Oh, hey! Did you notice things look a little different around here? Hope you like it, because trust us, it was a lot of work. Enough about us, let’s talk CHIKARA…

The sixth annual Torneo Cibernetico is beginning to unfold, and the “incredibles” theme has already made things quite interesting. Only two members have been announced for each squad, but the teams see two of CHIKARA’s top tecnico squads up against one another – Campeon de Parejas Soldier Ant captains a team with “Lightning” Mike Quackenbush, while Fire Ant is the head of a team that sees him alongside Jigsaw. With six more teams set to be split amongst the two squads, it’s going to be quite interesting to see how things unfold.

Meanwhile, the night prior in Easton will see the return of Brad and Chad Badd – the Badd Boys – who made a powerful debut in West Springfield a few weeks back in manhandling Green Ant and Fire Ant. At “An Optimistic View of a Pessimistic World”, they see a slightly bigger challenge as The Future is Now representatives Helios and Lince Dorado step up to the Badd Challenge. Points are in play here; who’s gonna walk out one step closer to a shot at The Colony? Find out on October 17th!

Our good buddy Richard Parker is running another bus trip – two, in fact! Check here for info on the trip from New York City to Philly for October’s “Cibernetico Incredible”, and how to land a sweet discount if you choose to take the trip to both the Cibernetico and November’s Dragon Gate USA event. A fun time for all CHIKARA fans; if you’re in the NYC metro area, definitely check out this steal of an offer.

In a blog that may have some foreshadowing towards the upcoming Cibernetico, Player Uno speaks out and sends a message to his teammate, reminding him that Uno is the one that made him who he is.

The 180th episode of CHIKARA’s Podcast-a-Go-Go sees clips from this year’s Rey de Voladores tournament that took place over King of Trios weekend in March. Check out both first round matches!

- CHIKARA “An Optimistic View of a Pessimistic World”
October 17, 2009 ~ Palmer Community Center, Easton, PA
1. CHIKARA Campeonatos de Parejas ~ V1: Fire Ant & Soldier Ant [The Colony] (c) vs. Brodie Lee & Grizzly Redwood [The Roughnecks]
2. Gran Akuma vs. Jigsaw
3. Chad Badd & Brad Badd [The Badd Boyz] vs. Lince Dorado & Helios [The Future is Now]

- CHIKARA “Cibernetico Incredible”
October 18, 2009 ~ The Arena, Philadelphia, PA
1. Torneo Cibernetico: Fire Ant (captain), Mike Quackenbush, X, X, X, X, X & X vs. Soldier Ant (captain), Jigsaw, X, X, X, X, X & X
2. Eddie Kingston vs. Ryuichi Kawakami
3. Sara del Rey & La Malcriada vs. Daizee Haze & Atsuko Emoto

Over two months ago at King of Trios the major story of the weekend was obviously the rise of F.I.S.T. and their victory in the finals against the popular Team Uppercut. However, another notable occurance over those three days was the emergence of Super Smash Bros. member Player Dos as a true singles threat following an impressive showing in the Rey de Voladores tournament, where he pinned ROH star Austin Aries and took DDT sensation Kota Ibushi to the limit. Come mid-August, Dos is gonna try and replicate that success but actually go all the way this time, as he will be participating in this year’s Young Lions Cup. This will be his second YLC performance after he entered last year’s, a tournament in which he also came very close as he was the last man to fall to Vin Gerard in the first night 6-way elimination match. Not only that, but to earn a spot in that match Dos (or Stupefied at the time) had to defeat Jimmy Olsen – aka Equinox, the current holder of the Young Lions Cup. This will be Dos’ biggest chance yet to show that he is not the “nearly man” of CHIKARA and it’s not a chance he’ll be eager to pass up.

CHIKARA Podcast-A-Go-Go #165 featuring Eddie Kingston vs. Claudio Castagnoli and Ophidian/Escorpion Egipcio vs. Jimmy Olsen/Lince Dorado from the Armdrags to Riches show.

Colin Delaney’s blogging and he’s not a happy bunny!

No real progress on the results front from the Japanese shows, unfortunately, but hopefully BJW will release something informative shortly. Piecing together bits and bobs from various Twitter accounts, it appears that all of the CHIKARA wrestlers were victorious on the D-DASH show (where Chuck Taylor wrestled Yuji Okabayashi, The Colony wrestled Shinobu & Shinya Ishikawa and UltraMantis Black wrestled Daisuke Masaoka), whereas on the Hama Pro show 2.0 defeated Shinya Ishikawa & Yoshihito Sasaki and Mantis, Crossbones & Buta Gunso (Abdullah Kobayashi) lost to Pierre, Daisuke Sekimoto & Western Tiger. Take them all with a pinch of salt until something more concrete comes out, though!

To keep you all at bay, here is an image of CHIKARA rudos making joyful yet evil faces in Japan.

