RADICAN: Review of CHIKARA King of Trios 2016: Night 1 – The Colony vs. Team Sendai Girls, The Hexed Men vs. Major League Mustache, Johnny Gargano, Tony Nese

By Sean Radican, PWTorch columnist


SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...

RADICAN’S CHIKARA KING OF TRIOS 2016: NIGHT 1 REPORT
SEPT. 3, 2016
EASTON, PA.
AVAILABLE ON MP4/VOD AND DVD/BLU-RAY ON CHIKARAPRO.COM

Vlad Radinov introduced the show.

(1) Crazy Mary Dobson vs. Deonna Purrazzo. Dobson whipped Purrazzo hard into the ropes and followed up with a knee to the face during the early going. Joey Styles began the show on commentary with Bryce Remsburg. Dobson went to work on Purrazzo as she took control of the action. Purrazzo tried to fire back, but Dobson nailed her with a kick to the side of the head. Purrazzo mounted another comeback and hit a big knee lift for a 2 count. They went back and forth and Purrazzo hit a Russian leg sweep for a 2 count. That was a nice exchange there. Dobson set up Purrazzo up top and hit a fisherman suplex. She held on and rolled through into another one for a near fall! Dobson yelled at the ref. Dobson fended up Purrazzo in an awkward spot and set her up in the corner upside3 down. She went for a double knee up top with Purrazzo hung upside down, but Purrazzo ducked it. Purrazzo then went for the same move she went for shortly before when they had an awkward exchange. It turned out to be a pinning combination and it was good for the win.

Winner: Deonna Purrazzo at 6:09

Star rating: (*) – The match got off to a good start, but the finishing sequence was awkward.

The Hexed Men knelt in the ring and put their heads together Major League Mustache did their sports like cheer on the outside of the ring. The Hexed Men stayed in position on their knees. They then popped up and attacked Major League Mustache when they turned their backs.

(2) The Hexed Men (CHIKARA Grand Champion Hallowicked & Jigsaw & Icarus w/UltraMantis Black) vs. Major League Mustache (Campeonatos de Parejas (Trent Seven & Tyler Bate & Dasher Hatfield) in a 2016 King of Trios Quarterfinal Round match. The match got off to a chaotic start with all six men going at it. Seven wiped out Icarus and Hallowicked with a big dive. Bate got a running start and hit a huge splash over the top to the floor! Bate and Icarus each hit piledrivers on Icarus and the match looked to be over, but Hallowicked and Jigsaw made the save. Hatfield fended off Hallowicked and Jigsaw on his own, but they eventually wiped him out with total elimination, which drew a big reaction from Styles. Hatfield got isolated as Hallowicked and Jigsaw took turns working him over. Hallowicked went after Hatfield’s mask, but didn’t take it off. Hallowicked tried to take off Hatfield’s masked but stopped short of getting himself DQ’d. Hatfield blocked a monkey flip in the corner by holding onto the ropes. He then turned it into a jackhammer on Jigsaw. He tagged in Seven and Bate, who ran wild. Jigsaw surprised them with a missile dropkick, but they no-sold it and wiped him out with a double palm strike. They then hit a double suplex on Jigsaw, but the pin got broken up. The action broke down as both teams went back and forth. Bate ended a big sequence by wiping out Jigsaw with a HUGE clothesline. Jigsaw went up top, but Seven popped off the mat and cut him off. They battled up top and Seven eventually hit a piledriver off the second rope! He made the cover, but Icarus pulled the ref to the floor! Icarus and Hatfield went back and forth. Hatfield hit a huge running powerbomb, but Hallowicked turned his mask on him and hit never wake up for the win.

UltraMantis Black was shown celebrating on the outside as the fans booed. Mantis had the Eye of Tyr around his neck. The Hexed Men knelt down and put their heads together once again after the match.

Winners: Hallowicked & Jigsaw & Icarus at 12:21 to advance to the semi-final round of the 2016 King of Trios Tournament.

Star rating: (***1/2) – This was a fun match. The long heat segment on Hatfield and the work on his mask by The Hexed Men got the crowd behind Major League Mustache. The heat segment broke up what was otherwise a chaotic back and forth match with lots of pinfalls broken up and back and forth action. The fans hated how Hallowicked cheated to win.

