Revere, MA – 12.3.2011

Commentary is provided by Bryce Remsburg, Denver Colorado and Gavin Loudspeaker.

Cherry & Sawako Shimono vs. GAMI & Toshie Uematsu

Cherry and Sawako Shimono cut a pre-match promo in Japanese backstage. GAMI and Shimono, who faced off last night in singles action, start off this match as well. GAMI mows her down with a shoulder tackle. She stomps on Shimono’s head as she drops down. GAMI slams Shimono and scrapes her boots across her face. Shimono shoves GAMI into Uematsu and calls Cherry into the ring. They each hit a strike in the corner but then get bulldogged simultaneously by GAMI. Uematsu tags in and stomps on Shimono’s chest. She dropkicks her in the side of the head before scraping her boot against Shimono’s face. She facewashes Shimono and steps on her face again. Shimono small packages Uematsu to reverse a clothesline, then tags in Cherry. Cherry gets two with a fisherwoman’s suplex. Uematsu grabs Cherry’s nose and slaps her hand down to inflict severe damage to the face. GAMI walks the top rope while holding Cherry’s arm. Shimono slams Uematsu and the impact causes the ropes to shake and GAMI to be crotched on the top rope. GAMI catches Cherry with a thrust kick as Cherry comes into the corner. She and Uematsu continue to wear Cherry down until Cherry takes them out with a double clothesline. She huracanrana’s GAMI for two. Shimono tags in and knocks GAMI down with a couple shoulder blocks. GAMI evades a sit-out splash and Dragon kicks Shimono. Shimono Judo throws her into a cross armbreaker. Uematsu and Cherry fight on the floor while Shimono tries to slam GAMI. GAMI suplexes her and gets tripped as she hits the ropes. Shimono slams GAMI and hits a running splash for two. Uematsu boots Shimono in the stomach which allows GAMI to deliver a Northern Lights suplex for two. Uematsu assists GAMI in giving Shimono a German suplex. GAMI lariats Shimono and Cherry manages to break the pin. Uematsu splashes Shimono for two. She tries again but misses the splash. Shimono tackles Uematsu and Cherry decides to hold her. Shimono accidentally bodyblocks Cherry, but Uematsu also accidentally dropkicks GAMI. Shimono Earthquak splashes Uematsu for two. She picks her up with a Samoan Drop for two. Cherry German suplexes Uematsu and Shimono follows with a Death Valley Arrow. GAMI breaks the pin, so Cherry takes her to the floor. Uematsu slams Shimono. She hits another top rope splash and only gets two again. Uematsu gets two with a German suplex. Uematsu hits a Dragon suplex to get the win at 14:10. While the wrestling was good, the amount of pinfalls got to be overkill by the end. GAMI and Uematsu dominated to the point where I would love for them to team again in CHIKARA. Unfortunately this is Uematsu’s final weekend in the US, so that won’t be happening. **3/4

Ophidian says at “High Noon” he began his transformation by unmasking Amasis. He says tonight he will continue his transformation by scoring a win over Gregory Iron. Ophidian holds Amasis’ mask up and says it’s all his fault that he (Ophidian) is going to hurt people.

Gregory Iron vs. Ophidian

Ophidian throws the Amasis mask at Iron and kicks him in the face. He kicks Iron repeatedly and chops him against the ropes. Iron sends Ophidian to the floor and follows out with a suicide dive. Iron gets in a few chops before bringing Ophidian back into the ring. He drops Ophidian with a bulldog and hits a senton for two. Ophidian blocks a punch. He snaps Iron’s good arm across the top rope and then targets it with a divorce court DDT. Ophidian applies a legged full nelson on the mat. Iron leans back for a pin, forcing Ophidian to break the hold. Ophidian dragon kicks him for two. Iron blocks an O’Conner roll. He rolls back for a reverse prawn hold but Ophidian rolls forward and grabs the ropes. Referee Jon Barber catches him and doesn’t count. Ophidian releases and kicks Iron in the side of the head. Iron small packages Ophidian to block a fisherman’s suplex. Ophidian kicks Iron in the head and delivers that fisherman’s suplex for two. Ophidian snapmares Iron. He headstands in the corner and comes down with a splash for two. Iron Gimp slaps Ophidian as Ophidian runs to the corner. Iron huracanrana and headscissors him to the mat. He turns Ophidian inside out with a clothesline for two. Iron nails him with a forearm to stop Ophidian’s momentum coming out of the corner. Iron gets two with a high crossbody. Iron victory rolls Ophidian for two and waistlock rolls him for two. Ophidian kicks him in the leg and side of the head. He goes for the Ophidian Death Grip. Iron blocks and delivers a neckbreaker. Ophidian ducks the Gimp Slap. He slams Iron neck first across his knee and kicks him in the back of the head too. Ophidian applies the Death Grip and bridges forward ala the Cattle Mutilation. Iron taps out at 9:54. I love the intensity we saw from Ophidian here. I really do think him officially breaking free from Amasis will help him break out as one of the top singles Rudos CHIKARA has. 2012 has the potential to really be his year. The in ring work was solid too, but Ophidian’s demeanor was the real attention grabber. **1/2

