Hello one and all, my name is Zack Danielson. I recently joined the Wrestling section of Pulse, taking over the Chikara Column. My new Chikara column, entitled “Chikara Crash Course”, will debut on Pulse next week. However, this week, I would like to spend time talking about something special coming up THIS WEEKEND, It is called “The Jack of All Trios Tournament”, presented by Absolute Intense Wrestling.
Here’s a little background on AIW:
Absolute Intense Wrestling was founded 2005 in Cleveland, OH by Absolute Owner Chandler Biggens. To this day, AIW has ran over 50 shows, the majority of them taking place in Cleveland, OH. In the past 5 years, AIW has created so many stars in the world of professional wrestling, including Tyrone Evans (known as Michael Tarver on WWE NXT). Former AIW Absolute Heavyweight Champions include stars such as Steve Corino, Sterling James Keenen, and Drake Younger. AIW is also known for their Intense Division, which is their form of a curserweight division. Past AIW Intense Champions include Johnny Gargano and current ROH Heavyweight champion Tyler Black. AIW has also had many special stars appear at their shows, some names include Al Snow, AJ Styles, The Necro Butcher, Colt Cabana, Chris Hero, Claudio Castagnoli, Shane Douglas, and so many others.
Also, AIW has built a strong relationship with Chikara over the years, including helping them put on a show in Cleveland in September of 2008. Chikara wrestlers have made numerous appearances on AIW shows, including The Colony, Frightmare, Eddie Kingston, Pinkie Sanchaz, and many more. Over the past 2 years, AIW Has built a strong reputation of being one of the most intense wrestling companies in not just Ohio, but in the entire United States. Now, AIW is taking it to the next level this weekend with one of the biggest shows they’ve ever put on.
As all Chikara fans know, Chikara puts on a once-a-year tournament known as The King of Trios, the biggest wrestling tournament ever put together. The tournament is comprised of 16 teams of three, 48 wrestlers from all over the world. Teams from Canada, Mexico, Japan, and the entire United States try to gain entry into the tournament every year. However, this year is much different. This year, the King of Trios tournament was too big for just 16 teams, as so many trios from all over the United States contacted Chikara about gaining entry into the tournament. However, AIW came up with a solution to this problem
Absolute Intense Wrestling contacted Chikara about possibly putting on their own version of King of Trios, with the winning trio gaining entry into King of Trios. Chikara gave them the OK, and now this weekend, April 9th and 10th, AIW will be hosting the biggest professional wrestling tournament ever in the state of Ohio, entitled “Jack of All Trios”. The tournament will be taking place at the West Park Party Center in Cleveland, OH. Here are the teams for the Jack of All Trios Tournament:
Da Soul Touchez: Without of doubt, This team has the most trios tournament experience out of everyone in the tournament. Da Soul Touchez, comprised of Acid Jazz, Marshe Rockett, and Willie Richardson. In 2008 and 2009, this trio entered the King of Trios, and they were very impressive both years they entered. This year, they have to go through 15 other trios to gain entry into the King of Trios, however, with experience behind them, Da Soul Touchez are a favorite to win the tournament.
Alpha Beta Duke: Comprised of The Duke, Nick Belushi, and “The Passion” John Throne. All 3 men have been in AIW since practical day 1. In the past 5 year, All 3 men have teared through countless upon countless wrestlers in AIW. However, it was just recently this trio decided to team up. But when they did, they destroyed their opponents. Now they will test out their strength and ability as a trio in the Jack of All Trios.
Jack of Love: Comprised of Jack Verville, Jefferson Saint, and Chest Flexor. Don’t let their name or looks fool you, all 3 competitors can be tough and vicious. They have won many matches over the past year, but this will be their toughest challenge to date. Will they be able to survive against 15 other trios and make it into King of Trios, only time will tell.
Da Latin Crime Syndicate: Comprised of K Fernandez, Luis Diamante, and Joey The Snake. This trio might possibly be the most ruthless trio in the tournament. Why is that? Da Latins are known to do just about anything to just win a match, but that’s just a regular match. In a big stakes tournament like this, Da Latins are likely to use every trick up their sleeves to win this one.
