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Chikara Pro Wrestling is an independent wrestling company based in eastern Pennsylvania, USA. It had its start back in 2002 with its first "season" and is now on Season 16 of life. Chikara showcases a style of wrestling that draws heavy inspiration from the lucha libre traditions of Mexico, and a form of storytelling more common to comic books than most mainstream wrestling. It has storylines that have been building off of one another for almost ten years.
Recent History
Chikara went on hiatus in 2013, running no shows for almost an entire year, but the story continued. In-universe, Chikara was shut down by the evil corporation that had bought it, the Titor Conglomerate, after someone threatened to reveal dark secrets about Titor executives. During the main event of "Aniversario: Never Compromise," Titor sent its private military contractors, Condor Security, to shut down the show, and then the company. For the next year, referred to as "The Ashes of Chikara," the wrestlers struggled to find work and answers for what had happened, and Titor amassed an army of villains from Chikara's past, collectively known as The Flood, to wash away the remnants. Thanks to the courage of 'The Winged Ring Warrior' Icarus, a Chikara Gen-1 Original, he rallied the fans and the wrestlers to stand against The Flood. With Chikara's assets now under the ownership of Robbie Ellis, the company returned from the ashes in 2014.
2014 was all about the war with The Flood, led into battle by Jimmy Jacobs, but even he had to defer to the 'Titan of Titor,' the engine of destruction known only as Deucalion. Many wrestlers met their doom over the course of the season, courtesy of Deucalion's Chokebreaker execution maneuver-- including the Estonian Thunderfrog, a frog imbued with god-like strength-- leading to a trio of rookies, the Greenhorn Militia (GHM), trying to take the fight to Deucalion. Alas, they bit off more than they could chew, and before the GHM leader, Kid Cyclone's eyes, he watched as Deucalion executed his friends. Finally, at the season finale "Tomorrow Never Dies," Icarus vanquished Deucalion in a steel cage match, tapping him to the Chikara Special and then striking him down with the Thunderfrog's Hammer of Peace. The Flood would then disband.
2015 centered around the Challenge of the Immortals (COTI) tournament, a season-long double round-robin tournament in which the winning team would earn "immortality" and a Golden Opportunity-- the ability to get a title shot for any title in Chikara, whenever they wanted. The drafting of the COTI teams lead to a shake-up in pairings and factions, and saw Kid Cyclone-- now unmasked as the bitter and vainglorious Kevin Condron-- and his slowly growing group of followers shut out. By the end of the tournament, the underdog team Crown & Court defeated the seemingly unbeatable Wrecking Crew, and then in the main event of the season finale, "Top Banana," Crown & Court captain Princess Kimber Lee cashed in her Golden Opportunity to challenge Grand Champion of Chikara Hallowicked, and became the first female Grand Champion (and first female champion of a non-female-only promotion) in history.
Championships
Grand Champion of Chikara - Princess Kimber Lee - won title 5 Dec 2015 ("Top Banana"), defeated Hallowicked
To earn a shot at the Grand Championship, one must win three singles matches without suffering a loss. Each win counts as a point. A loss resets your points to zero.
(no defenses)
(Previous Grand Champions: Eddie Kingston, Icarus, Hallowicked)
Campeonatos de Parejas - N_R_G (Hype Rockwell & Race Jaxon) - won titles 27 Sept 2015 ("The Marta Complex"), defeated The Devastation Corporation
To earn a shot at the Campeonatos de Parejas, a team must win three falls without suffering a loss. Each fall earned counts as a point. A loss resets your points to zero. All Campeonatos de Parejas defenses are Best-of-3 Falls matches.
V1: def. Punk Rock All Stars (Shaun Carter & Drake Cannon), 8 Nov 2015 ("Babylon Springs")
(Previous Campeones de Parejas: The Kings of Wrestling (Chris Hero & Claudio Castagnoli), F.I.S.T. (Icarus & Gran Akuma), Incoherence (Hallowicked & Delirious), Super Smash Brothers (Player Uno & Player Dos), The Osirian Portal (Amasis & Ophidian), The Colony (Fire Ant & Soldier Ant), Bruderschaft des Kreuzes (Claudio Castagnoli (2) & Ares), Jigsaw & Mike Quackenbush, F.I.S.T. (Chuck Taylor & Johnny Gargano), 3.0 (Scott Parker & Shane Matthews), F.I.S.T. (2) (Chuck Taylor & Johnny Gargano), The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson), 3.0 (2) (Scott Parker & Shane Matthews), Pieces of Hate (Jigsaw (2) & The Shard), The Throwbacks (Dasher Hatfield & Mr. Touchdown), The Devastation Corporation (Blaster McMassive & Max Smashmaster))
Young Lions Cup XI - Heidi Lovelace - won title 6 Dec 2014 ("Tomorrow Never Dies"), defeated Missile Assault Ant
To qualify for a Young Lions Cup match, one must be 25 years old or younger, and may not have held the Cup previously. When a new Young Lions Cup tournament is held, the championship is effectively declared vacant.
V1: def. Argus, 14 Jun 2015 ("Shock & Aww")
V2: def. The Proletariat Boar of Moldova, 6 Sept 2015 ("King of Trios 2015, Night 3")
(Previous Young Lions Cup holders: YLC I Hallowicked, YLC II Larry Sweeney, Jigsaw, YLC III Shane Storm, YLC IV Arik Cannon, Maxime Boyer, YLC V Chuck Taylor, Helios, YLC VI Fire Ant, Vin Gerard, (vacant), Jimmy "Equinox" Olsen, YLC VII Player Dos, Tim Donst, YLC VIII Frightmare, YLC IX Tadasuke, YLC X Mr. Touchdown)
Roster Members
Princess Kimber Lee - Kimber Lee first debuted in Chikara at "King of Trios 2014," where she was the arrogant and entitled partner for Knight Eye For The Pirate Guy. However, her conceitedness soon went away as she took the fight to the Devastation Corporation despite being physically outmatched, and she earned a lot of respect for not backing down. In 2015, she was named captain of her own COTI team, and drafted Jervis Cottonbelly and Los Ice Creams to her side, but soon realized that Los Ice Creams were cowards and not as skilled as they had said they were. Despite early losses, Kimber Lee revitalized her team and got their spirits up, doing her best to win matches herself or with Jervis, rather than rely on Los Ice Creams, and it paid dividends and they reached third place, and then second place (by default) allowing them to challenge the Wrecking Crew in the finals. She helped win the finals for her team, and then later that night, cashed in her Golden Opportunity on an exhausted Hallowicked, becoming the Grand Champion.
Signature Moves: Swinging Frankensteiner, Leg Lariat, Satellite Head Scissors, German Suplex, Alligator Clutch
N_R_G - The team of Hype Rockwell and 'The Generator' Race Jaxon burst onto the scene in 2014, drawing immediate comparisons to the old WWF team of High Energy with their attire and general schtick. Throughout 2014, N_R_G had a definite dichotomy going, as Race was constantly full of energy and had no impulse or volume control, whereas Hype could barely stay awake-- excused by the fact that Hype was the one who drove them for hours from gig to gig. However, in 2015, they got a sponsorship deal with Electric Monkey, and their energy drink soon kept Hype awake and got the team on a roll, culminating in their defeating the Devastation Corporation to become the Campeones de Parejas.
Signature Moves: (Race) High Cross Body, Energizer, Tope Suicida, Moonsault Block, Superkick, (Hype) Double Foot Stomp, Corner Cannonball, Lariat, Running Powerslam, HyperWheel
Heidi Lovelace - Trained by Billy Roc, Heidi has been touring the indie scene since 2010 and even spent several months training in Japan to further her career. The 'Punk Rock Rag Doll' may not have the most size, but she makes up for it with crisp strikes and agility. Heidi started turning heads in Chikara during the course of the Young Lions Cup IX tournament, and overcame the ballistic force of Missile Assault Ant in the finals to become the first female Young Lions Cup champion. In 2015, she was a member of the Dasher's Dugout COTI team, and began looking to defend her YLC against any valid challengers.
