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Friday, November 11, 2011

Chikara: Round Table High Noon Preview

High Noon coming Sunday!
By Chad Smart & Adam Testa


Chikara’s firs Internet Pay Per View is quickly approaching. High Noon emanates from the former ECW Arena in South Philadelphia on November 13 and is available on GoFightLive’s website. For a final look at the show, I’ve enlisted the help of fellow Chikara fanatic and All American Pro Wrestling Director of Brand Awareness, as well as the President of the Tim Donst for President Fan Club; Adam Testa to offer our predictions on what should be the best wrestling show of the month.  In addition, My123Cents founder, Kevin Hunsperger weighs in on the first 3 or 4 matches before conceding he needs to watch more Chikara.


Jigsaw vs. El Generico (Available on Chikara’s UStream channel starting at 3:15 EST)
Adam: This match is a special treat for fans. To see such a fresh, quality match given away from free on the pre-show is a pleasant surprise. Generico has been more of a presence in Chikara this year, and it's nice to see him involved at the biggest show of the year. Unfortunately for the former ROH TV champ, Chikara seems to be building Jigsaw as one of the company's aces.

Chad: Since Generico isn't on the main roster, I'd be inclined to say you put over the company guy and not the visitor, but Generico did win Rey de Voladores with a fantastic match with the 1-2-3 Kid earlier this year. Plus, as you said, he's been in Chikara more this year than normal so really, this could go either way. But I think Jigsaw should win to move him one step closer to a program with the eventual Grand Champion winner.

Kevin: I think the guy in the mask will win.

Final Prediction: Jigsaw


Archibald Peck vs. Colt Cabana
Chad: It's no secret that if allowed I would vote "Marchie" Archie King President of the World. The guy came out of nowhere (at least for me) and has made quite the impression.  The character is picture perfect but isn't just a one-note act. He can wrestle as well.  I feel there's going to a surprise in the Bunny suit, though I can't think of who could be in there. I think with this match having proper build up it should eclipse their match from King of Trios. While conventional wisdom would say Colt Cabana gets his revenge, I have to go with Archibald winning and then proposing to Veronica setting up the greatest wrestling wedding since Macho Man and Elizabeth.

Kevin: That would be entertaining.

Adam: Their King of Trios match was a random, out-of-the-blue comedic masterpiece. As you said, this rematch has at least a couple months' worth of story to it, since Peck has debuted Colt Cabunny as his abused mascot. The other element of the story you're forgetting is that Peck has been to the future (courtesy Eddie Kingston) and brought back his lucky sports almanac. I think some shenanigans from Cabunny (possibly unmasking, as you hinted) and Veronica will give Peck the victory, carrying this feud into 2012. This match will be more serious than their KoT bout but still have that charm only these guys can muster.

Chad: OK. So any thoughts on the identity of the person in the suit?

Adam: I think it's going to be a surprise. The last time Cabunny and his pal CP Munk unmasked, it was Joker from Blackout and Necro Butcher. I can't see either returning in this case, but it could possibly be someone else from Cabana's past. Imagine the mind-blowingness if it were revealed to be his nemesis Matt Classic!

Chad: Yeah, I don't know who would be a logical surprise given the two guys involved. Too bad CM Punk is already back in WWE. Maybe the Sheik to remind Colt who he lost the NWA title to a few months ago.

Adam: I was actually thinking about The Sheik, but it doesn't seem Chikara would go that direction. I guess we'll find out on Sunday...

Final Prediction: Archibald Peck continues being awesome.


Sara Del Rey vs. Jakob Hammermeier
Adam: This match is actually one of those that I'm most excited to see. I was there live in Chicago when Del Ray essentially began her technico turn against Icarus, and seeing her beat the living tar out of someone so hated was an amazing feel. I see the same thing being reciprocated for the Philly fans, as she decimates poor Jakob. There will likely be some BDK interference, but the Queen will reign supreme. I also expect her to be carrying the momentum of a Cibernetico win the night before.

Chad: I think this will be what Bret Hart vs. Vince McMahon should have been with Del Rey unleashing heck on Jakob venting her frustration with the BDK. Jakob will probably get a little offense if Tursas or Delirious get involved. But I don't see Jakob winning. Not to get ahead of myself but I don’t see it being a good night for the BDK.

