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Views from the Hawke’s Nest: Chikara High Noon 2011 Review

November 14, 2011 | Posted by TJ Hawke

El Generico vs. Jigsaw
Dr. Keith Lipinski and Steven “The Turtle” Weiner were on commentary for this free pre-show match.

The whole match was a back and forth see-saw. Nothing of real note happened until Jigsaw hit a suicide dive on El Generico. Generico came back with a sommersault plancha. Blue Thunder Bomb from Generico: 1…2…NO! Generico’s Blue Thunder Bomb is like Matt Hardy’s Side Effect: it never finishes a match, but the fans always buy it as a nearfall. Jigsaw came back with a German Suplex, but Generico hit him with a Yakuza Kick. Generico went for the split-legged moonsault, but Jigsaw trapped him in the Tree of Joey Lawrence. COAST-TO-COAST DROPKICK FROM JIGSAW: 1…2…NO! EXPLODER SUPLEX INTO THE CORNER FROM GENERICO! SUPERKICK FROM JIGSAW! TOP ROPE DOUBLE KNEE STOMP FROM JIGSAW: 1…2…3!

Fun match. They only had around 8 minutes, so they decided to just do as many big moves as possible to pump up the crowd. I would like to see these two again properly on a Chikara show.
Match Rating: **3/4

You can watch this match for free HERE . The match starts at around the 35 minute mark on the pre-show.

Gavin Loudspeaker comes out to start the iPPV and he welcomes everyone to the show. Gavin puts over the Chikara brand as the best pro-wrestling in the world, the Chikara fans as the best fans in the world, and he says that the clock has just struck…HIGH NOON!

Cue opening video package where they show Chikara action highlights played to a custom High Noon song performed by Stan Bush

The Young Bucks (Nick Jackson & Matt Jackson with MARTY JANNETTY!) vs. The Colony (Fire Ant & Soldier Ant)
Both of these teams have two points, which means that the winner will get the third point and earn a Chikara Tag Title Shot against Johnny Gargano and Chuck Taylor. Jannetty was supposed to wrestle in Chikara against Tursas at a recent show, but weather issues forced the cancellation of that show.

Soldier frustrates Matt early on by repeatedly saluting him. The Colony was in complete control early until Nick hit a suicide dive on Fire Ant. The Bucks then pulled off some of their trademark double team moves on the Ants. The Bucks worked over Soldier after that. Fire tried to help out, but the Bucks took him out so that Soldier would have no one to make a tag to. The Bucks worked over Soldier some more, and then started to mock Soldier. The Bucks had mostly been tecnicos since returning to Chikara, but they were definitely rudos here. Soldier finally made a hot tag and Fire ran wild on the Bucks. Fire pulled off an incredible headscissors on Nick/Tornado DDT on Matt combo. Fire followed that up with a springboard somersault plancha on the Bucks. Back in the ring, the Ants hit some double team offense on the Bucks. A couple of fans tried to start cheering for the Bucks but they were quickly drowned out by the Colony fans. Nick took Fire’s head off (literally) with a Trouble in Paradise, but Soldier took him out with an exploder back suplex. The teams started trading big moves back and forth. BRAINBUSTER ON MATT: 1…2…NO! Fire and Soldier went for a double team move on Matt, buck Nick saved him. Matt hit a pair of powerbombs and a Buckle Bomb on Fire. DOUBLE TEAM SPIKE TOMBSTONE PILEDRIVER ON FIRE ANT: 1…2…SOLDIER MAKES THE SAVE! Soldier took on both Bucks but ate a double superkick. Double superkick to Fire! Matt put both men in the fireman carry position; Nick gave Fire on a double stomp and then the Bucks went to give More Bang for Your Buck on Soldier, but Soldier got his knees up on the the 450 splash part, dodged the moonsault, and rolled up Matt: 1…2…3!

Fans popped big for the win. This was an excellent opener for the first Chikara iPPV. I was a little surprised by the result, but since Chikara is not going to run the 11th season premiere until January, it was probably wise to give the three points to a team that will definitely still be in Chikara regularly. It also makes sense to use a famous team to put over one of the homegrown Chikara teams to a new audience.
Match Rating: ***1/2

Sara Del Ray vs. Jakob Hammermeier
Death Ray has been methodically going through all the members of the BDK since the summer. Death Ray also won the annual Cibernetico Tournament the night before this show.