Signature Moves: Eat the Knee, Saito Suplex, Tornado DDT, Deadly Night Shade, Heidi-Can-Rana
The Nightmare Warriors - Led by Chikara Gen-1 Original Hallowicked, the Nightmare Warriors are a dark group of wrestlers who serve the will of the mysterious and as-yet-unseen "Lord of Rot" Nazmaldun. Wicked, who has dubbed himself the 'Broadsword of Nazmaldun', has at his side the frenetic Frightmare ('The Spear') and occasionally the undead Blind Rage ('The War Hammer') and seeks to blacken Chikara and sway more followers to his master's call. They nearly succeeded in corrupting Silver Ant, whom they had drafted to their team as part of the COTI tournament, but Silver Ant's loyalties to his Colony brethren were too strong to overcome. The Nightmare Warriors suffered a major setback when Hallowicked lost the Grand Championship, but their faith in their dark master remains unshaken. It must be noted that the Nightmare Warriors began following Nazmaldun after Hallowicked (and via proxy Frightmare) was enthralled by the mysterious Eye of Tyr by Delirious, who is now exiled from Chikara. What Nazmaldun's connection is with the Eye remains unknown.
Signature Moves: (Hallowicked) Go 2 Sleepy Hollow, Rydeen Bomb, Graveyard Smash, Yakuza Kick, Never Wake Up, (Frightmare) Flying Clothesline, Crucifix Bomb, FrightCrusher, InstantDeath, Kneecolepsy
Icarus - A Chikara Gen-1 Original, Icarus started out in Chikara as the masked Ichabod Slayne, but after losing his mask, he redubbed himself Icarus, 'The Winged Ring Warrior.' For many years, Icarus had been one of the premier rudos in the company (not least because of his hideous back tattoo), but just prior to the hiatus, he started showing signs of change. During the "Ashes of Chikara," Icarus stepped up and rallied the disparate and despondent Chikara fans and wrestlers together and took the fight to The Flood, winning the Grand Championship and vanquishing Deucalion at last. 2015 saw him falter, however, as his stalwart ally Hallowicked had been corrupted and took the Grand Championship from him, and then suffered a major loss to Kevin Condron early in the year. Icarus dedicated himself to his COTI team, Dasher's Dugout, but his eyes were always on regaining the Grand Championship, though he proved unable to defeat Hallowicked at "Top Banana." Icarus had proven worthy of carrying the Hammer of Peace in 2014, but 2015 saw him unable to lift it, merely drag it, and time may tell if Icarus will remain virtuous, or if he will revert back to his rudo ways.
Signature Moves: Western Lariat, Shiranui, Pedigree, Michinoku Driver, Blu-Ray
Eddie Kingston - Another Chikara Gen-1 Original, Eddie Kingston is a tough street brawler from New York. Passionate but merciless, Kingston is a man to have on your side in a fight, but Kingston's loyalties are always ultimately going to be to himself and to 'Her'-- the Grand Championship. Kingston was the first-ever Grand Champion, defeating Mike Quackenbush in the finals of the 12 Large Summit to earn it, and held a death-grip on the title for almost two years. Kingston was briefly tempted to the side of The Flood by Jimmy Jacobs (who intimated that he could help Kingston get 'Her' back), but Icarus convinced him that the title is meaningless if Chikara were destroyed. Kingston was drafted to the Snake Pit COTI team, and did his best to help the team win, but after they were mathematically eliminated, Kingston went back to accruing points to get 'Her' back, but ultimately failed to defeat his perennial rival Hallowicked.
Signature Moves: Uranage Suplex, Tiger Suplex, Shotgun Lariat, Backdrop Driver, Backfist to the Future
Battleborn - This faction slowly formed over the course of 2015 under the leadership of Kevin Condron. Formerly known as Kid Cyclone, Condron soon showed that he was very much a self-centered and conceited individual, vain and entitled. With the easily-swayed Snow Troll at his side, Condron thumbed his nose at the Chikara establishment and cites its seeming unwillingness to lift a finger to help save his friends in the Greenhorn Militia in 2014 as his reason for wanting to upset the status quo. He soon persuaded former Flood member Volgar to unmask and embrace his pre-Flood identity of 'Juke Joint' Lucas Calhoun, a roughhousing rockabilly with karate skills. The three of them then approached Missile Assault Ant, outing him as a former Condor Security operative and accusing him of blowing up a school bus in Zimbabwe while he was deployed there. To everyone's surprise, Missile Assault Ant admitted to it and then unmasked, being redubbed Missile Assault Man, a dead-eyed brute apparently suffering from PTSD. When Condron executed MAM's former Colony Xtreme Force partner Orbit Adventure Ant with the Chokebreaker at "King of Trios 2015," it triggered MAM's PTSD and apparently unleashed a dormant personality inside Condron. This personality took as its moniker Snowflake, after the humiliating nickname that Condron had acquired while training at the Wrestle Factory. Flamboyant and flirtatious, Snowflake is nevertheless bloodthirsty and not to be underestimated, though some of Condron's glory-hogging nature shines through. What Snowflake is, is still questionable, as is how loyal Calhoun and MAM will remain.
Signature Moves: (Condron) Tornado DDT, Diving Splash, Spinebusta Rhymes, Flowing DDT, (Calhoun) Karate Chop, Spin Kick, Samoan Drop, Rikishi Driver, (MAM) Lariat, European Uppercut, Reverse Alabama Slam, Missile Launcher
The Osirian Portal - A time-traveling duo from ancient Egypt, Amasis & Ophidian arrived in Chikara through the titular portal to conquer the tag division in Chikara. Amasis, the 'Funky Pharaoh' and 'Madjai of the Deities,' is a dancing battler that was briefly sent to the underworld but was resurrected to serve the Deities again. Ophidian, the master of Snake Style and 'Serpent from the Nile,' went to a dark place after betraying Amasis, but after the pharaoh defeated him, the darkness was purged from him and he returned to Amasis' side. The team are fan favorites. In 2015, they were captains of separate COTI teams (Amasis with the Battle Hive and Ophidian with the Snake Pit), but both teams were mathematically eliminated before the tournament's end. Now they've started teaming again, looking to reclaim the Campeonatos de Parejas.
Signature Moves: (Amasis) Corner Dropkick, 540 Kick, Tope Con Hilo, Jumping DDT, 450 Splash, (Ophidian) Corkscrew Enzugiri, Flying Double Knees, Cobra Clutch Death Grip, Corner Knee Combo, Egyptian Destroyer, (team) Pyramid-Plex, Eyes of Horus, Osirian Sacrament
The Colony - A longtime staple of the Chikara roster, the Colony are a group of wrestling ants. At its core, the original members were Fire Ant & Soldier Ant, and now includes Worker Ant (the second man to carry the name, formerly known as AssailANT) and Silver Ant (formerly known as Green Ant). The team went through various changes just before the hiatus, and Soldier Ant-- disillusioned by it all, went AWOL. Following the hiatus, Soldier Ant turned up, seemingly brainwashed by The Flood, as their personal unstoppable hitman. Matters got worse in 2015 when they were all drafted to different COTI teams-- Fire and Worker to the Battle Hive, Silver to the Nightmare Warriors, and Soldier to the BDK-- but the Colony's loyalty to one another remained unshaken, apart from Soldier's brainwashing. Fortuitously, at "Top Banana," 2015's Season Finale, Soldier finally broke free of his brainwashing and at last recognized his former teammates and returned home to the Colony at last.
Signature Moves: (Fire) Wildfire DDT, Yahtzee Kick, High Cross '97, Burning Down the House, Beachbreak, (Soldier) TKO, Sleeper Hold, Dive Bomb, Military Cross Kneebar, Trench Slam, (Silver) Low/High Kick Combo, Tiger Feint Kick, Missile Dropkick, Blue Thunder Bomb, Mad Splash, (Worker) Discus Clothesline, Assailant's Cross, Crooked Clover, G.T.S. Get the Sugar, (team) Corner Dropkick, Ants Go Marching, Ant Hill
die Bruderschaft des Kreuzes (BDK) - Once a fearsome occupying force, the BDK fell from power and came back as part of The Flood, but its erstwhile leader Ares was ousted by Jakob Hammermeier, once the BDK's ring announcer and now an aspiring evil overlord. Jakob, having "made a deal with some devils," used the Eye of Tyr to ensure the loyalty of Nøkken, a Norwegian lake monster, and then re-recruited former BDK member Pinkie Sanchez to his side. Megalomaniacal and more intelligent than his wild boasts might indicate, Jakob seeks to have his BDK eclipse the old. In 2015, his BDK formed one of the COTI teams (with the inclusion of Soldier Ant), but their ambitions exceeded their reach. Jakob especially was humiliated when former BDK referee Derek Sabato showed he no longer held loyalty to the BDK and threw him out of the ring at "Top Banana." Jakob still has in his possession a box which he cryptically says contains "power" and may hold the Eye of Tyr. Nøkken has been conspicuous by his absence in the latter half of 2015, but there are signs that Jakob may be aiming to recruit Jaka to the BDK.
