Prelude to King of Trios 2010

Picking Up Where We Left Off…

2009 was an odd year for the company. No part odder than UltraMantis Black using a stolen artifact called the Eye of Tyr (acquired after bartering with Dr. Cube) to mind-control Delirious and make him the new third member of the Order of the Neo-Solar Temple. A mysterious masked man named Vokoder appeared to warn him about what would happen if he were to hold onto the treasure for too long and eventually got the position as UltraMantis’ advisor. Meanwhile, another masked man would make threats to him online about how war was coming.

As for UltraMantis’ former lackey Hydra, he was forced into retirement. He had a falling out with Tim Donst, who defeated him in a Loser Leaves Town match. He went on to co-host a cooking show for kids.

Eddie Kingston repeatedly lost to Claudio Castagnoli, getting more and more incensed each time, insisting that Claudio is in fact a terrible excuse for a human being and refusing to show him respect when that was the stipulation of one of their matches.

Our champions from last year, FIST, continued to feud with the Colony. A hair vs. mask match ended with the introduction of the new Carpenter Ant, who helped the Colony win. Icarus and Chuck Taylor ended up shaved bald as a result. Carpenter Ant gained the trust of the Colony up until gaining a big head and acting more rudo than tecnico in his matches. He also curiously introduced a new Inverted CHIKARA Special, which helped him win the annual Cibernetico match.

It all came together at the reveal that Eddie Kingston was 100% right. Claudio Castagnoli wasn’t this paragon of virtue. He, alongside Ares (the “war is coming” mystery man), his old tag partner from his days in Swiss Money Holding, attacked the CHIKARA roster with their new outsider army, Bruderschaft des Kreuzes. Otherwise known as the Brotherhood of the Cross, they mainly included wrestlers who had some kind of problem with the company or the fans. Vokoder and Carpenter Ant were their moles, revealed to be Tim Donst and Pinkie Sanchez. They also included disgruntled wrestlers Sara Del Rey, Dazee Haze and later Lince Dorado. Holding onto the Eye of Tyr, Ares took the reins of Delirious. Also, they introduced a massive Viking warrior named Tursas to their ranks.

Shortly after the BDK’s debut, the CHIKARA Board of Directors relieved Leonard F. Chikarason of his duties as Commissioner of Fun and replaced him with Dieter VonSteigerwalt, a man who was quite obviously part of the BDK’s machinations. 2010 began with the team dominating the competition without a hitch. Tim Donst defeated Player Dos for the Young Lions Cup and the team of Claudio and Ares quickly dethroned the Colony to win the Campeonatos de Parejas.

This isn’t your usual rudo group like the UnStable or the Kings of Wrestling. This is the kind of villain threat so encompassing that the heroes and lesser villains need to team up together to make a dent. You know, like when Xavier and Magneto have to join forces to stop Mr. Sinister.

The Format

Same as last year. Night 1 is eight tournament matches. Night 2 starts up the Rey de Voladores thing as well as the the quarterfinals of the King of Trios tournament. Night 3 is the Tag Gauntlet, semifinals and the finals for both tournaments. The only difference is that they got rid of the whole indy wrestling promotion showcase concept from 2009.

Our Combatants

Bruderschaft des Kreuzes Team A
Members: Ares, Claudio Castagnoli and Tursas
Alignment: BDK

In their brief time as a unit, the top tier of the BDK have been a nightmare for all who got in their way. Ares and Claudio rapidly garnered the three points needed to earn a tag title match and handily defeated the Colony, becoming the Campeones de Parejas. Meanwhile, their enforcer Tursas has been unbeatable, seemingly impossible to even knock over. Can anyone stand up to these guys?

