Easy Come, Easy Go

Wagner and Ultimo lose the CMLL campones de parajes back to Negro Casas and Mistico after only a week.

what's the point?

three words that go great together

RUDO DR. WAGNER~!

1000 % RUDO~!~!

RIP Chris Benoit

apparently, not an angle.

Meltzer and other news sources say Benoit and his entire family found dead today.

Lucha Flyer 21 July 2000

While looking through my archives today, I came upon this flyer that I picked up in Tiajuana when I saw a Lucha Show there in July 2000. I was in SD for Comicon and this was the first time I finally got to see Lucha in person (thanks again to Eric from Hollywood Book and Poster). This is what all you comics folks missed by always going to the Eisners every year.

A plague wind fill'd with insects

A PLAGUE WIND FILL’D WITH INSECTS

a malevolent convesation with UltraMantis Black

[Editor’s note: It had been a long time since we heard from our old friend Dr. Alquimia. For those that don’t remember, we had been contracted to publish his comic book, but a number of suspicious incidents led to problems with the first issue. After we published that issue back in 2001, some more odd things happened (too numerous to mention) and we suspended publication of the book until we could talk to Dr. Alquimia himself. Well, until a few days ago, we had been unable to contact him for over five years. Shockingly, we received an email from him (or someone claiming to be him), asking if we could publish an interview he had just conducted. After we confirmed it was indeed him, we agreed and hope that this return of the Master of the Egyptian Art will not be short-lived. We still want to chronicle his adventures and hope to have news on this matter during the summer comic book convention season. Sadly, but not surprisingly, it appears that, since the last time we saw him, Dr. Alquimia has returned to his rudo roots.]

The great English visionary William Blake once said, “Active Evil is better than Passive Good.” And, to the great consternation of tecnicos everywhere, I am proud to say that I am once again both Active and Evil. I must humble apologize to my former tag team partner, El Caido, for ever abandoning my rudo ways. I hope that I will be able to earn back both his trust at some point.

But that is neither here nor there. I have not returned today to sing my own praises (hard as that may be), but to extol the virtues of another man who walks the path less chosen, the leader of the Order of the Neo-Solar Temple, UltraMantis Black.

The evil insect mastermind graciously took a few minutes out of scheming and plotting nefarious conspiracies to talk to me about his career, current plans and assorted other Machiavellian pursuits.

DA: When you began your wrestling career, you were a tecnico. What made you turn to the dark side?

UMB: I prefer to call it the light-deprived side. If I remember correctly, it had something to do with a holly-go-lightly chap known as Mister ZERO and a heated dispute over shoes and socks. I suppose it all snowballed from there although, at this point, I can't really point to any logical reason for my rudo-wing leanings.

DA: Is this when you stopped wearing boots and started working barefoot? (I apologize for only having seen a few of your tecnico matches, but noticed that you did wear footwear at the time.)

UMB: Ah, this was not the precise moment when I began this practice; however it was indeed a turning point in the journey toward my enlightenment. Most footwear is merely a tool of the multinational corporations to keep us subservient and poor -- blind to the blight of the sprawling civilization around us and the unfair wage system which keeps us in chains. No gods, no masters.

DA: Do you have any evil role models, in wrestling or in popular culture? Kevin Sullivan? Curtis Ieukea? Lex Luthor? Dr. Doom? Montgomery Burns? One imagines you must be close personal friends with Zorak from SPACE GHOST.

UMB: Hmm. When I think of evil I think of Wal-Mart, the John Birch Society, and [former] US Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton. So I can not say I am influenced at all by such. However, it is interesting that you reference Kevin Sullivan. I find myself quite influenced by his work in, what they call, "the old Florida territory". Genius. Sadly I was not privy to much of King Curtis' early work. However, any man or woman who can tame both the Ugandan Headhunter as well as The Yeti is OK in my book. Plus, the forehead. I am not familiar with these other individuals of which you speak. SPACE GHOST?

