CHIKARA: Never compromise, not even in the face of Armageddon

[Fuji Vice]

EDIT: Holy shit, just saw CHIKARA in the end there.

mind=blown

 

[Postman Dave]

http://theashesof.com/

couple of vine updates the last few weeks. Looking more uncertain that this is simply a retelling.

 

[Postman Dave]

- A few weeks ago, Chikara wrestler Icarus posted a video asking fans to rally around the promotion and bring it back. He posted on the forum that he needed to know who had his back and on September 14 at the Philadelphia Art Museum steps at 11 AM, everyone should show their support. A link was posted for people to fill out their contact information. After a day, Icarus told people on Twitter that his account was hacked, and when clicking on the link, fans found a Condor Security logo. There are now rumors that the Chikara storyline is still ongoing and the last Director of Fun, Wink Vavvaseur and Condor are behind it. Several members of the forums began receiving phone calls from security personnel telling them to stay away from the Art Museum steps on September 14.

411mania

Man, they really are going all in on this huh?

 

[Kushikimi]

Why!! Why!! Why I don't have something like this in Puerto Rico!!! Why!!! Why I didn't discover Chikara before!! Why!! Damn it, Why!!!!!!!!

(Is there any chance I can get all seasons of Chikara on DVD.... this seems way better than a normal TV series)

 

[Castiel]

That's amazing. Like really cool. I wish Condor Security called my house and threatened me!

Why!! Why!! Why I don't have something like this in Puerto Rico!!! Why!!! Why I didn't discover Chikara before!! Why!! Damn it, Why!!!!!!!!

(Is there any chance I can get all seasons of Chikara on DVD.... this seems way better than a normal TV series)

Smart Mark Video has "Best Of" DVD's for some each year I believe, that's probably the best you can get. Otherwise you'll have to grab each DVD individually. The iPPV shows are probably what matter most though.

www.theashesof.com says the next video, titled 'Garbage' will drop on the 23rd.

 

[Postman Dave]

Latest news from the weekend:

- So apparently Wrestling Is Intense is now also dead. The GEKIDO of 17, deviANT & combatANT interrupted the main event and took out everyone and everything and demanded the company be shut down. They then took Jervis Cottonbelly hostage until the WiI manager relented and officially closed the company down.

Well that's something I didn't see coming. I guess that whole "CHIKARA will be reborn under the Wrestling Is.... banner" theory destroyed. Coincidently, the company's last tweet was exactly the same as CHIKARA's before they were closed. Considering the similarities of the closure to the CHIKARA one too, things seem to have taken a turn in this story. It should also be noted that Eddie Kingston was still grumpy as heck at this show, storming out after his match still in his gear.

 

[Postman Dave]

- Also, a run down of the gathering in Philly:

About 25-30 people showed up at the steps and at around noon, Icarus came and greeted us all. He took out a small megaphone and (after a bit of trouble turning it on haha) he made a speech about how one man inspired an entire city at that location (the Rocky steps), and so to will he inspire something something something CHIKARA. Then he handed out a petition to be signed by everyone (just names. no phone numbers, etc.) and handed out I AM CHIKARA t-shirts to everyone who didn’t own one from the first Easton meet-up (more people came than expected so he didn’t have enough shirts). He then said something about how we can make a difference and how our voice is our weapon and handed out slips of paper (not business cards. “I’m on a budget, son” haha) with Wink Vavasseur’s personal email: w.c.vavasseur@titorconglomerate.com. After that, he left, leaving behind a rolled up poster. A girl called out to him saying he forgot his poster and he said back something to the effect of “I don’t need it anymore” or “It’s yours now” or something like that. The poster said “#13Y19T5R9U13P”. Afterwards, people just kinda stood around and hung out.

