RADICAN’S CHIKARA DVD REVIEW SERIES
CHIKARASAURUS REX KING OF SEQUEL: NIGHT 2
JULY 31, 2011
PHILADELPHIA, PA.

Makoto cut a promo backstage in Japanese hyping her match against Tsukasa Fujimoto. Fujimoto cut a promo in broken English. She said she’s the Ice Ribbon Champion.

Both men wrestle out of the Ice Ribbon promotion in Japan. The fans threw streamers for Makoto. Fujimoto came out to a nice reaction as well and got a lot of streamers. ROH referee Paul Turner has apparently made his way to CHIKARA, as he’s the ref for this match.

1 - - MAKOTO vs. TSUKASA FUJIMOTO

Makoto hit a big boot early, but Fujimoto fired back with a series of dropkicks. Fujimoto humbled Makoto with a camel clutch, but let go for no reason. Makoto happily got to her feet and nailed Fujimoto with a big boot. She then locked in a nasty headscissors submission while holding an arm bar, but Fujimoto got the ropes. Fujimoto fired back with a step-up cross body off the top. She went up top again, but Makoto tossed her to the mat. Makoto went up top, but Fujimoto booted her to the floor. Fujimoto then hit a dive off the top to the floor and the crowd popped. Fujimoto fired back and hit a standing summersault senton for a nearfall. She followed up with an arm trap submission. Fujimoto eventually fought her way free. Both women are very flexible when it comes to escaping submissions.

Fujimoto hit a 619 for a nearfall. Makoto ducked an enzuguri and hit a cartwheel into a kneedrop for a nearfall. Both men exchanged big strikes in the middle of the ring. Makoto ate a dropkick as Fujimoto fired up. She nailed Makoto with a series of kicks and then a running kick for a nearfall. Fujimoto went up top and hit a big missile dropkick, but Makoto kicked out again. Fujimoto hit a step-up enzuguri for the pin.

Winner: Tsukasa Fujimoto

Star rating: (*3/4) – Both women are clearly talented, but they didn’t sell anything to the point where the pinfall came and I couldn’t believe that was the finish. The crowd was pleased, so maybe I’m not used to the style yet.

Archibald Peck cut a promo backstage with Veronica. He said you don’t want to see Veronica when she’s angry. He referred to an incident with a recreational sphere owned by Sugar Dunkerton. Peck said she was upset until Peck explained things to her. Peck stopped himself when he noticed he was talking with his hands. He said tonight he knew what was going to go down thanks to his sports almanac. He said he would beat Hatfield and it wouldn’t be a strikeout, but the sound of Hatfield getting pinned.

The crowd chanted for Peck and Hatfield prior to their match. Peck tried to hit Hatfield with his glove and hit the ref instead.

2 - - ARCHIBALD PECK (w/Veronica) vs. DASHER HATFIELD

Hatfield tried to roll up Peck from behind while he argued with the ref to start the match. The announcers put over the big-time atmosphere for the show while the ref checked Peck. Peck kicked the ref while he checked him in the corner and pretended it was an accident. Hatfield hit a series of arm drags to start the match. Peck tried to fire back, but Hatfield tossed him to the mat. Hatfield has added some muscle mass in recent months and is getting into really good shape. Hatfield tied up Peck and gave him a wet willie. That was funny. Peck countered Hatfield and drove him into the turnbuckles. Peck marched around the ring and hit the ref again. Peck looked upset as the crowd chanted for a DQ. Peck hilariously slid under the ring and tried to hide so the ref wouldn’t know what hit him. The ref yelled at Peck, who pointed at a fan and said he had hit him. He then told the ref Hatfield hit him. Hatfield nailed Peck with a dropkick to the outside. You’ll only see stuff like this in CHIKARA.

Hatfield went up top, but Peck tossed him to the mat and put the boots to him. Peck went to the second turnbuckle and dropped an elbow for a 2 count. The crowd rallied behind Hatfield, but Peck nailed him with a backbreaker. Peck signaled for the finish and went up top. He went for a flying headbutt, but Hatfield grabbed him on the way down and drove him into the canvas. Hatfield hit several baseball style strikes, but only got a 2 count. Hatfield locked Peck in an arm submission and gave him a wegie, but the ref asked him to release the hold. Veronica nailed Hatfield with a shot with the baton. The ref didn’t see it. Peck followed up with an inverted styles clash for the pin.