Kaori Yoneyama vs. Hanako Nakamori

The two women reach a stalemate after locking to lock onto some sort of hold. Nakamori boots Yoneyama in the stomach instead of going for a test of strength. Yoneyama runs across her back before hairmaring her across the ring. Yoneyama steps on Nakamori’s clavicles in the corner. Yoneyama transitions from a headscissors into a bodyscissors. Nakamori leans back a few times for a pin, getting a one count every time. Nakamori kicks the inside of Yoneyama’s leg and turns her over into a Camel Clutch. Nakamori pushes Yoneyama up while pulling her arms back. Yoneyama floats over into a lateral press for a couple two counts. Nakamori armdrags Yoneyama and Yoneyama turns it into a pin for two. Nakamori lays in some boots in the corner. Yoneyama comes off the ropes with a crossbody for two. Nakamori rolls Yoneyama into a Stretch Muffler. Yoneyama crawls to the ropes to break it. Nakamori turns her into a Boston Crab. Yoneyama escapes and delivers some Mongolian chops. She forearms Nakamori in the corner, then gets kicked in the face for her troubles. Yoneyama wins a forearm exchange, yet it’s Nakamori who knocks her down with a clothesline. Nakamori then gets two with a fisherwoman’s suplex. Yoneyama ducks a knee and rolls up Nakamori for two. She backslides Nakamori for two. A big knee from Yoneyama leads to a Northern Lights suplex for two. Nakamori kicks Yoneyama in the side of the head and then hits a step-up knee strike to the head for two. Yoneyama blocks a fisherwoman’s suplex with a DDT. She knees Nakamori in the back of the head for two. Nakamori drops down and trades rolls up with Yoneyama. Yoneyama gets two with a German suplex. Yoneyama comes off the top rope with a knee to Nakamori’s head for the pin at 8:23. This had the same effect as the first match for me; a very good showcase of what the competitors could do, but way too many nearfalls. **3/4

Mayumi Ozaki vs. Mio Shirai

Osaki and Shirai were on the losing side of a tag team match last night, so they can take out their frustrations on one another in this bout if they desire. Ozaki stomps on Shirai’s foot to break waist lock. She ducks some of Shirai’s moves and boots her in the side of the head. She digs her boot into Shirai’s head after trapping her in the ropes. Ozaki suplexes her, transitioning into an armbar. Ozaki bites Shirai’s hand while wrenching on the hold. Shirai cradles Ozaki while she’s arguing with referee PJ Drummond. Ozaki brings Shirai t the night and applies a nerve hold to her side. She pulls on Shirai’s hair in a Camel Clutch. Ozaki slams her face multiple times in the face. Ozaki gets two after a clothesline. Shirai hairmares Ozaki to the corner. She digs her foot into the side of Ozaki’s head. Shirai puts her in a Camel Clutch while pulling on her nose. Shirai dragon kicks Ozaki for two. Ozaki picks up her signature chain out of the corner. Shirai kicks it out of her hands into the audicence. Three kicks to the face get Shirai a two count. Ozaki stops her kick combination with a DDT. Shirai drops her with an STO and transitions into a modified Fujiwara armbar. Ozaki smacks Shirai in the face to escape the hold. Shirai puts on a reverse Tarantula. She let’s go and hits a missle dropkick for two. Ozaki ducks an enzuigiri. She blasts Shirai in the face with a double sledge for two. A fisherwoman’s buster also gets her two. Shirai clobbers Ozaki with a kick. Again Ozaki catches her with a double sledge to the face, yet gets two once again. The Ozakick finally puts Shirai away at 9:42. This match has inspired me to search out more Ozaki matches, as she really tells a good story and has quite the reputation. Her and Shirai beat each other silly and put on quite the show. Shirai looked like a million bucks hanging in there with the crafty veteran and helped make this as entertaining as it was. ***

Sara Del Rey says although Kuragaki is the ace of JWP, she’s the Queen of Wrestling and she will show Kuragaki why tonight.