People reckon the poster translates to "Mysterium P", the mysterious puzzle that was originally unveiled way back at the end of 2011. Check out the answer Kevin Ford got when he asked the mystery emailer (presumably Quack) about Mysterium P from earlier in the column:

1) Mysterium Populous was an overt homage to the concept of Publius Enigma that was tied to the Pink Floyd album "The Division Bell." Unlike the Enigma, the Mysterium was given a very specific timeframe to prevent it from going on indefinitely. There were 13 phases to the Mysterium, each shorter than the one before it, leading to a final phase with just one clue, and one possible answer. The person that correctly solved the Mysterium would have been awarded a prize of every single CHIKARA DVD produced up until the day the Mysterium was solved. It would have also led to the release of a 4 minute video that foreshadowed much of Season 12. On the 365th day of the Mysterium game, no person or group had even progressed to the third phase, leaving the vast majority of the puzzle unsolved. The failure of the fans to solve Mysterium Populous means the video has never, and will never be released.

Foreshadowed Season 12? This years season? What exactly does this video contain? The real timeline of events? Maybe this is why Icarus has brought it back to the forefront, maybe that's why he's been pushing the fans to keep CHIKARA alive, to finally solve the puzzle!

 

[Castiel]

That whole Mysterium deal is freaky... obviously this video needs to be released since something messed up the season 12 timeline. Hopefully Icarus gets it brought into the open to help shed some light on the whole situation.

Anyway, LFC wrote a blog on GEKIDO's return and destruction of Wrestling Is Intense. He also includes some good questions at the end:

Intense No More?

I try to be positive in this world of pro wrestling. I try and surround myself with people of this similar mindset and involve myself in promotions that push positivity. While I was not in attendance for what turned out to be the final Wrestling is Intense event, I was able to put together some high points for an overall depressing situation.

The Daywalkers, Alex Castle and Matt Cage had been a Midwest stalwart team. My first opportunity to see them was at this past Tag World Grand Prix after, at the prior Wrestling is Intense event, they allowed their dark side to come out, with a bit of an assist from Gangrel. They were able to continue their winning ways with a victory over the Brian Gott & Derek Cornell, the Beautiful Bodies.
Another great Midwest competitor, Christian Rose who was, up to this past Sunday, undefeated in Wrestling is Intense competition suffered his first and last loss to the Mustachioed Madman, Sue Jackson.

And in one of the biggest upsets in recent memory, the Estonian Thunder Frog, just shy of a year from his debut in pro wrestling, defeated Arik Cannon, one of the best wrestlers in the world!

However, everyone is talking about the main event. Jervis Cottonbelly taking on Darkness Crabtree. A match that definitely speaks to me and many wrestling fans who watch with a smile in their hearts. But a match in which we never would get a result.

About two week ago, word was seen online from the faction known as GEKIDO. A Twitter account that has all but been inactive for nearly a year. GEKIDO first made waves in the world of wrestling in February of 2012 in the CHIKARA Pro promotion, setting their sights on the top competitors there, the Colony, Jigsaw and ‘Lightning’ Mike Quackenbush.

After several months of heated wars, a series of injuries on both sides, the final strike when came when Jigsaw, fed up with Quackenbush’s aggressions costing them countless matches, attacked his mentor, siding with the remaining GEKIDO member, the Shard.

We all thought we had heard the last of the GEKIDO. Members 17 and combatANT suffered, what we thought at the time, we career ending injuries. Perhaps their Twitter account was hacked? Maybe it was an empty threat?

However, it was worse than we could all imagine. 17 along with combatANT and deviANT disrupted the main event. Attacked anyone within arms reach, holding the event hostage until their demands were met. Their demands were for Wrestling is Intense General Manager, RobRoy Fingerhead, to close the doors on the entire promotion. Fingerhead, a man looking out for the interest and health of the wrestlers was left with no choice but to do just that. Wrestling is Intense is no more.

This saddens me to no end, not just because I was in talks with RobRoy to begin heading out to Illinois for future Wrestling is Intense events, but this is the second time in the last six months I’ve seen a wrestling promotion meet a similar fate.

Many have asked me why no one stood up to the GEKIDO. There were minimally fifteen other wrestlers on the card, countless others looking for a match on the event. But it was the main event. I know many times, wrestlers leave after intermission if they have a long drive home, many leave once the main event is on their way to the ring. Others, as was the case with Eddie Kingston, leave after their match. Usually not that angry thought. From my understanding, the locker room was a virtual ghost town.