CHIKARA “Young Lions Cup VII ~ Night 1″
August 14, 2009 ~ Palmer Community Center, Easton, PA

CHIKARA “Young Lions Cup VII ~ Night 2″
August 15, 2009 ~ Palmer Community Center, Easton, PA

CHIKARA “Young Lions Cup VII ~ Night 3″
August 16, 2009 ~ The Arena, Philadelphia, PA

Announced Young Lions Cup VII Participants:
1. Create-A-Wrestler (new character TBA) (3rd Young Lions Cup)
2. Soldier Ant (2nd Young Lions Cup)
3. Trik Davis (2nd Young Lions Cup)
4. Frightmare (1st Young Lions Cup)
5. Player Dos (2nd Young Lions Cup)

The complete cards have been revealed for the upcoming CHIKARA Japan shows. They will see some familiar faces to CHIKARA fans as Global Gauntlet participant Atsushi Ohashi will be teaming with King of Trios 2008 participant (and Toryumon graduate) Mototsugu Shimizu to take on 2.0, while Chuck Taylor will be up against DDT’s ever-oily two-time King of Trios participant Michael Nakazawa. Night two sees some full-on BJW vs. CHIKARA action featuring many more familiar names and a few other wrestlers who may not be familiar to CHIKARA fans such as former BJW Deathmatch Champion Shadow WX. Green Ant will also be participating on these cards.

- BJW “CHIKARA Japan Showcase”
June 12, 2009 ~ Ice Ribbon Arena, Saitama, Japan
1. Green Ant vs. Mask Man
2. Chuck Taylor vs. Michael Nakazawa
3. Jagged & Shane Matthews [2.0] vs. Mototsugu Shimizu & Atsushi Ohashi
4. Fire Ant & Soldier Ant [The Colony] vs. UltraMantis Black & Crossbones [The Order of the Neo-Solar Temple]

- BJW “CHIKARA Japan Showcase ~ GLOBAL GAUNTLET II”
June 13, 2009 ~ Shin-kiba 1st Ring, Tokyo, Japan
1. Daikokubo Benkei vs. Atsushi Ohashi
2. CHIKARA vs. BJW: UltraMantis Black & Crossbones [The Order of the Neo-Solar Temple] vs. Shadow WX & Yuichi Taniguchi
3. CHIKARA vs. BJW: Chuck Taylor vs. Daisuke Sekimoto
4. CHIKARA vs. BJW: Jagged & Shane Matthews [2.0] vs. Yoshihito Sasaki & Ryuichi Kawakami
5. Takashi Sasaki & Shinobu vs. Michael Nakazawa & Mask Man
6. CHIKARA vs. BJW: Fire Ant, Soldier Ant & Green Ant [The Colony] vs. Jaki Numazawa, Yuji Okabayashi & Shinya Ishikawa

UltraMantis Black has just posted a new blog on the CHIKARA website explaining quite why he chose to kidnap and warp Delirious using the Eye of Tyr:

5/27/2009: I told all of the doubters and nay-sayers in CHIKARA that I would have my comeuppance and, true to my every word, I so did! You see, the reasoning was quite simple. I had successfully disposed of every traitor that had ever double-crossed myself or The Order. Except for one man – Hallowicked. A man I once called “friend.” My confidant, my unquestioning soldier in the war on CHIKARA. But also, the man who chose to serve his own foolish self-interests by turning his back on me. At the Tag World Grand Prix 2006, while I was sidelined by injury, you put your fate in the hands of chance, and a new partner was “randomly” appointed you. Did you ever look back, Hallowicked? Did you ever think that it was you that destroyed the Dark Breed and gave birth to the Order of the Neo Solar Temple with your insolence? Hallowicked, you, more than any other near-mortal should have known that I never forgive and I never, ever forget.

Of course, revenge is a complex game, and I was forced to do many unsavory things and to break bread with some despicable beings – but it has all been worth it. I knew well the legend of the mysterious Eye of Tyr, and I knew I would have to do whatever it took to wield it’s mystical properties. Storm, Hydra, Cube, Saget, Hero – all just pawns. I never cared what needed to be bought, traded or stolen, or whose back I needed to step on. It took years for all the pieces to align correctly on the board. But I never forgot your betrayal, Hallowicked. And when Dr. Cube was willing to trade me for the name of the private collector in possession of the fabled Eye, the core of my being trembled with excitement – my patience was finally rewarded!

My time spent skulking in the shadows while Hallowicked and Delirious basked in their championship spotlight, my time spent on underacheivers like Sami Callihan and Pinkie Sanchez, who would never be fit for The Order, all this time was time well spent. Why? Because in biding my time, and waiting for the stars to align, I was at last presented an opportunity to wreck your little family, Hallowicked…just as you had wrecked mine.

Finally, at Aniversario weekend, it all came to pass – the dramatic dénouement! The one, true Unholy Triad coming together at last in the ring. The final transubstanciation of The Order, just as our ancient sacred texts had long predicted – UltraMantis Black, Crossbones, Delirious! What a frightening and painful realization it must have been for you, Hallowicked. To know that your tag team partner, your closest ally, was now in the clutches of the one man fully willing and able to destroy you! The Delirious you once knew is erased, and you have been left with nothing more than that sad little street urchin, Frightmare, as your aide. Ha! How your despair amuses me. I win again!

