CHIKARA: The Offical Thread

[rohpete]

From Steve Weiners facebook

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http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bring-chikar...264546990260161

[Dearly Devoted Dexter]

Announced for Night 1 of Joshimania

 

[Dearly Devoted Dexter]

King of Trios 2011 : Night 3

[Dearly Devoted Dexter]

Joshimania Night 1 Results (taken from PWPonderings)

 

 

1. Kaori Yoneyama, Tsubasa Kuragaki & Hanako Nakamori beat Archibald Peck, El Hijo Del Ice Cream & Ice Cream Jr when Tsubasa Kuragaki beat both of Los Ice Creams with a double Torture Rack submission

2. Gami beat Sawako Shimono

3. Tim Donst beats Green Ant via submission

4. Ayako Hamada & Cherry beat Mayumi Ozaki & Mio Shirai

5. Manami Toyota beat Toshie Uematsu in a nearly 20 minute match with a Japanese Ocean Cyclone Suplex

6. CHIKARA Campeonato De Parejas: F.I.S.T. (Chuck Taylor & Johnny Gargano) © defeated The Colony (Fire Ant & Soldier Ant) by two falls to one in a

[Dearly Devoted Dexter]

Joshimania Night 2 Results (nicked from Ring Belles)

 

- Toshie Uematsu & GAMI defeated Cherry & Sawako Shimono in 14:10 with when Uematsu pinned Shimono following a Tiger Suplex

- Ophidian made Gregory Iron tap out at 9:54 via a modified rolling cobra clutch

- Kaori Yoneyama pinned Hanako Nakamori with a top rope knee to the head at the 8:23 mark

- Mayumi Ozaki beat Mio Shirai at 9:33 with a variation of the Shining Yakuza Kick

- Sara Del Rey defeated Tsubasa Kuragaki with the Royal Butterfly in 14:45. Said to be the best match of the night so far

[Dearly Devoted Dexter]

Engulfed in a Fever of Spite

[Dearly Devoted Dexter]

Ok, so six months elapsed between me watching Night 2 & Night 3 - but better late than never

 

 

Tag World Grand Prix 2005, Night 3

[Big Benny HG]

Chikara King of Trios 2010 - Night One (23 April 2010)

 

 

My part-time following of this promotion leads me to King of Trios 2010. That's right, 2010.

 

While I've never followed the promotion closely, I've often liked what I've seen from Chikara. On the surface there's the fast-paced, high-flying wrestling, there's the bright, colourful and unique cartoon characters and there's the wacky and daft comedy. Look deeper, and you are rewarded with some of the most well-thought out and interesting storylines and booking on offer in this day and age. The world of Chikara is pretty much a living comic book, full of superheroes and super villains fighting for supremacy in outlandish scenarios. Nowhere is this more apparent than on the DVD packaging for 'King of Trios 2010', with beautiful Manga-esque imagery of the Chikara wrestlers portrayed in scenes that could have been lifted from the pages of a graphic novel. Really does look awesome. What's more, the covers for the 3 separate releases which make up the 'King of Trios 2010' join together to form a larger panoramic illustration. A look inside the DVD case, however, offers a reminder that this is no polished, big budget operation at work here. Indeed, the discs themselves are blue-backed DVD:Rs with cheap covers glued on, reminiscent of the old trading days. This show, as with all others, is spread over 2 separate DVD:Rs, the lack of dual-layer ability leading to the nearly-forgotten task of disc swapping mid-show.

 

The annual 'King of Trios' weekend is Chikara's showcase event, where 16 teams of 3 (that's a whopping FORTY-EIGHT different wrestlers) from all over the world battle it out over a gruelling 3-day single-elimination tournament in order to claim victory. The 2010 offering, as with last year, comes from The Arena in Philadelphia, with 'Night One' consisting purely of the 8 first round bouts in the tourney. They have done a great job inside the building, constructing an impressive entranceway consisting of 3 giant screens and 2 smaller ones.