Winner: Archibald Peck

Star rating – (**1/2) This was a really funny match with Peck’s antics. He constantly cheats and gets away with it and the crowd hates him for it. You’ll only see funny stuff like this in CHIKARA.

Mima Shimoda was introduced as hailing from the CMLLL promotion. She got a nice reaction and some streamers from the crowd. Haze drew some boos coming out, as she’s part of the B.D.K. heel stable. Haze looks really lean right now.

3 - - DAIZEE HAZE vs. MIMA SHIMODA

Shimoda offered a handshake and then kicked Haze right in the gut. Shimoda went up top, but Haze kicked her to the outside and nailed her with a top rope splash. The announcers said this was Shimoda’s first match in America. Haze nailed Shimoda with a headscissors takedown back inside the ring and put the boots to her in the corner. Shimoda fired back and tossed Haze throat-first over the top rope. She then chocked Haze against the bottom rope. Shimoda locked up Haze in a leg submission in the middle of the ring. She then let go of the hold and pulled Haze’s hair. Shimoda isn’t coming across as very sympathetic using all these cheap tactics. Shimoda tossed Haze down to the mat and choked her with some tassels.

Shimoda locked in a half-crab at a really nasty-looking angle, but Haze escaped with a rollup attempt that Shimoda countered into a rollup of her own for a 2 count. Shimoda then worked Haze’s arm on the mat, but Haze got the ropes. The crowd clapped as Haze made a comeback. Haze hit a running kick and a big ace crusher variation for a nearfall. Haze hit a tornado DDT off the turnbuckle moments later for another nearfall. Haze went behind Shimoda and hit a German with a bridge for a 2 count. Shimoda blocked a heart punch. She hit a German and a kick to the head for a nearfall. Both men exchanged chops in the middle of the ring. Shimoda missed a rollup, but hit a series of kicks to Haze’s head for another nearfall. Haze then kicked out of a double underhook suplex with a bridge and the crowd clapped. Both women fought on the turnbuckles, but Haze rolled up Shimoda and held the tight for the pin.

After the match, Shimoda attacked Haze and tossed a chair right at her head. Haze slumped to the floor with the chair wrapped around her head. The ref ended up carrying her to the back.

Winner: Daizee Haze

Star rating: (**1/2) – This was a solid match. Some of the timing seemed off and they did a lot of nearfalls down the stretch, but overall this was an enjoyable match to watch. I don’t think it’s ever a good idea to toss a chair at someone’s head as Shimoda did after the match. There’s just too much danger involved when it comes to concussion issues.

The Spectral Envoy and Team 3 Point Ole! got big reactions coming out.

4 - - THE SPECTRAL ENVOY (Frightmare & Hallowicked & UltraMantis Black) vs. TEAM 3 POINT OLE! (El Generico & Scott Parker & Shane Matthews)

Parker and Black started the match. Parker took him down with a leg lariat after both men traded moves. Black and Parker came to a stalemate, which brought in Generico and Hallowicked. The crowd was hot for Generico. Frightmare worked Generico’s arm, but Generico countered and grabbed a headlock. Both men continued to exchange holds. The action really picked up and Generico took down Hallowicked with his signature arm drag. Hallowicked fired back with a spear in the corner. He tossed Generico off the top to the mat and nailed him with a running knee in the corner.

Matthews tagged himself into the match. He’s wearing some hideous looking tights that are red with tiger stripes. I think he stole them from Bret Michaels’s closet. Hallowicked went to work on Matthews after nailing him with a big clothesline. Matthews fired back with a headscissors takedown. Black ran right into the ring and took a headscissors as well. Frightmare came in and hit Matthews with a headscissors takedown. The action is just too rapid-fire to keep track of right now with the Lucha rules allowing men to run in and out of the ring anytime someone goes under the bottom rope.