Bruderschaft des Kreuzes Team B
Members: Lince Dorado, Pinkie Sanchez and Tim Donst
Alignment: BDK

Lince, Pinkie (otherwise known as “Pink Ant”) and Donst all have an axe to grind with CHIKARA and its fans. They act as the second tier of the BDK conglomerate and while they too have been undefeated since joining the BDK, they aren’t quite as dominant as their leaders. They’re far sneakier than Claudio and Ares, having to cut corners, but they succeed every time. The idea of BDK vs. BDK won’t lead to much excitement as the B-Team are ready to lay down and give their superiors the pass to the next stage.

The Colony
Members: Fire Ant, Green Ant and Soldier Ant
Alignment: Tecnico

After being forced to sit out 2009’s tournament, the ants are back with their new third member Green Ant rounding things out. While he’s certainly still green to his name, Green Ant has shown some chops over the past year and he’s ready to help move his partners to win their first King of Trios. Plus they want some payback on the BDK for stealing their titles.

The F1rst Family
Members: Arik Cannon, Darin Corbin and Ryan Cruz
Alignment: Tecnico

Arik Cannon and the North Star Express team up yet again. They’re all great and all, but I really have nothing new to add. They’re here. They’re going to wrestle. Nothing new has happened with them since the last show. Same as it ever was.

FIST
Members: Icarus, Gran Akuma and Chuck
Alignment: Rudo

The winners of the 2009 King of Trios make their big return and are in fact the only winning team to come back in full the following year. Huh. People didn’t believe that they’d be worthy of the finals last time and they proved them wrong. As far as they’re concerned, they’re going to return to the top where they belong.

The Future is Now
Members: Jigsaw, Equinox II and Helios
Alignment: Tecnico

With Lince Dorado their Judas, the Future is Now moves forward with their leader Jigsaw taking Lince’s spot. The three see themselves as representatives of CHIKARA and hate to see the mockery that the BDK have made of the company. The masked high-fliers know that victory is in their future and that future is now.

The Jack of All Trios
Members: Flip Kendrick, Louis Lyndon and Johnny Gargano
Alignment: Mixed

Absolute Intense Wrestling in Chicago held a two-day tournament where the winning team would move on to the King of Trios tournament. This explains why Da Soul Touchaz aren’t in this year’s show. By winning the tournament Johnny Gargano gets his foot in the CHIKARA door, alongside the high-flying duo known as Aeroform. Gargano doesn’t completely see eye-to-eye with Flip Kendrick and Louis Lyndon, but they coexist well enough and share the same dream to succeed together.

The Jackson 3
Members: Malachi Jackson, Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson
Alignment: Mixed

The careers of the Young Bucks have exploded with a TNA run and they’ve changed their name to Generation Me. Nick and Matt return to CHIKARA, but rather than pick someone like El Generico as their partner, they go closer with their younger brother Malachi. The unfortunately not-so-photogenic Malachi has a similar, though unrefined, version of Nick and Matt’s style, but he looks up to his brothers and doesn’t want to let them down. While Generation Me are confident in their own skills, they do see Malachi as their weakness and if there is a downfall in the future, it’s probably going to be that guy’s fault.

Team Big Japan Wrestling
Members: Daisuke Sekimoto, Kankuro Hoshino and Yuji Okabayashi
Alignment: Tecnico

Daisuke Sekimoto is a pretty big name in Big Japan Wrestling, having won various titles, including being one of the very few men to be the heavyweight champion. Many of his title reigns have been alongside Yuji Okabayashi, who joins him at King of Trios alongside the scarred-up Kankuro Hoshino. What’s important is that this is a team of pure power. While all the other Japanese contingents in King of Trios history have all had at least one speed-based wrestler in their midst, Team Big Japan Wrestling is nothing but brute force, ready to flatten whoever gets in their way.

Team Delicioso
Members: Curry Man, El Hijo del Ice Cream and Ice Cream Jr.
Alignment: Mixed

After years or competing with mystery partners, Los Ice Creams are finally set to wrestle at King of Trios with an established ally. Originally, they were planning on teaming up with flamboyant and effeminate Mexican luchador Cassandro. Unfortunately, Cassandro got badly injured in the weeks leading up to the show. Feeling bad, Cassandro pulled some strings and got food-based wrestling sensation Curry Man to take his place. Will this team be too hot, too cold or just right?