 

The perfect example of what Chikara is all about can pretty much be seen immediately in the first three matches. For instance, The Throwbacks (Colt Cabana's 1950s alter-ego Matt Classic, Blaxploitation basketball player Sugar Dunkerton & baseball player Dasher Hatfield) vs. 2009 winners Team F.I.S.T. (Friends In Similar Tights - Gran Akuma, Icarus & Chuck Taylor) is a wacky comedy match, with F.I.S.T. trying to be deadly serious and mean and the Throwbacks engaging in ridiculous shenanigans (including a re-enactment of Space Jam, complete with R-Kelly soundtrack). Team Frightning (Mike Quackenbush, Hallowicked & Frightmare) vs. Team Big Japan (Daisuke Sekimoto, Yuji Okabayashi & Kankuro Hoshino) takes a different approach and focuses more on straight-up fast-paced wrestling action. Then, Claudio Castagnoli, Ares & Tursas (representing the invading hostile Bruderschaft Des Kreuzes faction) vs. the supposedly randomly drawn opposing trio of The Osirian Portal (Amasis & Ophidian) and BDK member Sara Del Rey is completely storyline-driven affair. As expected, Del Rey takes every opportunity to sabotage and undermine her team to assist her stablemates in attaining the victory. None of the 3 matches here are anything special, but are perfectly fine offerings, each fun for their own reasons.

 

There isn't really much of note to say about Team Osaka Pro (Atushi Kotoge, Daisuke Harada & Tadasuke vs. The UnStable (former Equinox Vin Gerard, former WWECW superstar Colin Delaney & former Shane Storm STIGMA). Following that, The Colony (Soldier Ant, Fire Ant & Green Ant) vs. Team AIW (Johnny Gargano, Louis Lyndon & Flip Kendrick) just isn't very good either. Now, I think The Colony are great and I normally love their matches, but this match just failed to connect, mainly due to Lyndon and Kendrick (collectively known as Aeroform) being generally quite cack.

 

Things get even worse with The First Family (Arik Cannon, Darren Corbin & Brian Cruz) vs. the second BDK trio of Tim Donst, Pinkie 'Pink Ant' Sanchez & Lince Dorado, which is just simply a bad match. At best it isn't very interesting, while at worst it is an over-contrived mess. The tag duo of Corbin and Cruz do little for me. They are another of those teams that so-very-forcibly tries to be bouncy, wacky and fun, but just fails miserably.

 

Time to switch to Disc Two for the final two matches, and things do get better was the wonderfully colourfully tasty Team Delicioso (Curry Man, Ice Cream Jr & El Hijo Del Ice Cream) take on a team representing Mexican independent stable/promotion Perros Del Mal. While the names you would immediately associate with the Perros Del Mal stable (Hijo del Perro Aguayo, Damien 666, Halloween, X-Fly, etc) are nowhere to be seen, indy stars Oriental, Alebrije and his mini sidekick mascot Cuije are a more than adequate trio here, and the result is bout which contains a few obvious botches but overall leaves an impression of good, enjoyable fun.

 

The best match of the entire show is, fittingly, the main event. Chikara mainstay Jigsaw, Helios (masked persona of the man now better known internationally as Ricochet) and Equinox/Jimmy Olsen (collectively titled The Future Is Now) are pitted against the Young Bucks Matt & Nick Jackson and their younger brother Malachi Jackson, comprising The Jackson Three. This does give guest commentator Colin Delaney chance to make the same, unfunny, annoying Michael/Jermaine/etc Jackson joke continuously about 57 times during the match, but if you can ignore that this is 20 minutes of really good, exciting action. Like they do when they team up in PWG (see my 'DIO!' review in the other thread), the Jacksons cleverly hit signature well-known Young Bucks spots, but modified to include additional Malachi. You don't notice the normally crap Equinox here, and Helios' crisp dare-devil high-flying is simply breath-taking. Great end to a mediocre show.

 

The extra space on Disc Two is filled with 3 ten-minute episodes of Chikara's weekly Podcast-A-Go-Go. The ones on show here recap the 2009 Young Lions Cup - Night Three event, showing plenty of clips of action, but no complete matches and no finishes (it's supposed to be an advert for the full shows on DVD).

 

'Night One' of the 2010 King of Trios is a disappointing single show in all. It's mainly an event consisting of matches ranging from poor to solid, with nothing really standing out until the last first round contest. Here's hoping Nights Two and Three of the event have more to offer.

