Chicago, IL – 6.21.2014
Commentary is provided by Leonard F. Chikarason, UltraMantis Black, Bryce Remsburg, and Dasher Hatfield.
“Expansion Pack” Exclusive
Shynron vs. Chuck Taylor
Taylor squeezes on a side headlock. Shynron turns it into a waistlock which Taylor breaks using the ropes. Shynron asks for a test of strength. Taylor kicks him in the stomach and forearms him in the back. Shynron flips away and rolls up Taylor for two. Taylor again kicks him in the stomach. Shynron ducks a clothesline and takes over Taylor with a Frankensteiner. Once more Taylor kicks Shynron in the stomach. Shynron headstands on the apron when Taylor tries throwing him up. He sweeps out Taylor’s legs and hits a twisting press splash. Taylor takes a respite in the crowd. He claims hair pulling, butt touching, and name calling. Taylor then jabs Shynron in the throat twice. He slams Shynron twice for a two count. Taylor sends him face first into the top turnbuckle and chokes him with his knee. Taylor lands a basement dropkick for two. He slams Shynron and goes to the apron. He very slowly lands a handstand senton. Shynron recovers with ease and double palm strikes Taylor’s chest twice. Shynron back flips across the ring and comes off the second turnbuckle with a double palm strike. He lands a tiger feint kick and a back handspring Ace crusher for two. Shynron sends Taylor face first into the ring post from the apron, then moonsaults onto him. Taylor release suplexes Shynron onto the ring apron. Taylor drops Shynron with a sit-out powerbomb for two. Back in the ring, Shynron stops a corner attack with an enzuigiri. He drops him with a tornado DDT. Shynron lands a 450 splash from the bottom rope for two. Taylor overhead suplexes Shynron into the corner for two. Taylor misses a moonsault. Shynron hits a twisting lionsault for two. He calls for a 630 splash. Taylor catches him on the ropes and gives him Sole Food. The Awful Waffle gets him the win at 9:26. Taylor and flippy dudes make for an excellent combo. Shynron has some really fun, impressive offense. It’s kind of a shame this wasn’t on a main show because a hot crowd would have made this even better. **¾
Jervis Cottonbelly & Marion Fontaine vs. El Hijo del Ice Cream {IC} & Ice Cream Jr. {IC}
Hijo does some dancing in front of Fontaine, baiting him into a kick to the stomach. Hijo fights off Fontaine’s waist lock. Fontaine moves out of the way of his grasp. He drives his knees into Hijo’s face and shakes his hand. He takes him over with a wristlock, then shakes everyone’s hand in the match. Cottonbelly and Jr. tag in. Cottonbelly turns a handshake into a hammerlock, then a side headlock. He puts on a courting hold. Jr. has difficulty escaping it. He tries using the ropes, but Cottonbelly let’s go, causing him to collide with the mat. Cottonbelly then reapplies the courting hold. Hijo comes in and gets caught in a courting hold as well. Cottonbelly flips his way free. He and Fontaine do-si-do. Fontaine then puts them in stereo courting holds. He collides them together. Old Fashioned dropkick Los Ice Creams to the floor. Fontaine uses a child to scare Hijo into Jr.’s arms. In the ring, Jr. slaps Hijo to get his head in the game. Old Fashioned want to help out the brothers who seem in peril. However, it was all a ploy, as Jr. tackles Cottonbelly to the floor and Hijo slaps Fontaine. Fontaine succombs to the Ice Cream Sandwich for two. Los Ice Creams bully Fontaine in their corner. Hijo throws Fontaine face first into Jr.’s boots, but Fontaine falls to his corner and Cottonbelly tags in. He high crossbody’s onto Jr. Hijo tries breaking it up with an elbow drop but ends up hitting Jr. Cottonbelly back elbows both of Los Ice Creams. Hijo gets scared of the child from earlier and hops into Cottonbelly’s arms. Cottonbelly rock-a-bye’s him into a suplex. Fontaine slaps Jr. into the corner. He and Cottonbelly land stereo hip attacks. They shake each other’s hands. Los Ice Creams try a splash and land into each other. Fontaine and Cottonbelly backslide them at the same time for the win at 9:30. Old Fashioned are a terrific team and had a fun comedy match with Los Ice Creams. I am curious how they would fair against other CHIKARA teams and would enjoy seeing them become a more consistent duo here and elsewhere. **½