Team IWA-EC: Comprised of Jon Moxley, Mad Man Pondo, and Zac Vincent. IWA-EC is known for having some of the toughest, baddest wrestlers ever to step in a ring on the east coast. Now, IWA-EC will send 3 of their toughest wrestlers to AIW, in order to gain entry into King of Trios. Moxley is the current CZW Heavyweight champion, Vincent is one of the toughest curserweights in IWA-EC, and Pondo is a legend in hardcore wrestling. IWA-EC will no doubt be a tough trio to beat in Jack of All Trios.
Psycho Sexual Panic: Comprised of Shiima Xion, Facade, and a Mystery Partner. PSP was formed in AIW in last year, and since then they have made a big name for themselves in the company. However, they have had bad luck ever since their leader Jimmy DeMarco left AIW. Now, PSP will try to get back to their winning ways in Jack of All Trios. Question is, who is their mystery partner?
Aeroform: Comprised of Flip Kendrick, Louis Lyndon and Johnny Gargano. All 3 wrestlers have made names for themselves in the past year in not just AIW, but in other companies such as EVOLVE and Dragon Gate USA. This will be the first time these 3 wrestlers team up together as a trio. Can they work well together as a team and make it to Jack of All Trios?
Homeless Handicapped Connection: Comprised of Gregory Iron, Hobo Joe, and (His Name Is) Robert Paulson. One of the more stranger teams in the tournament. Iron and Joe have teamed together for many years now, and mostly have had success as a team. When they found out about this tournament, they immediately wanted to enter, but they did not have a 3rd partner. Thats when Robert Paulson stepped up. He is a relative new-comer to the world of professional wrestling. Can Iron and Joe trust Paulson well enough to win this tournament, who knows?
Pleather Platoon: Comprised of Dave “The Potato”, Ben Fruith, and Corey Winters. Just like Homeless Handicap Connection, Fruith and Winters have been a impressive tag team in AIW recently. But when they wanted to enter the tournament, they did not have a 3rd partner. Thats when The Potato stepped up. Dave The Potato may not have the best win record, but he’s recently became a huge fan-favorite in AIW. So Potato’s trio will sure have the fans solely behind them.
Mustache Militia: Comprised of Marione Fontaine, Super Oprah, and South Side Sinclaire. Earlier I said Homeless Handicap Connection was one of the strangest teams in JOAT, but this is without a doubt THE strangest trio in this tournament. Fontaine (and his mustache) is one of the most popular wrestlers in AIW right now. Whenever he comes down to the ring, the fans are always behind him and chanting “mustache”. Now, Fontaine has picked two of the weirdest, strangest, and most unusual wrestlers in AIW history to be on his trio. They are Super Oprah, who is a big man dressed as a women, and South Side Sinclair, whose ring attire is just a diaper. Are they strange enough to actually win the whole tournament?
Team LWA Showcase: Comprised of Gary Jay and The Submission Squard (Evan Gelestico and Pierre Abernathy). King of Trios last year is remembered for a lot of things. Kota Ibushi’s performance over the weekend, the 3nd Rey de Voladores tournament, Johnny Saint’s appearance in Chikara, F.I.S.T winning the KOT, But there is one match over the weekend that might be remembered by all chikara fans for a long time, and not the good kind of memory. I’m of course talking about the LWA showcase match between the Submission Squard against Gary The Barn Owl and Davey Vega. They pretty much stunk up the joint. Possibly the worst match in Chikara history. In a recent promo, the LWA wrestlers blame the fans for the match. So now, they want some sort of revenge. What’s the best way to get back at the fans? By winning the JOAT tournament and entering the King of Trios tournament this year. Will they be able to exact revenge
on chikara fans this year?
The Young Studs: Comprised of Eric Ryan, Bobby Beverly, and TJ Dynamite. Over the past year, The Young studs have won the AIW tag team titles not once, but twice. In fact, they are the current AIW tag team champions after winning a tag gaulent in February. Beverly and Ryan have been teaming up for the past 6 months, but now that TJ has returned to AIW, The Young Studs will try to step up as a trio, led by their new manager Agent Arron Bauer, they will try to go through all 15 teams and go on to the King of Trios in Philadelphia.