Signature Moves: (Jakob) Diving Lariat, Skullcrusher, Facebuster, Gute Nacht, Worldstar KO Punch, (Pinkie) Sole Butt Kick, Hip Attack, Burning Snicklefritz, Moonsault Double Stomp
The Devastation Corporation - This titanic trio-- Max Smashmaster, Blaster McMassive, Flex Rumblecrunch-- were brought into Chikara alongside their sleazy manager, Sidney Bakabella. Bakabella and the Dev Corp were very much throwbacks to monster tag teams of the late 80s and early 90s (evoking the Road Warriors and Demolition with their attire and face-paint) and the trio proved nigh unstoppable with Bakabella leading them. Max was named as captain of his COTI squad, and the Dev Corp formed the core of the Wrecking Crew team along with Jaka. Bakabella's browbeating of former Wrecking Crew member Oleg the Usurper (who ended up on Ultramantis Black's Arcane Horde squad) ultimately led to Oleg turning on him and Bakabella meeting his doom courtesy of Oleg. ("OFF WITH HIS HEAD!") The Dev Corp still maintains a dangerous advantage as a unit, though how long this will remain the case in the wake of their loss in the COTI finals to the Crown & Court remains to be seen.
Signature Moves: (Max) Standing Senton, Swanton Bomb, Beta-Max, Moonsault, Tombstone, (Blaster) Big Boot, Powerbomb, Lariat Tubman, Air McMassive, Bossman Slam, (Flex) Flying Shoulder Tackle, Powerslam, Iron Claw, Uranage Slam, (team) Master Blaster, Devastation Decapitation, Death Blow
Jaka - A fearsome savage from the jungles of Chad, Africa, Jaka came into Chikara as part of Sidney Bakabella's Wrecking Crew on the side of The Flood, but unlike the Devastation Corporation, he had little interest in money, just in destroying anyone who got in the ring with him. He is supremely tough, and has a very hard head that renders him mostly immune to many strikes. In 2015, he was on the Wrecking Crew COTI team, but like them lost in the finals to the Crown & Court. Following the match, viewers glimpsed Jakob Hammermeier pulling him aside, apparently to recruit him into his BDK. Whether he'll go along willingly or if Jakob will use other means to ensure his loyalty remains to be seen.
Signature Moves: Samoan Drop, Claw Attack, Jumanji Bomb, T'Challa Kick, Jungle Splash
The Gentleman's Club - Led by 'The Kentucky Gentleman' Chuck Taylor, the Gentleman's Club first got glimpsed by wrestling fans courtesy of Chuckie T's webshow of the same name. The proud rudo loves to bend or break the rules and hates children, and somehow manages to keep sneaking invisible grenades into the show. The Gentleman's Club includes the eternally lazy 'Freshly Squeezed' Orange Cassidy, mat technician Drew Gulak, and The Swamp Monster, who is a swamp monster. Swampy can never do anything right in the eyes of Chuck Taylor. These four comprised the Gentleman's Club COTI squad, though they have hangers on in the form of Leslie Butterscotch and Dr. Col. Nolan Angus, who sometimes show up to mooch off the others. It remains to be seen if the team will stick around, or continue to work together.
Signature Moves: (Taylor) Dropkick, Sole Food, The Awesome Dive, Belly to Belly Suplex, Omega Driver, (Cassidy) Lateral Press, Lazy 450, The Orange Squeeze, (Gulak) Headlock, Clothesline, Bodyslam, Trailblazer, (Swampy) Koppu Kick, Headscissors, John Woo Dropkick, Top Rope Double Stomp
Argus - A rookie who debuted in 2015, Argus was almost immediately recruited to Ophidian's Snake Pit COTI team and while his record wasn't sterling, Argus grew a great deal as a competitor in that time. The 'Gecko-Roman Grappler' works a mat-based style and has a bright future ahead of him. Late in the season, he developed a rivalry with his erstwhile Wrestle Factory classmate Kevin Condron-- in his Snowflake persona-- and managed to defeat him at the season finale.
Signature Moves: Enzugiri, Somersault Senton, Swinging Neckbreaker, Anklelock
Jervis Cottonbelly - The British 'Gentleman Grappler' and 'World's Sweetest Man,' Jervis is a kind-hearted competitor who believes in sportsmanship, though he often struggled to earn victories over less sportsmanlike opponents. Jervis stumped to get recruited to Princess Kimber Lee's Crown & Court COTI team and was successful, and with the princess helped his team amass enough points to make the finals despite an early poor showing. Despite his fear of the Wrecking Crew team, Jervis was able to keep his team alive long enough for them to win the match, earning himself a Golden Opportunity. Jervis was a close friend of the Estonian Thunderfrog before his demise at the hands of Deucalion, and worryingly spent much of 2014 looking into the dark arts to find a way to bring him back. What he'll do with his Golden Opportunity remains to be seen.
Signature Moves: Airplane Spin, Side Russian Legsweep, Rock-a-bye Backdrop, Downton Lock
Juan Francisco de Coronado - 'The Ecuadorian Aristocracy,' Coronado very quickly became one of the most hated rudos on the roster, with his penchant for very long entrances, his sneering disdain for "United Staters," and gleeful snubbing of the rules whenever it suits him. Coronado may come across as comical, but don't underestimate him. Coronado is an opportunist who will pounce the moment he has the chance to take down an opponent. Coronado's United Nations COTI team was a sleeper team to watch, but ultimately failed to get close to contendership. Coronado, however, made up for it by winning the Torneo Cibernetico at "Top Banana."
Signature Moves: German Suplex, Dropkick, Tiger Driver, Coronado Clutch
The Throwbacks - This team is listed together despite not teaming at present, because their histories are intertwined. Dasher Hatfield, the 'Old Timey King of Swing,' is a stalwart competitor who defines himself on his good sportsmanship. He steadfastly refuses to break the rules and does not take it lightly if someone cheats on his behalf. This led to friction with his partner and step-cousin-in-law "Mr. Touchdown" Mark Angelosetti. Mr. TD was a rule-breaking rudo early in his career, and the Throwbacks feuded briefly over this before Dasher managed to get through to him about sportsmanship. When the Throwbacks formed the core of Dasher's COTI team, Dasher's Dugout (along with Icarus and Heidi Lovelace), they suffered setbacks early in the tournament, causing Touchdown to take drastic measures. Gifting Dasher with a new elbow pad, Touchdown secretly loaded the elbow pad with a metal plate during their matches, surreptitiously removing it after the match was over. However, at "Babylon Springs," Dasher discovered his duplicity and angrily walked out on him, then had all his COTI points negated. While Touchdown has apologized profusely since then-- even during the Torneo Cibernetico at "Top Banana"-- he was unable to prove his sincerity to Dasher before the match was over, and the two seem to be on different paths. Whether this remains so is as yet unclear.
Signature Moves: (Dasher) Slingshot Oklahoma Roll, Selfmission, Jackhammer, Armdrag, Suicide Squeeze, (Touchdown) Flying Tackle, Spinebuster, Stalling Superplex, Flea Flicker
Los Ice Creams - Devious dairy delinquents from Mexicali, El Hijo del Ice Cream & Ice Cream Jr. had long been the jokes of the tag team division. Jobbers extraordinaire, Los Ice Creams were rule-breakers but perennially popular with the fans. Somehow, they were able to convince Princess Kimber Lee to draft them to her Crown & Court COTI team, but she quickly realized what a mistake she had made when their cowardice and jobber status started costing her points in the tournament. She remotivated them and admittedly did not rely on them as much as possible, but they paid dividends when they helped keep the team alive to reach the finals and ultimately win the tournament and their Golden Opportunities. What Los Ice Creams will do with their Golden Opportunities is as yet unclear.