DA: Do you have a favorite “giant insect” movie”? BEGINNING OF THE END with the giant grasshoppers? I’d think you would have a fondness for THE DEADLY MANTIS.

UMB: The 1954 classic THEM!, featuring a young James Whitmore and the legendary and wonderful Edmund Gwenn, star of the unforgettable MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET.

DA: In addition to your wrestling training at the Chikara Wrestle Factory, have you ever studied the Praying Mantis Kung Fu style?

UMB: I have a background in Krav Maga. I also enjoy listening to the music of Red Sovine when I take long car rides, often pretending to be navigating my big rig heading for Bear on I-10 about a mile out of Shakey Town.

DA: How and where did you discover the man-monster Hydra? Is he at all connected to the infamous Marvel Comics evil spy organization HYDRA, once led by the nefarious Baron Wolfgang von Strucker?

UMB: You are speaking of "comical books" characters, yes? Such frivolities are meaningless to The Order. But back to the question at hand, Hydra was born of fire -- a great oceanic fire, one similar to that which engulfed the engine of Oceanic Flight 815 one fateful day. Hydra is what I like to call a young, virile monster-in-training. A "twink" if you will. I foresee much greatness in Hydra's future if he remains under my guidance and continues to walk in the Shining Path of the Order.

DA: What do you think of Hydra’s chances in the upcoming Young Lions’ Cup?

UMB: I'm going to be brutally honest here -- his chances are not good. With that said, Hydra's goals are unrelated to that of gold, riches, and trophies. Hydra fights in service to The Order and while we have yet to reveal the exact nature of our own goals to the viewers, we are quite secure in our belief that our cause is a just one. However, one never knows what will happen in such tournaments. For example, if the entire roster were to be afflicted with a horrible case of food poisoning, and Hydra -- a man-monster known for his all air and water diet -- was to remain unscathed, well then I believe his chances would improve vastly.

DA: Is there an insect rivalry between you and the members of the Colony?

UMB: As my friends The West Coast Rap All-Stars so eloquently once put it – “we're all in the same gang.”

DA: Were you able to have an “evil genius” summit with Kaiju’s Dr. Cube last month when you both were in Philadelphia for CHIKARA’s Anniversario! show?

UMB: Unfortunately, no. However, Cubey has my number and he knows I anxiously await his call. Perhaps the good doctor would enjoy a delightful evening out in the Village together. I'm thinking a nice dinner of risotto and gazpacho at the Yaffa Cafe on St. Mark's, catch a show at the Winter Garden (have you seen MAMMA MIA yet??), and perhaps a nightcap of all-night canasta playing at my friend King's house.

DA: Have you patterned your commentating style on any one person? Would you say your style is more Gordon Solie or something more modern?

UMB: Solie, Lance Russell, Bob Caudle, Mid South-era Jim Ross. I always thought Ken Resnick was a good interview. David Crockett for purposes of unintentional humor only, of course.

DA: Do you have a favorite commentary partner? You seem to have quite the rapport with “Sweet and Sour” Larry Sweeney on the stick.

UMB: “The Palomino” is a true golden god amongst men. The man is a verbal Van Gogh. He paints such vivid aural pictures with his words. A genuine treat to share the commentary table with him!

DA: You know evil and you know baseball. Who is the most evil player in the show today: Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Curt Shilling or someone else?

UMB: True evil is every anabolic junkie who besmirched the game with their dope shooting-enhanced on-field performances. And Billy Wagner.

I once again would like to thank the incredibly insidious insect UltraMantis Black for generously speaking to your not-so-humble servant. You can be sure the next time I see him at the International Brotherhood of Rudos, the first one is on me.

CHIKARA’s annual Young Lions Cup takes place this weekend, June 22-24, in Reading, Barnesville and Hellertown, PA, respectively. For more information, visit the CHIKARA website at Http://chikarapro.com. You can find UltraMantis Black on the web at http://www.myspace.com/ultramantis.

