Chikara Pro - iPPV - Dec. 2, 2012

[Jay 2K Winger]

Chikara Pro

Coming up on December 2, 2012, at 4pm, Chikara Pro Wrestling, my favorite independent pro wrestling company, will present their 2012 "Season Finale," dubbed "Under The Hood." Just like last year, this finale will also be broadcast live on Internet Pay-Per-View, albeit through a different distributor, this time via Smart Mark Video On Demand.

This will be Chikara's third-ever iPPV, the first one being their 2011 Season Finale, "High Noon," which saw the finals of a year-long tournament to crown the first-ever Grand Champion of Chikara, as "The War King" Eddie Kingston defeated "Lightning" Mike Quackenbush to win the title. The second iPPV, "Chikarasaurus Rex: How To Hatch a Dinosaur," (aka C-Rex) featured three major grudge matches-- a Hair-vs-Mask match, a Ladder Match, and a ten-man tag war, and was main evented by a Tag Title Match.

Under the Hood
Live on Dec. 2, 2012 - 4pm Belltime - Live on iPPV at SMVOD.com
From the Trocadero in Philadelphia, PA

Confirmed Attractions

• For the Grand Championship of Chikara! - Eddie Kingston defends vs Tim Donst
  More than a year ago, Eddie Kingston defeated his trainer Mike Quackenbush at "High Noon" to capture the Grand Championship of Chikara, dedicating his win to the late Alex "Larry Sweeney" Whybrow. Since then, he's defeated all comers to defend his title, in spite of mounting injuries to himself. Now he faces a monster that he helped create. In 2007, in Wallingford, CT, a rookie named Tim Donst had a match against Eddie Kingston where he took one of the most brutal beatings in Chikara history, a match which many people said helped "make" Donst. In the years since, Donst has gone from being an all-American babyface to a face-painted quasi-Satanic minion, back to an all-American babyface partnered with a sea monster, to a treacherous, selfish turncoat, to a fearsome mat wrestling machine. Falling into a depression after losing a hair-vs-mask match to Hallowicked in the summer, Donst wondered what his "grand plan" was to be... until he had an epiphany about karma, which "doesn't exist in professional wrestling, because if it did, I'd still have my hair, and you [Kingston] wouldn't have the Grand Championship." After declaring his intent to come after the Grand Championship, Donst set about getting a title shot, which he earned by winning the 2012 Torneo Cibernetico, in which Kingston was the last one eliminated. Donst is a man on a mission, but Eddie Kingston has repeatedly told his challengers that they'd better kill him if they plan to take the title from him. Who will walk out of Philadelphia with the title? The righteous Mat Wrestling Machine, Tim Donst? Or the Last of a Dying Breed, Chikara's War King, Eddie Kingston?
• Campeonatos de Parejas: Best 2 out of 3 Falls! - The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) defend vs The 1-2-3 Kid & Marty Jannetty
  Sean Waltman-- known to many wrestling fans as the former X-Pac-- experienced a sort of career revival/redemption in 2011 with his appearance at the 2011 King of Trios tournament. Humble and in the best shape he'd been in for years, Waltman resurrected his persona as the 1-2-3 Kid and won the respect of many wrestling fans. He returned in 2012 at this year's KOT tournament weekend, where he teamed with former Rocker Marty Jannetty, emerging from the annual Tag Team Gauntlet with two points to their name after beating the Powers of Pain and Los Ice Creams. Jannetty has ties to Chikara in recent years, as he has been helping train the current crop of students at the Chikara Wrestle Factory. After defeating the Heart Throbs last month, the Kid and Jannetty now have three points to their name. The tag titles, Chikara's Campeonatos de Parejas, are currently held by Matt & Nick Jackson, the Young Bucks of