 

Full show results:

<-- click on 'spoiler' to show/hide the spoiler

Team F.I.S.T. (Gran Akuma, Icarus {W, back-cracker} & Chuck Taylor) beat The Throwback (Matt Classic {L}, Sugar Dunkerton & Dasher Hatfield)

 

Team Big Japan (Daisuke Sekimoto, Yuji Okabayashi {W, by RACKING HIM} & Kankuro Hoshino) beat Team Frightning (Mike Quackenbush, Hallowicked & Frightmare{L})

 

Bruderschaft Des Kreuzes (Claudio Castagnoli, Ares & Tursas) beat The Osirian Portal (Amasis & Ophidian{L}) & Sara Del Rey with a huge triple-team whirly-bird crucifix thingy

 

Team Osaka Pro (Atushi Kotoge, Daisuke Harada {W, German suplex} & Tadasuke) beat The UnStable (Vin Gerard, Colin Delaney {L} & STIGMA)

 

The Colony (Soldier Ant, Fire Ant{W, Kryptonite Krunch} & Green Ant) beat Team AIW (Johnny Gargano, Louis Lyndon & Flip Kendrick{L})

 

Bruderschaft Des Kreuzes (Tim Donst, Pinkie 'Pink Ant' Sanchez {W, Chikara Special) & Lince Dorado) beat The First Family (Arik Cannon, Derek Corbin & Brian Cruz{L})

 

Team Perros Del Mal (Oriental, Alebrije & Cuije{W, assisted splash}) beat Team Delicioso (Curry Man, Ice Cream Jr & El Hijo Del Ice Cream{L})

 

The Future Is Now (Jigsaw, Helios{W, 630} & Equinox) beat The Jackson Three (Matt, Nick & Malachi{L} Jackson)

 

[close spoiler]

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Up Next: Night Two...obviously...

[Big Benny HG]

Chikara King of Trios 2010 - Night Two (24 April 2010)

 

 

Chikara is back for it's second consecutive night in The Arena in Philly as the 2010 version of the showpiece event continues.

 

Kicking off Night Two is big, bad, dirty trucker Brodie Lee issuing an opening challenge, promptly answered by his former partner, 'The Littlest Lumberjack' Grizzly Redwood. This is a simple premise, and is little more than a quick squash, but while it lasts this is pretty much as good an example of this type of thing you can possibly get. Fantastic fun. With that out of the way, the first of the 4 trios tournament quarter finals sees The Future Is Now take on Team Big Japan. Contrary to most of the trios matches from the previous night, this is a little cracker as Sekimoto, Okabayashi and Hoshino's clubbing offence mixes well with Jigsaw, Helios and Equinox's high-flying to produce a terrific edge-of-seat affair.

 

A staple part of the last two days of King of Trios weekend is the mini 'Rey De Voladores' ('King of the Flyers') singles tournament, mainly featuring wrestlers eliminated in the opening round of the tag tourney. Malachi Jackson vs. Flip Kendrick vs. Amasis vs. 'M-Dogg' Matt Cross makes up the first semi-final, fought under elimination rules. Truthfully, this is actually just a fast collection of fancy moves a big dives, but the 4-way setting sort of lets them get away with it and, if you disengage your brain, it's all good, simple fun. This is followed by the next trios quarter final, matching Claudio Castagnoli, Ares & Tursas of BDK against Oriental, Alebrije & Cuije. Another good match, this, with Claudio and Ares fitting in with the lucha libre of Oriental and Alebrije, together with the fantastically intriguing dynamic of the gigantic Tursas on one team and the teeny Cuije on the other. The bout plays out very much like a typical relevos australianos lucha bout, with the rudos roughing up and bullying everyone, while the technicos fire back with skill and finesse. I got a big kick out of this one.

 

After a perfectly acceptable Christopher Daniels vs. Hallowicked singles match, F.I.S.T. and Team Osaka Pro tear the house down in another smashing King of Trios quarter-final. The bout is well-paced, with early mat exchanges building progressively to an all-out, genuinely thrilling climax. I liked it. The Rey de Voladores contest of Cheech Hernandez vs. Ophidian vs. Rich Swann vs. Frightmare, however, is even more of a soulless demonstration of TEH MOVEZ than the other semi-final earlier on. When people rip on the indies, this is the type of thing they use as ammunition.

