RADICAN’S CHIKARA DVD REVIEW SERIES
“KLUNK IN LOVE”
OCT. 8, 2011
KINGSPORT, TENN

The show began with a funny Tim Donst music video. Donst sang about being the best Young Lions Cup Champion ever. He sang underwater, in a field, and even sang to a cow at one point. Donst was then shown challenging Hallowicked to respond to his song and some guy with a paper bag over his head that was supposed to be Hallowicked nodded that he agreed with Donst.

(1) Archibald Peck (w/ Veronica & Colt Cabunny) beat Chase Owens at 12:59. This was a typical Peck match if you’ve seen him before except now he’s got a bunny mascot wearing Colt Cabana trunks, which is actually pretty darn funny. The bottom rope came off during this match and there were problems with the ropes throughout the night. Owens was in the midst of a comeback during the early stages of the match when Cabunny cut him off by tripping him while he was going for a springboard. Although Peck and his gang are supposed to be heels, they were quite popular in Kingsport on this night. Peck got the upper hand and looked to have Owens finished off with his diving head butt finish, but Owens kicked out. Peck threw a tantrum and Owens surprised him and landed a roaring elbow, but Cabunny pulled the ref out of the ring and hugged him. The distraction allowed Peck to get his baton from Veronica on the outside and he knocked out Owens with it for the pin. (**1/2)

(2) Hallowicked beat Ophidian in a 12 Large Summit Round Robin: Block A match at 14:28. Donst was in on commentary for this match and he ran down Hallowicked on commentary. The match dragged in a bit in spots with Ophidian working over Hallowicked’s arm. They also had some timing issues with a spot involving Ophidian going for a springboard moonsault, but he seemed to get stuck and Hallowicked moved way before he was able to spring off the ropes. Ophidian didn’t stay grounded for long and went back to work on Hallowicked’s arm. Hallowicked mounted a comeback and the crowd came alive. After some back and forth action, Ophidian hit a 450, but Hallowicked kicked out. Ophidian went up top again only to have Hallowicked cut him off and roll him up for the pin. (**3/4)

After the match Ophidian yelled at the ref and sold frustration in what seemed to be a clue for his heel turn at the “High Noon” iPPV in November.

(3) F.I.S.T. (Chuck Taylor & Johnny Gargano & Icarus) beat The Batiri (Obariyon & Kobalt & Kodama) at 9:57. This match was fun with both teams cheating like crazy in order to gain the upper hand. The beginning of the match saw both teams take turns driving an opponent into their own corner where they tripled teamed him while the ref held the other team back from entering the ring. A few minutes later, all six men grabbed illegal holds in the middle of the ring. Taylor eventually isolated Obariyon in the corner and all three members of F.I.S.T. nailed him with kicks at the same time. Gargano then hit a superkick, but Obariyon’s partners made the save. The action broke down the stretch and F.I.S.T. got Kobalt alone in the ring. Icarus came off the top and nailed him with a double stomp and Taylor turned it right into a DDT. Gargano then got the pin with the hurts don’t it for the win. (**3/4)

After the match, Icarus yelled at a little girl at ringside, but ran away when a large adult male confronted him.

(4) The Colony (Fire Ant & Solider Ant) beat Atsushi Kotoge & Daisuke Harada at 16:46. This was a really good back and forth tag match with Kotoge and Harada representing the Osaka Pro promotion based out of Japan well. The crowd really woke up for this match, as they hadn’t reacted to much of the action during the early stages of the card. The action broke down early and with Fire Ant dispatched to the outside, Harada and Kotoge hit the saluting double dropkick on Solider Ant in the corner and it was on! Harada went to Solider Ant’s leg on the mat. He ended up kicking Fire Ant off the apron. Solider Ant eventually made the hot tag and Fire Ant ran wild. The action continued at a rapid-pace during the middle part of the match. At one point, Harada caught Fire Ant with a pop-up knee to the head, but Solider Ant made the save. Both teams exchanged good nearfalls down the stretch. The finish saw Fire Ant finish off Kotoge with a beach breaker for the pin. (***3/4)

The fans popped big for the finish and all four men posed for the crowd after the match was over. The Colony left Kotoge and Harada alone in the ring for the fans to chant “Osaka” before they headed to the back.

