Tag World Grand Prix 2003

Allentown, PA – 7.5.2003

Tag World Grand Prix; First Round
Hallowicked {NS} & Blind Rage {NS} vs. Jimmy Jacobs & Brad Bradley

Bradley and Hallowicked tie-up. Hallowicked gets tossed to his corner and tags in Rage. Bradley pushes Rage away. The Nigh Shift team up on Bradley, and Bradley is able to fight them both off. Jacobs and Bradley knock the Night Shift to the floor, and Bradley tosses Jacobs onto the Night Shift. Bradley follows up with a tope. Jacobs gets isolated by The Night Shift as they taunt Bradley. Jacobs combats a double suplex attempt to finally tag in Bradley. Bradley knocks down both guys and face washes them. He gives them a suplex at the same time and pins them both for two. Jacobs gets launched off the top onto Rage for two. Jacobs goes to the floor to chase Hallowicked who screwed up Jacobs attempt to throw Rage outside. Rage catches Jacobs with a forearm and Hallowicked celebrates in the ring. Bradley slaps him and gives him a powerbomb. He rolls through for a pin, but Rage double stomps him to break it up. Bradley gives Rage an Air Raid Crash. Hallowicked grabs Bradley’s leg as he hits the ropes. Bradley and Hallowicked fight outside. Rage pins Jacobs with an O’Connor Roll at 8:07. The Night Shift advance to the second round. A fun, fast opening match to get the crowd going. Jacobs and Bradley were a great duo of the little fast guy and the big rough dude, and Wicked and Rage are a great all around team. **1/4

Tag World Grand Prix; First Round
Mike Quackenbush & Chris Hero vs. Skayde & Arakencito

The announcer says the stipulation is that Arakencito only needs a two count to win, and Quackenbush and Hero need to pin him for a four count. Quackenbush and Arakencito go back and forth before reaching a stalemate. Quackenbush stretches Arakencito out before giving him a quebradora. Hero and Skayde tag in, and Skayde locks Hero’s legs. Hero rolls out and applies pressure to Skayde’s locked legs. Skayde reverses and Hero grabs a cravate. Skayde goes to the mat for a Skayde schoolboy and Hero kicks out. Arakencito tries to trip Quackenbush as they come in as the legal men. Arakencito misses two headbutts, and Quackenbush chops him. Quackenbush gets a wheelbarrow armdrag from Arakencito to the floor, and Arakencito follows with a tope con heilo. Hero knocks Skayde down with an elbow to the chest. Skayde gives Hero a series of armdrags. Quackenbush gives Arakencito a vertical suplex for two. Quackenbush looks in a sharpshooter. Quackenbush drops down to apply pressure as Hero drops an elbow on his back. Hero turns Arakencito into a lion tamer and a leg vine. Arakencito escapes, and Quackenbush misses a top rope senton. Arakencito hits a 450 splash for two. Quackenbush then hits a Tiger Driver, and gets three but not four! Skayde comes in to beat on Quackenbush, but Quackenbush gets him with the Black Tornado Slam for two. Skayde gets elbowed to the floor, and Quackenbush eats a dropkick from Arakencito. Hero comes in and Arakencito headbutts Hero as he attempts a clothesline. Hero clotheslines Arakencito in the corner. Arakencito lands a chinbreaker. He then lands a second rope chinbreaker. Hero reverses a double under hook into a brainbuster. Hero applies the Hangman’s Clutch for the submission at 15:15. I had never seen Arakencito but he impressed me quite a bit. Quackenbush and Hero worked well as a team and Skayde was just kind of there. Still, some good stuff all around. **3/4

Tag World Grand Prix; First Round
Gran Akuma {F} & Icarus {F} vs. Jigsaw & Rorschach

Akuma gives Rorschach an alita and a wheelbarrow armdrag. He kicks Rorschach down. Jigsaw and Icarus tag in. They go back and forth leading to a dance sequence, and Icarus clotheslines Jigsaw. Jigsaw goes to the floor and Akuma dives on him through the middle rope. Icarus looks to follow with a pescado but gets cut off by Rorschach. The Conundrum keep Icarus in their corner and work over his back and shoulders. Jigsaw misses a cancun tornado splash which allows Icarus to tag in Akuma. Akuma gives Jigsaw a spinwheel kick and chops him in the corner. Akuma knees him in the chest and elbows Rorschach in the corner. Akuma looks for the Yoshi Tonic, but Rorschach helps Jigsaw hit the Jig N’ Tonic on Akuma! Icarus breaks up the pin. Rorschach boots Icarus and gives him a hurricanrana. Rorschach victory rolls Icarus and Akuma breaks the count. Akuma sends Rorschach to the floor. Icarus gives Rorschach a stunner, and Akuma comes off the top with a crossbody for the pin at 9:28. A bit sloppy at points, but fine overall. The Jig N’ Tonic was really cool and brought this match up from a bit of a boring point. **