Jakob came out and did his own ring introduction. He then ran to the back and came out again to do his ring entrance. What a great man. The fans treated Sara like a big star: “Sara’s gonna kill you.” They also gave Sara “Happy Birthday” chants. Sara kicked the shit out of Jakob early on. Almost literally (as would any man if they’re were kicked by Death Ray). Jakob tried to choke Sara out, but she quickly came back with chops. Sara then grabbed him by the hair and gave him a “hair-mare.” Jakob used his tie to cut off Sara. The ref took away the tie, but Jakob pulled another tie out of his pants to use on Sara. Sara grabbed his forefinger and wrenched it back; Jakob writhed in pain. Sara gave him the rolling Low Ki-kick and a big boot. German suplex from Sara. I love a good squash. AXE KICK TO THE BACK OF THE HEAD: 1…2…NO! Sara set up for the Royal Butterfly, but Jakob got a backslide for a nearfall. ROYAL BUTTERFLY: 1…2…3!

A fantastic squash match. Whoever wins the Grand Championship is probably going to have to face a challenge from Death Ray sooner or later. Wrestling PPVs don’t have many squash matches today, but this was a good way to introduce Death Ray to the new fans.
Match Rating: FANTASTIC!

Gavin introduced Ophidian and Amasis so that the future of the Osirian Portal could be revealed. Amasis has not appeared in Chikara since getting a possible career ending injury before the 12 Large Summit (in which he was supposed to compete) started. Amasis says he won’t be back to wrestle, which caused “Please don’t go” chants. Amasis said that the doctors told him one bad bump could put him in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Amasis puts over everything that the Portal has accomplished, and says that they are the best team in the world. Amasis proposes that they do what they do best: DANCE~! CUE THE MUSIC~! They start dancing until Ophidian spit something (mist?) in Amasis’s eyes: POISON SNAKE! SHOTGUN KNEES TO AMASIS! WHAT IS LARRY’S DAUGHTER GOING TO DO! The refs come out, but Ophidian starts to choke out Amasis with the Cobra Clutch. Ophidian left the ring, but he snuck in and STOLE AMASIS’S MASK! A female in the first show screamed, “WHY!?!?!” as if she came home to find her husband had cheated on her. Ophidian grabbed a microphone and said, “AMASIS…PROBLEM SOLVED!” The refs helped out Amasis as the Funky Pharaoh covered his face.

Hawke: Good segment. Ophidian’s heel turn has been teased for some time, and this was the perfect stage to jump start what will likely be a big angle in Season 11. For those scoring at home, if the Michaels/Jannetty and Steen/Generico break ups were a ’10’ then this was a ‘6 or 7.’ The fans (for good reason) saw this coming, which made the turn feel inevitable instead shocking. That is not a bad thing mind you. It’s better to make sense than a swerve for the sake of a swerve.

Greent Ant vs. Tursas
Green Ant has been trying to defeat Tursas for quite some time, but the BDK has always managed to get in the way. It seems that this will finally be the place to pull the trigger on the win.

GIANT DROPKICK ON TURSAS! Tursas quickly cuts him off though and gives him a powerslam, but GREEN ANT POPS RIGHT BACK UP AND DELIVERS SOME FOREARMS! Tursas goes for a corner splash, but Green Ant doges it and Tursas splashes DEREK SABATO, the evil/incompetent referee of the BDK! That is one roadblock that Green Ant won’t have to deal with. Green Ant knocks down Tursas. The Colony comes out and marches Sabato out of the arena. GreenAnt goes for his arm submission, but Tursas catches him and gives him a Finlay Roll. Corner Splash from Tursas. Green Ant dodges a butt splash, and hits a spike tornado DDT! Seated dropkick from Green Ant. Tursas comes back with a backdrop. Delayed Back Suplex from Tursas. Tursas goes for a cross-body, but Green Ant dodges it, only to get hit with a nice dropkick by Tursas. Tursas sets up for the moonsault, but Green Ant catches him at the top ropes, and hits an ANGLE SLAM! Both men are down! Tursas ends up on the floor, and Green Ant goes for a top rope cross-body to the floor, but Tursas caught him. Green Ant ends up on the apron and gives the big man a stiff kick. BODYSLAM ON THE FLOOR BY GREEN ANT! Green to the top rope and gives him a big splash to Tursas on the floor. Both guys roll into the ring and start trading big shots back and forth. CROSS-BODY BLOCK FROM TURSAS! BORDER TOSS FROM TURSAS: 1…2…GREEN ANT KICKED OUT! Tursas goes to the top rope, but Green Ant meets him up there: SUPERPLEX! “HOLY POOP!” Green Ant goes for the Texas Cloverleaf, and he LOCKS IT IN! Tursas esacpes it, but Green Ant delivers some kicks to the chest and locks in a CHIKARA SPECIAL VARIATION AND TURSAS TAPS OUT!!!!!