(3) Mark Angelosetti (1 point) vs. Missile Assault Man (1 point). Angelosetti came out to boos and the fans were thrilled to see Missile Assault Man. Quackenbush joined Styles on commentary. Both men glared at each other and Angelosetti pie-faced MAM. MAM went for an uppercut, but Angelosetti blocked it and hit a headbutt. The brawl went to the floor a short time later. MAM caught Angelosetti with a big clothesline on the floor. Quackenbush mentioned that three wins in a row in singles matches earned you a shot at the Grand Championship in CHIKARA. MAM hit a series of blows on Angelosetti as the fans spelled out his name with each blow. He went to finish his name, but Angelosetti cut him off with a punch. He followed up with a shotgun dropkick. Angelosetti went to work on MAM and ran into him hip first right against the ropes. He then slid around MAM and snapped the steel cable that CHIKARA uses right into his back. They went back and forth and MAM hit a rolling DVD for a 2 count. MAM set up for the missile launcher, but Angelosetti slipped out and hit the flee flicker for a near fall, which is a spinning double knee gutbuster. Angelosetti went for the missile launcher and hit it! He then rolled him up with a handful of tights for a near fall. MAM caught Angelosetti with a spinning back elbow out of nowhere for a near fall and both men were slow to get up. MAM sold that thoughts were running through his head.

They battled up top and MAM fought out of Angelosetti’s grasp and nailed him with a flurry of blows. MAM got a dragon sleeper up top and went for a reverse superplex, but Angelosetti landed on his feet. MAM charged at Angelosetti, but he got out of the way and hit the colossal bomb for the win.

Winner: Mark Angelosetti (2 points) at 10:06

Star rating: (**3/4) – The action was fine. It seemed like something was missing to give the match spark. They continued the story that MAM is distracted by what is inside of his head.

They cut to the intros for the next match. Someone in a mask grabbed Radinov. He took his mask off to reveal Max Smashmaster. He made Radinov hold the mic as he said Smashmaster doesn’t work here anymore. He said he was there to get his job back. He said he’s a reasonable man and he needs to talk to a cripple. He said he needs to talk to a man that allows them to have fun. Smashmaster said he spit in his face and fired him. Smashmaster said when he reigned punches down on his face he saw a look of pure terror. Smashmaster began yelled and he got on top of Radinov. He yelled at Radinov. Quackenbush left the commentary booth and asked him to stop. He demanded his job back or else. He said he would end Radinov if he didn’t get his job back. Quackenbush asked him to stop and he got even more upset. Smashmaster told Radinov to pray. Princess Kimberlee came down to the ring and got on the apron. She asked Quackenbush to reinstate him so that she could finish what he started. Radinov slid out of the ring and ran to the back.

Smashmaster turned his back to Kimberlee and the fans booed. ThunderFrog came down to the ring with Oleg and Smashmaster backed down. Smashmaster slid out of the ring and said he’d see her later. They went right into the next King of Trios match.

(4) Princess & Warriors (Princess Kimberlee & Oleg The Usurper & Young Lions Champion ThunderFrog) vs. Team Original Divas Revolution (Mickie James & Jazz & Lisa Marie) in a 2016 King of Trios Quarterfinal Round match. Kimberlee wanted James, but she ended up tagging in Lisa Marie. ThunderFrog got the better of Lisa Marie and hit a northern lights suplex. She fired back and got the tarantula in the corner and the fans fired up. Lisa Marie set up for the widow’s peak, but ThunderFrog fought out of it. He then picked her up and hit the Estonia stampede. He didn’t go for the cover and went up top, but Marie got out of the way. She rolled out of the ring and James nailed ThunderFrog with a splash off the top. James sent ThunderFrog to the floor with a head scissors out of the corner and Oleg got into the ring. Rolling out of the ring creates a legal tag. James ended up making an actual tag to Jazz. She went right up to Oleg and got in his face showing no fear. She pushed him away and they went at it. Jazz got the better of Oleg with strikes and kicks. Oleg finally caught her coming off the ropes and hit a big spinning back breaker. Jazz ducked a summersault senton from Oleg and went to work on his leg before locking in a STF. Oleg managed to get to the ropes to break the hold. Oleg fired back and wiped Jazz out with the Usurper kick for a near fall. Jazz and Kimberlee went back and forth for a suplex. Jazz finally hit a fisherman buster for a 2 count.

