Chikara presents “Caught in a Cauldron of Hate” Saturday, February 19, 2011 at the Goodwill Beneficial Association in Reading, PA. Belltime is 7 pm.
Heading into their return to Brooklyn in March and the King of Trios in April and the crowning of a Chikara champion on the horizon, some wrestlers need to start gaining their momentum. With two championship matches, the first half of this doubleshot will be impressive.
Campeonatos de Parejas: Mike Quackenbush and Jigsaw (campeones) vs. The Batiri (Obariyon and Kodama) (challengers)
The Batiri may be the quickest to get the three points needed to challenge. This will be their fifth match together as a team. Both members of the Batiri will have been competing in Chikara for less than six months. These rookies have been impressive, and Obariyon’s flying DDT is devastating. Can Quackenbush and Jigsaw survive the members of Sinn Bodhi’s Dark Army?
Young Lions Cup: Frightmare (cupholder) vs. Rich Swann (challenger)
Frightmare has held onto the cup since August, defeating challengers like Lince Dorado, Johnny Gargano, and Pinkie Sanchez. Rich Swann has been making waves in other promotions, namely DGUSA and Evolve. This is Swann’s first appearance in Chikara since last year’s King of Trios events where he participated in the Rey de Voladores tournament, losing to Frightmare in the first round. Both competitors have grown in the last year, and surely Swann wants some revenge and to make a name for himself.
Dasher Hatfield vs. Claudio Castagnoli
Dasher Hatfield had a good autumn—pinning Brodie Lee and touring for Osaka Pro—derailed by the Roughnecks. Claudio Castagnoli has had a horrible winter—losing the Campeonatos de Parejas and in atomicos action in January. A frustrated Castagnoli could be a very dangerous thing for Dasher Hatfield, or could the Old Timey King of Swing capitalize on that frustration and get a hugely impressive win?
The Colony vs. The Osirian Portal
Both teams have already been announced for the King of Trios tournament in April. The Osirian Portal, who have gone viral with mentions on Around the Horn and Attack of the Show, are still integrating with Hieracon as a new trio. The Colony, however, welcome back Green Ant from the broken arm suffered at the Young Lions Cup events in August. A win for either team would provide momentum heading into April.
Sugar Dunkerton vs. Brodie Lee
The Throwbacks and The Roughneck have been feuding for a few months. Both of these athletes have had banner years last year, Sugar touring Ireland, Brodie going to Japan. Dunkerton still faces a huge challenge. The big trucker is still one of the biggest men on the roster.
Johnny Gargano vs. Eddie Kingston
The War King is on a hot streak, unrivaled by anyone else in the company. While Johnny Gargano hasn’t set the world on fire in Chikara after taking Akuma’s spot in FIST, he is one of the top rising stars on the indies. Eddie Kingston—who has Claudio in his sights—is a huge test for Gargano: a win over Kingston would probably wipe his Young Lions Cup failures away.
Tim Donst vs. Max Boyer
Tim Donst has been calling himself the greatest Young Lions Cup champion ever. He may have a point, holding pinfall or submission wins over many of the previous cupholders. Max Boyer is one he hasn’t beaten yet. The Lost Champion tagged with Donst in the Golden Dreams match last fall, his first Chikara action since coming out of retirement. Donst wants to prove he’s the best; Boyer wants to prove he hasn’t lost a step.
3.0 vs. The Unstable
Both of these teams have never held the Campeonatos de Parejas. Only 3.0 has gotten close, challenging the BDK last September in Baltimore. 3.0 has one point. The Unstable has zero. But that could swing in Reading.
Gregory Iron vs. Icarus
One of the most hated wrestlers in Chikara history will take on one of the most inspirational wrestlers in wrestling history in Reading. Icarus, a Chikara original and a third of the most dangerous trio, will battle Iron, a wrestler based in Ohio who has overcome cerebral palsy. Iron, a participant in the 2010 Young Lions Cup tournament, valiantly battled, but lost to, Tursas last August when he last stepped in a Chikara ring. Icarus might have another advantage here: his stablemate, Johnny Gargano, knows Iron very well from their bouts in PWO.
