#chikaratopia

[chikararesults]

S19 Results - #HourOfPower  (5.19.18)

1) Cornelius Crummels/Sonny Defarge captured their 3rd point by beating Xyberhawx2000 (Razerhawk/Danjerhawk) in 9:35 with the Super Tandem Monkey Flip.

2) Cajun Crawdad pinned Thief Ant with the “Clawesome Bomb” in 6:08.

3) The Proteus Wheel (Volgar/Frantik/Callux the Castigator) made short work of Body Slam Bobby, Waistlock Wayne and Full Nelson Nelson.

4) Travis Huckabee pinned Blanche Babish in 6:05.

5) Green Ant was victorious over Ursa Minor in the Night Sky (accompanied by Still Life With Apricots and Pears) in 5:36.

6) The Beast Warriors (Oleg the Usurper/Proletariat Boar of Moldova) beat The Whisper/Troll in just 3:00.

[chikaraspecial]

Retrospective: The Ashes of CHIKARA

[thecompostpile]

Corona Chronicles #2

Creatures of the Deep vs Nerder Death Kill 

All Hands on Deck was one of my favorites shows of the last year. Beyond put a show on the middle of a beach in Misquamiquit and it was one of the most beautiful backgrounds to host wrestling behind. The hard cam points out at the water and you watched the waves crash while you watch the wrestlers crash to the ring. I was also at this show and you can sometimes see the back of my head and my Polo Sport shirt. 

The match was supposed to be Nerder Death Kill vs Hermit Crab and Cajun Crawdad but Hermit Crab had broken his hand the night before which was a huge bummer, so Merlok took his place. The match starts with Crawdad and Merlok coming out of the ocean to fight Nerder Death Kill. 

Nothing can scare Nick Gage though and he just starts chopping Merlok. Those two fight outside while Thomas Santell gets in the ring with Crawdad. Santell gets Crawdad into a Boston Crab with the ocean right behind him and it is a great moment. Merlok starts to shoves Santell around a bit showing how much bigger. Cajun Crawdad hits one of his favorite moves, the coast to coast while they are actually one a coast

Merlok gets Santell on the top rope and tries to suplex him off but Santell turns it into a sunset flip. Merlok hits the deck hard. Santell gets a hot tag to Gage who legally gets in the match for the first time. Gage hits a facewash onto Crawdad. Gage spinerbusters Merlok. Nick Gage then picks up Cajun Crawdad for a brainbuster but Crawdad gets out of it. Out of the frying pan into the flame as Crawdad gets a the chokebreaker from Gage onto Santell’s knee and Santell hits the sugar freehold for the win. 

It was really fun to watch this match back because I was there live and I loved getting to see this show. It was truly something special and I hope Beyond runs another show at this venue over the summer. it is also cool they have added the entire show up on Youtube because of how great it looks, check it out if you enjoy this match it is a loaded card. 

I have thought a lot about the venues that enclose wrestling. So many of them look the same that when something special comes up it really feels different.  Beyond usually runs good looking venues and makes some interesting aesthetic choices. The ocean in the background, seagulls over the ring. It looks more like a video game than a wrestling venue. No other promotion does anything like this besides WCW. When the show went into intermission I smoked weed in my car and went swimming and just for that it was one of my favorite wrestling shows. It is late and I might watch a few more of these over the 8 weeks there will be no mass gathering to try and really articulate why I found this show so amazing. 

[thecompostpile]

31 Nights of Hallowicked Night 1

Night 1

 CZW Cage of Death 6 

12/11/04

Last year I attempted to watch and review 31 Hallowicked matches. The idea was really just to watch more Chikara. I watched the first-ever Chikara main event along with watch a show that happened right in the middle of October. This year I have access to three different streaming services instead of just Chikaratopia and Youtube. I didn’t quite make it last year missing quite a few days because match reviews take a long time and I wore myself out. I hope that won’t happen this year but I can’t make any promises. 

I really didn’t get into independent wrestling until about 2015 so I have no reference for most stuff before 2015. I have watched back a fair amount of Chikara and if something or someone grabs my attention I will go back and watch it but CZW is not that something. I have no reference for most CZW things so I thought a fun way to try and get into would be this match from 2004. Chikara and CZW couldn’t be more different from each other in every single way: fanbase, style, wrestling. But around this time I am pretty sure the two were sharing a school. This means Chikara people on CZW show and a lot of deathmatch dudes being trained by Mike Quakenbush like G-Raver and Rory Gulak. I wanted to watch one of the Cage of Death matches and I decided on this match when I saw the Chikara’s trio match at the start of the card. 