This went on much longer than I expected, but these guys really used the time well. It wasn’t as action packed as the opener, but it told an excellent story and was a great end to this long feud. Green Ant connects with the audience incredibly well for someone who wrestles under a mask. I wonder if he will be a Grand Champion contender in Season 11.
Match Rating: ***

Colt Cabana vs. “The Unquestioned, Unequaled, Undisputed LEADER OF THE BAND” ‘Archibald Peck (w/Veronica & Colt Cabunny)
Peck, who rivals Austin Aries as the Greatest Man Who Ever Lived, cheated to defeat Colt Cabana at King of Trios this year, and he then recently brought back Colt Cabunny as his mascot. So this match has a setup, but it is mostly here just to be a good time.

Peck abused Cabunny around the ring during his introduction; he then used him as a step into the ring. That got Peck some heat, which is good because the man has been getting cheered a lot recently. Cabana was introduced as the host of “The Art of Wrestling” podcast. Peck tried to jump Colt during his intro, but Colt casually tossed Peck out of the ring. And again. Peck tries for a top rope cross-body but Colt casually bends down to avoid it. The bell rings! Peck acts hurt that Colt wouldn’t willingly take his pre-match attacks. They traded some holds and Peck was shocked, shocked I say, that Colt was able to escape his headscissors. Peck then got a single leg takedown, and proceeded to celebrate like he won the main event of Wrestlemania. Colt got distracted by Cabunny, which allowed Peck to hit a top rope shoulder block, and a blockbuster. Peck distracted the referee, and tried to force Cabunny to attack his namesake. Cabunny refused. Colt dodged the kitchen sink, but ate a dropkick. Peck locked in a sleeper, and Cabana immediately fell asleep on the ground. Peck was shocked at his own effectiveness, and then proceed to quietly celebrate and bask in his own glory. Peck went to the top rope for a diving headbutt, but COLT WOKE UP JUST IN TIME TO AVOID IT! COLT RUNS WILDS ON PECK: SPRINGBOARD MOONSAULT FROM COLT TO A STANDING PECK! Peck dodged a flying butt-hole, but got hit on the second attempt. Colt goes to the top rope, but Peck caught him and tossed him to the ring. Peck to the top rope: DIVING HEADBUTT: 1…2…COLT KICKS OUT! Peck demands that Cabunny get in the ring and hit Colt. Cabunny refuses though. Colt eats a big boot from Peck, and Veronica sneaks a baton to Peck. Palm strike from Colt! Cabunny grabs the baton and can’t decide who to hit. Finally he decides, and HE HITS PECK: 1..2…3!

Best match ever.
Match Rating: ********** (yes, it was twice as good as any Steamboat/Flair match)

Colt Cabana and Colt Cabunny hugged and danced around after the match. If I were to show one match to a wrestling fan to make them a fan of Chikara, this would probably be the one.

Gregory Iron vs. Icarus
Iron beat Icarus on several occasions in the last year, which has convinced Icarus that Iron is faking his cerebral palsy. Iron was on Fox News the morning of this show to promote the iPPV.

Icarus got “Worst in the World” chants. Icarus started to take off his ring jacket, which outraged the crowd because then they would have to see his back tattoo. Iron quickly takes down Icarus with a lariat and Icarus crawls back to his corner. Hip toss from Iron. Monkey Flip! Icarus decides to leave the match, but Iron brings him back to the ring. Icarus catches Iron with a neckbreaker on the ropes to get the advantage. Icarus started to work over Iron, and boy was he hated by the crowd. Iron comes back with some knees and a bulldog, but Icarus cuts him off with a back elbow. Icarus picks up Iron in the body slam position, but Iron hits a tornado DDT! Iron gives Icarus repeated slaps and runs wild on him. Icarus sends Iron to the outside, but Iron comes back with chops and slaps. Icarus cuts him off again by sending Iron into the steps. Icarus grabs for a chair, but the ref holds him back from using it. Icarus grabbed a LOADED FANNY PACK from under the ring and knocks out Iron. Icarus is trying to take the countout win. Iron gets back to his feet and crawls into the ring, but Icarus gives him a pedigree: 1…2…IRON KICKS OUT! Icarus went for another pedigree, but Iron escapes and hits repeated forearm shots! Iron gets pumped up and hit a double sledge: 1…2…NO–CRIPPLER CROSSFACE FROM IRON! Icarus rolls through and knocks Iron down. Iron grabs the ref and kicks Iron in the balls. BLUE RAY: 1…2…3!