Well, I have a few questions myself:

- Why now? What was it that brought the GEKIDO out of hiding? Was it a match that was announced?
- When will they strike again or was this a one-off situation?
- Who else will be involved? We've seen the Shard and assailANT go off and have success outside of the GEKIDO. Will they return to the fold?

I'll do my best to keep my eyes peeled and ears to the ground and I hear anything, I'll post it here!

As well as a picture brought to us by The CHIKARA Special:

 

[Postman Dave]

[video=youtube;Wc0Ydl3FwTI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wc0Ydl3FwTI[/video]

Nothing new angle wise, decent character build though.

 

[Castiel]

Icarus is a bad actor... feels like he's trying too hard when this should be natural. Chuck is pretty good. Cool video though, I love these things. If you weren't behind Icarus going into NC, or even after it's events, these videos will definitely help that.

 

[Postman Dave]

Add Wrestling is Awesome to the scrapheap. After Shane Matthews won a two night tournament to crown the first champion, Dr. Cube(!) and his minions hit the ring, took the title and the gate money, effectively bankrupting the company.

The plot thickens. Remember, it's Dr. Cube was the last seen with the Eye of Tyr.

 

[Postman Dave]

CHIKARA, which was "shut down" at the end of their last iPPV, is running what is called a "guerrilla event" in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at FDR Park. The show is being streamed live on UStream. The story is that the roster is doing it on their own to fight back against the corporate owner who has shut the company down.

411mania

So some backstory:

Wink had a bit of a Twitter meltdown and seems to now be rebelling against his father, and advertised a gathering the next day, which is the event above.

Anywho, the event has been on gone (Icarus, Hallowicked & assailANT def. Kobald & Los Ice Creams for those interested) but the event has been marred by Condor Security kidnapping a fan from the CHIKARA boards. Wink was nowhere to be seen despite advertising his attendance.

EDIT: Apparently the guy abducted may have been Reckless Youth.

 

[Postman Dave]

And Wrestling Is Cool joins the list of defunct promotions after WiC owner Milo Schnitzel reveals himself as a member of the BDK (featuring an Ares & Tursas (!) appearance) and shuts down the company.

so to summarise:

Wrestling Is Cool - Shut down by the BDK
Wrestling Is Heart - Still alive, had their last show of the year in October
Wrestling Is Intense - Shut down by the GEKIDO
Wrestling Is Art - Shut down by Sinn Bodhi
Wrestling Is Respect - Still alive, had their last show of the year in November
Wrestling Is Awesome - Shut down by Dr. Cube
Wrestling Is Fun - Still alive, will also return in 2014

That's now 4 "Wrestling Is" companies down, 3 to go. All shut down by former enemies of CHIKARA. The circumstances all seem quite sinister and link to Titor too.

- It was revealed that Titor paid the medical bills of GEKIDO after they were taken out of action by Mike Quackenbush
- Sinn Bodhi bought "Art", also raising links to the money of Titor. But even more interesting was that Bodhi was accompanied by Dr. Cube minions, leading some to suggest that Bodhi is under the control of the Eye of Tyr (he completely blanked his proteges The Batiri). And maybe Dr. Cube provided Bodhi with the money after he stole the takings from "Awesome"?

 

[Postman Dave]

The Eye of Tyr

This mythical artefact has become of key part of the CHIKARA saga, and it's latest involvement leads me to believe it's time for a recap of the history of it in order to understand where it could possibly be now.

Origin

The Eye was originally brought in CHIKARA by the devious Ultramantis Black. Feeling betrayed by former partner Hallowicked, who had ended their team to form Incoherence with new partner Delirious, UMB desired the Eye for revenge. He tracked the Eye's location down to Kaiju Big Battel's nefarious Dr. Cube. UMB & Cube made a deal:

UMB gets Chris Hero to agree to help Cube in Kaiju, Cube gives UMB the Eye.

