Views from the Hawke’s Nest: Free Matches of Chikara Part 3

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

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

Mike Quackenbush vs. Tim Donst from Cibernetico & Robin 2007

This was the first singles match between Mike Quackenbush and Tim Donst; it was labeled as a student vs. teacher match. Donst was 19 years old at the time, and this was only his fifth singles match according to the commentators. Apparently he had recently been killed by Kingston and Brodie Lee already but had defeated Alex “Sugartits” Payne.

These two (surprisingly!) start out on the mat. Quack went for La Magistral Cradle at one point, but Donst managed to counter with a side headlock. That reads much less cool than it looked. Quack actually cut Donst off with a sole butt and a knee to the face. Quack put Donst in some painful looking holds after that. Donst was being picked apart. Donst avoided the shotgun knees in the corner, and then Donst hit a STO. Donst hit a nasty spinning neckbreaker! That was sick. They got to their feet and traded some strikes. Quack hit a delayed vertical Scorpion Deathdrop: 1…2…NO! Donst came back with a bridging back suplex: 1…2…NO! Quack hit a sunset flip and then transitioned into a Chikara Special! DONST TAPS OUT!

This was a fun, but short match that made Donst look competitive. However, the story was that while Donst was talented, he was most definitely not at the level of his trainer, Mike Quackenbush. This was an early look at Tim Donst, and it’s a match you definitely watch if you are a fan of his.
Match Rating: ***

FIST (Chuck Taylor, Gran Akuma, & Icarus) vs. The Future is Now [Helios (Ricochet), Equinox (Jimmy Olsen) & Lince Dorado] from King of Trios 2009

This was the semifinals of the 2009 King of Trios. Earlier in the show, Team Uppercut (Bryan Danielson, Claudio Castagnoli, and Dave Taylor) had already won their semi0final match. Ricochet was under a mask and called Helios at this point. Jimmy Olsen was also under a mask and called Equinox. I’ll refer to them in the recap by their names in the match. Icarus had really long hair.

Helios and Akuma started out. Helios sent him to the floor and then faked him out with a 619 attempt. Icarus and Lince tagged in. Lince sent him to the floor and hit a diving hurricanrana from the ring apron. Quinox and Chuck Taylor went in next. FIST managed to isolate Equinox. Akuma got a single leg crab on Equinox. That didn’t finish Equinox, but FIST continued to isolate him and work him over. Equinox came back with some big strikes on Taylor. Equinox forced himself to the floor (a tag under lucha rules). Helios tagged in and tore through FIST with some fantastic offense. He hit a no-hands somersault plancha over the the turnbuckle on Akuma. Lince wiped out Icarus with a suicide dive. Future is Now hit stereo dropkicks on Taylor, but Akuma made the save. Icarus and Akuma hit a flapjack/ace crusher double team move on Helios: 1…2…NO! FIST hit stereo kicks to Helios in the corner: 1…2…NO! Equinox hit Taylor with a standing shooting star press: 1…2…NO! CHIKARA SPECIAL FROM EQUINOX! Akuma drills Equinox with three big kicks to the chest to break up the hold. Lince hit Akuma with a standing one man Spanish Fly! Lince then hit Icarus with a tornado DDT! 650 from HELIOS! Icarus started to pretend that he was really injured, which distracted Bryce Remsburg. Taylor then low blowed Helios and hit the Awful Waffle: 1…2…3!

This was so much fun. Everyone was on top of their game here, and they delivered one of my favorite Chikara matches to rewatch, over and over again. I can’t recommend that you watch this match enough.
Match Rating: ***3/4

Brüderschaft des Kreuzes (Claudio Castagnoli, Ares, & Tursas) vs. Perros del Mal (El Oriental, Alebrije, & Cuije) from Chikara’s King of Trios 2010

Claudio and Oriental started out. Ares tried to double team him, but Oriental managed to do some armdrags and hurricanranas to take them down. Alebrije and Tursas tagged in. Tursas just shoved him to the floor, and then no sold the strikes from Alebrije. Tursas gave him a body slam. Claudio tagged in and tried for a body slam, but Cuije pinched his butt to block it. Alebrije and Cuije doubled teamed Ares, until Tursas came back in and took out Alebrije. The BDK then triple teamed Alebrije. Cuije kicked them all, but Claudio just picked him up and put him in the corner. Tursas then gave Cuije a big boot to the chest. Ouch. Oriental came back and took out Claudio for a moment. Cuije tried to stop them again, but it did no good. Alebrije sent Ares and Claudio to the floor and wiped them out with a suicide dive. Oriental took everyone out with a moonsault to the floor. That left Tursas and Cuije in the ring. Tursas picked him up and teased throwing him in the crowd. Tursas then just booted him in the chest, and then hit a body splash: 1…2…3!