And now, I alone reign supreme over all of CHIKARA! The Order is in complete control of not only our own destiny, but of the fate of every last human cog in the CHIKARA machine. Fighters of the CHIKARA heed my warning: submit to The Order via your own freewill now, or face harsh retribution later. We will enslave or exterminate every last one of you; there is no other alternative. CHIKARA belongs to me!

No one can stop us!
UMB

A promo has surfaced regarding the upcoming CHIKARA tour of Japan, which can be viewed here. In it, the rudos who will be making the trip – UltraMantis Black, Crossbones, Jagged, Shane Matthews and Chuck Taylor – make clear their desire for revenge!

The CHIKARA feature page has also revealed exactly what the upcoming Fan Appreciation Night is all about. Straight from the horse’s mouth, “What’s so special about it, you may ask? Well, every paying customer is going to get a free gift at the show, and for this event, all seats in the house, even front row, are priced at just $15.00!”

Also announced on that page is the next CHIKARA Pod-Per-View, entitled “The Quest For Peace”, which will be available to buy at the end of June!

Earlier this week we confirmed that on April 26, Shark Girl will make her debut for CHIKARA against Sara Del Rey. Turns out, that’s not completely accurate as she will be in Easton the day before for a “warm up” of sorts as she will be taking on SHIMMER star Nevaeh. However, don’t let that put you off, because Nevaeh comes to CHIKARA with the impressive honour of being one half of the first and current SHIMMER Tag Team Champions, alongside current TNA star Ashley “Madison Rayne” Lane. She’ll be looking to defend her position as one of SHIMMER’s top wrestlers against Shark Girl, and not only that, she’ll be out to show that land ALWAYS beats sea.

Also regarding Easton, prior to his and Mike Quackenbush’s challenge to the Osirian Portal for Los Campeonatos, Jigsaw has dropped in to the CHIKARA site with a new blog:

The Campeonatos de Parejas. That’s what this is all about. First it’s the hard work. The long nights in the gym, in the ring. Finally, you get the points. All the pain, the punishment, they’ll all be worth it, once we get our hands on those gold belts. It’s been a long road to get where I’m at right now. There was a point where I thought I had the perfect partner to get my hands on those belts. I was wrong. Then there was a point where I’d imagined never stepping foot in a CHIKARA ring again – never holding one of the few accolades in CHIKARA that had eluded me. I was wrong about that as well. Because on April 25th, 2009 in Easton, PA I’ll get my chance and this time I know for sure that I have the perfect partner. This time I have Mike Quackenbush.

It wasn’t easy to put the team back together. I knew I had to prove to Mike that I was in this for the long haul. That I knew mistakes were made and could be fixed. And that if I had his back I needed to know he would have mine in return. Well that all came together on December 14th, 2008 in Philadelphia. Tim Donst went down and the opportunity I had been waiting for came – a chance to prove to Quack, to prove to the locker room, to prove to the CHIKARA fans that I bleed CHIKARA and I wanted, needed to come back home…back to CHIKARA, where I belong. It was on that day that I showed Quack my loyalty to him and this company. Now the boys are back, and back with a purpose: to take hold of those Campeonatos de Parejas!

The current holders of the Campeonatos de Parejas, The Osirian Portal, are no strangers to me. Ya see the day that they started to catch momentum, their first match together as a team – was against none other than Shane Storm and I. The Portal got the best of us that day, but I don’t make the same mistakes twice. ‘Cause this time it’s not the Stormer in my corner, it’s Mike Quackenbush. I know how bad Quack wants this. To hold these belts and be on top of CHIKARA – it’s only fitting. In fact, it needs to happen; we need to hold those belts up high, even if it’s for just one night.

This is Quack’s first shot at the belts, and I know that just like me, he feels he has the perfect partner for the job. Not to take anything away from Ophidian or Amasis…as there’s a reason they hold the Campeonatos de Parejas. They’re young, full of fire, and I know the team I faced back in 2007 is a lot better today. I’m sure the Portal will bring everything they have to the table on April 25th in Easton. But boys, if you’re reading this, I’ll let you know something right now. You show up in Easton with anything less than your absolute best, you won’t have a chance.

Claudio Castagnoli challenges Mitch Ryder (and Buck Hawke) after Larry Sweeney failed to face him over King of Trios weekend.

Finally, Mike Johnson from PWInsider chimes in with his thoughts on night 1 of King of Trios.

- CHIKARA “Behind the 8 Ball″
April 25, 2009 ~ Palmer Community Center, Easton, PA
1. Nevaeh vs. Shark Girl
2. Fire Ant & Soldier Ant [The Colony] vs. Chuck Taylor & Icarus [F.I.S.T.]
3. CHIKARA Campeones de Parejas ~ Best of 3 Falls ~ V3: Amasis & Ophidian [c] [The Osirian Portal] vs. Jigsaw & Mike Quackenbush