Sara Del Rey vs. Tsubasa Kuragaki

Kuragaki cleanly breaks a lock-up against the ropes. They exchange wristlocks, ending with Sara applying a kneebar. Kuragaki grabs the ropes to break it. Kuragaki whips Sara across the ring in a double wristlock. He snapmares her into a chinlock and applies a bodyscissors. Sara switches into a mount where she forearms Kuragaki. Kuragaki shifts the momentum and blasts Sara with even harder forearms. They continue to slug it out on their feet. Sara kicks her thighs and delivers a headbutt. Kuragaki back elbows Sara into a sharpshooter. Sara boots Kuragaki and rolls her into an armbar. She again gets the ropes to break the hold. Kuragaki has to get the ropes to break another armbar right after. An exchange of waistlocks leads to Sara rolling Kuragaki head first into the second turnbuckle. Kuragaki clotheslines Sara twice in the corner. Kuragaki then suplexes her for two. Sara catches Kuragaki as she heads up top. Kuragaki looks for a super powerbomb. Sara thankfully fights her way to the mat, but still eats a missile dropkick for a two count. Kuragaki slams her from a torture rack position, the same move she used to win her trios match last night. Kuragaki goes to the second rope, but Sara is able to yakuza kick her to the floor. Sara comes off the apron with a somersault senton. Back in the ring she connects with the Koppu Kick for two. Sara captures Kuragaki’s arm as she delivers an Angle slam for two. Kuragaki Saito suplexes Sara in response. Sara fights out of a second Saito suplex. Kuragaki delivers a chin breaker, but Sara immediately delivers an axe kick. Kuragaki fires up, landing a lariat for two. She unloads with repeated forearm strikes, ending with another lariat for two. Kuragaki misses a tornado moonsault. Sara crucifix pins her for two. Kuragaki blocks a rolling forearm with a bridging backslide for two. Sara’s mid-section is in too much pain for her to bring Kuragaki off the ropes and into the Royal Butterfly. She however is able to lock it in from the apron. Sara suplexes her out of it for the pin at 13:45. This may have had as many pins as the first two matches, but the fans believed all of them and got even hotter as the match progressed. This is one of those matches that you have no expectations for and takes you by surprise. Sara picks up two big wins in two exciting, competitive matches on back to back nights. ***1/2

F.I.S.T. cuts a goofy promo backstage, referencing Good Will Hunting and essentially says they will defeat their opponents tonight. Chuck Taylor says he’s going after Fire Ant’s knee just like he did in Philadelphia last night.

Mike Quackenbush, Manami Toyota & The Colony (Fire Ant & Green Ant) vs. F.I.S.T (Icarus, Chuck Taylor & Johnny Gargano) & Portia Perez

