Battle of Who Could Care Less

Reading, PA – 11.16.2007

Commentary is provided by Larry Sweeney, Leonard F. Chikarason, Bryce Remsburg, and UltraMantis Black.

Mike Quackenbush, Fire Ant {C}, Soldier Ant {C} & Worker Ant {C} vs. Icarus {F}, Gran Akuma {F}, Amasis {OP} & Ophidian {OP}

The Colony have mixed and matched their outfits for whatever reason. Akuma goes after Soldier Ant’s left leg. Soldier Ant sends him out with a satellite headscissors. Quackenbush and Ophidian tag in. Quackenbush reverses a wristlock and puts on a single leg crab. Ophidian gets the ropes. Quackenbush puts him in the Cerebral Lock. He takes him over with a fireman’s carry and bodyslams him into a double knee drop. Fire Ant and Amasis tag in. Fire Ant uses the ropes to give Amasis a double knuckle drag. They trade forearms in the corner. Fire Ant gives Amasis a fireman’s carry. Worker Ant confuses Icarus by using some of his partners own offense. Akuma kicks Worker Ant from the apron. Icarus gives him a running boot. The Rudos beat down Worker Ant until he jumps to the floor after avoiding a corner attack from Amasis. Fire Ant comes in with dropkicks for all. Quackenbush chops Icarus and baits him into a high crossbody from Fire Ant. Fire Ant then headscissors Icarus and Soldier Ant crossbody’s onto him. The Portal miss double elbows. Quackenbush stomps both them and Icarus. Worker Ant splashes onto them and Akuma breaks the pin attempt. We get a series of dives. Ophidian spin kicks Fire Ant and puts on the Death Grip. Fire Ant turns it into the Beach Break for the pin at 10:51. The crowd was going bonkers for everything which created a really fun atmosphere. This wasn’t a really crazy Atomicos like you would see in a main event but a very fine opening match. ***

Chuck Taylor says he reigned for 10 months winning the Rey de Voladores, becoming Young Lions Cup champion, then getting rid of Ricochet forever. Then, last month, Ricochet returns under a mask and takes his Cup. He says tonight he’s going to defeat Shane Storm and climb back to the top of CHIKARA.

Shane Storm vs. Chuck Taylor {F}

Chuck Taylor comes out to “Faithfully” by Journey and even plays part of it on a keytar. He throws punches and kicks in the corner. He misses a running elbow and gets taken down by a couple armdrags. Taylor rolls to the floor and puts Jon Barber (acting security) in a full nelson. Taylor tells Bryce to tell Storm to keep off his hair, tights, and to stop being mean. Taylor misses a punch in the corner. Storm armdrags him into an armbar. He gets two with a crucifix pin. He sends Taylor to the floor with a headscissors. Storm tries a suicide dive but Taylor boots him as he comes out. Taylor brings him back in the ring. He elbows Storm in the corner and chokes him with his boot. He locks up Storm’s limbs but gets his own hand caught. Storm kicks Taylor away and delivers a flying forearm. Taylor comes back with Sole Food. He misses a boot and gets taken down with a spinebuster of sorts by Storm. Storm tries the Air Raid Crash. Taylor counters it with a DDT for two. He pulls out an invisible grenade. Storm throws it in the air. Taylor catches it and Storm hits That Japanese Move! Taylor gets his foot on the ropes. Storm headstands in the corner. Taylor dropkicks him and places him on the top rope. He brings him down with the Awful Waffle for the pin at 8:07. I was not expecting a lot, but this was really fun. Taylor was at his finest working with the crowd. A couple flubs aside this was another solid bout. **½

Sara Del Rey vs. Portia Perez

Sara shoves the smaller Perez to the corner. Sara rolls her into a couple nearfalls. She applies a bodyscissors chinlock. Perez escapes and picks Sara’s left ankle. Sara rolls away. She knocks Perez down with a shoulder block and applies a side headlock. Perez escapes. She takes Sara down with a hiponesa and a headscissors. Sara blocks a quesadora attack, but Perez rolls her up for two. Sara boots her right back down twice. She applies a headscissors. Perez tries rolling Sara onto her shoulders to get a pin. Perez kicks her way out of it. Sara gives her a bodyslam and drops a knee across her temple. She gives Perez a running body block for two. Sara tries a back suplex. Perez turns it into a satellite headscissors. He goes for a sunset flip but Sara sits down on her chest. After a couple kicks to the head Perez gets two with a running crossbody. Sara catches her spinwheel kick and turns it into a Regalplex. Sara is surprised with Perez’s kick out. After some maneuvering Perez small packages Sara for two. Sara gives her the Royal Butterfly suplex for the pin at 9:00. By and large these two went through the motions. The hope spots from Perez were believable and interesting but there wasn’t much story surrounding them. **

Brodie Lee says he doesn’t care where Passion Hasegawa comes from. He hurts people for a living and can’t wait to hurt Hasegawa tonight.