Adam: Jakob had a blog today (Wednesday) that makes it sound like he has no fear. I don't see this being an even match at all, but it could be a bit of Jakob's coming out party. I won't write him off completely, but yeah, he's going to lose.

Chad: Perhaps he has something up his sleeve that doesn't involve the BDK

Adam: On a stacked card, this is definitely an undercard match, but your point is a valid one.

Final Prediction: Sara will beat the accent out of Jakob


Green Ant vs. Tursas.
Chad: I was surprised Green Ant failed to beat Tursas at Chikarasurus Rex. But I guess it completed the Lex Lugar/Yokozuna storyline. Green Ant has had time to come up with a strategy yet at the same time, in recent videos he seems unsure of himself. I can't think of his recent matches off the top of my head so I don't know what type of momentum he has going into the match. I'm expecting Tursas to eliminate (or help eliminate) Green Ant in the Cibernetico match the night before which will make Green Ant even more unsure. This one's a toss up. On one hand the fans want to see Green Ant pull off the upset and win and Chikara is pretty good at knowing what the best ending to a feud should be. At the same time, who knows where things are going in Season 11 and a Tursas victory could put him in line as a challenger for the Grand Champion title. I'm going with my heart and saying Green Ant fulfills his dream.

Adam: A recent video hinted at Quack teaching Green Ant a new submission move, so I think that will come into play. Whether this is a new variation of the Chikara Special or something new altogether remains to be seen. But as we've seen in the teacher-student matches between those two, Green Ant is a skilled mat technician. Maybe he'll finally learn he he's not going to overpower Tursas, but he's capable of outwrestling him. I think Green Ant will pick up the win with a nifty new submission move.

Final Prediction: Green Ant overcomes the odds with a hard fought victory.


Icarus vs. Gregory Iron
Adam: I first saw Greg Iron on an Absolute Intense Wrestling show, and I was impressed right off the bat. When I saw him compete in Young Lions Cup against Lince Dorado, I knew he'd be a perfect fit in Chikara. He finds himself at the end of this feud with Icarus, which has bordered on the line between awesome and offensive. Iron has had the upper hand throughout, and the Ick-Man is the homegrown star. I'm taking the long shot and picking Icarus to emerge victorious.

Chad: First, I don't know when or where it started, but the fans yelling at Icarus to keep his warm up jacket on to cover his back tattoo is awesome. It's part of the reason why I like independent wrestling. The way Icarus plays off of it is brilliant. Still don't know why Icarus gets no love from the fans. I've only seen Gregory Iron a couple of times and I haven't been THAT impressed. Maybe his cerebral palsy gets in the way of me believing his moves.  Whatever it is, something's missing for me. That said, Icarus is the Chikara veteran while Iron is the newcomer. I can see Iron picking up the win as a means of proving himself to Icarus. With Icarus' F.I.S.T. teammates Chuck Taylor and Johnny Gargagno not in the building, there's little chance of shenanigans to rain on Iron's parade.

Adam: An Iron victory would certainly be a feel-good moment for the iPPV. It makes me question my original call, but I can't see Iron getting the best of Icarus again. This man beat Antonio Ces... err, Claudio Castagnoli in his last Chikara match.

Chad: As long as the audience is mic'ed well so I can hear the fans heckling Icarus, I'll be happy.

Final Predictions: No clear winner except for the fans who love to heckle Icarus


Young Bucks vs. The Colony
Chad: The battle for 3 points and a shot at the Tag Titles is on the line as the Colony (Fire Ant, Soldier Ant) battle the Young Bucks (formerly TNA's Generation Me). I'd seen the Young Bucks at some Pro Wrestling Guerrilla shows before they made their TNA debuts. If TNA would have known how to book a tag team division, Gen Me could have been top contenders. They are currently the PWG tag team champions. Something about the way they've acted since leaving TNA (getting into a Twitter fit with Booker T. And RVD, and mocking them at recent shows) has soured me a bit on the Bucks. I get the impression they think they're bigger stars than they are in the wrestling world. The Colony is a Chikara staple in the tag and trios ranks. Much like Jigsaw/Generico, you have one of Chikara's building blocks taking on a team that only makes sporadic appearances. Normally I'd say the Colony would win, but I've got a feeling the Young Bucks will pull out the upset to put some new blood in the Campeone's challenger role.

