They fight on the top rope. Green Ant wins a super-duperplex. Green Ant puts Tursas in the Cloverleaf. Tursas escapes, so Green Ant puts Tursas in a new variation of the CHIKARA Special. Tursas taps out to what is known as CHIKARA Special: Green at 12:27! This was a lot better on DVD than it was in person; the crowd seemed much quieter in the arena than it did here. This was a tremendous way to end the feud, and it makes total sense that Green Ant wouldn’t be able to pin the much larger Tursas but would be able to twist him to the point of submission. While this wasn’t as good as their Chikarasaurus Rex match, it was a great way to put the feud to rest. ***

Colt Cabana vs. Archibald Peck {MM}

Peck is accompanied by Veronica and Colt Cabunny, who now has green ears and beard as a side effect from Peck’s hair tonic that he used on him. Peck treats Cabunny like dirt before getting in the ring. Peck tries to sneak attack Cabana a few times as he’s getting ready, but Cabana always manages to unintentionally evade him. Peck is so upset that he pouts on the mat when the bell rings. Cabana takes Peck over with a headlock. Peck reverses into a headscissors, which Cabana maneuvers his way out of. Peck overly celebrates a single leg takedown. Cabana trips Peck while he stomps around the ring. Cabana takes Peck down and does some marching of his own. Cabana throws Peck’s own knee into his head. Cabana widens Peck’s legs from each other and shoves him to the mat. Cabana trips Peck into a couple pin attempts for two. Peck snaps Cabana’s neck against the top rope. Peck flies back in the ring with a shoulder block for two. Cabana whips Peck to the ropes. Peck comes back with a flipping DDT for two. Cabana chops Peck in the corner and whips him across the ring. Peck puts his boot up to block an attack an asks for Cabunny to choke Cabana behind the referee’s back. Cabunny refuses to do. Peck accidentally crotches himself on the middle rope. He does however knock Cabana down with a leg lariat for two. Peck catches Cabana coming off the ropes with a sleeper. This hold legitimately puts Cabana to sleep on the mat. Like, thumb in his mouth sleep. Peck quiets the crowd and heads up top for the Cranial Crescendo. Just as he’s flying off, Cabana wakes up and sits up to yawn. Peck whips Cabana to the ropes and Cabana counters with a quebrada. Each guy delivers a string of punches but it is Cabana who takes Peck down with a Bionic Elbow. He misses the Flying Asshole, but catches Peck with a flying hip attack for two. Peck throws Cabana off the top rope. Peck hits the Cranial Crescendo for two. Peck throws Cabunny in the ring. Cabunny refuses to hit Cabana. Peck boots Cabana. Veronica slides her baton in the ring and distracts referee Bryce Remsburg. Cabana palm strikes Peck, causing the baton in Peck’s hand to fly towards Cabunny. Cabunny picks up the baton and debates with himself as to who to hit with it. Cabunny ends up clocking Peck. Cabana turns Bryce around and pins Peck at 11:34. Words do not describe my love for everyone involved in this match. This was comedic wrestling done right, with just enough action to not make the comedy overbearing. This was a lot of fun and definitely a great showcase of how CHIKARA embraces the different. **3/4

Gregory Iron vs. Icarus {F}

Iron nails Icarus with a clothesline once Icarus finally takes off his ring jacket. Icarus knees Iron in a test of strength. Iron hip tosses Icarus to the corner and monkey flips him out. He delivers a single knee facebreaker for two. Icarus decides to leave the ring. Iron of course goes after him and throws him back in the ring. Icarus snaps Iron’s neck on the top rope and suplexes hm in from the apron for two. He gets two after a dropkick. Icarus cranks on Iron’s neck. He chokes Iron on the middle rope and follows with a suplex. Iron comes back with a bulldog. Iron blocks a clothesline but takes a back elbow. Icarus picks up Iron after a kneeDT. Iron turns Icarus’ fallaway slam attempt into a DDT. Iron slaps Icarus silly. He boots Icarus to block a corner attack. He knocks down Icarus with an axe handle and a jumping back elbow for two. Icarus sends Iron to the floor. He follows but Iron is the one who gets in the barrage of strikes. Icarus sends Iron into the ring steps shoulder first. Icarus picks up a chair which gets taken away by referee Jonathan Barber. While Barber is putting the chair down, Icarus nails Iron with a loaded fanny pack. Iron manages to get back in the ring before the twenty count. Icarus immediately drops him with the Wings of Icarus for two. Iron goes for the Gimp Slap. He misses, but still brings Icarus to the corner with a flurry of forearm strikes. Iron knocks him down with the Gimp Slap for two. Iron puts on the Crippled Crossface. Icarus breaks free and evades the Handicap Parking. He grabs the referee and low blows Iron from behind. He then follows up with the Blu-ray for the pin at 12:19. This was just about as average as any of their other three encounters this year. I was expecting something more from them in their final encounter, but it ended up being just as average as all the rest. **

Icarus continues to assault Iron after the match. That is until Gran Akuma sneaks into the ring. Icarus tries to calm him down, but it’s no use. Akuma throws a kick, but Icarus bails causing the kick to hit Iron instead. Akuma is angry at his action and asks for the officials to tend to Iron.

I usually don’t mention hype videos and other trivial things in my reviews, but I had to mention the hype video for the next match because it used Kanye West’s song “Blame Game”. If you have not heard that song, go and find it now. In fact, listen to all of “My Dark Twisted Fantasy”. You will thank me later. We then see Ares and Tim Donst backstage. Ares says there’s no way he will lose the Eye of Tyr tonight. Donst says more importantly, he won’t lose his hair. Donst pulls out his Young Lions Cup from when he was champion and says the world will watch as he humiliates and unmasks Hallowicked. Ares corrects Donst and says they agreed to concentrate on pinning Mantis. Donst sarcastically remarks that Ares is the leader and walks away.

Lucha de Apuesta – No Disqualification
UltraMantis Black {SE} & Hallowicked {SE} vs. Ares {BDK} & Tim Donst {BDK}
If UltraMantis Black loses, he must unmask. If Hallowicked loses, he must unmask. If Tim Donst loses, he will have his head shaved. If Ares loses, he must forfeit the Eye of Tyr to UltraMantis Black