The action settled down once Hallowicked got cut off. Generico hit a gorgeous split-legged moonsault on Jigsaw for a nearfall and the crowd chanted for Generico. Matthews tagged in as Hallowicked continued to take a beating inside the ring away from his own corner. 3.0 hit a series of double team maneuvers on Hallowicked capped by a double team elbow for a 2 count. Hallowicked fired back with a powerbomb and eventually made the tag. Black came into the ring and ran wild. Black hit a big running clothesline on Parker for a nearfall. The crowd chanted for Black as he continued to work over Parker. Parker countered Hallowicked and tagged in Generico, who took out Black and Frightmare with a big running kick. He then kicked Frightmare off the apron.

Generico hit a big cross body off the top on Black. He followed with a blue thunder powerbomb on Black for nearfall. Hallowicked ran in and hit go to sleepy hallow on Generico, but Parker and Matthews broke it up. Hallowicked sent 3.0 to the outside and wiped them both out with a dive through the ropes and the crowd roared. Generico then hit a springboard moonsault to wipe out everyone on the outside. Frightmare followed up with a flip dive over the top to take out Generico. Donst then came out and nailed Frightmare with a chairshot to the ribs. The B.D.K came out, but Parker, Matthews, and Hallowicked held them off. Back inside the ring, Black nailed Generico with a double underhook DDT for the win.

Winners: UltraMantis Black & Frightmare & Hallowicked

Star rating: (***1/2) – This match featured some fantastic action. They built to some nice nearfalls down the stretch and the crowd was hot. The match was getting really good when the B.D.K. came out and interfered in the match. If you like very good Six Man Tag matches with hot crowds, you’ll enjoy this match. I just wish the interference hadn’t prevented the match from going to another level.

Chuck Taylor & Johnny Gargano were out next to face a mystery tag team. In CHIKARA Taylor & Gargano are known as F.I.S.T. They were roundly booed when they made their entrance. The Director of Fun came out to draw a random team to face Taylor & Gargano. He drew Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson first, but they weren’t there. They drew Atlantis & Rey Bucanero next. The ref backstage and they actually came out. The crowd didn’t react at all to them coming out, which was disappointing.

5 - - F.I.S.T. (Chuck Taylor & Johnny Gargano) vs. REY BUCANERO & ATLANTIS

Bucanero got the better of an exchange with Gargano during the early stages of the match. The announcers put over Bucanero & Atlantis as huge international stars. Atlantis went at it with Gargano. He took Gargano down and locked in a leg submission. Bucanero let go of the submission and went to work on Gargano’s arm. No heat for this match during the early going. Bucanero switched to an arm bar, but Gargano got the ropes. Gargano countered and locked in an arm submission on Atlantis. Gargano whipped Atlantis into the ropes where Taylor nailed him with a kick from the apron before Gargano finished him off with a clothesline. Taylor tagged in and appeared to knock heads with Atlantis, so he tagged Gargano back into the ring. Gargano & Taylor took down Atlantis before doing a dance and putting the boots to him.

Atlantis got booted into his corner and tagged in Bucanero, who immediately got cut off by a neck breaker/running knee combination from F.I.S.T. Taylor raked Bucanero’s eyes while the ref was distracted. They’ve got to do something to get the crowd into the match. Atlantis tagged into the match, but got cut off. Atlantis hit a cross body onto both members of F.I.S.T. Atlantis went to work on Gargano and the crowd finally began clapping. Gargano hit a series of punches on Atlantis, who fired back and sent Gargano into Taylor.

Atlantis hit a backbreaker on Taylor before tagging in Bucanero, who hit a springboard elbow to the back. Bucanero hit a big clothesline on Taylor, but Gargano caught him with a spear from the ropes. Taylor followed up with a springboard moonsault for a 2 count. Atlantis draped Gargano over his knees and Bucanero hit a corkscrew splash off the top. Gargano made the save at the last second. Gargano fired back with a bulldog and charged the corner, but Bucanero got his boot up. Gargano accidentally hit Taylor on the apron. Atlantis hit a slam moments later, but Taylor broke it up. Atlantis and Gargano ended up alone in the ring. Gargano faked like he had been hit in the groin and the ref called for the DQ.

Winners: Chuck Taylor & Johnny Gargano

Star rating: (*) – That was one of the most boring matches I can recall seeing in recent memory. The crowd didn’t react at all for Atlantis & Bucanero and were silent throughout most of the match. F.I.S.T. earned their third point and a shot at the tag titles with the win.