JoJo Bravo vs. Max Smashmaster {DC}
CHIKARA fans may remember Bravo from the 2013 National Pro Wrestling Day as he competed in the Rey de Voladores tournament. Blaster McMassive is in Smashmaster’s corner. Bravo stands on the second rope to try and match up with Smashmaster’s size. He tries a lock-up to no avail. He puts on a wristlock which Smashmaster easily twists back the right way. Bravo throws some shots to the stomach. He tries a shoulder block and dropkick but Smashmaster shrugs them off. Smashmaster catches his crossbody attempt and gives him a fallaway slam. He splashes Bravo in the corner and tosses him out. A back senton and a moonsault get him the pin at 3:11. This should have been even more squashy. For a guy his size, Smashmaster hits one heck of a moonsault. ½*
Blind Rage {SE} vs. Mat Fitchett
Rage puts on a side headlock. Fitchett turns it into an overhead wristlock. Rage then brings Fitchett to the match in a side headlock. Fitchett puts on a headscissors, then they both stand off after Rage escapes. Fitchett snapmares Rage and drives his knee into Rage’s shoulder. Rage shoots him to the corner and lands a clothesline. Fitchett dropkicks Rage’s knee out. He hits a standing moonsault for two. Rage comes back with a reverse suplex for two. He puts on a chinlock with his knee digging into Fitchett’s back. He sends Fitchett to the apron. Fitchett enzuigiri’s Rage and comes in with a slingshot splash for two. Fitchett drops Rage with a modified reverse DDT. Rage boots him in the stomach. He hits a sit-out crucifix bomb for the pin at 3:27. I haven’t any idea what the point of this match was. These two lacked chemistry, but how much can you really do in three and a half minutes anyhow? ¼*
Obariyon {B} & Kodama {B} vs. Sir Oliver Grimsly {ODD} & Qefka the Quiet {ODD}
Grimsly has a Kobald mask and Qefka has a Kobald t-shirt to mock the Batiri’s fallen comrade. Kodama pounds on Qefka outside the ring. Obariyon drop toe holds Grimsly on the middle rope and drives his knee into the back of his head. In the ring Kodama drapes Qefka on the top rope. He kicks him in the side of the head five times. The Batiri stretch him out. Grimsly knocks down Obariyon. Kodama takes down Grimsly and the two trade shots on the mat. Obariyon suplexes Grimsly. Kodama suplexes Qefka onto Grimsly. Obariyon pounds on Qefka. Kodama and Obariyon hit Qefka with the Seventh Circle. Obariyon pummels Qefka some more. Kodama clotheslines Grimsly in the back of the head. Kodama reverse waterwheel slams Grimsly into a knee strike from Obariyon. The Batiri pound on Grimsly. When they don’t break on five, referee PJ Drummond disqualifies the Batiri at 2:35. This did a good job portraying the Batiri’s anger regarding Kobald’s demise. The beatdown was fun while it lasted. *
Billy Roc {SOR} vs. Juan Francisco de Coronado
Coronado grabs a hammerlock. Roc maneuvers his way free. He steps over Coronado and schoolboys him for two. Coronado grabs a cravate. Roc escapes. Angry, Coronado kicks Roc in the stomach and grabs a wristlock. Roc escapes, flips over Coronado, then toys with him until he can roll him into a leg-capture double arm stretch. Coronado scoots his way to the ropes. He hits the floor, so Roc decides to suicide dive after him. Roc sends Coronado face first into the top turnbuckle. He hops to the second rope, but Coronado pulls Roc down and drives Roc’s knee into his own knee. Coronado targets his attack on Roc’s knee. Roc comes back with some uppercuts. Coronado takes out his legs and drives his knee into the ring apron. Roc throws some forearm strikes. Coronado