Team Frightning
Members: Mike Quackenbush, Hallowicked and Frightmare
Alignment: Tecnico

Due to a convoluted story involving mind-control, Delirious is now a pawn in the BDK army. Since “Lightning” Mike Quackenbush is the general against the BDK invasion, that’s brought him closer to his student Hallowicked and Hallowicked’s sidekick Frightmare. There’s a real conflict of style, but they should be able to work in tandem without any problems.

Team Mexico
Members: Jorge Rivera, Turbo and Valiente
Alignment: Tecnico

Jorge “Skayde” Rivera is teaming up with Turbo – a luchador who’s had a couple CHIKARA matches – and the big Mexican star Valiente. Well… okay, maybe not. Only a day or so before the show, Rivera had a HUGE falling out with the company based on him trying to get more money out of them despite not having secured either teammate. So there’s a burned bridge for you. With the entire team not showing, that means we’re going to need to do some random drawings.

Team Osaka Pro
Members: Atsushi Kotoge, Daisuke Harada and Tadasuke
Alignment: Mixed

Teamwork has always been the key in King of Trios, but what if the group knows how to work together, but no longer share the spark? Atsushi Kotoge and Daisuke Harada, Osaka Pro Tag Team Champions under the name Momo no Seishun Tag, used to be in a stable along with the bruiser Tadasuke. Things fell apart and a jealous and frustrated Tadasuke turned on his partners and feuded with them for quite some time. Now the three are back together to represent their promotion. Tadasuke, regularly referred to as “their former ally”, wants to win enough that he’s willing to let bygones be bygones… for now at least. He still won’t act like a goody-two-shoes, but maybe that’s the edge this trio needs.

Team Perros del Mal
Members: El Oriental, El Alebrije and Cuije
Alignment: Tecnico

The experienced El Oriental is no stranger to the CHIKARA ring, although it’s been six years since we’ve seen him around after defeating Mike Quackenbush for the IPW Mexican Lightweight Championship. With him is a very peculiar tag team and former champions of AAA’s very peculiar mascot tag team division. Yes, they have a championship for teams made up of wrestlers and their mini sidekicks. El Alebrije is a big guy, dressed up as a dragon. The ever-excitable Cuije is incredibly tiny and although that makes him the weak link in the chain, the two are adept at playing mind games with their enemies.

The Throwbacks
Members: Dasher Hatfield, Sugar Dunkerton and Matt Classic
Alignment: Mixed

After years of choosing various gimmicks and going back to being Create-a-Wrestler, the clean slate wrestler has found a permanent identity in the Old-Timey King of Swing, Dasher Hatfield. The turn-of-the-century baseball player soon found a good friend in 1970’s style Harlem Globetrotter Sugar Dunkerton. As the Throwbacks, they enter the King of Trios alongside Matt Classic, a crotchety masked wrestler from the very, very early days of the sport who shares a similar physique with a certain indy darling.

The UnStable
Members: Vin Gerard, STIGMA and Colin Delaney
Alignment: Rudo

Once on top of the world in CHIKARA, the UnStable endured a pretty bad 2009. They lost an awful lot of matches and no longer had the luster of the men who ran roughshod on the company in 2008. Not only that, but there seems to be some uneasy tension looming among the members of the trio in regards to their losing ways. Hopefully the King of Trios tournament is just what they need to get back on track.

We’ll start the carnage tomorrow.

King of Trios Retrospective: Contents Page!

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• The King of Trios Retrospective: Day 17
• The King of Trios Retrospective: Day 9
• The King of Trios Retrospective: Day 1
• The King of Trios Retrospective: Day 5
• The King of Trios Retrospective: Conclusion

Posted in Chikara, King of Trios, Wrestlecomics by Gavok |