Jigsaw cut a promo backstage. He said tonight was his first time ever facing UltraMantis Black in a singles match. Jigsaw said if Black wins, he goes to the finals of the 12 Large Summit, but Jigsaw promised that wouldn’t happen tonight.

(5) Jigsaw beat UltraMantis Black in a 12 Large Summit Tournament: Block B match at 12:33. This was a really good match with Jigsaw set up in the spoiler role now that he had already been mathematically eliminated from the 12 Large Summit Tournament. Black worked over Jigsaw’s arm and the crowd seemed split at first, but seemed to favor Black as the match went on. Jigsaw sold his arm well, as he favored and was unable to capitalize on several comeback attempts. The crowd got really hot after a big spot where Jigsaw missed a double stomp and Black nailed him with a slam out of the full-nelson position that left both men down. The action spilled to the outside. Jigsaw went for a sunset bomb off the apron, but Black fought him off. Black went for a hurricanrana off the apron, but Jigsaw caught him and power bombed him onto the apron and the crowd went nuts. There were several good nearfalls down the stretch. Black looked to have Jigsaw finished after a double under hook DDT, but Jigsaw rolled out of the ring. Black immediately tossed Jigsaw back into the ring, but Jigsaw caught him with a pinning combination for the surprise win. (***1/4)

The crowd booed the finish and the announcers sold shock at how Jigsaw won the match.

Tim Donst cut a promo backstage. He said tonight four members of the BDK would take on four members of CHIKARA. Donst said that BDK members Ares and Claudio Castagnoli were gone, but the BDK had been successful because of him. Donst said he came in as a nobody and had dug his way to the position he’s in today. Donst promised to take BDK to the top. He concluded that the greatest YLC Champion of all-time would get greater tonight. This was a good promo.

(6) BDK (Tim Donst & Jakob Hammermeier & Tursas & Delirious) beat Sugar Dunkerton & Mike Quackenbush & Eddie Kingston & Green Ant at 20:43. This match was a good setup to further several angles heading into the “High Noon” iPPV. The CHIKARA team had the upper hand early and worked over Jacob, but the action broke down and when the smoke cleared the BDK got the heat on Dunkerton for a long period of time. The match dragged in spots with the BDK beating down Dunkerton and holding the faces at bay for a long period of time. Dunkerton finally ended up on the outside, which forced a tag. Green Ant went at it with Tursas and the curse of the ring ropes struck, as Ant sent Tursas into the second rope and it broke. Ant followed up with a dive through the ropes to take out all the members of the BDK, which popped the crowd.

They built up to another spot where Quackenbush cleared the ring and took out all of the members of the BDK with a running dive off the apron. Kingston and Tursas then went at it. Kingston hit several strikes, but Tursas wouldn’t go down until Kingston finally nailed him with a clothesline. After both teams went back and forth, Kingston missed a spinning backfist on Donst and accidentally nailed Quackenbush instead. Donst then hit a DVD with a bridge for the win. (***)

The crowd booed the finish. Both teams continued to go at it on the outside with Tursas lifting up Green Ant before running him into a wall in the back of the building. Ant ducked a tossed chair from Tursas a few minutes later and took him out with a clothesline. Donst bragged to the camera about beating Kingston. Kingston sold frustration in the ring before leaving.

(7) Sara Del Rey beat Kana at 18:11. Kana was listed as wrestling out of Tajiri’s Smash promotion based out of Japan. Kana reminds me of a female version of Low Ki with her kicks and strikes, although she proved herself to be quite accomplished on the mat. This is one of the better female matches I’ve seen in quite some time, although I’m behind on my Shimmer viewing. This was a very even match during the early and middle stages with both women displaying some excellent mat work before dialing things up and exchanging big strikes. The crowd was really into this match and especially, Del Ray, who has gained a lot of steam with a nice push in CHIKARA this year.