takes out his knees. He tornado rolls Roc into a modified ankle lock. Roc gets the ropes. Coronado misses a corner splash. Roc nails a spinwheel kick. He kicks out Coronado’s knee, then dropkicks him in the chest. Roc O’Connor rolls him for two. He then tries a Gedo Clutch. Coronado turns it into the Coronado Clutch. Roc rolls out of it. He tries a standing Shiranui. Coronado breaks out, so Roc gives him a Yoshi Tonic for two. Roc tries a suplex but Coronado fights out. He slingshots in with a German suplex for the pin at 7:32. This was a fun technical match with logical work, but something didn’t really click. It felt like a lot of Roc’s offense was rushed, so for as good as some of it was, it had little time to soak in or mean much. Coronado winning was the right call, though I do raise an eyebrow over a German suplex win when all signs pointed to the Coronado Clutch being the logical conclusion. **½
Fire Ant {C} & Silver Ant {C} vs. Missile Assault Ant {CXF} & Orbit Adventure Ant {CXF}
We start with the teams trading blows. The Colony each deliver ten punches to the Xtreme Force in the corner. They get sent to the floor with double dropkicks. Fire and Silver Ant follow with stereo suicide dives. In the ring Missile kicks Silver Ant to stop an Irish whip. The Colony hits him with a series of kicks. Silver Ant goes for the Cloverleaf but Missile bails to the floor. Orbit attacks Silver Ant. Silver Ant catches him with a tiger feint kick and a slingshot senton. Missile tosses him to the floor. Fire Ant trips Missile. A Lucha sequence sees Fire Ant takes down Missile with the Deja Vu. He runs the ropes into a Frankensteiner on Orbit. Missile cuts off Fire Ant’s suicide dive with an uppercut. Orbit back suplexes Fire Ant, leading to the Xtreme Force isolating Fire Ant in their corner. Fire Ant avoids a corner splash. Missile accidentally forearms Orbit to the floor. He misses a headbutt to Fire Ant on the ground, allowing him to tag in Silver Ant who comes in with a top rope dropkick. He antzuigiri’s Orbit to the middle rope and dropkicks him in the side of the head. Missile uppercuts Silver Ant and slingshots him in. Silver Ant rolls through and deposits Missile with a Michinoku Driver. Orbit breaks the pin. He splashes Silver Ant twice. Silver Ant hops over Orbit and kicks him into the corner. The Colony hit him with the Ants Marching dropkick. Missile forearms Fire Ant. Silver Ant headbutts Missile and jumps in for a swinging DDT. Missile catches him and releases him out of a Northern Lights suplex. Fire Ant nails Missile with the Yahtzee Kick. Missile avoids Burning Down the House. Silver Ant bicycle kicks Missile. Missile responds in kind. Fire Ant cascades up Missile for a Yoshi Tonic. Orbit makes the save at the last second. Fire Ant and Orbit trade forearm strikes. Fire Ant lights him up with palm strikes to the chest. He nails an antzuigiri. Fire Ant headscissors Orbit, landing with a DDT onto Missile. He then springboard somersault sentons onto the Xtreme Force on the floor. Silver Ant goes up top. He fights off Orbit. Missile looks for a super Missile Launcher. Silver Ant blocks it and holds onto Missile. Fire Ant brings him down with a super Burning Down the House. Orbit comes off the top with knees to Fire Ant. Silver Ant frogsplashes Orbit for two. He then locks on the CHIKARA Special for the submission at 12:14. This was similar to the “You Only Live Twice” trios contest, but the end was far more satisfying. Fire and Silver Ant are awesome together, and I am so impressed with Silver Ant’s progress. He’s so smooth and has all the tools to be a main event level talent. Hopefully he gets another shot at the Grand Championship down the line. Missile Assault Ant is really coming into his own as well. ***
Missile attacks Silver Ant on the ring apron as he’s leaving. The Xtreme Force then leave through the entrance as the Colony are left seething on the other side of the ring.