Tag World Grand Prix; First Round
UltraMantis & Mister ZERO vs. Jolly Roger & American Gigolo

ZERO throws Roger over and gets a waistlock. ZERO escapes a hammerlock and brings Roger to the mat in a headlock. ZERO and Roger engage in a lucha sequence leading to a stand-off. Gigolo and Mantis tag in. Gigolo rolls Mantis into a pin for two. Gigolo rolls Mantis into a leg-cross submission and then a pin for two. Gigolo chops Mantis on the ropes and tags in Roger. Roger hits a leaping back elbow for two. Roger catches Mantis with a hip toss off the ropes for two. Gigolo chokes Mantis behind the ref’s back. Mantis splashes Gigolo in his corner. Gigolo misses a splash in his corner and Mantis schoolboys him for two. Mantis nails a hip attack but misses a top rope double stomp. Mantis rolls through a sunset flip from Roger to tag in ZERO. ZERO lays out Gigolo and Roger with clotheslines. Gigolo stretches him out till Mantis kicks Gigolo. Roger breaks Mantis’ full nelson stretch on Gigolo. ZERO breaks Roger’s submission on Mantis. Mantis and ZERO hit the Last Shaven Unicorn/Ace Crusher combo for the pin at 7:36. Short, and only decent. Gigolo kind of sucks and Roger needs some more work. Mantis and ZERO are good together and their tandem finisher is great. *1/2

Tag World Grand Prix; First Round
Claudio Castagnoli & Ares vs. Lester Crabtree & Melvin Snodgrass

Swiss Money Holding jump the Senior Assault Team. Claudio rams Ares with a spear into Crabtree. They hit a spinebuster/reverse Ace Crusher combo for the pin at 0:22. AWESOME! I also love how Swiss Money Holding was using Claudio’s same music even then. N/R

Tag World Grand Prix; First Round
Eddie Kingston {WC} & BlackJack Marciano {WC} vs. Sumie Sakai & Mercedes Martinez

Marciano brings Martinez to the corner with a gentle, joking slap. Martinez comes back with a hard slap. Marciano tosses Martinez across the ring. Marciano slams Martinez and hairmares her out of the corner. Martinez comes back with a barrage of punches and a hip toss. She then gives Marciano a hairmare and a dropkick sending him to the floor. Kingston goes to the floor to yell at him. Martinez rams their heads together, and Sakai comes off the top with a crossbody onto both of them. Martinez and Sakai hit double dropkicks and pin them for two. Sakai and Martinez land a double drop toe hold on Marciano. Sakai applies a Camel Clutch pulling on Marciano’s hair. Marciano slams Sakai and tags in Kingston. The Wildcards bully Sakai for awhile until Sakai gives Kingston a headscissors and two top rope dropkicks. Kingston catches Sakai in a cross body attempt and drops her across his knee. Marciano misses a splash and Sakai tags in Martinez. Martinez takes down Kingston with a series of clotheslines. Martinez gives him a tornado DDT. Sakai comes in as does Marciano. Sakai and Martinez double hip toss Marciano onto Kingston. Sakai hits a moonsault onto the Wildcards for two. Kingston throws Sakai into the corner. Sakai turns a Michinoku Driver from Marciano into a roll-up for two. Sakai gives him a headscissors and Martinez gives him a monkey flip. Sakai rana’s him into a pin for two. Kingston comes in and gets a headscissors from Sakai as well. Martinez monkey flips him and Sakai rana’s him into a pin for two. Sakai misses a dropkick and hits Martinez. Marciano rolls up Sakai while holding the tights for the pin at 11:36. Both teams impressed me here, as the Kiryoku Pro really held their own and got the fans behind them. The Wildcards advancing was the right call I feel however. **1/2

Martinez knocks down Sakai and the referee and storms out afterwards.