Southern California, who proudly identify themselves as outsiders from Ring of Honor. The Young Bucks are one of the hottest tag teams on the independent scene, wowing fans with their fast-paced, high-flying style, but they are also extremely aware of how good they are, and that translates to a profound arrogance. An interesting wrinkle to the match is that, early in their career, the Young Bucks received some training from none other than Marty Jannetty. Will the students defeat their master? Can the 1-2-3 Kid trust his partner? Or will age and treachery beat youth and skill?
• The War to Settle the Score! - The Spectral Envoy (UltraMantis Black & Hallowicked & Frightmare & Crossbones & Blind Rage) vs Delirious & Ophidian & The Batiri (Obariyon & Kodama & Kobald)
  Earlier in the year, UltraMantis Black used the mystical Eye of Tyr to break the brainwashing done to Delirious, but instead of welcoming back the friendly maniac we all used to know, he awakened a monster. Delirious remembered everything, every moment of his mind being locked away by the Eye of Tyr for two years, and swore "two years" of suffering on Mantis for being the instigator. To that end, he recruited the demonic trio known as the Batiri, and treacherous cobra Ophidian, to his side, plotting to ruin Mantis' every quest to win glory for himself. That failed partially at "King of Trios 2012," where Mantis' trio, the Spectral Envoy, won despite attempted interference by Delirious' dark army. Delirious is still on the quest to balance karma, believing that he is in the right for doing so. It's been confirmed that Crossbones, the real-life 'Heavyweight Horror,' will make his return to Chikara action to support his long-time friend and leader UltraMantis Black. Crossbones has not been active in Chikara since 2010, when his collarbone was broken by Delirious, but he has made guest appearances this year at Aniversario weekend and in aiding the Envoy in winning KOT 2012. Finishing out the Envoy's team, coming out of retirement for one night only, is Mantis' former Night Shift stablemate Blind Rage, to help Mantis defeat his nemesis. Will UltraMantis and the Envoy vanquish their enemies? Or will Delirious' long game of slow karmic retribution pay dividends?
• Who Leaves with a Title Shot? - 3.0 (Shane Matthews & Scott Parker) vs F.I.S.T. (Chuck Taylor & Johnny Gargano)
  In order to challenge for Chikara's Campeonatos de Parejas (that's Spanish for 'Tag Team Championship'), a team must accumulate three points. Points are earned by scoring falls (pins, submissions, etc.) in tag matches. Losing a fall resets a team to zero. The current champions, Matt & Nick Jackson of the Young Bucks, are outsiders who love to lord over everyone's heads that they have Chikara's tag titles. This match features two teams with two points to their names already, which means one team will leave with a title shot, and one team will need to start from scratch. One team is the tandem that lost the titles to the YBs at the last iPPV, 'The Kentucky Gentleman' Chuck Taylor and 'The Whole Shebang' Johnny Gargano of F.I.S.T. Both men are very accomplished wrestlers, no strangers to holding titles in Chikara or the indie scene. The other team is the duo that lost the titles to the F.I.S.T. team, Canada's 'Big Magic' Shane Matthews and Scott 'Jagged' Parker of 3.0. 3.0's road to championship gold had been long and arduous, and they're all too eager to get a measure of revenge on the team that dethroned them. Will F.I.S.T. walk away with a title shot for a chance to become three-time champions? Or can 3.0 get back on the road to "The Promised Land?"
• For the Young Lions Cup! - ACH vs "Mr. Touchdown" Mark Angelosetti (champion)