 

The fourth and last quarter-final in the King of Trios tournament, as The Colony take on the BDK 'B' squad of Tim Donst, Pinkie Sanchez & Lince Dorado. There's a big grudge here in Chikara storylines, since 'Pink Ant' Sanchez posed as Carpenter Ant in The Colony during 2009, and The Colony have been clashing with BDK for much of 2010 so far. Fitting, then, that this bout should take the main event position for 'Night Two', with huge partisan fan support firmly behind the Soldier, Fire and Green Ants. Once again, this is another enjoyable offering. The Colony are one of my favourite babyface acts, and not just for their bright, colourful cartoon outfits. They are tremendous at taking a beating for so long, making you think they have no hope and extracting great blue-eye sympathy, before firing up and making massive, brilliant courageous and heroic comebacks.

 

Once again, the show has to be split across 2 DVD:Rs (see review of 'Night One'), and with only 40 minutes of show footage required on disc two there is room for 3 more Chikara Podcast-a-go-go episodes (200-202), one of which features a guest appearance from D-LO BROWN, and showcasing action from the 'Hiding in Plain Sight' event from September 2009.

 

As you might have guessed, 'Night Two' of the 2010 King of Trios event is a massive improvement on 'Night One'. While the first day was very nondescript and a bit dull, this one is mainly full of really enjoyable, exciting matches. A complete turnaround, which has left me eager to check out the end of the tournament on 'Night Three'.

 

Full show results:

<-- click on 'spoiler' to show/hide the spoiler

Brodie Lee beat Grizzly Redwood with a big boot

 

KOT Quarter Final: Team Big Japan (Daisuke Sekimoto{W, German suplex}, Yuji Okabayashi & Kankuro Hoshino) beat The Future Is Now (Jigsaw, Helios{L} & Equinox)

 

Rey De Voladores Semi Final:

Amasis eliminated Flip Kendrick with a 450 splash

Matt Cross eliminated Malachi Jackson with a shooting star press

Matt Cross eliminated Amasis with a running shooting star press to win the match

 

KOT Quarter Final: Bruderschaft Des Kreuzes (Claudio Castagnoli, Ares & Tursas{W, big splash} beat Team Perros Del Mal (Oriental, Alebrije & Cuije{L})

 

Christopher Daniels pinned Hallowicked, pulling the referee into Hallowicked to set up the Best Moonsault Ever

 

KOT Quarter Final: Team Osaka Pro ((Atushi Kotoge, Daisuke Harada & Tadasuke{W, roll-up}) beat F.I.S.T. (Gran Akuma, Icarus & Chuck Taylor{L})

 

Rey De Voladores Semi Final:

Frightmare eliminated Rich Swann with a back-flip double-knee-drop

Ophidian eliminated Cheech Hernandez with a prawn hold

Ophidian eliminated Frightmare with a flipping piledriver from the 2nd rope to win the match

 

KOT Quarter Final: The Colony (Soldier Ant {W, Chikara Special}, Fire Ant & Green Ant) beat Bruderschaft Des Kreuzes (Tim Donst{L}, Pinkie Sanchez & Lince Dorado)

 

[close spoiler]

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Up Next: Night Three, duh

[Dearly Devoted Dexter]

Alas, it doesn't look like there will be a KOT this year, due to the closure of the Arena. Two matches announced for the first show of 2012 - Ophidian vs. Hieracon & Icarus vs. Gran AKuma

[Flash]

why wudnt they have KOT, i had the tag team world grand prix before KOT and before they used the Arena so why not KOT and i believe the first 2 kot's had there first 2 nights away from the arena, just the final there

[ROHSteven]

Interesting to see which Chikara tag team comes in and faces The Briscoe Brothers in ROH. Not seen much of Chikara at all and wanting to get a bit of a flavour for it, I'm guessing the King of Trios events are the best place to start?

[Big Benny HG]

Not seen much of Chikara at all and wanting to get a bit of a flavour for it, I'm guessing the King of Trios events are the best place to start?