Tag World Grand Prix; Second Round
Hallowicked {NS} & Blind Rage {NS} vs. Gran Akuma {F} & Icarus {F}

Rage hip tosses Icarus. Icarus responds with an armdrag and scoop slam. Akuma and Hallowicked exchange wristlocks. Hallowicked slaps Akuma in the chest. They both lock legs and roll onto their heads, slapping each other in the chest. Akuma wheelbarrows into an armdrag. He rolls into a satellite headscissors on Hallowicked sending him to the floor. Akuma runs up top, and Hallowicked jumps up and gives him an Ace Crusher. Hallowicked rolls back in and drops Akuma with a neckbreaker for two. The Night Shift continue to beat down on Akuma, keeping pressure on his neck and back. Akuma takes the Night Shift over with a double suplex and tags in Icarus. Icarus lays both of them out with clotheslines. Icarus gives Rage a pair of them in the corner. Rage eats a tornado DDT for two. Rage leapfrogs over Icarus into a sit-out Niagra Driver for two. Akuma knees Hallowicked in the corner. Hallowicked blocks the Falcon Arrow, but takes the Yoshi Tonic for two. Hallowicked gives Akuma a step-up Frankensteiner sending him to the floor. Icarus comes in with a missile dropkick. Rage gives him a quebradora, and catches Akuma with a powerbomb for two. Hallowicked gives Icarus a Michinoku Driver for the pin at 9:29. Good match overall, with a fun ending sequence. All four guys were on point. **1/2

Tag World Grand Prix; Second Round
Mike Quackenbush & Chris Hero vs. Claudio Castagnoli & Ares

Quackenbush and Claudio do some fancy looking wristlock counters. Claudio rolls up Quackenbush, and Quackenbush rolls into a ball trapping Claudio’s arm. Claudio escapes and stands on Quackenbush. Quackenbush trips Claudio and rolls him into a stretch muffler. Claudio escapes and Hero and Ares tag in. Hero ducks Ares offense, goes up-and-over and rolls him up for two. Hero dropkicks Ares to the corner. Ares powers Quackenbush to the corner and fakes that Quackenbush hit him in the nose. Quackenbush slaps Ares out of the corner and ties him up in a pretzel. Hero and Claudio lock fingers and Claudio flips Hero in a body scissors. Claudio and Hero turn over and slap each other while doing leg-locked headstands. Quackenbush lures Claudio into the Lady in the Lake armwhip. He double stomps Claudio for two. Quackenbush turns Claudio over into a pendulum, swinging him headfirst into the bottom turnbuckle. Each team plays chicken with Claudio and Quackenbush on their partners shoulders. Quackenbush victory rolls Hero, and Swiss Money Holding roll them around. Hero cracks Claudio with a punch as Quackenbush sends Ares to the floor. Claudio escapes Hero’s cravate, and Hero ducks his European uppercut for a roll-up for two. Quackenbush sends Ares to the floor with an armdrag and then lands a top rope somersault on him. Claudio follows with a tope, and Hero follows with twisting tope. Hero picks up Quackenbush on his shoulders and double stomps Claudio. Ares sledges Quackenbush in the neck when he hits the ropes, and Claudio gives him an uppercut. Swiss Money Holding trap Quackenbush in their corner for awhile. Quackenbush finally tags in Hero who comes in and takes out Claudio and Ares. Hero goes for the Hero’s Welcome but gets thwarted. Hero then becomes trapped and beaten on for awhile. Hero eventually gives Ares a leg-capture belly-to-back suplex and tags in Quackenbush. Quackenbush gives Claudio a series of kicks and a leaping X-Factor in the corner. Quackenbush gives Claudio a spinwheel kick. Quackenbush goes to the apron and kicks Claudio in the chest. Quackenbush comes in with a tornado DDT for two. Quackenbush hits a top rope somersault senton and the pin is broken up by Ares. Ares powerslams Quackenbush and Hero breaks that count. Hero gives Ares a Cravate suplex. Claudio gives him a spinning cross-armed suplex. Swiss Money Holding give Quackenbush the spinebuster/reverse Ace Crusher combo but only get two. Hero comes in and gives Ares the Hero’s Welcome for two. Quackenbush and Hero then gives Ares the two-man Hero’s Welcome and Claudio makes the save. Hero locks Ares in the Hangman’s Clutch. Claudio at the same time applies a chickenwing. The time expires at 30:00, and the bell rings to declare this match as a draw, eliminating both teams from the tournament. Neither team is happy, but I really liked this match. It flowed and went by fast for thirty minutes. These guys were already really good in 2003 and we were just seeing the beginning of their history together in CHIKARA. ***1/2

Tag World Grand Prix; Second Round
UltraMantis & Mister ZERO vs. Eddie Kingston {WC} & BlackJack Marciano {WC}