5/26 Chikara Pro results

5/26 Chikara Pro Wrestling, Hellertown PA 1. Fire Ant and Soldier Ant d. The Olsen Twins -- Before the match, The Olsen twins were found to have brought a magnifying glass to ringside. 2. Brodie Lee d Equinox 3. Shyane Hawke d Player Uno -- Player Uno was undone by his Pause Button. Hawke hit it right after Uno had climbed back into the ring and was an easy pinfall victim. After the match, no one wanted to Un-Pause him, so Uno laid in the ring until the start of the next match. 4. Worker Ant d. Hydra (w/Ultra Mantis Black). Hydra tried to claim a pinfall on the frozen Player Uno, but the ref would have none of it. Worker Ant won after placing Hydra inside a giant paper bag and pinning him. After the match, Hydra continued to have problems with said bag, still being unable to wrestle out of it. 5. Simply Marvelous Mitch Ryder d. Shane Storm. After the match, Larry Sweeney and Chris Hero offered Ryder a chance to join their version of the Kings of Wrestling and he accepted. This sequed into the next match, where Sweeney teamed with a contractually-obligated Claudio Catagnoli. 6. Pantera & Lince Dorado d. Sweeney and Castagnoli. The reluctant partners were at odds in the beginning of the match and later at the end, when Claudio accidentally hit Sweeney with a European Uppercut that led to the pin. Pantera was able to get the crowd to frequently chant "LOCO" at Sweeney and delighted in mussing Sweeney's hair at every opportunity. 7. Young Lion's Cup defense -- Max Boyer d. Create-a-Wrestler After the match, Icarus and Gran Akuma offered Boyer a chance to join their version of the Kings of Wrestling and he accepted. They apparently just beat Chris Hero to the ring, who was apparently going to make the same offer to Boyer. 8. Hallowicked d. Eddie Kingston by DQ. Kingston was DQ'ed for mask ripping after a five-count. He even bit the stem off the top of Hallowicked's pumpkin-style mask. 9. Icarus & Gran Akuma d. Kagrra & Dragon Yuki 10. Mike Quackenbush d. Chris Hero in an extremely stiff match, full of chops, strikes and numerous headbutts. After hitting a double knee strike, Quackenbush made Hero tap to a Lucha-style submission. -- Mark Coale Odessa Steps Magazine The Year 1905 Blog

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The Anniversary Party

The Anniversary Party

CHIKARA Pro Wrestling Celebrates their Fifth Year with a Pair of Shows

Mark Coale

Odessa Steps Magazine

Tope Suicida Blog

There are all kinds of wrestling companies out there on the independent scene. Some are based on the traditional old school territorial model and some are modeled on Japanese organizations. There are those that approach the business very sternly (like Ring of Honor) and those that do not. CHIKARA Pro Wrestling is one that decidedly does not.

If there was one word to describe CHIKARA, there is probably no better word that “wacky.” In addition to the usual collection of babyface and heel wrestlers, you can find the following workers have competed under the CHIKARA banner: a colony of ants, a mechanical mummy, a giant chipmunk, an 80-year old grappler, an evil farmer with an ear of corn for a head, ice cream clowns and wooden training dummy come to life named Ken the Box.

CHIKARA is the closest thing we have in American to Mexican pro wrestling, better known as Lucha Libre. The promotion is full of masked wrestlers who fly all over the ring doing all kind of flips, dives and crazy submission maneuvers. It seems that the motto of Lucha is “the crazier, the better” and the same can certainly be said for CHIKARA.

Leading up to CHIKARA’s two Anniversary shows this weekend, we had a chance to do an e-interview with Mike Quackenbush, who co-founded the promotion back in 2002, about a variety of topics relating to the company’s past, present and future.

Q: When we did an interview right before CHIKARA started in 2002, you said the following. Do you think you succeeded in this goal?