With the bottom rope now out of commission and the top rope replaced, both women were afforded rope breaks once they got their feet to the apron. Down the stretch, Kana hit a series of kicks to Del Rey’s head in the corner. Del Rey fired right back with a German into a bridge pin for a nearfall. Kana slickly applied a key lock once she kicked out. The fans chanted for Del Rey not to tap, but she eventually powered out. Kana then immediately took her down with a spinning kick for a nearfall. Del Rey fired back and hit the royal butterfly suplex for a nearfall. Del Rey then picked up Kana and hit a piledriver for the win. (****)

The fans went nuts after the match. Del Rey sold her arm and quickly left the ring after the match. Kana was left alone in the ring and the fans chanted for her to come back again.

A commercial for JoshiMania aired to close the show.

Overall thoughts: (7.5) – This was a good show with solid wrestling up and down the card. CHIKARA really delivers an entertaining product more often than not, but I was disappointed to see the small turnout in Kingsport. The effort these wrestlers give in the ring are deserving of a larger audience. It seems like most independent companies fall into the trap of promoting the brand over individual star wrestlers and CHIKARA falls into this trap as well. If independent promotions really got behind a couple of acts and presented them as stars, I think CHIKARA and other promotions could see an increase in live attendance across the board.

That being said, CHIKARA does push personalities during their show, as it was Tim Donst’s turn to showcase his heel persona with a music video to start the show and a good heel promo setting up BDK’s 8 Man tag later in the night. Donst also got the pin on Kingston, which should set him up nicely in 2012 to be someone to look out for in CHIKARA.

The show started off slow. Peck-Owens set the tone with a comedy match that also featured some good wrestling. Ophidian-Hallowicked was also an above-average match, but featured some action that was slow in spots.

The Six Man Tag with F.I.S.T. taking on the Batiri was a lot of fun, but it ended just when the action was getting really good. I enjoyed how both heel teams tried to take as many shortcuts as possible to get the upper hand. In the end, F.I.S.T. simply took control when they isolated Kobalt and pinned him after a combination of moves.

The Colony-Kotoge & Harada match was very good. Both teams showed a lot of chemistry and the Osaka Pro tag champs had another good outing in CHIKARA. I really enjoy watching Kotoge & Harada work as a unit. They’re a perfect combination of speed and power. The crowd really set the stage for this being an important match as the atmosphere changed once both teams came out.

I really like how CHIKARA logically works through storylines and this was no different. Jigsaw cut a good promo setting up his 12 Large Summit match against UltraMantis Black. With Jigsaw out of the running to make it to the finals of the tournament, he did a good job of setting himself in the spoiler role. The match itself was good and worth checking out, as the crowd badly wanted to see Black advance to the finals only to have Jigsaw win with a pinning combination out of nowhere.

The BDK vs. Team CHIKARA 8 Man Tag match was good, but it really dragged when the BDK was getting the heat on Dunkerton. The match heated up down the stretch with Kingston accidentally nailing Quackenbush, who he would go on to face at the “High Noon” iPPV in the finals of the 12 Large Summit tournament to crowd CHIKARA’s first Grand Champion with a spinning back fist. Donst, who was set up well throughout the show, capitalized and was able to finish off Kingston.

The main event was very good with Kana and Del Rey putting on a mat wrestling clinic with some big strike exchanges mixed in. The match had a really nice flow to it with both women going back and forth on the mat exchanging counters and submissions. The crowd ate up the action in the ring and both women built up to a hot finish. I haven’t seen a lot of long-form women’s matches in 2011, but this was excellent and well-worth the price of admission for this show. The only thing I found odd was that Del Rey seemed to exit the ring quickly and didn’t stick around to celebrate her win or exchange a handshake with Kana.

I give this show a solid recommendation. The show starts slow, but picks up nicely with several good matches. The Colony-Kotoge & Harada and Del Rey Kana’s match are worth checking out and stood out above the rest of the matches on the card. I always enjoy watching CHIKARA and if you’ve never seen the promotion before, I think a lot of people will enjoy what they see. CHIKARA is different, but it’s different in a good way and the promotion features a ton of talented performers that bust their a----s in the ring.

You can purchase “Klunk in Love” at SmartMarkVideo.com.

Contact Sean at PWTorchSean@gmail.com

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