The Wildcards jump Mantis and Zero during announcements. The brawl to the floor. In the ring, Mantis and ZERO take down The Wildcards with tandem clotheslines. Mantis splashes Marciano while ZERO gives Kingston a running forearm. Mantis sends Marciano to the floor with a butterfly suplex and follows with a tope con heilo. Kingston lariats ZERO. The Wildcards manhandle and double team ZERO while Mantis looks on. The Wildcards target ZERO’s leg. ZERO and Kingston knock each other down with double clotheslines. They each tag in their respective partners, and Mantis pins Marciano after a clothesline for two. Kingston and Marciano chop Mantis on the ropes. They give him a double waterwheel slam and double STO for two. Kingston takes ZERO to the floor and follows. Mantis drops Marciano with the Praying Mantis Driver for two. Kingston and ZERO trade forearms in the ring while Mantis throws Marciano into the ring post. ZERO forearm smashes Kingston for two. Kingston blocks a lariat and boots ZERO in the face. ZERO lays in the forearms once again. He hits the ropes and Kingston boots him once more for two. The Wildcards give Mantis a top rope knee drop/slam combo for two. Kingston goes up top and gets crotched by ZERO. Mantis gives Kingston an awkward DDT/gut buster type move off the top. ZERO pins him at 12:31. That finish certainly was strange, and Kingston did not seem to like being dropped so awkwardly. Aside from the finish, this was just fine. **1/2

ZERO cuts a promo saying he and Mantis are the best team in CHIKARA. He says they have one more match to prove it, and they will in the finals on the next show. Mantis screams into the microphone to voice his approval.

Allentown, PA – 7.26.2003

2003 Tag World Grand Prix Finals
UltraMantis & Mister ZERO vs. Hallowicked {NS} & Blind Rage {NS}

Mantis and Hallowicked vie for the advantage on the mat. They trade waistlocks. Mantis steps through Wicked’s legs and bends back for pin attempt. Mantis armdrags Hallowicked and he isn’t happy about that. Rage and ZERO tag in. ZERO chops Rage several times. ZERO gives him an armdrag and a forearm. ZERO crosses Rage’s arm across his throat and pulls back in a Camel Clutch. ZERO pins Rage in a prawn hold for two. ZERO sends Rage to the floor and teases a dive. Wicked comes in and kicks ZERO in the back. ZERO tags in Mantis, and Mantis dropkicks Hallowicked while ZERO locks in an Octopus stretch. Mantis stretches Hallowicked’s shoulders in a butterfly stretch. Hallowicked escapes and tags in Rage. Mantis gets beaten down by the Night Shift. Mantis gets an alita on Hallowicked, but Hallowicked knocks him back down and chokes him on the ropes and in the corner. Mantis gives Rage a headscissors and takes over Hallowicked with a side headlock at the same time. Mantis tags in ZERO who knocks down both guys with clothesline. He gives Hallowicked a German suplex for two. Wicked drops ZERO with a swinging neckbreaker and a Michinoku driver for two as Mantis makes the save. Rage drops Mantis with an inverted DDT slam for two. Rage headbutts Mantis. Mantis gives his a side Russian leg sweep before locking his leg around Rage’s right and pulling back on his left arm. Mantis gives him the Praying Mantis Driver for two. Hallowicked gives Mantis the Rydeen Bomb and Rage locks on the STF. ZERO breaks it and knocks Wicked to the floor. ZERO and Mantis hit the Last Shaven Unicorn/Ace Crusher on Rage for two. ZERO heads up top as Mantis slams Rage. Hallowicked comes in and throws Mantis to the opposite side of the ring. Mantis gives ZERO super Fisherman’s Buster for the pin at 11:20. The Night Shift are your 2003 Tag World Grand Prix winners. This would’ve been a lot better had it been at the end of the actual tournament night, but as it was it was another serviceable match on the show. Wicked adds another accolade to his Young Lions Cup, and pinned Mister ZERO using the same move to win both tournaments. **1/2

Afterwards, The Night Shift tie UltraMantis by his hand to the ropes. Hallowicked drops ZERO off the top rope with another super Fisherman’s buster. Icarus and Akuma make the save as Hallowicked looks to hit another super Fisherman’s buster.

This is for sure the most forgotten tag tournament in CHIKARA, and for somewhat good reason. It wasn’t available on DVD till late 2007, and by then it was surpassed in quality by all the other tag tournaments. Still, it was fun watching this a novelty piece and I really enjoyed the 30 minute draw between the Superfriends and Swiss Money Holding. It flowed really well, and the ten matches flew by. It was an overall fun watch.