  Earlier this year, Chikara held its annual Young Lions Cup tournament, the tenth one in company history, and brought in young talent (under the age of 25) from all over the country to compete. The finals in August came down to Chikara's "gridiron grappler" Mr. Touchdown, and a young man called ACH (which stands for Attitude, Charisma, Heart). It was an incredible match, but in the end, Mr. TD won thanks to some assistance from his cheerleader/girlfriend Veronica, and has been lording his victory over a "nerd" (ACH is a noted gamer and anime fan) over everyone. ACH hasn't been happy to see how Mr. Touchdown has been treating everyone since that win, either, furious at the disrespect being shown, and has received a rematch for the YLC X Trophy. Can ACH put the recipe of his initials together to defeat the arrogant jock? Or will Mr. Touchdown cut the "nerd" down to size again?
• A Roster Divided Against Itself! - Mike Quackenbush & The Colony (Fire Ant & Green Ant & assailANT) vs Jigsaw & The Shard & The Swarm (deviANT & Soldier Ant)
  When GEKIDO showed up earlier this year, they swore to expose the dark side of Chikara. Arguably, they've succeeded. After breaking Quackenbush's wrist and ending two Chikara wrestlers' careers, GEKIDO ringleader 17 caused a surprisingly aggressive streak in the Chikara maestro. Quack has been on a mission to destroy every member of the invading faction, starting with 17, who has been forced to retire after taking four different QuackenDrivers, then following up with combatANT, whose neck he snapped at "King of Trios 2012." Jigsaw, ordinarily first behind Quack to fight invading factions, has been furious with his mentor, as Quack's drive to destroy GEKIDO has sabotaged their efforts at becoming tag champions again. Things reached a head at "The Cibernetico Rises" in November, when Jigsaw stopped Quack from destroying The Shard... by superkicking him in the face and leaving with The Shard. Things are complicated in this match as well thanks to Chikara Director of Fun Wink Vavasseur's incomprehensible "Chikarabermetrics" system, which made GEKIDO's assailANT a member of the Colony, and the Colony's Soldier Ant a member of GEKIDO's Swarm team. This has caused the dynamics to shift and sympathies to run toward GEKIDO. assailANT has made the best of his membership in the Colony, doing his best to get cheered and playing to the crowd. Soldier Ant has begun to object to Quack's tactics as well, though he has been pushed away by Jigsaw when he tried to intercede. The question remains to be seen if these two four-man teams can coexist long enough to come out the winner. Will Quack tolerate assailANT's presence on his team? Will The Shard and deviANT get along with Jigsaw and Soldier Ant?
• Singles Showdown! - Dasher Hatfield vs Icarus
  Icarus is one of the Chikara Gen-1 Originals, a member of the first class of the Chikara Wrestle Factory, and one of the premier rudos in Chikara. As the leader of the nefarious F.I.S.T. faction, a hater of wrestling fans, and possessing one of the most hideous back tattoos ever, Icarus always attracts more than his share of boos. He cheats like hell, never fights fair if he can avoid it, and carries himself with a superior air as one of the poorest sports in Chikara. Naturally, this puts him at odds with the "Old Timey King of Swing," Dasher Hatfield. Hatfield always plays it fair and is the virtually consummate gentleman in the ring, so naturally he'd object to Icarus' antics. It doesn't help that since Hatfield's erstwhile partner in the Throwbacks, Sugar Dunkerton, has been forced to join F.I.S.T. by Director of Fun Wink Vavasseur, an act which has caused Dunkerton no end of stress. Icarus' treatment of Dunkerton does not sit well with Hatfield, who is looking to beat some respect into the "Winged Ring Warrior." Will sportsmanship prevail? Will Sugar Dunkerton play a role in the outcome of the match?
• Plus: We Crown a Homecoming King and Queen!