6 - - JIGSAW vs. EDDIE KINGSTON – 12 Large Summit match (Block B)

The announcers put over CHIKARA’s iPPV debut. I think they should post the updated standings for the 12 Large Summit before each tournament match. Jigsaw caught Kingston with a basement dropkick right out of an arm drag to get the upper hand. Kingston fired back a short time later with a DDT for a 2 count. Kingston went after Jigsaw’s injured arm, as he had just returned to action after three months. Kingston continued to work the arm. Kingston continued to go after Jigsaw’s arm in the corner. Kingston slammed Jigsaw’s arm across the turnbuckle cable and he spilled to the outside. Kingston followed up with a dive through the ropes and the crowd chanted for him.

Kingston slammed Jigsaw’s arm on the ringpost and tossed him into the ring, but Jigsaw caught him with a dropkick. Jigsaw went after Kingston’s leg and stomped it against the bottom rope. Kingston tried to fire back with a sleeper, but Jigsaw escaped and swept his leg. The crowd has been dead for a lot of the action here. Jigsaw hit a huge chop in the corner and went back to work on his leg in the corner. Kingston no-sold a couple of kicks and told Jigsaw to bring it. Jigsaw nailed him with kicks and strikes. He nailed Kingston with a pair of superkicks, but Kingston kicked out and the crowd roared for that sequence.

Jigsaw hit a dropkick in the corner and then a suplex. Jigsaw followed up with a springboard doublestomp that sent Kingston to the outside. He then hit a flip dive to wipe out Kingston and the crowd applauded. Vin Gerard came down to ringside, but Jigsaw wiped him out with a superkick. Kingston fired back with a suplex, but only got a 2 count. Kingston locked in an arm submission, but Jigsaw fought his way free. Jigsaw ducked a back fist and hit a German for a 2 count. Jigsaw nailed Kingston with a kick, but Kingston caught him with a double underhook suplex. Kingston followed up with a lariat, but Jigsaw kicked out at the last second. The crowd chanted for both men as they recovered on the mat.

Kingston lit up Jigsaw with machinegun chops in the corner. Kingston signaled for the end, but Jigsaw caught him with a series of superkicks. He then hit a big doublestomp off the top, but Kingston kicked out and the crowd chanted “Eddie, Eddie.” Kingston hit a back fist and then a high-angle suplex. Kingston then hit a sliding forearm for a nearfall and the crowd popped big. Jigsaw ducked a back fist and hit the Jig N’ Tonic, but Kingston kicked out. The crowd chanted for Kingston again with both men down on the mat. Both men traded blows from their knees. They then traded slaps to the face and the crowd roared as both men spilled to the mat again. Both men got up and traded enzuguri kicks. Jigsaw and Kingston pulled themselves to their feet on opposite sides of the ring. Kingston hit a big chop. Jigsaw and Kingston then traded kicks to the head. Jigsaw went up top and went for a coast-to-coast dropkick, but Kingston got out of the way. Kingston hit a running kick in the corner. He then hit a series of suplexes. Kingston hit a third suplex for the pin.

Winner: Eddie Kingston

Star rating: (***1/2) – These guys deserve a lot of credit. The crowd was dead as could be during the first half of the match, but they told a good story in the ring and pulled the crowd into the match by the end. I really enjoyed the second half of this match, as both men traded good nearfalls and hard strikes down the stretch after setting up the hot finish with submission work.

After the match, Kingston and Jigsaw held up a CHIKARA robe as the fans chanted “CHIKARA, CHIKARA.”

Colt Cabana cut a promo backstage. He said to remember where you were when you heard about two of the biggest legends in wrestling, Saint and Kidd, came over from England to America. He said Saint and Kidd defined a generation of pro wrestling. Cabana said a new generation had learned their style of wrestling. Cabana said he wasn’t looking to hurt anyone. He said he was looking at great hold for hold wrestling. He said Cabana & Kidd would win.

Cabana and Kidd got a good reception making their entrance. Quackenbush and Saint were out next and got a nice ovation as well. Saint got a big ovation and some streamers. The crowd took to Saint like a real star when he got his individual announcement.