This match was fun, and I think it serves as a great advertisement for the diversity and fun that King of Trios offers every year. I’m surprised that the BDK didn’t get much more offense (so as to serve the major story of the season), but it worked out well for this match.
Match Rating: **3/4

Mascarita Dorada vs. Pierrothito from the 2009 Young Lions Cup

These two actually wrestled against each other the night before in Chikara as well. I believe Skayde and Turbo no-showed that event that caused these two to have to wrestle each other twice in a row. The rudo won that match.

Pierrothito mocked Dorada for his size. Pierrothito used a Mexican Surfboard early, but Dorada escaped. They were actually trading some holds and pinfalls early, with neither man getting a real advantage. Dorada hit a vertical suplex, which got a big pop. Cue the fucking crazy lucha. Dorada sent Pierrothito to the floor with a great headscissors, and he then wiped him out with a somersault plancha. Back in the ring, Dorada hit a missile dropkick and a Best Moonsault Ever. Dorada went for a double jump moonsault, but Pierrothito got his knees up. The rudo started to get the heat after that. Pierrothito got a nearfall with a fisherman suplex. Dorada came back with a few kicks and a springboard headbutt. Dorada sent Pierrothito to the floor with an another amazing headscissors, and he then hit a diving hurricanrana to the floor. Back in the ring, Dorada did some more amazing offense. Words can’t describe it. Dorada eventually won with a fancy pinning combination.

Watch this match. Mascarita Dorada is amazing. Pierrothito isn’t as flashy but he proved to be an excellent base for Dorada.
Match Rating: ***1/2

Pinkie Sanchez vs. Soldier Ant from The Germans 2011

Pinkie was undercover in the Colony for a while as Carpenter Ant. So there is a lot of bitterness here.

Soldier pulls off Pinkie’s ant mask early and throws it in his face. Huge brawl to start the match. Pinkie hit a shotgun kick, but Soldier Ant came back with a hard kick to the chest. Pinkie cut him off with a hot shot. Soldier came back with some knife-edge chops. They traded some running forearms. They both fell to the mat after bumping heads. They struggle to their feet, trading strikes. Pinkie fell into the corner, and Soldier Ant hit a running saluting headbutt. Pinkie locked in a guillotine, but Soldier Ant drove him into a corner to break it up. Pinkie then hit the Burning Snickelfritz: 1…2…NO!!!! WHAT! Pinkie freaks out. Pinkie goes for a second, but Soldier Ant escapes and hits a discus forearm: 1…2…NO! Soldier Ant hits a Fireman Carry Stunner and then locks in the Chikara Special! PINKIE TAPS!

This was a nice opener for this Chikara show. Soldier seems to not get as many opportunities as his fellow Colony members to do singles matches, but he showed that he was more than capable of good performances here. Pinkie looked good as usual.
Match Rating: ***

Chuck Taylor vs. Fire Ant from Cibernetico: The Animated Series 2011

Fire jumped Taylor with a somersault plancha. Taylor recovered and the two long time rivals brawled around the ring before the match even started. They finally ended up back in the ring, with Taylor in firm control. Taylor was in a match-long shouting match with two 12 year old girls at ringside. It was awesome. Fire Ant came back with a tornado DDT and a Springboard Plancha to the floor. Both men rolled back into the ring, and Fire Ant hit a brainbuster for a nearfall. Chuck came back with a Buckle Razor’s Edge. Chuck lock in a Single Crab, but Fire Ant was able to make the ropes. Chuck went for a suplex, but Fire Ant reversed it into a stunner. Fire Ant avoided an Awful Waffle and got a kneeling frog press: 1…2…3!

Very fun match with a great environment. I would love to see these two get to do a long main event in 2012. While FIST and The Colony have been having classic tag matches for years, I thought these two showed here how much they had improved as singles guys in this match when you compare it to their singles match from 2008.
Match Rating: **3/4

The 411: There are a few gems here. If you have never given Chikara a try, I highly suggest that you check out that six man tag between FIST and The Future is Now. This collection also spotlights the variety of talent that make up Chikara's regular roster and guest stars. Not too many promotions are willing to bring in the likes of Mascarita Dorada and let him do his thing. If you want to sample Chikara some more, check out the Chikara page at FreeProWrestling.com.

Final Score:  6.8   [ Average ]