The BDK attack the Envoy as they’re making their entrance. As you would expect, Ares pairs off with mantis while Donst pairs off with Hallowicked. The Envoy take control early and isolate Ares in the ring. They each keep knocking Donst off the apron to prevent him from getting involved. Hallowicked ends up suicide diving onto all of him. Back in the ring, Ares assists Donst with an STO on Mantis. They trap Mantis in the ropes and stretch his back out. Like the Envoy did, Donst and Ares keep Hallowicked at bay while wearing down Mantis. Hallowicked however brings Donst to the floor and gives him Go 2 Sleepy Hollow on the barricade. Hallowicked sends Ares out and suicide dives onto both him and Donst. All four men brawl around ringside. The BDK throws the Envoy into chairs that fans have vacated. They double suplex them onto the chairs as well. Donst sets up some chairs ringside. He looks for the Donstitution onto them, but Hallowicked fights Donst off. Ares brings Mantis back to ringside as well and positions the steps. He looks for the Toblerone Driver on the steps, but Mantis backdrops Ares onto the chairs Donst had set up instead! The chairs part in a way that they did Ares no favors whatsoever. It looked nasty. Donst checks on Ares and gets met with a step-up enzuigiri. Hallowicked throws super snapmares Donst through a chair. Jakob Hammermeier runs out to attack Hallowicked. Crossbones runs out and gives Jakob the Friggin’ Sweet Driver. He takes Jakob to the back while Donst clocks Hallowicked with a ring bell. He arrogantly covers Hallowicked for two. Donst hits the ring bell into Hallowicked’s groin area. Mantis throws Donst head first into a steel chair in the corner. He drops him with the Praying Mantis Bomb and Ares breaks the pinfall. Ares delivers a low blow to Mantis. He drops him with the Toblerone Driver for two. Ares sets up a chair mid-ring and sets up for another Toblerone Driver. Hallowicked blasts Ares with a yakuza kick. Donst almost reenters the ring, but instead backs away and leaves Ares by himself. Mantis gives Ares the Cosmic Disaster through the chair for the pin at 12:47. This was quite the brawl, a type you don’t see from CHIKARA often. The stakes were high and the result was quite obvious, but it was an incredibly satisfying conclusion to a nearly two year feud and is a must watch for anyone who’s followed any part of the story. Kudos to all four guys for busting their humps and doing some crazy stuff. ***1/2

Mantis is given the Eye of Tyr, as per the stipulation. Hallowicked also takes Donst’s Young Lions Cup trophy with him.

CHIKARA Grand Championship; “12 Large: Summit” Finals
Mike Quackenbush (Block A Winner) vs. Eddie Kingston (Block B Winner)

Jigsaw is in Quack’s corner while Tommy Dreamer is in Kingston’s. Kingston has a noticeable limp from the get-go due to months of opponents damaging his knee. This is the first time these two have ever faced one another in a singles contest, and to say that this match has a big fight atmosphere would be a severe understatement.

The inaugural lock-up is broken cleanly in the corner. Kingston shoves Quack away as he goes for his arms. Quack ends up twisting Kingston’s arms anyways, with Kingston having to forearm Quack to free himself. Kingston chops Quack to the mat, and pulls him up to chop him twice more. He stops Quack’s momentum off the ropes with a spinebuster for two. Quack trips Kingston and slams his bad knee against the ring apron. Quack flips over the ropes to counter an Irish whip, but Kingston clotheslines him on the apron. Once again, Quack trips Kingston and slams his knee into the apron. Quack sweeps his legs and drives his knees into Kingston’s chest for one. Quack of course goes for Kingston’s knee. Kingston chops Quack, so Quack kicks him in the head twice so he can go back to work on the knee. Kingston puts Quack in a rear-naked choke. Quack drives his elbow into Kingston’s knee so that Kingston has to release the hold and grab the ropes. Quack stomps on Kingston’s knee to prevent him from standing up. Kingston tells Quack that he will have to break his leg off to win as Quacks its down on a spinning toe hold. Kingston kicks Quack away and gets to his feet. Kingston elbows Quack and sunset flips him. Quack rolls through and applies a tight grapevine stretch. Kingston is close enough to the bottom ropes to grab them. Quack stops Kingston’s chops by poking him in the eyes. Quack kneeDT’s Kingston as the locker room empties and surrounds the ringside area. Quack applies an arm-capture leg stretch. Kingston claws Quack’s face to escape. Kingston gives Quack a Manhattan drop and a big boot for two. Quack kicks out Kingston’s leg to bring him back to the mat. Kingston fires up as Quack puts him in a cross-legged submission. They begin to slap and forearm each other until the submission breaks. Quack palm strikes Kingston, but Kingston takes him overhead with a belly-to-back suplex. He delivers a lariat for two. Quack blocks the Backfist and drops him with the Black Tornado Slam for two. Quack hits a super somersault senton for two. Quack rolls Kingston into Lightning Lock Beta. Kingston again gets the ropes. They each block some of each others’ bigger moves. Quack delivers the Quackendriver III and Kingston kicks out right away! Quack heads up top. Quack misses double knees from the top rope and is wobbly when he gets up. Kingston now kicks out Quack’s knee multiple times. Kingston fights Quack on the top rope. Kingston backfists Quack’s knee, causing him to crash to the mat. Kingston turns him into Kondo Clutch. Quack gets the ropes to escape. They trade blows on their knees. Kingston fires up from a pair of palm strikes. Kingston nails a lariat and a Saito suplex. He drops Quack on his head with a Dragon suplex. Kingston delivers two Backfists to the Future to get the pin at 17:52.

I absolutely loved this. Kingston came in damaged and Quackenbush knew it. Kingston showed much more perseverance than Quack thought, so he changed up his game plan and utilized different tactics and a different strategy than usual. Kingston ended up getting payback by taking out Quack’s knee and ultimately finishing him off. Kingston wrestled a smarter game than Quackenbush did, which is such a role reversal and a betrayal of what they’re used to. All the little things, such as Quack shooing Kingston away after the initial lock-up, or Quack grabbing a leg for the CHIKARA Special and Kingston shoving him away immediately made this a work of art. Seeing the entire locker room and people from CHIKARA’s past (especially Reckless Youth, who literally made my jaw drop when I saw him) added an atmosphere that you rarely see in wrestling nowadays. I honestly think a lot of people don’t give this match enough credit, mostly those who just saw “High Noon” and not the entire 12 Large: Summit. This to me was an incredible match to crown the first champion, an amazing ending to a tournament and made for a triumphant and memorable moment. I could not think of a better way for CHIKARA to cap off their first PPV. ****1/4

Larry Sweeney’s brother and Sweeney’s friend Amy present Kingston with the title belt. Kingston puts over CHIKARA bigger than I have ever heard anyone do so. Kingston challenges anyone from New York or Florida to come to CHIKARA and face him. He reiterates that no one touches CHIKARA and embraces with some of the CHIKARA originals.

After the DVD credits, we see Hallowicked holding Sinn “Kizarny” Bodhi so he can face UltraMantis Black. Mantis tells Kizarny that he’s a man of his word and adheres to deals when he makes them. He hands Kizarny the Eye of Tyr, just like he promised him last year. For those who don’t remember, Mantis made an arrangement with Kizarny that if Kizarny trained the members of the Batiri in private to be a part of Mantis’ army that he would give Kizarny the Eye of Tyr. When it came time to pay up, Ares had already taken possession of the Eye so Mantis could not make payment. Kizarny kept the Batiri for himself and feuded with Mantis for the better part of 2011. Now that Mantis had the Eye once again he could put this transaction to rest once and for all. Kizarny says now that he has the Eye of Tyr, he can be done with CHIKARA. After he leaves though, Mantis laughs whilst holding the real Eye of Tyr in his hands.