James and Kimberlee went at it a short time later. James ended up just sliding out of the ring and Lisa Maria got into the ring and hit a big tilt-a-whirl into a side slam for a 2 count. The announcers speculated that perhaps Kimberlee had forgotten the rules. The fans chanted for Kimberlee and Lisa Marie tossed her to the mat by the hair. Kimberlee got isolated in the wrong corner and took a beating. James taunted ThunderFrog and Oleg while Lisa Marie and Jazz worked over Kimberlee in the corner. James grabbed Kimberlee by the hair and kept switching hands to stop the 5 count from the ref. The ref was distracted by Oleg trying to get into the ring. ThunderFrog could take it no more and he sent Team Original Divas Revolution flying when he hit the ring with it. Lisa Marie, and Mickie James both kissed ThunderFrog. James and Jazz then nailed him with a spin kick. All three women then went after Oleg with strikes and kicks. Oleg no-sold them and glared at the women. He charged at them, but Team Original Divas Revolution pulled the ropes on him. Oleg dragged Jazz and Lisa Marie to the floor and Kimberlee walked up behind James and nailed her with a German with a bridge for the win.

Despite playing heels, Team Original Divas Revolution got a please come back chant after the match.

Winners: Princess Kimberlee & Oleg The Usurper & ThunderFrog at 15:03 to advance to the semi-final round of the 2016 King of Trios Tournament.

Star rating: (***1/4) – The match had a good dynamic with Team Original Divas Revolution playing the heel role and getting the crowd wound up with a lot of ref distraction for a long heat segment on Kimberlee. ThunderFrog breaking up the cheating by hitting the mat with the Hammer of Peace off the turnbuckles was a fun way to lead to the comeback for the babyface team.

Radinov was back to ring announce and said not to worry about him because he’s Russian and bad things had happened to him since he was a child.

(5) Space Monkey vs. Frightmare vs. Tony Nese vs. Candice LeRae In a Four-Way Rey de Voladores Four Corners Eliminator match. Styles was joined by Leonard F. Chikarason. This is the first of two eliminator matches. The winners of each match advance to the finals of Rey de Voladores on the final night of King of Trios. Frightmare ran across the ring and wiped out Candice to kick things off. They went to a dive sequence. Space Monkey went up top and the fans went nuts. He ended up hitting a corkscrew moonsault off the turnbuckles to the floor! This is Space Monkey and Tony Nese’s CHIKARA debut. Styles couldn’t believe this was Space Monkey’s debut. Space Monkey tied up LeRae in a leg lock and ate a banana. He then rolled her over for a 2 count while continuing to enjoy his banana. He then ate the knits out of LeRae’s hair, but she eventually fought him off. Chikarason let everyone know that Space Monkey primarily in Canada. He eventually dropped the banana peel as LeRae charged at him and LeRae slipped on it! He then hit a standing moonsault for a near fall. Nese got upset with Frightmare for going after LeRae. Nese went to work on Frightmare. He rolled up Frightmare and hit a German on Space Monkey when he charged at him. He got a near fall on Frightmare, but couldn’t hold the bridge on Space Monkey. LeRae and Nese ended up alone in the ring. The fans chanted mess him up Candice. She walked the ropes holding onto Nese, but ended up hitting a flying head scissors off the apron to the floor on Frightmare. Nese caught Candice coming off the top and he could have powerbombed her, but he stopped. Nese lifted LeRae with one arm and powerbombed her over the top to the floor to wipe out Frightmare and Space Monkey!

Space Monkey blocked a suplex attempt by biting Nese. He ended up rolling off of Nese’s back and he hit a monkey flip on Frightmare that sent him into Nese. He then covered each man for a 2 count. He smacked Frightmare with his tail right across the face a short time later. Nese blocked a tail whip by Space Monkey and hit him with a pump handle into a big piledriver for the first elimination! Space Monkey got a please come back chant as he headed to the back. LeRae went nuts on Frightmare in the corner with the violence party. She then wiped Nese off with a summersault off the apron. She then hit a ball-plex on Frightmare for a 2 count. She hit another one, but couldn’t hold on to the bridge. Frightmare fired back and then hit a flipping sit-out powerbomb variation to eliminate Candice. The fans didn’t like that. Frightmare got up after the pin and wiped out Nese with a big flip dive. Candice got a please come back chant as well. It was down to Nese and Frightmare. Frightmare tried out of a suplex, so Nese dropped him down over the top turnbuckle and nailed him with a running knee for a 2 count. Nese got out of the way when Frightmare went for kneecolepsy. He then hit the pump-handle piledriver for a near fall. Nese went up top, but Frightmare popped up. Nese jumped over Frightmare and walked right into a jumping knee strike for a 2 count. They battled up top and Nese hit a spider German. Nese then bridged up and went for a 450, but missed. Frightmare then hit kneecolepsy for the win.

Winner: Frightmare at 15:31 to advance to the Rey de Voladores 2016 Finals

Star rating: (***1/2) – This was a good dose of action. The Space Monkey gimmick is something else and it was a bit of a downer when he was eliminated first. The final stretch was really good and Frightmare took everything from Nese and looked really strong in victory.