Adam: I thought you were going to pick The Colony, but alas we end up with the same choice again. In my opinion, the feud between The Colony and FIST has been played out. Adding another chapter would certainly give us one more excellent match, but I'm more excited for the fresh match-up of the Bucks against FIST. Because of senseless squabbling between Gabe Sapolsky and Ring of Honor, Chikara is the only place that match can happen in the foreseeable future. The real upside of it? We get another Chikara "dream match" en route, as these two exciting teams square off Sunday.

Final Prediction: The Young Bucks move into title contention. Now can you dig that, sucka?


Spectral Envoy vs. BDK (Mask vs. Mask vs. Eye of Tyr vs. Hair)
Adam: There's nothing quite like the smell of luchas de apuestas in the morning. This match has so much going on that it's hard to talk about. Hallowicked and "The Man" Tim Donst have a long-standing feud, as do UltraMantis Black and Ares. Things go to heck and back when they compete Sunday. Mantis and Wicked have put their masks on the line against Donst's hair and Ares' Eye of Tyr. Mantis and Wicked also enter this No DQ match with two points, meaning if they win, not only will they take a prize from one of their opponents, but they'll also have three points to challenge FIST in 2012. I, for one, see Mantis and Wicked coming out on top, with Ares eating the pinfall. I don't think Mantis will have long to celebrate, however, as Sinn Bodhi (mysterious by his absence as of late) will likely appear and somehow walk out of The Arena with the Eye in his possession. The question, though, is what becomes of Delirious?

Chad: This match looks to be a chaotic whirlwind of destrucity . While I thought the formation of the BDK was awesome, the use of Ares was kind of head scratching as he's not a name in the American independent scene so I don't know how many fans knew who he was or what his connection to Claudio was when he was unmasked. From what I've seen this year, Ares feels like an odd man out on the Chikara and BDK roster. I like your assessment of Ares losing the Eye of Tyr only to have Kizarny emerge to steal it. I was going to say I don't see either Mantis or Hallowicked losing their masks as I feel it would ruin their characters unlike when Icarus and Gran Akuma lost theirs. I was leaning towards Donst losing his awesome hair, but the more I think about it, I see Ares losing and Donst kicking him out of the BDK taking over the group, or forming a new group.  2012 should be the year of Archibald Peck and Tim Donst can hang around just below him.

Adam: I can absolutely see this being Ares' swansong in Chikara. As you said, he's always been the odd-man-out, and his personal life has kept him from being overly involved this year. I can see Donst being the No. 2 rudo next year, but I don't have Peck above him; we'll come to that revelation in a bit. But Donst as the leader of a small pack of BDK remnants seems like smart booking. I think he will lead Tursas and Jakob into the future, while the rest of the group essentially disintegrates around him.

Chad: I don't have Peck as numero uno rudo, I just have him as Supreme Awesome Master Blaster.

Final Prediction: Nice knowing you Ares. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.


Osirian Portal announcement.
CHAD: I don't know the extent of Amasis' injuries so I see this going one of two ways. Amasis’ injuries are so severe he has to retire and he tries to put over Ophidian who turns on him and walks out. Or, Amasis announces he's ready to come back and the Portal will be better than ever. Ophidian then says Amasis wasn't there for him while he's been on a loosing streak and Ophidian doesn't need Amasis anymore. Ophidian then attacks Amasis, leaving him lying while Ophidian slithers out of the arena .

Adam: I'm not sure I see an Ophidian rudo turn coming out of this. Things have certainly been appearing that way, with his new aggressive attitude, especially toward Sugar Dunkerton (maybe he's just a playa hater). Part of me thinks this is a way for good ol' Wink to resurface, once again trying to make life miserable for his friend Ophidian.

Chad: Wonder why Wink isn't around more. Chikarason was always there sticking his nose in where it didn't belong.

Adam: Wink is a dirty man. Too bad he's not old to complete that triumverate. But anyway, he's lurking in the background, plotting his next move. People were so quick to jump on the Wink bandwagon after the Dieter era, but they may have acted too quickly. I think Wink still has something in store for old Snakeface, and it may or may not involve the return of one Heiracon.

Chad: I think it would be awesome if Dave Coulier was in the house on Sunday to present the Grand Champion title to the winner. Speaking of which, your thoughts on the main event.