King of Trios is their annual big showcase weekend, where you can get to see the 'home' Chikara talent mix it up with indie guys from around the US, guys from Japan and Europe, and nostalgia acts.The other good starting place if you are looking for a flavour would be the annual 'Best of...' triple DVD sets. My review of the 2009 set is above, and I'll be starting on the 2010 set not long after I've worked through King of Trios 2010. They aren't a comprehensive Year In Review or anything, so you won't be able to follow the full storylines, but they are a selection of what they believe to be the best matches. Definitely give you a taste, flavour or hint of what it is all about.

[Big Benny HG]

Chikara King of Trios 2010 - Night Three (25 April 2010)

 

 

The 2010 edition of Chikara's 'King of Trios' comes to a conclusion with the concluding rounds of the Trios tournament itself, the Rey de Volaldores final and a few more bonus bouts. For the third straight night, they come to us from The Arena in Philadelphia.

 

The King of Trios semi-finals comprise The Colony vs. Team Osaka Pro, followed immediately by Team Big Japan vs. Bruderschaft Des Kreuzes. The former starts the night in a good way, being a short-but-slick example of fast-paced lucha-influenced team combat from 6 small wrestlers. The latter, in contrast, features 6 much bigger, stronger wrestlers fighting it out over a far slower, grindingly-physical pace, but is equally watchable and rewarding. Two impressive bouts which set up an interesting-looking final.

 

A wrestler who can arguably be said to have broken out over 2009-2010 (and certainly changed my own opinion of him) is the 'Kentucky Gentleman' Chuck Taylor. Here, he is granted a rare solo appearance in Chikara against 18-year lucha libre veteran El Oriental, and the pair go about assembling a fine contest. Following up this relative calm, however, is the complete and utter madness of a 10-team Tag Gauntlet, featuring The Throwbacks (Dasher Hatfield & Sugar Dunkerton), The UnStable (Vin Gerard & STIGMA), The Legion of Green (Steve 'The Turtle' Wiener & Dragon Dragon), The Future Is Now (Helios & Equinox), Aeroform (Louis Lyndon & Flip Kendrick), North Star Express (Darren Corbin & Brian Cruz), The Order of the Neo Solar Temple (Ultramantis Black & Crossbones), Incoherence (Hallowicked & Frightmare), F.I.S.T. (Gran Akuma & Icarus) and a BDK duo of Sara Del Rey & Daizee Haze in a winner-stays-on series. Much of this is pretty fucking awful, but there are some highlights courtesy of Chikara's wonderfullly bizarre sense of humour (for example, if you haven't seen Dragon Dragon before, YOU MUST).

 

Disc One is rounded out with Christopher Daniels vs. Eddie Kingston. It's slow to get going, but actually ends up a rather decent showing. The bout is followed by one of Tommy Dreamer's signature emotional "I love professional wrestling" indie appearances, where he endorses Chikara in the building he became famous in and sets up a "we respect each other" match with Kingston. Hmm, no thanks. After the obligatory disc-swap, we are presented with Mike Quackenbush & Jigsaw vs. The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson). This is a rematch from one of the early Dragon Gate USA pay-per-views, that was met with high praise from some but one that I didn't see as anything particularly special myself. I did actually enjoy this one, though. It gets dangerously close to the ridiculous, but just manages to stay the right side of the border and is an exciting and entertaining sprint. The same most definitely cannot be said, however, of the Rey de Voladores final between Matt Cross and Ophidian. Indeed, this is a dreadful bout. The dull, lifeless and over-choreographed 'action' plays out in front of deathly silence from the burned-out Philly crowd, save for polite applause for their outrageously contrived sequences and flips. This contest ticks every stereotype for the indies being nothing more than people doing gymnastics exhibitions in warehouses.