(6) United Nations (Juan Francisco de Coronado & The Proletariat Boar of Moldova & Prakash Sabar w/Servants) vs. Team JWP (Hanako Nakamori & Command Bolshoi & Manami Katsu) in a 2016 King of Trios Quarterfinal Round match. Sabar was wearing X-Pac DX style gear. Nakamori nailed him with a big running kick and then a leg drop during the early going. The Boar got the upper hand on Bolshoi. He placed her up top and she went for a cross-arm breaker around the ropes. The Boar kept lifting her up, so she walked the ropes while holding his arm. She walked backwards when Coronado got near her. Eventually she sent him to the floor with a big head scissors. Sabar and The Boar waved off Coronado from the floor, so he got into the ring with Katsu. Coronado kept playing with his bow tie, so Katsu got upset and she dragged him face-first into the mat. Team JWP then put the boots to him. Styles wondered why Coronado’s partners weren’t helping him. Sabar tried to attack Katsu from behind, but Team JWP ran into the ring and went to town on him in the corner. They followed up with a triple dropkick on Sabar. The Board fired back and United Nations went to work on Nakamori. Coronado dragged her around the ring by her hair and the fans booed. He then held her in the corner by the hair so that Sabar could hit the busted bronco. Nakamori caught Sabar in a stretch using her legs and Team JWP held back the rest of UN, but Sabar managed to get his foot on the ropes. Team JWP cleared the ring and got The Board in a double submission and Bolshoi flexed on top of him. Coronado then ran into the ring and wiped her out with a dropkick. The Boar wiped out the rest of Team JWP with a double clothesline. Bolshoi came off the top, but The Board caught her and tossed her into her partners to wipe them out. Coronado hit a double German on Nakamori and Katsu, but Bolshoi broke it up. The Board hit Bolshoi with a spear. Coronado then applied the Coronado clutch, but Bolshoi ended up rolling him up for the win.

The fans chanted oh my god at the end of the match. Coronado glared at Sabar and The Board. He told them that they are done. Sabar looked upset and The Boar shook his head. Styles pointed out that Coronado was walking out even though he got pinned by Bolshoi. Sabar leaned against the ropes and looked very upset before leaving the ring. The fans chanted you don’t need him and yes you do back and forth. The Boar grabbed his ears before leaving the ring.

Winners: Command Bolshoi & Hanako Nakamori & Manami Katsu at 11:24 to advance to the semi-final round of the 2016 King of Trios Tournament.

Star rating: (**1/4) – This match was just back and forth action and it seemed like nothing built to a head here when Team JWP got the win.

(7) Johnny Gargano vs. Amasis vs. Wani vs. Aerostar in a Rey de Voladores Four Corners Eliminator match. The fans chanted all these guys after the opening bell rang. The fans chanted back and forth for Amasis and Gargano before they touched. Gargano had some trouble with shoe and his kick pad, as it appeared his shoe slipped off while Amasis was working him over. He adjusted it and the fans chanted lace em up Johnny. Amasis went right after his leg and tried to take off his kick pad. Gargano asked him what he was doing and then they shook hands. Styles told Quackenbush that his company is a bit odd. Quackenbush apologized for the oddness of Johnny Gargano, which was funny. Amasis and Gargano went back and forth and Gargano sent him to the floor with a low dropkick. Aerostar hit a crazy outside in springboard corkscrew splash on Amasis for a 2 count. WOW! The action really picked up with action all of the ring. Gargano ended up big sequence with a slingshot DDT on Amasis for a near fall. All four men began trading blows in a circle. Everyone eventually hit superkicks at the same time and went down. WOW! Everyone except Amasis ended up brawling on the floor and Amasis wiped them out with a big flip dive. Frightmare came out from the back and wiped out Amasis from behind with a kick and the fans booed. The ref called for Radinov, who announced Amasis was unable to continue and eliminated from the match. Styles mentioned that Frightmare was in the finals of the Rey de Voladores.

Wani and Aerostar went at it. Wani got the upper hand and went to work on Aerostar. The fans started a Wani wrestling chant, which was pretty funny. Gargano finally got into the ring and took out both men with a flatliner/DDT combination. Gargano and Wani ended up on the outside a short time later and Wani wiped them off with a backwards springboard cannonball to the floor. The action continued at a rapid pace and the fans fired up when Gargano cut off an Aerostar with a slingshot spear. He then wiped out Wani with a big dive! Wani hit a kick to Gargano’s knee. He then hit a big swinging neck breaker to eliminate Gargano. The fans fired up as it was now down to Aerostar and Wani. Aerostar hit an inside out springboard flip dive off the second rope on Wani and the fans fired up. They went back and forth and Aerostar hit a springboard double knee strike for the win!