7 - - MIKE QUACKENBUSH & JOHNNY SAINT vs. COLT CABANA & JOHNNY KIDD

The crowd chanted “this will be awesome” before the opening bell. Cabana and Quackenbush started the match. Cabana went after Quackenbush’s arm. They traded counters on the mat. Quackenbush got a headscissors and Cabana had a hard time bridging out of it. Cabana finally slipped out and the crowd applauded. They continued to go hold for hold on the mat. Cabana caught Quackenbush with a body scissors. Quackenbush struggled to escape as the crowd clapped. Quackenbush finally escaped, but ran right into another body scissor submission. Quackenbush countered the hold into a leg stretch. Now it was Cabana’s turn to try to escape. He finally escaped, but Quackenbush put him right back in the hold.

Both men got their legs tangled and the ref finally broke them apart as the crowd applauded. Saint tagged in and the crowd went nuts. Cabana locked him in a full-nelson, but Saint escaped and sent Cabana spilling to the mat in the process. Cabana locked in a chinlock and Saint once again found a way to escape. Cabana countered the arm submission and tagged in Kidd. Kidd and Saint did some chain wrestling. Kidd locked in a leg scissors submission. Kidd began to try to find an escape route. Saint finally rose up and slid out of the hold. Kidd charged at Saint, who took him right down with a slick arm drag. Kidd locked in an abdominal stretch, but Saint escaped. Kidd went for another submission, but Saint simply rolled out of it.

Saint did an incredible counter to a straightjacket submission. Kidd immediately countered and reapplied the hold. Saint finally escaped and applied the stranglehold on Kidd. Kidd immediately countered and applied the hold again. Saint escaped and the crowd applauded. Saint countered Kidd and locked in a nasty chinlock with his knees on Kidd’s back, but Kidd escaped immediately and went after Saint’s arm. This is a ridiculously cool style of wrestling. Kidd and Saint appeared to be smiling as they exchanged holds. Cabana tagged into the match and went to work on Saint’s arms on the mat.

Cabana and Saint exchanged nearfalls out of a sunset slip from Cabana. They got each other in a double pinning submission for several nearfalls and the crowd applauded. Did I say how fantastic this is? The fans chanted “Wrestling, wrestling.” Saint took Cabana down and went after his leg. Cabana countered it into a body scissors submission. The crowd applauded as Saint tried to escape. Saint maneuvered around on the mat and finally popped out of the submission. Quackenbush tagged in and went at it with Cabana before sending him to the outside.

Cabana went after Quackenbush’s arm before tagging in Kidd. Kidd tried to whip Quackenbush into the corner, but he sat down. The pace picked up as both men traded counters and came to a stalemate. The crowd chanted “this is wrestling” as Quackenbush and Kidd exchanged holds. Kidd used his legs to stretch Quackenbush’s legs. Quackenbush tried to find a way to escape the hold as the crowd watched on in silent appreciation. Quackenbush finally rolled out and the crowd applauded. Kidd immediately took Quackenbush down again. He tried to escape, but fell flat on his face. Quackenbush applied the same leg submission and Kidd easily escaped.

Cabana tagged into the match and took Quackenbush down to the mat. Quackenbush managed to escape Colt’s submission and both men tagged out. Saint tied himself up in the rubix cube. Kidd fell for it and Saint caught him in a pinning combination for a 2 count. The crowd applauded as Saint applied an abdominal stretch on Kidd. Saint switched it to an octopus submission. The ref asked if Kidd wanted to submit and Kidd let him out. The announcers pointed out the good sportsmanship between both men. Cabana tagged in and tricked Saint by asking for a test of strength before sweeping his legs. Both men traded counters. Saint went for a Boston crab, but Cabana tagged in Kidd. The crowd applauded as both men locked up. Kidd ended up close to the corner after they locked up and Quackenbush tagged in. Kidd applied a chinlock on Quackenbush. Quackenbush countered and eventually locked in a reverse surfboard. Kidd managed to slip out and tag in Cabana. Cabana locked in a headscissors submission on Quackenbush. He turned it into a pinning combination, but only got a 2 count. The crowd applauded as Cabana applied another chinlock.

