Hello my lovely friends and welcome back to The Dark Match! I must apologize for being gone for so long. I had a very good May, bringing out three blogs. Unfortunately my June has been less than a relaxing one. Taking on a new job position has left me rather tired and unwilling to write. So unfortunately the blog has suffered a little, as well as other writing projects. Hopefully I get used to the position soon so that I can continue bringing you this service, which I love to provide. Moving into the future I will begin a six part serious labelled “End of a Era” recapping the six final Chikara shows. This will be spiced up with as always, 2012 recaps. Once 2012 and 2013 are complete this blog will supply a place for people to jot their memories if and when Chikara returns. So last I checked the poll at the bottom there was a crazy tie with multiple wrestlers receiving single votes. Thus I will just pick one from your choices at random, and I am going with 3.0! The year of 2012 was one of soaring heights and rocky bottoms for 3.0, and they grew as a tag team. Lets get into it!
CHIKARA Debut - Tag World Grand Prix 2006 February 26, 2006
Affiliations:
3.0 (Scott Parker and Shane Matthews)
The Badd Boys (Brad Badd and Chad Badd)
The bombastic duo of Scott Parker and Shane Matthews exited 2011 with a single point towards tag title contendership. That made their very first tag encounter of 2012 all the more important as they began the year facing the crumbling BDK. The problems between Jakob Hammermeier and Tim Donst started in this match, and 3.0 took that as their advantage to win and gain their important second point. That meant heading into February if they could garner a single point between two shows that they would be able to contend for the titles on home soil in March. The first match in February took place in Reading and was non-tag. However, the atomicos match they were a part of was the beginning of the Director of Fun's tinkering with Chikara pairings. In the end they would lose the encounter with the BDK and Batiri. The next afternoon in Long Island, New York, would prove critical if they were to challenge for the CdP. Dasher Hatfield and distant relation “Mr. Touchdown” Mark Angel were coming off a surprise win the previous day in Reading over tag favorites Fire Ant and Soldier Ant. In a match that featured brute physicality as well as name calling went to the surging Canucks as they took the final point needed to contend for the gold. It was set that in Vaughn, Ontario 3.0 would challenge F.I.S.T for the tag titles.
It had been some time since 3.0 had the necessary points to challenge for the belts. In fact it had been over a year since they had challenged Claudio and Ares. This added the incentive they would need to drive into Vaughn with the confidence to take home the belts. It was in the main event of Green Ice that Parker and Matthews would challenge Icarus, standing in for the injured Johnny Gargano, and Chuck Taylor. The first fall went to F.I.S.T after some underhanded tactics from the rudo squad. Scott and Shane would persevere and take the next two consecutive falls to win the tag titles and reach the Promised Land. They stood tall on home soil as the locker room emptied to celebrate with them in the ring.
Glory was short lived though, as it often is, as 3.0 were challenged for their tag belts two months later in Lafayett,e Indiana. In Apri,l the reunited team of Chuck Taylor and Johnny Gargano, back from injury, gained three points in a four way elimination match. It was the second time in company history a single team gained all the necessary points in a single match. The advantage was theirs as the Bravado Brothers injured Scott's ribs the previous afternoon in Chicago at the Synergy event. Even with the injured rib,s Scott fought valiantly alongside his lifelong tag partner. After falling behind by a pinfall, 3.0 took the second fall to even up the two out of three contest. But it was the injured ribs that would be the thorn in the boisterous tandems side as Gargano and Taylor would turn 3.0's own tag specialty, the Sweet Taste O'Professionalism, against them for the final fall. In their first title defence, the proud Canadians vacated the Promised Land.
It was because of the chair shot from Harlem Bravado that Scott was injured and was unable to fairly contest the tag belts. In Chikara's final outing to Canada 3.0 were able to take their revenge on the Bravado's in Strathroy. A extremely physical battle would go the way of the Canucks again on home soil as a small measure of revenge was regained in their victory. That wouldn't mean that 3.0 would not come across the boys from Carolina again.
Since February, the odd pairings of Wink Vavasseur had only grown and he had even decided on a mathematical equation, Chikarabermetrics, that would pair Chikara teams together based on their strengths and pin fall ratio. That would mean that 3.0 would be paired with the newly resigned talent of Gran Akuma. In the past Akuma wasn't a fan of the fun loving Canadians. That meant that there was some friction between 3.0 and Akuma when they discovered they would be teaming together. The Akuma who was wrestling in 2012 was no longer the member of F.I.S.T who insulted Scott and Shane. In their first three contests together as a team they would defeat F.I.S.T, the Swarm and the Batiri. It would seem that there might be something behind the odd pairings of Mr. Vavassuer.
Even though they were on a winning streak with Akuma, 3.0's focus was not on trios competition but getting back into the hunt for the tag gold and returning to The Promised Land. After harassing Wink for long enough they were entered into a four way tag elimination match. They entered with two points, one gained from their grudge match with the Bravado brothers and another from a DQ victory over Gekido from earlier in the summer. Going into a tag elimination with points is difficult to manage, it means that as a team you must avoid being eliminated three times. That was exactly the fate of 3.0, much to their great distaste. It would be by the Bravados that 3.0 would be sent back to the bottom of the tag pool.
September would bring the always exciting King of Trios tournament. For two consecutive years, 3.0 had competed with fellow Canadian El Generico. Since Wink had far too much pride in his Chikarabermetrics creations they would enter into the tournament with their new partner Gran Akuma. The trio had functioned well together in the summer and was looking like they had put their past behind them. They had even begun to use the fan created nickname of “BooyAkuma.” Like the previous years 3.0 would make a first round exit as they were defeated by the nefarious tactics of the Batiri. 3.0 would make another appearance that weekend in the hysterical comedy match on night 3. If you haven't seen it yet, I highly encourage it.
Resting in October, the boys made their return to a Chikara ring in Chicago in November. Another four way elimination match would give them an opportunity not to lose points this time, but work towards gaining three again. Unlike their last elimination match this one would fall into their favour as they made the last two eliminations. One match would secure the Canucks two necessary points. Later in November they would be part of Team Chikara in the 2012 rendition of the Cibernetico. Lasting deep into the match 3.0 eliminated the Young Bucks before being eliminated themselves. It was a strong showing for the team and would put the confidence in them they needed to gain their third point on IPPV to close out the season. With three points it would mean Shane and Scott could challenge for the CdP again in 2013.
3.0 were a team known for a long time for their antics and comedy styling. The year of 2012 showed how serious they could be, and what competition truly meant to them. Thank you for taking the time to read The Dark Match today! Remember to tell your friends about me and always come back because you never know when I'll have something new available. Next up will be the 2012 recap of Delirious and his haunting of UltraMantis Black. Make sure to give me a follow on twitter @MurrayDarkMatch and I hope everyone is enjoying their summer. I promise my next entry will be much sooner than this one! Until then, keep wrestling fun.
No comments:
Post a Comment