Team Beyond Wrestling: Comprised of Jonny Mangue, Chase Burnett, and Zane Silver. Beyond Wrestling was founded just last year by AIW color commentator, Denver Colorado. The concept is quite interesting. Its wrestlers wrestling for other wrestlers in the crowd. Did it sound interesting to me first, nope. Then when I started to watch their videos online, it was quite impressive. They have put on many great matches over the last few months, even tough some of the wrestler have just started out. Certain wrestlers from Beyond have been given many opportunities in AIW, and pretty much all have impressed so far with the fans. So now, these 3 young athletes will be given possibly the biggest opportunity in their careers so far, as they try to win this tournament and go on to Chikara’s King of Trios
Team CLASH – Comprised of Cameron Skyy, Tommy Treznik, and J. Miller. CLASH Pro Wrestling is an indy located in Michigan. Just like AIW, they recently began a relationship with Chikara Pro, including helping Chikara make their MI debut in June. But Clash wants more than just a relationship with Chikara, they also wanna make a statement in Chikara. What better way to make a statement than by entering the King of Trios. Before they do that, they have to get past the Jack of All Trios. So CLASH has sent 3 of their top wrestlers to the tournament, in Cameron Skyy (their current heavyweight champion), and the team of H3RD (Miller and Treznik).
Blackballed -Comprised of Lamont Williams, Shawn Blaze, and “Kano” Josh Emanuel. This has to be the most controversial trio in this tournament. Why is that? Well first off, none of these 3 are technically apart of the AIW roster. All 3 are made at AIW for not booking them lately. So in the past few months, the 3 of them have caused so much chaos at live events, including jumping wrestlers during matches and even causing a blackout at a show. So why would they be entered into this tournament you may ask? Because they threatened legal action and more destruction at AIW live events if they didn’t get what they wanted. AIW pretty much had no choice to grant their wish. Question is, if they end up winning the whole tournament, what kind of mess might they cause in Chikara?
Team No Mercy – Comprised of Toby Klein, Chris Dickinson, and Tommy Mercer. What do you get when you take a deathmatch king, the AIW Intense champion, and one of the top contenders for the AIW Heavyweight championship and put them together as a team. The Answer is you get a team of 3 mean sons-of-bitches who is ready to destroy anything and anyone in their path. Thing is, these 3 have never teamed together at all. Can they form some kind of strong partnership in order to win the tournament?
Now is the entire card for both nights of Jack of Trios:
Night 1:
First Round Matches:
1. Alpha Beta Duke vs. LWA Showcase
2. Team No Mercy vs. Team IWA-EC
3. Latin Crime Syndicate vs. Homeless Handicapped Connection
4. Blackballed vs. Pleather Platoon
5. Soul Touchaz vs. Team CLASH
6. Young Studs vs. Mustache Militia
7. Jack Of Love vs. Team Beyond
8. Aeroform vs. Psycho Sexual Panic
Non Tournament Matches:
Special Attraction: Pinkie Sanchez vs. Davey Vega
Womens Action: Allysin Kay vs. JesSICKa Havok
Night 2:
Second Round Matches!
Third Round Matches!
The Finals of JOAT!
Non Tournament Matches:
Matt Classic & Sugar Dunkerton vs. Lince Dorado and Pinkie Sanchez
Frightmare vs. Green Ant
There you have it. I mentioned it once, but not only are these the biggest shows AIW have ever put together, but this will be the biggest pro wrestling tournament in Ohio history. The winners of Jack of All Trios will be the final entry into the Chikara King of Trios. AIW shows are always fun for the whole crowd, so if your in the OH area this weekend, I HIGHLY recommend you check out at least one of these shows. For more information, go to www.aiwrestling.com for all the details of these shows. Also, be sure to go to shop.aiwrestling.com for tickets to JOAT and all their latest DVD releases. Thanks for reading.
