Just in case there are people a little weary of the idea of an internet PPV; I was too. I assumed the quality would be poor or perhaps there might be issues with connection speed. GoFightLive (gfl.tv) has a test stream available to gauge how your internet can handle it. In the handful of times since I've jumped on the bandwagon, I've never run into any issues with buffering video at all. For the record I just have a basic ethernet connection. Additionally, just like the grand old days of VHS, once you've purchased the feed, it's yours. You can go into your account at any time and watch the stream again. With the technicalities out of the way, let's take a look at the card.
Jigsaw vs. El Generico - Preview before the PPV
This will be the preview for the show streaming at U-Stream: http://www.ustream.tv/user/CHIKARAMedia
Jigsaw has been out with a bicep injury for a number of months and he and partner Mike Quackenbush just dropped the Campeonatos de Parejas to F.I.S.T. a short while ago. Without question, he's one of the sharpest guys on the CHIKARA roster and it's a shame he's been limited so far in his return. El Generico is one of the top 5 wrestlers in the US right now by my estimation. He's had amazing matches in PWG, ROH, CHIKARA and anywhere else he's shown up.
There's no real storyline to this match, but you can expect it to be fantastic and really a great way to entice people showing the fun spirit of CHIKARA and some fantastic wrestling.
Amasis Speaks
Not long after their great showing at KoT '11 the Osirian Portal very suddenly lost its Funkiest Member. Amasis was pushed out of action 'indefinitely' in June 2011 due to injuries sustained outside of wrestling. This was a huge blow in a lot of ways because I've found if there's one guy who I can nudge my non-wrestling friends into watching some wrestling with, it's Amasis. He's super charismatic, and let's face it, everyone loved Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo, and Amasis is that movie incarnate. This is actually one of the things I'm most interested in on the PPV. It would be wonderful to see him in the ring again, but I just hope he's doing well and that he sticks around CHIKARA in the years to come.
Colt Cabana vs. Archibald Peck
The undisputed Leader of the Band, Archibald Peck has found a new mascot: former CHIKARA competitor and Tag Team specialist Colt Cabunny. Cabunny was in a tag team with CP Munk many years ago. He had been in retirement, assumedly in a whole, outwitting Dutch Mantell and WWF mainstay Skinner before Peck enlisted his services. His namesake, Colt Cabana, however, isn't convinced that the partnership is amicable.
Indeed, it seems that Cabunny somehow was coerced into becoming Peck's mascot, and since joining has been tormented by Marchie Archie as evidenced in this blog post (http://www.chikarapro.com/blog/11-2-2011.php). In their first meeting, Peck used some underhanded methods (including time travel) to best Cabana. With Cabunny doing his bidding now, it certainly looks like Archibald has the advantage. You can bet Colt has a gameplan though, and if he can get through to his old friend, it could certainly prove interesting!
Green Ant vs. Tursas
One thing CHIKARA does better than any other company is re-create that feeling of being a kid that loves wrestling. The Green Ant/Tursas feud is my favourite example of this. They took what might have been a very average feud between two young guys and injected some CHIKARA serum into it. That serum consists of great long-term storytelling, a little bit of nostalgia and some common sense. That last one is much more of a commodity nowadays.
The feud started at King of Trios, when Tursas' interference in the Colony vs. BDK match backfired and Green Ant, a rather tall, skinny ant hoisted him up ala Lex Luger on the USS Intrepid and slammed him down. He then finished up with a Rebel Rack on Jakob Hammermeier for the win. Leading up to Chikarasaurus Rex, Green Ant hopped aboard the Flex Express harkening back to the Lex Express that Luger took around America. Their match at Chikarasaurus Rex was an excellent match. The thing that works with Tursas is he really works like a big man and doesn't just bump all around and it makes it that much more impactful when someone does get him off his feet. In the end, Jakob interfered costing Green Ant the match.
This looks to be the final showdown between the two and Green Ant has gotten some advice from both Eddie Kingston and Ultramantis Black, the only two men to beat Tursas. He's got a tall order ahead of him to say the least!