Signature Moves: (Hijo) Banzai Drop, Hip Attack, Cold Stone Stunner, (Junior) Corner Dropkick, Two Scoop Slam, Jack'n'Jill Hammer, (team) El Asesino
The Batiri - This trio of demonic warriors first came in at the side of 'Kizarny' Sinn Bodhi, but later struck out on their own. They were rudos for life until the hiatus came and then threw themselves behind Chikara to fight back against The Flood. The trio, the demonic duo of Obariyon & Kodama and 'The Prince of All Goblins' Kobald, fought The Flood at "You Only Live Twice," but then Kobald was the first to fall at the hands of Deucalion. Obariyon & Kodama fought on their own before being recruited to Ultramantis Black's Arcane Horde, but later it came out that they agreed to follow Mantis in exchange for his help in bringing Kobald back from beyond the grave. Now the trio is reunited, and with Mantis now forced into retirement, time will tell if the Batiri will return to their rudo ways.
Signature Moves: (Obariyon) Corner Lungblower, Go to Hell, Rapture, (Kodama) Reverse Death Valley Driver, John Woo Kick, Flip Dropkick, (Kobald) Backdrop Suplex, Spear, Demon's Toilet, (team) Skull Bronzing, Seventh Circle
Oleg the Usurper - The barbaric warlord Oleg the Usurper made his bones in the Wrestling Is Fun promotion (a sister promotion to Chikara), where he earned infamy by slaying the heroic Dragon Dragon. Oleg was brought into Sidney Bakabella's Wrecking Crew and came into Chikara on the side of The Flood, but in 2015 he ended up on Ultramantis Black's Arcane Horde COTI team. Bakabella used his possession of Oleg's "Rasslin Contract" [sic] to force Oleg to sit out during the Horde's matches and continued to browbeat him, much to Oleg's mounting fury. At "King of Trios 2015," it finally boiled over and Oleg turned on the Wrecking Crew, and finally gave Bakabella what he deserved. Oleg from that point forward was firmly on the Arcane Horde's side. With the COTI over, Oleg appears to be forging his own path.
Signature Moves: More Speed!, Somersault Senton, Usurper Kick, The Squisher, Off With His Head!
The Bloc Party - Originally brought together by the Polar Baron, the team later came under the leadership of Juan Francisco de Coronado under his COTI banner of the United Nations, though with COTI over, the trio may move back to their own things. First on the trio is The Proletariat Boar of Moldova, a porcine gladiator from the Eastern European country, bent on bringing war to anyone who steps against him. Next we have Mr. Azerbaijan, multiple time winner of the coveted "Azerbaijan's Sexiest Guy" award (except for 2004 because of the coal mining strike), a barefoot grappler with a fearsome mustache. And finally there is Prakash Sabar, a Pakistani expatriate now living in the former Soviet country of Georgia, who grew up idolizing Sean Waltman. (He's an ex-Pakistani. X-Pac. Haaa.) The trio may not win many matches, but they aren't to be overlooked.
Signature Moves: (Boar) Side Slam, Big Boot, Powerslam, Baconator, Gore!, (Mr. Az) Back Rake, Side Slam, Eastern European Suplex, Pumphandle Slam, (Sabar) Spinning Heel Kick, Wrenching Headlock, Bronco Buster, The Islama-smash
Shynron - The high-flying 'Spirit Dragon' Shynron (formerly Shenron) is the premier aerial expert in Chikara, being the 2014 Rey de Voladores ('King of Fliers') champion. When you see this man pull off his moves, you will question whether he can break the laws of physics. Shynron was drafted to Ophidian's Snake Pit COTI team, and gelled well enough with the team, but Shynron felt angered when he lost the 2015 Rey de Voladores finals to Mark Andrews. What 2016 holds for Shynron has yet to be seen.
Signature Moves: Leaning Tower of Shynron, What the 450?, Dragon Twist, Cosmic Collision, Double Dragon
Hermit Crab & Cajun Crawdad - A new duo that debuted in the fall of 2015, Hermit Crab & Cajun Crawdad are a pair of crafty crustaceans that revel in their claw-based attacks and sneaky rudo offense. They haven't amassed too many points as yet, and only have a couple of matches under their belt, but they may be a team to watch going forward.
Signature Moves: (Crab) Half Crab, Second Rope Elbow Drop, Boston Crab, Flat Crab
Wani - Not much is known about Wani except that he comes from the Land of the Rising Sun, Japan. Juan Francisco de Coronado recruited him to his Torneo Cibernetico squad. Wani appears to affect a sort of water-demon look with his attire, and his general style and mannerisms are obviously influenced by The Great Muta. More will become clear about this competitor as time passes.
Staff & Other Non-Wrestlers
Mike Quackenbush - 'The Master of 1000 Holds' "Lightning" Mike Quackenbush is the head trainer at the Wrestle Factory and formerly one of Chikara's top competitors before a broken leg in 2013 spelled the end of his in-ring career. Quack was named as the new Director of Fun, the key authority figure, by Chikara's new owner, Robbie Ellis. Quack is all about fair play and has made sure that loopholes in the rule system get closed before they can be exploited more than once. Quack uses a cane to get around these days, and even if he's not competing, he's at every show as Chikara's patriarch.
Leonard F. Chikarason - The former Director of Fun was ousted during the BDK's hostile takeover in 2010, but LFC remains a presence at Chikara shows. He can be seen selling tickets and providing commentary during shows.
Bryce Remsburg - Chikara's senior official, Bryce is the head referee and a fun presence at all shows. He also provides commentary during matches he isn't officiating.
Jon Barber - Chikara's worst referee, Barber is sometimes called 'The Sheriff of Chikara-town,' but his officiating is probably the most toothless and he sometimes can seem like he's barely putting in any effort.
Derek Sabato - Prior to the BDK takeover in 2010, Sabato had been fired (reasons why aren't entirely clear) but he was brought back by the BDK to be their personal referee. After the Titor takeover, Sabato had to play things more equally, but he eventually moved from officiating to office liaison work, and eventually got fired again. He was brought back at the end of 2014 by Mike Quackenbush, as a favor for services rendered, and Sabato has been quick to disassociate himself from the BDK and has been calling things fair since then.
Larry Peace - Chikara's newest referee, Larry 'Keeping The' Peace has fast become a solid hand as an official in Chikara. He sticks to the rules, and at times will let the faces get away with their technically-breaking-the-rules payback if the rudos have been pushing things too much.
Gavin Loudspeaker - Sometimes also known as Louden Noxious, the host of Kaiju Big Battel, Gavin has been the Voice of Chikara, being their primary ring announcer for several years. Late in 2015, other obligations have taken him away from Chikara, but he still aims to be there for the big shows.
Vlad Radinov - The self-proclaimed 'Party Tsar' ("Because I know where the parties are!"), Vlad comes from Russia and has been tapped to be Gavin Loudspeaker's replacement going forward. Doing his duties with his Russian accent and dropping quips and sometimes beets (not beats, beets, as in the vegetable), Vlad looks to be a good fit.
Announced Shows for 2016
January 30 - "Days of the Phoenix" - Wrestle Factory, Philadelphia, PA
January 30 - "5 Senses" - Wrestle Factory, Philadelphia, PA
February 6 - "National Pro Wrestling Day 2016" - The Goodwill Beneficial Association, Reading, PA
February 27 - "Dead Man's Chest" - Eastchester Community Center, Bronx, NY
February 28 - "Evil Ways" - Wrestle Factory, Philadelphia, PA
March 19 - "The New Batch" - The New Mid-Atlantic Sportatorium, Gibsonville, NC
March 19 - "The Secret of the Ooze" - The New Mid-Atlantic Sportatorium, Gibsonville, NC
April 2 - "Phone Home" - Wrestle Factory, Philadelphia, PA
April 2 - "Disc" - Wrestle Factory, Philadelphia, PA
May 27 - "Aniversario: Catching Fire" - Aston Uni SU, Birmingham, West Midlands, UK
May 28 - "Aniversario: The Chamber of Secrets" - The Union MMU, Manchester, UK
May 29 - "Aniversario: The Two Towers" - Domain Northumbria Uni SU, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
May 30 - "Anivesario: The Lost World" - Vertigo Strathclyde Uni, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Chikara Resources
Official Website | Twitter | Facebook
Chikara in 15 Minutes or Less Podcast - by Alex Chikarza
Chikara History Project - compiled by Rave
Chikara History Lessons - by Jay 2K Winger
Any further questions, feel free to ask!