Well, one heel had to win tonight. The match was the weakest match of the night, but they worked hard. Iron is a very good babyface in peril, and the fans hate Icarus so the atmosphere was enjoyable. I think Iron would be best served being in a tag team in the future.
Match Rating: **1/2

Icarus takes the belt of the referee to whip Iron, but Gran Akuma comes out to make the save! Akuma returned the night before at Cibernetico, and it was pretty clear that most in the crowd half-expected him to save Iron. I wonder why Chikara didn’t just have Akuma make his first return here. Akuma goes for a big kick but Icarus dodges it, and Akuma accidentally kicks Iron’s head off. Akuma was distraught after that. The refs helped Iron to the back as the fans chanted for him

A strange video aired next for a Twitter account: @MysteriumP (that account will follow you back if you follow it by the way). Look out for that character/storyline going into Season 11.

The Spectral Envoy (UltraMantis Black & Hallowicked vs. The BDK (Ares & Tim Donst) [Luchas de Apuestas/No Disqualification]
Wicked and Black will lose their masks if they are the one pinned. Donst will lose his hair and Ares would lose the Eye of Tyr. Ares uses the Eye of Tyr to control Delirious. UltraMantis has been chasing down Ares for a singles re-match for about a year; Ares was only willing to agree to a tag match. Ares has been the default head of the BDK after Claudio left for the WWE.

The BDK jumped the Envoy at the entrance ramp. All four men started brawling around the ring. The Envoy were able to double-team Ares early on as Donst was repeatedly sent to the outside. Wicked went for a suicide dive, but Donst sent him into the barricade in mid-air. The BDK worked over UltraMantis after that. Ares hit a Senton Bomb on Black: 1…2…NO! Donst went to the outside but was met with a Go-To-Sleepy Hallow. Wicked followed that up with a suicide dive on both BDK members. The four men brawled around the ring again after that. The brawl spilled into the crowd. The BDK slammed the Envoy into chairs. Ares went for a Tiger Driver on the stairs, but Black backdropped Ares into about 6 chairs. Crowd was fairly quiet for the match, but they woke up after that spot. Wicked then gave Donst an iconoclasm on a chair (which destroyed the chair): 1…2…NO! Jakob ran in and took out Wicked, but Crossbones ran in to make the save! Crossbones took out Jakob! Donst with a ring bell shot on Wicked: 1…2…NO! Donst then hammered the ring bell on Wicked’s crotch. Wicked came back and sent Donst headfirst into a chair; PRAYINGMANTIS DRIVER FROM UMB: 1…2…ARES MAKES THE SAVE! Tiger Driver on UltraMantis: 1…2…HE KICKS OUT! Ares set up for a Tiger Driver on a chair, but Wicked kicks Ares in the face. Donst decided to leave the match as UltraMantis drives Ares head first into a chair: 1…2…3! THE EYE OF TYR GOES BACK TO ULTRAMANTIS BLACK!

The match got off to a slow start, but once Ares got backdropped into the chairs, the crowd woke up and the match became great fun. I wonder about the future of the BDK now, as Jakob, Ares, and Tursas seem to be the only members left. I kind of see the BDK remaining in some weakened form for 2-3 seasons before returning to their former glory at some point. Sauron style. Also of note, UltraMantis and Wicked now have 3 points, which means they have a tag title shot coming their way.
Match Rating: ***1/4

Mike Quackenbush vs. Eddie Kingston [Chikara Grand Championship]

Bryce Remsburg brings out the Grand Championship for all to see. The belt looks very major league. Gavin Loudspeaker puts over Larry Sweeney before he introduces the main event. Quack has a special ring cape/jacket for the match. Jigsaw came out to support Quack. Kingston hobbles down to the ring with Tommy Dreamer by his side. Kingston sells the knee with every step he takes. Gavin gave each man an epic introduction.