To see more Chikara wrestling: YouTube Channel

Note From Jay: I'll be updating this thread and the OP as more matches are announced. LAST UPDATE: Nov. 26, 2012 - Singles Showdown added.

[Jay 2K Winger]

Updates made. The first two matches have been confirmed.

[Jay 2K Winger]

Updates made. Two more matches confirmed: The 10-Man Tag Team War, and the Grand Championship match.

[Jay 2K Winger]

Updates made. Crossbones has been added to the 10-Man Tag War. A 2-of-3 falls match for the Chikara tag titles has been added-- the Young Bucks defend vs The 1-2-3 Kid & Marty Jannetty.

[Jay 2K Winger]

Updates made-- 4-on-4 tag match and a singles showdown added.

This is probably the final change to the card. While it's entirely possible that another match may be announced, or the final member of the Spectral Envoy's team announced before Dec. 2, in all likelihood, this is the final card.

[Jay 2K Winger]

Show recap time! It's very likely that a DVD will be available shortly for this, in which case I'll update the thread to reflect that. Spoilers will follow.

1. F.I.S.T. (Chuck Taylor & Johnny Gargano) vs 3.0 (Scott "Jagged" Parker & Shane Matthews)
[Jagged played the face-in-peril, getting isolated by F.I.S.T., while Matthews would get the hot tag and clean house. 3.0 won after hitting their finisher, the Sweet Taste of Professionalism (assisted lungblower).] The winners now have their 3rd point and can challenge for the Campeonatos de Parejas.

2. Icarus (w/ Sugar Dunkerton) vs Dasher Hatfield
[Sugar D was wearing a F.I.S.T. t-shirt, but was reluctant to accompany Icarus to the ring. He continually disapproved of Icarus' heel antics and unsportsmanlike conduct-- which included trying to throw powder in Dasher's eyes, but hitting the referee instead. Icarus tried to grab his loaded fanny pack to hit Dasher, but Sugar grabbed it instead and was shoved into hitting Dasher with it. Icarus picked up the win, and happily dragged a shocked and appalled Sugar to the back.]

3. Team Quackenbush (Mike Quackenbush & Fire Ant & Green Ant & assailANT) vs Team Jigsaw (Jigsaw & The Shard & deviANT & Soldier Ant)
[The story here was that assailANT was wholeheartedly behind Team Quack, wrestling his former GEKIDO partners without hesitation, while Soldier Ant reluctantly wrestled Fire Ant and Green Ant, but stayed true to his tecnico roots. Eventually, Jigsaw got in the ring with Fire Ant, trying to persuade him that his issue wasn't with him, but with Quack, then kicked out his knee and went full on rudo. He used cheap shots and other heel tactics, taking advantage when Quack hesitated on hitting him with the Shotei Palm Strike. assailANT proved his worth as a teammate when he dived in front of a Jigsaw superkick to save Quack, and was not shown any mercy by deviANT or The Shard. In the end, assailANT took a flurry of big moves and got pinned by deviANT. Jigsaw, deviANT, and The Shard left together, abandoning Soldier Ant. Post-match, assailANT was helped to his feet, and Quackenbush shook his hand, accepting him at last. Quack and The Colony (now including assailANT) left, leaving Soldier Ant all alone at ringside.] There is definitely going to be fallout from this match being felt in the next year.

4. Young Lions Cup X Match: Mr. Touchdown (w/ Veronica) defends vs ACH
[This was a very good matchup. ACH uses a lot of unique moves, but unlike most matches where a guy has those moves and just hits them without issue, ACH was made to work for them, often necessitating a series of back-and-forth counters by both ACH and Mr. TD before hitting the move. In the end, however, Mr. TD took Veronica's baton, intending to hit ACH with it. When ACH countered for a sunset flip, Mr. TD sat down on it and held out the baton for Veronica to grab onto, using the extra leverage to pin ACH to retain the Cup.] Both men came out looking awesome, and I hope this is a sign that ACH will be appearing for Chikara more in the future.

5. Homecoming King & Queen Crowning
Immediately after the YLC X match, while Mr. TD and Veronica were still ringside, they announced the results of the Homecoming Court vote. (This was billed as Chikara's "Homecoming" to Philadelphia.) [Unsurprisingly, Veronica was crowned Queen. Mr. Touchdown tried to claim there was no need to read the results of the King vote, since it was obvious it was going to be him. (He and Veronica had been trying to rig the votes.) But Mr. TD did not win the vote. Instead, the King's crown went to The Mysterious And Handsome Stranger! TMAHS came out, taking off his cowboy hat and Texas Ranger's badge, and beat the heck out of Mr. TD, throwing him out of the ring. This left him alone with Veronica, who was a bit shocked, but she and TMAHS had a slow dance for a minute or so before she went to try to pull his mask off to kiss him. He stopped her, made her close her eyes... then brought out a bucket of pig slop. He poured it over her head, then pulled off his mask to reveal that he was ARCHIBALD PECK! He laughed at his revenge, while Director of Fun Wink Vavasseur had his Condor Security guards drag Peck-- who was banned from Chikara after losing a "Loser Leaves Town" match in July-- out of the building.]