Eddie Kingston vs. Mike Quackenbush
Adam: The main event is where things get interesting. From the build-up of the 12 Large Summit announcement, it seemed painstakingly obvious the finale would come down to Castagnoli versus Kingston, but Johnny Ace went and screwed that one up for everyone. So now we've got Quack vs. King. First, let me say the build to this match has been tremendous, and both men have done great promoting it. But as for the match itself? The real winners will be the fans, as these two won't hold anything back. But who walks out the champ? At this point, it almost seems too cliché for King to win. He's run a gambit of who's who on the indy circuit this season and is going into the match with a bum knee, courtesy Vin Gerard. Quack, on the other hand, has demonstrated his ability to work an opponent's knee (just ask Sara Del Ray) and has been showing a bit more ruthlessness. Both men are fighting on the technico side of things... for now. I see that ending at High Noon, and King isn't the one headed back to the dark side. Too many people say Quack is the epitome of a technico for him to turn rudo, and that's precisely why I see it happening. Quack will turn on his student, unleashing a darker side to his personality previously unseen. When his friend Jigsaw confronts him, he'll take him out, too, setting up his first challenger for 2012. The winner, your inaugural Grand Champion and a newly christened rudo, Mike Quackenbush.

Chad: You stole my comment about the real winner of this match being the fans. Chikara wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Quack and I can't see Quack "mailing it in" for this match.  Eddie is the "Last of a Dying Breed" who wants to prove himself. His promo on the Chikara youtube page gave me shivers. It did exactly what a promo should do. It made me want to see the match. I can make a cause for either man to win the match. I don't know if I see your outcome happening, though I wouldn't be opposed to it. This match is too close to call. With Tommy Dreamer in Kingston's corner, I can see the feel good ending happening. While I’ve said Quack winning would be akin to Triple H or Jeff Jarrett winning the titles, Quack with the title wouldn't be THAT bad. After all Chikara has achieved in it's ten years, Quack is as deserving of the title as anyone on the roster. I'm going to stick with my original thought and say Kingston wins just because that's what I want to see.

Adam: A Kingston victory just seems too obvious to me, and I think they're going to want to do something special with this match. The only way I see King winning is through interference from the BDK. Not in the sense they help him, but rather they try to interfere in the match against both men, and when the sky is cleared, Kingston capitalizes and scores the pinfall on Quack.

Chad: You know the best thing about this match? The ending isn't predictable and any outcome makes sense and can kick start a series of events for Season 11. So really I see no way for this match to be disappointing. Unless John CenAnt shows up.

Adam: John CenAnt for the win! And by now people think we've gone completely insane. Which when you follow Chikara like we do, is in fact entirely possible.

Chad: Yes, but it's a good insanity not a "pull you hair out insanity" caused by other promotions. As I said in my blog about Eddie Kingston, High Noon is the most anticipated I've been for a show in 13 years. I really don't think this show can disappoint. Even if it's a mediocre show, a mediocre Chikara show is better than a  great TNA show and on par with the best WWE show. Hopefully people will give Chikara a chance. I will be curious to hear feedback for the show.

Adam: That's exactly it. Even when Chikara puts out a mediocre product, which doesn't happen often, it still feels special. There's not a single match on the High Noon card that seems like a low point. Every match offers something special, something different. It won't be three hours of the same style match. Del Ray vs. Jakob will be a slaughter fest. Bucks vs. Colony will be an indyrific spot fest. King vs. Quack will tell a beautiful story. This is not a show to miss. Whether someone is member of the Chikararmy or not even a wrestling fan, this show has something for everyone.

Chad: Exactly. Variety is important to wrestling shows. In addition to every match being a good match up, they all have long running story line implications. There's no match that was thrown on just to get it on the show. Sure there are several wrestlers I'd like to see make an appearance, but hopefully they'll be on the next Ippv.

Adam: Hopefully there IS a next iPPV. Chikara has been the last holdout of the major indy companies, and Quack said he wanted to make sure to do it right. Now it's up to the fans to buy into the media and the show to prove it's a worthwhile venture. If this proves successful, we may find ourselves with King of Trios in the same format next year.

There you have it, two loyal Chikarmy members thoughts on High Noon.  For information on how to order the show, click here. If you’ve never seen Chikara, or if you’re tired of the same old same old WWE and TNA put out week after week, I highly recommend you check out this show.

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