It’s pretty rare for me to go into any writing project I endeavor upon without a full game plan of what I’m going to say. I generally hate rambling messes, but this could easily turn into one. I hope you’ll stick with me the whole way because there are some aspects of independent wrestling I want to touch upon, not only because we’re halfway but because of what happened now over a month ago.
Before delving in too deep, I want to thank Kevin Ford and Adam Testa for picking up my slack the last month and doing a great job posting on a regular basis throughout June. I’m really glad Adam has joined us as we get to bring back Dreamwave reviews as well as some nifty column ideas (one apparently forthcoming this week which should start some conversations).
When last I was around officially, I had just completed my Chikara live iPPV recap (Pretend I didn’t post anything about Absolution VIII or some random IWA-MS results for the sake of my argument.) and felt a sense of relief. As if a great weight was lifted. No longer did I have to live in a world of rumors or jokes about people’s personal lives. I could finally relieve myself of everything I had been thinking about the previous two months. The moment Condor Security ran in the ring and removed everyone was not an ending but a new beginning in my life as a fan and one of the leaders of this website.
In re-reading what I wrote that day, I’m honestly a bit ashamed of what I said and how I presented it. If I had allowed even 24 hours to process the information, I don’t think I would have been nearly as angry or frustrated by the ending. I compare what has happened to Chikara to the loss of a person in so far as the five steps of the grieving process. Obviously, losing a wrestling company doesn’t compare with loss of a human life, but I felt as if I was going through each stage in the months and weeks before June 2. I tried to deny it by thinking about everything Chikara had done over the last 11 years, the fact that they had sold out Chicago, New York, and Philadelphia in a three week span. Their outdrawing of every other promotion over Wrestlecon weekend. Anger was thinking about all of the other terrible promotions which still exist and in some cases even thrive despite their awfulness. Bargaining was tough since I’m agnostic and the closest thing I know to an indy wrestling God (Dr. Keith Lipinski) had a conflict of interest, I sort of moved onto depression. Depression was the stage most reflected in what you read on June 2. By the time my birthday rolled around a few days, I reached acceptance.
The truth is I don’t know if or when Chikara is coming back. If they announce a comeback six months or a year from now, I will make my decision then whether I want to financially support them. Putting on good wrestling shows and having good storylines will be a great way to bring me back. Same for Wrestling is. My intention is not to review these companies for Pro Wrestling Ponderings, but if there is something I want to see, the most recent Wrestling is Respect show featuring a tournament as an example, then I have no problem watching the show. Otherwise, I’m not going to sit around like an eight-year-old in the car on a long trip asking, “Are we there yet?” I’m not going to read a 76 page manifesto about the ending of Chikara. The shutting down of Chikara has had real effects on people, fans and wrestlers alike. Certain wrestlers didn’t know the company was dead until they woke up Monday morning. Some people took bookings this year with the thought of either getting into or increased chances with Chikara, not knowing the fate come June 2. These are real consequences which affect lives and careers. Living in a fantasy world is fine, but at some point you need to come back to reality and realize Chikara is no different than any other company. They need to make money. They made a number of errors in recent years when it came to running shows like Joshimania or being in charge of National Pro Wrestling Day. We don’t need to dive into private lives or marriages, but we also shouldn’t pretend like everything is okay and Chikara is running a storyline which is sure to continue at any point.
In reading about the Wrestling is shows that have taken place since Chikara’s final show, I haven’t seen a hint of a storyline pertaining to Chikara’s future. I also haven’t heard much in the way of improved attendance. Clearly, there is a disconnect between Chikara and these franchises among fans. Someone needed to do a better job making the connection and letting us know why going to Wrestling is Fun in Easton could positively affect whether Chikara comes back… if there is even a connection. All I can do is take shows as they come and support what I believe is good wrestling. This is what I would encourage you the wrestling fan to do as well.
There has been a lot of discussion about the future of independent wrestling over the last month for a multitude of reasons. Chikara’s potential death was only one issue. Sami Callihan and Samuray Del Sol said farewell to the indies just as we learned both the Briscoes and American Wolves are flirting with WWE. We also had the numerous iPPV issues that plagued WWN with Evolve 21, ROH with Best in the World, and Smart Mark Video with Absolution. For Ring of Honor, there was the added insult of them no longer doing live iPPV and not offering so much as an apology for their issues. Amazingly, the hits keep on coming as Jay Briscoe will be the first champion to not lose the ROH title in the ring. He also becomes the second champion to apparently have been without a contract. When I called June the worst month in independent wrestling, I wasn’t being melodramatic. I firmly believe it. That’s not to say we’re all wasting our time covering indie wrestling because it’s going to die, but there does need to be self-reflection and cause for concern.