Easy enough, but when UMB approached Hero, another deal was made:

UMB gets Chris Hero the secret to the CHIKARA Special (the move that had tormented Hero recently), Hero agrees to help Dr. Cube.

So with that said, yet another deal was made:

UMB offers Shane Storm help in ending his losing streak, Storm gives UMB the secret to the CHIKARA special.

When the dust had finally settled, UMB acquired the Eye, and exacted revenge on Hallowicked by taking control of the mind of Delirious.

The Curse

There is however, a curse attached to the artefact. There are two ways to become cursed by the Eye. Either by acquiring it by nefarious means (check), or by using the Eye's power and not immediately passing it on (check).

Inevitably, UMB caused the curse. And that curse was war in CHIKARA, brought on by the Brudershaft des Kruzes.

The BDK's leader, Ares, declared the Eye to be a family heirloom, and came to CHIKARA to retrieve what he believed to be rightfully his. They destroyed UMB's group “The Order of the Neo-Solar Temple”, and stole the Eye of Tyr (and therefore took control of Delirous as a result).

It didn't help UMB that during this process, he employed Sinn Bodhi to train warriors (who'd evetually become The Batiri) for him in return for possession of the Eye. By the time The Batiri were ready, UMB no longer had possession, causing Bodhi to use The Batiri for his own means to exact revenge on UMB.

After The War

At the High Noon iPPV (the last CHIKARA show of 2011), the reconciled team of UMB & Hallowicked defeated the BDK team of Ares & Tim Donst, returning the Eye to UMB and effectively sending the BDK scurrying from CHIKARA.

UMB once again had control of the Eye, and failing to learn from his mistakes, once again had made some earlier deals. His reconciliation with Hallowicked was a result of UMB promising to free Delirious from the Eye of Tyr's power.

However, UMB still had Sinn Bodhi breathing down his neck so UMB used his cunning. He gave Bodhi a fake Eye and kept the real one for himself. He then gave the real Eye to Delirous in order to free the mad man's mind. This ended up working too well, as Delirious smashed the Eye and embarked on a campaign of revenge against UMB. This was thought to be the last we'd see of the Eye, however......

A New Owner

Following the Under The Hood iPPV (again, final show of the year), some men in hazmat suits were seen retrieving the remenants of the Eye. These men turned out to be minions of Dr. Cube, who rebuilt the Eye and regained possession.

However, on April 5th during the end of a Kaiju Big Battel show, Dr. Cube was assassinated and the Eye was stolen, or so we thought....

Current Owner

This is where the waters muddy. Dr. Cube would turn out to be alive, and still in possession of the Eye, but a recent news video from Kaiju would seem to suggest Dr. Cube is not his normal self.

Upon his return, Dr. Cube would shut down Wrestling Is Awesome by stealing their gate money and championship belt, bankrupting the company.

Sinn Bodhi would also return to the fold buying out Wrestling Is Art. His appearance in the company has sparked fierce conversation though, as he was accompanied by minions of Dr. Cube & The Eye and seemed to either not notice or completely blank his proteges, The Batiri.

This leads me to believe the following theory:

- Dr. Cube is indeed dead. However, whoever the person or business (*coughTitorcough*) who took the Eye is using someone disguised as Dr. Cube to carry out their bidding.

- Sinn Bodhi is now under the control of the Eye, and was ordered to buy out Wrestling Is Art. This was financed either by the money stolen from Wrestling Is Awesome, or Titor themselves, who paid for the GEKIDO's medical bills and therefore resulted in that faction destroying Wrestling Is Intense.

- The Eye must be passed on immediately or the curse will be in effect though. Therefore whoever possesses the Eye made a deal with Ares. He can have the Eye back in return for the destruction of Wrestling Is Awesome.

 

[Castiel]

You're a saint, LB. So much great wide spread and well connected story here. All the villains of CHIKARA past seemingly uniting under one higher evil to help destroy whatever is left is insane. BDK? That's huge, I never thought we'd hear from Ares or Tursas again.