Recent History
Chikara went on hiatus in 2013, running no shows for almost an entire year, but the story continued. In-universe, Chikara was shut down by the evil corporation that had bought it, the Titor Conglomerate, after someone threatened to reveal dark secrets about Titor executives. During the main event of "Aniversario: Never Compromise," Titor sent its private military contractors, Condor Security, to shut down the show, and then the company. For the next year, referred to as "The Ashes of Chikara," the wrestlers struggled to find work and answers for what had happened, and Titor amassed an army of villains from Chikara's past, collectively known as The Flood, to wash away the remnants. Thanks to the courage of 'The Winged Ring Warrior' Icarus, a Chikara Gen-1 Original, he rallied the fans and the wrestlers to stand against The Flood. With Chikara's assets now under the ownership of Robbie Ellis, the company returned from the ashes in 2014.
2014 was all about the war with The Flood, led into battle by Jimmy Jacobs, but even he had to defer to the 'Titan of Titor,' the engine of destruction known only as Deucalion. Many wrestlers met their doom over the course of the season, courtesy of Deucalion's Chokebreaker execution maneuver-- including the Estonian Thunderfrog, a frog imbued with god-like strength-- leading to a trio of rookies, the Greenhorn Militia (GHM), trying to take the fight to Deucalion. Alas, they bit off more than they could chew, and before the GHM leader, Kid Cyclone's eyes, he watched as Deucalion executed his friends. Finally, at the season finale "Tomorrow Never Dies," Icarus vanquished Deucalion in a steel cage match, tapping him to the Chikara Special and then striking him down with the Thunderfrog's Hammer of Peace. The Flood would then disband.
2015 centered around the Challenge of the Immortals (COTI) tournament, a season-long double round-robin tournament in which the winning team would earn "immortality" and a Golden Opportunity-- the ability to get a title shot for any title in Chikara, whenever they wanted. The drafting of the COTI teams lead to a shake-up in pairings and factions, and saw Kid Cyclone-- now unmasked as the bitter and vainglorious Kevin Condron-- and his slowly growing group of followers shut out. By the end of the tournament, the underdog team Crown & Court defeated the seemingly unbeatable Wrecking Crew, and then in the main event of the season finale, "Top Banana," Crown & Court captain Princess Kimber Lee cashed in her Golden Opportunity to challenge Grand Champion of Chikara Hallowicked, and became the first female Grand Champion (and first female champion of a non-female-only promotion) in history.
Championships
Grand Champion of Chikara - Princess Kimber Lee - won title 5 Dec 2015 ("Top Banana"), defeated Hallowicked
To earn a shot at the Grand Championship, one must win three singles matches without suffering a loss. Each win counts as a point. A loss resets your points to zero.
(no defenses)
(Previous Grand Champions: Eddie Kingston, Icarus, Hallowicked)
Campeonatos de Parejas - N_R_G (Hype Rockwell & Race Jaxon) - won titles 27 Sept 2015 ("The Marta Complex"), defeated The Devastation Corporation
To earn a shot at the Campeonatos de Parejas, a team must win three falls without suffering a loss. Each fall earned counts as a point. A loss resets your points to zero. All Campeonatos de Parejas defenses are Best-of-3 Falls matches.
V1: def. Punk Rock All Stars (Shaun Carter & Drake Cannon), 8 Nov 2015 ("Babylon Springs")
(Previous Campeones de Parejas: The Kings of Wrestling (Chris Hero & Claudio Castagnoli), F.I.S.T. (Icarus & Gran Akuma), Incoherence (Hallowicked & Delirious), Super Smash Brothers (Player Uno & Player Dos), The Osirian Portal (Amasis & Ophidian), The Colony (Fire Ant & Soldier Ant), Bruderschaft des Kreuzes (Claudio Castagnoli (2) & Ares), Jigsaw & Mike Quackenbush, F.I.S.T. (Chuck Taylor & Johnny Gargano), 3.0 (Scott Parker & Shane Matthews), F.I.S.T. (2) (Chuck Taylor & Johnny Gargano), The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson), 3.0 (2) (Scott Parker & Shane Matthews), Pieces of Hate (Jigsaw (2) & The Shard), The Throwbacks (Dasher Hatfield & Mr. Touchdown), The Devastation Corporation (Blaster McMassive & Max Smashmaster))
Young Lions Cup XI - Heidi Lovelace - won title 6 Dec 2014 ("Tomorrow Never Dies"), defeated Missile Assault Ant
To qualify for a Young Lions Cup match, one must be 25 years old or younger, and may not have held the Cup previously. When a new Young Lions Cup tournament is held, the championship is effectively declared vacant.
V1: def. Argus, 14 Jun 2015 ("Shock & Aww")
V2: def. The Proletariat Boar of Moldova, 6 Sept 2015 ("King of Trios 2015, Night 3")
(Previous Young Lions Cup holders: YLC I Hallowicked, YLC II Larry Sweeney, Jigsaw, YLC III Shane Storm, YLC IV Arik Cannon, Maxime Boyer, YLC V Chuck Taylor, Helios, YLC VI Fire Ant, Vin Gerard, (vacant), Jimmy "Equinox" Olsen, YLC VII Player Dos, Tim Donst, YLC VIII Frightmare, YLC IX Tadasuke, YLC X Mr. Touchdown)
Roster Members
Princess Kimber Lee - Kimber Lee first debuted in Chikara at "King of Trios 2014," where she was the arrogant and entitled partner for Knight Eye For The Pirate Guy. However, her conceitedness soon went away as she took the fight to the Devastation Corporation despite being physically outmatched, and she earned a lot of respect for not backing down. In 2015, she was named captain of her own COTI team, and drafted Jervis Cottonbelly and Los Ice Creams to her side, but soon realized that Los Ice Creams were cowards and not as skilled as they had said they were. Despite early losses, Kimber Lee revitalized her team and got their spirits up, doing her best to win matches herself or with Jervis, rather than rely on Los Ice Creams, and it paid dividends and they reached third place, and then second place (by default) allowing them to challenge the Wrecking Crew in the finals. She helped win the finals for her team, and then later that night, cashed in her Golden Opportunity on an exhausted Hallowicked, becoming the Grand Champion.
Signature Moves: Swinging Frankensteiner, Leg Lariat, Satellite Head Scissors, German Suplex, Alligator Clutch
N_R_G - The team of Hype Rockwell and 'The Generator' Race Jaxon burst onto the scene in 2014, drawing immediate comparisons to the old WWF team of High Energy with their attire and general schtick. Throughout 2014, N_R_G had a definite dichotomy going, as Race was constantly full of energy and had no impulse or volume control, whereas Hype could barely stay awake-- excused by the fact that Hype was the one who drove them for hours from gig to gig. However, in 2015, they got a sponsorship deal with Electric Monkey, and their energy drink soon kept Hype awake and got the team on a roll, culminating in their defeating the Devastation Corporation to become the Campeones de Parejas.
Signature Moves: (Race) High Cross Body, Energizer, Tope Suicida, Moonsault Block, Superkick, (Hype) Double Foot Stomp, Corner Cannonball, Lariat, Running Powerslam, HyperWheel
Heidi Lovelace - Trained by Billy Roc, Heidi has been touring the indie scene since 2010 and even spent several months training in Japan to further her career. The 'Punk Rock Rag Doll' may not have the most size, but she makes up for it with crisp strikes and agility. Heidi started turning heads in Chikara during the course of the Young Lions Cup IX tournament, and overcame the ballistic force of Missile Assault Ant in the finals to become the first female Young Lions Cup champion. In 2015, she was a member of the Dasher's Dugout COTI team, and began looking to defend her YLC against any valid challengers.
