Chikara High Noon, Philadelphia, PA
Requested via Ko-fi! I was never a Chikara guy. Just not my kind of utter dorkery. But like anything, obviously there were some great matches, some good stories, and a lot of tremendous talents passed through there, either from the Chikara Wrestle Factory itself, or just passing on through for a spell.
This is the final of the 12 Large Summit tournament, and a match to crown the first-ever Chikara Grand Champion.
Kingston has Tommy Dreamer in his corner here, fellow Yonkers native, fellow fighter, fellow guy who always lost the big one. Quackenbush has idk I think that’s Jigsaw. Yeah it’s Jigsaw. This is called “the biggest match in Chikara history.” These two had also never had a singles match, and they never would again. This is a one-and-only, and it’s the headliner of Chikara’s first iPPV.
Commentary goes over how close Kingston and the late Larry Sweeney were. Quackenbush doing his usual little wristlocks and whatnot, Kingston keeps trying to draw some anger out of him. Commentary also does a good job putting over that these two guys are actually very similar, but they approach their stubbornness in very different ways.
Kingston with a series of chops and a SPINE ON THE PINE for two. Kingston’s got a janky right knee coming in, he starts shaking it a bit, and Quackenbush notices and immediately goes to it. That will obviously be his focus, and it can limit Kingston’s own offense.
Quackenbush with a little spinning kick leg sweep, then a double knee to the chest for two. Quackenbush grabs the leg and keeps it on the mat, Eddie tries to strike his way out, but Quackenbush kicks him in the chest, then kicks him in the skull when Eddie taunts, then really starts to wrench on the knee.
Kingston wants a power bomb, doesn’t happen, and Quackenbush goes right back to the knee. Quackenbush waits until the four-count with Kingston in the ropes. He also isn’t shy about going to the eyes with a pure, Piper-style eyepoke, unusual for him, but revealing what a dickhead he really is deep down when the pressure’s on.
Kingston is turning a deep red in the face as Quackenbush keeps it on the mat, pretzeling Eddie’s legs up and shouting at him. But Eddie is Eddie, so this just motivates him. They’re trading slaps and Eddie’s got heavier shots, period. It’s the thing where Quackenbush just cannot beat Kingston, even with his good palm strikes.
Kingston gets the opening and just hurls Quackenbush with a back suplex, setting up like a backdrop driver but his leg isn’t gonna go with that so he just releases him on the throw back. A stumbling, all-arm (can’t plant the leg) lariat follows and gets a two count. Tommy Dreamer leading the fire for Eddie, the locker room has emptied out and everyone is kneeling ringside, a thing that has happened progressively with more and more people through the match. Doing it this way makes it seem like everyone is simply gravitating to the moment. Reckless Youth is ringside! Reckless Youth! This is corny, but it is genuinely effective. Young Bucks, Colt Cabana, basically every notable near Chikara at the time.
Backfist is blocked, Black Hole Slam (not the Abyss type) from Quackenbush. Quack heads up top, hits the swanton for two. Lightning Lock from Quack, people are chanting, “Please don’t tap,” some of the wrestlers banging along on the apron to go with the fans. Kingston makes it to the bottom rope.
Crowd continues trying to urge Eddie on, but Quackendriver III hits. An arrogant cover with one knee, and Eddie kicks at HWAN! Quack trying not to lose the focus, though he is being a bit more distracted by the crowd’s full support of Kingston. Flying double knees miss, and that jolts Quack’s whole body, giving Eddie the chance.
Strap down, Kingston sweeping the legs repeatedly as Eddie looks to even the score with the knees. Quackenbush begging off as Eddie builds some momentum, but part of it is playing possum. Backfist to Quackenbush’s knee to knock him off the top rope and down into the ring. Quackenbush begging off for real now, and Eddie gets the Kondo Clutch, dropping down to the mat in center ring, scissoring the body entirely. Quackenbush crawling, doing what he can to fight off the vise, and he manages the bottom rope.
Trading strikes again. Quackenbush holding his own, but it’s still a bad strategy, and eventually he runs into a lariat. Backdrop driver hits this time as Kingston fights the pain! Tiger suplex! Backfist! Backfist to the back of the head, and Eddie Kingston wins the big one! Eddie Kingston wins!
Whatever you think of Chikara, this is really just a great wrestling match. Again, I’ve never been a Chikara person. Just not my flavor, man. But Eddie Kingston was always someone — and there were others — who broke through my natural bias against Chikara because he was doing the wrestling I liked within the rest of this goofy shit. Kingston was just a great wrestler who happened to come through the Chikara system.
Also, I know he’s an absolute dipshit, but Quackenbush was a very talented wrestler, incredibly smart, was able to capably meld different styles together while not overplaying his hand in any one aspect of it, creating something distinctly “Quackenbush” and, in its way, distinctly “Chikara,” with all sorts of obvious influence from around the world.
So yeah, it’s a great match. It’s full of emotion, the crowd is hot, both guys are terrific, the story is told very well, and the right guy won in the end.
Kingston would hold the belt until May 2014, 924 days in all, making 15 defenses before losing it to Icarus, another Chikara original, by far the longest and most important reign in the title’s history. If you only know Eddie through AEW, there’s a ton you should see from his indie career for sure, and this is right up there with anything.
4.5/5
You can watch the match free on YouTube:
Tape Machines Are Rolling 