Intermission.

6. Los Ice Creams (El Hijo del Ice Cream & Ice Cream Jr.) vs The Devastation Corporation (Max Smashmaster & Blaster McMassive) (w/ Sidney Bakabella)
This was an impromptu matchup, as we came back from intermission to show Bakabella in the ring. The gimmick with Bakabella and the D-Corp is that they think it's still the 80s during the territory era, so Bakabella kept talking about "closed-circuit television" (instead of iPPV) and so on. D-Corp came into the match with two points after their Midwest run in November. [The match went about as well as you'd expect for Los Ice Creams. D-Corp destroyed them before finishing them off with the Death Blow, giving the Devastation Corporation their third point. Of interest was the fact that there was a third D-Corp member that came out with Blaster and Max, but he left before the match and wasn't identified.]

7. The Dark Army (Delirious & Ophidian & Obariyon & Kodama & Kobald) vs The Spectral Envoy (UltraMantis Black & Hallowicked & Frightmare & Crossbones & Blind Rage)
Ophidian debuted a new look, more similar to his old mask. [I'll say this: Blind Rage can still go. He retired about six years ago, but he was still in great shape and did very well. Crossbones was a little heftier than he used to be, and seemed more hesitant before some of his moves. Of note was the fact that one whole side of the venue was packed with fans wearing Amasis masks, which of course got Ophidian's attention. Midway through the match, however, the fans all pulled off their masks-- to reveal that the real Amasis was there! Ophidian freaked out, almost paralyzing him. In the end, everyone was laid out on the outside, leaving Delirious and Mantis alone in the ring. Despite everything Delirious threw at him, Mantis kept fighting back, and finished off Delirious with the Cosmic Doom (suplex side piledriver).] Despite the finish, it seems the war isn't quite over and may continue into 2013.

8. Chikara Campeonatos de Parejas, 2 out of 3 Falls Match: The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) defend vs The 1-2-3 Kid & Marty Jannetty
[Jannetty looked quite happy to be there, as did Kid. The YBs got a fairly quick win in the first fall, hitting the Kid with a spike tombstone piledriver. In the second fall, the YBs isolated Jannetty, working his arm and keeping him isolated, but Jannetty was able to get the tag to the Kid, and the two were able to hit an assisted X-Factor on Nick to even it up at one fall apiece. In the final fall, however, despite a valiant effort, the YBs hit the Kid with More Bang For Your Buck (rolling slam into a 450 splash into a moonsault) to retain the titles.] I think we'll see 3.0 recapture the gold early in 2013, then end up losing to the Devastation Corporation to drop the titles to them.

Chikara announced it was taking part in National Pro-Wrestling Day on February 2, 2013 in Philadelphia, along with about 20 other indie promotions in the mid-Atlantic region. More details to follow.

9. Grand Championship of Chikara: Eddie Kingston defends vs Tim Donst (w/ Jakob Hammermeier)
[A very hard-fought match by both men, with Donst doing everything he could to antagonize Kingston and wear down his knee and back, while Kingston refused to quit and beat the hell out of Donst. Jakob did interfere a few times on Donst's behalf, but Donst also threw him around and abused him when Jakob tried to do so without his say-so. In the end, Kingston retained after hitting Donst with two Backfists to the Future. Post-match, he kept beating on Donst, leading to Jakob jumping on him and getting slammed into the mat. Donst escape, and while Jakob pleaded for help, left him to Kingston's mercy. Kingston seemed more amused by this than anything, and let the despondent Jakob scurry off.]

There were two segments after the main show, after a period of a black screen. [In the first, two men in HAZMAT suits were investigating something in a train tunnel-- the same one from January, where Mantis used the Eye of Tyr to clear Delirious' mind. They found the pieces of it while someone talked at them over a radio before that feed cut out. In the second, Wink Vavasseur was being chewed out by an older man for his incompetence and the disappearance of his Condor Security guards. It was revealed that the man yelling at Wink was his father.]

Clearly, more changes are in store in 2013 for Chikara.