Signature Moves: Eat the Knee, Saito Suplex, Tornado DDT, Deadly Night Shade, Heidi-Can-Rana
The Nightmare Warriors - Led by Chikara Gen-1 Original Hallowicked, the Nightmare Warriors are a dark group of wrestlers who serve the will of the mysterious and as-yet-unseen "Lord of Rot" Nazmaldun. Wicked, who has dubbed himself the 'Broadsword of Nazmaldun', has at his side the frenetic Frightmare ('The Spear') and occasionally the undead Blind Rage ('The War Hammer') and seeks to blacken Chikara and sway more followers to his master's call. They nearly succeeded in corrupting Silver Ant, whom they had drafted to their team as part of the COTI tournament, but Silver Ant's loyalties to his Colony brethren were too strong to overcome. The Nightmare Warriors suffered a major setback when Hallowicked lost the Grand Championship, but their faith in their dark master remains unshaken. It must be noted that the Nightmare Warriors began following Nazmaldun after Hallowicked (and via proxy Frightmare) was enthralled by the mysterious Eye of Tyr by Delirious, who is now exiled from Chikara. What Nazmaldun's connection is with the Eye remains unknown.
Signature Moves: (Hallowicked) Go 2 Sleepy Hollow, Rydeen Bomb, Graveyard Smash, Yakuza Kick, Never Wake Up, (Frightmare) Flying Clothesline, Crucifix Bomb, FrightCrusher, InstantDeath, Kneecolepsy
Icarus - A Chikara Gen-1 Original, Icarus started out in Chikara as the masked Ichabod Slayne, but after losing his mask, he redubbed himself Icarus, 'The Winged Ring Warrior.' For many years, Icarus had been one of the premier rudos in the company (not least because of his hideous back tattoo), but just prior to the hiatus, he started showing signs of change. During the "Ashes of Chikara," Icarus stepped up and rallied the disparate and despondent Chikara fans and wrestlers together and took the fight to The Flood, winning the Grand Championship and vanquishing Deucalion at last. 2015 saw him falter, however, as his stalwart ally Hallowicked had been corrupted and took the Grand Championship from him, and then suffered a major loss to Kevin Condron early in the year. Icarus dedicated himself to his COTI team, Dasher's Dugout, but his eyes were always on regaining the Grand Championship, though he proved unable to defeat Hallowicked at "Top Banana." Icarus had proven worthy of carrying the Hammer of Peace in 2014, but 2015 saw him unable to lift it, merely drag it, and time may tell if Icarus will remain virtuous, or if he will revert back to his rudo ways.
Signature Moves: Western Lariat, Shiranui, Pedigree, Michinoku Driver, Blu-Ray
Eddie Kingston - Another Chikara Gen-1 Original, Eddie Kingston is a tough street brawler from New York. Passionate but merciless, Kingston is a man to have on your side in a fight, but Kingston's loyalties are always ultimately going to be to himself and to 'Her'-- the Grand Championship. Kingston was the first-ever Grand Champion, defeating Mike Quackenbush in the finals of the 12 Large Summit to earn it, and held a death-grip on the title for almost two years. Kingston was briefly tempted to the side of The Flood by Jimmy Jacobs (who intimated that he could help Kingston get 'Her' back), but Icarus convinced him that the title is meaningless if Chikara were destroyed. Kingston was drafted to the Snake Pit COTI team, and did his best to help the team win, but after they were mathematically eliminated, Kingston went back to accruing points to get 'Her' back, but ultimately failed to defeat his perennial rival Hallowicked.
Signature Moves: Uranage Suplex, Tiger Suplex, Shotgun Lariat, Backdrop Driver, Backfist to the Future
Battleborn - This faction slowly formed over the course of 2015 under the leadership of Kevin Condron. Formerly known as Kid Cyclone, Condron soon showed that he was very much a self-centered and conceited individual, vain and entitled. With the easily-swayed Snow Troll at his side, Condron thumbed his nose at the Chikara establishment and cites its seeming unwillingness to lift a finger to help save his friends in the Greenhorn Militia in 2014 as his reason for wanting to upset the status quo. He soon persuaded former Flood member Volgar to unmask and embrace his pre-Flood identity of 'Juke Joint' Lucas Calhoun, a roughhousing rockabilly with karate skills. The three of them then approached Missile Assault Ant, outing him as a former Condor Security operative and accusing him of blowing up a school bus in Zimbabwe while he was deployed there. To everyone's surprise, Missile Assault Ant admitted to it and then unmasked, being redubbed Missile Assault Man, a dead-eyed brute apparently suffering from PTSD. When Condron executed MAM's former Colony Xtreme Force partner Orbit Adventure Ant with the Chokebreaker at "King of Trios 2015," it triggered MAM's PTSD and apparently unleashed a dormant personality inside Condron. This personality took as its moniker Snowflake, after the humiliating nickname that Condron had acquired while training at the Wrestle Factory. Flamboyant and flirtatious, Snowflake is nevertheless bloodthirsty and not to be underestimated, though some of Condron's glory-hogging nature shines through. What Snowflake is, is still questionable, as is how loyal Calhoun and MAM will remain.
Signature Moves: (Condron) Tornado DDT, Diving Splash, Spinebusta Rhymes, Flowing DDT, (Calhoun) Karate Chop, Spin Kick, Samoan Drop, Rikishi Driver, (MAM) Lariat, European Uppercut, Reverse Alabama Slam, Missile Launcher
The Osirian Portal - A time-traveling duo from ancient Egypt, Amasis & Ophidian arrived in Chikara through the titular portal to conquer the tag division in Chikara. Amasis, the 'Funky Pharaoh' and 'Madjai of the Deities,' is a dancing battler that was briefly sent to the underworld but was resurrected to serve the Deities again. Ophidian, the master of Snake Style and 'Serpent from the Nile,' went to a dark place after betraying Amasis, but after the pharaoh defeated him, the darkness was purged from him and he returned to Amasis' side. The team are fan favorites. In 2015, they were captains of separate COTI teams (Amasis with the Battle Hive and Ophidian with the Snake Pit), but both teams were mathematically eliminated before the tournament's end. Now they've started teaming again, looking to reclaim the Campeonatos de Parejas.
Signature Moves: (Amasis) Corner Dropkick, 540 Kick, Tope Con Hilo, Jumping DDT, 450 Splash, (Ophidian) Corkscrew Enzugiri, Flying Double Knees, Cobra Clutch Death Grip, Corner Knee Combo, Egyptian Destroyer, (team) Pyramid-Plex, Eyes of Horus, Osirian Sacrament
The Colony - A longtime staple of the Chikara roster, the Colony are a group of wrestling ants. At its core, the original members were Fire Ant & Soldier Ant, and now includes Worker Ant (the second man to carry the name, formerly known as AssailANT) and Silver Ant (formerly known as Green Ant). The team went through various changes just before the hiatus, and Soldier Ant-- disillusioned by it all, went AWOL. Following the hiatus, Soldier Ant turned up, seemingly brainwashed by The Flood, as their personal unstoppable hitman. Matters got worse in 2015 when they were all drafted to different COTI teams-- Fire and Worker to the Battle Hive, Silver to the Nightmare Warriors, and Soldier to the BDK-- but the Colony's loyalty to one another remained unshaken, apart from Soldier's brainwashing. Fortuitously, at "Top Banana," 2015's Season Finale, Soldier finally broke free of his brainwashing and at last recognized his former teammates and returned home to the Colony at last.
Signature Moves: (Fire) Wildfire DDT, Yahtzee Kick, High Cross '97, Burning Down the House, Beachbreak, (Soldier) TKO, Sleeper Hold, Dive Bomb, Military Cross Kneebar, Trench Slam, (Silver) Low/High Kick Combo, Tiger Feint Kick, Missile Dropkick, Blue Thunder Bomb, Mad Splash, (Worker) Discus Clothesline, Assailant's Cross, Crooked Clover, G.T.S. Get the Sugar, (team) Corner Dropkick, Ants Go Marching, Ant Hill
die Bruderschaft des Kreuzes (BDK) - Once a fearsome occupying force, the BDK fell from power and came back as part of The Flood, but its erstwhile leader Ares was ousted by Jakob Hammermeier, once the BDK's ring announcer and now an aspiring evil overlord. Jakob, having "made a deal with some devils," used the Eye of Tyr to ensure the loyalty of Nøkken, a Norwegian lake monster, and then re-recruited former BDK member Pinkie Sanchez to his side. Megalomaniacal and more intelligent than his wild boasts might indicate, Jakob seeks to have his BDK eclipse the old. In 2015, his BDK formed one of the COTI teams (with the inclusion of Soldier Ant), but their ambitions exceeded their reach. Jakob especially was humiliated when former BDK referee Derek Sabato showed he no longer held loyalty to the BDK and threw him out of the ring at "Top Banana." Jakob still has in his possession a box which he cryptically says contains "power" and may hold the Eye of Tyr. Nøkken has been conspicuous by his absence in the latter half of 2015, but there are signs that Jakob may be aiming to recruit Jaka to the BDK.