You can watch this match in its entirety here.
Eddie Kingston comes out for his match, though he does seem as if he’s up for a fight. Jimmy Jacobs comes out with one man in a plague mask and velvet colored suit. Jacobs isn’t wearing his gear, but rather a button down white shirt and pants without any footwear. Jacobs says he didn’t come here to fight, but to be a friend to Kingston. He’s known him for 11 years, and while he’s a part of CHIKARA, he’s not a part of CHIKARA like Hallowicked, UltraMantis Black, and Icarus are. The name Icarus gets Kingston’s attention. Jacobs says Kingston has been running solo for too long. Jacobs says that Kingston needs the Flood to watch his back. Conversely, the Flood needs him. Jacobs wants to fight alongside Kingston. He extends his hand for a handshake. Kingston doesn’t move. Jacobs ensures Kingston that he would never lie to him. He says nobody in the locker room likes him and that he is a man without a country. Jacobs says if he doesn’t accept the offer, he will be fighting a war he cannot win. Jacobs extends his hand again. He gets offended when Kingston won’t even look him in the face. He smacks Kingston in the forehead asking where the monster is. He continues to smack Kingston saying he can poke the beast and the beast won’t respond. Jacobs says it may be best to put Kingston out of his misery. He says Kingston’s demeanor is why he lost the Grand Championship. That immediately gets his attention. Jacobs says Kingston couldn’t protect her anymore and that’s why she left him. Kingston throws some punches to start the match.
Eddie Kingston vs. Jimmy Jacobs {TF}
Kingston dropkicks Jacobs to the floor and suicide dives after him. He sends Jacobs into the ring steps. Kingston pulls Jacobs up to the apron after setting two chairs back-to-back on the floor. Jacobs fights out of a suplex and DDT’s Kingston on the ring apron. Jacobs throws some punches to Kingston who barely budges. He gets up to his feet and begins trading punches with Jacobs. He tosses Jacobs to the mat and chokes him with his shirt. He lights up Jacobs with chops and delivers a running facewash kick. Kingston delivers crossfaces as Jacobs gets on the microphone. Jacobs says this is the beast he wanted. He also wants to know who Kingston is fighting for: the fans? CHIKARA? Himself? Jacobs then asks if he’s doing it for her. Jacobs says she felt safe around the monster as the beast protected her. That’s why she loved him. Kingston stops with the crossfaces allowing Jacobs to scoot his way to the corner for safety. Jacobs says he can help Kingston get her back. He says he’s never lied to Kingston, for better or worse, and swears he can get her back to Kingston. Kingston looks very conflicted as to what to do. He makes sure Jacobs swears to it and says he misses her. Kingston beckons Jacobs to him. Jacobs then spears Kingston and pins him at 5:48. This of course was all angle, but at least an interesting one. I am very disappointed this didn’t materialize into a real match. Down the line we should be due for a “real” match between these two. *
Archibald Peck, Scott ‘Jagged’ Parker {3.0} & Shane Matthews {3.0} vs. Ares {BDK}, Tursas {BDK} & Nøkken {BDK}