Easton, PA – 11.12.2011

Commentary is provided by Bryce Remsburg, Gavin Loudspeaker, Mike Quackenbush, Wink Vavasseur, Leonard F. Chikarason, and Dr. Keith Lipinski.

Gavin Loudspeaker opens the show with another one of his awesome acoustic guitar songs. This one is about “High Noon”.

Ophidian says El Generico is the type of wrestler he’s been looking to face as of late. He says because of Generico’s reputation and accolades he commands respect everywhere he goes. Ophidian admits that wrestling career has been in shambles lately, which is why he NEEDS a win over Generico tonight to get back on the right track.

El Generico vs. Ophidian

Much like Ophidian’s match with Chuck Taylor at “Odyssey of the Twelfth Talisman”, this is a battle of Rey de Voladores champions. They fight for a waistlock on the mat. After a wristlock exchange, they sweep one another’s legs going for a quick pinfall. They reach a stalemate after neither man gets an advantage. Ophidian wristdrags Generico to the corner. Generico kicks him away and they circle the ring once again. Generico hops over Ophidian and then takes him down with a pair of armdrags. Ophidian reverses Generico’s toreador attempt, something his opponents never do. Ophidian ducks a clotheseline and hits the Déjà vu for two. Generico catches Ophidian with a quebradora. Generico snapmares him into a pin for two. Generico bodyslams him after a couple kicks on the mat for a two count. Generico goes for a split-legged moonsault. Ophidian rolls to the apron to avoid it. He comes back in with a springboard quebrada for two. Ophidian headstands into a headbutt for another two count. Ophidian leans back on Generico’s neck after locking his legs around Generico’s arms. Generico fights for a brainbuster. Ophidian fights back with some forearms and chops. Generico hits a pair of clotheslines and backdrops Ophidian in retaliation. Generico delivers a Blue Thunder Bomb for two. Ophidian sole butts Generico to break a waistlock. Generico catches Ophidian coming off the ropes with a Michinoku Driver for two. Ophidian blocks the yakuza kick and comes off the top rope with double knees for two. Ophidian is in disbelief. Ophidian ducks another yakuza kick. He rolls up Generico’s shoulders into a prawn hold and only gets two again. Generico comes back with an exploder suplex into the turnbuckle. He finally hits the yakuza kick. Ophidian counters a brainbuster with a dragonrana for two! Ophidian kicks Generico in the head. Generico snapmares him to avoid the Ophidian Death Grip. Ophidian spin kicks Generico to block another yakuza kick. Ophidian heads up top for a 450 splash. He hits it but shockingly gets two. Ophidian brings Generico to the mat in the Death Grip. Generico wiggles to the ropes to break it. Ophidian headstands in the corner, giving Generico the opening to hit the yakuza kick. One half nelson suplex and brainbuster later, Generico gets the pin at 16:42. This was a tremendous opener in every aspect. Ophidian matched up with one of the top stars today, evading his signature moves like a student of the game. It took one foolish mistake for Generico to finally hit his yakuza kick and then it was game over for Ophidian. The rest of the undercard has a lot to live up to. ***1/2

Icarus makes his way to the ring as Gavin Loudspeaker is talking to the crowd. Icarus mentions that Gregory Iron, who was originally scheduled to face Darkness Crabtree, is not showing up tonight. It’s hard to hear what Icarus is saying because the fans are booing so loudly, but he essentially says Iron’s absence is another way for him to get sympathy from fans. Icarus guarantees Iron that if he shows up to “High Noon” tomorrow, he will make Iron’s cerebral palsy very real.

Grizzly Redwood says that it’s okay that things haven’t been great for him in CHIKARA lately. He says Jigsaw will be a challenge for him tonight comparing him to a big tree in the forest. Redwood plan to make a name for himself by beating Jigsaw down.

Jigsaw vs. Grizzly Redwood {R}

Jigsaw brings Redwood to the mat in a surfboard, pulling his suspenders and then his beard before going with the more traditional wrist-lock version. He transitions to a Dragon Sleeper and snaps Redwood’s suspenders against his chest. He picks up Redwood and pulls him down by his beard in the Gory Gallows. Jigsaw releases and toreador’s Redwood to the corner. He sends him to the floor with dropkick. Redwood catches Jigsaw with a slingshot shoulder block from the apron. Redwood applies a chinlock. Jigsaw escapes by snapping his suspenders. Redwood chops Jigsaw in the corner. Jigsaw does the same and snaps the suspenders once again. Redwood gets two with a clothesline. Jigsaw lays in some kicks after Redwood chokes Jigsaw on the mat. Redwood maneuvers his way into an abdominal stretch. He chokes Jigsaw with his suspender while holding him in it. Jigsaw catches Redwood coming off the second rope. He throws him chest first to the mat and sends him to the floor with a running knee. Jigsaw suicide dives onto him. Jigsaw sunset flips Redwood back in the ring for two. He then superkicks Redwood and follows with a torture rack bomb for two. Redwood bites Jigsaw to block a move in the corner. Redwood huracanrana’s Jigsaw into the corner and follows up with a cannonball senton for two. Jigsaw hits a fall away enzuigiri to block a corner splash. Redwood schoolboys Jigsaw for two. Jigsaw grazes him with a pump kick. Redwood blocks a brainbuster with a Death Grip. Jigsaw backs to the corner to break it. Redwood avoids a springboard from Jigsaw. He spikes Jigsaw with a tornado DDT for the pin at 9:05. This is quite a shocking victory. With Jigsaw facing El Generico tomorrow and going to Osaka Pro soon, I figured Redwood would be a walk in the park for him. Needless to say, this is a big win for Redwood and could lead to big things for him in 2012. Redwood has obviously varied up his offense too which I always appreciate. **1/2

Steve “The Turtle” Weiner makes his way out to talk to the crowd. Weiner was not pleased to hear Icarus was accusing Iron for feigning his disability and claiming that Iron deliberately missed the show. Weiner says he can relate to Iron because he too is disabled by his autism and feels because of it that he wants to fight for Iron’s honor. With that, Weiner says he will take Iron’s place and take on Darkness Crabtree later tonight.

The Bravado Bros. are backstage. They say after tonight, everyone will hop aboard the Bravado Bandwagon. After both they and 3.0. are in the ring, Harlem introduces themselves as the fastest rising team in professional wrestling. The fans and 3.0. disagree. Lancelot says that their grandma said 3.0. would be acceptable opponents since they don’t wear masks like everyone else. Shane Matthews is too angry to speak clearly, so Jagged takes the microphone instead. Jagged says that the Bravado’s will feel the flow of 3.0. and Shane says their grandma felt it too.