Passion Hasegawa {TX} vs. Brodie Lee

Hasegawa does a little salsa dancing. He ducks Lee’s clothesline and hits the floor to dance some more. He comes back into the ring when Lee hopes out. Lee catches Hasegawa with a boot to the back of the head! He gives Hasegawa a big chop as well as a falling clothesline. Lee hits a brainbuster. He tosses Hasegawa out of the corner with a neck-hanging suplex. He follows up with a pump-handle suplex. Hasegawa drop toe holds him onto the second rope and hits a tiger feint kick. He comes off the top rope with a headscissors. Lee mows him down with a lariat. He nails a big boot in the corner. The running Liger Bomb gets him the pin in 3:53. I’ll never, ever tire of Lee destroying people. **

Lince Dorado & El Pantera vs. Colin Olsen {OT} & Jimmy Olsen {OT}

Pantera outwits the Olsens, causing them to run into one another. He uses the top rope to armdrag Jimmy to the floor. Colin avoids a dropkick from Dorado but takes a pair of armdrags. He successfully dropkicks Colin twice. As the Olsens chat on the apron, Dorado slingshots them both back in. Colin pops Dorado to Jimmy. Dorado takes them both over with an armdrag/headscissors combo. Pantera dropkicks them to the floor and with Dorado suicide dives after them. Back in the ring, Jimmy comes off the top with double knees to Dorado’s back. This allows the Olsens to isolate Dorado in their corner. Dorado rolls out when the Olsens give him a sweet hip toss into a neckbreaker. Pantera gets caught with a double flapjack as he enters the ring. The Olsens get two with a leapfrog legdrop. Pantera comes off the second rope with double elbows. Dorado gets in a couple attacks. He catches them both with a quebrada press. The Olsens shoves Pantera and Dorado together to avoid double bulldogs. Dorado snaps off a headscissors on Jimmy. He gives Jimmy the Tiger Driver while Pantera gives Colin a butterfly backbreaker for the pin at 9:58. The Olsens showed some excellent offense when Dorado was isolated. The rest was a bit disjointed and at times sloppy. It’s weird to think these two teams didn’t gel particularly well when you consider Jimmy and Dorado’s future partnership. **¼

UltraMantis Black offers MIYAWAKI a chance to represent the Order of the Neo-Solar Temple in the Orient. If he refuses, he will follow MIYAWAKI back to the Kaientai Dojo, kill him, and end the entire whaling industry in Japan. “Join or Die” is his decree.

MIYAWAKI {KD} vs. UltraMantis Black {ONT}

Hydra is in Mantis’ corner. MIYAWAKI cleanly breaks a lock-up in the corner. Mantis delivers an overhand chop against the ropes. MIYAWAKI gets into a chop battle with him. He shoulder tackles Mantis and drops an elbow onto his back. He hip tosses Mantis and throws a flurry of punches. Hydra trips MIYAWAKI out to the floor. He gets in some shots while Mantis distracts Derek Sabato. Sabato however catches Hydra red handed and sends him to the back. Mantis gets two with a suplex. He puts on a hammerlock while wrapping his leg around MIYAWAKI’s head. Mantis rakes his eyes and chokes him on the mat and in the corner. He snapmares MIYAWAKI into a chinlock. He then puts on a Camel Clutch, making a newspaper joke at Mister ZERO’s expense in the process. MIYAWAKI gets the ropes. Mantis misses a corner splash. MIYAWAKI ducks a clothesline and throws Mantis in an exploder suplex. MIYAWAKI wins a forearm exchange. He back elbows Mantis in the corner and drops him stomach first off of his shoulders. He misses an elbow drop. MIYAWAKI catches Mantis with a side slam. He locks on a half crab. Mantis gets the ropes. He hits the ropes to crotch MIYAWAKI on the top rope. MIYAWAKI ducks a clothesline. Mantis gives him the Uncle Slam for two. He tries the Praying Mantis Bomb. MIYAWAKI blocks it with an atomic drop and gives Mantis a lariat. A reverse DDT gets him the win at 8:18. I was surprised Mantis was able to match up with MIYAWAKI’s strikes but he did just that. It’s good to see Mantis mixing it up with international talents, because I feel he doesn’t get that opportunity often enough. **¾

The trio of Larry Sweeney, Mitch Ryder & Robbie Ellis are in the back. Sweeney says people didn’t think they would be back together again after King of Trios, yet here they are. Whole Ryder is happy to get the team back together, he’s upset that he has to be in the ring with the Ice Cream twins again. He thought they get enough of him in the Cibernetico. He also thought Jigsaw had more sense than to team with them. Sweeney says they’ll be coming at them 120% .