This match is a trios match from CZW in 2004. The match starts with Chris Hero upset that he was not booked on the show to defend whatever title he is holding and instead tell BlackJack Marciano that he will be competing in a trios match. I have no idea why Chris Hero is allowed to make trios matches for CZW I haven’t watched much CZW so I do not really know how things work there. I guess you can just make trios matches if he wants to. It’s fine though. Chris Hero knows a lot about wrestling. He puts together a very good team. Chris Hero even calls Hallowicked his personal favorite wrestler. Which I agree with. 

Black Jack will be teaming with Larry Sweeny and Hallowicked to face Mike Quakenbush, Jigsaw and Gran Akuma. Larry Sweeny comes out in all pink with a purple feather boa. Hallowicked comes out in all black with his mask with green features and a pumpkin stem. Gran Akuma is still donning a mask and Mike Quackenbush has a lil soul patch. A young Bryce Remsburg is a ref in a yellow CZW ref shirt. 

I guess because this is Cage of Death or whatever there are two rings like the old WCW War Games style. I believe this match will only use one. The commentator talks about how this will be lucha rules. Black Jack rips off a paper sign a fan-made and throws it at Gran Akuma. Hallowicked starts the match with Gran Akuma. The two lock up as some fans, not very loudly chant “YOU SUCK”. Neither of these wrestlers sucks though so I don’t know. 

Hallowicked gets an arm wrencher locked on Akuma. Gran Akuma lucha rolls out of it getting his own wrist lock on Hallowicked. Hallowicked drops to one knee and does a stunner kind of roll to get Gran Akuma off of him. Gran Akuma goes to jump off the turnbuckle but Hallowicked gets under him and Gran Akuma is on Hallowicked’s shoulders. Gran Akuma gets out of that with an arm drag in a really cool looking opening sequence, which I imagine did not look like anything else on that CZW card.

Hallowicked screams in pain as Gran Akuma pelts him with kicks. Hallowicked hits the ropes and dodges a clothesline. Hallowicked goes for a head scissors but Gran Akuma catches it and instead locks in a stretch muffler. BlackJack breaks the hold up illegally tossing out Gran Akuma. Mike Quackenbush quickly gets in the ring and kicks BlackJack hard then getting him in the wristlock. BlackJack gets his own wristlock in but Mike turns it into his own octopus hold. Then another submission and finally Robin Hood Special. Really showing why people call him the Master of A Thousand Holds. 

Hallowicked interference and Larry Sweeny helps to double team, Quakenbush. But Quackenbush isn’t going to just lay down for them. This is Cage of Death after all. He uses a series of lucha moves that all look very cool to outpace both Larry Sweeny and Hallowicked. Quack even hits an arm drag off the second rope that looks wild. He manages to get Hallowicked alone in the ring and tags in Jigsaw. Larry Sweeny takes Hallowicked’s place. Sweeny and Black Jack hang Jigsaw from the second rope and Hallowicked tags in and hits a rolling leg drop onto Jigsaw. He goes for a pin but only gets a two. Hallowicked’s team makes quick tags working over Jigsaw.

So it turns out they are using the other ring. Black Jack lands in the middle of the two rings Jigsaw then Larry Sweeny then Hallowicked and then Bryce all use BlackJack as a bridge to get to the other ring. Gran Akuma frog splashes BlackJack to the floor. Mike Quackenbush jumps to the top rope of the first ring and springboard clotheslines Hallowicked and Larry Sweeny who are, if you remember, in the second ring. Bryce Remsburg jumps in pain just at the site of it. 

The match is now taking place in the second ring. Hallowicked and Mike Quackenbush trade arm drag. Black Jack grabs Mike and Hallowicked goes for a big boot hitting Black Jack instead. Hallowicked flips Quack out of the ring but onto BlackJack. Mike flips over Hallowicked into the ring where Hallowicked drops down and catches Quack up against the ropes with a hard chop. The two whip each other across the ring and Hallowicked lands into Larry Sweeny. Mike Quackenbush clotheslines Hallowicked out of the ring. 

All three of Chikara’s team then dive out the ring onto Hallowicked’s team. A CZ DOUB chant starts. Hallowicked gets tossed into Sweeny and Mike and Akuma turn them both into a quadruple Boston crab.  Black Jack breaks it up. The match works it’s way to the first ring again. Where BlackJack Marchiano hits his finisher on Jigsaw for the win. 