 

So, three days, 16 teams and 15 matches comes down to the 2010 King of Trios tournament final, with the colourful, popular and cartoon-like Colony representing all of Chikara against the seemingly unstoppable invading force of the powerful Bruderschaft Des Kreuzes. It is fitting that one of Chikara's biggest and most important matches of the entire year is centred around the promotion's lead storyline and not some of the guest acts t have featured in the tourney. Sensing that it is their best chance, the Ants come at the BDK fast and early with everything in their arsenal, only for the heels to see it off with ease. This sets up an engrossing and supremely watchable battle for supremacy as The Colony need to go to new lengths in order to seek victory. Just like the ants' 2009 Masks vs. Hair match against F.I.S.T., a great sign that the bout is connecting in the right way is that the notorious Philly crowd erupts in fierce support of the babyfaces, not the match. In amongst the drama is a intriguing side-story about knowledge of the Chikara Special and Inverted Chikara Special holds, and the respective counters to each, which adds another level of interest to make the match even more compelling. There are twists in there that work, since all the heat is on the heels who perpetrated them and not the promotion that presented them. A roller-coaster, and a fitting and worthy finale to the weekend.

 

3 more episodes of Podcast A-Go-Go (203-205), featuring clips of matches from 'An Optimistic View of a Pessimistic World' and 'Cibernetico Increible' (October 2009) and previewing the King of Trios weekend, make up the bonus material which fills the rest of Disc Two.

 

Overall, 'Night Three' has some highs that are high, and some lows that are very, very low. That said, the highs are so fun and so enjoyable that the overall impression is a good one. Anyone who follows Chikara will have checked this show out already, since it is their highlight of the promotion's year, but 2010 King of Trios, particularly the second and third nights, come recommended from me to anyone who fancies checking them out. Thumbs up.

 

Full show results:

<-- click on 'spoiler' to show/hide the spoiler

King of Trios Semi-Final: The Colony (Solider Ant, Fire Ant & Green Ant{W, Antapult from top rope) beat Team Osaka Pro (Atushi Kotoge, Daisuke Harada & Tadasuke{L})

 

King of Trios Semi-Final: Bruderschaft Des Kreuzes (Claudio Castagnoli, Ares{W, Tiger Driver} & Tursas) beat Team Big Japan (Daisuke Sekimoto, Yuji Okabayashi & Kankuro Hoshino{L})

 

Chuck Taylor beat El Oriental by submission with a half-Boston Crab

 

Tag Team Gauntlet:

The UnStable (Vin Gerard{W, roll-up} & STIGMA) beat The Throwbacks (Dasher Hatfield & Sugar Dunkerton{L})

The UnStable (Vin Gerard{W, step-over tail-hold facelock} & STIGMA) beat The Legion of Green (Steve 'The Turtle' Wiener & Dragon Dragon{L}

The Future Is Now (Helios & Equinox{W, piledriver}) beat The UnStable (Vin Gerard{L} & STIGMA)

The Future Is Now (Helios & Equinox{W, punch}) beat Aeroform (Louis Lyndon & Flip Kendrick{L})

North Star Express (Darren Corbin & Brian Cruz{W, cradle) beat The Future Is Now (Helios{L} & Equinox)

The Order of the Neo Solar Temple (Ultramantis Black{W, deathstar piledriver) & Crossbones) beat North Star Express (Darren Corbin & Brian Cruz)

Incoherence (Hallowicked{W, Yakuza kick) & Frightmare) beat The Order of the Neo Solar Temple (Ultramantis Black & Crossbones{L})

Incoherence (Hallowicked & Frightmare{W, crucifix bomb}) beat F.I.S.T. (Gran Akuma & Icarus{L})

Incoherence (Hallowicked{W, Sky High) & Frightmare) beat Bruderschaft Des Kreuzes (Daizee Haze{L} & Sara Del Rey) to win the match

 

Eddie Kingston beat Christopher Daniels with the Back-Fist to the Future

 

Mike Quackenbush{W, assisted Jig n' Tonic} & Jigsaw beat The Young Bucks (Matt{L} & Nick Jackson)

 

Rey de Voladores Final: Ophidian beat Matt Cross with a moonsault bodyblock into an inside cradle

 

King of Trios Final: Bruderschaft Des Kreuzes (Claudio Castagnoli, Ares & Tursas) beat The Colony (Soldier Ant, Fire Ant & Green Ant) to win the tournament

 

[close spoiler]

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[chelsea2298]

Hi guys this is a complete shill, but i have a lot of early through 2008 CHIKARA stuff for sale, see my thread here, i want rid ASAP so there are bargains to be had!!

 

http://ukff.com/index.php?showtopic=128983