Scott “Jagged” Parker {3.0} & Shane Matthews {3.0} vs. Harlem Bravado {ROH} & Lancelot Bravado {ROH}

Jagged embarrasses Lancelot on the mat. He leg lariats Lancelot and dropkicks Harlem. 3.0. nail Harlem with a drop toe hold/elbow drop combo. The Bravado’s regroup on the floor. Matthews knocks down Harlem with a shoulder blocks. He pokes Matthews’ in the eyes which gets the referee in his face. Matthews slams Harlem and yells at the referee for causing it. This happens twice more. The referee accidentally trips Harlem. 3.0. then cause the referee to clothesline both Bravado’s to the floor. Jagged follows with a pescado. Lancelot gives Jagged a neckbreaker in the middle ropes as he tries to come back in the ring. The Bravado’s isolate Jagged in their corner. Jagged finally escapes by shoving Lancelot off the apron and hopping over Harlem. Matthews tags in and takes out both Bravado’s with his signature headscissors. He then shotgun dropkicks Lancelot to the apron. He spears Harlem after Jagged flapjacks him for two. The Bravado’s block 3.0. from the Sweet Taste of Professionalism. Harlem kicks Matthews into a powerbomb from Lancelot. Jagged breaks the pinfall. He and Lancelot trade punches in the middle of the ring. After the exchange, Jagged pops Lancelot into a spear from Matthews. Harlem breaks that count. Jagged tags Harlem with a discuss forearm. The Bravado’s hit the Gentlemen’s Agreement for a two count. Matthews causes the Bravado’s to crash into one another and rolls up Lancelot for two. Matthews catches Lancelot and turns him into the Sweet Taste of Professionalism (with Jagged) for the pin at 10:37. A very good debut for the Bravado’s. They didn’t bring as much goofiness as I thought they would, but 3.0. made up for that in spades. It was an entertaining match with some good action and a cool finish. I wonder if the Bravado Bandwagon could team up with CHIKARA’s Band leader. **1/2

Steve “The Turtle” Weiner vs. Darknes Crabtree

Crabtree wonders where Iron is after being woken up by the ring bell. Weiner tells him it was due to car trouble and tells Crabtree that he is more his speed. Weiner begins to easily win a test of strength with just one hand with no pressure. Weiner shoots Crabtree to the ropes out of a headlock. Weiner weakly shoulder blocks him to the mat. Weiner walks over him after he drops down to the mat. Weiner shoulder blocks him down again. Crabtree then jumps up and dropkicks Weiner in the gut. He removes to his mask to reveal that Icarus was under the mask the whole time. Weiner fires up as Icarus accidentally forearms his shell. Weiner lights him up in the corner. He misses a back splash in the corner and eats a clothesline for two. Icarus locks on a crossface, a move Iron uses himself. Weiner puts his foot on the rope to break the hold. Weiner goes to the top rope with Icarus and brings him down with a superplex that almost went horribly wrong. Weiner and Icarus exchange forearms. Weiner delivers a flurry of them to bring Icarus to the ropes. He drops Icarus with the Shell Shock and traps him with a Gedo Clutch for two. Icarus throws Weiner’s arm into the referee. While the referee is down, he nails Weiner with a loaded fanny pack for the pin at 7:45. Not much a match here, just more to set up Icarus’ match with Iron tomorrow night. To be fair, Weiner looked better in this match than he ever has before. This was effective and entertaining for the time it lasted. N/R

Icarus says he had planned for weeks to trap Iron under the guise of Crabtree and blames Weiner’s downfall tonight on him. Icarus claims he is stronger and better than anyone. As he’s talking, Gran Akuma enters the ring behind him. Once Icarus turns around and realizes Akuma is there, Icarus immediately bails and sprints backstage. Akuma leaves the arena right after. Feels good to see Akuma back.

Fire Ant {C} vs. Chuck Taylor {F}

Chuck Taylor makes his way to the ring from the side entrance with the Dragon Gate USA Open The Freedom Gate championship. He stole the title after losing to champion YAMATO earlier today in Philadelphia. He was so upset with the way the match ended that he stole the belt in protest. He enters in his hoodie and the gear he won earlier, leading us to believe that Taylor had no downtime between his drive from Philadelphia and this very match.

Fire Ant meets Taylor with a baseball slide dropkick before he can enter the ring. Taylor throws his gear bag into Fire Ant’s mid-section. He forearms Fire Ant in the back and throws him into some bleachers. Taylor boots Fire Ant in the gut. Fire Ant whips him into a few rows of chairs. Fire Ant goes for a huracanrana. Taylor blocks it with a powerbomb onto the bleachers. Taylor throws Fire Ant into the ring to officially start the match. He goes for a pin right away and only gets two. Taylor nails a beautiful dropkick for another two count. He throws Fire Ant to the mat once Fire Ant escapes a seated abdominal stretch. He pitches Fire Ant to the floor. He follows out and dragon kicks Fire Ant’s spine. Taylor takes a picture of himself and some vocal female children. Why? Because he’s Chuck Taylor. Back in the ring he whips Fire Ant into the corner and stomps him a few times. Fire Ant responds with a flying crossbody and a satellite DDT for two. Taylor rolls to the floor, so Fire Ant follows with a springboard plancha. In the ring, Taylor ducks an antzuigiri. Fire Ant blocks Sole Food and hits the Yahtzee Kick. Fire Ant then delivers a brainbuster for two. Taylor throws Fire Ant into the corner with a crucifix bomb. He turns Fire Ant into the Cross Crab. Fire Ant gets the ropes to break. Fire Ant turns a suplex into a stunner. Taylor wins a kick exchange. Fire Ant escapes the Awful Waffle. Fire Ant blocks a sunset flip with a kneeling frog press for the pin at 7:05. Kudos to Taylor for this being his second match of the night and making it as fun as it was. It’s impossible to put members of F.I.S.T. and the Colony together and get a bad match, and this was no exception. **3/4

Tim Donst says people don’t understand why he and Hallowicked have such a strong disliking for one another. Donst says it’s because most people have never held the Young Lions Cup before. He says once he won the Cup, he erased Hallowicked’s legacy as champion. He thinks everyone else knows this, but until Hallowicked learns it as well, he won’t stop with his attacks. Donst says the BDK will rise to the top at Hallowicked’s expense.

Torneo Cibernetico
Hallowicked {SE}, UltraMantis Black {SE}, Dasher Hatfield {T}, Sugar Dunkerton {T}, Matt Jackson {YB}, Nick Jackson {YB}, Green Ant {C} & Sara Del Rey vs. Tim Donst {BDK}, Delirious {BDK}, Jakob Hammermeier {BDK}, Tursas {BDK}, Ares {BDK}, Obariyon {B}, Kodama {B} & Kobald {B}

Because of the nature of this match, no play by play we’ll be done. I’ll list the eliminations (in order) and other interesting/important notes of the match.