This match was a lot fun because it is classic Chikara regulars doing exactly what Chikara does best, multi-man matches. It was really fun to see how Chikara uses both rings because they would probably not get that chance to use two rings again. I have never watched much CZW and whenever I try to I don’t get much from it but this match was fun. I may even watch some other matches on the card because I am interested in seeing the Cage of Death.

[thecompostpile]

Night 27 of 31 Nights of Hallowicked

The Whisper/Kimber Lee vs Hallowicked/Shazza Mckenzie

Season 19

First Round of La Loteria Letal  

The teams were chosen at random by lottery pick and the first two teams were

Shazza and Kimber Lee start off. Kimber Lee gets a wristlock Shazza kicks out. Kimber Lee flips out of her wristlock.  Kimber Lee gets an overhand wristlock with these two feeling each other out with lots of chain wrestling. They hit the ropesKimShaazza catches Kimber Lee’s leg and drops her into a split Kimber Lee does the same they hit each other from the ground in dual splits. Kimber Lee rolls out forcing a tag with the Whisper. Shazza tries to roll him up and hits a forearm and then back elbow flips Whisper on his butt kicks him and hits a leg drop.

The Whisper gets control with a big leg drop but only gets a two count. Shazza needs the tag bad.  Hallowicked tags in and does a double team move ending with him throwing his partner on The Whisper.

Two former Grand Champions meet in the ring as Kimber Lee stalks Hallowicked from behind.  Kimber Lee gets the best of Hallowicekd with a satellite ddt but Shazza breaks it up and Hallowicked rolls out.

Shazzza kicks Kimber Lee in the face a bunch and gets the tag. Hallowicked suplexes Kimber Lee hard but only get a two count. He takes her back and gets in a headlock and a tag. Hallowicked might have the most experience and might adjust best to this.

Shazza gets a suplex and a two count then gets Kimber Lee in a submission. Kimber Lee punches out. But Shaza elbows her in the head. Hallowicked tags in and knees Kimber Lee hard. Hallowicked hits Kimber Lee with an uppercut and a bodyslam and a kick hard to the back but it is only good for the two. Hallowicked gets a fist full of hair and pulls Kimber Lee up but Kimber Lee hits a enzaguri.

The Whisper tags himself in. Shazza gets a roll up and a goes after the Whisper.Shazza hits a nice belly to back and tags in Hallowicked who goes for a pin but only a two count. Hallowicked hits a t-bone suplex and tags in Shazza with The Whisper under his legs. Hallowicked tags in again and hits a arm and leg and a double stomp. The whisper forearms Hallowicked in the face who hits a neck breaker.

The Whisper hits a one-footed dropkick on Hallowicked they both struggle for the tag.

My internet went out all I saw was Hallowicked eat a big german suplex from Kimber Lee.

Kimber Lee and Shazza battle on the top rope and Shazza falls to the ground does a slip and Kimber Lee gets a Swanton bomb on Shazza and gets the pin with The Whisper. But Kimber Lee wants nothing to do with The Whisper.

Hallowicked and Shazza were a really fun team Shazza is apparently a huge fan so it must have been something to tag with Hallowicked the only gen 1 in the tournament. The Whisper and Kimber Lee have a history going back to Secret Season Seventeen and could be favorites to win this for that reason. However, they didn’t seem like much of a team and that could hurt them.

It was interesting seeing to former Grand Champions who have so much history with each other to face off again after Kimber Lee has been at the feds for about a year. I imagine this won’t be the last time we see these two who have a long history of disliking each other.

[thecompostpile]

Night 21 of 31 Nights of Hallowicked

Night 21

Hallowicked and Frightmare vs Boar of Moldova and Oleg the Usurper

King of Trios 2018 Night 3

Season 19

Hallowicked and Frightmare and entering last in the tag team gauntlet and making their first appearance of all of King of Trios. Beast Warriors had finally gotten their hands on two points, every time they got close to three points someone would get in the way including Hallowicked and Frightmare. It was the last pinfall of the gauntlet and Beast Warriors needed the win. Would they be able to get it?

The match starts off hot strikes traded back and forth. The two link arms and hit dual setup frankensteiners causing the Beast Warriors to collide in the middle of the ring.  Frightmare throws him out of the ring onto Boar gets back in and hits Oleg and then both members of Legion of Rot topa suicida the Beast Warriors.

Legion of Rot looks on fire and the hit tandem step-up corner kicks into their opponent on the turnbuckle.  Hallowicked hits a snapmare on Oleg, Frightmare hits the kneecolpsy. Halllowicked does the same to Boar, Frightmare does the same. Both of them cover Bowho kicks out. ar

This match starts off with Hallowicked’s greatest hits all two minutes.

