Chikara Aniversario Blog:

Eddie Kingston vs. Icarus

Chikara Grand Championship

 

 

The Grand Championship; the highest honor obtainable by a single wrestler in Chikara.  It has existed for less than two years.  In that time, only one man has held it:

 

Eddie Kingston, the War King. 

It has been a difficult reign for Eddie.  Sometimes it seems like everyone is trying to take what is his.  But nobody is more eager to see him lose his title than the "Director of Fun" Wink Vavasseur.  Thanks to an edict from Wink, Kingston is defending the Grand Championship at every Chikara show.  Since Chikara usually runs two shows a month on back to back days this means he defends the title two nights in a row most of the time.  That may not sound like a lot, but when you realize that his opponent for the second night can take advantage of any injuries he sustains the first night it's easy to see why this is so dangerous.  The toll it is taking on his body is obvious.  One of his hands is healing from an out of ring injury, one of his knees is heavily padded because so many opponents have worked it over, and the only person who knows how many aches and pains that are invisible to outside eyes are running through his body is Eddie himself.  Despite all of this he continues to persevere.  Fortunately, for the Aniversario there is only one show and therefore only one title defense.  Unfortunately for Eddie that one defense is against a Chikara Gen-1 Original.

The challenger's name is Icarus:

I'd have a pretty good shot of him if not for that ring rope. :(

Icarus has a lot of experience and a lot of talent, but at the moment he doesn't seem to have a lot of confidence.  Over the years there has always been someone in his corner.  In his early days when he went by the name Ichabod Slayne his tag partner was Hallowicked.  As Icarus he formed a group called F.I.S.T. with Gran Akuma.  Chuck Taylor would join them and Gran Akuma would be replaced by Johnny Gargano.  Last year Sugar Dunkerton would be made a part of F.I.S.T. by order of Wink Vavasseur.  The disagreements this caused within the group would eventually tear it apart.  First Gargano would leave, then Taylor.  Finally, after much frustration with Icarus and his tendency to cheat the straw that broke Sugar Dunkerton's back would fall during his match at "The Ghost of You Clings" in Porterdale, GA.  Icarus interfered and got Sugar disqualified in front of what was essentially a hometown crowd for him.  With Sugar declaring himself a free agent and now gone from the Chikara roster by order of the "Director of Fun",  Icarus finds himself staring down the greatest challenge of his career and for the first time he is without any Friends In Similar Tights (yes, that is what F.I.S.T. stood for).   So, the Winged Ring Warrior has made a plea.  In a blog on Chikarapro.com he has asked his idol for help.  He wants Marty Jannetty in his corner.  At the time of this writing Jannetty has not given an answer.

Unlike the feuds I've discussed earlier on the blog this one isn't the result of a heated rivalry or a long-standing hatred so there isn't as much to say about it.  However, the stakes are very high so I expect this one to be intense.

What Knowwon is thinking:
1. Knowwon isn't sure who to cheer for in this one.  Eddie Kingston would seem the obvious choice, but if Marty Jannetty does show up as a corner-man for Icarus it will be hard to decide.
2. Knowwon wonders what Icarus expects of Jannetty if he does show up.  The moral support of an idol can be worth a lot, but in the past Icarus has been used to some rule-breaking assistance on the part of his cohorts.  Would Jannetty go for any of that?
3. Knowwon imagines that if Jannetty doesn't show up that the demoralization alone could spell the end for the title hopes of Icarus.
4. Knowwon isn't about to let this blog entry end without joking at least once about Icarus attempting to soar higher than ever before by going for the Grand Championship.
5. Knowwon is always wary of potential interference by Wink Vavasseur.  The Aniversario show is a pretty big deal.  It isn't hard to imagine the "Director of Fun" coming up with some special stipulations at the last minute to make this defense harder for Kingston.
6. Knowwon has to consider on the other hand that in his blog entry on Chikarapro.com Icarus blamed Wink Vavasseur for the departure of Sugar Dunkerton and the "Director of Fun" is very intolerant of criticism of his decisions.  Wink may have a grudge with both competitors at this point.
7. Knowwon will not sully his blog with a picture of it, but one final factor to consider is the horrible back tattoo sported by Icarus.  I only bring it up because it has been getting filled in and added to for some time now and I believe that when it is complete the sight of it will be able to turn men to stone.  Should this prove to be true, Icarus could use it to claim victory.

Chikara Aniversario: Never Compromise can be watched live at smvod.com on June 2nd 2013