The Rules

Lucha tags are in effect, meaning in addition to physically contacting a wrestler, leaving the ring counts as a legal tag. Each team has a batting order that must be followed. That means that the wrestler in the ring must tag out to the next man in the batting order. Only the next wrestler in the batting order is up on the apron while the remaining teammates on each team wait on the floor. If the batting order is broken, the team can be disqualified. The order in which the participants are listed above is the batting order for both teams. The match is under elimination rules by pinfall, submission, disqualification or count out. There can only be one winner, so if more than one man on a team survives when all members of another team have been eliminated, those teammates must wrestle each other to determine the winner.

Eliminations

- Kobald falls victim to the first elimination, losing to Sara Del Rey’s Royal Butterfly at 8:39. Sara side stepped a spear and trapped Kobald in the move to send him packing.
- Sugar Dunkerton gets eliminated at 15:16 via the Donstitution from Tim Donst. Kodama and Obariyon had worn him down and Kodama was about to go for his flying blockbuster. Glory hound Donst however blind tagged himself in and took the pin.
- Kodama is eliminated at 18:32 via O’Connor Roll by Sara. Sara shoved Kodama to his corner where he knocked Donst off the apron. Sara used the momentum to roll Kodama into the pin.
- Matt Jackson gets pinned by Tursas’ splash at 22:23. The Bucks went More Bang For Buck on Tursas. Referee Bryce Rembusrg was counting the five count for Nick being on the top rope too long. The distraction allowed Tursas to low blow Matt and splash him.
- Nick Jackson gets pinned by Jakob Hammermeier at 28:15. Nick was beaten down significantly by the opposition before he was able to deliver a crossbody to Jakob. Jakob rolled through and hooked Nick’s leg to get the pin.
- Jakob Hammermeier taps out to Green Ant’s Cloverleaf at 32:20. Things break down after Nick was eliminated. The BDK members argue over who will fight Green Ant. Green Ant dives to the floor, leading to everyone from either side to brawl around the arena. Green Ant and Jakob ended up back in the ring, allowing the resilient rookie to capitalize.
- Green Ant is eliminated with a lateral press from Tursas at 34:30. Tursas and Green Ant brawled, setting up their match tomorrow night. Green Ant went for a bodyslam, but Ares grabbed his leg causing Tursas to fall onto him and pin him.
- Sara Del Rey pins Tursas with after five axe kicks at 35:18. Once eliminated, Green Ant nailed Tursas in the head with his forearm that has a steel plate inside of it. Sara then came in with a Koppu Kick and the axe kicks to pin the BDK giant.
- Delirious is pinned with a schoolboy from Hallowicked at 39:16. Hallowicked and Mantis spent any moment they had with Delirious in the ring trying to get him to remember them. Ares came in with Hallowicked to stop him. Delirious however got caught in the middle and ended up punching Ares! Donst came in to argue with him, but got shoved to the floor in the process. While Delirious was looking at Donst and Ares, Hallowicked snuck in from behind for the pin.
- Dasher Hatfield is pinned by Donst at 42:20. Obariyon had Mantis set up for the Flying DDT. He noticed however that Dasher Hatfield, the next person in the batting order was near him on the apron. Obariyon opted to instead give Hatfield the Flying DDT. Donst came in, pitched Mantis to the floor and dragged in Hatfield to make him the legal man and pin him with ease.
- Obariyon gets pinned by Mantis’ Praying Mantis Bomb at 43:08. The six remaining members of the match brawled with one another. In the melee, Mantis caught Obariyon with the Mantis Bomb to eliminate him.
- Ares rolls up Mantis for the pin at 44:34. Ares was pulling at Mantis’ mask. Mantis begged him off and delivered the Cosmic Disaster. Ares rolled to the corner and feigned a neck injury to distract Bryce. Ares got a cheap shot into Mantis from the corner and held his tights in a roll up for the elimination. Last year’s BDK Cibernetico captain pinned last year’s CHIKARA captain. History!
- Hallowicked pins Ares at 46:09 with the Rydeen Bomb. Sara threw Ares neck first into the corner and locked on a Guillotine choke. Although Ares managed to escape with a suplex, me missed a top rope somersault senton. Sara rolled out of the ring to tag in Hallowicked who picked up her pieces.
- Hallowicked is eliminated at 47:08. Hallowicked went for a step-up enzugiri in the corner. Donst countered with a powerbomb and put his feet on the ropes to get a cheap pinfall on The Nightmare Warrior.
- Sara Del Rey wins the 2011 Cibernetico at 51:46 with a piledriver. Donst decided to go for her knee since many of her teammates worked it over earlier in the match. It was all for naught, as Sara caught the Captain of the opposing team to pick up the win and win the tournament.

Additional Notes

- Hallowicked and Tim Donst continued brawling on the floor after they started off as the first two men in the match. Later in the match, Donst tried to unmask Hallowicked. They will meet in a tag match with Ares and UltraMantis Black tomorrow night with masks, hair and the Eye of Tyr on the line.
- Jakob and Sara had a short preview of their match that is coming up tomorrow at “High Noon”. Jakob took control thanks to Tursas’ constant interference. Mantis also gave a preview of his match tomorrow as he tackled Ares off the apron when Ares was about to come in as the legal man. This led to a few members from each team fighting away from the ring.
- Things boke down again after Nick was eliminated. The BDK members argue over who will fight Green Ant. Green Ant dives to the floor, leading to everyone from either side to brawl around the arena.
- Sara Del Rey is the only female to win the Cibernetico in CHIKARA history.

Much of this match was set-up for “High Noon”. It wasn’t a waste however, as all the build up for tomorrow seemed very organic and worked in favor for all of tomorrow’s matches. Everyone worked hard and brought their best here, and the crowd was vocal for the entirety of the match as well. This wasn’t the best Cibernetico ever, but a worthy one to be included in the lineage to be sure. ***3/4

Williamsport, PA – 10.30.2011

Commentary is provided by Gavin Loudspeaker, UltraMantis Black, Mike Quackenbush, Green Ant, Tim Donst & Leonard F. Chikarason.

CHIKARA was supposed to hold two shows the final weekend of October – this show, and a show the night before in Reading, PA. Due to a blizzard, the Reading show was canceled. Because of it, this show is a conglomeration of matches scheduled for tonight and the previous night.