Boar punches his way up Hallowicked holds him still. Frightmare hits the ropes but gets a superkick from Oleg. Boar hits the GORE on Frightmare they go for a cover but Hallowicked is close by and breaks it up. Hallowicked gets a big boot and tries for a Never Wake Up. Boar gets away and they hit a double chokeslam on Hallowicked who flees the ring fast. Oleg hits a rolling senton onto the outside on the ring on Hallowicked squishing him.

PIGS FLY as Boar dives over the top rope onto everyone. Oleg and Frightmare are alone in the ring. Oleg gets Frightmare with a chokeslam and gets him to the top rope. Frightmare tries anything to get out of it as Oleg climbs the rope. Boar knocks Hallowicke. Oleg gets the Super Choke Slam while Boar hits a diving elbow and Frightmare gets pinned.

Beast Warriors win their third point.

All of this match was fantastic and I would highly recommend this entire three shows. King of Trios is always something special and they are currently up for purchase or on Chikaratopia. I have been watching them all weekend and haven’t had a chance to do any Hallowicked reviews so sorry about that but more writing stuff on its way.

[thecompostpile]

Night 17 of 31 Nights of Hallowicked

Night 17

Chikara Grand Championship Hallowicked vs Amasis

The Good Life

Season 15

Hallowicked is the only two-time Chikara Grand Champion. A truly amazing achievement when you look at the short list of wrestlers who have been Chikara Grand Championship. This match is Hallowicked’s fourth match during his first run as champ. Amasis had even beaten Frightmare at the show before this to get his third point.

The match starts with Juan Francisco De Coronado walking out. Followed by Amasis who hits him with an enziguri. Hallowicked, Frightmare and Blind Rage all come out to the ring next. That screamy chant music plays as they walk out. They pray over the title. Amasis is also alone in the ring. This is Amasis’ first time challenging for the

The two lock up and trade wrist locks. Amasis gets Hallowicked’s arm pin behind his back. They chain wrestle back and forth. Hallowicked gives him a bully shove. They go to lock up Amasis get a single leg takedown. Hallowicked tries for something with his legs around Amsis’ head but Amasis gets a pin instead.

Amasis get a wrist lock and Wicked gets a single leg takedown. The two lay on the ground entangled. Amasis tries to dig his elbow into Hallowicked’s leg which enrages Hallowicked who goes after the mask of Amasis. The two break from the hold and Amasis hits Hallowicked with a dropkick. Then hits a Pescado planche to the outside.

Hallowicked gets some big strikes as he gets back into the ring. The two hit the ropes and Amasis jumps off the second rope and hits Hallowicked with a winged arm drag. Hallowicked flees to the outside where Amasis dives but lands on Blind Rage and Frightmare instead. Hallowicked finds Amasis with a big boot sending Amasis to the ground.

(A young Travis Huckabee can be seen helping catch Amasis)

Back in the ring Hallowicked works the arm of Amasis and goes for two pins. Amasis gets to his knees and hits Hallowicked with forearms. Hallowicked goes for another armbar. Amasis gets a pin but Hallowicked kicks out quick only to be kicked by Hallowicked hard.

The two trade strikes with Hallowicked getting the better of it. Hallpowicked hits the super snapmare on Amasis. He screams at Amasis as the fans cheer him on. Hallowicked locks in a body scissor Amasis tosses elbows as the fans cheer him on. The trade hard strikes. Amasis hits a low sweep kick and a hard enziguri, that causes Bryce to call out his classic “awhooohoohooo”.

Amasis gets a two and a half count.   He is back up and goes to the top quick then hits Hallowicked with a hurricanrana for a two count. Amasis then hits a huge giant knee and sets up for his 450 and nails it but Hallowicked kicks out.

Blind Rage and Frightmare start doing something funny while Amasis head to the top rope and hits another 450 for only a two count. This one Hallowicked turns for and takes all of Amasis’ weight to his shoulder. Amasis hits him with strikes but Hallowicked gets in a yakuza boot. Hallowicked then gets in the Rydeen Bomb but only gets a two. Hallowicked gets the Graveyard Smash (this is the first time I have seen him do this move) and the match is over.

What a title match. These two go all out and hit each other with everything they have. Amasis really looks like he is going to get the win in but he just wasn’t able to. Hallowicked would go on to hold the title for the rest of Season 15.

[thecompostpile]

Night 16 of 31 Nights of Hallowicked

Night 16

Hallowicked and Frightmare vs Silver Ant and Missle Assult Man

Left Turn

Season 18

With Chikara announcing they will be at this years Wrestlemania preshows,  even though I won’t be able to go because I will be student teaching that day, I decided to look at the last time Chikara followed Wrestlemania down to Florida two years ago. They put on two interesting and very Chikara shows that had Juan winning the Grand Championship, Grado coming by to play, and of course a ton of multi-man matches.