Jigsaw, El Hijo del Ice Cream {IC} & Ice Cream Jr. {IC} vs. Larry Sweeney, Mitch Ryder & Robbie Ellis

After some stalling, Ryder claims hair pulling after Jigsaw takes him to the corner. Jigsaw messes with Ryder’s hair just to upset him. They exchange wristlocks. They sweep out of each others’ legs. Jigsaw reverses a hip toss and hits a leg lariat. Sweeney tags in. He and Jigsaw criss-cross the ropes. Jigsaw stops Sweeney and gives him a bionic elbow. They criss cross again. Sweeney stops Jigsaw, but Jigsaw just gives him another elbow. Hijo tags in. He cries when Sweeney gives him an overhand slap. He then kicks Sweeney’s hamstring and pinches his buttocks. He kisses Sweeney after grabbing his nose. Hijo drops down next to Sweeney and blows him another kiss. Ellis takes down Jr. with a headscissors. He drops him with a Shiranui for two. Ryder drop toe holds Jigsaw. He drops an elbow across the back of his neck. Ryder and his partners mock Los Ice Creams as they wear Jigsaw down. Jigsaw eventually escapes their grasp by backdropping his way out of Ryder’s backdrop attempt. Hijo messes with Sweeney’s nose and gives him two flying hip attacks. He gives Ryder an atomic drop. Jr. goes for the Jack and Jill Hammer. Ryder blocks the move. He and his partners triple suplex Jigsaw and Los Ice Creams. Ellis comes off the top with a splash to Jigsaw. Los Ice Creams break the pin. They volley Sweeney between them with strikes and gives him the Ice Cream Sandwich. El Asesino would have had the win but Ryder breaks the count. Ryder then gives Jr. a piledriver for the pin at 17:09. This went a little long but the crowd was having a ball. Ryder now has more momentum heading into his big match with Dorado on Sunday. Jigsaw seemed to have knocked himself loopy near the end. This would be his last match in CHIKARA for over a year. **¾

Claudio Castagnoli & Equinox vs. Chris Hero & Shayne Hawke

Claudio tries jumping Hero. Hero jumps to the floor and Hawke rolls up Claudio for two. He takes Claudio down with an armdrag, but gets caught with a gorilla press slam. Equinox puts on a wristlock. Hawke shoves him to the corner and tags in Hero. Equinox hits the floor. Claudio almost hits Swiss Chin Music but again Hero escapes. Claudio pulls in Hawke from the apron. Hawke’s strikes are futile. Claudio even mocks him for it. He rocks Hawke with an uppercut. Claudio and Equinox back elbow Hawke for two. Claudio gives him a Giant Swing. Hawke and Equinox have a Lucha exchange, ending with Equinox snapping off a headscissors and armdrag. Hawke counters a hip toss with a DDT. Hero tags in so he can join in on the bullying. Equinox manages to roll away from Hero after a jackknife pin attempt. However, Hawke and Hero had Bryce Remsburg distracted so Claudio’s tag was all for naught. Equinox avoids an elbow from Hero. He drops Hero with a headscissors and tilt-a-whirl reverse DDT. Even with Hawke grabbing his leg Equinox is able to finally tag in Claudio. Hawke gives Claudio an enzuigiri. Claudio drops him with a TKO for two. He nails him with an uppercut. Hero breaks the pin. Hero hits a cravate neckbreaker and cravate suplex. Equinox makes the save. He dropkicks Hero to the floor. Hawke stops his dive. Equinox blocks the Tomahawke and puts Hawke in the CHIKARA Special. Hero boots Equinox in the side of the head to break it. Hawke tries a pescado onto Claudio but gets caught with an uppercut. Equinox backslides Hero for the pin at 12:34! This did a good job of intertwining Hero’s issues with both Claudio and Equinox in addition to Hawke being able to stand on his own when given the chance. The crowd was really hot and Equinox winning was crucial for what comes next. ***

Hero attacks Equinox after the match. He looks to unmask him mid-ring. Chikarason gets on the microphone and threatens to fire Hero. Hero continues to rip at the mask saying he will quit if Chikarason won’t let him do so. Chikarason makes Hero a deal: if Hero can defeat Equinox in their singles match tomorrow night, he can take off his mask. Hero agrees. Chikarason adds the stipulation that Hero will have his head shaved if Equinox defeats him. Hero is livid at this revelation. Equinox is helped to the back.