Ophidian vs. Kodama {B}

Ophidian rolls up Kodama with a Magistral cradle for two. Kodama lays in a couple boots to the mid-section before laying in strikes in the corner. Ophidian headstands in the corner to counter an Irish whip. He tries to hypnotize Kodama, but Kodama puts referee Bryce Remsburg in the way. Ophidian and Kodama argue and then move the immobile Bryce to the corner to continue their match. Kodama’s pinfall attempt proves worthless. Ophidian lures Bryce into counting for Ophidian, yet only gets two. Ophidian uses the M-Pro comedy spot to break the spell. He gets two with a fisherman’s suplex. Kodama comes out of the corner with a neckbreaker to evade Ophidian’s charge for two. Kodama pitches Ophidian to the floor where he chops him against the ring apron. Kodama legdrops Ophidian on the second rope. Ophidian puts his boot up in the corner. Kodama rakes his eyes to regain control. He hits a slingshot huracanrana for one. A low blockbuster gets him two. Kodama bites Ophidian’s mask. Kodama ducks a spinwheel kick but takes a flying boot. Ophidian hits a barrage of kicks to Kodama’s head and gets two with a standing moonsault. He applies the Ophidian Death Grip. Kodama throws Ophidian into the middle rope to break the hold. He hits a twisting suplex for two. Ophidian counters another slingshot huracanrana with a powerbomb. Ophidian misses a slingshot quebrada, allowing Kodama to go up top. Ophidian follows him up. Kodama rakes his eyes to win the war and hits the flying Blockbuster for the pin at 10:29. This match was designed to show just how far Ophidian has fallen and to continue his losing streak. The match itself was nothing particularly exciting, but totally fine. **

Marion Fontaine introduces himself backstage. He essentially puts over his mustache, complete with cute mustache nicknames.

Marion Fontaine vs. Archibald Peck {MM}

Peck is accompanied by Veronica and Colt Cabunny, who it looks like Peck has not used his hair tonic on yet. What hair tonic? The same one discussed in this here post. (INSERT LINK) Peck tells Fontaine to tap out in a headlock. Fontaine shoves his face into Peck’s and it seems Peck is frightened of his facial hair. They fight in a test of strength. Peck gets scared as Fontaine moves his face closer while pushing Peck towards the mat. Fontaine nails a leg lariat and a headscissors. He takes Peck to the corner with three chops. Fontaine sweeps Peck’s leg. He slingshots in with a splash for two. Peck backdrops Fontaine to counter him running the ropes. Fontaine recovers and delivers some multiple knee strikes while singing. Peck pokes him in the eyes. Peck flips to the apron and drops the top rope down to send Fontaine to the floor. Peck misses a pescado. Peck slingshots Fontaine back in the ring and rolls him up for two. Peck also gets two with a backbreaker. Peck targets his attack on Fontaine’s lower back. Peck chokes Fontaine on his middle rope while pulling out Fontaine’s whiskers. Peck delivers a spin-out backbreaker. Fontaine uses his mustache to fire up and escape a chinlock. Peck boots him and it has no effect. Fontaine’s mustache power allows him to get in a flurry of right hands. He hits a flying forearm and a modified Death Valley Driver for two. Fontaine misses a second rope senton. Peck drops him with an Argentine Back Breaker for two. Peck misses the Cranial Crescendo. Fontaine hits a modified Rydeen Bomb for two. Peck blocks a headscissors and delivers the Unchained Melody for the pin at 10:29. The goofiness ended up transitioning into a solid exchange at the end. The final minute or so was quite good with the rest being what you’re used to seeing in a Peck match by now. **1/2

Shane Matthews says he’s been training for the past six months for the Countdown Showdown only to find out it was canceled this weekend. He says he and his partner Jagged are now in a four team elimination match. Jagged comes in dressed up like Road Warrior Hawk and cuts a promo just like him.

Elimination Match
Fire Ant {C} & Soldier Ant {C} vs. Scott “Jagged” Parker {3.0} & Shane Matthews {3.0} vs. Brodie Lee {R} & Grizzly Redwood {R} vs. Obariyon {B} & Kobald {B}

3.0. wrestle the match in Road Warriors face paint (Jagged comes out with their foam shoulder pads as well). Obariyon baits Soldier Ant into being bitten by Kobald from behind. Soldier Ant hip tosses him hard and comes out of the corner with an elbow strike and a falling saluting senton. Fire Ant tags in and helps Soldier Ant with a double flapjack. Obariyon attacks them from behind and elbows Fire Ant in the forehead. Fire Ant alita’s Obariyon into a Fireman’s Carry. He hits the Stop, Drop and Roll before hitting a dropkick. The Colony hit a senton/headbutt combo for two. Lee and Redwood send the Colony to the floor. 3.0. attack The Roughnecks. They clothesline Lee to the floor and double team Redwood in the corner. Lee blocks Matthews’ headscissors with a sidewalk slam for two. He and Redwood beat down Matthews in the corner. Matthews dropkicks Redwood to tag in his partner Jagged. Jagged dropkicks him as well. He knocks down both Batiri members as they come in. Kobald spears him in the corner and Obariyon follows with a delayed corner dropkick. Fire Ant is also double teamed by the Batiri. 3.0. drop Obariyon with the 3D. 3.0. manage to hit Kobald with the Doomsday Device for the elimination at 7:10. Redwood rolls up Matthews for two. Redwood sunset flips Matthews and Matthews counters into the Boston Crab. Lee big boots Matthews to free his partner. Soldier Ant assists Fire Ant with a springboard somersault senton to Lee and Matthews on the floor. Redwood rolls up Jagged in the ring for the pin at 8:10. Fire Ant crossbody’s Redwood and nails the Yahtzee Kick. Lee pops Fire Ant into a German suplex. He drops Soldier Ant with an STO. Redwood hits a diving headbutt and Lee pins Soldier Ant for two. Soldier Ant back elbows Lee in the corner and Fire Ant enzuigiri him. The Colony deliver Revenge of the Ants. They hit a double cradle DDT on Redwood and Lee breaks the pin. Soldier Ant catches Lee with a huracanrana. Lee dropkicks Soldier Ant to the floor. He hits Fire Ant with the Truck Stop for two. Redwood rana’s Fire Ant to the corner. Fire Ant counters Lee’s attack with a Prawn Hold for the pin at 10:35. It was nice seeing the Roughnecks back since part of me believed Brodie was done with CHIKARA. The Colony winning was fairly predictable, and they now have two points. One more victory and they have got themselves a shot at Los Campeonatos de Parejas. **3/4

Jigsaw vs. Eddie Edwards

Both guys look for control on the mat. Jigsaw trips Edwards, who gets to the ropes before Jigsaw can do any real damage. They duck one another’s leapfrogs. They evade each other’s moves before reaching a stand-off. Jigsaw sends Edwards to the floor with a huracanrana. Edwards evades a baseball slide and nails Jigsaw with a chop. Jigsaw responds in kind leading to a chop battle. Jigsaw grabs the ropes to counter a powerbomb on the chair. Jigsaw suicide dives, sending Edwards into a chair or two. In the ring Jigsaw comes in with a crossbody. Edwards drops him stomach first and delivers a running knee strike for two. Edwards suplexes Jigsaw for two. Edwards nails a back elbow for two. Edwards applies a Gonzo surfboard. Jigsaw flips into a pin for one. Edwards flips out of the corner and rolls up Jigsaw for two. He transitions right into the STF. Jigsaw grabs the bottom rope to escape. Jigsaw hits a fallaway forehead kick in the corner. He drops Edwards with a brainbuster for two. He also gets two with a running knee. Edwards evades a double stomp and comes off the second rope with a Code Breaker. He back suplexes Jigsaw onto his stomach for two. Edwards enzuigiri’s Jigsaw on the apron to block a suplex. Edwards goes up top. Jigsaw enzuigiri’s him into the ring. He delivers the double stomp for two. Edwards superkicks Jigsaw to block Jigsaw’s superkick. Edwards hits the Chin Checker for two, then turns into the Achilles Lock. Jigsaw turns it over into a prawn hold for two. He hits two superkicks before dropping him with the Jig N’ Tonic for the pin at 10:50. Regardless of your opinion on Edwards, that was a very big win for Jigsaw. That was essentially both guys doing their usual stuff, but their usual stuff was very entertaining and meshed into a fun match. ***