Signature Moves: (Jakob) Diving Lariat, Skullcrusher, Facebuster, Gute Nacht, Worldstar KO Punch, (Pinkie) Sole Butt Kick, Hip Attack, Burning Snicklefritz, Moonsault Double Stomp
The Devastation Corporation - This titanic trio-- Max Smashmaster, Blaster McMassive, Flex Rumblecrunch-- were brought into Chikara alongside their sleazy manager, Sidney Bakabella. Bakabella and the Dev Corp were very much throwbacks to monster tag teams of the late 80s and early 90s (evoking the Road Warriors and Demolition with their attire and face-paint) and the trio proved nigh unstoppable with Bakabella leading them. Max was named as captain of his COTI squad, and the Dev Corp formed the core of the Wrecking Crew team along with Jaka. Bakabella's browbeating of former Wrecking Crew member Oleg the Usurper (who ended up on Ultramantis Black's Arcane Horde squad) ultimately led to Oleg turning on him and Bakabella meeting his doom courtesy of Oleg. ("OFF WITH HIS HEAD!") The Dev Corp still maintains a dangerous advantage as a unit, though how long this will remain the case in the wake of their loss in the COTI finals to the Crown & Court remains to be seen.
Signature Moves: (Max) Standing Senton, Swanton Bomb, Beta-Max, Moonsault, Tombstone, (Blaster) Big Boot, Powerbomb, Lariat Tubman, Air McMassive, Bossman Slam, (Flex) Flying Shoulder Tackle, Powerslam, Iron Claw, Uranage Slam, (team) Master Blaster, Devastation Decapitation, Death Blow
Jaka - A fearsome savage from the jungles of Chad, Africa, Jaka came into Chikara as part of Sidney Bakabella's Wrecking Crew on the side of The Flood, but unlike the Devastation Corporation, he had little interest in money, just in destroying anyone who got in the ring with him. He is supremely tough, and has a very hard head that renders him mostly immune to many strikes. In 2015, he was on the Wrecking Crew COTI team, but like them lost in the finals to the Crown & Court. Following the match, viewers glimpsed Jakob Hammermeier pulling him aside, apparently to recruit him into his BDK. Whether he'll go along willingly or if Jakob will use other means to ensure his loyalty remains to be seen.
Signature Moves: Samoan Drop, Claw Attack, Jumanji Bomb, T'Challa Kick, Jungle Splash
The Gentleman's Club - Led by 'The Kentucky Gentleman' Chuck Taylor, the Gentleman's Club first got glimpsed by wrestling fans courtesy of Chuckie T's webshow of the same name. The proud rudo loves to bend or break the rules and hates children, and somehow manages to keep sneaking invisible grenades into the show. The Gentleman's Club includes the eternally lazy 'Freshly Squeezed' Orange Cassidy, mat technician Drew Gulak, and The Swamp Monster, who is a swamp monster. Swampy can never do anything right in the eyes of Chuck Taylor. These four comprised the Gentleman's Club COTI squad, though they have hangers on in the form of Leslie Butterscotch and Dr. Col. Nolan Angus, who sometimes show up to mooch off the others. It remains to be seen if the team will stick around, or continue to work together.
Signature Moves: (Taylor) Dropkick, Sole Food, The Awesome Dive, Belly to Belly Suplex, Omega Driver, (Cassidy) Lateral Press, Lazy 450, The Orange Squeeze, (Gulak) Headlock, Clothesline, Bodyslam, Trailblazer, (Swampy) Koppu Kick, Headscissors, John Woo Dropkick, Top Rope Double Stomp
Argus - A rookie who debuted in 2015, Argus was almost immediately recruited to Ophidian's Snake Pit COTI team and while his record wasn't sterling, Argus grew a great deal as a competitor in that time. The 'Gecko-Roman Grappler' works a mat-based style and has a bright future ahead of him. Late in the season, he developed a rivalry with his erstwhile Wrestle Factory classmate Kevin Condron-- in his Snowflake persona-- and managed to defeat him at the season finale.
Signature Moves: Enzugiri, Somersault Senton, Swinging Neckbreaker, Anklelock
Jervis Cottonbelly - The British 'Gentleman Grappler' and 'World's Sweetest Man,' Jervis is a kind-hearted competitor who believes in sportsmanship, though he often struggled to earn victories over less sportsmanlike opponents. Jervis stumped to get recruited to Princess Kimber Lee's Crown & Court COTI team and was successful, and with the princess helped his team amass enough points to make the finals despite an early poor showing. Despite his fear of the Wrecking Crew team, Jervis was able to keep his team alive long enough for them to win the match, earning himself a Golden Opportunity. Jervis was a close friend of the Estonian Thunderfrog before his demise at the hands of Deucalion, and worryingly spent much of 2014 looking into the dark arts to find a way to bring him back. What he'll do with his Golden Opportunity remains to be seen.
Signature Moves: Airplane Spin, Side Russian Legsweep, Rock-a-bye Backdrop, Downton Lock
Juan Francisco de Coronado - 'The Ecuadorian Aristocracy,' Coronado very quickly became one of the most hated rudos on the roster, with his penchant for very long entrances, his sneering disdain for "United Staters," and gleeful snubbing of the rules whenever it suits him. Coronado may come across as comical, but don't underestimate him. Coronado is an opportunist who will pounce the moment he has the chance to take down an opponent. Coronado's United Nations COTI team was a sleeper team to watch, but ultimately failed to get close to contendership. Coronado, however, made up for it by winning the Torneo Cibernetico at "Top Banana."
Signature Moves: German Suplex, Dropkick, Tiger Driver, Coronado Clutch
The Throwbacks - This team is listed together despite not teaming at present, because their histories are intertwined. Dasher Hatfield, the 'Old Timey King of Swing,' is a stalwart competitor who defines himself on his good sportsmanship. He steadfastly refuses to break the rules and does not take it lightly if someone cheats on his behalf. This led to friction with his partner and step-cousin-in-law "Mr. Touchdown" Mark Angelosetti. Mr. TD was a rule-breaking rudo early in his career, and the Throwbacks feuded briefly over this before Dasher managed to get through to him about sportsmanship. When the Throwbacks formed the core of Dasher's COTI team, Dasher's Dugout (along with Icarus and Heidi Lovelace), they suffered setbacks early in the tournament, causing Touchdown to take drastic measures. Gifting Dasher with a new elbow pad, Touchdown secretly loaded the elbow pad with a metal plate during their matches, surreptitiously removing it after the match was over. However, at "Babylon Springs," Dasher discovered his duplicity and angrily walked out on him, then had all his COTI points negated. While Touchdown has apologized profusely since then-- even during the Torneo Cibernetico at "Top Banana"-- he was unable to prove his sincerity to Dasher before the match was over, and the two seem to be on different paths. Whether this remains so is as yet unclear.
Signature Moves: (Dasher) Slingshot Oklahoma Roll, Selfmission, Jackhammer, Armdrag, Suicide Squeeze, (Touchdown) Flying Tackle, Spinebuster, Stalling Superplex, Flea Flicker
Los Ice Creams - Devious dairy delinquents from Mexicali, El Hijo del Ice Cream & Ice Cream Jr. had long been the jokes of the tag team division. Jobbers extraordinaire, Los Ice Creams were rule-breakers but perennially popular with the fans. Somehow, they were able to convince Princess Kimber Lee to draft them to her Crown & Court COTI team, but she quickly realized what a mistake she had made when their cowardice and jobber status started costing her points in the tournament. She remotivated them and admittedly did not rely on them as much as possible, but they paid dividends when they helped keep the team alive to reach the finals and ultimately win the tournament and their Golden Opportunities. What Los Ice Creams will do with their Golden Opportunities is as yet unclear.