Young Lions Cup
Helios (Champion) vs. Hydra {ONT}

Helios easily gets out of Hydra’s test of strength. Helios snaps off some armdrags before applying a Gory Gallows. He turns that into a few pinfall attempts. Helios breaks a lock up in the corner. Hydra avoids a corner attack and school yard trips Helios for two. He puts on the Kona Crush. Helios hits him with a back flip kick, sort of. Helios hits a leg lariat, spinwheel kick, and tornado kick for two. He misses a second rope moonsault. Hydra puts on the Hydralock. Helios backs Hydra to the corner to break it. Helios gives him a spike DDT for two. Hydra brings him off the second rope with a chokeslam. Helios grabs the bottom rope to stop the pin. Hydra looks for a gorilla press slam. Helios sweeps his legs out and hits Heliocentricity for the pin at 5:15. This wasn’t the right match for either competitor, but they worked well enough together I suppose. It lacked the title match feel, that’s for sure. *½

Eddie Kingston is fine facing two men who want to get his hands on him (plus Delirious) tonight because he has his crew to back him up. Tonight is just a prelude for what he’s going to do to Hallowicked at the Arena in two days. He’s already defeated Donst twice, but ifDonst wants to get beat up again, that’s fine by Kingston. He once again tells Hallowicked that tonight is just a taste and that Sunday he’ll be fed the whole meal.

Hallowicked {I}, Delirious {I} & Tim Donst vs. Eddie Kingston {BO}, Sabian {BO} & Joker {BO}

Delirious freaks out at the bell. Kingston and Hallowicked circle each other. Sabian attacks Hallowicked from behind. Hallowicked avoids a leapfrog but takes a quesadora armdrag. He places Sabian on the top rope. Sabian counters a super snapmare with a neck-tie headscissors. Hallowicked alita’s Sabian to the floor and tries to attack Kingston. Kingston hits the floor. Delirious and Joker tag in. They pick up the pace in their exchange, ending with Delirious hitting a back senton splash. Donst takes down Kingston by his legs. He throws foreams to his face and gives him two belly-to-belly suplexes. He stretches out Kingston’s back and legs. Donst puts on a Camel Clutch and Hallowicked dropkicks him. Joker breaks the hold. Kingston gives Donst some shots to the back. The BLK Out then take turns beating on Donst. They taunt Incoherence so they will accidentally distract Bryce and therefore can pull off some illegal double team moves. They even pull Incoherence off the apron so they can’t make a tag on once occasion. Donst is able to avoid a dropkick from Sabian and drop him with a reverse STO. Delirious tags in and lights up Joker with forearms. He knocks him down with a flying clothesline. Kingston comes in. Hallowicked scares him out to the floor. He hits Sabian with a step-up enzuigiri and the Rydeen Bomb. Kingston breaks the pin and gives Hallowicked a uranage suplex. Delirious dropkicks Kingston to the corner and hits the Panic Attack. Joker Regalplexes Delirious and releases. Donst drops him with a Gator Roll. Kingston takes out Donst with a short-arm lariat. Delirious comes off the top with Shadows Over Heck to Kingston. Sabian frogsplashes Donst. Both Donst and Kingston kick off. Sabian gives Delirious a Complete Shot. Donst makes the save. Sabian DDT’s him and goes up top. Donst grabs Sabian’s legs as he tries a double stomp and puts on an ankle lock. Joker German suplexes Donst to save his partner. He rolls up Hallowicked, but Hallowicked pops up and gives him a step-up Frankensteiner. He delivers a Michinoku Driver. Kingston picks Hallowicked up and trades strikes with him. Hallowicked ends up giving him a yakuza kick. Sabian double axe handles Hallowicked to break the pin. All of BLK Out attack Hallowicked in the corner. Joker and Kingston get sent to the floor. Delirious tosses Sabian into Hallowicked’s Go 2 Sleepy Hollow. Donst German suplexes him. Kingston jumps back in to break the cover and stomp Donst in the stomach. Hallowicked and Delirious both enzuigiri him. Donst cradles Kingston for the pin at 17:36! This was great for many reasons. First, the action itself was awesome. Really exciting wrestling and lots of believable nearfalls. Second, the intesity of Hallowicked and Kingston’s interaction made me really excited for their singles encounter at the season finale. It was so intense and heated. Finally, Donst got to finally get a pinfall victory on Kingston to put him on the right track heading into 2008. All of this comes together to make a great main event. ***¾