Quackenbush countered and eventually tagged in Saint. Kidd tagged in as well. They did some slick chain wrestling before Saint locked Kidd in a pinning combination for a nearfall. The action broke down with all four men in the ring. Saint and Kidd ended up alone in the ring. Kidd hit a shoulder tackle on Saint. Kidd tried to whip Saint into the ropes, but Saint countered it into a pinning combination for the win.

The entire crowd got to their feet and applauded after the match. Everyone shook hands after the match. The crowd chanted “you’re all awesome.” They then chanted “thank you all.” Quackenbush got on the mic. He said to thank Saint and Kidd. The crowd applauded and started a “Johnny, Johnny” chant. Quackenbush said it doesn’t matter what the style is, Philly loves great wrestling. The crowd then chanted “CHIKARA, CHIKARA.”

Saint and Kidd ended up alone in the ring together. The crowd chanted for both of them. Saint got on the mic. He said this was the second time he’d been in Philly. He said both times he got a tremendous welcome. He thanks the fans from the bottom of his heart.

Winners: Johnny Saint & Mike Quackenbush

Star rating: (****3/4) – In my eyes this was a nearly perfect match. As all four men traded holds in this pure wrestling style match, the crowd watched in appreciation with each escape and counter. It was an amazing scene to hear the crowd grow hotter as the match went on, but in a way that you could sense they were totally engrossed in the action inside the ring. Kidd and Saint were a treat to watch, especially Saint at his age. I got chills watching Saint smile as he went hold for hold with Cabana and Kidd. If you love pure wrestling, do yourself a favor and buy this DVD just for this match alone. I’ve never seen anything like it on the independent scene. This is a style of wrestling you don’t see anywhere these days.

A video aired hyping the Queen Of Joshi event. Manami Toyota was highlighted first. The signal got interrupted and someone cut a promo in Japanese. They said if you think Toyota is the symbol of Joshi it must be a joke. Aja Kong was then revealed to the camera. The show takes place in December.

Castagnoli cut a promo backstage in foreign tongue. He seemed very intense. Why no subtitles here like the Kong promo?

We’ve got B.D.K. colliding in the main event with Del Rey taking on Castagnoli. They both came out to the same music.

8 - - CLAUDIO CASTAGNOLI (w/Tursas) vs. SARA DEL REY (w/Daizee Haze) – 12 Large Summit match (block A)

Castagnoli told Del Rey just to lie down on the mat. The ref got into position to count, but she refused. Castagnoli shoved Del Rey to the mat and slapped her a short time later. Del Rey fired back with some big kicks. She then tied him up in the ropes and nailed him with several kicks as the crowd reacted to each kick. Del Rey nailed Castagnoli with several kicks capped by an axe kick to the head for a 2 count. The fans chanted for Del Rey, but Claudio drove her into the corner. Del Rey fired back and hit a running kick. She went for another kick, but Tursas tripped her from the outside.

Castagnoli went on the attack and nailed Del Rey with an uppercut. He grabbed Del Rey by the hair and tossed her across the ring. Castagnoli paint brushed Del Rey before continuing his attack. The crowd chanted for Del Rey as Castagnoli continued to dominate. Del Rey fired back with a series of forearms, but Claudio sent her to the mat with a single shot. The crowd continued to try to rally behind Del Rey, but Castagnoli nailed her with a gut-wrench slam. Castagnoli disrespectfully covered Del Rey with one hand to the face.

Del Rey went for a rollup, but Castagnoli wouldn’t go down. He eventually nailed her with a legdrop and the crowd booed. Del Rey caught Castagnoli with a sunset flip, but Castagnoli kicked out at the last second and nailed her with a big kick. Castagnoli went for a suplex, but Del Rey turned it into an inside cradle for a nearfall. Castagnoli connected with a suplex and dropped several elbows, but Del Rey bridged out of the pin.

Del Rey ducked a charge in the corner and Castagnoli went the ringpost. Castagnoli ended up on the floor. Del Rey went out to the apron and nailed Castagnoli’s arm with a kick. She then took out Tursas with a cannonball off the apron and the crowd went ballistic. Del Rey went up top and hit a cross body for a 2 count. Del Rey then cinched in an arm bar, but Castagnoli got the ropes. Del Rey kicked away at Castagnoli’s arm again. Claudio fired back and hit a bicycle kick, but Del Rey got her foot on the rope.