Milo Schnitzler is in the BDK’s corner. Peck tries taking Nøkken off of his feet. Nøkken forearms his back. Peck ducks a clothesline and throws a double axe handle to the stomach. He tries a side headlock but Nøkken tosses him off. Matthews throws strikes at Nøkken. Nøkken mows him down with a clothesline. He rolls out, bringing in Jagged. He punches Nøkken in the stomach. A shoulder block has no effect. Nøkken catches him coming off the second rope. Jagged shoves him to the corner. Ares tags in. Jagged hits him with a leg lariat. Ares whips Matthews to the BDK corner. Matthes back elbows Nøkken and Tursas before giving Ares a clothesline. He and Jagged take turns twisting up Ares’ left arm. They put on a double wristlock. Peck comes off the top with a double axe handle to the head. Peck throws Ares face first into all three turnbuckles in the corner before giving him a facebuster. Peck gives Ares a Blockbuster into a double Russian legsweep from 3.0. The BDK break the cover. Nøkken knees Jagged from the apron into a clothesline from Ares. Jagged gets bullied by the BDK. They have him set up for the Ragnarok, but Jagged fights out and tags in Matthews. He back elbows Tursas and Nøkken to the floor and dropkicks Ares. He comes off the second rope with a diving clothesline. Matthews drop toe holds Ares into an elbow drop from Jagged, then another from Peck. Peck dropkicks Nøkken off the apron. Jagged follows through with his own dropkick. Matthews looks for a Boston Crab on Ares. Tursas body blocks Matthews to break it. Peck applies a sleeper hold on Tursas. Tursas drives him to the corner to escape. Sir Oliver Grimsly and Qefka the Quiet attack Peck, leading to a DQ at 8:48. This was fun until the abrupt finish. **
The BDK and Odditorium beat down on 3Peck0. Obariyon and Kodama run out to even the odds. 3Peck0 and the Batiri end up standing tall as they dispose of the Flood. Archibald Peck asks the crowd if they want to see a 10 man tag materialize. Of course, they do. Bryce Remsburg rings the bell to make it official.
Archibald Peck, Scott ‘Jagged’ Parker {3.0}, Shane Matthews {3.0}, Obariyon {B} & Kodama {B} vs. Ares {BDK}, Tursas {BDK}, Nøkken {BDK}, Sir Oliver Grimsly {ODD} & Qefka the Quiet {ODD}
The match starts on the floor with an all out brawl. PJ Drummond and another referee help lead the fight back to the ring. Peck gets his foot up to avoid a splash from Tursas. He comes off the second turnbuckle with a shoulder tackle. Nøkken bicycle kicks Peck for two. The Flood decide to take turns wearing Peck down in their half of the ring. Peck falls back into his corner after shoulder blocking Ares. All of his partners tag in and stand off with the other BDK members and the Odditorium. This breaks down into a ten person brawl. Everybody but Peck ends up fighting on the floor. Peck decides to dive onto the mass of humanity. 3.0 and the Batiri pick up and deposit Tursas back into the ring. Peck hits him with the Cranial Crescendo for two. Peck calls for the New Move. Grimsly instead gives him the Bed of Nails. Obariyon pops him into a knee strike. Qefka drops him with a stunner. Kodama delivers a twisting neckbreaker. Nøkken gives Kodama a sit-out chokeslam. Jagged punches Nøkken. Ares drops Jagged with a Blue Thunder Bomb. Matthews clotheslines Ares. Tursas misses a running crossbody on Matthews. Jagged and the Batiri help Matthews put Tursas in the Boston Crab. They along with Peck surround him to make sure nobody can break it up. However, Ares and Nøkken shove Peck and Jagged onto him to finally break it. Jagged crossbody’s Tursas off of the apron onto the rest of the BDK and Qefka on the floor. Kodama reverse waterwheel slams Grimsly into a knee strike from Obariyon for the pin at 8:32. This was a great, feel good ending to the show. 3Peck0 and the Batiri got to look dominant and the crowd was red hot the entire time. It was a good way to supplement the Batiri/Odditorium stuff from earlier as well. It would be the first of many CHIKARA vs. Flood ten man tags this year and it kicked off that trend in a positive fashion. ***
Jagged ends the show by thanking the CHIKAGO crowd.
The CHIKARA Special 