Even Toyota is horrified at Icarus’ back tattoo. So much so that she boots him in the face after he peels off his ring jacket. Taylor steps in with Green Ant. They trade holds until Green Ant twists Taylor’s legs up on the mat. Taylor rolls to the ropes to escape. Taylor gets to the ropes to escape a headlock too. Fire Ant tags in and helps Green Ant with a tandem flapjack. Fire Ant takes Gargano down with an armdrag and the Stop, Drop and Roll. Icarus attacks Fire Ant from behind. Fire Ant uses Icarus and Gargano to take out each other. They end up on the floor, so Green Ant flies out to them. Gargano and Icarus catch Green Ant and slam him against the apron. Quack takes them over out of a double wristlock. Toyota then missile dropkicks them back to the floor. She crossbody’s off the top onto them on the floor. Perez attacks Toyota from behind but gets slapped for her troubles. Toyota dropkicks Perez after hooking her in the ropes. Toyota puts her in a Muta Lock. Once she’s through with that, she hits two missile dropkicks. Perez superkicks Toyota and drops her with a reverse STO. Toyota rolls her around the mat in a cradle. Perez slips to the floor, bringing in Icarus who spears her. A variation of F.I.S.T. kicks is used by all four members of the Rudo squadron. Toyota continues to be bullied until she boots Icarus after ducking a clothesline from Gargano. Fire Ant crossbody’s Icarus and DDT’s Gargano. He cracks Icarus with the Yahtzee Kick. Taylor kicks Fire Ant’s knee out. The other two members of F.I.S.T. also inflict damage to the leg, allowing Fire Ant to get trapped in their corner. Fire Ant manages to kick Icarus away and tag in Green Ant. Green Ant hip tosses Icarus and delivers a running headbutt to the chest. Green Ant suicide dives onto Icarus on the floor. Quack and Gargano tag in. Quack nails a low single leg dropkick after a running elbow strike. Quack gets two with the Black Tornado Slam when Perez breaks the count. Toyota comes in and Perez claws her face. Quack sends Gargano to the floor and double palm strikes Perez with Toyota. Toyota German suplexes Perez for two while Quack tope con hilo’s onto Gargano. Toyota gets two with a moonsault. Taylor gives Toyota the Sole Food. She German suplexes him and Perez breaks the pin. Perez evades a piledriver. Icarus pulls her hair until the Colony double hip toss Icarus off the top rope. Quack follows with a tope rope somersault senton. The Colony and Quack dive onto F.I.S.T. on the floor. Toyota turns a powerbomb into the Japanese Ocean Cyclone Suplex for the pin at 17:49. This was the kind of exciting, fun action you get out of every Atomicos match these days in CHIKARA. I’ve said over and over how good the chemistry between F.I.S.T. and Colony is and this match was no different. ***1/2

Ayako Hamada vs. Aja Kong

Neither woman wins the initial lock-up. Kong kicks Hamada’s ankle and trades chops with her. Kong clobbers her with overhand throat chops. Hamada ducks a corner clothesline and headbutts Kong from the apron. She comes back in with an armdrag off the ropes. Kong armdrags her to the corner, reaching a stalemate. Kong bridges Hamada to the mat in a test of strength and puts her body weight on her. Hamada breaks free, so Kong kicks her in the ribs a few times. She slams her and drops an elbow for two. Kong pulls on Hamada’s hair while stepping on her hands. Hamada comes back with a spinwheel kick. Her headbutts have no effect on Kong. One headbutt from Kong knocks Hamada down. Kong steps on her stomach and stomps on it. She picks up the metal tin she used yesterday against Del Rey. Bryce Remsburg disposes of it, so Kong gives Hamada a piledriver for two. Hamada cracks Kong with an enzuigiri. They trade strikes mid-ring. Hamada takes a clothesline as she hits the ropes. Hamada palm strikes kOng as Kong goes to the middle rope. She hits the Iconoclasm and a running shin strike for two. Kong gets her feet up to block a moonsault. She Saito suplexes Hamada for two. Hamada ducks a clothesline and hits a superkick. Hamada manages to sunset bomb Kong off the middle rope but only gets two. She successfully hits the moonsault but again just gets two. Kong ducks a spin kick. She drops Hamada with a brainbuster for two. Kong dropkicks Hamada from the second rope. Hamada fires up, but falls victim to the Uraken for the pin at 10:10. This was two of the best in Joshi showcasing their best for ten minutes. Kong’s done a great job the past two matches looking like a monster, but one that could be thwarted. Even though she beat Hamada, Hamada looked incredible in defeat and orchestrated a fun story for the crowd to follow. This would have been more well rounded were it a bit longer but it was a heck of contest while it lasted. ***1/4

Overall: Unlike Night 1, this card didn’t do much for me on paper but ended up surprising me with how good most of the matches were. Like last night, the final three matches were excellent with Del Rey vs. Kuragaki stealing the show. Toshie Uematsu continues to be the undervalued MVP on the undercard and we got to see just a taste of what Ophidian has in store for the next CHIKARA season. Nothing here will absolutely blow you away, but there’s plenty of quality matches to warrant a recommendation for this show as well.

Like these reviews? Please visit my CHIKARA Special blog where I have tons of shows and matches reviewed.

Also, be sure to visit my CHIKARA Special Tumblr where you can find all news, information, photos and whatnot related to the CHIKARASphere.

Myself and Dragon Gate guru Brad Garoon did English Commentary for Dragon Gate’s “Dead or Alive” PPV. You can find that DVD for cheap here at IVP Videos. If you want a free sample, check out a couple of matches Brad and I did for free here on YouTube.

Finally, follow me on Twitter!