Claudio hit the U.F.O. on Del Rey. The crowd chanted for Del Rey after she kicked out. Castagnoli sold shock as the fans continued to go nuts. Castagnoli missed a charge in the corner and Del Rey caught him with 2 rolling kicks in the corner. She fired up and hit a huge rolling kick to the head. Del Rey locked in the arm bar again. The crowd chanted “tap, tap.” Castagnoli dead-lifted Del Rey and slammed her to the mat, but she applied the arm bar again. The crowd went nuts again, but Castagnoli got the ropes.

Del Rey kicked away at Castagnoli’s arm. She bounced off the ropes, but Claudio nailed her with a clothesline. Del Rey kicked out at the last second and the crowd chanted “Sara, Sara.” Castagnoli hit a huge running lariat. He then hit the Ricola bomb, but decided to lift Del Rey up before the ref could count to three. The fans chanted for Del Rey, but Castagnoli nailed her with a European uppercut. Once again, Castagnoli prevented the ref from counted the pin. Del Rey then used her leverage to get a bridge pin on Castagnoli for the win.

Winner: Sara Del Rey

Star rating: (***3/4) – This was a really fun match. Castagnoli was a total jerk here and took Del Ray’s ability for granted. The crowd popped huge each time Del Rey got the upper hand. She can go with any guy in the business and would be perfect for a revamped WWE Women’s Division. The crowd totally got behind Del Rey in a match that pitted two stable mates against eaThe fans chanted for Hazech other. I really enjoyed this match and it was a fun story to see the cocky Castagnoli get his comeuppance in the end.

The fans got on their feet and clapped for Del Rey. The fans chanted “Queen of Wrestling” at Del Rey. Haze got in the ring and helped Del Rey to her feet. Castagnoli and Tursas sold frustration on the outside. Castagnoli then snuck in from behind and nailed Del Rey with a bicycle kick. He then got in Haze’s face. Haze slapped him several times, but Castagnoli nailed her with a huge one-handed chokeslam. The crowd booed as Castagnoli left the ring.

Del Rey recovered and got back into the ring to check on Haze. The show ended with a ring attendant coming to Haze’s aid.

Overall score: (7.5) – This CHIKARA release dragged in spots, but ultimately there’s enough here to warrant a strong recommendation. The real treasure here is the amazing Kidd & Cabana vs. Quackenbush & Saint match, which was an absolute clinic in pure wrestling in front of an appreciative crowd.

The first three matches weren’t particularly memorable, although the Peck-Hatfield match was really funny at times thanks to the antics of both men. Both of the women’s matches disappointed. I was expecting more given all of the hype put behind the guest performers. The Haze-Shimoda match was solid, but their timing seemed off. Haze looks like she’s lost a lot of weight and I was concerned watching her throughout the night.

The show picked up some steam with a very good Spectral Envoy-3 Point Ole! Six Man Tag match. Both teams really picked up the pace after some good heat segments and the match was getting really good when B.D.K. interference lead to the finish.

Kingston-Jigsaw put on a really good performance. The crowd fell silent during the F.I.S.T. vs. Bucanero & Atlantis contest and the silence continued during the first part of Kingston-Jigsaw. Both men really turned up the pace during the second half of their match and deserve credit for getting the crowd back into the show.

Kidd & Cabana vs. Quackenbush & Saint was an amazing pure wrestling clinic. I highly recommend going out of your way to get this release just to see this match. The way the crowd reacted to the match was amazing to watch. They were quiet and respectful and responded vocally at just the right moments as all four men traded counters and holds. I had a blast watching this match and enjoyed this style of wrestling immensely. Only in CHIKARA will you see a promotion put together something like this. It was special.

The Del Rey-Castagnoli match was a blast as well. I hope CHIKARA starts using graphics so people at home watching the home releases can keep track of the 12 Large Summit standings. Del Rey had the crowd on her side throughout the match and put on an amazing performance in this inter-gender encounter. The crowd heat was amazing down the stretch and although the match could have used another chapter to take it to the next level, it was darn good.

You can purchase this release at SmartMarkVideo.com

Contact Sean at PWTorchSean@Gmail.com

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