"CHIKARA will, by design, bend and break the imagined parameters of American independent wrestling. When we say the "wrestling renaissance is at hand," that's not just some slogan we dreamed up, without any real meaning. CHIKARA will usher in a period of tremendous creative growth, maybe not for the circuit, but certainly within the confines of the company. We will toss preconceived notions about the way an indy show should be done, the way indy characters should be presented, the way indy matches need to be wrestled. This will be true to a fresh creative vision, without compromise, and if we succeed or fail, it will be on our terms alone."

A: I absolutely do. And it's the mantra that defines what we're still doing today, in 2007.

Q: I was at CHIKARA's first show in Allentown, PA and not living in the

Northeast again until recently, haven't been to another one since then. How has CHIKARA's product evolved over the five years?

A: I think it took us a year or two to really decide on a single direction, and to pursue it relentlessly. There was definitely a time in the early days when we weren't sure if we would survive another month, if we'd get to the next show, and seeing the bigger picture under those circumstances can be nearly impossible. These days, we know exactly who our fans are, we know exactly what we're trying to accomplish, and for the most part, that's what we try to do.

Q: What has been the high point of CHIKARA's five years in business? The low point?

A: I think our February tournaments are often the high point. A year ago, I probably would have said Tag World Grand Prix 2006 (which took place Feb. 24-26, 2006) and this year, I'd probably say King of Trios (which took place Feb. 16 - 18, 2007). CHIKARA has had some dark moments, some I wouldn't even want to mention. Ultimately though, those rough patches - whether before the Zoning Board in the crosshairs of a small-town political brouhaha, or catching a thief in our midst - all ended up bringing the CHIKARA family closer together in the end.

Q: Has there been a gimmick proposed that you thought was too "wacky" even for CHIKARA?

A: Sometimes I get emails from guys that work for other companies, and they write things like "I've come up with this great CHIKARA gimmick!" And I laugh at all of them. Because it's not something you just invent. It's not something pulled out of thin air. It's a manifestation of some part of the man under the mask. Bruce Wayne can only be Batman. Bruce Wayne can't be the Red Tornado.

Q: How was it working with Tiger Mask a few weeks ago (May 11, 2007), in the match where you won the NWA Jr. Heavyweight Title? As a longtime puroresu fan, it must have pretty cool.

A: It certainly was. I made sure I got all my Tiger Mask dream spots in there, and he seemed to really enjoy the process and the match.

Q: How did the working arrangement between CHIKARA and Ring of Honor come about?

A: I think between Chris [Hero] and Claudio [Castagnoli] having worked their main shows for so long, and having sent CHIKARA talent to FIP [Full Impact Pro Wrestling] (where they seem to cultivate new talent), we won over all the right people to open the door.

Q: On a similar note, how did the deal come about to wrestle on the musical festival THE WARPED TOUR?

A: Pure luck. Our friend, Mike Rotch, hooked it up. We didn't know them, they didn't know us. Mike just made sure we were in the right spot at the right time.

Q: Has the new indy wrestling paradigm (where revenue seemingly comes from DVD sales and house shows may be loss leaders) changed the business and CHIKARA specifically?

A: That's very true. If not for DVD revenue, we would have gone under almost two years back. It's a whole new ball game. This is the information age we live in, and promoters that came up in the business pre-internet (re: industrial age) are less and less equipped to take advantage of what's out there today.

Q: What's the secret origin of the comic book cover homages that grace the CHIKARA DVD releases? Any one famous cover you haven't done yet?

A: Just a nod to our superhero roots. There's a Dark Knight cover in our immediate future that has been a long time coming.

Q: Are you ever going to do a third book, to complete the trilogy?

A: Not currently. The books I've been slaving over the last few years are totally unrelated to [Quack’s first two books] "Headquarters" and "Secret Identity."

CHIKARA Pro Wrestling returns to action this weekend Saturday, May 26, in Hellertown, PA and Sunday, May 27, in Philadelphia, PA. For more information, CHIKARA’s website is www.chikarapro.com. Thanks to Dan from the Chikarafans.com website for his help on this article.

xxx