Gregory Iron vs. Icarus
I don't think that Icarus has ever been cheered in CHIKARA. Which is quite the accomplishment givien the light-hearted nature of the company. Between his membership in F.I.S.T. and his horrific back tattoo he is a perennial bad guy through and through.
Gregory Irons, on the other hand, is a miraculous story. In spite of having Cerebral Palsy, he's managed to become a Pro Wrestler, and a pretty good one at that. He really makes no qualms about his disability, his nickname being the "Handicapped Hero" and his entrance music is Bobby Brown's "On Our Own" from Ghostbusters 2.
If you haven't had a chance to see Iron work, this should be a good showcase.
The Colony (Fire Ant and Soldier Ant) vs. the Young Bucks
Two teams with two points towards tag team gold meet up. A third point in CHIKARA would earn one of these teams a shot at the Campeonatos de Parejas. The Colony (with Green Ant) are the current Kings of Trios, and have been on a roll since acquiring their awesome golden ant capes.
The Young Bucks left TNA earlier this year and have been mainstays in CHIKARA the last few months with great results including wins over the Batiri and the BDK on their way to High Noon.
Whoever wins will get the F.I.S.T. team of Gargano and Taylor for the titles.
The Spectral Envoy vs. Ares and Tim Donst - No Disqualification
Ultra Mantis Black and Hallowicked are putting their masks on the line, Donst is putting up his hair and Ares is putting up the Eye of Tyr in this match. The Eye of Tyr, of course, has been the catalyst for many big events in CHIKARA, most notably the forming of the BDK and the brainwashing of former Spectral Envoy stablemate/friend Delirious.
This match likely is the BDK's last stand as if they lose the Eye of Tyr (and to a lesser extend Donst's luscious locks) their destruction is imminent. Ares has put off a showdown with Ultramantis on countless occasions, to the point where the devious Black made a point of attacking BDK members to draw his attention and show his intentions. Just as the theme to the PPV states, "It's High Noon, for the BDK". Will they make it to 12:01?
12 Large Summit Final: Eddie Kingston vs. Mike Quackenbush
This is probably the most fitting final to a Tournament named after the late, great Larry Sweeney. Quackenbush and Kingston, by all accounts, were two of his closest friends and if you watched the Opening night of King of Trios, you could see the outpouring of emotion from both men in their matches. This is both a fitting tribute to a fallen friend, but also an important mark in CHIKARA history as it will decide the first Singles Champion in a company that's been going for 10 years.
Quackenbush is the founder of the company and he's been wrestling for many years. I often recall reading results during the genesis of the Internet featuring him alongside Reckless Youth. Mike's had some monumental matches in that time. Just in CHIKARA, the tag team match last December where he and Jigsaw won the Campeonatos de Parejas was molten hot and a terrific match, as well as his 12 Large Summit match with Hallowicked documented earlier in this blog. There is going to be the pressure to 'live up' to the main event of CHIKARA's first pay per view, and Mike Quackenbush always delivers.
On the other side will be Eddie Kingston. A CHIKARA original as well, and also one of the scariest men on the roster. The great thing about Kingston is that he can, for instance, do the hilarious play-by-play he did on Dragon Dragon's debut (YouTube it!) but then just shut the smile off and narrow his eyes and he suddenly becomes a very frightening and intense guy. For example, his promo for this very match.
This is a very important match. It's important to both men for what it means to their fallen friend, to CHIKARA going forward, and to how they'll be perceived after this point.
The one thing I can say about CHIKARA, and I can't say this about much wrestling anymore, you will have fun watching it. Fifteen dollars is a small stipend for the great wrestling you will undoubtedly see and the laughs you will have. If it sounds like I'm shilling, I absolutely am, but only because CHIKARA brought me back into wrestling and has given me the ability to enjoy it and share it with other people.
If you thought about watching wrestling again, if you were a fan and you've ever wondered what it's like nowadays, check out High Noon. You won't be disappointed.
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