The building is electric. Lock up to start; they end up in the corner and do a clean break. SPORTMANSHIP! Quack went to work on King’s arm to start but he didn’t get too far with that strategy. Quack ran into a spinebuster for an early two count. Quack grabbed King’ bad knee and slammed it into the ring apron, which got some boos from the crowd. King sent Quack to the outside, but Quack was able to again, slam the bad knee into the apron. Back in the ring, Quack went to work on the bad knee. King fought back and locked in a sleeper, but Quack escaped and went back to work on the knee. The crowd was pretty much universally behind Kingston. King kicked Quack away, but the founder of Chikara came right back with chops. Eddie got a sunset flip pin, but Quack rolled through and grabbed a leg lock. King made the ropes, but Quack THUMBED HIM IN THE EYE! THERE GOES THE SPORTSMANSHIP! Quack went right back to work on the knee, as Chikara roster members came down to watch the match at ringside. King gave Quack an inverted atomic drop and used his bad leg to kick Quack. Quack kicked the inside of the bad knee and went right back to work. Quack was trying to lock in a figure four, but the two men started striking each other on the mat. Back to their feet, Kingston delivered a big back suplex and lariat: 1…2…NO! The entire locker room is watching at ringside now. Kingston went for a Backfist, but Quack hit a driver for a nearfall. SWANTON BOMB FROM QUACK: 1…2…NO! Apparently a bunch of old Chikara regulars came down to ringside, but they weren’t shown on screen. Quack got the Lightening Lock on the bad knee, but Kingston crawled and crawled and made the ropes. Kingston missed another Backfist, and Quack hit a Quackendriver Three: 1-HE KICKED OUT AT 1! Quack went for a diving double knee, but Kingston rolled out of the way, and Kingston kicked out Quack’s knees. They both were on the top rope; Kingston got knocked down, but he hit a Backfist to the Future on Quack’s knee. King locked in the Condo Clutch! KINGSTON HAS IT GRAPEVINED! Quack crawls and escapes the hold. “THIS IS WRESTLING!” “CHIKARA” Both men are on their knees and trading strikes. Quack got to his feet first and hit some strikes, but Kingston turned him inside out with a lariat! BACKDROP DRIVER! TIGER SUPLEX! BACKFIST TO THE FUTURE! BACKFIST TO THE FUTRE AGAIN!: 1…2…3!!!!!!!!! The entire arena chants for Eddie Kingston.

A fantastic main event to end the 12 Large Summit, to crown the first Grand Champion, to end the first Chikara iPPV, and most importantly (to the performers anyway), to honor Larry Sweeney. If I am being a little nitpicky, I would say that the match maybe could have used a few more nearfalls, but the submissions were plenty dramatic throughout the match. Kingston is the most logical choice of champion for the promotion. Quack is the more consistent in-ring performer of the two, but Kingston is the biggest home-grown star in the promotion, and he is probably one of the few indie wrestlers who is capable of talking people into buildings.
Match Rating: ****1/4

Friends of Larry Sweeney (Gavin possibly said “brother” and/or “sister,” but I couldn’t understand him, and there have been several different reports of who exactly they were) come down to present Kingston with the belt as the fans chant “SWEET ‘N’ SOUR!” and “LARRY SWEENEY!” Tommy Dreamer wraps the belt around Kingston.

Kingston grabs a microphone and says cut the music. Kingston says that this show was the best wrestling product in the world today. Kingston buries CZW and then dares anyone in New York or the piece of crap Florida promotion to come here. He challenges CM Punk, John Cena, HHH, AJ Styles because “Ain’t no one beating him.” End Scene.

The 411: This was one of my favorite wrestling shows of the year. A lot of other shows have had more great matches, but the storytelling in Chikara is pretty much head and shoulders above everyone else. As a result, the season finales in Chikara feel really special to watch. Even if you have never watched Chikara before, I can still strongly recommend watching this show because it is just so much fun to watch Chikara be Chikara. I myself was rather skeptical about Chikara only a year ago, but the shows are as fun as reported.

Order the replay for this show HERE.

For all your Chikara needs, go to their:
Website
Twitter
Facebook
Youtube Page (with a ton of free matches on the Chikara Podcast-A-Go-Go)

Boss Larry has his own review of the show HERE

411’s Kevin Ford also has two great Chikara resources that you should check out: The Chikara Special Blog and a Chikara Tumblr

My past Chikara interviews:
Ares
UltraMantis Black
Dasher Hatfield
Mike Quackenbush
Johnny Gargano

Thanks everybody for reading! You can send feedback to Twitter or at my email address: [email protected]. If you are a wrestling personality who would like to be interviewed by 411mania, you can also contact me in either of those ways.

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For all of my interviews (like TJ Perkins , Steve Corino , Davey Richards , Jimmy Rave , Joey Ryan , Kyle O’Reilly , AR Fox , etc.) before 411mania, check out my Road to Mania Blog (where I still do stuff like Wrestlemania Build coverage, Wrestling DVD reviews, movie/TV reviews and more).

Clear Eyes. Full Hearts. Can’t Lose.

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TJ Hawke

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