Winner: Aerostar at 19:26 to advance to the 2016 Rey de Voladores Finals

Star rating: (***3/4) – This was a really good dose of action. They did some comedy early and then the eliminations seemed appropriately paced after Frightmare came out from the back and wiped out Amasis, who couldn’t continue.

(7) The Colony (Soldier Ant & Fire Ant & Silver Ant) vs. Team Sendai Girls (Meiko Satomura & Dash Chisako & Cassandra Miyagi) in a 2016 King of Trios Quarterfinal Round match. The action was fast and furious during the early going. Miyagi blew something in Fire Ant’s face and went on the attack. Miyagi went after Fire Ant’s antenna and used it to launch him across the ring. Silver Ant got into the ring and grabbed her Mohawk. She grabbed his antenna and the ref made them break it. Silver Ant hit a slam and a leg drop, but only got a 2 count. The pace quickened and The Colony unloaded on Chisako in the corner and Silver Ant capped the sequence with a blue thunder power bomb for a near fall. The Colony began tagging in and out to work over Chisako. They began to target her leg. Chisako took a sustained beating from The Colony, as they continued to pick apart her leg. She finally mounted a comeback and tagged in Satomura, who ran wild. She tossed Soldier Ant into a missile dropkick form Miyagi. Fire Ant nailed her with a kick to the head, but she fired right back and slammed him on top of Silver Ant. The fans fired up in appreciation as she began peppering each member of The Colony with some big kicks to the chest. Miyagi tagged in and began head banging. She eventually hit a slingshot splash on Fire Ant. Miyagi tried to fight off Fire Ant and Soldier Ant, but Silver Ant nailed her with a missile dropkick. The Colony then nailed her with ants marching, but Satomura made the save! Satomura fought off The Colony on her own a short time later until Fire Ant nailed her with a running kick and then a brainbuster for a near fall!

Chisako went to town on Fire Ant and nailed him with a dropkick in the corner. She went for a tandem move on Fire Ant and Solider Ant, but they hit her with a powerbomb/neck breaker combo and then a splash from Silver Ant, but the pin got saved. The fans fired up and Satomura and Chisako went to town on Silver Ant. They hit a series of big moves off the top on him, but The Colony made the save! Chisako got an arm bar on Silver. Team Sendai Girls held Fire Ant and Solider Ant off. Silver Ant finally managed to get to the ropes to break the hold. Chisako took gi-ANT from The Colony, but Satomura came out of nowhere to make the save! Holy poop! Chisako countered a leg submission into a rollup for a near fall! Silver Ant took several forearms from Chisako, but he suddenly nailed her damaged leg with a dragon screw. Silver Ant got a calf cutter. The Colony held back Chisako’s partners. She kicked herself free and applied a cross-arm breaker on Silver Ant’s injured arm and he tapped.

Winners: Meiko Satomura & Dash Chisako & Cassandra Miyagi to advance to the semi-final round of the 2016 King of Trios Tournament.

Star rating: (****1/4): This was a FANTASTIC main event. Silver Ant had a damaged arm and Chisako had her leg worked over throughout the match. They built to a fantastic back and forth finishing sequence leading into Chisako submitting Silver Ant.

Both teams shook hands after the match. The fans then chanted thank you ants once The Colony was left alone in the ring. They saluted each other and raised their hands for the crowd.

OVERALL THOUGHTS (8.0): This was a very enjoyable show in front of an appreciative crowd. There were some weak spots here and there on the card, but the show had a number of good to excellent matches. Both Rey de Voladores matches were really good.

The strength of this card was that it peaked at the end. The last two matches were both fantastic. The main event was the highlight of the show, as Team Sendai Girls vs. The Colony not only told a good story, but they had the crowd along for the ride. The match really shined with a long heat segment on Chisako’s leg. On the flip side, Team Sendai Girls went after Silver Ant’s arm throughout the match and it played into a great climax after a ton of near falls down the stretch. This show gets a big thumbs up.

You can purchase “King of Trios 2016: Night 1” on VOD/MP4 by clicking HERE or by visiting CHIKARAPro.com. All three nights of King of Trios 2016 are also available to purchase at CHIKARAPro.com on DVD and Blu-Ray.


Email Sean at pwtorchsean@gmail.com

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