Tim Donst says it’s been a long time since he and the Young Lions Cup (which he is holding) have talked to the camera, which he misses (especially the power). He says Hallowicked would also know what that feels like. He says he knows Hallowicked will watch his match the night looking for flaws, but tells Hallowicked to not even bother because he has no flaws. Donst says he’s mad that Green Ant let the Cup that he worked so hard to defend go to another country (Japan). Donst says that tonight, the breakout start of the BDK will break Green Ant.

Green Ant {C} vs. Tim Donst {BDK}

Donst brings a small pumpkin with him as symbolism for Hallowicked. Green Ant takes Donst down in a spinning toe hold. Donst grabs the ropes to break and rolls to the floor. Green Ant and Donst fight over each other’s legs. Donst traps Green Ant’s legs and digs his fists into the kneecaps. On their feet, Green Ant delivers a quesadora and a leg-trap armdrag to send Donst to the floor. Green Ant follows with a pescado. Tursas makes his way to ringside. He and Green Ant stare each other down. Donst fails to attack Green Ant from behind. Green Ant suicide dives onto him and bodyslams Donst right in front of Tursas. Tursas strips Green Ant off the ring apron while Bryce is distracted. Green Ant lands on his arm, so Donst targets the arm when Green Ant gets back in the ring. Green Ant escapes a chinlock. He drops Donst with an Angle Slam. Tursas grabs Green Ant’s leg behind Bryce’s back. Green Ant gets distracted, allowing Donst to roll him up for two. Donst applies the Fujiwara armbar. Green Ant puts his foot on the rope to escape. Green Ant goes up top. Donst catches him looking for a Super Donstitution. Green Ant headbutts him down and comes off with a splash for two. Donst rolls Green Ant into a submission. Green Ant gets the ropes to escape. Tursas smashes Donst’s pumpkin against Green Ant’s head as Donst argues with Bryce. Donst applies From Donst Til Dusk, causing Green Ant to pass out at 9:28. This was a good backdrop for Green Ant and Tursas’ upcoming singles match at “High Noon”, as well as to further establish Donst’s new submission move and to build him up for the Cibernetico. The match itself really wasn’t anything special aside from the finish. **1/2

Green Ant and Tursas brawl ringside after the match. Staff and other wrestlers break up the melee, but it’s not an easy task. They will meet in two weeks at “High Noon”.

Vin Gerard says he was mathematically eliminated from the 12 Large: Summit when Eddie Kingston beat Fire Ant in NYC. Gerard hints that he purposefully missed his match with UltraMantis Black earlier this month. Gerard says Kingston will be in the main event at “High Noon”and says that it would be a shame if something were to happen to take him out of the show. Gerard says Kingston mathematically eliminated him, so he plans to eliminate Kingston tonight.

”12 Large: Summit” Tournament Match (Block B)
Eddie Kingston (8 Points) vs. Vin Gerard (2 Points)

This is grudge match since Gerard was the main reason why Kingston’s knee has been hurt these past few months. Gerard would attack Kingston during and after his matches because he wanted to collect on a bounty that Claudio Castagnoli put on Kingston to keep him out of the tournament. Kingston tries to bring a chair in the ring but Bryce won’t let him. Kingston brings Gerard to the floor after blocking a cheap shot. Kingston throws Gerard into multiple rows of chairs. Kingston brings Gerard to the top of the bleachers and throws him into the wall. Gerard kicks at Kingston’s knee, but Kingston keeps on him with punches. Kingston chucks a football at Gerard’s chest (literally). The brawl winds up back in the ring with Kingston chopping Gerard in the corner. Gerard rakes his eyes to block a Saito suplex. He puts Kingston in the STF, trapping Kingston’s bad leg. Gerard stomps the back of Kingston’s leg when the hold is broken. Gerard reapplies the STF and Kingston immediately grabs the ropes. Gerard bits Kingston’s hand after jumping down with a toe hold. Gerard drops an elbow on Kingston’s knee as it drapes on the ring apron. Gerard chop blocks Kingston and throws him knee first into the ring steps. He gets a two count back in the ring. Gerard applies the STF again in the middle of the ring. Kingston crawls to the ropes. Gerard picks Kingston up off the mat and eats the Backfist to the Future. Gerard rolls to the floor to prevent being pinned. Gerard throws a wrench into the ring to distract Bryce. Gerard low blows Kingston and puts the STF on again. Kingston gets the ropes again. Gerard pulls Kingston back to the middle of the ring and puts on the STF again. Kingston taps out at 9:47. I loved the story telling here. Kingston’s knee injury saw its biggest challenge in this match with Gerard relentlessly taking Kingston out for no reason but sheer selfishness. It put Kingston over as the injured challenger going into the title match at “High Noon” and is hopefully the beginning of a big relaunch that Gerard’s career needs. ***

Gerard doesn’t let up on Kingston’s knee after the match. He keeps the STF on as Kingston yells at Gerard that he is going to kill him. Once Gerard is finally taken care of, Bryce informs him that he is suspended. Gerard goes backstage while ring crew and Bryce help him to the back. Gerard however runs back out attacks Kingston’s knee with a steel chair. In the process, Gerard throws senior official Bryce Remsburg to the floor. That act, in addition to attacking Kingston after the match would lead to Gerard being fired from the company.

The Throwbacks are backstage. Dasher says they will get their fourth straight victory and Los Campeonatos de Parejas tonight. Dunkerton says they are prepared to take what is rightfully theirs. Dunkerton says this golden opportunity is everything they have worked for and wanted.

As it turns out, Johnny Gargano was unable to make the show due to travel issues. Chuck Taylor says that because of this, the Campeonatos de Parejas won’t be defended tonight. Bryce Remsburg however says that Director of Fun Wink Vavassuer called him and says that the title match is still on and that F.I.S.T. member Icarus will take Gargano’s place. This precedent was actually set when Icarus and Gran Akuma were champions and Chuck Taylor stood in for the injured Akuma. When that happened, Delirious and Hallowicked won Los Campeonatos de Parejas. Will The Throwbacks be as lucky tonight?