Ultimately, I think Ring of Honor’s decision to shift away from live iPPV is a sound one. Better to get it right on-demand 24 hours later than to constantly frustrate the audience with the live versions. In fact, I question the viability of live iPPV as anything but an excuse to get on Twitter and complain about the stream. I’m not sure what kind of fairy dust RF Video is waving around, but they’re getting it right and haven’t had any major issues since they started. When it comes to talent, there is more out there than people think. They just need to be put out there. It sucks Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards could leave, but Ethan Page and Josh Alexander could step into Ring of Honor tomorrow and go a long way toward replacing them and having great matches. These two performers, as well as guys like Shane Hollister, Louis Lyndon, Davey Vega, Biff Busick, Kitsune, and host of others are there for the taking and just need the chance. The same ones that made Punk, Danielson, and Joe stars. In an era of fractured audiences and so many options, creating stars is harder. But through social media platforms, getting out to as many promotions as possible, and sheer hustle, it can be done.
For me as a fan, I can honestly say Chikara not being around has affected far less than I thought I would. I treasure the memories I have of being at King of Trios, High Noon, and a number of Chicago shows. Being there for the ten bell salute for Larry Sweeney is something I’ll never forget. Hearing the locker room applaud for the 1-2-3 Kid on night three of that same weekend still brings a smile to my face. And where else but Chikara can a group of 200 people sing “Take Me On” at intermission while a bunch of masked wrestlers are peddling their merch? I love Chikara for allowing me the chance to get emotionally invested and to in some ways help understand the death of Larry Sweeney. I love Chikara for bringing in wrestlers like Manami Toyota, Dick Togo, 1-2-3 Kid, and Jushin Liger, all of whom I never would have seen live. Most importantly, I love Chikara for bringing me closer to the independent wrestling community and to make friends with people who I would otherwise only correspond with on Twitter or Facebook. I will never forget what Chikara has done for me personally, but I’m also not going to dwell on the past.
What I am excited for is the continued development of wrestlers like ACH and Michael Elgin. I’m not going to say Elgin has replaced El Generico, but he has taken on the role of having the best match on any show he’s on. Watch every AIW, AAW, and Ring of Honor show and I bet you’ll find this is the case more than half the time. ACH is one of the most exciting guys I’ve seen in years, and the fact he hasn’t been fast-tracked in Ring of Honor disappoints me. Still, with so many potential departures, I see ACH as a big part of the rest of this year. I’m also stoked to see what Shane Hollister produces in AAW as the new heavyweight champion. Ditto for Ethan Page in AIW. The best wrestling is happening in Berwyn and Cleveland this year, and their development is what has kept me as a fan during these tough times.
I wish I had a crystal ball and could say with confidence independent wrestling is going to thrive and happily move along. With confidence, I can say the loss of Chikara presents an opportunity. I can take a first look at some new companies and a second look at others. Beginning tomorrow, I consider this a whole new chapter in writing reviews for Pro Wrestling Ponderings. In the coming weeks, I will continue to review AAW and Chikara. However, I will also begin reviewing Shine, C4, Shimmer, and perhaps some other companies I may have been sleeping on due to my Chikara devotion. Chikara is dead. It’s time to move on and join in on stage five of the grieving process… acceptance.
“I’ve spent the past month reminiscing about CHIKARA and the arc of my life these last 11 years. There is one memory that stands out more than any other: the year CHIKARA ended.
The bureaucrats got the better of us. After a hard fought battle with the Allentown Zoning Board, we were denied our right to run events out of the Wrestle Factory because we lacked adequate parking for the venue. So that was it. The Wrestle Factory moved on and CHIKARA, barely even out of the gate, was put down.
In that down time, the family grew. We should have been scattered, broken apart. But the fight with the zoning board actually brought us together. We hit the road here and there but in the end, we focused on bringing CHIKARA back. We came to understand that when each of us is working tirelessly for the same end goal, together, we can change the world. Even in those dark days, we knew we were at the dawn of something special. So we regrouped. We fought to bring our vision for wrestling to life, we fought for our ideas, and eventually we won.
And now here we are 11 years later, shut down by a group of bureaucrats. And I look at this forum and where are my brothers in arms crying “fight!” like we did back in 2002? I see whimpering posts that seem to be saying “I accept this fate.” It makes me sick, and heart-broken. It makes me angry. CHIKARA isn’t some shadowy corporate suits pulling the strings behind the scenes. I am CHIKARA. You are CHIKARA. Are you forgetting that?
I was given a family that quite honestly, I can’t stand. So I spent my adult life creating and molding a new one. A family that I respect and love. You can shut the doors, liquidate the assets, and slap a “for sale” sign on a company, but not a family. Not my family.
On my calendar July 20th is marked “Easton, PA.” That’s where my family was supposed to be that day. And I do not accept this fate. If Easton is where CHIKARA was supposed to be, then that’s where I’ll be. The Palmer Center. 7:00 pm.
I am CHIKARA. Are You?”
– Icarus.
I’m not moving on and you can’t convince me otherwise. Not until CHIKARA comes back or someone beats the living tar out of Wink Vavasseur
I never really cared for chikara I liked king of trios but other than that I didn’t care for the booking or the “kids” product that they producedso I’m not upset at all.