Signature Moves: (Hijo) Banzai Drop, Hip Attack, Cold Stone Stunner, (Junior) Corner Dropkick, Two Scoop Slam, Jack'n'Jill Hammer, (team) El Asesino
The Batiri - This trio of demonic warriors first came in at the side of 'Kizarny' Sinn Bodhi, but later struck out on their own. They were rudos for life until the hiatus came and then threw themselves behind Chikara to fight back against The Flood. The trio, the demonic duo of Obariyon & Kodama and 'The Prince of All Goblins' Kobald, fought The Flood at "You Only Live Twice," but then Kobald was the first to fall at the hands of Deucalion. Obariyon & Kodama fought on their own before being recruited to Ultramantis Black's Arcane Horde, but later it came out that they agreed to follow Mantis in exchange for his help in bringing Kobald back from beyond the grave. Now the trio is reunited, and with Mantis now forced into retirement, time will tell if the Batiri will return to their rudo ways.
Signature Moves: (Obariyon) Corner Lungblower, Go to Hell, Rapture, (Kodama) Reverse Death Valley Driver, John Woo Kick, Flip Dropkick, (Kobald) Backdrop Suplex, Spear, Demon's Toilet, (team) Skull Bronzing, Seventh Circle
Oleg the Usurper - The barbaric warlord Oleg the Usurper made his bones in the Wrestling Is Fun promotion (a sister promotion to Chikara), where he earned infamy by slaying the heroic Dragon Dragon. Oleg was brought into Sidney Bakabella's Wrecking Crew and came into Chikara on the side of The Flood, but in 2015 he ended up on Ultramantis Black's Arcane Horde COTI team. Bakabella used his possession of Oleg's "Rasslin Contract" [sic] to force Oleg to sit out during the Horde's matches and continued to browbeat him, much to Oleg's mounting fury. At "King of Trios 2015," it finally boiled over and Oleg turned on the Wrecking Crew, and finally gave Bakabella what he deserved. Oleg from that point forward was firmly on the Arcane Horde's side. With the COTI over, Oleg appears to be forging his own path.
Signature Moves: More Speed!, Somersault Senton, Usurper Kick, The Squisher, Off With His Head!
The Bloc Party - Originally brought together by the Polar Baron, the team later came under the leadership of Juan Francisco de Coronado under his COTI banner of the United Nations, though with COTI over, the trio may move back to their own things. First on the trio is The Proletariat Boar of Moldova, a porcine gladiator from the Eastern European country, bent on bringing war to anyone who steps against him. Next we have Mr. Azerbaijan, multiple time winner of the coveted "Azerbaijan's Sexiest Guy" award (except for 2004 because of the coal mining strike), a barefoot grappler with a fearsome mustache. And finally there is Prakash Sabar, a Pakistani expatriate now living in the former Soviet country of Georgia, who grew up idolizing Sean Waltman. (He's an ex-Pakistani. X-Pac. Haaa.) The trio may not win many matches, but they aren't to be overlooked.
Signature Moves: (Boar) Side Slam, Big Boot, Powerslam, Baconator, Gore!, (Mr. Az) Back Rake, Side Slam, Eastern European Suplex, Pumphandle Slam, (Sabar) Spinning Heel Kick, Wrenching Headlock, Bronco Buster, The Islama-smash
Shynron - The high-flying 'Spirit Dragon' Shynron (formerly Shenron) is the premier aerial expert in Chikara, being the 2014 Rey de Voladores ('King of Fliers') champion. When you see this man pull off his moves, you will question whether he can break the laws of physics. Shynron was drafted to Ophidian's Snake Pit COTI team, and gelled well enough with the team, but Shynron felt angered when he lost the 2015 Rey de Voladores finals to Mark Andrews. What 2016 holds for Shynron has yet to be seen.
Signature Moves: Leaning Tower of Shynron, What the 450?, Dragon Twist, Cosmic Collision, Double Dragon
Hermit Crab & Cajun Crawdad - A new duo that debuted in the fall of 2015, Hermit Crab & Cajun Crawdad are a pair of crafty crustaceans that revel in their claw-based attacks and sneaky rudo offense. They haven't amassed too many points as yet, and only have a couple of matches under their belt, but they may be a team to watch going forward.
Signature Moves: (Crab) Half Crab, Second Rope Elbow Drop, Boston Crab, Flat Crab
Wani - Not much is known about Wani except that he comes from the Land of the Rising Sun, Japan. Juan Francisco de Coronado recruited him to his Torneo Cibernetico squad. Wani appears to affect a sort of water-demon look with his attire, and his general style and mannerisms are obviously influenced by The Great Muta. More will become clear about this competitor as time passes.
Staff & Other Non-Wrestlers
Mike Quackenbush - 'The Master of 1000 Holds' "Lightning" Mike Quackenbush is the head trainer at the Wrestle Factory and formerly one of Chikara's top competitors before a broken leg in 2013 spelled the end of his in-ring career. Quack was named as the new Director of Fun, the key authority figure, by Chikara's new owner, Robbie Ellis. Quack is all about fair play and has made sure that loopholes in the rule system get closed before they can be exploited more than once. Quack uses a cane to get around these days, and even if he's not competing, he's at every show as Chikara's patriarch.
Leonard F. Chikarason - The former Director of Fun was ousted during the BDK's hostile takeover in 2010, but LFC remains a presence at Chikara shows. He can be seen selling tickets and providing commentary during shows.
Bryce Remsburg - Chikara's senior official, Bryce is the head referee and a fun presence at all shows. He also provides commentary during matches he isn't officiating.
Jon Barber - Chikara's worst referee, Barber is sometimes called 'The Sheriff of Chikara-town,' but his officiating is probably the most toothless and he sometimes can seem like he's barely putting in any effort.
Derek Sabato - Prior to the BDK takeover in 2010, Sabato had been fired (reasons why aren't entirely clear) but he was brought back by the BDK to be their personal referee. After the Titor takeover, Sabato had to play things more equally, but he eventually moved from officiating to office liaison work, and eventually got fired again. He was brought back at the end of 2014 by Mike Quackenbush, as a favor for services rendered, and Sabato has been quick to disassociate himself from the BDK and has been calling things fair since then.
Larry Peace - Chikara's newest referee, Larry 'Keeping The' Peace has fast become a solid hand as an official in Chikara. He sticks to the rules, and at times will let the faces get away with their technically-breaking-the-rules payback if the rudos have been pushing things too much.
Gavin Loudspeaker - Sometimes also known as Louden Noxious, the host of Kaiju Big Battel, Gavin has been the Voice of Chikara, being their primary ring announcer for several years. Late in 2015, other obligations have taken him away from Chikara, but he still aims to be there for the big shows.
Vlad Radinov - The self-proclaimed 'Party Tsar' ("Because I know where the parties are!"), Vlad comes from Russia and has been tapped to be Gavin Loudspeaker's replacement going forward. Doing his duties with his Russian accent and dropping quips and sometimes beets (not beats, beets, as in the vegetable), Vlad looks to be a good fit.
Announced Shows for 2016
January 30 - "Days of the Phoenix" - Wrestle Factory, Philadelphia, PA
January 30 - "5 Senses" - Wrestle Factory, Philadelphia, PA
February 6 - "National Pro Wrestling Day 2016" - The Goodwill Beneficial Association, Reading, PA
February 27 - "Dead Man's Chest" - Eastchester Community Center, Bronx, NY
February 28 - "Evil Ways" - Wrestle Factory, Philadelphia, PA
March 19 - "The New Batch" - The New Mid-Atlantic Sportatorium, Gibsonville, NC
March 19 - "The Secret of the Ooze" - The New Mid-Atlantic Sportatorium, Gibsonville, NC
April 2 - "Phone Home" - Wrestle Factory, Philadelphia, PA
April 2 - "Disc" - Wrestle Factory, Philadelphia, PA
May 27 - "Aniversario: Catching Fire" - Aston Uni SU, Birmingham, West Midlands, UK
May 28 - "Aniversario: The Chamber of Secrets" - The Union MMU, Manchester, UK
May 29 - "Aniversario: The Two Towers" - Domain Northumbria Uni SU, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
May 30 - "Anivesario: The Lost World" - Vertigo Strathclyde Uni, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Chikara Resources
Official Website | Twitter | Facebook
Chikara in 15 Minutes or Less Podcast - by Alex Chikarza
Chikara History Project - compiled by Rave
Chikara History Lessons - by Jay 2K Winger
Any further questions, feel free to ask!
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