Campeonatos de Parejas
Chuck Taylor {F} & Icarus {F} vs. Dasher Hatfield {T} & Sugar Dunkerton {T}

This is F.I.S.T’s second defense of the titles. Icarus is so unprepared that he is wrestling the match in track pants, sneakers and a F.I.S.T t-shirt. Taylor and Icarus attack The Throwbacks right at the bell. Hatfield crotches Taylor in the corner and sends Icarus into him. Taylor falls head first into Icarus’ groin area. The Throwbacks double flapjack Icarus. Hatfield Manhattan Drops Taylor and Dunkerton rams his head into the mat. Dunkerton holds him in bridging choke allowing Hatfield to baseball slide into him. Taylor feigns being fouled. This allows Icarus to roll-up Hatfield to secure the first pin at 1:33. The Throwbacks send F.I.S.T. to the floor. Hatfield double baseball slides them. Dunkerton suicide dives onto them. Taylor throws Dunkerton’s arm into the ring post while Icarus dropkicks Hatfield for two. F.I.S.T. double team Hatfield as Dunkerton recovers. Hatfield blocks a double suplex. He underhand chops Taylor and back suplexes Icarus. Dunkerton tags in and knocks F.I.ST. down with clotheslines and back elbows. Dunkerton hits a flip neck breaker on Taylor but Icarus breaks the pin. Dunkerton blasts Icarus with the Bow Chicka Wow Wow and Taylor breaks the pin. Icarus chops Dunkerton’s arm that Taylor threw into the ring post. He drops it on the top rope as well. Taylor misses a lionsault, allowing Hatfield to slingshot Oklahoma Roll Taylor for the second pin at 7:47.

Hatfield eats F.I.S.T Kicks and the Shooty McGee for two. Taylor boots Dunkerton into a back cracker from Icarus. Hatfield breaks the pin. Hatfield gives Taylor a Jackhammer for two. Icarus goes for the Shiranui. Hatfield turns it into the Suicide Squeeze. Dunkerton follows with a flying elbow. Taylor manages to break the pin. Taylor accidentally boots Icarus. Hatfield rolls up Taylor for a two count. Hatfield pops Taylor into an X-Factor from Dunkerton. Icarus blocks Bryce from making a three count. Icarus nails Hatfield with a loaded fanny pack behind Bryce’s back on the floor. Icarus distracts Bryce so that Taylor can nail Dunkerton with the fanny pack as well. Taylor only gets two after that shot. Taylor gives Dunkerton’s arm the Awful Waffle. He then puts Dunkerton in the Gargano Escape! Dunkerton grabs the ropes but Icarus kicks his arm off. Dunkerton passes out at 11:57. I give these guys all the credit in the world. Even without Gargano, they managed to put on a really entertaining, dramatic match. The Throwbacks really have stepped up as a team and I hope this match helps others recognize that fact. ***1/4

Sara Del Rey vs. Tursas {BDK}

Green Ant is on commentary. Tursas he isn’t wasting his time on some weak woman and commands her to surrender. Sara lays down for Tursas, baiting him in for a kick to the shoulder. She continues to kick Tursas as the bell rings. She boots Tursas. She goes for another and gets slammed by Tursas instead. Tursas drops an elbow and chokes her on the middle rope. Tursas belly to back suplexes her. Tursas keeps turning his attention to Green Ant, foolishly. Tursas puts her in a bear hug. Sara headbutts her way free. She comes off the ropes and runs into Tursas’ massive frame. Tursas misses a somersault senton off the middle rope. Sara kicks Tursas in his head and chest while he’s on his knees. She clobbers him with axe kicks to the back of his head. She gets two with a Magistral cradle. Sara nails a Koppu Kick. As she goes to the corner, Tim Donst runs out. She takes him out with a rolling senton off the apron. Sara climbs up again. Jakob Hammermeier shoves her off the top rope. With that, Bryce calls for a disqualification at 5:14 giving Sara the victory. All of this was a backdrop for “High Noon” stuff. It was pretty good for what it was, but did feel somewhat pointless. **1/4

Hammermeier chokes Sara with his tie and gives her the Gute Nacht (the Rude Awakening). The BDK leave Sara laying the ring. Sara recovers and challenges Jakob to a match at “High Noon” since Donst and Tursas already have matches. Jakob would end up accepting the challenge.

Hallowicked {SE} & UltraMantis Black {SE} vs. Jakob Hammermeier {BDK} & Delirious {BDK}

Hallowicked takes Hammermeier to the floor and brings in Delirious. Mantis tries to remind Delirious of who he is. Delirious sends Mantis out and focuses back on Hallowicked. He fails to take out his knee. Delirious looks at Hallowicked with familiarity. Hallowicked grabs his arms and Mantis tries talking to him. Hammermeier attacks them from behind. Hallowicked takes him over with a couple armdrags and a body slam for two. The Envoy deliver a double hip toss for two. Mantis rams Hammermeier’s face into the corner. He hits a senton splash for two. Hallowicked tags in. Hammermeier drops neck on the top rope and Delirious mauls him from behind. The BDK isolate Hallowicked in their corner. Hallowicked escapes their grasp with a yakuza kick to Hammermeier. Mantis purposefully avoids Delirious and sends him to the floor. Hallowicked follows with a pescado. Mantis full nelson slams Hammermeier for two. Hallowicked super snapmares Hammermeier. Mantis follows with a Perfect snapmare and a low clothesline for two. Delirious clotheslines Hallowicked multiple times in the corner. Hallowicked nails the step-up enzuigiri. Delirious thrusts him in the throat when Hallowicked tries to talk some sense into him. Hallowicked nails a second enzuigiri. Hammermeier drop toe holds Hallowicked to the corner. Delirious hits the Shadows Over Hell. Mantis breaks the pin. Hammermeier counters the Cosmic Disaster with a neckbreaker across his back for two. Mantis pump-handle suplexes Delirious onto his head. The Envoy volley Hammermeier between them with forearms. Delirious trips Mantis off the top rope. Hammermeier drops Hallowicked with Gute Nacht. Delirious gives Mantis the Panic Attack. Hammermeier drops Mantis with Gute Nacht. Hallowicked pushes Delirious onto them to break the pin. Hallowicked Rydeen Bombs Delirious and then Hammermeier. Delirious breaks the pin. Hammermeier accidentally forearms Delirious. Delirious becomes angry. He charges at Hammermeier with a clothesline. Hammermeier ducks, causing Delirious to head towards Mantis. Mantis catches Delirious with a small package for the pin at 15:07. This was a fun tag match to end the show, but I think this should have been the semi-main event and the Campeonatos match should have gone on last. Like most everything else, this was much more about the build to the Cibernetico and “High Noon” than the match itself. That’s fine, but it does give the show a filler vibe. ***

There was a recent PWG review I read that gave referee Rick Knox kudos for officiating every match on the card. I extend the same kudos to Bryce Remsburg, who was the referee for every match on this show. Not an easy feat, especially after being shoved to the ground by Gerard. I also give kudos to Gavin Loudspeaker, who in addition to ring announcing did commentary for the majority of the show. My hat is off to you gents.