This match is a feud stemming over from a few seasons where Hallowicked and Frightmare made The Colony’s life hell for a few seasons. Frightmare would even go to retire Solider Ant. Wrestlemania weekend was here and there two teams were going to battle it out.

Hallowicked cuts a spooky promo about Frightmare being a “bubbling cauldron of hate and agony” and it would boil over and wash away Silver Ant. Frightmare babbles in whatever language he and Hallowicked speak and pulls at his second mask to show he means business.

Silver Ant and Missle Assult Man have not teamed together much while Hallowicked and Frightmare have teamed together for almost a decade.

Frightmare starts the match with a dive outside. Missle Assult Man gets in the ring and tries to get Hallowicked in a sharpshooter, drags him around the ring then hits a backbreaker. Hallowicked stands up and Missle Assult Man chops him then throws him into the turnbuckle. Then suplexes him and gets him in an arm lock. Missile Assult Man then hits three northern lights suplexes in a row only for a two count. Missle Assult Man continues his attack on Hallowicked by stomping on Hallowicked. Frightmare tries to get involved but gets n uppercut and stomped on as well. Both of them start to finally overpower Missle Asslt Man getting a tandem of kicks on him. Hallowicked gets Missle Assult Man down and sentons him hard.

This is the first bit of offense Hallowicked has been able to get in and it is only a two count. Silver Ant is nowhere to be seen. Hallowicked tags in Frightmare who gives Missle Assult Man a facepalm an Irish whip a big boot and a two count. Silver Any pulls himself up into the corner. The rudos get a tag in Hallowicked is back. He body slams Missile Assult man then leg drops and elbows drop right with the point of his elbow.

Silver Ant gets the tag when Missle Assult Man hits the outside. He hits both men with a missile dropkick. He peppers Frightmare with kicks and hits an Olympic slam on Hallowicked. Frightmare breaks it up and trades blows with Frightmare.  The two both hit the ropes and collide in the middle. Frightmare hits two sentons on his opponent.

Hallowicked tags in and punches Silver Ant’s back. He knees HSivler Anty in the stomach and Silver screams out in pain. Hallowicked gets another knee strike and gut wrenches Silver Ant out. Silver Ant tries for the tag but Hallowicked gets a spinebuster on Silver Ant and tags Frightmare in.

The two hit Silver Ant with a sidewinder double team move that looks really cool. Frightmare kicks Silver Ant then hits a slipping senton. Hallowicked tags in. Silver Ant is not doing well and his ribs are really bothering him. Frightmare and Halowicked trade hard palm strikes. Silver Ant has had enough he hits Frightmare hard in the face but the two overpower him. He has no choice but to run for the outside of the ring so his partner can come in.

Missle Assult Man gets real hot tag but Hallowicked from the outside grabs his foot. Silver Ant breaks it up and they two go to take on Frightmare together. Silver Ant hits a tiger faint kick. But Gallowicked comes in with a huge boot to Missle. Silver hits a one-armed powerbomb thing on Hallowicked from the corner.

All four men are down. Silver is the first up along with Hallowicked. Silver Ant tries for an Olympic slam but Hallowicked gets him into Go To Sleepy Hollow instead. Hallowicked gets Missle Assult Man up for Go to Sleepy Hollow after but Missle sneaks out grabs Hallowicked’s foot and locks in the sharpshooter. Frightmare tries to break it up but Missle keeps it in. Frightmare tries again and Missle instead goes to put the sharpshooter on Frightmare who won’t let himself be flipped.

Silver Ant dives off the top rope and lands straight on Frightmare with two big boots. Missle Assult Man locks in the sharpshooter on Frightmare. “Tap Tap Tap” the fans chant. Hallowicked tries to break the sharpshooter up but Sliver Ant gets in his way. Hallowicked gets Silver Ant in Never Wake Up and Missle Assult Man knows that will be the end, so he breaks the hold and helps his partner.

Hallowicked knocks Missle out of the ring Hallowicked gets Never Wake up on Silver Ant and it is all over, Wicked leaves the ring and Frightmare gets the pin. As the match ends Frightmare tries to get his fingers into Silver Ant’s mask to unlace it. Missle Assult Man gets in the way and chases Frightmare who screams “I’ll kill you” at the other team. Missle Assult Man laces up Silver Ant’s mask for him and the two walk to the back.